Multiple languages make kids better communicators

Multiple languages make kids better communicators (Thinkstock Photos/Getty Images)

Just hearing more than one language spoken at home increases the chances of your kid becoming a much better communicator, says a new study.

The children do not even have to be bilingual themselves; it is the exposure to more than one language that is the key for building effective social communication skills, the study noted.

"Children in multilingual environments have extensive social practice in monitoring who speaks what to whom, and observing the social patterns and allegiances that are formed based on language usage," explained Katherine Kinzler, associate professor of psychology at University of Chicago.

Effective communication requires the ability to take others' perspectives and the researchers have discovered that children from multilingual environments are better at interpreting a speaker's meaning than children who are exposed only to their native tongue.

"These early socio-linguistic experiences could hone children's skills at taking other people's perspectives and provide them tools for effective communication," Kinzler noted.

The researchers had 72 four- to six-year-old children participate in a social communication task. In a test, the researchers found that the monolingual children were not as good at understanding the adult's intended meaning. But mere exposure to another language improved children's ability to understand the adult's perspective.

The study was published online in the journal Psychological Science.

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The Only 7 Things You Really Need to Know About Managing Money

Few things strike fear into the hearts of 20-somethings like finance terms—money management, debts and assets, and the kicker: budgeting. It doesn’t help that understanding your financial situation seems harder than your high school calc class. But it doesn’t have to be confusing. We asked the financial experts, and there are just seven things we really need to think about to stay on top of our moolah.

1. Learn your spending habits.

Sure, this sounds like run-of-the-mill self-help advice, but do you know how much you spend on going out or groceries every week? Most of us don’t. “We do so much spending without thinking,” says Karen Carr, a financial planner at Society of Grownups. “It’s not about depriving yourself but finding how you can get the most out of your money.”
Once you get a better feel for your spending habits and ask yourself some important financial questions (Where am I now financially and where do I want to go?), you can set up a realistic spending plan—yes, it’s OK to splurge now and then.

2. Beware of credit card debt.

A lot of mindless spending can be attributed to credit cards. It just isn’t the same as handing over a Jackson, so you want to make sure that swiping doesn’t get out of hand (unless we’re talking about Tinder).
Credit card debt is seen as “bad debt” because it’s not tied to an appreciating asset, like a mortgage or student loan, says Alexa von Tobel, CEO and founder of LearnVest. “We recommend paying off the credit card with the highest interest rate first while making minimum payments on your other cards,” she says. “In the meantime, consider going on a cash diet so you don’t rack up additional debt in the process.”

3. Pay attention to your credit score.

Credit scores don’t seem important until you try to sign an apartment lease or apply for a car loan: Then it could be the factor that determines whether you get the keys or not.
Many credit card statements now come with your credit score, and you can also access your score for free on Credit Karma. “Paying everything on time builds your credit score,” Carr says. “But make sure to take time to understand the other factors, such as utilization, which is the percentage of your credit line that you use. In this case, the smaller the percentage, the better.”

4. Set up an emergency fund.

If you’re living paycheck to paycheck, it’s hard to think about starting any sort of savings. But then a rainy day comes—a pipe bursts or you have an expected trip to the hospital. You can’t plan for what’s going to happen, but you can start a savings account to make sure you stay afloat.
“We don’t use the term 'emergency' lightly,” von Tobel says. “It refers to real emergencies like sudden job loss or car repairs. The goal is to stash away at least six months’ worth of take-home pay.” Yes, that’s a lot of money to save, but you don’t need it all tomorrow. Take baby steps and allot a small amount of your paycheck in the fund every month.

5. Understand your student loans.

Student loans are a huge burden for many 20-somethings. And they can be hard to pay off—just over a third of borrowers make full payments on time. “If you have public, federal loans, there are many different programs and repayment options,” Carr says. “And no one likes to hop on a call, but chatting with your lender can lead to a change to your payment plan that makes it more affordable.”

6. Take advantage of your benefits.

Everyone in the working world gets take-home pay, but many of us are also lucky enough to get benefits from the company we work for. Those things—health care, dental, and retirement—are all part of our overall compensation. And if you don’t use them, you could be throwing thousands of potential dollars out the window, Carr says. “Generally speaking, if your employer offers 401(k) matching, that’s a great way to maximize your contributions,” von Tobel adds. It might seem crazy to stash away cash for retirement in your 20s, but every little bit—even $50 a month—counts.

7. Don’t be afraid of investing.

If all of the talk of the stock market in The Wolf of Wall Street sounded like a foreign language, you’re not alone. The finance system is full of confusing terms like "dividend" and "liquidity," but that doesn’t mean you can’t get in on the game.
“Investing seems like it’s something for someone who’s older and wealthier,” Carr says. “But the big secret is you don’t need to be a stock-picking genius to invest.” Companies like E-Trade make it easy to super easy to buy and sell stocks.

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Top 10 Qualities That Make A Great Leader

Having a great idea, and assembling a team to bring that concept to life is the first step in creating a successful business venture. While finding a new and unique idea is rare enough; the ability to successfully execute this idea is what separates the dreamers from the entrepreneurs. However you see yourself, whatever your age may be, as soon as you make that exciting first hire, you have taken the first steps in becoming a powerful leader. When money is tight, stress levels are high, and the visions of instant success don’t happen like you thought, it’s easy to let those emotions get to you, and thereby your team. Take a breath, calm yourself down, and remind yourself of the leader you are and would like to become. Here are some key qualities that every good leader should possess, and learn to emphasize.
Honesty
Whatever ethical plane you hold yourself to, when you are responsible for a team of people, its important to raise the bar even higher. Your business and its employees are a reflection of yourself, and if you make honest and ethical behavior a key value, your team will follow suit.

As we do at Onevest, the crowdfunding platform for entrepreneurs and small businesses I co-founded, try to make a list of values and core beliefs that both you and your brand represent, and post this in your office. Promote a healthy interoffice lifestyle, and encourage your team to live up to these standards. By emphasizing these standards, and displaying them yourself, you will hopefully influence the office environment into a friendly and helpful workspace.
Ability to Delegate
Finessing your brand vision is essential to creating an organized and efficient business, but if you don’t learn to trust your team with that vision, you might never progress to the next stage. Its important to remember that trusting your team with your idea is a sign of strength, not weakness. Delegating tasks to the appropriate departments is one of the most important skills you can develop as your business grows. The emails and tasks will begin to pile up, and the more you stretch yourself thin, the lower the quality of your work will become, and the less you will produce.
The key to delegation is identifying the strengths of your team, and capitalizing on them. Find out what each team member enjoys doing most. Chances are if they find that task more enjoyable, they will likely put more thought and effort behind it. This will not only prove to your team that you trust and believe in them, but will also free up your time to focus on the higher level tasks, that should not be delegated. It’s a fine balance, but one that will have a huge impact on the productivity of your business.
Communication
Knowing what you want accomplished may seem clear in your head, but if you try to explain it to someone else and are met with a blank expression, you know there is a problem. If this has been your experience, then you may want to focus on honing your communication skills. Being able to clearly and succinctly describe what you want done is extremely important. If you can’t relate your vision to your team, you won’t all be working towards the same goal.
Training new members and creating a productive work environment all depend on healthy lines of communication. Whether that stems from an open door policy to your office, or making it a point to talk to your staff on a daily basis, making yourself available to discuss interoffice issues is vital. Your team will learn to trust and depend on you, and will be less hesitant to work harder.
Sense of Humor
If your website crashes, you lose that major client, or your funding dries up, guiding your team through the process without panicking is as challenging as it is important. Morale is linked to productivity, and it’s your job as the team leader to instill a positive energy. That’s where your sense of humor will finally pay off. Encourage your team to laugh at the mistakes instead of crying. If you are constantly learning to find the humor in the struggles, your work environment will become a happy and healthy space, where your employees look forward to working in, rather than dreading it. Make it a point to crack jokes with your team and encourage personal discussions of weekend plans and trips. It’s these short breaks from the task at hand that help keep productivity levels high and morale even higher.

At Onevest, we place a huge emphasis on humor and a light atmosphere. Our office is dog friendly, and we really believe it is the small, light hearted moments in the day that help keep our work creative and fresh. One tradition that we like to do and brings the team closer is we plan a fun prank on all new employees, on their first day. It breaks the ice and immediately creates that sense of familiarity.
Confidence
There may be days where the future of your brand is worrisome and things aren’t going according to plan. This is true with any business, large or small, and the most important thing is not to panic. Part of your job as a leader is to put out fires and maintain the team morale. Keep up your confidence level, and assure everyone that setbacks are natural and the important thing is to focus on the larger goal. As the leader, by staying calm and confident, you will help keep the team feeling the same. Remember, your team will take cues from you, so if you exude a level of calm damage control, your team will pick up on that feeling. The key objective is to keep everyone working and moving ahead.
Commitment
If you expect your team to work hard and produce quality content, you’re going to need to lead by example. There is no greater motivation than seeing the boss down in the trenches working alongside everyone else, showing that hard work is being done on every level. By proving your commitment to the brand and your role, you will not only earn the respect of your team, but will also instill that same hardworking energy among your staff. It’s important to show your commitment not only to the work at hand, but also to your promises. If you pledged to host a holiday party, or uphold summer Fridays, keep your word. You want to create a reputation for not just working hard, but also be known as a fair leader. Once you have gained the respect of your team, they are more likely to deliver the peak amount of quality work possible.

Positive Attitude
You want to keep your team motivated towards the continued success of the company, and keep the energy levels up. Whether that means providing snacks, coffee, relationship advice, or even just an occasional beer in the office, remember that everyone on your team is a person. Keep the office mood a fine balance between productivity and playfulness.

If your team is feeling happy and upbeat, chances are they won’t mind staying that extra hour to finish a report, or devoting their best work to the brand.
Creativity
Some decisions will not always be so clear-cut. You may be forced at times to deviate from your set course and make an on the fly decision. This is where your creativity will prove to be vital. It is during these critical situations that your team will look to you for guidance and you may be forced to make a quick decision. As a leader, its important to learn to think outside the box and to choose which of two bad choices is the best option. Don’t immediately choose the first or easiest possibility; sometimes its best to give these issues some thought, and even turn to your team for guidance. By utilizing all possible options before making a rash decision, you can typically reach the end conclusion you were aiming for.
Intuition
When leading a team through uncharted waters, there is no roadmap on what to do. Everything is uncertain, and the higher the risk, the higher the pressure. That is where your natural intuition has to kick in. Guiding your team through the process of your day-to-day tasks can be honed down to a science. But when something unexpected occurs, or you are thrown into a new scenario, your team will look to you for guidance. Drawing on past experience is a good reflex, as is reaching out to your mentors for support. Eventually though, the tough decisions will be up to you to decide and you will need to depend on your gut instinct for answers. Learning to trust yourself is as important as your team learning to trust you.
Ability to Inspire

Creating a business often involves a bit of forecasting. Especially in the beginning stages of a startup, inspiring your team to see the vision of the successes to come is vital. Make your team feel invested in the accomplishments of the company. Whether everyone owns a piece of equity, or you operate on a bonus system, generating enthusiasm for the hard work you are all putting in is so important. Being able to inspire your team is great for focusing on the future goals, but it is also important for the current issues. When you are all mired deep in work, morale is low, and energy levels are fading, recognize that everyone needs a break now and then. Acknowledge the work that everyone has dedicated and commend the team on each of their efforts. It is your job to keep spirits up, and that begins with an appreciation for the hard work.

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9 Tips For Raising Money-Wise Kids

1)	Begin the process early – Most experts agree that parents can begin teaching financial skills to kids as young as 5. As soon as your children can count you can show them different coins and their relative values. Make change together. When shopping, if an item costs $3.50, explain why you give the clerk $4.00, and get 2 quarters back.
2)	Be a role model – What messages do you send your children? Are you living beyond your means? Do you pull out the plastic for every purchase? Do you and your spouse worry or argue about money? Examine your money habits, and make any changes you think necessary. When you exercise good financial judgment, you are automatically teaching your children by example. That’s a win-win situation for all.
3)	Talk about it – Try to include your children in the family’s money management activities, and use them as jumping off points for discussions. • Show the kids your bills, and explain how purchases made earlier must be paid for now. • Demonstrate how you set your long-term purchase/savings goals, and systematically go about achieving them. • Let the kids help you clip coupons and search through sale circulars. • Urge the family to turn off lights when leaving the room and teach them other household economies. • Show them how you can watch your investment activity in the newspapers or on TV, and explain what the numbers mean.
4)	Needs vs. wants – Do your kids know the difference? Instant gratification may help end your little one’s tantrum in the store, but you could be doing him damage in the long run. The fact is, everybody has to make financial choices and sacrifices. The sooner your children understand that, the sooner they’ll become skilled at using money to cover their needs, and saving it up to satisfy their wants.
5)	Help them set goals – When your child wants to buy a large or expensive item, plan together how much money he’ll need to save from weekly allowance or gifts. You may also choose to offer ways he can earn more money by doing chores. Remember to monitor the progress regularly, as the savings grow and the goal comes within reach.
6)	Charge interest – If you lend small amounts of money to your kids, requiring them to pay interest is a powerful way to help them learn how expensive it can be to borrow. That’s a lesson that should be taught early. With today’s youth accruing debt in staggering amounts, your child needs to understand at a young age the potential dangers of purchasing on credit.
7)	Make them ad-savvy – We live in an increasingly consumer-oriented world. Your kids must understand that there are thousands of companies trying to catch their eye and get their money. Teach them to recognize and resist the temptations of advertising. Discuss the marketing of designer labels, team-branded clothes and similar high-cost items compared to other choices. Help them de-bunk all the promises and glitter, and encourage them to base their spending decisions on need and value.
8)	Let them make mistakes – When your children mis-spend their own money, the lesson becomes more vivid. At this age, the financial mistakes are not huge, but the lessons can help them develop good money habits for life.
9)	Open a bank account – What better way to demonstrate how savings can grow than by bringing your children to the bank, filling out that deposit slip, and seeing the new account balance. Besides encouraging their saving habit, it’s also a great way to help them understand how interest is compounded.

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How to be a calm parent

I’ve always been a dreamer. Oh yes .. I was going to change the world. I was going to raise the best children ever to walk the earth. I was never going to make the same mistakes OTHER parents made. No way.
Then I had children.
My first lesson in patience happened immediately while sitting alone with two crying infants for months at a time. I often felt pretty helpless. I mean, you can’t just leave two crying infants and go for a run.
People always ask me how I managed twin infants and I always respond the same way … “With a lot of tears.”
Staying calm as a parent may come easier for some more than others. It hasn’t always been easy for me.
Yeah, where’s the handbook?
I call it Parenting from the Heart.
I’ve learned so many lessons on this topic in the last six years. I hope to pass a few on to other parents who might be struggling with keeping their cool.
In fact, it is my great wish that parents would read this blog and change the way they are parenting so that they, too, can be the change they wish to see in the world.

When I asked on my Facebook page how you stay calm as a parent you sure did deliver! Your comments have been amazing. Here are 25 Ways to Stay Calm as a Parent — some are mine, some are yours:

1. Own your Nos. There are times when I say no without even thinking and then one no leads to another no and soon we’re in a vicious cycle. I’ve learned that by really thinking before I respond I feel authentic power when I do say no — or yes. Try hard to not rush to saying no to your child just because of inconvenience.
2. Be open to Yes. There’s a ton of power in the word YES. Y-E-S. Conscious Yeses are beautiful. Conscious Yeses transform families. Conscious Yeses are cause for celebration.
3. Read. Read everything you can that makes you feel good and that reminds you to remain calm. For me, it started with Momma Zen by Karen Maezen Miller but it’s hardly ended there. I have a whole nightstand filled with books that I pull out when I need a pick-me-up or as a reminder to remain calm and relaxed as a parent. Some are parenting books. Some are inspirational books. Others are just beautiful and get me thinking creatively, which is the best way to parent, in my experience.
4. Solitude. I suspect that many of us who struggle with staying calm in the chaos also struggle with noise. Some people — extroverts — are happy with a ton of noise. I am not. Silence is often the medicine we need to replenish and rejuvenate ourselves and yet it may be the hardest to make happen. There are many other ways to stay at peace.
5. Take a deep breath. Never ever punish when angry. Just don’t. Heed this advice and you’ll always be a calm parent. Separate the kids and then walk away. Step outside. Or, go to your room and close the door and lay on your bed until you are calm. Run down to the basement. Put on some music in your ear buds. Something. Anything. Just breathe and calm down before you even attempt to react.
6. Get up early. Having time to yourself is absolutely essential. Period.
7. Go to bed early. Being fully rested is key. You can’t be a good parent if you are too tired to think, too tired to come up with creative responses and solutions or too tired to ignore the small things.
8. Get a hobby. I write therefore I am. For others, it’s cooking or sewing or quilting or crocheting. Even more are finding a love in photography, baking, blogging, or gardening. We all have that one thing that just fills us up, that gives us a different purpose in life. Devote yourself to yours.
9. Energize yourself. This is my all-time favorite thing to do in my day. Choose the things that you love and that make you happy and do them every day. In my e-course, I’ll share my own list.
10. Ignore the small stuff. What’s that book say, it’s all small stuff? I don’t know about that. But I do know that some parents — myself included — can get wrapped up in micromanaging their children and their every move. Delegate some of that worry and stress to the Universe. this includes NOT arguing back with a child.
11. Think of the Big Picture. A few mentioned this on the Facebook page as important and I agree. Will this tiny infraction of behavior like drinking the bathtub water and spitting it out matter in the long run? No. Will it delay bedtime, yes. So what. Move on. Nothing to see here.
12. Clean. When your children are frustrating the bejeezus out of you, clean. Do those things that you need to do and work off the frustrations by cleaning. This is the only time that I stress the importance of cleaning. It gives you something productive to do instead of micromanaging the children. While your at it, think of the chores they will have to do as a result of their bad behavior. Some call it an uh-oh chore. I just call it a chore to help fill my bucket back up.
13. Speak your mantra. Each of us has phrases that give us comfort, sayings that we can say over and over again in our heads until the difficult moment passes. Some of you suggested mantras like “I am the adult” or “Mommy is the greatest!” I have a whole list of mantras that I use.
14. Exercise. Walk. Do yoga. Run. Whatever you can do to feel good on the inside will make parenting from the heart a lot better.
15. Slow down. Don’t plan a ton of things because the minute you want to get a long list of things done is the very minute that you will find things blow up. Stress is what causes us to lose our cool so the less we have to stress about, the less crazy we’ll become.
16. Get silly. I’ve said this before but doing something entirely out of the ordinary is a great way to turn things around quickly. Tell jokes. Just act nutty. You’ll laugh. SING. DANCE. Laugh. Deal with the consequences later, when everyone’s thinking more clearly.
17. Talk it out. Establish a talk-it-out rule. In this house, we talk out our problems with soft words, not our hands and not by yelling. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.
18. Role model. If you want your children to grow up calm, cool and collected than keep that in your head at all times. What you say to your children becomes what they hear in their heads. That’s powerful stuff to consider.
19. Eat. There have been many times when I’ve been starving and not taking care of myself. Stop and make sure you’re not feeling the result of low blood sugar.
20. Set your rules. This is a really big deal and something I didn’t really do early on. The sooner your establish your household rules the better off you will be as a parent. Our rules are on our refrigerator so that when a rule is broken we can immediately point to it and say look here, you’ve broken Rule No. 2, keep your hands and feet to yourself. When you are confident about the rules in your house, you are confident in enforcing those rules.
21. Don’t set too many rules. Seriously. Children are still learning and experimenting. We can’t expect them to never make mistakes. To stay calm, stick to no more than five rules at a time and make those the important ones. Let little infractions go by with teachable moments rather than discipline.
22. Change your routine. If you find yourself in a stressed out rut, perhaps it’s time to change things around and do something exciting and different. A change in fresh air or environment is enough to keep me feeling calm and peaceful a lot longer than going through the motions of the same-old, same-old.
23. Be Grateful. Many of you mentioned that reminding yourself of how special it is to have a child is the best way to calm yourself down. Savoring the little moments. Being grateful for the time we have with our children. These are all big, heart-filled reminders of what it really means to be a parent, even when times are challenging.
24. Replenish your spirit. For some this means prayer or meditation. For others it might be sinking into a hot bath at night. Taking care of your spirit is as important as taking care of your body. Whatever you use to de-stress and center yourself, do it often.
25. When all else fails, hug it out. I love this one that came up on the Facebook page. Too often what our children need — and what we need in return — is that close connection and touch of the ones we love. My very spirited daughter responds positively to touch and so we snuggle often. So, instead of yelling or hurting, hug it out. If only we could pass this tip along to the rest of the world, right?

There are certainly many other ways to stay calm, cool and collected as a parent and I expect anyone who reads this post to add their own positive  ideas that are meant to help inspire parents. These are ideas I wish I had on that second and third month home with twin infants, and again when those infants moved into their terrible twos. But, no matter where you are on your parenting journey, I suspect this list will at least be worth keeping, for one of those days. You can now download and print this list for yourself to keep close at hand.

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How to Be Smart and Cool at the Same Time

Many people think that if you're a straight A student or you like making computer programs, you are a nerd. However, you can be smart and cool at the same time. This guide will teach you how to transform from nerdy to cool without changing your interests.

Steps

 

1.Analyze the situation. How nerdy are you? Are you a nerd at all? We're not talking about how smart you are. You need to figure out how people perceive you, for the most part. Slightly dorky, but mostly cool? A normal kid with a geeky side? A total social outcast? Someone you wouldn't expect to have good grades? Don't let what you find out in this step get you down or make you arrogant. Others' opinion of you isn't the end of the world. We are just using it as a tool for your personal development. Besides, you're not really "nerdy." You're just smart and you happen to be capable of forming interests without the validation of the mainstream. 

 

2.Learn to listen. Sometimes you might not notice that you are talking and think that people are actually interested but they are annoyed or bored. If you can't think of anything to say ask a question that is not too lame. Most people like to talk about themselves. It's good to be talkative and able to hold up a conversation, but make sure to let the other person or people speak - really listen when they are talking. Practice your speaking skills with people you feel comfortable with, like a sibling or neighbor.

 

 

3.Do not talk too much about your personal life. If someone asks what you like to do for fun, don't lie. Just answer honestly (no matter how geeky the answer is). But do not go into much detail. For example, if you like to make web-pages, don't say "I make the best web-pages without even using any programs. I make them with NotePad because I memorized HTML and I'm fluent in JavaScript, and I hate how the WYSIWYG editors force you to conform (conformity is so mainstream) and to relax I like to play MMORPGS, Warcraft on the Dalaran server, to be specific, blah-blah-blah." Just say, "I like to use the computer and play videogames." If they ask you specifically, say "I make websites", or "I like to play Warcraft". Don't go into details, unless you're asked, because most people don't care. They're just making conversation (something you'll soon be doing). If you play a sport or do something else in your free time, like go shopping, go to the beach, watch movies or eat at your favorite restaurant, you might want to mention that too, in order to downplay your "nerdy" hobbies. Make sure you ask them what they like to do, as most people are quite happy to talk about themselves. 

 

 

4.Avoid getting obsessed with things that don't really matter. For example, do not care about your post count on any forum. Or don't care about your page views. The point of forums/communities are to share thoughts, ask questions and discuss topics, not have 65,405 posts and 485 topics with 6,584 replies. Life is too short to freak out about stuff like that. Go outside and get some fresh air or learn to play an instrument instead of wasting your time with that. And if it really is that important to you, you probably don't want to mention that to most people. 

 

5.Do not brag. Do not try to say that you are better than someone through bragging. You think you're being cool, but bragging is annoying, and that makes you annoying. Don't be a know-it-all who always corrects people's grammar and ideas either.

 

6.Do not do pointless things that other people label as "cool." For example, care more about knowledge than your grades. Fail rather than cheat. Have some integrity and class! 

 

7.Disregard what some idiots think about you. Don't even respond if someone insults you (unless you want to look up some snippy comebacks). You know that you're cool. Don't lower your mentality to theirs! If they keep bothering you, you can walk away, or use one of those snippy comebacks and then walk away.  

 

8.Have good hygiene. Nothing screams "NERD!" like gunky teeth, greasy hair and too-small clothes. It is kind of sad that people place so much importance on looks, but it is the truth. For right now, it's best to just stay healthy and clean for wellness's sake. Shower daily, brush your teeth, floss, wear deodorant/antiperspirant and brush your hair. You might want to save up for money to buy new clothes if you are sick of people making fun of yours. You don't have to buy exactly what the "popular" kids wear, but something stylish and flattering works fine. Ask a friend if you need help. If you have glasses that you think detract from your appearance a lot, you can always try contacts. If you can't wear contacts for some reason (sensitive corneas, for instance), don't worry about it. Plenty of really cool and smart people wear glasses. And don't worry about people thinking braces are dorky. See all those perfectly straight teeth on the movie stars? Most of those have had to deal with years of orthodontic treatment. 

9.Try to be balanced. Do you have a mighty brain but weak and uncoordinated muscles? Build up your strength and stamina through sports or other daily physical activities. Studies show that daily exercise improves your brain and your mood. 

 

10.Dress cool! You can be a nerd in the inside just don't show it! Wear cool stuff out side! But be smart! 

11.Be an easy to talk to person. People like to be able to talk to someone smart without having to feel stupid. If someones asks you something really simple to you like, "What is pi?" don't say "I'm not telling". You'll just become a total jerk and super uncool. Say something like "Here, I'll show you" and when you've explained it in an easy form, say, "It seems hard but it's really not" and when they thank you say "Any time!" This makes you a likeable person that can help people a gain new perspective. And if people start taking advantage of you, all the better! You could show the fact that you're a self-reliant kid, and you can stick up for your self by saying something like, "I'm here to help you, not to baby you".

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A Food Guide for Pregnant Women

Dispel the rumors and clarify the myths about foods that are healthy during pregnancy and those to steer clear of.

Red-Light Foods

BrandX

During your pregnancy there are a few things that might stress you out, but eating shouldn't be one of them. Unfortunately, all of the advice you hear -- from friends, family, and yes, even total strangers -- about what is and isn't safe during pregnancy is enough to confuse anyone. "There are a lot of old wives' tales out there," says Elizabeth Ward, RD, of Reading, Massachusetts. So if you're wondering what's okay to eat (and whether you have to give your favorite foods the boot for nine months), check out our guide.

Use the Pregnancy Weight Gain Calculator to keep tabs on your pregnancy pounds >>

 

Foods to Avoid

Why are some foods off-limits when you're pregnant -- but fine if you're not? First, changes to your immune system now make you more vulnerable to food-borne illnesses. What would've meant stomach upset before could mean serious complications now -- from dehydration to miscarriage.
So to be safe, avoid the common culprits of food-borne illness:
Eggs: Because raw eggs may be tainted with salmonella, a bacterium that can cause fever, vomiting, and diarrhea, watch out for restaurant-made Caesar salad dressing, homemade eggnog, raw cookie dough, and soft scrambled or sunny-side up eggs -- any dish in which the eggs (both yolk and white) are not cooked completely. "If eggs are cooked, the risk is gone," adds Madeleine Sigman-Grant, PhD, maternal child health and nutrition extension specialist at the University of Nevada.
Sushi: With the exception of California rolls and other cooked items, sushi is not safe when you're expecting, either, because it may contain illness-inducing parasites.
Unpasteurized Juice: Stay away from juice (like cider) sold at farm stands; it may not have undergone pasteurization, a processing method that kills bacteria and toxins. Though the majority of milk and juices sold in stores today are pasteurized, there are still some brands on shelves that aren't, so read labels.
Other foods are unsafe due to possible contaminants that can harm the fetus:
Some Varieties of Fish: Fish, which boasts omega-3 fatty acids that help baby's brain development, is a great meal choice right now. But some varieties should be shunned due to high levels of methyl-mercury, a pollutant that can affect baby's nervous system. These include swordfish, shark, and tilefish -- all big species that live longer, accumulating more mercury in their flesh. (You may want to avoid these fish entirely during your childbearing years because your body stores mercury for up to four years, Ward advises.)
In fact, most types of fish contain traces of mercury, so you'll want to limit your weekly consumption of safer varieties too. According to the newest guidelines from the FDA, you can enjoy up to 12 ounces a week (roughly two meals) of lower-mercury fish such as salmon, catfish, pollack, shrimp, and canned light tuna. Of those 12 ounces, only 6 should come from canned "white" albacore tuna, which tends to contain more mercury than light tuna. If you're eating fish caught in local waters, check online with your state's department of health for advisories (if you can't find any information, limit yourself to 6 ounces).

Yellow-Light Foods

Some foods are fine in small amounts, but don't go overboard.
High Levels of Caffeine: When it comes to caffeine, "the studies can be very confusing," says Sigman-Grant. While one small study did link caffeine to increased health risks in the fetus, stronger studies have shown that caffeine is not harmful in moderate amounts. So currently the guidelines suggest no more than 300 milligrams per day, roughly the amount found in two or three 8-ounce cups of coffee. And that comes as a relief to many moms-to-be. Stephanie McClure, a mother of two, in Westerville, Ohio, had a terrible time going cold turkey. "After a few months I went to my doctor and asked if there was any way I could have just a little bit of coffee," remembers McClure, who says her doctor gave the okay for a couple of cups a day. "I immediately ran to Starbucks and ordered a mocha latte."
Nitrate-Rich Foods: It's also smart to go easy on hot dogs (which should always be eaten cooked) and cured meats such as bacon and sausage. These contain nitrates, additives that have been called into question for possible links to brain tumors and diabetes. Although studies aren't conclusive, it makes sense to limit your consumption -- these foods aren't great nutritional choices anyway. What about your beloved diet sodas? They're considered safe during pregnancy and, beyond not being a stellar nutritional choice, there's no scientific evidence that they cause harm. But on the downside, at least one artificial sweetener (saccharin) that's often found in diet sodas does cross the placenta, and artificially sweetened drinks are usually low in nutritional value. So again, we recommend moderation.

Green-Light Foods

Good news! A few foods you may have thought were forbidden actually aren't.
Soft Cheeses: Soft cheeses such as Brie, feta, and Gorgonzola were once considered potentially harmful because they can harbor listeria. Listeriosis, an illness caused by the bacteria listeria, can be passed to the fetus, leading to miscarriage, premature delivery, or stillbirth. However, the FDA now allows soft cheese during pregnancy, as long as it's made with pasteurized milk. Most cheese sold in the United States is, but "don't ever take that for granted," says Ward. It's still important to check labels, especially with imported brands. If you live in a border state, steer clear of soft Mexican cheeses like queso blanco in markets (they aren't typically pasteurized).

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Cheese During Pregnancy: Safe or Not?

Cooked Deli Meats: When Jennifer Vito, a mom in San Antonio, heard that deli meat was also off-limits because of listeriosis concerns, she found it difficult to eliminate it when she was expecting. "If I can't have deli meat, what am I supposed to eat for lunch?" she says. "I ate a lot of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and snacked on veggies." But deli meat is fine during pregnancy as long as you heat it first to kill bacteria (pop your sandwich in the microwave or order a hot or toasted sandwich at the deli -- just make sure the meat is steaming before you eat it). "It's a pain to heat it, but it would be worse to get listeriosis," says Ward. If you would prefer to pass on deli meat, try other high-protein lunches like a veggie burger, a bean burrito, or chicken salad made with some leftover grilled chicken breast and low-fat mayo.
Fresh Produce: Finally, fruits and veggies should be a staple in your diet, especially during pregnancy, because they're high in vitamins and fiber. But take a few commonsense precautions: Rewash bagged lettuce (even if the label says it's triple-washed) to wash away any possible traces of salmonella or E. coli. In fact, you should wash the outside of all fruits and vegetables -- even if you're not going to eat the skin. "Otherwise you drag the germs into the flesh when you cut it," says Sigman-Grant.
But what's the bottom-line best advice on what to eat these nine months? Mix it up. "Don't rely on the same foods every day," Sigman-Grant says. "You dramatically diminish your risk of being exposed to something harmful if you eat a variety." What's more, by varying your diet, you'll also deliver a healthy mix of nutrients to your growing baby.

The News on Alcohol

Alcohol has long been considered a no-no during pregnancy. But many doctors still advise their patients that an occasional drink is okay. "My doctor told me I could have up to 4 ounces of red wine once or twice a week and that it would actually be good for me," remembers Amy Quinn, a mom in Mullica Hill, New Jersey. So have the rules on drinking changed?
Absolutely not, warn many experts. Heavy drinking can lead to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), which causes mental retardation and a host of abnormalities. But according to the March of Dimes, even moderate drinking may lead to more subtle physical and mental damage. And because no one knows exactly what amount of alcohol causes FAS, it's smart to steer clear.

How to Eat Healthy During Pregnancy: What "Eating for Two" Really Means

Sally Kuzemchak is a registered dietitian and writer in Columbus, Ohio.
Originally published in American Baby magazine, December 2005.
The information on this Web site is designed for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your pediatrician or family doctor. Please consult a doctor with any questions or concerns you might have regarding your or your child's condition.

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How to become a rich man from nothing.

Firstly, it is imperative that you develop a strong and burning desire to be rich and successful - and truly know that you are as deserving to fulfill this desire as anyone else on this wonderful planet.
Developing this unquenchable desire will give you the fearsome will power to overcome the many temptations that will arise to lead you away from the path of wealth creation mastery. I use the word ‘mastery' for good reason. I encourage you to become your own Master.
I want you to start taking the personal responsibility for your own financial future. Know that it is not merely "ask and it shall be given unto you" more "demand and insist of your higher self that you exercise your right to abundance"! This abundance can be likened to an ocean. Some people come to this ocean with thimbles to fill while others bring huge buckets. Others still choose to remain away from the waters edge. The ocean cares not.
So no more pathetic shilly-shallying - stop dreaming about how nice it would be to be rich - get off your buttocks, stop playing that childish "victim role game" and start your wealth creation program without delay. Promise yourself that this time you will damn well stick to it.
Secondly, you must be crystal clear on your objective and know exactly what "being a millionaire (or a multi-millionaire) is."
No, don't go getting your back up! You don't know exactly! If you fully understood, you would already be wealthy! If you are unsure of where you are going, you can be sure you won't get there. So if you are one of those who proclaim, "I want to make heaps of money" or "I am not making ends meet - I need a huge income or extra cash" - forget this article - go elsewhere. Come back when you really want to succeed at amassing a great fortune.
"A millionaire is a person whose total assets, if sold off in a non-fire-sale situation, would bring (after tax obligations - if any) a net minimum of $1,000,000.00"
Now just to get you even angrier, I'm going to say that again. "A millionaire is a person whose total assets if sold off in a non-fire-sale situation would bring (after tax obligations - if any) a net minimum of $1,000,000.00"
Oh you knew that did you? OK smarty-pants, then tell me what is the total of your realizable net assets right now? What? You don't know? You can only make a rough guess? Not good enough. There's only one thing worse than not knowing where you are going, it's not knowing where you are right now to get there!
So get that list going NOW! The total will be your WEALTH TOTAL right NOW. All we need to do is to increase that total way past the million-dollar mark and hey, you can then call yourself a millionaire. I aim to convince you that millionaire status is so easy to achieve and that you will be guaranteed to have immense fun upon this awesome journey.
OK so you have now fired up your passion, you know where you are going and where you are right now. Now fourthly, I want to make this bone headed statement that will bound to get your hair standing up. "Up till now you've been a lousy dead beat business-person!"
"Yikes Charles, I find your methods insulting - why I haven't even been in business! So you are dead wrong there!"
Oh haven't you? Are you sure? Let's get the birds eye view. Please consider:
A business has a gross annual income (turnover) and from that total pays all overheads. From the net income or profit (if any) tax is payable. Now the amount that is left, can either be used to create wealth - or it can be spent on non-wealth creating products or services - for example, spending the surplus on a vacation etc.
Similarly, a working person or couple has a combined gross annual income (turnover) and from that total pays all domestic overheads. Now the amount that is left, can either be used to create wealth - or it can be spent on non-wealth creating products or services - for example, spending the surplus on a vacation etc.
You can see from the above that in both examples - there is income - there are expenses/out goings and hopefully something left at the end that one can optionally spend. So I will repeat, "Up till now you've been a lousy dead beat business-person!"
Now most "business" folks are like rudderless ships on a stormy sea being tossed around at the mercy of the elements. That is why statistics continually prove that most people "regardless of income" end up on the rocks of financial instability.
They spend their lives being too busy trying to make or earn money to become super rich. So lets once and for all, short cut this whole tedious process and change the mind set from "making money" to "Creating Wealth."
Fifthly: Clearing out the dross in your life to make room for the new is the next important step. The dross I talk of comes under three general headings - habits, people and goods and chattels. Why not begin to replace the costly time wasting and money consuming habits with the habit of wealth creation? Why not begin to replace the hangers on in your life with people who are also on the success path? Enough said: I leave the "habits and people" headings up to you, however the unwanted "goods and chattels" will be the seed of your million-dollar fortune. Be vicious! Go through all your goods and chattels and everything you don't need or use, put to one side for your garage or boot sale (even if you are emotionally attached). Ask your friends and relatives to "donate" to the greatest cause on Earth - your future millionaire status.
Then have your sale and raise your seed money. Ah! Ah. Yes, you may only get a hundred or so dollars out of it and you may have that much already in the bank but do as I say. Eat humble pie - it's good for you. You cannot learn by always taking the easy way out. If you can't create the seed, do not expect to create the fruits.
Sixthly - Now there exists two main techniques of wealth creation you should know about. To this day I still use both techniques as separate streams of wealth creation. I call them the arbitrage-compound system or the straight multiplier system. The arbitrage-compound system works on buying in bulk very cheaply and selling at bargain basement prices so that customers almost queue up for more. Your mark up will only be between 25% - 27%. Why? Because your compounding capital doubles every 3 rotations. EG Alice, one of my students, used this method to kick start her wealth program.
From her seed money, she bought of all things, a popular brand of coffee beans in bulk and packaged them up in 500 gram cellophane packets. Supplying her work mates, friends and neighbors her $130.00 soon grew to well over $5,000.00 of supplies of coffee. Alice then branched out and now has several items she buys at around $400.00 and resells at about $500.00. By the time you read this article Alice's wealth total, in her still part time wealth program, will have steamed past the $100,000.00 mark. Now Alice IS NOT running a business. She is Wealth Creating. Can you see the difference?
The straight multiplier system is where you will look for items upon which you know you can at least double or triple your money. Initially go to boot and garage sales and charity shops, auctions etc. Buy bargains at give away prices. Sell them on Ebay or advertise on the local shopping centers' bulletin boards. As you sell keep buying and doubling and tripling your money. Do not spend even one cent of these funds on anything except your wealth program. Allow your wealth program to multiply till your asset sheet exceeds the first $100,000.00.
Once that level has been reached your apprenticeship is over. The second $100,000.00 in wealth (assets) will be achieved in about one third of the time of the first and so on. Two things you will notice: Bargains and opportunities to buy will arise continuously so you can afford to be oh, so choosy. The second point to keep in mind is that time is relatively immaterial.
Make sure you keep your asset or wealth list up to date. Aim to increase it by X amount of dollars each and every week and keep setting your own personal bar higher. you can find how to make money from the internet today @ Nairahub

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8 steps to becoming a genius

Step 1: Accept that you need to become a genius. Look at the graph below. Where on the graph would you mark yourself if the far left represented the ignorance of a new born baby and the far right represented the genius of Leonardo Da Vince?

(Ignorance) 1—2—3—4— (Normal) —6—7—8—9—10 (Genius)

Okay, that was a trick. Without changing your position on the graph replace the word “Ignorance” with “Insanity,” and replace the word “Genius” with “Sane.”

The definition of the world “sane” is: “having or showing reason, sound judgment, or good sense.”

Think about a baby. Does a baby think or act with sound reason, judgment and sense? No. If an adult acted like a 1 year old he’d be locked away in a mental institute. We’re all born insane, and, our progress towards sanity doesn’t happen on its own. Sure, as we grow up our brains develop and automatically make us more capable of sanity, but we have to use that capability. In order to become truly sane you’re going to have to consciously put forth a significant amount of effort to using reason, sound judgment and common sense.

The reason this matters is because what you know and how you think define how you experience reality; your mind is your life. If you don’t consciously take responsibility for improving your ability to reason then everything about your entire life will be duller, weaker and uglier. The clearer you understand that the more motivation you’ll have for striving to fulfill your mental potential. The less you understand that the more likely you are to spend your life sitting on your couch watching mindless television to distract you from the emptiness of your reality.

Step 2: Accept that you’re capable of becoming a genius. There’s a popular misconception that you’re either born a genius or you’re not. Nobody has any proof of this. We just believe it because we’ve heard it so many times and assumed that if so many people believe it then it must have some basis in reality. Plus, it excuses us from the burden of self-improvement and lets us get back to watching television without feeling guilty about how stupid we are.

If you’re smart enough to graduate high school then you’re smart enough to become a genius. Think about this. How many song lyrics, movie characters, book titles, sports statistics, telephone numbers and street names will you memorize in your life?  How many books/magazines/news articles/websites/blogs have you/will you read? When you add it all up the number is astronomical even if you score low on a traditional I.Q. test.

You’ll never reach the limits of your mind. Therefore, the limits of your mental potential are defined more by what you believe they are than what they actually are. You have the potential to become a genius if you would only allow yourself permission to become what you’re capable of becoming and dedicate yourself to pushing yourself as far as you can go.

Step 3: Accept that you’re ignorant. At first glance it seems I’m contradicting myself by saying that you’re capable of becoming a genius but you’re also ignorant. However, as you’ll soon see, this paradox makes perfect sense.

Everyone is born insane, and in order to become a genius you have to grow into it, and the more room you give yourself to grow the more you can grow. In step 1 we talked about people who give up on the game before they start, but there are many, many people who get a tiny bit of knowledge and believe they’ve reached the peak of human potential. Then they spend the rest of their lives patting themselves on the back and sticking their noses up at everyone else. Ironically, since these elitists don’t believe they need to push themselves any further they don’t. So they spend the rest of their lives stagnating on the pillar they’ve set themselves on.

Step 4: Accept that everyone else is ignorant. Humanity doesn’t have life figured out. Our entire history has been a slow process of clueless adults raising clueless children. The younger generation always takes it for granted their parents’ generation has it all figured out. So children devote their lives to mimicking their elders only to waste their lives re-enacting primitive, obsolete customs invented by pompous monkeys.

Each generation a few rebels break out of the autopilot setting their culture tries to force on them, and as a result they learn something new about the world. Then they’re likely ridiculed and possibly killed for going against the status quo, but if their new knowledge stands the test of time then in a few generations everyone will take that new knowledge for granted and mock their own ancestors for being so dim-witted while they themselves are still living their own lives on autopilot and mocking and killing the forward thinkers of their own generation.

This is the environment you were raised in as well. You’ll meet people on every street corner who will tell you they have life completely figured out. If they know anything that you don’t then they have something worth learning, but the moment you fall hook line and sinker for somebody else’s answers is the moment you stop growing and start living a subpar life.

Take everything you learn with a grain of salt. Even if someone teaches you something that’s true it’s probably still incomplete. Questioning people and their belief systems can only help you arrive at a clearer perception of the truth. Blind faith can only result in blindness.

Step 5: Develop a systematic plan to understand life. Imagine it’s Sunday afternoon, and you don’t have to go to work, but you’ve got a ton of errands and chores you need to get done. If you just wander around the house and do a chore here and there when you just happen to find yourself in a room that needs something done it’s going to take forever to get all your chores done. Imagine driving around town aimlessly and hoping you run across the store or business you need to get something done at. You’ll never accomplish all your goals.

Becoming a genius (aka growing up, aka becoming sane) is the same way. You’re not going to be able to wander through life aimlessly, casually doing the things you feel inspired or hungry to do and hope to make the most out of your mind or subsequently your life. You need a written, step by step plan (preferably framed and hanging on your mantle). Chances are you don’t have one of these, and chances are you’re not going to make the most out of your mind and subsequently your life.

Creating a systematic plan to understand life sounds like a monumental task that can only be accomplished by the greatest philosopher or prophet, but that isn’t the case. All you have to do is figure out what’s most important in life (in descending order). You can make all the excuses you want for why you can’t do that, but at the end of the day all those excuses are going to accomplish is to keep you from making the most out of your mind and subsequently your life. Who told you that you couldn’t or shouldn’t take control of your life?. At any rate, what did you think life was all about? This is it. This is what life is about. This is what you’re supposed to do. Figuring out and learning what’s important is the biggest part of growing up.

Step 6: Learn as much as you can.

How are you going to understand life if you can’t take someone else’s word for it? By learning as much as you can and reading for truth. Most people don’t give themselves enough credit for how smart they already are. Consider how much you know about movies, music, and possibly sports. You’re probably a movie trivia genius. And how did you learn so much about movies? By watching a little bit every week (probably every day) for most of your life.

Even if you’ve wasted half your life watching mindless television you still know more about the world than anyone who was born 1000 years before you. Relative to them you’re already the world’s greatest genius. You can become even more genius by consciously learning a little more about important topics every day.

Step 7: Ask the right questions.

You might be able to cram enough knowledge into your brain to win every quiz game in the world, but that doesn’t make you a genius. What separates the savants from the geniuses is meaning. Is the knowledge you possess and are the questions you ask meaningful? Do your intellectual pursuits make a difference in the world? Do they help people? Do they advance humanity? If not, then it doesn’t matter how many credentials you have or how many people pat you on the back. Your efforts are meaningless.

You don’t have to be smart enough to figure out why E=MC2 to be a genius. The world doesn’t need 7 billion astrophysicists anyway. We need geniuses from every walk of life. We need people who can solve meaningful problems in the fields that they’re suited for. Solve a meaningful question and that will be an exercise in genius, but that doesn’t mean you can rest on your laurels for the rest of your life. Just because you did something genius yesterday doesn’t mean you’re a genius today. And just because you performed one stroke of genius doesn’t mean that you’re a genius in every other facet of your life. In fact, nobody is a full spectrum genius. Every genius is a complete idiot in other ways.

Step 8: Question your answers. Let’s suppose you questioned your personal beliefs and the foundations of your culture and found them lacking. So you went back and rewrote the rules and applauded yourself for fixing them. Then you lived the rest of your life by those new rules and taught them to other people. The only problem is you’re Anton Lavey, Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Pol Pot, Timothy Leary or Charles Manson

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