Having good personal hygiene is just a basic necessity for both adults and kids. All the viruses and germs we come in contact with daily will thrive in our bodies if we don’t clean them off. Teaching your kids to have good personal hygiene will help everyone not get sick often. You must be teaching them about personal hygiene as you will also be teaching them how to be self-aware and confident. Therefore, teaching your kids just the importance of having good hygiene will teach them how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. You must teach them from an early age before they hit puberty, so they don’t have to experience many awkward situations. Here are some of the most important personal hygiene things that you have to teach your kids.

Take A Bath Every Day

It is no secret that some kids don’t want to take showers, while some will just beg to have their baths. But the key is that you don’t let them skip showering. If you do so, they will get used to it, and they won’t make a habit of showering every day. Once they turn about five years old, they will be able to take showers on their own with some supervision. That way, they will get into the habit of showering, and they won’t have embarrassing accidents once they are a teenager.

Trimming Nails

Another crucial thing that you have to teach your kids when it comes to having good hygiene is keeping their nails neat. As we all know, kids love to be outside and get dirty, so having short clean nails is vital as there won’t be a place where the dirt and bacteria can harbour. Of course, when they are younger you will trim their nails, but once they are seven or older, it is time that they do it themselves regularly. Teach them to trim their nails once a week, depending on how fast their nails are growing. A great thing is to do it right after showering because their nails will be softer and easier to cut.

Hand Washing

Handwashing habits are one of the most important things you should teach your child, especially now that we are in the middle of a pandemic. Kids are costly touching things and putting their hands into their mouth, that is why you need to teach them to keep their hands clean all the time. Make sure that you are teaching them to wash their hands immediately when they are done with going to a bathroom, having food, or even coming home from their activities. But the thing that will make it easier is making the soap dispenser easily accessible, so they don’t have the excuse that it is hard to reach or press. Choose smells that they will like to help them get into the habit.

Teeth Brushing

There is nothing harder to teach your kids than to brush their teeth twice a day. Sometimes it will even seem like an impossible task, but you should never give up. All kids will try to lie about brushing their teeth at one point when they haven’t. That is why you need to start teaching them from a young age. Kids brushing their teeth twice a day is crucial because if they don’t do so, it will lead to tooth decay. In that case, they will most likely have their teeth pulled. Tooth removal is something no child is excited about, although it is a simple surgical procedure. That is why you need to ensure that you are teaching them to do it at least twice a day.

Parents Should Help Them Identify Germ-Prone Objects

Other than teaching those items such as garbage or used tissues that are full of germs, you should also let them know about other things that they should avoid touching and always wash their hands after that. Inform them about things like coins, phones and buttons. All the things that are outside and people touch are very germ-prone. Make sure that you are letting them know that they shouldn’t touch things if they don’t have to. And if they do so, they should always clean their hands.

Use Hand Sanitizer At School

Since we are still battling the pandemic, teaching your kids to keep using hand sanitiser, when in school is a crucial part of their hygiene. When they are at school, they can’t get up and leave to wash their hands, so having the habit of cleaning their hands when touching things that other kids touch is very important. That is why they should always have hand sanitiser on them. To make it more fun for them to use it, get them a fun scent and a cute bottle holder that they can attach to their backpack.

We should instil in our children the importance of personal hygiene and teach them how to live a sanitary and healthy lifestyle. What do you think of these personal hygiene tips for kids? What other tips would you like to add? Let me know in the comments.

Deciding which childcare is best for your family can be a tough decision. Whether you choose formal childcare, family daycare, or in-home care, there are some basic things that you should know. To help make this all-important decision, we’ve talked to mothers and other experts who have been in the trenches of the childcare industry.

Here are seven ways to size up your choice!

– Child Development – Along with learning about the facility’s policies and procedures, make sure to ask questions about each provider’s training in child development. It is essential because you want someone who understands children at their different developmental stages. Also, be open to honest answers if you have specific questions about handling certain situations or behaviors that your child may exhibit.

– safety and security – making sure the facility is safe for your child should be a top priority when choosing childcare. you can do so by asking questions about safety precautions, such as what kind of locks are on the doors? what type of fence does it have around its playground area? how long has each staff member been with the center? has any staff been background checked?

– director’s level of experience – the critical factor of afterschool daycare in San Antonio, TX, is its director. this individual manages all aspects of the program. so it helps to find someone who cares deeply about children and understands how they grow and develop–which often means seeking out an individual with a degree in early childhood education.

– child to staff ratio – when it comes to the child-to-staff ratio, you should seek out an environment where the staff can interact and give attention on an individual basis. it means that there shouldn’t be more than ten children per caregiver during drop-off and pick-up times or more than fifteen children per caregiver during nap times.

– programs and activities – if you have specific goals for your child, then it might be helpful to find a provider that offers curriculum-based programs in areas such as literacy, math, science, arts & crafts, music composition, and performance. however, suppose you are less focused on your child reaching specific milestones. in that case, you might be okay with a more straightforward program that allows free play and self-directed activities.

– family involvement – look for a center where parents are encouraged to participate in their children’s care by attending events, reading stories to the class, helping out around the facility. such as setting up the playground or cleaning up after snack time–and even volunteering to be a classroom assistant. it helps children feel more comfortable when dropped off in an environment with close relationships with their parents, other relatives, and caregivers.

– safety policies – child safety is your number one concern when it comes to childcare, so ask questions about the facility’s policies and procedures. for example, does it have a policy in place to address medication administration? what is its accident/injury/illness protocol if your child becomes sick or injured at childcare?

 The Benefits of Afterschool Daycare San Antonio

• suppose your school district or a local facility doesn’t offer the afterschool program. in that case, it could be an opportunity for your child to meet new people.
• if the activity is locally or at school, it may be a suitable method for your child to meet new people. afterschool program participants are more likely to feel involved and a member of a group. adult supervision is often more present in these programs than in playground time.
• cooperation and respect are all promoted by a good program. it can make kids feel more at ease when they join a game. if they make a mistake, a coworker should tell them to take turns or stop interfering.
• many afterschool programs offer homework help. this time can be beneficial for students who struggle with schoolwork at home. it will make the kid’s evening more enjoyable if it gets completed after school.

Conclusion

to promote good eating habits and a healthy lifestyle, most afterschool daycare San Antonio, TX provides snack time and nap time. children are exposing to beneficial activities that keep them occupied while also assisting in the development of self-sufficiency.

As we head into fall and go back to school, it’s more important than ever to carry on with healthy hydration habits from the long, hot days of summer. The human body is made up of 50 percent water, in order to achieve peak hydration needs, kids (ages 4 to 8) require five cups of water per day and kids (ages 8 plus) require 7 to 8 cups per day.

“Unfortunately water is not the most tasty or easy to drink liquid so often we substitute it with other things such as milk, sports drinks, OJ or fruit concentrates,” says James Mayo, Co-Founder and CEO of SOS Hydration. “These substitutions offer some hydration benefits, but also come with excessive amounts of sugar and high calories that kids don’t need. Just take a peek at the nutrition panels the next time you reach for one of these beverages. Many of these drinks disguise their contents on the front by clever marketing or small pack sizes but look at the truth panel on the side to see the amount of calories and also in many cases the amount of artificial ingredients. A carton of OJ or Apple juice can have 100 calories and a fruit concentrate pouch can have 60 with some cartons that call themselves honest still having a heaping of 40 calories and excessive sugar.”

The next option for hydration you might consider are the water enhancing powders. Many of these products tout ultra hydration but, again, one would be wise to visit the nutrition panels first as they are often are loaded with artificial ingredients.  “Some electrolyte drink options for kids on the marketplace lead people astray with their ‘organic’ ingredients or ‘physician recommended’ but be wary of sugar, which is not the ideal product for kid’s hydration,” James warns.

This truth led SOS Hydration to launch a healthier choice for kids’ hydration: SOS Kids, featuring PAW Patrol. SOS Kids, now available at Walmart in-store and online, was specially-formulated for daily hydration by SOS Hydration Co-Founder and board certified Internal Medicine physician Dr. Blanca Lizaola-Mayo to help keep children optimally hydrated, and actually avoid becoming dehydrated in the first place—a condition that compromises the body and mind in a variety of ways. SOS Kids has only three grams of sugar in a 12-ounce serving; is boosted with Vitamins A and C, minerals Zinc and Magnesium; and contains no artificial additives—all designed to keep kids ahead of their hydration needs so they can perform better and get more from their days.

This launch coincides with SOS Hydration’s first annual “National Family Hydration Awareness Month” initiative this September, during which the public is invited to visit www.SOSKidsHydration.com and learn about the physical, cognitive and emotional benefits of pre-hydrating to avoid becoming dehydrated. Ultimately, SOS encourages families to “follow the science” when it comes to choosing a hydration drink for their children, and also themselves, as families that hydrate together are sure to have more sustained fun for together. Sounds PAWsome to me!

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Forbes Business Council Member Merilee Kern, MBA is an internationally-regarded brand analyst, strategist and futurist who reports on noteworthy industry change makers, movers, shakers and innovators across all B2B and B2C categories. This includes field experts and thought leaders, brands, products, services, destinations and events. Merilee is Founder, Executive Editor and Producer of “The Luxe List” as well as Host of both the “Savvy Living” lifestyle and travel and “Savvy Ventures” business TV shows. As a prolific business and consumer trends, lifestyle and leisure industry voice of authority and tastemaker, she keeps her finger on the pulse of the marketplace in search of new and innovative must-haves and exemplary experiences at all price points, from the affordable to the extreme—also delving into the minds behind the brands. Her work reaches multi-millions worldwide via broadcast TV (her own shows and copious others on which she appears) as well as a myriad of print and online publications. Connect with her at www.TheLuxeList.com and www.SavvyLiving.tv / Instagram www.Instagram.com/LuxeListReports / Twitter www.Twitter.com/LuxeListReports / Facebook www.Facebook.com/LuxeListReports / LinkedIN www.LinkedIn.com/in/MerileeKern.

***Some or all of the accommodations(s), experience(s), item(s) and/or service(s) detailed above may have been provided or arranged at no cost to accommodate if this is review editorial, but all opinions expressed are entirely those of Merilee Kern and have not been influenced in any way.***

 

Different countries have different criteria and selection procedures for private equity (PE) careers. Even in the USA, the selection procedure differs in different states and firms. If you are working in investment banking or any other financial expertise-related space, then the selection happens through ‘on-cycle process. If you are working in any other domain, then your selection will happen through an ‘off-cycle process. 

The Overall Private Equity Interview Process 

Most of the companies who are hiring for private equity jobs entry-level will test you for a few specific skills.

• Multiple Rounds- After the initial HR round of generic questions, you will have to go through 3-5 rounds of interviews depending on your experience level and the position you applied for. If it is for private equity jobs entry-level like PE analyst or PE associate, then typically there will be 2-3 rounds of interviews. However, for Director, Principal, Managing Director (MD), or partner roles, the levels of the interview can go up to 6-7 rounds.
• Topics and Timeframe- Typically the interviews for PE positions can go from 1-2 months, however, it depends on the urgency of the firm which is hiring. Normally your background and fitment will be judged first. Then there will be a round of technical questions, which will test your domain knowledge.

If you have prior experience, then a thorough inspection of the way you dealt with your previous clients and deals will be done. There will be multiple scenario-based questions that will test your capability to handle real-time situations. Private equity interview questions will include the strategies and portfolio related to the firm which is interviewing you. Hence you need to read about all the information which is available in the public domain. It will be better if you have friends working in the firm where you are attending the interview so that you have a better idea about the firm’s clientele.

• Private equity interview questions will include multiple market/industry questions, current trends, what kind of companies will be profitable in the days to come, etc. They will send complete case studies and you need to read them thoroughly and be prepared to answer to the questions from the case studies. You will be asked to do financial modeling during the interview process.
  

Private Equity Interview Topics 

Private equity interview questions will be based mostly on these topics-

• For background/fitment screening, the most common question which will appear in different colors is ‘’why did you choose private equity as a career path?’’ Be prepared to answer to questions pertaining to your strengths and AOI (areas of improvement) as the interviewers tend to do a SWOT (Strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat) analysis of your personality traits here.
• If you are a fresher, give examples from your internship experience.
• Technical questions will include deal experience, weighted average cost of capital (WACC), and others pertaining to the negotiation process.
• They will test you on your ability to lead, manage, and close deals. They will check your knowledge about “investor’s view” of each deal or M&A.
  

Few Firm Knowledge/Industry-related Interview Questions and Answers 

Do a thorough study of the topics mentioned above and check the internet for relevant questions. Here are some of the examples- 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ol0h2ptAbQE 

Q- What are the limitations of a DCF (discounted cash flow) model? 

• Talk about the issues it poses regarding the terminal value. Give live examples of any deal which you might have closed and your approach to the same. If you have not closed any deal/did not have exposure to DSF model, then collate a bundle of case studies that you can use to showcase the same.

Q- What assumptions is an LBO (A leveraged buyout) model most sensitive to?

• Focus on the debt/EBITDA (Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization) ratio in the balance sheet and explain the vulnerabilities. Talk about the working capital ratio and how the company is performing. Talk from a practical perspective that if the investor invests in the firm, what kind of ROI he can expect based on the previous balance sheets.

 

There is no doubt about the perks and charms of human interaction. Schools, tuitions are the primary faces of our lives where we make lots of friends and memories. But the amount of comfort and convenience that is offered by online learning platforms is tremendous. Nevertheless, many students find it not very convincing while some find it the best.

While online schooling and learning are raging and gaining popularity, it is vital to know what students feel about it. Their opinions and ideas are important as they are the subject of the matter here.

A section of students believe that curriculum and extra-curricular activities together form an educational platform, and without either they are incomplete -well they are not wrong. Some students love engaging physically and mentally and for overall development it is crucial to be active in both types of activities. Online learning has indeed limited the scope of students to only mental studies. So this segment of students has a dicey opinion. They do find it helpful but also are not very convinced with it.

The other section of students finds it very helpful, especially those whose main focus is on studies and are toppers of every subject. For them it is an amazing mode of learning, they get to learn from the comfort of their homes. And they luckily don’t have to indulge in physical activities that they either loathe or assume it to be not a good use of time. 

The third section who are active in sports and not very interested in bookish studies and so completely loathe this mode, no wonder they do not get the opportunity to play sports, win competitions and marathons but just have to be seated in one place study for hours. These students do not find this is very practical but do believe that it is applicable in times of emergency and urgency.

This is how one can segment the idea of online learning from the perspective of students of different interests. But a very common impression of online learning that students have is about the time and cost convenience it delivers. The regular schedule of students involves rushing to schools and the tuition centre in time. But road traffic, a broken vehicle can cause delay.

Students do enjoy the new schedule where they do not have to rush for their classes and can attend them without much hassle.

Overall if the opinions of the students are considered students do not completely disregard it as an alternative learning mode. Rather in certain situations like when one needs to avail for an extra course or tuition or in this pandemic era when human interaction is fatal, the mode of online learning has been proven a relief that will not halt the progress of education- both students and teachers are aptly convinced with online learning.

Tuitions are extremely fruitful for a student’s academic progress, extra lectures help grasp concepts better. Online tuitions in this digital world have been substantiated as a perfect mode of learning for kids who have technology rooted in them. Brilliant Tutions serves as an excellent model of online tuition and learning mode where your child learns from quality educators, receive guidance from prominent mentors for personality development. 

By Arastou Aminzadeh, M.D., Founder, BNI Treatment Centers

One of the most distressing effects of the pandemic has been its affect on teen mental health. Young people spent a significant amount of time cooped up at home, forced to give up most of their social activities due to lockdowns. This resulted in increased teen loneliness.

At a time in their development that social interactions play a key role in helping adolescents acquire healthy social skills, teens were left few options this last year. Most would default to the Internet to find peers to chat with on social media platforms and forums, or to kill time with online activities. In fact, the majority of a teenager’s social life has occurred online for a year now.

Teen loneliness was already a common problem prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Research from Italy and Iran had previously studied the connection between loneliness among young people and subsequent internet addiction. Both studies demonstrated a positive correlation between these two factors.

Now, a new study out of Finland further cements this relationship between teen loneliness and compulsive internet use. The new variable in this recent study is the pandemic and how it has exacerbated teen loneliness, and therefore, internet addiction. The fallout from the excessive time online is an increased sense of loneliness because it replaced real life social interactions.

About Teen Loneliness During COVID-19

Ask any teen if they sometimes experience loneliness and they are likely to nod their head in the affirmative. All young people sometimes feel left out or lonely. However, teens who suffered from more pronounced feelings of loneliness may have been struggling with depression or another mood disorder, social anxiety, or a personality disorder. Some loneliness is normal, but intense chronic loneliness is typically associated with a mental health challenge.

During the pandemic, however, loneliness became its own epidemic that affected everyone of all ages. Teens, though, were hardest hit by the effects of the social distancing policies because of the significant role socializing plays in their daily life. Where adults had plenty of other distractions, teens were left with a gaping void in their life.

Study Shows Increase in Internet Addiction Among Lonely Teens

According to the Finnish study that was published in February 2021 in the Child Development journal, compulsive internet use has increased at a statistically significant rate. Dysfunctional internet behavior would include online gaming addiction, copious amounts of time on social media sites, and consumption of online pornography.

Further, the study found a direct connection between compulsive online behaviors and depression. This went both ways. A teen that was depressed may have spent more time online, as a distraction or salve, while teens that spent copious amounts of time online were more prone to develop depression. In either scenario, depression was the link.

In addition to the mood disorder, adolescents that engaged in excessive online activity had poorer academic performance. This is attributed to the amount of time that is consumed by online activities, which cuts into the time available to study.

The study determined that it wasn’t only due to a lack of social time with their friends this last year that has resulted in compulsive online behavior. The authors found that teens whose parents were not around, or who were inattentive, were also likely to turn to the Internet to fill their sense of loneliness.

COVID-19 and Teen Mental Health

There is no denying the serious impact the pandemic and lockdowns have had on our young people. Major milestones have been skipped over, social events radically altered or cancelled, schools closed, and, of course, the loss of live, in-person social interaction.

Teens need structure, predictable daily routines, and a sense of safety. During the past year these basic needs are not being met. Many kids have lost loved ones to the virus, or seen their parents become unemployed. All of this is very difficult for a teen to process and manage, as their limbic system is not fully developed at this age. Brain functions like impulse control, emotion regulation, and decision-making will be under construction until age 25.

As a mental health practitioner, I can confirm that our teens are struggling at higher rates than usual. Anxiety and depression are definitely on the rise in this cohort. When the dust settles we will have to face the statistics head on and provide additional services for struggling adolescents.

Other Causes of Teen Loneliness

At first glance, it may seem that teen loneliness is simply caused by a lack of friends. Maybe the teen struggles socially and has trouble establishing or maintaining sound friendships. But in reality, there are many other factors that can contribute to feelings of loneliness. Consider these 5 things that can cause loneliness:

1. Moving. Possibly the family has recently relocated. Even if the new home is not that far from their former home, the unfamiliar surroundings can triggers feelings of loneliness. This even more so if the move is quite a distance away from their old friends and school.
2. Social anxiety disorder. Some teens have a heightened or irrational fear of being judged by their peers. Because of the fear of being publicly criticized or mocked, the teen chooses to isolate, leading to loneliness.
3. Feeling excluded. Teens are very sensitive. Most teens have the “fear of missing out,” or FOMO, which means they crave the feeling of belonging and being included in social gatherings. When they are passed over repeatedly it can lead to feelings of loneliness and even depression.
4. Social media. While the word “social” in social media may sound like it is all about connecting with others, in fact social media can enhance feelings of loneliness in teens. This is due to the unnatural, shallow, and sometimes toxic “relationships” made on social media platforms.
5. Being bullied. Cyber-bullying is extremely damaging to a teen’s self-esteem. When they happen to be the target of a bully who uses social media to embarrass or shame them, they will feel marginalized and isolated.

At this time in history it is essential for parents to be fully present for their children, and tuned into their mood states. If the teen is exhibiting signs of depression due to loneliness, and seem to self-medicate by engaging in compulsive internet use, it would be a good time to have the teen evaluated. Parents truly hold the key.

About the Author

Dr. Arastou Aminzadeh is a triple board certified physician in psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, and addiction medicine, and is the co-founder of BNI Treatment Centers in Agoura Hills, California.  Dr. Aminzadeh is a fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine and also a fellow of the American Psychiatric Association.  A well respected leader in the field, he also holds an adjunct faculty position at the University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, where he completed his residency and fellowship.