Category: Parental Support

Realizing That Moving On Is Better Than Holding On

 

source: pixabay.com

                                                         Source: pixabay.com

I know it’s not fair. It never is fair, especially when divorce or separation is the subject, more so if you are the wife, a housewife to be precise and abandoned by a husband for a younger woman. That is me. It is me, a 40-year-old stay-at-home mother of five kids who was recently dumped by her husband. We’ve been together for more than half my life, and I never thought we would come to this. I never thought that he would stop loving me, and ultimately leave me for another. But he did. It is my reality now, and it is something that I have to accept.…

Longboarding To Avoid Therapists? Here Are The Best Longboards To Check Out

Parents often say that they know what’s best for their children. The kid is a product of their union, after all. Their combined genes make up their son or daughter. Despite that, therapists believe that children should not be forced to do what they don’t want, especially when the topic is mental health.

When I had depression at 16 years old, to be honest, I refused to enter the therapy room with all my might. All I wanted to do was to ride a longboard, which my parents did not understand. They said a lot of things about it, but the gist was that it was a total waste of time.

Nevertheless, I begged to differ because longboarding had always given me a sense of freedom. I love feeling the wind against my face; it’s fantastic to go from one point to another on wheels. The more I rode my board; the more healing came faster to me.

So, if your child says that they want to try longboarding, kindly keep an open mind about it. Here are a few longboards that you may want to check out.

Atom Drop-Through Longboard (41-inch)

The Atom Drop through Longboard is the first longboard of this type that I have ever ridden because I usually use a pintail or a kicktail when I am out of the house. However, I fell in love with it while I was riding it.

I realize now that it is quite actually easy to use, in opposition to my initial judgment that it will be harder for me to use it because of its strange shape. I have a couple of other Atom Longboards, but I can say that this one is the most unique in my collection since its kingpins are in a reverse position.

I used it when I went downhill riding with my friends, and I did not know if I magically developed some excellent skills in carving or it has something to do with my new drop through longboard, but I suddenly became very good at it that my friends were so amazed by it.

Aside from that, there are no irritating sounds of wheels colliding with the deck and vice versa, and it is a nice change. And I also think that I must have done something great in the past for me to get this kind of special treatment because this is the first board that I have ever ridden that has ABEC 9 Bearings, so all I can think of when I am on top of it is “more speed, more speed!”

Specifications:

  • Deck: 41.7 inches by 10.7 inches
  • Wood for Deck: 7-ply maple laminate deck
  • Top of the Deck: 80S Grip Tape
  • Origin: USA
  • Bearings: ABEC 9 bearings with high-speed lubricant
  • Trucks: Reverse King Pin (RKP) longboard trucks
  • Axles: 245-millimeter axles
  • Wheels: 51 mm x 70 mm,  Super High Rebound (SHR) Wide-Lipped Urethane Wheels

Drop-Through Complete Longboard Professional Speed Skateboard

Every time I get asked what my favorite longboard is among my collection of longboards, I always say that it is the Drop-Through Complete Longboard Professional Speed Skateboard. I have been using it for quite some time now and even if I have acquired newer boards for the past few months, I still often ride this particular board when I want to dance or do any other freestyle tricks with it.

On the outside, I like it because its deck has graphics of almost all my favorite things in the world: the blue hue that gives me a sense of tranquility, the massive wave that is designed throughout the whole board, and the logo of a bird with its wings spread that reminds me of the fact that I am a free person. And when I look at the board at a certain angle, the lines that start as one from one end of the longboard and ends up as three long black lines at the other end of the board reminds me of Wolverine’s metal claws, which are an excellent idea because I am an ultimate Wolverine fanatic.

The concave on its deck aids me in achieving better stability even when I riding it so fast. The blue wheels of this drop through longboard are of the right size and hardness (or softness, technically) for the whole board to be used even for cruising through the streets and also for the downward hills.

Specifications:

  • Deck: 40 inches by 10 inches
  • Wood for Deck: 9- ply Canadian Maple
  • The style for Deck: Concave Drop Through
  • Trucks: 9.675 inches, Heavy Duty Trucks
  • Hanger: 18 mm, Aluminum Alloy
  • Wheels: 70 mm x 52 mm, 78A Q-Ball Wheels

Krown Wave Crest Pin Complete Longboard Skateboard

I was born and bred near the beach area of the West Coast, and I had to move 4 hours away from home so that I can continue and fulfill my collegiate dreams. So just imagine how difficult it had been for me to see cemented roads instead of the vast land of sand, and to wake up and witness the parking space in front of my window instead of the sea. This is part of the reason why I now have a Krown Wave Crest Pin Complete Longboard Skateboard because it has a massive design of wave that I do not miss home whenever I look at it.

However, sentimentality aside, I know I will still get it even if it has a different design since this longboard is a splendid ride. It is a pintail longboard, and so far, it proves to be a great one because in the past several months that I have been using it, there is not a time that I felt any wheel bite.

The wheels of my Krown Wave Crest Pin Complete Longboard Skateboard are all soft and big that either cruising on the streets or carving on low slopes is not challenging for me. The trucks are equally commendable too because I have the tendency to forget my things, my longboard included, out of my room, so they sometimes get wet when it rains at night, but since they are made out of the metalloid aluminum, I am confident that they will never rust no matter how many times I accidentally leave it outside.

Specifications:

  • Deck: 42 inches by 9 inches
  • Wood for Deck: 10-ply Canadian Maple
  • Shape for Deck: Classic Pintail
  • Grip: Black Grip Tape
  • Bearings: ABEC 7 Bearings with Smoke Black Cover
  • Trucks: 7 inches, Heavy Duty Aluminum Trucks with Allen Head Kingpin and 6 & 4 Hole Design
  • Wheels: 70 mm/ 78A Mag Wheels

 

Don’t wait for another second if your son or daughter wants to try longboarding as an alternative treatment to mental health issues. Cheers!…

When Children Get Depressed

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Source: livewellmagazine.org

It is sometimes hard for parents to detect and accept the fact that children can get depressed in a major way. At times, this will not be taken seriously because of denial. Thus, the condition can be blown out of proportion when it is already discovered.

As with adults, this can result from physical health like suffering from a chronic illness such as cancer or diabetes. Sustaining a severe injury that can result in physical disability and even biochemical disturbance in the brain may possibly cause depression. Certain life events like the death of a loved one or a pet are also predisposing factors to depression. For the most part, having a family history and genetic vulnerability to the mental state is considered a primary cause of depression in children. Other risks will include environmental and situational factors such as homelessness, poverty, and bullying (more details available in KidsHealth.org).

Depression is significantly more common in boys under age 10. But by age 16, girls have a greater incidence of depression. According to Deborah Serani, PsyD, “Depression is not a weakness of character, laziness, or a phase.”

What Should Parents Do?

Awareness of the condition. Be mindful of your children’s activities. If previously they were usually hyperactive or energetic and just all of a sudden there is a noticeable change on the activities like showing disinterest or withdrawal from doing the usual stuff, then that is a cause for worry. Their performance and grades in school are also affected – having low grades and getting involved in trouble. Sometimes you can detect depression and a gloomy mood on how they dress and present themselves. Selection of dark-colored clothes or those with monochromatic tones is a critical indicator that they are emotionally disturbed. This can also be true of the type of music they listen to.

Source: posttraumainstitute.com

Look out for hidden clues. You can start by watching their social media behavior. If you are able to monitor their social media posts (which is highly recommended), try to examine the pattern of their tweets or Facebook posts. Children nowadays are very fond of the internet and have considered this as their resounding wall for all their inner demons. The messages that they post online are silent screams and some statements can give out hints of their true feelings and the current state of mind they are in. There is a significant number of cases where the child has posted a message online before committing suicide. As always, prevention is better than a pound of cure. In this case, recognizing your children’s actions is the best way to detect depression and its adverse effect which is suicide.

Talk to your child. This is the basic and essential thing that you should do once you notice that there is something wrong or off with your child. As parents, we know this for sure. According to Stephanie S. Smith, PsyD, “Kids and teens tend to internalize their feelings. If something is troubling them, they may not speak up and ask for support. Sometimes, they don’t realize that help is available.” We have this in our gut feeling that something is not right. But we don’t want to assume forever and just wait for the turn of events. Do not try to rationalize everything that is going on with your child. Establish a trusting relationship and try to know what’s the real problem that they are facing.

Tell your child’s doctor. The first medical professional that you can rely on is the pediatrician. Several tests will be done in order to evaluate if the child has clinical depression and may need a referral to a child psychologist or psychiatrist for that matter.

Source: alaskaflyfishinginfo.com

Provide safety and security. Together with depression is the high risk for suicide or self-harm. Make sure that all pointed and sharp objects, medications, household cleaning products, and alcohol are stored away and out of reach.

Help and support your child. Provide worthwhile and creative activities, and help your child relax. An activity like bouncing in propel 12 foot trampoline may relieve stress, and make people happy as you get that surge of endorphins. Make time to be with them and listen attentively when they are trying to communicate. Encourage your child to love himself more. According to Trudi Griffin, LPC, “Self-worth is what enables us to believe that we are capable of doing our best with our talents, of contributing well in society, and that we deserve to lead a fulfilling life.”

Do you need more advice on how to help your child? You can visit https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/depression/.…

When Teens Feel Like They’re Ready For The “S” Word

Would you shoo your teen away when he or she is talking to you about sex or will you be able to control panic?

My niece, Martha, was pacing back and forth the front lawn as I pulled up. She seemed nervous and was biting her nails. Something is up, I can feel it. Martha is my sister’s daughter and sadly, they are not close. She would open up to me more, which is fine with us – at least, we know what’s up with her since these days, teenagers opening up to their aunts are rare. She smiled so big, showing all her pearly whites as she called my name when I opened the car door, “Amy!”…

Tips To Help You Stay Confident While Dealing With Bullies

 

Bullying is one of the most common problems in different areas around the world. Whether it is a bully in school or a bully at a workplace, people often face this issue at various stages in life. Therefore, it is essential to remain confident while dealing with bullies. Below are a few tips to help the victim stay confident in such situations:

  1. Avoid aggressive reaction

The first step is to not react aggressively to the incident. The victim of bullying should show minimum reaction in order to show the bullies that the act has no impact on the victim. If the victim shows feelings of being hurt or discomfort, it satisfies and encourages the bully to continue. Thus, when no aggressive reaction is shown, the bully eventually gives up trying to inflict hurt and pain.…

Benefits Of Getting E-therapy For Peer Pressure

 

With the onset of technology and the increased ease of communication, the youth today is closer to their friends and acquaintances than ever before. Thanks to smart phones, WiFi accessibility and social networks such as Facebook, young people particularly teenagers are now more influenced by their peers compared to the previous generations. This has, in turn, increased the peer pressure they face significantly which has also lead to issues like cyber bullying.…

What Role Can Parents Play in Helping Teenagers Undergoing Peer Pressure?

Every teenager goes through a phase of peer pressure when the influence of their peers is greater than their own voice.  Peer pressure can have both positive and negative impacts on an individual. It is important for parents to recognize the difference between positive and negative peer pressure.  In addition, parents can play an essential role in helping their teenagers deal with peer pressure. Given below are some of the ways parents can help their children cope with such situations.…