Every individual has gone through the process of development since the day he was born. Physical and mental development varies from one person to another.
For children, the best way to develop the different aspects of their life is having the freedom to play. A child who experiences independence tends to become more responsible for his choices and actions. The freedom to go around and play gives every child the chance to explore his potential.
Children playing is one of the reasons for playgrounds and pocket park designs. These are great places where a child can move and discover the different things that he can do with other children who are in the same shoes as him. Within the corners of a playground, there is an unlimited opportunity for fun, games, and imagination.
The Role of Playgrounds in Child Development
1. Social, Brain, and Language Development
When a child has the freedom to play in a playground, he can practice his social skills, find solutions to his problems, and establish self-control during a conflict.
Playgrounds also improve the language development of a child since he tends to talk with other children. The interaction with different children will allow them to share and express their thoughts and feelings.
2. Physical Development and Good Physical Exercise
Since playground time can include different activities, it can stimulate the physical development of a child. Some common examples of these activities are slides and swings, which can improve balance and coordination, tactical panels for hand-eye skills, and climbing frames to strengthen the muscles. When a child achieved a difficult task, it can encourage mastery and physical strength.
3. Emotional Development and Positive Mental Health
Playgrounds can evoke different emotions for every child. Many kids feel excited about play since they can run around, shout, swing, slide, and climb. While playgrounds are associated with positive emotions, some kids might also feel anger and fear due to different situations like climbing too high or fighting with other kids.
The different things that they experience during play will help them learn to control their positive and negative emotions, which is vital to their mental health.
What Makes a Good Playground
Motion - a playground should encourage children to run, climb, jump, swing, slide, hop, throw, toss, and more. Hence, a good playground must have different moving parts, such as swings, balance activities, and activity panels.
Interesting to Look At - color, sound, and texture are important factors for a good playground. The place must get the interest of a kid.
Incorporates Nature - a fun playground must have a touch of nature. A green space with natural elements like sand and water can be more appealing to the kids.
Friendly Competition - a friendly and safe competition is an essential factor of a good playground. Children should be allowed to compete with each other in a fun way.
Posted by Eileen | 3/10/2020 01:37:00 PM | Road Safety
You’ve been involved in a car accident. It happened so suddenly and the violent impact has made you a little disorientated. This could last for many days or even weeks, depending on the severity of the crash. You will be in pain of some sort. Even if you’re not injured in a major way, you will only feel your minor injuries once you’re away from the situation. Your adrenaline will be pumping so you could be feeling fine but your body is merely coping with the traumatic event, by releasing endorphins. Once the seriousness of the incident wears off, you will become more wary of what actually happened. It's at this moment that your near future will be up in the air. The other party could blame you for the accident, your license could be given points and you may also be deemed guilty by a court of law. When you are sure it's not your fault, knowing the ways to prove your innocence will be your saving grace.
Seeing is believing
Before the era of smartphones, the only way to prove your innocence without a shred of doubt was to obtain CCTV footage. Despite having smartphones, CCTV footage is still one of if not, the best way to show a court of law that you were not at fault. Seeing is believing as they say and, footage of the accident taking place will leave nobody in any doubt. The cause for speculation will be eradicated if you can get the relevant pieces of footage. It's in your best interest to speak with your lawyer as soon as the crash occurred. Let him or she know where the crash happened and where you have spotted security cameras. Your lawyer will take down the details and make a short list of stores that they can contact in the bid they will release those tapes to him or her.
However, if there are witnesses to the accident, it's vital that you get them on camera if you can. Usually, citizens will admit to seeing the whole event take place, but they may not want to be on camera. Those that do, get them to introduce themselves before explaining what they saw. Get as many eyewitness testimonies by the side of the road as you can. If someone doesn’t want to get in the camera, kindly ask them to give you their details so you can contact them later on if needed. You may need to entice them with the offer of payment, should you need their testimony in court.
Have your wits about you
When you’re involved in a bad car crash, your fight or flight mechanism will be in full motion. You may become erratic and just try to get to safety. However, it's within your best interest to stay still and take a few deep breaths. When you have your wits about you, you need to immediately start recording the event. Using your smartphone, record from the inside of your car. Make sure you get a 360-degree shot of your surroundings before you get out of the car. Once out, you should record the road if you find any skid marks. This will be incredibly useful in determining who saw who first and tried to stop. It will also indicate who was speeding, by the length of the tire marks on the road. It's a good idea to keep the camera rolling by putting it in your pocket just so you can pick up the sound. You may also want to use voice recording apps that have features allowing you to lower background noise and pick up voices only. Make sure you are recording every single word you speak and what the other party says. This could be your saving grace if it ever arrives at a he-said-she-said scenario in court.
Make special notes
You never know where you may have a car accident. It could be in the middle of a busy city or out in the middle of nowhere in a rural part of the country. You cannot rely on eyewitnesses coming in to corroborate your story. You need to take special notes of the accident. If you can smell alcohol on the breath of the other driver, make a note of this either in writing or in the recording on your smartphone. If you can see alcohol bottles or cans in their car, this is also noteworthy information.
Is the other driver slurring their words? This is also something you have to take note of, either by video recording or merely in written form. Make sure you are jotting down the time and date, as well as what they were saying when they made it apparent they could be impaired somehow. Take pictures of their tires. If tires are bald they will have much less grip on certain surfaces and conditions. It will take longer for the car to stop and as a result, pose a danger to other drivers. This is great evidence to use against the other party. Are any of their car lights out? If their brake lights are not working properly or perhaps their headlights are uneven, this could confuse other drivers. A badly maintained car by the other driver will help your case, in some cases win it for you.
Refer to police evidence
It's common for police officers to be called at the site of a car crash. It's within your best interest to cooperate fully with the officers at the scene. They will be logging down information and making a crash report which will go down in the police and accident databases. Once it's on this system, it holds a lot of weight in the instance of proving your innocence. Most of the time, officers will take a report down and then notify you when they have logged it into the system. This is for both party’s knowledge as it will be the precursor which then allows legal proceedings to occur. If you are afraid this may happen to you or if you are the person who wishes to initiate the proceedings, then you can use this Accident Report service. It will show you the police’s accident report in full, with all the details the officers saw and took. All you need to do to use it, type in the area ZIP code, the date of the accident, the vehicle manufacturer and the year of your car’s build.
All this will be used to then locate your accident report and make it ready for printing. Your attorney will want this report before anything else. Since it is the word of law enforcement, it will be the end-all and be-all of any case you put forth. Video evidence is great, but the officers will be trained in explaining certain things that will give your footage creedence. This is not a case of vice versa.
Record your phone calls
Sometimes the guilty party will try to intimidate or plead with the victim of a car crash, over the phone. This usually occurs when you have pressed legal action and or their insurance company is finding them at fault for the crash. It's so important that you don’t hesitate to record the phone calls. Have another smartphone at the ready so you can do this while taking the call on your own phone. In some states, you have to declare you are recording the other person, but in some, you do not have to. In many cases, it's best not to let the other person know as they will change their story before proceeding any further; thus you’re unable to catch them trying to frighten you.
Expect the guilty party to try and use subtle language to threaten you. You must try and get the truth of their intentions or feelings out of them without being too obvious. Asking them questions is a very good tactic which will lead them to be defensive and thus, shows their true colors. When they make a threat, ask them to repeat it with an excuse, such as you didn’t hear them. Sometimes recordings can be muffled and thus it provides leeway. When they repeat their threats clearly and thoroughly there is no way of hiding from the facts in court.
Be completely cooperative
It's easy to become overwhelmed by the situation but if the other party is dragging you to court, don’t be intimidated. Be completely cooperative with the police and their legal team. Even if you are absolutely innocent, any form of resistance to document requests or interview requests will be taken as an admission of guilt. Do not slow the process down, in fact, offer to help in any way you can. In the meantime, make your own case by working with a legal team and ask them for advice on what you should do if further requests are made. Hold onto your video evidence and make multiple copies of them so nothing can be lost in the event of a hardware error.
There is a myriad of ways to prove your innocence. You need to work quickly at the scene of the accident, collecting as much video evidence as possible.
While air pollution doesn’t top all of our lists when it comes to big concerns, it is something that we should all take into consideration. You’re not only at risk of air pollution when you visit major cities and spend time out on the streets. You can be at risk from the health consequences of air pollution in your own home too! The good news is that you can better control the conditions you live in than conditions in public spaces. So, here are a few steps you can take to improve the air you breathe when you’re within your own home.
Sweep, Vacuum and Dust
Every home will generate dust. Dust itself is basically an accumulation of skin cells, hair, and other debris that gets dropped on the floor. While not necessarily dangerous in reasonable quantities, it does lower air quality and can irritate your lungs. Make sure to sweep, vacuum and dust your home to remove any excess dust regularly!
Clean and Repair Air Con Units
Air con can be great for air quality in your home - keeping everything circulating and making sure nothing gets stagnant. But this only applies to clean air con units. If your air con system is full of dust or hasn’t been cleaned, it can actually spread dirt and germs around the room it’s in. Make sure your unit is in top condition and if you notice any problems, contact Pezz Electrical Services, LLC. They’ll be able to fix things and get your unit up and running again in next to no time.
Invest in Houseplants
If you haven’t heard plants referred to as “nature’s life support system” yet, you have now! Plants draw impurities from the air surrounding them and photosynthesise carbon dioxide into oxygen as part of their natural process. You can incorporate plants into your home to help improve the air quality without spending too much money. Of course, this may not be ideal for people suffering from allergies such as hay fever. You should do plenty of research into the plants you choose. If you have children or pets, be particularly wary and always choose non-toxic options.
Invest In a Salt Lamp
Salt lamps, sometimes referred to as Himalayan salt lamps, are pretty lamps composed of salt. The bulb is placed inside a carved block of salt for subtle glow. But as well as serving a functional purpose in terms of lighting, they also draw in water from the air, removing bacteria and dirt with it! This can improve air quality in the space they’re being used in. The lamps come in a variety of shapes and sizes, so it’s worth shopping around to find the one that will best suit your needs and aesthetic preferences.
While we tend to take the air we breathe for granted, it is important that we guarantee ourselves good air quality wherever possible. The above steps are just a few ideas that will, hopefully, get the ball rolling in the right direction for you!
Family life can be hectic. Getting kids to school and picking them up on time, making sure everyone gets to their clubs and extracurricular activities and doing the family food shop alone are all complex tasks that can be made a whole lot easier when you have a good quality family car. Sure, public transport is great. But managing multiple kids at once on it and making the walk between the public transport stop and your actual destination can be difficult - especially when the kids are being difficult and may be throwing tantrums. When you get a good family car, you’ll be able to cart your little ones around, pick up larger food shops more easily and generally lead an easier and more convenient life. Here are just a few steps you might want to take into consideration and follow if you’re looking to get the right car first time around!
Keeping Costs Low
Driving, of course, can get extremely expensive pretty fast. There are all sorts of costs that come hand in hand with taking to the roads. You need to get a car in the first place. You need to insure it. You need to pay necessary taxes. You need to put fuel into it. But it’s also important that you don’t let this put you off. There are many ways that you can cut costs in all of these areas. When buying a family car, chances are you’ll be taking out a loan or finance agreement. Very few people have enough money to buy a car outright, so these alternative forms of payment make getting a car much more accessible and feasible. When you take out a loan, just make sure to shop around for the best agreement with the lowest interest rate attached. New Roads Auto Loans are a good place to start out. You may always want to consider used vehicles rather than new vehicles. Of course, you don’t want an old banger. You want something that will be safe for your family and up to standard with the latest safety regulations. But you should also bear in mind that cars lose a lot of value as soon as they have been taken off the forecourt. You can get almost new cars for a lot less money than a new one which will be practically indistinguishable. When it comes to insurance, use price comparison sites to get the best deal. Different providers have different rates. It will just take a bit of looking to find the lowest cost option!
Prioritize Space
Remember that one of the most important aspects of a family car is space. Families tend to take up a lot of room. Whether that’s with car seats, booster seats, needing more than five seats, or getting sufficient boot space to store prams, multiple people’s luggage or more.You should also look towards the future. If you have a partner and three children now, but may be having more soon, it’s worth looking at seven seaters straight away, rather than buying and having to sell and re-buy in the near future.
These are just a few things you should focus on when you’re planning on buying a family car. There are, of course, other things you might need to consider to make sure all of the boxes on your list get ticked. But these are good places to start!
If you are a new driver, there will be many things you will soon learn. While you may be fooled into thinking that once you have passed your driving test, you will be filled with confidence and can’t wait to get on the open road, the truth is, you will spend most of your first year driving absolutely terrified.
While you may think that you learn all you need to know as a driver while you are learning, you will find that while you are driving around in your first year, you will learn a hell of a lot more than they don’t teach you in drivers ed.
Taking all of this into account, you should be preparing certain things for your life as a driver that covers you no matter what situation you may find yourself in. Whether you like to acknowledge it or not, at some point in your time driving, you will have minor accidents, and there are a few things you will really be thankful for.
The first thing you should make sure you have is great insurance. While you may find some cheaper insurers, you will find they are cheap for a reason, and the level of cover they provide is rubbish.
Alongside your insurance, it’s always a great idea to have access to car accident lawyers. While they may only be needed in extreme cases, they can be some of the best people to have around when an accident happens.
The below infographic will give you a little more insight into how car accident lawyers can help should you find yourself in a sticky situation, and you may also learn a few things you didn’t know along the way.
Looking at a computer all day long is an unfortunate reality of modern life for many of us. We have to sit motionless looking at an LED-backlit screen all day long if we want to earn our keep. It's the way of the world.
The majority of us are willing to make the sacrifice if it means that we can take care of ourselves and our families. But the calculation changes dramatically when you include health considerations. Is it still worth staring at a screen if it hurts your eyesight? Maybe not.
Does Screen Time Damage Your Eyesight?
So, is looking at a screen from 9 am to 5 pm every day a good idea? Does it lead to long-term eye damage?
To the surprise of many, the answer appears to be "no." Looking at a screen does not increase your chances of developing sight loss or damage your vision so that you need progressive lenses. In other words, it doesn't lead to fundamental changes in the eye that you can't reverse. It isn't permanent.
That's not to say, however, that looking at a screen never causes any issues - it does.
The human eye evolved in an environment in which people would have mainly focused on objects in the distance. Rarely would a person sit down and just stare at a rock or a tree for eight hours per day, so the eye never had to evolve to perform this function.
In the last twenty-five years, though, we've seen a shift. Now more than ever before, people need to stay in one place and look at one thing, and it is causing problems.
Eye dryness is the most common complaint of people who stare at their computers all day long. Researchers think that the reason for this comes down to the fact that people blink less when they look at computer screens. Less blinking reduces the amount of tear fluid sitting on the surface of the eye, making it feel dryer than it should.
The next most common issue is eye strain. Remember we said that the human eye evolved in an environment where it was focusing on distant objects more than those up close? Well, this can lead to eye strain. The muscles that make the eye focus on near-field objects aren't designed to do so for hour after hour every day of the week. Eventually, they become fatigued, and this can cause eye strain - an uncomfortable muscular condition of the eye.
How To Deal With Eye Strain
Fortunately, there are several things that you can do to combat eye strain and dry eyes. Take a look at them below.
Try placing a matte filter over the front of your screen as this will reduce reflections from sunlight coming in through the window
Take a break for five minutes every hour or so and stare out of the window. If you can touch type, close your eyes as much as possible while working.
Keep some eye drops on your desk, just in case your eyes start to feel itchy.
Leaving an unhealthy relationship is part of life, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with prioritizing your health, happiness, and future by way of obtaining a Michigan divorce. But leaving your spouse does not mean your responsibilities to your family are over. Child support is a state-mandated requirement that’s based on a number of criteria, including current and expected income. According to the U.S. Census, there are over $10 billion in unpaid child support payments, and that number is growing annually. Of course, there’s a huge difference between being a deadbeat parent and just dead broke. But what’s the difference and how can a divorce lawyer help you get the support you need?
What Is a Deadbeat Parent?
“Deadbeat” is a derogatory slang term used to describe the ever-present and continually growing phenomena of biological or legal parents who fail to fulfill their financial responsibilities to their children. In many cases, a parent isn’t truly considered “deadbeat” by non-legal sources until their actions become habitual and practically expected by the other parent and the kids. A deadbeat parent is considered by social standards to be an inexcusable individual, often a narcissist or manipulator, who puts themselves ahead of anyone else, including their children. However, in many cases, these assumed “deadbeats” are honestly just “deadbroke”.
How Does Child Support Work in Michigan?
Child support is a legal decision that is mandated upon the finalization of your Michigan divorce. The State of Michigan uses a child support formula to determine the proper amount required to pay monthly by the non-custodial parent. Modifications and amendments can be requested and made through your Michigan divorce attorney during the divorce process. However, once the court makes the final judgment, failure to comply may result in felony charges.
Why Do Parents Fail to Pay Child Support?
Good parents want the best for their kids and attempt to prioritize their children however they can. But life happens and sometimes tough decisions need to be made. Between 1993 and 2015, payment trends have stayed pretty consistent: approximately 44% of custodial parents receive the full amount of child support due while almost 31% receive no support whatsoever. Those two trends have risen slightly over the years while partial payment trends have nosedived from nearly 40% to 25%. But why do parents refuse to pay the support their kids need and deserve?
The majority, between 37 and 39% of struggling non-custodial parents, either feel no need to go to court, they pay or provides what they can, or they simply can’t afford to pay anything at all. Sometimes it’s a pride issue as 21-24% of custodial parents either don’t want to contact the other parent, they’re unable to locate the parent, or they simply refuse to ask for or accept help. Only 1% of parents either have shared custody or can afford to raise their children on their own. In most cases, these statistics focus on financially unstable parental situations and those without a legal and binding custodial arrangement.
What Can Be Done to Get the Support Your Children Need?
Relying on promises and personal agreements to make things “easier” on either parent is more likely to cause future headaches and heartaches then get you the help you need to raise your kids. Your kids must be prioritized after your divorce is finalized, and the only way to get consistent and legal child custody payments is to get a legal child support order. A divorce attorney can handle all your concerns and assist with a reasonable payment arrangement to ensure it’s fair and workable all around. If you’ve put off making payments or applying for custody payments, a Michigan divorce attorney may still be able to help. Give us a call to see what can be done.
Sunbathing and water sports may be out of the question for the months ahead, but this does not mean that there is not plenty to enjoy during the cold months. Read on to discover five of the top things to do in the city throughout the months ahead…
1.Pamper yourself at a spa – What better way to relax than by taking a trip to a spa and enjoying one of the many treatments that are on offer? From massages to facials, this is the best way to unwind and be pampered whilst it’s cold outside. There are lots of new and exciting facials as well for you to try, such as microneedling. Why not opt for a hot stone massage or enjoy a sauna or steam room?
2.Sip hot chocolate – Winter is always a popular season amongst chocolate lovers, as it gives them plenty of opportunities to indulge in a hot chocolate drink. There’s also delicious food to eat in winter, such as soup, red meat, stews and such like. But, if you are looking for something to do with your friends, why not meet up for a hot chocolate?
3.Ice skate – If you really want to make the most of winter then you should definitely try a bit of ice skating. Of course, this is an activity you can enjoy all year round at the indoor ice rinks. However, when the colder months are upon us there are lots of outdoor places that set up ice rinks for people to enjoy. This takes the fun to an entirely new level. There are various places for you to try this activity, depending on where you live.
4.Shop until you drop! – A lot of people can feel a bit depressed and gloomy at this time of year. If you are someone who enjoys a good bit of retail therapy, now is the perfect time for you to indulge and treat yourself. So, why not go on a shopping trip at your local mall?
5.Spoil yourself with sweets – If there is one thing we enjoy during the winter period it is eating. It is the season when eating more than usual is certainly acceptable. After all, we need more food when it is cold, right? There are lots of fantastic restaurants that have been set up in recent years that focus on sweet treats and desserts specifically. Why not meet one of your friends and one of these places and enjoy some delicious snacks?
Hopefully, you now feel like you have some good suggestions that can help to cure your boredom during the colder months. While we may not be able to go outside and bask in the sunshine at the moment, we can enjoy ourselves by pampering ourselves or heading to the local ice skating rink! Don’t sit inside this weekend and feel down; get out and do something fun.
As a parent, you want what’s best for your kids and to keep them out of harm’s way. It’s your responsibility to ensure they are nurtured and well taken care of while under your roof.
There are ways for how you can make sure they’re not only happy and healthy but also safe. Be an involved and active parent so that you can build a stronger bond with your children and protect them as they grow and explore. Try your best but also don’t be too hard on yourself when you make mistakes. Instead, use these moments as learning opportunities to do better the next time around.
Wear Your Seatbelts
You can keep your kids healthy and safe by requiring them to wear their seat belts. Model good behavior by doing so yourself and reminding them to wear it each time they enter the car. If an accident should occur, then they’ll be more likely not to get injured. However, misfortunes happen, and you may find yourself in an impactful car crash. If your child ends up in the hospital with severe head injuries, then find a lawyer who specializes in traumatic brain injury law and can assist you with your case.
Know Their Whereabouts
Another opportunity to keep your kids happy, healthy, and safe is always to know their whereabouts and when you can expect them home. Make sure you have them check in with you frequently when they’re out and about and get to know their friends. If they’re old enough, you may want to equip them with a cell phone so that they can call or text you in case of an emergency. Remind yourself that keeping tabs on your kids isn’t being nosy; it’s you being a good and responsible parent.
Maintain A Clean & Organized Home
Having a clean home will not only make you happier, but your kids will enjoy it more as well. You can keep them healthy and safe by removing any dirt and grime frequently and decluttering your rooms and closets. You want to avoid having belongings out in the open that are a tripping hazard or that your kids can get into and hurt themselves. Assign each member of the family tasks so that you don’t have to do all the work yourself and you can teach them some responsibility at the same time.
Have Conversations with Them
Directly talking to your kids more can help you to ensure they’re happy, healthy and safe. Open up with them and ask questions so that you can better understand their perspective and what’s going on in their lives. You can also use these discussions as a chance to teach them new information and healthy habits. For example, explain to them the importance of getting decent grades, cleaning up after themselves, and treating others with respect. You have a lot more experience and knowledge as the parent, so don’t be afraid to share your viewpoints and perspectives with them and see what they have to say.
It would be nice to say that it's easy to go through life without any nasty surprises coming up. As though you could spend every day knowing exactly what's coming. Of course, just about everyone knows that this simply isn't the case. The reality is that life is always going to throw things at you that you're not expecting and that's just something that you're going to have to come to terms with. However, that doesn't mean that there aren't things that you can do to make facing those surprises a little bit easier. With that in mind, here are some ways to better handle those things that life throws at you.
Be prepared
If you want to avoid life throwing you for a loop then one of the best things that you can do is to make sure that you're prepared for anything that might happen. One of the simplest ways to do this is to make sure that you have money put away in a savings account in case something happens that requires you to spend money. That way you don't end up in any financial trouble. The same goes for things like keeping your resume up to date. Losing your job suddenly can be really shocking but a fully up to date resume makes it much easier to hit the ground running and find something new right away.
Get the right help
One of the hardest things, when you find yourself at the mercy of one of life's nasty surprises, is the sense that you're having to deal with it all on your own. However, that's not the case. It's always a good idea to know who you can reach out to if something happens, whether that's a financial advisor or a personal injury lawyer. Having someone in your corner can make even the most difficult and stressful situation just a little bit easier to deal with.
Learn to roll with the punches
No matter how well prepared you might be, things are always going to take you by surprise. Whether it's getting a bunch of tasks you weren't expecting at work or our life taking a direction you never could have been ready for, if you really want to avoid letting these things derail you entirely, you've got to be willing to be flexible. Learning to roll with the punches is one of the best things that you could possibly do in order to handle anything life could throw at you.
The reality of living in the modern world is that none of us are ever going to be fully prepared for the things that might happen. That might seem like a pretty scary prospect but you shouldn't spend all of your time thinking about what could be or what might be. At the end of the day, all you can do is live your life and focus on what's right in front of you. After all, that's all you really have control over when it all comes down to it.
Nor will I allow yesterday's success to lull me into today's complacency, for this is the great foundation of failure. I will forget the happenings of the day that is gone, whether they were good or bad, and greet the new sun with confidence that this will be the best day of my life.
So long as there is breath in me, that long will I persist. For now I know one of the greatest principles of success; if I persist long enough I will win.
I will persist. I will win.
-Scroll Marked III, The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino
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