Complete financial aid ASAP

Colleges post their deadlines for when financial aid needs to be completed. Ensure that you have all the necessary information and documentation for your financial aid application.

Meet with an academic advisor

Before you register for classes, set up a time to meet with an academic advisor. Most colleges provide an advisor in the specific fields of study. This is important because they can help you plan out what classes to take in what quarters (some classes are only available one quarter or in select quarters throughout the year). An academic advisor can help you determine what courses to register for to effectively plan your academic program.

Plan your study time wisely

We all have obligations that pull us in several directions. Achieving your education is another obligation to add to your busy schedule. Effective time management becomes a necessity in order to have success. Do not worry about pushing things out that may stand in the way of achieving your ultimate goal - securing better or new employment. The common consensus on study time is to spend at least 4-to-6 hours a night studying (See this article by Cornell College on how much time should you devote to studying). One of the best ways to manage your study time is to review the syllabus and identify the approximate dates that each subject matter will be covered and what the due dates are. This helps you determine how much time you will need to complete each milestone. As you find time to devote to your studies, also make sure you have a place to do your school work where there are no distractions.

Take advantage of technology

Most colleges are now Hybrid. This means that part of the classroom instruction and interaction is done online as well as within the classroom. This type of structure allows students to participate in discussion boards, submit assignments online, and see their grades. It's important to ask questions and use the college resources where they provide guidance in how to participate in online instruction.

Stay on top of your studies

You will often discover that you will have to cram to get assignments turned in. In some cases, you might even fall behind or have to miss a class or two to get caught up. Quarters typically last 8-10 weeks and the time does fly by pretty fast.

Seek out help early on

It is OK if you occasionally have a difficult time with the subject matter. School is hard. It is best to seek out help from a tutor. Most colleges should have some tutors on staff that are adept with the subject matter. Another resource is fellow classmates, and a study group. Participating with classmates in study groups will help facilitate better comprehension of the material.

Constant communication with faculty

College professors are professionals. They are not there to babysit or remind you of what needs to be done. Therefore, if you are struggling with a course, seek out assistance from your professor. Professors announce their office hours and availability for both drop-in and pre-scheduled appointments. Take advantage of these times and get one-on-one instruction.

Take time out to enjoy life

Learning is not easy. There are stresses with learning. One can sit for so long and read, write and work on assignments. It becomes very taxing. Taking time out to enjoy life is beneficial. Removing yourself from the rigors of study will help take your focus off of studying and onto something worthwhile. When you return to your studies, you will have a fresh mindset and perception.

Get enough rest

While in school, your schedule may have to change and become flexible. The one thing that you should not be flexible about is sleep. Getting enough rest not only helps you be healthier, it enables you to be present and alert throughout a classroom lecture.

You will eventually finish

Many adults return to college for retraining or to acquire a necessary certification in their particular field of employment. In the beginning, it may seem long; however, your investment in this endeavor is worth it. School will eventually come to an end and will become a milestone in your life. At the beginning of your academic program, prepare to do what you need to do to achieve your goal whether it's a certification or a degree.

Returning to college is a challenge because of significant schedule changes and the need for time management. With the proper planning and dedication, you will be successful.

The post Higher education: 10 tips for returning to college as an adult appeared first on FamilyToday.

I tuned into my local Christian Talk Radio station, KCIS AM 630, and caught the last few minutes of this program. Evans was discussing three types of birds: buzzard, peacock and eagle. The analogy is that a husband is one of these three types of birds in how he acts in his relationship with his wife.

1.

The Buzzard

This bird sits around and does nothing. For me, the scene from Disney's "Jungle Book" comes to mind. Three buzzards are sitting on a branch and one of them asks: "So what are we gonna do, eh?" Evans describes this type of husband as one who complains about his wife.

• "I wish she would do this."

• "She keeps nagging me about this."

• "Why can't she do some of those things herself?"

This type of murmuring and complaining shows a lack of respect, honor and appreciation for your wife. Even more dangerous is when you complain about your wife to her in a heated argument by saying things that demean and belittle.

Buzzards are territorial. Since they are part of the vulture species of birds, they wait until the prey is dead, making it easier for them to eat. In a like manner, a husband who spends the majority of his time complaining about his wife has developed a habit of circling, or waiting for an argument to ensue, or an aspect of the marital relationship to die in order to feed off the dead carcass.

2. The Peacock

One of the most fascinating and magnificent birds, a peacock, comes in a variety of colors and has a tail that can expand into a fan-like shape. Their quills are beautiful and artistic. Whenever a peacock expands its tail, people take notice.

A peacock husband presents himself in a manner that seems bigger than life. He values the perception and attention garnered through his self-indulgence. He values flattery more than true compliments. He is self-centered. A husband who presents himself in a manner of a peacock diminishes the value and splendor of his wife.

3.

The Eagle

The most majestic of all the birds, an eagle is constantly soaring at high altitudes and can pinpoint its prey with precision and accuracy. They are quick and regal. The American Bald Eagle takes pride in rebuilding their nest. They also mate for life and cultivate their relationships together.

A husband who is an eagle maintains fidelity in his marriage. He has a precise vision and works with his spouse to cultivate a home and care for the family. He has a splendor and beauty all his own that is not showy. Unlike the buzzard or peacock, eagles rely on their own instincts to maintain family dynamics.

They do not complain. They are not waiting for some dead aspect of the relationship. There is no ego boosting needed. They are natural and develop an environment that is nurturing.

So, which are you: A buzzard, a peacock or an eagle? It is a question that requires honesty and internal inventory. Here are a few ways to be an eagle in your relationship.

Show her appreciation

This can be accomplished by complimenting your wife. Do things for her, ask if there is anything she needs or just take her out to dinner and recognize the work she does inside and outside of the home. Appreciation goes a long way and takes the focus off what a husband does and shines the light on her.

Give her praise

Instead of wanting to be the center of attention, praise your wife - even if she is not present - for the things that she does. For instance, she cooked a wonderful dinner based off a new recipe she found, or the frugality of finding ways to save money. When you praise your wife, you are honoring her, especially when it is done in front of other men who might be buzzards.

Give her a day off

This requires being sensitive to her needs. About a year ago, my wife was frazzled, working 10 hour shifts, coming home tired and frustrated. I could tell she was unhappy. After much thinking, I planned and invited her friends over for a ladies night dinner party. I cooked, prepared and entertained my wife's friends. I also did all the cleaning and necessary hosting. While this is one way to give your wife a day off, there are a variety of ways you can allow your wife time to kick back and relax.

Be romantic

Courting your wife is always a blessing because it shows her that you find her attractive. This can be done in simple ways without the fanfare of, "see what I did for you." Have someone watch the kids and take her for ice cream, a walk in the park or any other simple gesture that lets her know you think about her and enjoy her companionship.

Granted, these are only a handful of suggestions, but the question remains - do you want to remain a buzzard or a peacock or would you prefer to soar like an eagle in your marriage? As a husband, it is up to you to create the type of atmosphere in your home where your wife can thrive.

The post What kind of husband are you? appeared first on FamilyToday.

Using a planned family menu saves money and stress and is not difficult as some may believe. All one needs is discipline, realistic goals, and the ability to think outside of the proverbial box.

These six simple steps will help any family on any budget create a menu to make eating at home easy.

1. Take Inventory

Look through your kitchen for what you have on hand. This also gives you a chance to go through and discard any outdated products that have taken up shelf space in your cupboards or kitchen. In addition to this, look at what cookbooks that you have available. As you go through your cabinets and pantry, make a list of what you do have that can be incorporated into healthy and simple meals. Along with this, go through the cookbooks and recipes you have and look at the typical ingredients they call for. Keep in mind the types of meals your family eats on a regular basis and consider ways to make them healthier. Granted, this is the most time consuming part of developing a healthy menu - but an important necessity because you want to know what you have on hand and what recipes you can place on your menu plan

2. Create a two-week menu

There are many ways to accomplish this. Many computer software programs, like MS Outlook, have calendars that work well for menu planning. Once you have taken inventory of all items in your pantry and shelves, think of healthy recipes that utilize what you currently have on hand. With favorite cookbooks in hand, look over the particular recipes and see what ingredients are called for. If you need to purchase two or three items, but have majority of the ingredients, include it in your two-week menu. This gets those items in your food pantry and on your shelf to be utilized rather than not wasted. It also helps decrease the grocery bill by incorporating what you already have at home.

3. Portion control and waste

Remember, healthy eating is not just about dieting and losing weight. It is also about portion control. In addition, be aware of how much food is actually being wasted. For instance, do you buy a lot of produce, only to have to clean out the fridge and throw it all away? Put leftovers into the refrigerator, only to come back and see a science project well-underway? Food waste in America is estimated between 160 and 295 billion pounds a year. To avoid wasted food, portion control is very important. One of the best resources to consult (and you can place this on your fridge) is a portion plate. This one comes from WebMD and gives the proper amount of food that should be plated. In addition to preventing food waste in the home, your wallet will sigh with relief as the realization settles in that your grocery bill is no longer a nuclear holocaust going off from the groaning bank account. What this simply means is that when one starts to buy for the menu items, less is actually being spent at the grocery store.

4. Change it up and introduce new dishes

Consistency is always good, especially when it comes to saving money and developing a solid healthy menu plan. However, do not limit yourself to the same entrees on every meal. Change it up a bit by looking for new menu items that can be incorporated with what one has on hand and what is inexpensive to buy. Consult cookbooks, websites, local newspapers, and even friends for new recipes. Even then, you can change up the recipe itself to create a whole new dish.

5. Create additional dishes out of one meal

This is good when there are leftovers. Made up too many chicken breasts? Dice up the cooked chicken breasts and make chicken salad sandwiches for lunch the next day, or better yet, chicken omelets. Have leftover mashed potatoes? Pull out your mom's or grandma's favorite shepherd's pie recipe. Repurposing the left overs into a different menu item will help save money and provide more menu items. And, the best way to accomplish this is to include it on your meal plan. For instance, make chicken, rice, and broccoli for dinner, and know that there is going to be leftover chicken, rice and broccoli—then repurpose each item into two or three separate meals. The chicken is a chicken salad sandwich for lunch the rice is a rice pudding desert for the next night; the broccoli is homemade cream of broccoli soup with the chicken salad sandwich.

6. Build up your food storage

This is much easier than one would think. Each time you shop, add in small amounts of nonperishable items to place on your shelf in the pantry or cabinet. This way, as you use items from your inventory, you can easily replace those items and ensure there is extra on hand. This comes in handy when life happens and you have not been able to purchase the same amount of food items as before. Creating a food storage helps save money in the long run.

These six steps works with any budget. Planning an affordable family menu does take some time and discipline. Yet, once consistency is established, healthy eating becomes affordable with any family size and economic status.

The post Don’t know what to make for dinner? 6 steps for planning a family menu appeared first on FamilyToday.

Understanding Addiction in general

When a person is referred to as an addict, it is because they no longer have the ability and control and have developed a "craving"� or "appetite"� for the particular substance. In a sense, they have developed a dependency on the substance. Without it, they experience withdrawal symptoms.

This development of an "appetite"� for the particular substance comes in two forms: tolerance and withdrawal. Tolerance develops where the brain and physiological make-up of an individual adjusts to the particular levels of substance being consumed. For instance, a person may get a "buzz"� off two beers until their body builds up an alcohol tolerance. Thus, they increase the level of consumption in order to experience the "buzz"� or "high." Withdrawal, as previously mentioned, occurs when the body is denied the particular substance for a time and the person's behavior, physical response, and emotional cognition signal that it needs the substance in order to sustain itself.

Thus, parents should familiarize themselves with how addiction works and recognize when there are potential signs of addiction:

• Neglecting responsibilities - for youth, this includes neglecting their homework (i.e., a student who is known to get good grades suddenly is failing classes, not turning in homework, or even neglecting chores).

• Unnecessary risk taking while "high"� or "intoxicated"�

• Causing legal trouble

• Relationship problems

These are just a few signs that provide some helpful clues as to whether or not a youth is engaged in prescription drug abuse. Additional signs ofprescription drug abuseinclude excessive mood swings, increase or decrease in sleep patterns, poor decision making, appearing to be high, unusually energetic or revved up, or sedate.

What to do when there is prescription abuse and addiction

The last thing a parent should ever do is employ "tough love."� The addict does not need to be shut out, but embraced, understood, and given solid recovery support. This is true for parents who have teenagers that are addicted to prescription drugs. This means we should not exile ourselves in denial, but confront the issue head on with unconditional love. Showing love, care, and compassion, along with being empathetic towards your teen can help them recognize the addiction. Together, parents and teens can seek out counseling to overcome addiction and make a full recovery. In fact, in the article (already linked to previously): Drug Abuse and Addiction - Signs, Symptoms, and Help for Drug Problems and Substance Abuse, there is a list of five things Parents can do:

Lay down rules and consequences

Your teen should understand that using drugs comes with specific consequences. Never make hollow threats or set rules that cannot be enforced. Make sure your spouse agrees with the rules and is prepared to enforce them.

Monitor your teen's activity

Know where your teen goes and who he or she hangs out with. It's also important to routinely check potential hiding places for drugs - in backpacks, between books on a shelf, in DVD cases or make-up cases, for example. Explain to your teen that this lack of privacy is a consequence of him or her having been caught using drugs.

Encourage other interests and social activities

Expose your teen to healthy hobbies and activities, such as team sports and afterschool clubs.

Talk to your child about underlying issues

Drug use can be the result of other problems. Is your child having trouble fitting in? Has there been a recent major change, like a move or divorce, which is causing stress?

Get help

Teenagers often rebel against their parents but if they hear the same information from a different authority figure, they may be more inclined to listen. Try a sports coach, family doctor, therapist, or drug counselor.

Be proactive, be informed, and be educated

Parents should be well-aware of the dangers teenagers face. Granted, they are the same issues we may have faced when we were their age. However, the nature of how they face them, and the context in which they face them differ. This requires parents to be informed about the types of drugs that are being abused. Educating ourselves about the nature of addiction and how to talk with our teenagers about addiction and prescription drug abuse is key to their recovery.

In addition to this, we should also be open to our teens about who their friends are and be willing to help them understand how addiction works so that they too can help friends seek help if there is a known addiction occurrence. Having this open and honest communication shows a perception that we are willing to hear about what our teenagers are facing today.

The scope of prevention and informational education on prescription drug abuse is becoming more apparent. Part of our responsibility is to protect our children from any form of harm - this includes addiction and substance abuse. Without acknowledging and openly discuss these issues with our youth, we are leaving them vulnerable to particular bondage and captivity of addiction. Once they go down that road, it is a long way back to recovery.

The post How to talk to your teen about prescription and substance abuse appeared first on FamilyToday.

Advantages

For teens and parents, there are definite benefits to having a smartphone. Cellphones are no longer used primarily for placing and receiving calls, text messages, and/or picture messages. They are also used to organize all aspects of their lives.

For example, smartphones can:

• Organize and manage events through calendars

• Send and receive emails

• Take photos or record videos and then upload them to social media

• Download applications that can be used for a variety of reasons (playing games, tracking calories, listening to music, etc.)

Those are just a small portion of the capabilities available on smartphones. For parents who have teens, these benefits will help:

• Organize a teen's schedule (extracurricular activities, family responsibilities, events, homework, etc.)

• Create better open communication, on-the-go between parents and their teens

Again, this is a small portion of what is available and how parents and teens can use these devices responsibly.

Disadvantages

Like any other modern convenience, there are disadvantages in using smartphones because of the nature and advancement in technology. Smartphones are essentially mini-computers and may encourage:

• Isolation from family and friends

• Potential risk for technology addiction

• Potential risk to access pornography

• Ability to access and watch inappropriate movies through applications

• Potential risk of cyber-bullying

The difficulty lies in the reality that smartphones are becoming standardized across all wireless carriers and will replace the regular, basic devices.

Therefore, parents must take the time to discuss with their teen certain expectations and rules for using a smartphone. This includes understanding that (1) having a wireless device is a privilege and not an entitlement, (2) there are activities on a smart phone are appropriate/inappropriate, and (3) misuse will result in punishment.

Parents should integrate using a smartphone first (if they have not already), in order to understand the functionality and capabilities of these devices. Parents who are already using smartphones should help their teens learn their capabilities and instruct them on how to effectively use these devices.

Once the rules are discussed and agreed upon, parents should allow the teen to choose (within reason) a device that would fit their needs and not their wants. Some items to consider:

• Functionality of the phone

• Amount of data within a given package and cost of that package

• Available apps for the specific platform of the phone (i.e., apps for Android phones vs. apps for a Windows-based phone).

• Ease of navigation between screens and applications

Parents should help their teen set up the device by:

• Approving application and downloads

• Setting up and synchronizing calendars

• Choosing appropriate email settings

• Discussing responsible social media usage on smartphones

Parents may not avoid integrating their teen with a smartphone, however, they can avoid potential risks that come with using these devices by discussing responsible use.

The post How to decide to let your teen have a smartphone appeared first on FamilyToday.