TIPSHEET: COLLEGE ADMISSIONS

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Taylor, the managing director of Ivy Coach, offers this advice.

Are great grades enough for an Ivy League school?

It's not just about getting perfect grades and perfect scores. It's about making yourself interesting and finding that singular quality about yourself that will make you different than others.

Is being well-rounded beneficial for college applications?

Not exactly. If you don't excel in a certain area or activity, why put it on your application? When applying, think: In what way am I serving the college? How will you help the college because that's what they care about. 

How do you stand out on an application and avoid being a cliche?

Take one of your interests and get involved locally in it. A misconception is that you have to go and do service trips abroad in order to get noticed. This can cause some resentment from the college admissions officers because it seems like the applicant is flaunting wealth when the admissions officers may not have the means to travel and do service trips. The whole point is you want the admissions officer to root for you. 

Is early application necessary?

Yes! Not applying early will waste the most valuable card you have. Especially if you are a legacy, apply early.

Are there scholarships for Ivy League schools?

No. Ivy League schools offer financial aid but they do not offer any type of scholarship. 

Will needing financial aid negatively impact chances of gaining acceptance?

Colleges need tuition dollars. Sometimes it will hurt your chances of getting in if you request financial aid. If applying for financial aid, they are looking for and will most likely favor underrepresented minorities or first generation college students. If you don't know if you need financial aid, figure it out and crunch the numbers before applying to schools because it can hurt your chances of getting in.

What are underrepresented minorities?

African-American, Latino, Native-American, Pacific Islander. 

How do I get the most out of a college tour?

Don't go over the summer or winter break. Visit when the students are on campus. That way you can get a good idea of how the school will actually be if you attend. You should visit every school you apply to!

Is it important to know someone or have connections to a school?

A lot of people think knowing someone and having connections is going to help them get into a certain school. It can help in some cases but it isn't necessary. A lot of schools look at and want first generation college students, which means they wouldn't have any connection to the school. 

Will donating money to a college help get an acceptance letter?

No. Schools will most likely accept every dollar you want to give them but it will not improve your chances of getting into the school. 

When is the right time to start thinking about college?

It is never too early. If you go to a college admissions advisor like Ivy Coach, they can start working with you in the 8th grade to map out what courses and activities you should be involved in and taking all throughout high school. Towards junior year of high school, it may be too late to get involved in activities that will help you get accepted into college so the earlier you start thinking about it, the better. 

Insight fom leadership coach and business coach Greg Bell author of What's Going Well? The Question That Changes Everything.

What's Going Well?

- We need to think about what is going well and savor those things. We, as humans, tend to focus on the negative things. A lot of the time the negative things we experience aren't that bad. If you're stuck in traffic, train your mind to think that it's nice you have a car and it's great you're able to drive and even see. Having a positive outlook can change the way you approach life.

- Ask yourself: What's going well? Bad things that happen go into your long term memory. Good things that happen go directly into your short term memory. If you ask yourself what's going well, it forces your brain to recall good things that happen to help balance out the bad. 

- Thinking, writing and talking about what's going well and what went well in the beginning and end of your day interrupts the negativity. It doesn't make the bad things go away, but it helps create a more positive way of thinking. 

- Asking that question isn't just beneficial when you're feeling good. It's actually helpful when things are challenging for you. That's when you need to ask it the most. 

- Once you have a positive attitude, you can overcome extraordinary things. 

Positivity in the Workplace

- Start group or team meetings with what's going well and what is going right. This can inspire the group to face the challenges.

- If you start with what's going wrong, it can be discouraging and create a negative environment.

- A person's mindset is very important. If you think negatively, you'll have negative beliefs, you'll take negative actions, and you'll be living a negative life. Asking what's going well can result in positive language, positive thoughts, positive actions an so on.

How to  Start "What's Going Well?" Positive Thinking

- Get a journal and keep it by your bed. When you wake up, write down what's going well. Instead of looking at social media or watching the news, take that time to think positively and write down one thing that is going well in the morning. Examples could be you slept great or you're looking forward to lunch with a friend. At night, write down what went well during the day. 

- Over time, you'll notice that you have better days. This is because you'll focus more on the positive things and throughout the day, you'll think of things you want to write down later. 

- Having positive thoughts and language doesn't work every time. Thinking you're going to have a great day isn't going to automatically mean you're going to have a great day. It can definitely help, but no guarantees. But, having negative language will work every time. If you go into a day thinking it's going to be bad, that will improve your chances of having a bad day.

N - notice the things going well

E - express the things going well

W - write the things going well

S - savor the things going well

Relationships

- If you've had a conflict in a relationship, it's because you were expecting one thing and the other person was expecting another.

- You could lower the expectation of another, understand the expectations of others, have dialogue about expectations and you'll have better relationships.

- Most of your dialogue is with yourself. Self talk is important because that will inform how you think about yourself and your situation and your relationships. How you're thinking about it will inform how you believe about it and that will inform the actions. People should reflect about their language and realize positive thinking can improve their attitude and life.

Strategies and advice from Hippie and the Tech

Follow their journey on Facebook YouTube or Instagram

Getting Started:

- If you're just starting out, don't ask every single person you know for their advice. Each person will tell you something different and it'll get more and more confusing. Go to some RV lots and learn about the different types. Make sure you like the floor plan because you can always fix or re-do the interior. Make sure you get your RV inspected by the NRVIA (National Recreational Vehicle Inspectors Association). They can check everything out and make sure your RV is working properly.

- There are many jobs that you can work remotely in order to earn a living on the road. 

- If moving from a house to an RV, downsizing may be a challenge. Having garage sales and selling things online are a great way to get rid of some of that clutter you won't want to take on the road. 

- It may surprise you how quickly you can adapt!

Life on the Road:

- From the outside looking in, it would appear that conflicts would arise and everyone would butt heads being in such a confined space. It's actually the opposite! It forces you to face and resolve conflicts quickly and in a different way than you would in a house.

- When you live in a house, you spend an entire year saving up for a week vacation. When in an RV, you're driving around the country seeing different sites and cities. You essentially have a lifetime of vacations the whole year.

- Boondocking: Living on public lands for free. 

In order to do this, you have to have a handle on energy management and water management. Having a battery bank or generator can allow you to keep power even when you're on the go and not hooked up to a power source. 

- There are many resources for people living life on the road. Social media, apps, community groups can help with frequently asked questions, healthcare concerns, and suggestions on where to go. 

- Campendium is a great resource that allows you to search for reviews on campsites. This can help you plan and have peace of mind on where your next stop will be.

- It's all about the journey! Each stop can provide different experiences. You will be able to see and experience new things that you wouldn't have ever known about before. 

- Fear is the biggest dream squasher out there. Build up the courage and give it a shot. Maybe start by renting an RV for a week and see if it's for you. There is nothing else like the closeness and togetherness you will feel and experience with your family on the road.

Kerry Tomlinson of Archer News Network

Contact Kerry on Twitter Facebook Instagram

What is a scam?

- People posing as someone you know (or may not know) to trick you into allowing them access to your personal information. It could come in the form of an email, a text message, a direct message from a social media site, a push notification etc. 

Popular scams:

- Spearfishing is when someone targets you in order to get information from your company. If scammers can get your passwords and information, that can be a gateway into draining the funds from your company. 

- Social media is a playground for scammers! Scammers can hack into social media pages and send messages. This makes it look like your friend is sending you a message when it is a scam. If you get a message from someone with just a link, or it says, "Hey check this out!" be cautious and don't open it. You can respond to the message and ask if they meant to send it to you but it is always safer not to click the link. 

- Email invites are also an easy way to get scammed. People will send you anything that grabs your attention to get you to click on the link. 

- Phone calls are popular among scammers as well. Not answering the phone when it is an unknown number is the best way to go. If someone is trying to reach you, they can always leave a voicemail. 

Talking to your family about scams:

- Elderly people are a prime target for scams. Talking with them about real stories and scams people have fallen for is the first step in getting them to understand. Letting them know these things are actually happening to real people and aren't just made up is crucial. 

- Some people are just very trusting. If you have an older relative that will always answer the phone, programming the phone to only ring when a contact calls is a solution.

- Talk to someone about a message you received. If you start talking about it, you may realize something isn't quite right with the message or the person that sent it to you.

How to protect passwords:

- Do not use the same password for all of your sites. If a site, like YouTube or LinkedIn, is breached, scammers can take the password they gained from that profile on that site and input it into other sites. If you use the same password for everything, they will be able to gain access to all of your information.

- Use a password manager! This is a piece of software you can get on your computer and put all of your passwords in. That way, the only password you have to remember is the one for the password manager. This is an easy way to create and remember a different password for all of your accounts.

- Passwords should be at least 15 characters long. 

- Set up two factor authentication. When you want to sign into an account, you'll get a code on your phone you have to enter before you are able to log on. This ensures it is actually you logging on and not a scammer.

- Don't automatically save the password on your browsers. Browsers are vulnerable and have been hacked many times. Lot out and re-enter your password each time you want to use one of your accounts.

Quick Facts:

- In general, most wine producers price their wine based on demand and quality.

- Typically you will see a difference in quality the more expensive a wine gets.

- Temperature is important in wine! 

- A high cellar temperature is 60 degrees. In the summertime when it is warm, putting a red wine in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes will get it closer to a cellar temperature.

- People tend to over chill white wines. You can kill the texture when you over chill. Generally white wines need some chilling but they do not need to be ice cold.

- Baby Boomers are the main consumers of wine. Many companies are trying to appeal to Millennials with different packaging, like wine in a can or beer bottle. 

- The canning process typically does not take away from the taste of the wine. Canned wine is also a great for portion control. 

- Blind tastings are offered at some vineyards. They teach people how to evaluate wine and experience wine in a new way. 

Wine pairings:

- White wine pairs well with fish.

- Red wine pairs well with meat.

- White and red wine pair well with cheese.

- There are lots of different avenues you can take when pairing wine with food - you just have to be open to them!

How to pick a good wine:

- Educate yourself about wine.

- Visit local wine shops and talk to the wine steward about what you like and don't like and they can offer suggestions.

- Keep an open mind about wine!

What not to do at a tasting:

- Avoid wearing perfume. You want to be able to smell the wine, not perfume.

- Avoid chewing gum. 

- Never pour yourself a glass of wine in a tasting room.

- The spit bucket is there for a reason! Don't over consume. 

Why are people in such a hurry to find a relationship?

We are culturally taught to go to school, get a degree, start dating, get married, start a family, buy a house etc. This is the trajectory that is laid out for us. As a society, that's what we're told is the "right thing" to do. There is this perception that we need to be coupled up in order to be good enough or meet the status quo. So there is a pressure and rush to get married and it is a grave misconception that could lead to divorce or unhappiness.

How does family origin play into that?

Genes are passed down from generation to generation. This does have an influence on things like emotion regulation. That is the foundation of things like communication and motivation. How you handle your emotions impacts the choices you make. Also, environmental factors come into play as well. What you observe from your parents, you learn. You can sometimes take things from your parents and integrate those things into your life or you can say no, I want to do things different than they did. But, we have been programmed from the nature and nurture component, to where we start believing certain aspects about ourselves and it becomes part of our subconscious. Then it influences and dictates our behavior as adults.

Is it possible to be unaware of the impact family origin has on an individual?

It is possible. If we aren't aware, we could very easily slip into relationships and reenact patterns that our parents reenacted, unknowingly. However, some people have an awareness and they recognize they don't want to do it that way and it can go one of two ways. They can know it and still end up falling into the patterns but then they realize it and make changes. Or, they can actively seek help and actively work on healing themselves and healing the patterns so they do it differently. 

Why is having a stable relationship so difficult?

Lots of people attract certain types of people into their lives. We attract what is happening within ourselves. If there is a part of us that is emotionally unavailable, we will attract emotionally unavailable partners. This is because we haven't allowed ourselves to open our hearts because we've been hurt, neglected, abused, trauma, etc. If it lives in us, we will be attracted to it. The purpose of a partnership is growth. You will draw to you the exact person you need to grow you. Meaning they will trigger you. No one can quite trigger you like your partner! This is because there are parts of you within them, and parts of them within you. The triggers will promote growth among the two of you. Sometimes people aren't able to handle the triggers and the result is splitting up. 

How can someone recognize toxic behaviors and start to change them?

We all have the ability to be detectives of our internal world. Checking in with your mind, body, heart, soul can be the first step to recognizing how you truly feel. Pay attention to what your feelings are telling you. Try finding a coping mechanism to sit through the uncomfortable feelings instead of going back to the toxic behavior. It could be singing, writing, working out, going for a walk, etc. There are tons of tricks to help you move through the emotions instead of going back to the toxic behavior.

What is the key to a lasting relationship?

- Values. They say opposites attract. But for a long term relationship, having the same values is key. When you're clear on your values and you live and practice them, you're going to be attracting a partner who potentially has the same values. 

- Communication is very important. We communicate in all sorts of ways. Verbally, but also in our facial expressions, body posture, tone of voice, etc. We are constantly sending signals to our partner or perspective partner. Effective communication means being honest and direct and vulnerable whereas ineffective communication would be hiding, lashing out, or not sharing. 

- Having an open heart is also very important in a relationship. Many people want love but their heart is not open. Having an open heart happens when you're in love with yourself, you're in love with the opportunity to meet someone else and you're open to all the possibilities. If you're closed, not loving yourself, not caring for yourself, you're jaded about people, you may think you want love but you are not open to it.

What are healthier ways to live?

The key is to embody healthy habits because you are worth it and deserve it. You can go to the gym and drink smoothies all you want, but if you feel a pressure to do those "healthy" things, it may not be as healthy as you think. Do whatever you like! Do something that is good for your soul - that is a healthy habit. 

What you get from 23andMe:

23andMe Health and Ancestry reports provides individuals with their ancestral composition, in addition to receiving more than 90 reports of genetic health risks, carrier status, trait information and wellness.

The Health portion is not offered on its own, but the Ancestry component is available without the Health report.

Type 2 Diabetes report process - individuals can opt into research and they answer questions about Type 2 Diabetes and their lifestyle. 23andMe can calculate the individuals likelihood of developing the condition based on that data. This is called a polygenic score. This type of data can empower individuals because it provides people with the genetic component for a condition that is not determined solely by genetics but it plays a key role. By letting someone know of their genetic predisposition for developing Type 2 Diabetes, it can help them feel empowered to talk to their health care provider about tools and steps to take to help manage the risk. 

Currently 23andMe does not provide individuals information about if they have sensitivities to medications, but they are working on this process and it will be introduced as a report in the near future.

If you and a relative opt into the DNA relatives feature of 23andMe, it will show you the amount of DNA you share.

What they do:

23andMe has a dedicated medical education team. They work diligently in reaching the healthcare workforce to assess individuals understanding of genetics and clinic.

23andMe partners with scientists all over the globe and conducts research studies where they reach out to underrepresented groups to get them to participate in the research experience. Their participation has allowed 23andMe to improve its product. 23andMe wants to make sure it is as inclusive as possible so its product will be relevant to people of all ethnicities.

Throughout the results and reports, 23andMe provides links and resources for genetic counselors in their area if they would like to talk to a local professional about the results. 

Precautions:

Privacy is a priority for 23andMe. Some people may be skeptical to send in their samples, but 23andMe takes numerous steps to protect privacy and data. If you opt out of the research component, the information is not provided to third party services.

23andMe does not share information with law enforcement. Security and privacy is taken very seriously.

Fun Fact:

Siblings with the same parents can have different genetics because you randomly inherit your DNA from each parent. Siblings will share approximately 50% of DNA, you don't share the exact same components.  It just depends on the way the chromosomes divide and cross over during reproduction.

Vanessa West, DDS of West Family Dentistry  offers advice on pediatric dental practices

How often should a child see the dentist?

As soon as teeth appear on your child, you should be cleaning them. Even before they start showing teeth, cleaning the gums after they eat can be good as well. The first dentist appointment is recommended to happen within the first year of a child's life. This is to get the child familiar with going to the dentist and getting their teeth cleaned. A child should be going to visit the dentist every six months.

How do you approach your child wanting to brush his or her own teeth?

Allow the child to brush their own teeth with the agreement that you can do it after they are done. This allows the child to have the satisfaction that they are doing it themselves but you can make sure everything is clean after.

How long should parents help children brush their teeth?

Until the child is 8 years old! Some children lack the manual dexterity to do it well enough until they are about 9 or 10 even. An electric toothbrush is very efficient if they don't want the parents help.

What type of toothbrush should my child be using?

A Sonicare electric toothbrush is very efficient in cleaning teeth. It is good to start brushing with an electric toothbrush as early as age 3. Sometimes children under age 5 dislike the vibration but using a softer setting is beneficial to help them get used to it.

Is fluoride okay?

Fluoride strengthens teeth and the benefit is topical and not internal. A fluoridated toothpaste or rinse is recommended and it can make teeth more resistant to tooth decay. 

Should I be flossing my child's teeth? 

Flossing is very important. It should be done nightly, if possible. The dental hygienist can show you how and your child the correct way to do it. Individual flossers can make the process easier. 

When should my child see an orthodontist? 

It is recommended to see an orthodontist by the age of 7. This way the orthodontist can determine if the child has any bite issues. Unless the dentist tells you there are not any issues, an orthodontist consult should happen.

Does my child’s diet affect their teeth? 

Things like goldfish and gummy candy that are high in carbohydrates, sugar and acid are not good for your teeth. A child can still have those food items, but rinsing after eating those things can be very helpful. High calcium and low sugar diets are the best to have. Try to shy away from soda and candy and try to eat things like milk, yogurt and low sugar snacks.

Sugary snacks are seemingly unavoidable with kids so if they do have candy or a sugary drink,  try to limit them to only once a day and rinse the mouth out after. 

Is teeth whitening healthy?

Teeth whitening is safe and some can have fluoride in it. Although, sometimes the whitening chemical can weaken the teeth and cause sensitivity. Wait until the child is around the age of 16 to consider whitening teeth. Coffee, tea and other beverages can darken teeth so if that habit is present in a child, whitening teeth isn't beneficial. 

If you are looking for a new dental office, most offer a consultation where you can go in and take a look around and see if you are comfortable there before making an exam appointment. 

Does it feel like there's broken culture in youth sports? Best-selling author of the book "Nine Innings of Hitting" Troy Silva says it is broken but is on a mission to fix it. You can also tune into the Baseball Families Podcast he co-hosts with his wife to learn about these topics.

Enjoy the level you're at and keep in mind the big picture. Realize the importance of the here and now, and the confidence built in kids as they participate in sports.

Do kids burn out when they hone in on one sport at too early an age?

College coaches actually want multi-sport athletes because it's healthier for them. Even if your goal is to play at the highest level of one sport, resting your mind and body from the exhaustion of playing a single sport is crucial.

At what age should your child choose one sport to focus on - or should this ever happen?

There is no age at which they should stop playing other sports, but by their junior year in high school, they should know what sport they are good at and enjoy the most. It's not wise to have your 7-8 year old just focus on one sport. 

Coaches and playing time

For coaches, it should depend on what level they're playing at and at what age. By the time kids are 12-13-14 years old, playing time should be more determined by the skill level of the player. If you're a high school senior, playing time is what it is. But this all depends on what type of team it is and the level of competition, whether it's a travel club sport or just Little League.

Parent coaches

Without parent coaches, there are no youth teams that exist. They're vital. It's not an easy job. People are watching their own kids on the field, and their coach's son or daughter on the field or court. Parent coaches shouldn't be afraid to play "down" their own child for the sake of the whole team. Set the expectation early with parents about your philosophy - to reduce drama through the season.

Referees and Umpires

It's up to coaches to tell parents the expectation that parents should not communicate with the umpires or referees. Most of the time bad calls are made by mistake. Coaches shouldn't be afraid to halt bad parent behavior toward officials. And they set the example by how they treat officials.

What can parents do to help?

Show up and smile and enjoy your child's opportunity to play the sport. Have the attitude of HERE AND NOW and consider it a blessing that your kid can play, since a lot of kids can't depending on their physical limitations or lack of financial resources.

Costs

A lot of parents are paying thousands of dollars a year for club sport. And all that money shelled out raises parent expectations for their child's opportunity to play in college and earn athletic scholarships. 

A lot of kids are playing club sports who really shouldn't be based on their skill level, and who should be spending that money on development or lesser organizations for more playing time.

The opportunities for athletic scholarships will come if your kid is good enough. It can be damaging for kids to repeatedly be discouraged playing a club sport without any success.

College

No one gets full-ride college scholarships in baseball. If you want your kid to play college ball, have them get good grades so they can get academic scholarships because coaches love that.

Post-game 

Coaches - the kids aren't listening to you, especially if they lost the game and if they're younger. Keep the speech short and positive. Address the issues later in practice.

Parents - the best thing you can say to your child is that you love them, loved watching them play, that you're proud of them for having a good attitude. And that's it. If they stunk, change the subject, don't harp on it. Do some other activity.

Motivating kids

Kids vary in motivation. Sometimes parents want it more than the kids do. So be aware of that and check yourself. But in this environment of video games and ipads, it's good to challenge kids to go out there and do something athletic. 

CTE injuries

There's a fine line between teaching toughness and risking further injury depending on the incident. 

Bottom line

The mixture of the emotional instability of kids, and the expectations of parents and coaches creates a high-pressure environment that can suck the joy out of youth sports. Do your diligence in learning about coaches and their teaching styles. Don't be afraid to pull your kid out of an unhealthy environment. Remember we are developing people - sports is just vehicle.

Someone who is vegan doesn't consume any animal products. The more current term is "plant-based" since the term vegan can be charged for some.

Do you live longer (and healthier) as a vegan?

• Blue Zones, a book by a National Geographic photographer, shows how people around the world lived longer on plant-based diets
• With so much research emerging about bacon as a carcinogens and the hormones in dairy and meat, more people are making the choice to live this way
• Professional athletes like David Carter and Olympic sprinter Malachi Davis offer public testimonials about how plant-based diets have helped them

Is it more expensive to live as a vegan?

• A plant-based diet is actually cheaper when it comes to pasta, vegetables, fruit
• Meatless options cost more right now, but as more people buy in and they become more mainstream, the cost will decrease
• Subsidies in the meat and dairy industry help create the $2 hamburger

Resources to learn more: Switch4Good Asher Brown PollutionTV

People are disconnected from their sources of food, whether they eat meat or not

Tech  companies are buying into development of meatless options

• The more you learn about the food system, the more unsustainable it is
• Companies like JU.ST are creating food in labs, synthesizing proteins
• Wild Earth is synthesizing protein for use in pet food
• 40 percent of the earth's land surface is used for animal agriculture
• Most of the 40 percent used to be forests

How do you get protein as a vegan?

• Plant sources, lentils, green leafy vegetables
• Beyond Burger has 18g of protein
• The Impossible Burger has 19g of protein

How do you redefine what it means to be an activist?

• Just buying plant-based products is an act of activism
• By taking a picture of a meatless sandwich and hashtag it #thisisaplantbasedsandwich you are an effective activist
• Using to social media to connect with other vegans is a healthy option for someone who may feel isolated geographically or socially in their choice

Do you know what to do if your car winds up sinking into water? Turns out, there's a lot of BAD information out there. Devices that break windows and cut seatbelts offer a false sense of security. 

There are about 350-400 drownings in vehicles across the U.S. and Canada. Submerged vehicle incidents are among one of highest fatality rates, and up to 10% of drownings in westernized nations occur in vehicles.

Dr. Gordon Giesbrecht, also known as "Professor Popsicle" has written the protocol for submerged car survival used by 911-dispatchers globally.

REMEMBER: S-W-O-C

S - Seatbelts

W - Windows

O - Out

C - Children (first)

You only have about ONE MINUTE to get out of a sinking vehicle before the power windows stop working and you cannot open the doors.  So remember SWOC and act quickly.

1) SEAT BELTS - Take your seatbelt off

2) WINDOWS - Lower your window or windows if there are other passengers. Your power windows should work for at least 30-60 seconds after hitting the water. If you wait too long to try and lower the window, the pressure of the water outside the car will prevent you from opening the window

3) OUT - Get out through an open window. 

4) Children (first) - A child old enough to take their seatbelt off should be told to take their seatbelt off and go out through a window and hold onto the car, using the car as a flotation device. 

For younger children, unbuckle them from carseats starting with the oldest child, who should be either pushed out a window by you or told to swim up out through an open window and hold onto the roof of the car as well. Don't start with the infant because then your hands are occupied and you're unable to accomplish other tasks, rescuing other children.

Then go to the younger child or children and unbuckle them, push them through the window first, then follow. You should be the last to leave the car. Their chance of survival is better if they're out of the car, versus you exiting the vehicle then trying to reach back in to rescue them.

ONCE OUT decide where you're going to try and swim to. Ideally you should attempt to swim to the same location so you're not all spread out and heading different directions.

DON'T CALL 9-1-1 before doing SWOC. You don't have time to wait for rescuers to reach you. If you touch your cell phone, you're probably not going to make it. However, some dispatchers are now trained with Dr. Giesbrecht's SWOC protocol.

TALK ABOUT THIS PLAN. 

Discuss this scenario and SWOC with your family, you children

PRACTICE THIS PLAN. 

Run through the plan with your family in the car.

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TOOLS

The best tool you have is your brain

You also have your finger, to release your seatbelt and child safety harnesses

There are window-breaking devices and seatbelt cutters that a lot of people carry in their cars, but the reality is that with only one minute to escape, your tool is likely not in a spot you can quickly find and use (stored in glove compartment or side panel of car).

So any rescue device is only good when it's in your hand when you need it, so the best option is to have it visible and reachable, mounted on the dashboard or hung from a rear-view mirror.

Dr. Giesbrecht recommends the RESQME device hung from a rear-view mirror

Manufacturers in recent years have started making car windows with laminated glass like the windshields, meaning a window-breaking device won't shatter a window and will only crack it. So your best option is still to use the power-window function to lower it as soon as possible.

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OTHER IMPORTANT INFO, MYTHS DISPELLED

Think of your sinking car as a boat with a leak.

When you first go into the water, the water level on the outside of the car is higher than on the inside, which has led to misguided advice that you should let the vehicle fill with water, allowing it to pressurize inside, so that you can open the doors. Dr. Giesbrecht's research has proven that is a mistaken strategy because the time the car fills with water, you will have been without oxygen in the vehicle for a long time and you will drown inside your vehicle, and the fact that the car is pressurized inside is irrelevant to you.

If you don't open the windows, you only have about 2-3 minutes of oxygen left in the car to try and escape by trying to open a door or shatter a window.

Most sinking vehicles don't go off a bridge; they veer off a highway into a canal or pond or river. Most of the time a vehicle will go into the water upright, and it will be stable upright.

If your vehicle goes into the water upside down with the windows up, unless a window has shattered, most of the time it will right itself and stabilize, giving you chance to being SWOC.

If your vehicle goes into the water upside down with the windows down, the vehicle will fill rapidly with water and sink quickly, significantly decreasing your chance of survival and making SWOC much more difficult although not impossible. Additionally, if you're hanging upside down by your seatbelt it will not release until the tension is loosened and that will only occur after your vehicle has filled with water and your head is, unfortunately, submersed.

Personally, after doing dozens of these vehicle submersion tests, Dr. Giesbrecht will no longer ride in the backseat of a two-door car, a coupe. He has simply witnessed the difficulty of an adult escaping that situation when a car is sinking.

Airbags, if they deploy, should empty quickly so they shouldn't wind up as obstacle to your escape.

If you have never heard of SWOC or planned ahead for this scenario, your likelihood to panic and make bad decisions or do nothing are high. 20 percent of people do nothing and die. Simply knowing SWOC and knowing you have one minute to get out, your chance of surviving are vastly increased. 

SWOC is the stop, drop and roll of the 21st century.

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Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

Dog sports are for people who want to go beyond normal behavioral training

Some sports are specific to the breed but in the performance world, any breed can participate

Any dog can be trained, from papillions to Newfoundlands

Positive reinforcement has rocked the dog training world; reinforcing good behavior instead of focusing on negative behavior, learning takes place much more quickly -- instead of training with ideas of pack leaders or dominance

Dog sports are not expensive. You can utilize many household items to work on training just by watching videos on YouTube. For example you can just use drink coasters instead of official training discs, a bookshelf with bricks for planks, etc.

Build motivation in dogs for speed and intensity using toys and tug. Spend time playing fetch. If you want to train more complex behaviors, use food. Pay attention to what the dog most responds to, since some dogs respond better to food as a motivation than toys. Praise is not as effective as a teaching tool, but keeps the dog in the game long-term. Praise effort. 

If you have physical limitations, three times a day for 5-minutes, work on obedience skills with a dog. For high energy dogs, throw the food treats into an inconvenient place and exercise their mental skills in a game of hide and seek. You can even hide tennis balls or a cookie in places all over the house. The more formal version of this is nose work.

You can teach your dog to search for a particular scent, like a teabag, for starters.

Don't underestimate your dog's need to exercise their brain, not just their body.

You can stuff food into a dog toy, then freeze it, and slow down a dog's enjoyment of that treat and makes them work for it.

A recent research study looking at which breeds has the best nose. It was aimed at looking at bomb-sniffing dogs. German shepherds, bloodhounds, Belgians...and pugs. The pugs blew the other breeds out of the water, could find a much smaller concentration of scent than other breeds.

Creating drive in a dog:  Get everyone's basic needs met (human and dog). Figure out what motivates the dog (food, toys, activity). Look at how do you give the reinforcement to the dog (instead of just handing it to the dog).

Classic reinforcement tools are food and toys.

Some dog sports do not allow reinforcements tools in the ring.

Instead of taking reinforcements away in training over time, consider making the size of the reward bigger (ten cookies instead of one) and lengthen the interval at which the reinforcement is granted 

Loose leash dog walking...how to curb your dog's desire to drag you down the street. Every time your dog pulls on the collar, use the leach to walk in a circle around your dog then continue on. Dog leash should be about 6-10 feet long. 

More info from Denise about loose leash dog-walking here.

You can tell the difference between a dog's fear and not understanding the task at hand by recognizing the reason. Make sure they are taught in a quiet area without distractions. Lead them into the environment and see what they pay attention to - they will generally look at and give attention to something that makes them nervous or fearful. If you're not sure whether the dog understands the task, see if the dog can do a lesser version of it. Give the animal a choice about the matter, just like you wouldn't throw a kid into the water without teaching them to swim.

What makes a person generous is if they have the experience of giving it to the other person.

Research on play shows that allowing a child to have a longer turn of playing with a toy enhances their creativity.

Waiting a period of time for their turn to play with a toy teaches them delayed gratification.

Research shows if you allow bullying or taunting go on in your home, until you’ve taught them skills the more powerful child will always win and they learn it’s okay to bully and taunt. 

Don’t just rescue a kid in conflict. Coach them on how to handle it next time. 

Prepare a toddler for the birth of their sibling and set the stage for a good relationship between them by talking about the baby in mom's tummy as a real person.

Allow a kid’s negative feelings to come out and be validated is key. Not helpful to for the parent to play judge and jury - but you can offer solutions, or prompt them for ideas about solutions. 

That physical contact with both kids while negotiating a solution is important. 

The oxytocin produced from laughing can turn off the stress hormones in the body. How we nurture the relationships between our kids will have ramifications for decades to come when they are adults.

Empty nest expert Sharon Greenthal offers strategies on how to prepare for this stage in your life, how to cope with the departure of your kids, and how to handle things if they come back home after initially leaving.

How to make a successful transition to the empty nest stage, after being so focused on raising kids

• Think about the hobbies/interests you enjoyed before having kids
• Consider trying new activities, or adopting a new pet
• Make the effort to connect with other people
• Give yourself time - it takes most people six months to a year to adjust.
• Consider that when your child leaves home, it's as big a change as bringing them home as a newborn
• Find opportunities to volunteer with schools or charities that help kids to get your "kid fix"
• Use websites like MeetUp.com to find people with similar interests
• If you're an introvert, try joining social media groups like the Empty Nest Community

Nurture your relationship with your partner before the empty nest stage

• Don't wait until your kids leave to reconnect with your spouse
• Many people feel their marriages improve dramatically with fewer "kid" issues to deal with
• Don't give up on your marriage and consider that it will feel strange at first

Build resilience in your kids to raise them as independent, confident adults

• Resist the urge to contact your kids after they leave
• Allow them the freedom to call you, contact you as they please
• But if you sense something  more than normal adjustment issues is happening, consider suggesting your child get mental health services and/or share issues with trusted friends
• Consider a visit to see your child in their new environment - that can reassure you if your child has expressed a lot of problems with their transition

How to deal with the yo-yo effect of a child coming and going from college or for other reasons

• Don't expect your child to be the same high-schooler who left
• Understand that they've created their own timetables and lifestyle while away
• You may have a generalized curfew and some expectations around the house
• But the overall approach must be to assume they'll do the right thing 

The kid who comes back ... and stays for a bit, or longer

• Consider that the more you expect a child to pay bills, rent, the longer you might be extending their stay with you
• If you do charge rent or utilities, consider putting that money in a savings account and give it to your child as a nest egg to live on their own as a surprise source of financial support
• Don't let your kid get too comfortable living at home, because they might just stay

Should you re-purpose you kid's room when they leave for college

• Have a place for him/her to come home to when they're on breaks or post graduation
• You can re-purpose just a portion of your child's room while they're in college 
• You want to avoid them feeling displaced while they're away 
• Once they're out of college, their former room is free game

By living in a healthy manner as an empty nester - your kids may likely be more prone to keep in contact with you because you're not relying on them for emotional / financial support. Have fun and enjoy a new type of relationship with your kids, and a new type of relationship with yourself and/or your partner

Social media expert Dorien Morin-van Dam offers strategies on social media for businesses, entrepeneurs and non-profits.

• How do you organically build a stronger audience on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other platforms? 

Organically means you're not using ads and buying followers. Know your audience. Create an avatar/persona of your ideal customer. Who is most likely to buy your service or product or engage with you? Identify their gender preference, age, hobbies and other demographic profile aspects. To be authentic, you must also be present every day and do follow-up questions - especially on Facebook which has algorithms that favor engagement. Create a social media strategy that offers a broad toolbox of different types of content (video, questions, polls). Then study your analytics weekly and figure out what your audience like the most. Then do more of that.

• What can non-profits do to expand their reach via social media?  
A non-profits posts must have an emotional component. For charities that serve people, tell stories using video and images and sound. Highlight people the charity has helped. Show versus tell an audience how the nonprofit serves. In politics, the stories tend to trigger negative emotions from viewers. For example, if you're trying to gather volunteers, show a volunteer's story, how easy and worthwhile it is to volunteer. Look for ways for people to identify with the subject of the video/images.

 
• Create a Facebook group

Facebook is actually pushing people toward groups. They're going to start allowing you to advertise groups in Fall of 2019.  Say you have a new customer or volunteer, how do you stay connected to that person? You can turn a new customer, follower or volunteer into a super fan by engaging them in a conversation with you via a group or a conversation with other group members. Offer behind the scene content and discounts to group members. You can also utilize a group for research purposes, asking them their opinions about new products or services or events you're planning to launch.

• Does it make sense to purchase fans/followers? 

The best kind of success with Instagram is creating a content idea that is unique and interesting. For example - Two Guys with Beards and People of New York. 

Nothing comes free, so you have to spend either time or money to gain followers. And spending a ton of money isn't advised because those followers aren't engaging and aren't real. For example, if you see someone with a huge number of followers but only 40 or so people like a post of theirs, they've bought followers.

To spend time gaining followers in an authentic manager, you have to spend time and energy creating stories, creating unique content, researching the best hashtags for your brand and responding and being active with followers via messaging and comments.

People are who very transparent do well on Instagram - people who are willing to share their personal story, struggles, victories, etc. 

• How much does it cost to buy followers?

It's very cheap to buy followers. It can be 5, 10, 20 followers. But you wind up with a vanity number of inflated followers, but especially on Facebook, if those people aren't engaging with you, your page will be "demoted" and not show up as high on people's feeds.

• Hashtag smarts

Hashtags are now active on all platforms including Pinterest and LinkedIn

On Instagram, you can use a maximum of 30 hashtags

Look for hashtags in four basic categories:

  1) Find hashtags that relate to the image you're posting

  2) Use hashtags that relate to the location

  3) Create a hashtag specific to your brand/product/servuce

  4) Check to see if seasonal hashtags might apply 

        #easter #nationalsiblingday #motivationmonday

Avoid using hashtags that are too popular because your post with get buried too quickly

You might consider separating your hashtags from your post with punctuation marks or emojis that apply to your post or your brand. You can also post hashtags in the comments area of your post, which is also just as effective.

Hashtagify is a great tool to use

• Timing (can be) everything

Use analytics to understand when your audience is using social media. Buinesses make the mistake of posting only 9am-5pm. This is one of the biggest mistakes they make. For example, LUV's diapers realized their target demo (mothers) were desperate to talk to other people at 2am when they're up changing diapers and breastfeeding, etc. 

• Don't feel the need to be on every platform

Create a social media marketing plan with an expert. Look at your current users and which platforms are most active. And analyze your competitors and their social media followers. You're better off doing a couple of platforms well, versus doing many platforms in a mediocre way. 

• Counter negativity with positive

Especially when it comes to multi-level marketing, people hate being sold to. But they're open to seeing why something works for you. Show how M2M business gives you the freedom to do the things you really want to do. Make the posts about the people on the other side and what they might crave because of the flexibility or happiness your choices have brought you. Stay positive and show the fun things you're doing as a result of the choices you've made. People are lurkers; for every one person who comments, there are 9 more people are who watching what you're doing. 

Alexis offers advice on the Instant Pot - ranging from fundamentals to advanced pot-in-pot cooking based on her book Everyday Instant Pot available on Williams Sonoma and Amazon 

• Take it out of the box ... and just start trying to use it

• An Instant Pot cuts your cooking time down to a fraction of what a CrockPot would take. 8 hours becomes 45 minutes.

• You don't have to worry about adding liquid to an Instant Pot versus a CrockPot which can lose liquid during the cooking process

• The Instant Pot can replace your CrockPot, steamer, rice cooker, yogurt maker

• Don't read the manual cover to cover because it can make you more hesitant to use the Instant Pot

• Don't worry about all the buttons because that can be intimidating

• Pressure cook is the most common setting. Also saute mode and steam.

• Steaming fish in the Instant Pot keeps the smell in the pot, can cook as quickly as three minutes

• Work up from pressure cook to saute to other button options

• Start by following some simple recipes and familiarize yourself with the basic functions

• This isn't your mom's stovetop pressure cooker from the 40s. This is an electric pressure cooking with safety measures to keep it from exploding. For example, it won't even open if it's not depressurized/vented.

• DO be careful about keeping your face/skin away from the valve when you do a quick release

• Avoid using you bare hands to move the knob to do a quick release; use an oven mitt or some other barrier

• Don't over cook chicken breasts. They can cook in as little as four minutes. Consider using boneless skinless thighs for flavor and moisture

• For chicken-based soup using breasts, cook the breasts whole then shred them apart after 4-5 minutes of cooking on high pressure

• If yo'u're having constant issues like burn notices, reach out to Instant Pot customer service which is very responsive to make sure you don't have a defective pot

• 1.5-2 cups of liquid usually are need to get the Instant Pot up to pressure

• You can cook frozen items and don't usually have to add any more than a few minutes to account for an item being frozen, depending on what you're cooking (a hearty meat vs fish or shrimp, for example)

• You can add frozen corn, shrimp into a soup that has already cooked in pressure mode - it will thaw in minutes because the temperature of the soup will be so hot

• You don't usually have to add too much to frozen foods because moisture is trapped when an item gets frozen

• Lentils can cook in as little as 15 minutes without soaking

• Yogurt is an item that would be wise to follow a recipe on to make sure you're safe in preparing it with an Instant Pot

• For pot roast, the cut of meat is important. A boneless beef chuck is inexpensive and good. If cooking the whole roast isn't working well, cut it up into pieces before you cook it. Make sure it's seasoned well with salt and pepper and other spices. 

• Be careful about using too much liquid when cooking a pot roast; that can diminish the flavor of the meat

• You can cook extra liquid from the meat in saute mode, simmer and thick it, and create an au jus to pour over your meat

• Anna's Asian chicken recipe adapted from her mom involves sauteing garlic and sesame oil, adding chicken thighs, soy sauce and either brown sugar or agave nectar

• Beef broccoli and Korean short ribs Instant Pot recipes available in Alexis' book Everyday Instant Pot

• You can make a cheesecake in the Instant Pot using ginger snap cookies for the crust, the steam rack and foil over the cheesecake to protect it from condensation (recipe in book).

• You can make chocolate lava cakes, custard, rice pudding in the IP

• Traditional cakes would be helped with a 6-quart bundt pan to adjust the leavening agents 

• You can cook multi-layer meals by putting the protein item on the bottom with enough liquid like chicken broth, then put the steam rack over that. Then take a 1.5 quart casserole dish and put it on top of the steam rack.

• You can also reverse that by putting rice on the bottom and protein on top to let the rice/grain absorb the flavor of the protein and its juices

• Look for PIP in Facebook/Pinterest Instant Pot cooking groups

• To clean and deodorize the silicon ring, put it in the dishwasher or soak it in vinegar. Consider buying replacements if you use your Instant Pot frequently.

How to prevent a heart attack and other cardiovascular event according to board certified preventive cardiologist Dr. John Osborne of State of the Heart Cardiology and the American Heart Association

• Cardiovascular disease is still the #1 killer of men and women in America

• 40% of people in the U.S. die from cardiovascular disease

• These deaths are greater than the next seven causes of death combined including cancer and car crashes

• There has been a 30% reduction in cardiovascular disease over the last 20 years

• Still, one person every 38 seconds dies from a heart attack or heart attack

• The first symptom of cardiovascular disease in half of men and 2/3 of women is death

• Commonly overlooked symptoms of heart attacks in women: nausea, fatigue, back pain, shortness of breath

• The "Hollywood Heart Attack" symptoms like pain on left side or pressure on the chest only occur in 1/3 of women who experience heart attacks

• Consider your risk factors: diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and family history

• New guidelines released by the American Heart Association involved new tools used to diagnose cardiovascular disease

• One of these tools is the coronary artery calcium score. It's like a coronary colonoscopy.

• If you are asymptomatic, your doctor should do an ASCBD risk score that takes into account these factors and if your risk of an event over the next ten years is in the  7.5-20% range,  you should obtain one of these scores with a CAT scanner. There's no prep and it can cost less than $100, though at this point most insurance companies don't cover it.

• If you're concerned you have a heart issue, don't take "no" for an answer as you're dealing with doctors and nurses especially since it's extremely common and up to 80% of cardiovascular events are preventable

• 10 times more women die from cardiovascular disease than breast cancer every year

• Of women diagnosed with breast cancer,  those woman are more likely to die of heart disease than the actual breast cancer itself

• High blood pressure is the most common cardiovascular disease; it's the main reason people go to the doctor in the U.S. affecting roughly 80 million people in the U.S.

• Besides maintaining healthy height/weight proportions, exercising and not using tobacco, reduce your daily sodium intake to 2300 mg of sodium, below 1500mg for someone with high blood pressure. Most of us consume 6000 mg of sodium daily in the food we we eat.

• Heart disease is not an even killing field. Specific demographics are at higher risk.

• Non-Hispanic African Americans have a disproportionate number of heart disease

• Hispanics also have  a higher risk of cardiovascular disease

• South Asians from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan are also at high risk

• South Asians have high rates of metabolic disease and diabetes especially when they adapt to a western diet and western lifestyle 

• Student athletes  (and parents of student athletes) should watch out for shortness of breath, passing out,  or any other effects of exertion that are unusual for the athlete. Be aware of family history. There are tools to screen for issues that you can discuss with your family doctor.

 What to do (and what not to do) after a car accident according to NerdWallet

🚔 Should you call police? 

 Err on the side of calling 911, let dispatchers decide whether to send a police response based on location of the accident and whether anyone is injured. Every state law will be different. Some laws dictate police response based on the damage done in the crash. But because you are not an expert at estimating damage, lean toward the notion of calling police, just in case.

🚖 Pull off the road or stay put?
Safety first. Be careful if you step out of the car that you can do so safely.  If you have a relatively minor accident and you're in the roadway, you could be in danger of causing another accident. If you're not on a major roadway, you can set up flares or other warning devices about the accident scene. But always prioritize safety in this decision.

🚘 What not to say

It's simple, but if the other driver asks if you're okay, don't say "I'm okay." You may have just given away an opportunity for medical reimbursement if in fact you are injured. Don't admit fault either. Take a deep breath, control your emotions and say as little as possible.

🚖 Info you should or should not exchange
According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, while individual state laws may vary, in most cases you need only provide your name and insurance information. Divulging  more than that such as your address, driver's license number could put you at risk for identity fraud. Reed adds that you may be expected to offer some kind of contact information like a mobile phone number and/or email for the other driver to get ahold of you. Reed believes a lot of outdated information and advice is being circulated - even outdated laws - given the increased sensitivity to identity theft. Make sure you get names and contact info of the other passengers involved in the accident and/or witnesses.

🚘 Best ways to exchange info
One option is to stay in your car and not emerge until the police arrive. That helps you avoid that interaction with the other driver, especially if their emotions are heightened and accusations are being made. At the least, snap a photo of their vehicle and license plate info as you wait. If you feel inclined to share driver's license info, you can show the other driver the license but not allow them to hold it, or take a photo of it. Do document their insurance information, and do consider taking a picture of their name and insurance info, along with the VIN number of their vehicle which can be found on the windshield of their car. If an officer responds, asks him/her where you can get a copy of the police report which you'll need for your insurance claim.

🚖 Take pictures / video / notes / audio

 Take pictures of the scene, including skid marks created, traffic signals, anything impeding traffic signals, Consider taking a panoramic shot of the scene to show the full picture of the scene. Take pictures of the damage on both vehicles, along with license plate and VIN number of the other vehicle. Take a picture of a clock on your to document the time of the accident. You can also take video of the scene, if it's possible to do that safely. As soon as possible after the accident, write down everything you can remember about what happened. And/or record an audio memo for yourself.

🚘 Plan for an accident, especially for teen drivers

It's hard to remember everything you're supposed to do. Statistics show many teenagers get into an accident within the first two years of driving. Put your name and contact info on your insurance card and have that at the ready to share with the other motorist in the crash. Create a checklist of things to do after an accident and keep that in your car; have teen drivers keep that checklist in their car. You can also make use of insurance phone apps that sometimes include a checklist of what to do after a crash.

🚖 What if the other driver is uninsured?  And other red flags.

Don't sign anything at the scene that the other driver is offering. Be aware of someone who is offering to pay for your damages to avoid either of you filing a claim. If they're uninsured, call 911 immediately and get as much information you can from them as soon as possible. 

🚘 Be careful about any communication after the accident

Don't have direct contact with the other driver, allow your insurance company to handle all communication. Also be careful about communication with your own insurance company. Be truthful, responsible and accurate, but stick to your story as you communicate with parties involved, understanding they may not always be on your side when it comes to protecting you and your liability.

🚖 Work diligently within the first 24-72 hours

Understand that you may have deadlines either with the DMV or with your insurance company in terms of filing a claim or an accident report

🚘 Carry an emergency kit

Check that you have an emergency kit in your car that includes first aid supplied, food, water, flares, hazard triangles, and a flashlight.

What to do if you're being physically attacked

• Don't yell HELP because people often don't want to get involved
• Yell FIRE instead
• Strike for the center line of the attacker (their eyes, their throat, their groin, their knees)
• Strike quickly, aggressively and with commitment
• A straight kick to the area under the attacker's kneecap is ideal because you may dislocate it and limit their ability to run after you (better than a kick to their groin)
• Read more in Pete Canavan's book The Self Defense Survival Guide

Create a family safety plan

• Decide on safe word that is shared between family members
• Instruct your child that anyone besides a parent picking them up must say the safe word
• Practice with your kids - role play and have them use the safe word
• Have your kids practice yelling STOP, GET AWAY, NO, kicking and fighting to fend off an abduction

Develop a warrior mindset ahead of time

• Think ahead what kind of attitude you'll take if being attacked
• You must be wiling to mentally run through what you would do
• Decide that you'll face your attacker head-on with a high confidence that they need to let you go
• In the moment, identify the stronger attacker (if multiple) and square off against that person
• Get primal and use anything at your disposal -- scratching, clawing, poking -- to get away

Identify your vulnerabilities

• Think about the places and times during your day when you are vulnerable
• Examine the areas of your life where you might be complacent and fall into routines, thereby making you less aware of your surroundings

Parking lot safety (leaving a store)

• Understand that it's distracting and vulnerable if you have kids or pets with you, 
• Put your kids in the car first, and then your groceries or other purchased items
• Be aware of someone nearby is just sitting in a vehicle, loitering

Personal safety tools

• Pepper spray is best because it can create distance between yourself and an attacker
• Buy military/law-enforcement grade pepper spray if possible
• If attacker is wearing glasses, spray the area above so it drips into their eyes
• There are pepper sprays that comes as small as a pen-shaped dispenser
• Defensive flashlights with a strobe function that can blind an attacker and keep them at bay
• Expandable batons or having your keys in your hand only work if an attacker is close to you
• Consider items like perfume, a nail file, hand lotion that can help you fend off an attacker

Senior Citizen Self-Defense

• If you use a cane, use that as your weapon to block and strike an attacker
• With some instruction and training you can feel empowered

Make use of diversion safes 

• You can use them to store money, jewelry, other valuables
• Some are disguised as clocks, books, bottles
• Hide valuables well, or hide them in plain sight

College campus safety

• Posting opinions and thoughts online can make you vulnerable
• Double check social media accounts to see how much  information you're actually sharing
• Sexual assault is the biggest threat to college students, particularly women
• State of the art product - an ID badge holder with a panic button that transmits your location to campus security and provides two-way communication
• Read more about college safety in Pete Canavan's book The Ultimate Guide to College Safety

Ridesharing safety for Uber/Lyft experiences

• Be careful about what information you're sharing with a driver. Telling a driver who's taking you from your home to the airport that you're leaving town for a week exposes your home to a break-in. Telling them you're gone for the night to dinner and the movies also creates that same exposure. Limit the info you share.
• Double check that info provided through the app matches driver and vehicle that actually arrives
• Don't be afraid to ask for an ID for proof of identity if the driver appearance doesn't match picture provided by the rideshare app

Credit card, debit card safety

• Never let your credit card leave your sight, even at a restaurant is possible
• Use a credit card for most things because it's less risky than using your debit card which is tied to your checking account
• If your debit card is compromised, you may be out that cash and wind up overdrawn until the bank investigates and restores your account
• For online transactions, use PayPal so the credit/debit card info is only stored in one place, not with hundreds of vendors

Best day to book all air travel: SUNDAY

30 days in advance of your trip for domestic

30+ days ahead for international travel depending on destination region

Cheapest day to depart for international flight: THURSDAY OR FRIDAY

Business class: Friday or Saturday

Cheapest day to depart for domestic flight

The day doesn't matter as much. The destination matters more.

12 Ways to save money on booking airfare

• Airtreks, good website for booking multi-city itineraries
• Hopper, good app for finding the best day to buy airfare to a particular destination

10 Reasons you should hire a Disney-specific travel agent

• Magic Family Getaways, authorized Disney travel agent KidTripster recommends

8 Reasons why you’re better off booking a family cruise through a travel agent than online

• 6 Tricks for paying less for your next Disney cruise
• VacationKids-Dream Vacations, travel agent that specializes in family cruises

10 things to know before your family hits the road in an RV

• Outdoorsy, website that operates like Airbnb that KidTripster recommends

9 Ways to travel with a teen who doesn’t want to travel with you

Resort vs. Cruise vacations for families

• 12 Considerations when searching for the perfect all-inclusive resort 
• Tripbound, discount family-friendly timeshares at resort properties that KidTripster recommends

Advice for families with autistic children:

• Beaches Resorts, autism-certified resort chain
• VillaKey, autism-friendly rentals
• Sesame Place, autism-friendly theme park
• Magical Storybook Travels, autism-specific travel agent that KidTripster recommends
• Spectrum Travel Social Story Videos, destination-specific vides for autistic kids to watch prior to travel