Sunday, May 3, 2020

No One Saw These Coronavirus Impacts Coming

When the coronavirus first emerged as a threat, the concern was clear. People were worried that the virus was spreading rapidly and could easily pass from one person to the next. This is why social distancing measures were quickly brought in and that included advising or in some cases ordering people to stay at home. However, this has caused some other worrying issues to develop that you do need to watch out for as a parent. 


Rise in Mental Health Issues 

Coronavirus has not just impacted people being able to get their daily dose of physical activity, but it has also caused a rise in the number of mental health issues across the globe. It’s easy to see that some people in lockdown are struggling more than others, and it’s having an adverse impact on their mental health. Being cut off from friends and family can be challenging, and for those people already suffering from mental illness, it could trigger a worse reaction. However, even if you weren’t struggling before, the impacts of the virus are being felt far and wide. Feelings of loneliness and hopelessness are common at this time, triggering mental health issues.

Increase in Cases of Violence 

It’s understandable that people are feeling more stressed being stuck at home. We are used to being free to go outside when we want, going to the cinema or heading to a restaurant. We’re comfortable with seeing our friends, perhaps more than we see our family. The pandemic has changed this. It has left people stuck inside four walls and perhaps this has caused tension to build because research suggests there are more cases of violence at home. As the lockdown begins to lift, it will be necessary to assess some worrying behavior you might have noticed in your partner. Some people may even need to get in touch with a child custody attorney and take measures to protect their children. 

An Economy on the Edge of Collapse 

The economy is not as stable as it was pre-virus, but nobody knew just how bad it was going to get. We are now on the edge seeing as people are not getting much of an income, those who are risking their own safety every day, and they're just isn’t enough money to be spent in the way that it usually is. People don’t want to head out to stores for essentials such as food, so spending on things that are not essential is out of the question for most.

Other Health Issues Overlooked 

Finally, both the UK and the US saw a startling level of reduction in ER visits. Why did this happen? Quite simply people were terrified of contracting the virus by visiting a hospital. This leads to high numbers of people trying to deal with serious health issues at home. With the potential of a second wave still a worrying concern, it’s important that if you do notice problems with your health you get treatment and advice as quickly as possible. 

These impacts were ones that nobody saw coming, and yet they have become a reality, so hopefully now you understand them a little better than when you clicked on this article.

Saturday, May 2, 2020

Getting Your Family Through Tough Times

Many people are having tough times at the moment, and more generally it is something that families are likely to experience from time to time anyway. If you find that you feel a little unequipped when it comes to dealing with those times, then there might be a range of things that you want to consider doing in order to try and get through them and out the other side in one piece. Getting your family through tough times is something that you can practice, but you do need to start out with a good sense of how to do it and what tools are essential for it. In this article, we will look at some of those, so you feel more equipped to deal with these kinds of issues.

Pulling Together

No matter what is happening, the thing to do is always to make sure that you pull together as best as you can. As long as that is your default mode, you will find that you are much more likely to survive whatever might happen as one unit. However, if your go-to is to fall apart and blame each other and so on, then you will find that this is much more potentially damaging. Pulling together is always a much better way of acting. Of course, it is easier said than done, but if you make a point of doing it you should find that you are a much stronger unit in no time. Of course, as with anything, it does take practice.


Getting Outside Help

Many families find that they do need outside help quite often, and this is something that you should always be aware of as a possibility if you want to try and keep your family intact during tough times. There are many kinds of help you might be looking out for, depending on what the situation is and what you are hoping to achieve. Even in the very worst circumstances, there are professionals like divorce mediators out there who can help you to keep the family working as a unit. It’s important that you seek the help you need, and that you don’t allow it to simply worsen on its own. Sometimes having that help is all you need to get things back on track.

Allowing For Differences

Even though you are trying to keep your family as a strong unit, a part of that is that you need to allow for plenty of differences when it comes to the individuals in your family. There are always going to be these differences, and it’s important that you bear that in mind if you want your family to remain strong. Allowing people to be who they are within the family will ensure that they are happy to be there, and that they are much more likely to keep the family together as you all hope it to be. Ensure you are doing this with everyone in your family, including yourself.

Friday, May 1, 2020

3 Tips to Have the Ultimate Home Movie Night With Your Family

Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, parents across the globe have been trying to figure out ways to keep their kids entertained while keeping their sanity, too! 

If you’re worried about running out of ideas, why not create a family movie night? No, that doesn’t just mean throwing in a DVD or picking something you haven’t seen before on Netflix. You can create the ultimate home movie night with your family by making just a few changes. In doing so, you’ll create an unforgettable memory with your family, and it might be something you decide to continue long after any “stay at home” orders are lifted!


1. Invest in the Right Equipment

If you truly want to make your movie night special and different from the norm, you might want to invest in some new equipment to morph your living room, basement, or den into a “home theater”. Using screens, speakers, and other equipment from a business like the Home Theater Company can transform almost any room right away. 

If you’re on a budget, you can still transform your “movie room” by rearranging furniture, using Bluetooth speakers for playback, and using a large sheet or screen and an inexpensive projector for your movie, instead of a standard television. 

2. Bring Out the Snacks

What’s a movie theater experience without the right snacks? Make a big batch of popcorn for everyone to share, and let your kids have some fun by bringing in several boxes of candy, sodas, etc. You can allow them each to “buy” what they want. You can even let them earn play money throughout the week by doing their homework or their chores, and then allowing them to use that money to buy their snacks. 

3. Get Connected

If you’re feeling the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic and you want to share your movie night with your extended family, use technology to make it happen! Did you know you can have a “Netflix party” where you can watch the same movie as others at the same time? 

The application allows your movie to sync so everyone is watching the same thing at the same time. You can even chat with each other during the movie, or afterward. If someone needs to pause to use the bathroom or get a snack, the movie pauses for everyone so no one has to miss out on any major moments. If your kids are missing their friends, family members, etc., it’s a great way to make everyone feel a bit more “together”. 

If you don’t want to use that particular application, get creative and host a FaceTime or Zoom movie night, where your friends or family can join you via video from their own homes. 

It’s not always easy to keep thinking of creative ideas for your family, especially when you’ve been stuck at home for a while. But, everyone loves a fun movie night, and by going the extra mile with a few simple additions, you can turn movie night into something truly special. 

Thursday, April 30, 2020

Can Your Tap Water Kill You?



On a very basic level, any water can kill. After all, it is possible to drown in just 2 inches of water. However, this isn’t generally a concern if appropriate safety precautions are taken.   


Tap water goes through a stringent treatment process, as dictated by the government. All water that leaves the treatment plant must meet a set standard. Unfortunately, this doesn’t offer any control over what happens to the water between the treatment works and your faucet.


The simple fact is that the pipes can get tiny holes in which allow water out and bacteria in. These bacteria can breed while traveling in the water and potentially cause harm when they reach your faucet.   Debris from inside the pipes can also collect in the water and end up in your glass of drinking water.


But, of more concern is chemicals. Some are added by the plant and could cause damage, especially to sensitive individuals. These include chlorine which is effective at killing bacteria and causing respiratory distress in humans.


Fortunately, this is not a common scenario.


Pollution

However, of much greater concern is the pollution that gets into the water. Waste products from households, especially feminine hygiene products, often end up in the wastewater system. Even though they shouldn’t.


This wastewater is carried to the treatment plant and can block the screen. In turn, this can result in a breakdown at the plant and potentially the release of untreated water into the drinking water system.

Factories, oil leaks, and dumping of fertilizers can all leach into the ground and the water pipes, potentially causing issues for your health.


The good news is that these issues are generally minor and may make you feel ill but probably won’t kill you. But, this isn’t always the case.


For example, the pathogen Naegleria fowleri frequently gets into the water system and is known to be fatal to humans. The initial outbreak killed 350 people. It is killed by chlorine in the water although it is currently being debated if the chlorination level is sufficient. 


The most recent tragedy from this pathogen was a 12-month-old boy in November 2015. Other incidents have happened over the years, including chemical spills that have infiltrated the water. Perhaps the most high-profile and famous case was Hinkley, as represented by Erin Brockovich.


In short, although rare, even the water that comes out of your tap could kill you.


Filtration

The best solution is to invest in a reverse osmosis water filter. This 5-stage process uses a semipermeable membrane to force chemicals out of the water. It will remove the chlorine, fluoride, heavy metals, and even bacteria from your water, making it safe to drink. It’s worth noting that reverse osmosis won’t actually remove chlorine itself, but the filtration system will because it’s a 5-stage process that includes an activated carbon element to remove the chlorine and chlorides.


In short, using this system will help to ensure your water is as pure as possible, you’ll notice the difference in taste and aroma.

How to Save Money when Buying a Phone

How to Save Money When Buying a Phone!

Great deals on refurbished phones
There are now 8.97 billion smartphones in the world and as such buying smartphones is now pretty much seen as an essential purchase. A recent report in fact stated that 4 in 10 US kids are 6 or under when they first use a cellphone and 65% of pre-teen kids, under the age of 13 own their own phone. As we all know smartphones are not cheap items and can set you back hundreds if not thousands of dollars. This can hit the budget hard, especially if the device is a first time device for your kids!
So, is there another option than buying a brand new phone?
The answer is yes! Getting a refurbished phone instead of a brand new one can save you a lot of money, without having to compromise on hardware or the brand. And as if that isn’t already enough, SellCell lets you compare refurbished smartphone deals from multiple leading outlets and picks up the one that offers it for the lowest price. A refurbished phone is a pre-owned device that has been professionally refurbished back to perfect working condition to make sure all of the hardware and software works perfectly!
The SellCell Team vets phone sellers for high-quality standards and customer satisfaction to give the buyer the peace of mind. Additionally, phone sellers offer a 12-month warranty on refurbished smartphones and a range of accessories included with the device. 
To ease the financial burden many of the sellers are also offering credit options where you can spread payments over longer periods to support you financially! 
How Does SellCell Work?
SellCell saves users the time and hassle of shopping around by using it's quick and speedy price comparison to compare all the best deals in one place. All users have to do is enter the make and model of the phone that they would like to buy and in seconds they will be presented with a range of the best value deals for that phone, all in one place.
Does SellCell Sell Other Refurbished & Pre-Owned Electronics?
Again the answer is yes.  SellCell compares deals on Refurbished Tech including Cell Phones, iPhones, Tablets, iPads, Smartwatches, MacBooks & more. SellCell compares prices from ALL the leading brands to help you find the best deals on Refurbished devices. 
INTERESTED IN BAGGING A BARGAIN ON A REFURBISHED OR PRE-OWNED PHONE?  VISIT SELLCELL BUY