Follow These Safety Tips On Your Next Family Road Trip

You are bubbling with excitement while planning your family road trip. The day finally arrives; you fill up the trunk with your belongings and suitcases and get ready to hit the road.

No matter how careful you are or claim to be, anything can happen while on the road. It does not matter if you are driving for an hour, two, or several. There are certain safety tips that must be followed at all times to ensure the safety of you, your family, and the car. You don’t want your long-awaited trip to be ruined with an emergency visit to the hospital. Even if nothing happens to your health, should an accident occur, you might have to spend a lot of money fixing your car! There are a few tips to keep in mind to ensure that none of this occurs. These include avoiding distraction, getting the car serviced, sorting proper car insurance, getting enough sleep, making stops along the way and keeping a first-aid kit handy. Avoid bad situations by adhering to the following safety tips while on the road.

Avoiding distraction and keeping safe

The first safety tip is to be attentive at all costs. While embarking on a family road trip, your kids may be in the back and the longer the drive, the higher the likelihood that a scuffle or argument will occur at some point. Being the driver, your eyes must be kept on the road at all times to avoid distraction no matter what is happening in the back seats. Avoid getting emotional, avoid constantly being in conversation with those in the car and remain mindful the entire time that as the driver, you hold a fair bit of responsibility.

The distractions do not only occur inside the car but outside. Do not let other careless drivers anger you, but also avoid those drivers at all times. If your road trip is around more remote areas, you could have a deer or other wild animal jump in front of your car at any point. All these potential dangers are just further reasons to make sure you drive the speed limit. The point of a family road trip is for the entire family to bond and relax together. You do not want it ruined by being pulled over by a cop for negligent driving, or let something even worse happen.

Getting the proper car maintenance beforehand

You don’t want any last minute surprises where your car stops working mid-trip. Thus, in advance of embarking on the family road trip, you need to bring your car in for a service check-up. There is some unavoidable car maintenance where you do not have a choice but to bring it in, and then there are preventative measures you can take. Is there enough oil? Do the brakes work? Are your taillights intact? Once everything has been checked, and it is all good to go, the last step is filling the tank up with gas. Aside from gas, you should not have to stop an hour into the trip because you ran out of oil, or your windshield wipers don’t work while there is an on-going thunderstorm, and so on. You are now one step closer to being prepared for the long drive ahead of you.

Equipped with the proper car insurance

In the event that something should still happen on the drive, are you equipped with the proper car insurance? There are various car insurances you can choose from, and you need to decide which is right for you. Depending on your current financial situation, you can seek the advice of the financial professionals at Bonsai Finance, to determine what type of coverage works well with your financial situation, such as choosing comprehensive versus collision coverage. Comprehensive insurance pays for any damages that are not a result of an accident (weather, theft, etc.), whereas collision insurance covers that related to an unfortunate accident. Which car insurance is right for you? Financial advisers can help you determine the financing behind your decision.

Ensure you get enough sleep

Being the driver and responsible for everyone that is in the car with you, you need to make sure you get enough sleep before driving. Most adults require 7-9 hours of sleep in order to be alert and functioning. When you don’t get enough sleep, your senses are not heightened, and you are more prone to causing an accident. Your reaction to anything that happens on the road must be swift and strategic. For instance, should a deer jump in front of your car, a lack of sleep could cause you to react slower than normal. You can avoid these simple step backs by sleeping well.

Make stops along the way

In addition to sleeping enough, driving for long periods of time can make anyone dizzy, so it’s important to make stops along the way. As soon as you feel your eyes glazing over the road, it’s best to pull over somewhere. Consider stopping at a restaurant somewhere, or even booking an earlier hotel before you reach your final destination. If there are two adults in the car that can take turns driving, this will also make the road trip easier for both of you.

Keep a first aid kit

In the event of a minor accident, while driving, you should get into a habit of keeping a first aid kit in the car. You should make a list of certain key items to include, such as antibiotic ointments, bandages, scissors, alcohol wipes and so on. It’s always better to be prepared, than have to stop at stores last-minute to buy what you need.

Family road trips are the perfect opportunity for families to spend much-needed time together. Everyday life and work, or even school, can sometimes be stressful and everyone needs a break. However, it is important to remember to be cautious while driving at all times. It isn’t enough to be alert on the road, but the necessary preventive measures must be followed at all costs – this includes having the appropriate car insurance and bringing your car in at the service. After you have done everything on this list, you are good to go!

Learning to Take the Stress Out of Parenting

Make time for play! This picture is from our Florida vacation October 2017 at Mystic Dunes Resort. 

Too much stress in life is never a good thing, there are many studies that show stress can have a profound effect on your physical and mental health. However, life is generally full of stress that comes from many locations including work, money, relationships, and parenting. Parenting can be stressful even when it's going well because you want what is best for your child. However, there are a few ways that you can learn to reduce that stress and make parenting that little bit easier.

Learn to Simplify Your Life

Sometimes, you sit down after a hard day and think about all the things you did and wonder how you managed to fit everything in. Many of these tasks are things you might have taken on reluctantly or maybe didn’t intend on doing for so long. Other tasks you probably could do differently if you thought about it and saved yourself a lot of time. For example, you might have taken on an additional job at work that has now become a permanent fixture in your day. Or you always go shopping every day to buy that day’s food because that’s what you have always done. These are things that you can usually simplify to make your life easier and give you more time for other jobs. For example, learn to start saying no to doing additional work if it means it will take up your personal time. It can be hard to do at first, but you will soon realize the benefits of doing it. Also, instead of going shopping every day, try to plan your meals in advance and go once a week. You might even be able to shop online and save more time.

Get Enough Sleep

Getting enough sleep as a parent isn’t always easy, especially when they are newborns. However, skimping on sleep has many well-documented problems associated with it, and any one of them can make you feel worse. Try to schedule regular naps with your partner so that you are sharing the load and still getting rest. If you are a single parent, then maybe someone in your family can take care of your child for a couple of hours a week so that you can rest and recharge. When they are newborn, you can sometimes get away with napping when they do, if you can do this, then don’t feel guilty about it, your body and your baby need you to be fresh.

Don’t Take Comments Personally

One thing that most people who have been parents will do is offer advice, even if you don’t want it. Of course, some of this advice can be hugely beneficial to you, especially if you are having an issue. However, sometimes the comments border on criticism rather than help and this can make you feel upset and stressed. It is hard, but you need to learn to let these comments wash over you. Most people will have an opinion on something, but that doesn’t mean they are right. If you can allow these negative comments to fall to one side, you will feel a lot better about your own parenting and also reduce your stress as a result.

Don’t Aim for Perfect

When you first become a parent, you will likely imagine that you will have the most perfect pregnancy, birth, and baby that you can possibly get. In reality, however, this can be far from the truth, and that can lead to bigger issues later on. Those parents who imagine things will be perfect are often left feeling upset and a failure when things don’t turn out that way. The truth is that no parent will say their child or life is perfect, even if it looks that way to you from the outside. If you can learn to accept that there will be good and bad days, then you can allow yourself some slack. If you are finding it hard to cope, then you need to seek the help of your doctor or therapist so that you can let yourself recover.

Be Prepared

Organization and preparation are the keys to having a stress-free time as a parent. You can’t prepare for everything, but trying in anticipate some problems can be beneficial. For example, take a spare set of clothing with you when you go out with your child. That way, if they fall in the mud or they burst their diaper, then you can throw the clothes away and start again. Being organized financially is also a good way to stop yourself from worrying about the future. Turn to top rated life insurance companies for help, so that you can try to make your child’s future better and perhaps relieve some of the long-term stresses.

Make Time for Play

Being a parent day-to-day can sometimes be so hectic that you forget to have fun. Even though you might have a lot to do, try to make some time for playing with your children. You don’t have to go anywhere or spend a lot of money, all you need to do is spend some quality time together. Try taking a little time in between jobs to play with them and their toys or watch a TV show with them. They will get a huge amount from this personal time with you, and it will help you to take things easy and stop worrying about missing out on their lives. Working full time can be particularly hard, especially if you don’t get home until they are going to bed. In this case, make the bedtime routine your thing with them. Read them a story and tuck them in, they will appreciate these moments with you.

It is important to understand that being a parent is a journey and that there will be ups and downs along the way. If you can learn to deal with the downs, then you will be in a better place when you have the ups.

Tips to Take Full Advantage of Brain Supplements

Many people are opting for brain improving supplements. The days are gone when brain health supplements were used only by the aging adults to improve memory. Brain health supplements have lots of positive aspects, leading them to be extremely popular among all age brackets. Most of the benefits you may expect from the brain supplements include reduced a lack of attention, increased mentally focusing ability, improved reminiscence, and recollection, thought readability and improved overall mental faculties health. People making use of the vitamin supplements also enjoy higher processing rates of speed by the mental faculties and the remarkable capability to bounce between thoughts and ideas.

There are plenty of good reasons as to why you may think about going for the brain supplements. Here are some tips to help you in buying the best brain supplements.

Tip 1 - Get Acquainted with The Substances

The most effective ways of knowing exactly what the smart supplements will do to suit your needs are to evaluate the constituents. There are plenty of substances used in various brain supplements, and they consist of different positive aspects of your mental faculties. Although some may improve blood circulation within your brain to improve cell membrane layer fluidity, some others may improve nerve organs interaction through amplified nerve ending expansion rate.

Tip 2 - Source the Supplements from Reliable Companies and Manufacturers

You'll find well-known brain supplement manufacturers out there, and you can easily be satisfied with those to get optimum benefits. You should also make sure that you purchase them from companies you believe in so that you don't end up with replica supplements that will do little to your mental performance. If at all possible, purchase the products directly from companies or certified retailers so that you benefit from legitimate top-quality solutions in the long run.

Tip 3 - Stick to The Directions of Use

The company knows the supplement better and you ought to, therefore, make sure that you stick to the guidelines for use. High dosage amounts don't lead to faster effects so be sure you follow the guidelines provided.

Tip 4 - Seek Advice from Your   Doctor

This will be relevant, specifically for those people not in good condition or health. Your personal doctor can provide helpful recommendations about exactly what smart supplements are most effective for you and the way to actually use them which means you don't end up making your health worse. Consulting with your doctor may help you avoid low-quality products because your doctor knows better that how does your body work and react to some supplements which are bad for your health.

Tip 5 - Stay Well Hydrated

The simple truth is brain products improve the circulation of blood to your mental faculties. Drinking plenty of water daily facilitates the health supplements to work properly and also reduces possible negative effects. Contamination is a major root cause of impaired mental faculties performance, therefore, make sure you avoid dehydration.

Misconceptions About Anxiety

The rise of stressful lifestyles has led to the increase of mental disorder cases, including anxiety. What are some misconceptions that are associated with the condition? Read on to find out.

If there is a place where misinformation abounds about mental disorders such as phobias, it is the internet. Anxiety is one of these disorders – not many people know much about it, or whether they have it.

If you have someone in your life that is struggling with the condition, it may be difficult to know what to do or how to assist them – and sometimes you may resort to ‘quick cures’ that need you to pay up-front before you receive help. When the condition is affecting your life or a loved one, you are willing to try anything to help minimize the pain, but how do you know what you can trust and what to leave? Here are some common myths about the condition.

Anxiety is not a 'real' illness

Everyone goes through anxious moments at certain points in our lives, especially when something major is about to happen. In fact, some anxiety can be helpful in some situations. However, anxiety disorder is much more than that – it is an extreme form of anxiety that leaves you impaired, you cannot function or go about your daily life because of it, and above all – it is a real illness.

The problem with anxiety is that it is not very easy to diagnose it, unlike conditions such as diabetes, cocaine abuse and addiction, or cancer – but there are ways of spotting the condition, thanks to its physical manifestations. Once it is diagnosed, it is easy to manage and treat it afterwards.

Panic attacks will make you lose control and pass out

The truth – not really. The fainting that accompanies panic or anxiety attacks usually occurs because of drops in blood pressure, but this does not occur because of a panic attack.

In fact, the opposite usually happens when you have a panic attack, at least most of the time. The attack will trigger your blood pressure and heartbeat rate to increase, and that can only mean one thing – you do not pass out, even if you wish you could. That does not make a panic attack less dreadful, but fearing them tends to make the problem worse, and that should be enough reason to get treatment for anxiety.

Many people have the perception that panic attacks will make them lose control when doing something such as driving, but panic attacks do not have that effect. Another interesting fact to note is that not everyone who has panic attacks goes on to develop panic disorder. In fact, out of 20 to 25 percent of people suffering panic attacks, only 3 percent develop panic disorders.

Panic disorders are a moresevere form off the condition, as they are a vicious cycle that result in anxiety about the chances of getting more attacks in future. Sometimes treatment involves you riding out the storm and remembering that nothing bad will happen – this will help you to break the vicious cycle in future.

If you have anxiety, avoid situations that may lead to stress

Okay, two things – it is impossible to avoid stressful situations completely. Second thing, you should not view yourself as a fragile being, because this is counterproductive and just causes more anxiety. It is important to keep in mind that you can be anxious and still accomplish what you should do.

Stress avoidance might seem like a good method of managing anxiety on the surface, but it is not as effective as you think. Life will always present stressful situations that are mostly unexpected, and all of these are capable of causing anxiety if you have anxiety disorders.

In addition, avoiding the triggers of stress like large crowds and open spaces, will only serve to heighten the disorder. Anxiety treatment that is effective will expose you to the anxiety trigger in safe amounts and slow rates, until you can learn to cope with the problem, not avoid it.

Carrying a paper bag is useful in case you hyperventilate

You have probably seen this in the movies or in popular culture, where someone starts hyperventilating and they have a paper bag with them. The thing is hyperventilating is not necessarily life threatening, but carrying the paper bag every time will increase anxiety.

This is because carrying the bag is more of a safety behavior than anything else. It reinforces the subconscious fear that something bad will happen and you want to have a safety plan just in case. In addition, hyperventilating feels uncomfortable for sure, even though it is not life threatening.

Safety behavior is another way of avoiding the problem instead of facing the fear and getting to the root of the problem. They will feed the anxiety cycle even more.

Anxiety disorders are not common

Anxiety is more common than you may think. In the United States for instance, almost 18 percent of adults go through different varieties of anxiety disorder in a certain year, according to statistics from the NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health).

Even though millions of people live with different forms of anxiety, a patient will be very surprised to discover they do not go through it alone, once they are diagnosed with the condition. It is understandable though, since there are certain types of anxiety disorders like social anxiety and OCD that isolate people and make one feel embarrassed to seek treatment.

Anxiety will get better if you wait for it to go

It will not, and it never does. This misconception has also led to many cases being diagnosed late, with the average individual waiting for up to ten years before they go to seek anxiety treatment.

When the person can function well enough, they often delay the treatment process, and they hope it will go away on its own. Improvement happens very rarely, and it actually gets worse with time, while other conditions such as depression develop.

Final thoughts

Anxiety is among the most misunderstood mental conditions, so many myths surround it. These are just some of them, and it is important to have adequate information about the condition to be able to deal with it early and effectively.

What Careers Could You Do Well In?

It’s a question on everyone’s mind, no matter how young or old they are. If you’re on the lookout for
a job, or you’re finding your current employment too much to handle, or you simply fancy a change
and want to go after it with a determined mind, you think about the kind of person you are and what
career would work best with your personality! You can even take a bunch of online quizzes in your
five minute break to see if the job you’ve got in mind seems a realistic choice to other people (despite
these quizzes holding no power over whether you’ll succeed or not…).

All in all, there are a lot of careers out there, and they’re not suited for everyone. So to make sure
you’ve got more of an informed decision on your side, let’s have a quick think about the kinds of
people suited to the most common/popular jobs out there.

Source

If You’re an Extrovert

Of course personality is never as clear cut as extrovert or introvert, but that’s mostly the categories
we can cut different jobs into. But if you’re someone who has a lot of energy, and this only increases
the more and more you deal with people, you belong in this category. Similarly, if you’re someone who
likes to be outspoken and use your intelligence and all of your innate skills in your line of work, you
also belong here.

These kinds of people are suited to customer service and hospitality jobs, as well as working in the
public services. Usually you’ll find an extroverted person in the position of general manager for
whatever company they’re working for, or they’re working their way up to it. There’s also a strong case
to be made for doctors, nurses, and other hospital residents,  as extroverts often like to help people,
and that’s made easier than ever with an online FNP program you can find all across the web!

If You’re an Introvert

Introverts don’t have to be much different to extroverts; they simply gain and use their energy
differently, and they’re indispensable in the workplace because of the amount of focus they have.
So if you’re someone who likes to work in a more organized system, putting facts and data to good
use, mainly via a computer program, you could belong in this category.

You could do very well in the technological sector as a result, either developing software or writing
code. You could also do well in the teaching sector, especially in a mathematical or scientific subject,
giving you plenty of down time on the job as well as allowing you to focus as much as you need. All in
all, you could go very far with a job that puts your energy style to good use like this.

If you’re on the lookout for the perfect job, keep suggestions like these in mind. But they don’t have to
matter too much in the long run if you’ve found something great already!