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Technology and Interpersonal Communication

Technology, like the cricket android, iPad and blackberry can sometimes bring people closer together, and it can also drive people further apart. That is the dynamic between family relationships and the advance of technology. As the Internet makes the world a smaller place, it can also begin to alienate people from each other. Here is a list of the ways that technology works to affect relationships.

 

1) Parents to Children

When kids are growing up, they tend to want to communicate with their friends more than their parents. Before the Internet, it was difficult for kids to talk to each other all day long. So children had to listen to, and talk with, their parents. With WiFi devices and cellular phones, kids keep in touch with each other all day long. Now it is possible for a child to be in a restaurant with his parents, but never say a word to them or even look at them in lieu of communicating with his friends. It is the wedge that technology drives between parents and children.

 

2) Family and Friends

The very same Internet that can conspire to eliminate communication between parents and children can reunite friends who have not seen each other in years. Middle-aged people are able to find high school friends that have moved hundreds of miles away through social networking websites. Family members that do not talk throughout the year can now stay in touch over the Internet.

 

3) Older Family Members

One of the aspects of family relationships that gets lost in the discussion of technology and people is the alienation of older family members. Not everyone wants to learn to use the Internet, and the older family members that do not use it do not get an email address or a social networking page. As children focus more on communicating through the Internet and handheld devices, these older family members get left behind.

 

The use of technology can be both a curse and a blessing to interpersonal relationships. The ability for younger generations to use technology to limit communication with their parents can be a great reason for parents to become more in tune with technology and the reach of the Internet.

Filed Under: Lifestyle, Technology Tagged With: , ,

Ideal Benefits for Working Moms

Being a working mom isn’t always easy. While you may find extreme joy and satisfaction from your career, once you are done with your eight-hour day, there’re still kids, homework, husbands, and laundry to do. You need all the help you can get. Fortunately, with the many technological benefits available today, it’s easier than ever to be a working mom and keep on top of it all.

SmartPhone BlackBerry 8707v Vodafone 

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Get a Smartphone

If you haven’t used a smartphone yet, now is the time! A smartphone, like the Blackberry smartphone, can help you keep track of your children’s schedules, make dinner reservations, and even keep up with the office while you are commuting. Smartphones really make life much simpler by allowing us to do more in less time.

Save Money on Your Wireless

While we’re on the smartphone subject, don’t forget to save money with wireless plan. For example, you could try the new Muve Music plan from Cricket for unlimited music, calling, texting, and more. It’s a great way to have that fancy phone that you need, without paying more than you need to.

Flexible Schedules

Technology allows working moms to have a more flexible schedule. With the ability to conference in from anywhere around the world or work remotely through a connection to the company’s network, it is possible to have it all as a working mom. If you need to stay home with a sick child one day, there’s no need to feel guilty about not finishing that report because you can do write the report from the comfort of your home.

Being a working mom is a tough job, but technology sure does make it easier.

Filed Under: Relationships, Technology Tagged With: , ,

The Case For Texting

Parents often nag kids about texting and how much it is a waste of time, but maybe need to re-consider their views. Texting and instant messaging are a new way of communication that is embarrassed by the tech-savvy crows. This new form of correspondence may be worth a look for parents.

 

 

 

Communicate

 

Texting on a keyboard phone 

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Text messaging is a new method that families can use to stay in touch. It builds a new way to correspond or start to establish communication. Instant messaging is a way of sharing important ideas and casual information. A key condition is that it should not be used for dictating chores or parental rants.

 

Shows Effort and Dedication

 

Parents that accept and use instant messaging display an attempt, on their part, to stay connected to their family. It is not easy to learn a new skill, but people will notice the effort. Accepting this new way to send messages keeps closer familial relationships. A simple ‘Have a great day’ text, reflects your appreciation and concern for others.

 

 

 

Brevity

 

A quality that is advantageous about texting is that the wording is concise and straight forward.  Due to the character limit, instant messages do not contain any extra words or fluff. The main point is created using as few words as possible while using abbreviated spelling.

 

Instant Messaging/Chat Acronyms 

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Instant Feedback

 

Parents should value that texting allows for quick responses. There are times when phone calls or email communication is not possible, but instant messaging is very time efficient. Texting allows for current up-to-date answers, questions and concerns. Families can make good use of instant messaging to relay emotions and concerns.

Filed Under: Lifestyle, Technology Tagged With: , ,

The Dangers of Driving and Cell Phones

Getting the latest information from your friends, family, the news or your business has become easy enough by just picking up your phone and refreshing the mail application, using cell phones has become a lifestyle in much of the world. No longer are cell phones just for making calls, though.

Cell phone use can also be dangerous. When you pair up driving and using your cell phone, you limit your reaction ability. This increases the chance that you will be in an accident. When people use cell phones while they are driving, they put others at risk and this may be cause for a lawsuit. If you have been involved in a car accident, you should call one of the injury attorneys Los Angeles has to offer to file a claim or get more information.

Did you know that a Consumer’s Union survey found that teens were more likely to use an electronic device while driving? They found that 67 percent of the teens surveyed had admitted to using a device while driving. It is possible for a teenager’s reaction time to be reduced to that of a 70-year-old driver. It is important to talk to your teens about their driving lifestyle.

Your teens may not realize the risk they are putting themselves and their passengers in while they text and drive. Allow them to learn from you by not answering the phone or reading or writing a text message while driving. Encourage a passenger to read the message to you. Your family members are more likely to pick up on the habits you put into place. Change the habits they may be developing.

 

Filed Under: Lifestyle, Technology Tagged With: , ,

Teaching Your Children How to Budget

Sometimes being a parent can be a bit overwhelming, especially when you recognize that although they will learn a wealth of knowledge in schools in their lifetime, a great number of life skills will have to come from you. It starts out early with lessons in shoe-tying, hygiene, and household chores. Most parents recognize how important many of these are to raising responsible children. Unfortunately, one very important skill is sometimes overlooked — teaching your children how to budget.

It doesn’t matter how much money you have if you never learn how to manage it properly. Just look at those that we think of as the super wealthy that end up filing bankruptcy, and you’ll see that poor budgeting can bring anyone down. Too many people grow up thinking that life will be a bowl of cherries as long as they strike out on the best possible career path. In reality, a person’s lifestyle can be whatever they want it to be if they plan accordingly and follow financial tips.

One part of learning to budget is being able to separate needs from wants and then prioritize them. When someone spends money without thinking, it can be disastrous in both the short term and the long term.

One way to begin the process of teaching money management to a child is to provide an allowance and then encourage saving it over a period of time to get something that they want. Even elementary-age children can understand money. As they get older, discuss how to use credit wisely and teach them how to use banking accounts properly.

Filed Under: General, Technology Tagged With: , ,

Replacing Trends to Sense: Fashion

A variety of contemporary fabrics. From the le...

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Fashion — you’ve discovered — is far more than a collection of bold patterns, the easy silhouettes. It’s instead a promise of status. Fabrics can suggest wealth; colors can hint at breeding; and clever trends can yield rewards.

It’s an easy thing therefore to chase the designs of the seasons, to seek out what can brand you stylish. Trends must be pursued. Textures must be captured. This is the certainty you’ve gained.

It’s also the strain you’ve placed upon your bank account.

While craving fabric — like Rocawear clothes — is understandable, it’s also problematic. Dollars aren’t infinite. They’re defined instead to obligations; and abandoning these for the sake of materialism is absurd.

It’s essential therefore to defy trends. You must instead choose items that will offer the designs you want for the price you can afford:

Classic Pieces: Never assume that seasonal-specific styles will last. They won’t. They’ll instead fade, leaving you without a justification of the money you tossed toward them. You must be certain to choose lasting silhouettes (such as Rocawear clothes). These will offer longevity and won’t force you to reexamine your budget.

Quality Cloth: There’s one truth to govern fashion — disposable fabric makes its wearers seem disposable. While certain trends may favor unique cloth (like burlap or hemp), these will ultimately be forgotten. Choose quality over quantity and apply your dollars wisely.

Ignore Critics: Too often are clothes viewed as definitions, shaping individuals to their potential. You must not allow this to occur, however. Remember instead that value is earned through more than mere style.

Use these suggestions for better choices and greater rewards.

Filed Under: Relationships, Technology Tagged With: , ,

Where have all the good books gone?

The internet has transformed our lives.  The world is smaller, we can tweet, twitter, poke, email, blog, skype and sms each other.  But when do we ever write to each other?  And will some children ever truly understand the joy of reading a good book?

 

This bubble map shows the global distribution ... 

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We can all remember saving pocket money for the next comic book to go on sale, or reading a book under the bed with a torch so our parents wouldn’t see, so gripped in the story we had to read on.  The excitment of turning the page, of being absorbed with fantastic characters that could be make believe but still hold an element of human character that we could relate to, overcoming battles and adversity’s to become the hero of a book.

 

Are children today losing their love for language?  SMS messages that read ‘C U L8R’ and ‘LMAO’ are not the words our great childrens authors would want our generations children to use.  Hooked on screen glaring computer games about violence, death and streetracing, facebooking friends and sending smileys.

These things are part of modern life and they are most certainly here to stay.  But that doesn’t mean that some time shouldn’t be spend reading to and with our children.  Expanding their language and knowledge, giving them the opportunity to feel all the emotions and the great memories we have of a good book when we were children.

Get reading! You never know you may re-ignite the reading flame in yourselves too!

Filed Under: Technology Tagged With: , ,

Communicating With Your Child

As kids get older, they can seem like they are harder to reach. Sometimes a parent-child relationship can get strained because the parent expects too much from the child, or the parent tries too hard to be important in the child’s life. What that parent is missing is that she already is important in the child’s life, she just needs to understand the different ways of reaching a child and establishing a strong parent-child relationship.

 

1) Privacy

One of the “fine lines” in a parent-child relationship is the need to give the child privacy. You need to give your child his space, but you also need to monitor your child’s behavior if he starts acting unusual. Simple acts such as knocking before entering the child’s room and allowing the child to lock the door from time to time can be the first steps to establishing trust between you and your child.

 

2) Responsibility

Children need to understand responsibility at a young age in order to develop respect for it as they get older. Make children understand that doing homework is a serious responsibility, and reinforce that by being available to help your child do homework every night. Allow your child to see you paying bills and running the house to help the child understand the importance of responsibility.

 

3) Talking

Children do not always come out and tell parents when something is bothering them. Developing healthy communication between you and your child starts when the child is very young. The parent needs to take every issue the child has very seriously in order for children to feel as though they can talk to their parents. Remember, the issue is important to the child. Parents need to show genuine interest in their children’s issues when the children are younger in order to establish healthy communication for the rest of the relationship.

 

Communicating with your child is not a puzzle or a game. It is a process that takes years to establish. Once you have established a good rapport with your child, you are on your way to creating an overall healthy relationship.

 

Filed Under: Lifestyle, Technology Tagged With: , ,

Materialism Isn’t All That

Maybe it was the baby boomer’s feeling to rid themselves of the austerity that their Depression-era parents espoused. Or maybe it was the creation of cheap credit and credit cards. It could be that with the perfection of mass production after WWII gave us more goods to choose from. In any case, materialism rose its ugly head in the late 70s and life has never quite been the same.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting the finer things in life. Except the finer things used to be high quality, that much more rare, and had an intrinsic value. So for those who could afford it, they bought it. The rest stared in envy. Modern times has seen a change in the definition of the finer things in life. Now its come down to how much crap one person can buy. Quality and rarity has gone by the wayside in favor of being able to open a door and show off how much of a particular object one has. Why have one BMW when it is possible to buy two with a good credit rating and no income check? Go crazy instead of exercising prudence.

Here’s the thing: living well doesn’t need all of that junk. In fact, many people consider themselves living the good life when they eliminate a lot of excess. Being concerned with having all sorts of stuff to make others envy you is a shallow attitude. Learn to appreciate living a slimmed down lifestyle with a few extras. Having money in the bank is so much better than having junk in the garage.

Filed Under: Lifestyle, Technology Tagged With: , , ,

The Slowly Disappearing Middle Class in America

It was not all that long ago that the middle class was a solid demographic, a place where a family could have a comfortable lifestyle.  Parents were able to work reasonable hours and be home to support their children in after-school activities. There was always money to buy some of the finer things in life such as a vacation or a luxury vehicle.

Within a short span of 20 years, the middle class in America is slowly being lost. No longer was an employee valued for putting in a life’s career. Instead, they became a liability and were let go in favor of younger and cheaper labor.  Families became scattered as employees followed the jobs. Cities that were once major business hubs have withered on the vine, causing many to look far afield to find employment.

A long lasting economic crisis combined with a housing bubble now burst are squeezing those who once could be middle class. It is that much more difficult for people with a four year degree to get employed, and those who are work that much harder to keep their jobs. Crushing debt in the form of school loans is taking its toll as well, keeping many from being able to gain traction.

The unfortunate thing here is that unless something changes in the business atmosphere, the rich will keep exploiting those who are on the bottom rung of the ladder. Executives feel they deserve millions of dollars for their services, and stresses the employment base to a breaking point. As a result, the middle class life is eroding into something unrecognizable.

Filed Under: Relationships, Technology Tagged With: , , , ,
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