Leading Hands Through Technology

While we all experience anxiety at times, some develop anxiety issues that interfere with their daily lives. Adolescents are especially vulnerable to things like social anxiety, general anxiety disorder, school-related anxiety, and specific fears and phobias. As a parent of a child with problematic anxiety issues, you must know what to do and what not to do when attempting to manage it.
Know when anxiety is beyond normal levels
Anything can trigger anxiety in a teen. It can spring from an upcoming test, a big game, or a school performance. Teens can feel anxious during big transitions, like switching schools or moving. Even technology — that thing your teen spends so much of their time on — could be causing stress if they overuse it. However, technology is helpful when it is used as a coping mechanism rather than a distraction from that essay your teen has to write by tomorrow. In fact, studies have shown that social media makes teens aware of the needs of others, encouraging them to volunteer and give back to their community.
As a parent, it’s important to be able to spot anxiety that’s outside the realm of normal for adolescents, and help your teen find positive ways to deal with it.

“All children and young people get anxious at times, and this is a normal part of their development … but if you think your child’s anxiety is getting in the way of their day to day life, slowing down their development, or having a significant effect on their schooling or relationships, it is best to try and help them tackle it,” says YoungMinds.org.

Don’t ignore or try to minimize the anxiety
Ignoring your child’s anxiety might seem like a good tactic, as you may think acknowledging every little worry will only serve to legitimize them. The problem is that those fears are already legitimized in your child’s mind — with or without your help. For your teen, the pressure to fit in and have the latest tech gadget or to win first place in the science fair is a serious issue, and the crippling anxiety they feel is real. Refusing to address sources of anxiety simply allows it to fester.

Address your teen’s anxiety head on. Talk to them about what makes them scared and develop strategies with them. For example, if their anxiety is school-related, you might arrange for them to work with a tutor a couple of times a week (If cost is a concern, know that many private tutors have negotiable rates). Knowing they’ll be able to receive extra help later on, may help your teen manage the anxiety they feel about not understanding certain topics at school. Or if their anxiety is social, talk with them about settings where they feel comfortable, and figure out ways to increase the number of social interactions they have in those environments. That said, as you do this, it’s vital to acknowledge that stress and worry are natural parts of life, this way your child doesn’t feel like there’s something inherently wrong with them.

Get on their level…technologically that is
In today’s world, it is a rare occurrence to find a teen who doesn’t have a phone, tablet, or computer. Your teen is already plugged in, so why not motivate them to use technology in a way that will improve their health and well-being? Encourage your teen to download one of these three apps to help cope with their anxiety:

1. SAM (Self-Help for Anxiety Management) – Free for all iPhone and Android users, the app can be used to create a personalized anxiety toolkit, self-monitor your anxiety, and get tips for managing anxiety from other SAM users in the in-app forum.

1. Centered – Another free app, Centered encourages iPhone users to participate in stress-reducing physical activity and meditation. The app can be synced with your iCalendar or Apple Watch to send you reminders to take a breather.

1. Pacifica – Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), the app offers guided self-help paths, mood tracking, relaxation techniques, and progress tracking, making the yearly $35.99 subscription ($5.99/month) well worth it. The app is available for iPhone, Android, and web.

Try “laddering”
One technique for overcoming anxiety is to practice something called “laddering,” in which a specific fear is identified, a goal is set, and you take small steps toward achieving that goal.
Let’s say your teen is afraid to put themselves out there and make new friends, as many teens use social media as a replacement for in-person interactions. In this case, using the laddering technique can be very beneficial. Rather than reiterating the reclusive behavior, create small goals to get to the bigger goal such as speaking to one new person each day, inviting someone over, or joining a school or community group such as a youth group or sports league.
Chronic anxiety is often a condition that people must deal with throughout the course of their entire life. It does get better with time, however, and the adolescent years can be the toughest. As a parent, it’s important to empathize with your child’s anxiety without enabling it. By tackling the anxiety head on, you can begin to minimize its effect on your child’s social life.

Photo Credit: Pixabay.com

When you keep learning, you keep leading! Start off your morning right with the word of the day and get your brain energerized. What word can use today in a sentence? It’s like Pee Wee Herman’s word of the day, but different.  

https://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day

Would you like to drive longer and emit less pollution? Select Car created a guide for people who own slightly older cars, so they can also cut down their carbon footprint by doing just a few simple things while they’re on the road. Not only that, many of the suggestions actually decrease fuel usage too.

They also have a list of some of the best and worst cars for emissions if you’re looking to change your car in the near future. Find out which cars have the lowest and highest emission of CO2 – hint – electric cars have the lowest and SUVs have the highest. Find out how you can drive more green!

https://www.selectcarleasing.co.uk/news/saving-the-planet-one-mile-at-a-time.html

Are you looking to improve your health? Have your new year’s resolutions expired by now? Find out how to turn your focus around on your health by visiting Positive Health Wellness. The site features diets, nutrition, recipes, fitness, beauty, pain relief and awesome info graphics. I found one interested info graphic on the benefits of drinking pickle juice and another on three day sugar detox to improve your health. If you are ready to find new techniques to get back on the wagon – then look no further – check out this site.

https://www.positivehealthwellness.com/

Technology is a wonderful thing, but not everyone is necessarily tech-savvy. Millennials are more tech-savvy than their parent generation, but it’s time for all homeowners to consider the many benefits of becoming a bit more tech-friendly at home. When you add smart technology to your home, you benefit your home, your finances, and your life in various ways. Technology might seem like a silly upgrade to some, but it’s an investment for many homeowners. Technology is beneficial in any home, and there are numerous examples as to why.

Convenience

No matter which type of technology you add to your home, you are going to find it’s more convenient than not. If you choose to add tech-savvy appliances, for example, you’re going to find the convenience of being able to control your appliances from anywhere in the world is wonderful. You are at work and want to preheat the oven so you can pop dinner in as soon as you get home. It’s the only way you’ll have dinner ready to serve before everyone has to leave for a ball game or practice, and now you can preheat your oven with the click of a button from your smart phone from work, from the car, or from anywhere else so it’s possible. The convenience of smart technology makes the world a much more enjoyable place.

Safety

Your safety matters more than anything, and your smart technology can help with that. A smart doorbell allows you to capture the person ringing it on camera. If that person is casing your home, you now have his or her face on your camera if you find yourself robbed in the hours or days following that suspect doorbell ring. Your alarm can be set from an app on your phone if you are ever worried you forgot to set it before leaving on vacation. Home automation makes it much easier to function when you’re home as well as when you’re not.

If you purchase smart outlets, you can avoid turning the car around because you’re worried your flat iron is still plugged in or that you left the iron on. These outlets allow you to turn off the power to any outlet from your phone, so your iron, flat iron, or other hot device turns right off. Your home has never been safer.

Cost-Effective

Few things beat the cost-effectiveness of smart tech in the home. The best example of smart tech is a smart thermostat. It gets to know your living habits, so it knows when you’re home and when you’re not. It knows when you prefer your home cooler than usual or warmer than usual, and it knows your habits. You can also adjust the thermostat from your phone from anywhere in the world. Say you’re leaving on vacation and forgot to turn the air up. You don’t need to cool your home to 72-degrees when no one is there for a week. You can turn it off, and then turn the air back on before you get home so you arrive to a nice, cool, comfortable house.

It also allows you to turn on the heat and air at the same time, which is beneficial for those who live in places with odd weather. A Florida family, for example, might appreciate being able to set the heat for 73 overnight and when it’s cold while also setting the air conditioning for 76 if the temperature rises significantly throughout the day.

Smart tech is more than just smart. It’s good for you and your family. It saves you money, it provides you with more convenience, and it makes your life easier. You might not realize just how valuable it is until you have it, but it won’t take long for you to realize you never want to live without smart technology at home again.

Have you joined the adult coloring book phenomenon? If you did, then you’ll love this app and if you did not, then start your free coloring book therapy now. Download the app to paint mandalas, patterns, animals and more with Pacify. Who knew that coloring could be so relaxing?  Find out what the craze is all about and get pacified with color.

http://www.pacifycoloring.com

Do you need to rent a car? With Skurt you can rent a car whenever you need it. They will drop it off to you and pick it up wherever you desire. You’ve heard of Uber, the service that replaced taxis. Now meet Skurt, the service that replaces car rental agencies. 

Skurt is the app that lets you rent you a car instantly from your phone.

https://www.skurt.com/

The new lifestyle craze is Lagom because it’s about self-discipline and moderation. Here is a guide explains how to incorporate it into your home and life in the easiest of ways.

https://www.therugseller.co.uk/infographics/lagom

You remember the easy button from Staples? Well now there is one from Amazon, but this time when you press it – you place an order for stuff you need. If you never want to go to a store again, Amazon has the answer for you.

Amazon Dash Button makes ordering easy. With a simple click, Prime Members can order their favorite products. This button is a Wi-Fi connected device that reorders your favorite product with the press of a button. Each Dash Button is paired with a product of your choice, which is selected through the Amazon App on your Android or iOS smartphone during the set-up process. Amazon ensures Dash Button responds only to your first press until your order is delivered.

What do you think? Are you using this system? If not, would you use it?

https://www.amazon.com/b/?node=10667898011&ref_=pe_2507310_212599890_ods_em_db_oct_ssl2

High School Seniors are you looking for some extra cash for college? You can earn $1000 by creating a video by answering the following two questions.

1. How important is sleep as a public health issue? Sleep has gotten a lot of coverage in the last few years and we’d like to know how you think it stacks up and why you feel that way. Please use research and statistics to back up your opinions.
2. Describe your current relationship with sleep and assess the quality of that relationship. Research and cover at least two to three ways you think you should change your lifestyle/sleep hygiene habits to improve your sleep health and how you plan to implement them over the next year of your life.

If you are interested, the deadline is May 19th.

https://www.bestmattressreviews.com/sleep-scholarship/