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TAKE IT FROM ME
Raising a Bilingual Child
A REALISTIC APPROACH TO LANGUAGE TEACHINGDon’t assume it’s going to be easy. Contrary to popular belief, children do not typically absorb new languages “like a sponge.” They require extensive, quality experiences in a new language to become bilingual.
Don’t go it alone. Seek out a community of people who are proficient in the second language. For example, hire a babysitter who speaks it.
Recognize the need for consistency. Although this is by no means the only way for a child to learn a language, I have found that the “one parent, one language” approach, where a parent (or other caregiver) always speaks to a child in the same language, is the most effective way to assure a second-language-rich environment.
Make it a family choice. Even if only one parent speaks the second language, both parents should share responsibility. For instance, the other parent can take the child to the library, search for the babysitter who speaks the second language, and drop the child off at a special “Saturday school” in the language.
Establish routines. You might make a habit of reading a story in the second language each night, or watching a second-language cartoon.
Tame your perfectionism. Set whatever goals are realistic for your family and revise them as needed over time.
Take the long view. Remember that you are giving your child a gift. But don’t expect any thanks—at least not before high school or college.
Fighting Depression with Nutrition
Cut down on sweets. Eating too much sugar stimulates a surge in insulin, which can cause glucose levels to fall dramatically—and the brain is fueled almost entirely by glucose. Fluctuations in blood glucose levels can cause mood disturbances.
Get your vitamins. Ample supplies of vitamins, including vitamin C, vitamin D, and many B vitamins, are critical for mental health.
Get your minerals. Zinc and magnesium, for example, play an important role in helping the brain modulate mood.
Don’t starve yourself of protein and fat. A shortfall in amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, can make it difficult for the brain to synthesize the chemicals it needs to fend off emotional distress. At the same time, the brain is a fatty organ and cannot function without cholesterol and essential fatty acids. A deficiency of either can be dangerous to your mental health.
A Guide to Thought Leadership
STANDING OUT IN TODAY’S CROWDED MARKETPLACE
Know what you’re aiming for. Successful thought leaders bridge knowledge gaps with audiences, generate third-party credibility, trigger conversation, and ultimately create long-term growth opportunities for themselves and their businesses.
Have an idea whose time has come. Thought leadership always starts with a vision. Ask yourself what unmet demands or needs your audience has and come up with an original, innovative idea for meeting them.
Make it stick. Focus on no more than three messages and communicate them clearly, using channels likely to reach your audience. Consider traditional and social media, along with direct engagements (such as speaking platforms and networking events), and digital and marketing strategies.
Become a go-to resource. These days, people don’t just purchase products and services. Rather, they buy into expertise. Share your knowledge. Offer guidance.
Motivate action. Remember that successful thought leadership inspires your audience to act. Whether you’re helping them do their job better or influencing their buying decisions, you want to excite people and get them moving.
How to Recognize a Concussion
Check for physical symptoms. Is there a headache, pressure in the head, or neck pain? How about nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, or dizziness? Fatigue that’s prolonged or greater than expected should be noted as well, as should any loss of consciousness. Let’s say your mother trips over a curb. Suddenly she is lying face down, unresponsive, but after a moment she recovers and does not recall falling. She requires medical attention.
Think about thinking. Cognitive features of a concussion include confusion, difficulty with coordination or memory, and the feeling of being in a fog. Other red flags are impaired balance and sensitivity to light or noise. If you fall off a bike and later notice that your thoughts are fuzzy, you need to see a doctor.
Take a behavioral inventory. Someone with a concussion may become more emotional than usual, or show signs of irritability, restlessness, drowsiness, sadness, anxiety, or nervousness. Sleep disturbances and personality changes are common, too. Consider this scenario: a calm, levelheaded friend who has survived a car crash starts making poor decisions, buffeted about by his feelings. Here again, medical attention is in order.
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