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Lifetime Interview @ Smart Parents Magazine by Sing Tao
Work Environment Plays Key Role in Well-Being and Happiness
Researchers from the UK have found that the work environment has a significant effect on a person’s perception of well-being and happiness. Queen Mary University of London investigators discovered positive aspects of working life — such as high levels of control at work, good support from supervisors and colleagues, and feeling cared for — were linked to higher levels of life happiness. Researchers discovered higher…
Why Your Teen Doesn’t Talk to You
So that title might sound harsh. You’re thinking, “Oh, so now it’s MY fault that my teenager doesn’t talk to me? When I try so hard?” If you can realize some of the things you’re doing that are accidentally off-putting to your child, you’ll be better able to connect with him or her. 1) I’m not doing anything other than talking to them. Meaning:…
Making Up Sleep Deficits on Weekend May Not Really Work
Can weekend “recovery sleep” make up for too little sleep during the work week? According to new research, not so much. Researchers at Penn State University College of Medicine placed 30 study participants on a sleep schedule designed to mimic a sleep-restricted workweek followed by a weekend with extra recovery sleep. The result suggests that recovery sleep over just a single weekend may not reverse all the effects…
Visual Aids can Help People Better Understand Health Risks
In order to be able to make sound health decisions, patients need to understand the risks and the benefits that come with medical treatments, screenings, and lifestyle choices. But many people have difficulty understanding the numerical concepts that are essential for understanding risk-benefit information. Researchers Rocio Garcia-Retamero of the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin and Edward Cokely of Michigan Technological University discuss…
The Need for Pretend Play in Child Development
Pretend play or make-believe play (the acting out of stories which involve multiple perspectives and the playful manipulation of ideas and emotions) reflects a critical feature of the child’s cognitive and social development. The values of such imaginative play as a vital component to the normal development of a child. Studies have demonstrated cognitive benefits such as increases in language usage including subjunctives, future tenses,…
Lifetime Newsletter October 2013
Facebook Status Updates as Social Snacking
Just about everyone has an opinion about Facebook. A favorite theme is loneliness. There are those who believe that Americans (among others) are becoming lonelier and that our habits of connecting by Facebook instead of in person are hastening our slide into isolation. From that perspective, people constantly posting status updates are revealing their own loneliness. Others instead believe that Facebook allows people to stay…
7 Tips for Helping Your Child Manage Stress
Like adults, kids also struggle with stress. Too many commitments, conflict in their families and problems with peers are all stressors that overwhelm children. The key to helping kids manage stress is teaching them to problem-solve, plan and know when to say yes and no to activities and commitments, she said. It isn’t to “make everything smooth and comfortable.” “If you don’t teach [your kids]…
Benefits of Reading – Getting Smart, Thin, Healthy, Happy
A love of reading can protect your brain from Alzheimer’s disease, slash stress levels, encourage positive thinking, and fortify friendships. Here’s how your brain and body benefit when you crack open a book. Reading gives muscle to your memory. Reading gives your brain a different kind of workout than watching TV or listening to the radio. Whether you’re absorbed in a page-turner or simply scanning…