Training Your Voice

Training Your Voice Our Advice for Taking Care of Your Vocal Cords and Avoiding Dysphonia ChaptersSinging: What Are the Risks?10 Tips to Take Care of Your VoiceSinging: How to Retrain your VoiceSinging: Why Should You Consult a Speech Pathologist?“If I cannot fly, let me sing.” - Stephen SondheimSingers know that losing their voice, inflammation of the throat or larynx, chronic laryngitis, hoarseness, coughing, or a sore throat can all be terrible for their singing.Furthermore, women are almost twice as likely to suffer from vocal problems than men. Of course, singing teachers and professional singers are more at risk, too.In this article, we're going to look at the risks of singing in terms of your vocal health, how to take care of your voice, techniques to train your voice, and why you should consider seeing an ENT specialist or speech-language pathologist.Search for singing lessons London here. TraceySinging Teacher 4.92 (13) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PortiaSinging Teacher 4.91 (11) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolaSinging T eacher 5.00 (11) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JazzSinging Teacher 5.00 (6) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PerrineSinging Teacher 5.00 (3) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TiemSinging Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TomSinging Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MiriamSinging Teacher 5.00 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsSinging: What Are the Risks?Using your voice excessively can damage your vocal cords, pharynx, and larynx. Make sure you warm up before you sing. (Source: JuergenPM)Put simply, your voice is technically a string instrument and you need to take care of it. If you don’t use the right vocal technique, you run the risk of damaging your voice.Voice loss or hoarseness can occur when a singer’s technique isn’t great. This is one of the risks of singing since you can tire your vocal cords without even noticing. This can make vibrating your vocal cords even more difficult. If you don’t rest your voice, nodules and polyps can appear on your vocal cords.This is the first sign of chronic laryngitis, which leads to an inflammation of the vocal cords.  Instead of singing, you might want to consider singing lessons or a visit to a speech pathologist or otorhinolaryngology specialist (also known as an ear, nose, and throat specialist).An untreated vocal injury could lead to dysphonia, irritations of the throat that are initially benign but can lead to worse problems.These can be caused by a multi tude of factors:Lifestyle: smoking, coffee, alcohol, drugs, lack of sleep, stress, poor breathing, bad posture, dehydration, etc.Temperature changes: you can avoid these with a scarf, honeyed soup, eucalyptus pastels, essential oils, etc.Excessive consumption of antibiotics and medicinal products.Allergies related to pollution or pollen.Asthma attacks.Respiratory problems (lung disease, bronchitis, a bacterial infection in the lungs, etc).Gastroesophageal refluxSwelling of the throatThe hectic lifestyle of singers can also result in voice problems, aphonia, dysphonia; tours, interviews, and a lack of rest can put the singer in a vicious cycle.Find out more about how to avoid vocal cord injury.10 Tips to Take Care of Your VoiceSo how can you take care of your voice as a singer?Here are ten tips to look after your voice. It’s recommended that you warm up your voice before you sing.This is a way to prepare your voice before a concert, for example. Honey is a natural remedy for inflammation of the vocal cords. (Source: stevepb)Second tip: sleep.  If you’re tired, you’ll have to force your vocal cords to sing.  You need to sleep well so that your vocal cords can rest before any exertion. Poor sleep can lead to hoarseness or voice loss.Thirdly, you need to adopt a good posture to open your lungs, allowing you to breathe with your stomach and abs.  To do this, stand up straight, with your feet hip-width apart, hands apart, and shoulders relaxed.  You need to attempt to reduce muscular tension so that you can sing powerfully and fluidly.It’s recommended that you exercise regularly so that you can increase your lung capacity and vocal endurance.  Following a session of physical activity, the body consumes a surplus of oxygen to feed the muscles used and limit the production of lactic acid in muscle tissue.  You’ll notice an improvement in your singing as you improve your lung capacity.Any more advice?Here’s a short list:Qu it smoking: smokers run the risk of fatal diseases (lung cancer, throat cancer, etc.)Rest your voice to reduce tension in the muscles in the respiratory system and throat.Avoid chills.Stop talking: silence is one of the best ways to rest and care for your voice.Don’t sing when your throat is sore or inflamed: sore throats, viral infections, allergies, etc.Consult an ENT specialist or speech pathologist if your symptoms last over a week.In the event of benign inflammations, surgical intervention may be required.  In some situations, more serious medical intervention may be necessary.Check out our tips for looking after your voice.Singing: How to Retrain your VoiceSingers, singing teachers, and just teachers might benefit from retraining their voice, especially in the case of hoarseness or laryngitis. A straw is great for your voice. (Source: Alexas_Fotos)If rest isn’t enough, there are several exercises you can do to retrain your voice.However, don’t self-medicate. Without the advice of a doctor or medical professional, you may make things worse.  You can always enjoy liquorice or eucalyptus pastels, drink herbal tea, lemon juice for coughs, a teaspoon of honey in a glass of milk or coffee, etc.  Avoid pharmaceutical products including cortisone and corticoids as they can have side effects if the wrong dosage is taken.To get your voice back, you can always do the straw exercise.  This involves doing sliding to the top and bottom of your range into a straw and singing notes at a high volume.  This will help them reduce swelling.Here are two other exercises you can do if you’re struggling to sing:Voiced fricatives: such as the sound of the letter “V” across your vocal range, contracting your abs as you breathe out, and releasing tension as you breathe in.“M” exercise: Say “M” while holding the note and feeling the vibrations about your nose, then say “E” (behind the teeth) and then “ooh” (lips).Unfortunately, these exercises can’t fix everything and there may be something more serious going on in your throat.Find out more about looking after your voice.Singing: Why Should You Consult a Speech Pathologist?If you have problems with your voice for over a week, you should consult a speech pathologist. In some cases, a visit to a medical professional may be necessary. (Source: valelopardo)A pathologist?This is a specialist focusing on speech, language, and communication.  They deal with voice, speaking, language, and problems with swallowing or hearing. They can suggest treatment.There are also ENT (ear, nose, and throat) specialists who can help.In the case of the following, you should consult a specialist:Vocal fatigueVoice lossVocal fold paralysisVocal cord alterationChronic coughingBroken voiceAllergic reactionDifficulty producing high notesSwelling in the throatLaryngeal painThe doctor may consider a laryngoscopy to have a look at the state of your throat and vocal cords.  This involves placing a light on their forehead and inserting a mirror into the back of the throat.For minor issues, rest may be all that’s needed.  They might advise other natural remedies like herbal tea, etc.  In the case of more serious conditions, such as a nodule or polyps, you may need surgery.Keep in mind, that you don’t need to be unwell to visit a pathologist.  Singers might want to go to get advice on techniques to keep their vocal cords in good condition.It’s important to look after your voice, after all.If you want to work on your voice and improve your singing, you might want to consider getting a vocal coach or private tutor on Superprof. They can help you improve your singing, take care of your voice, and provide bespoke singing tuition. There are three main types of tutorials on offer and each one comes with several advantages and disadvantages.Face-to-face private tutorials are just between you and your tutor. The sessions will be tailored to you, your needs, and your strengths and weaknesses. Of course, since the tutor will be dedicating a lot of time to you and your tutorials as well as tailoring them to your needs, this type of tutorial tends to be the most costly. However, it's also the most cost-effective.Thanks to the internet, webcams, and video conferenc ing software, you can also get online tutorials. Again, these tutorials are just between you and the tutor with the main difference being that you're not in the same room. With fewer travel expenses and the ability to schedule more tutorials each week, the tutor can charge a more competitive rate for these tutorials. Generally, these tutorials are better for academic subjects and not hands-on ones.Finally, there are group tutorials. These are more like your traditional classes with several students and one teacher. The cost of the tutor's time is shared between all the students in the class so you can expect to pay less per hour for these tutorials. Unfortunately, this means the tutor can't spend as much time focusing on you and your singing.

Bad Boss Sooner or Later We All Have Them - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Bad Boss â€" Sooner or Later We All Have Them - Introvert Whisperer Bad Boss â€" Sooner or Later We All Have Them I’ll admit right up front: I’m here to ask you to share any Bad Boss stories you might have. I’ve heard several and have had my own. In my case, my first Bad Boss happened early. In fact, it was the second job I held while in high school. The place I worked was the best fabric store in my city. As a seamstress myself, getting a job there seemed like nirvana â€" until I actually worked there. The woman who owned the store apparently was legendary throughout the city as being a Bad Boss.  In fact, I think the term for her was an “Old Battle Ax.” As part of my training, she lectured me on how I was there to do two things: sell her merchandise, and make the store attractive so people would want to buy her merchandise. The rules were: Never speak to other employees If I had a question, she was the only one qualified to answer If she was absent, there were only 2 people I could seek out for answers. I obediently complied. In my year there, I learned to “fly under the radar.” You didn’t want her to notice you â€" ever. I had seen a person quit after being there for only an hour. I had seen her torment a fellow employee, a woman my mother’s age, to the point that the woman was crying, as she was measuring out fabric for a customer. The Bad Boss stood there, spitting in my co-workers face, yelling at the top of her lungs all while the customer (who was cringing and cowering herself) had to watch. That was only one episode in a job that witnessed daily doses of outrageous behavior from the boss. I had my own encounter with her. One evening as she entered the store, she saw me speaking with a customer. She thought I was speaking with another employee â€" a breach of a cardinal rule in her mind. A few minutes later, after she had dropped off her stuff and the customer left, she approached me yelling and shaking her fist. I had no idea what had set her off, so I asked. It infuriated her more. I explained I was talking to a customer, which made her even angrier. She yelled “Do you think I’m stupid?”  Well, I answered her: “No, I just think you are mistaken.”  She was stunned to silence, which I took as a sign the conversation was finished â€" but apparently it wasn’t.  I had started to walk away when she grabbed me from behind, spun me around and began a high-pitched tirade. When she finally stopped long enough to suck in air, I brushed her hands off and told her “You don’t have permission to touch me or yell at me. I work hard for you but I draw the line there.”  I walked away but this time, dead silence. She didn’t fire me and we kept a polite distance until I went away to college. Meanwhile, she kept doing what had made her my town’s worst boss. So there you go. That’s my first Bad Boss. I have more stories, but I’d like to hear yours. Either post yours below. Image: Photobucket Go to top Power-Influence-Office Politics: it comes down to your Strategic Relationships and understanding of how you build each one of these elements. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my video that outlines all of this and meaningful actions you can take today! Start watching now: CLICK HERE Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleash your professional potential.

Chicago

Chicago Only in Chicago is a Tommy Gun Glamorous ChaptersChicago: PrologueChicago, the MusicalProduction NotesProductions, Revivals and AwardsSeen by most as a sardonic look at life in the Roaring Twenties in Chicago, possibly attempting to immortalise the era of Al Capone, the American musical Chicago… wasn’t meant to be a bit of musical theater at all.In fact, what we know today as a Tony Award-winning stage show tells a story apart from the singing and dancing and the lines crafted so carefully by its playwright.Maurine Dallas-Watkins, a reporter for the Chicago Tribune newspaper, was assigned to report on cases litigated in court.Was she appalled, amused or astounded at the people brought up on charges of murder, rape and theft? Was she most outraged at crimes committed by women â€" especially murder, in a town where murder was so commonplace?Whatever her personal opinions were, she saw fit to weave the entire story into a play which met with international success in 1926. A little more than a decade later, the show was mad e into a film, reaching audiences across the US.Remember, at this point, Chicago is still not a musical; it is a cleverly-crafted play.Superprof now gives you the 411 (the information) on Velma, Roxie and Billy Flynn, along with Mama Morton and the poor slob, Amos, and how they all came to be on stage together. TraceySinging Teacher 4.92 (13) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PortiaSinging Teacher 4.91 (11) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolaSinging Teacher 5.00 (11) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JazzSinging Teacher 5.00 (6) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PerrineSinging Teacher 5.00 (3) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TiemSinging Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TomSinging Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MiriamSinging Teacher 5.00 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsChicago: Prologue The playhouse version of Chicago is far more tame than the musical! Source: Wikipedia Credit: Cheryl Sue DolbyMs Watkins certainly meant for her work to be satirical but it was based on facts.Beulah Annan, accused of the murder of Harry Halstedt, listened to the same foxtrot record for two hours before calling her husband in a breathless panic to say she had killed a man.Her husband, Albert, cleaned out his bank account to pay for her defence.Imagine how he must have felt when she dumped him the day after her acquittal!Belva Gaertner was a cabaret singer accused of murdering a man named Walter Law.Two policemen witnessed her getting into her vehicle; shortly afterwards, they heard a gun go off twice.Mr Law was found dead in the driver's seat, along with a bottle of gin and a gun.By no stretch of the imagination could any of these stories be the cause for merriment and glee, especially remembering the status of women a century ago.They had just won the right to vote but were still pre tty much house-bound; a woman on her own was generally treated as a less-than-reputable character and was considered ‘up for grabs’ - with said grabbing often being her body parts.Did you know? A similar storyline plays out in The Lion King… believe it or not!In short, the Roaring Twenties was still very much a time when what men said went and women were seldom permitted a voice.You might argue that that sword cuts both ways.Women were often seen as frail and weak, in no way capable of committing murder; a perception that no doubt helped their defence.In a sense, the social climate of the day makes Chicago an even more remarkable story.Not only was there murder to report on â€" murders committed no doubt by women as well as men, but it was a young woman from the Kentucky countryside who reported on them.Maurine Dallas-Watkins was a woman much ahead of her time.She attended Butler University in Indiana before continuing her education at Radcliffe, an exclusive women’s univers ity in Massachusetts. She then left Radcliffe and moved to Chicago, working for a time in advertising before landing the news reporter job.It’s a wonder she didn’t also write a script for Mad Men!In short, her life was varied and ever-changing; after the fame she garnered from Chicago, she went to Hollywood and wrote screenplays for several successful films… all in a time when women were generally not seen as equal and a woman on her own was considered fair game.Through shrewd investing and careful spending, along with royalties from her ever-popular Chicago, she ended up independently wealthy.So, when Bob Fosse, the Broadway producer, asked permission to make Chicago into a Broadway musical, she demurred. Besides the fact that she had no need for money, the reason she refused to sell the show’s rights might surprise you…Interviewing both women at length before their trials, she came to believe that they were both guilty but, through her writing â€" intended to be bitingly caustic, she believes she inadvertently swayed the public to sympathy for the murderesses.Maurine Dallas-Watkins, believing she was the reason those two women escaped justice, could not bear the idea of giving them any more exposure.It was only after her death in 1969 that her estate negotiated the sale of the script.Once it landed in Mr Fosse’s hands, he immediately turned it over to the powerhouse composers Kander and Ebb, who soon had the show ready for its off-Broadway run.Hush now! The curtain is about to go up!Don’t forget to preview one of the most enduring theatrical ventures: Les Miserables... Chicago enjoyed a long run at New York's Ambassador Theatre Source: Wikipedia Credit: OptimumPXChicago, the MusicalIndeed, the story centres around the two women and their deeds.Roxie is brought into the prison under the predatory gaze of one Velma Kelly, currently the most glamorous prisoner on the cell block. She worries that her star treatment will now be directed to the block’s newest murderess.She was soon proven right. Lawyer Billy Flynn looks right past her to the latest waif in prison garb, much to Velma’s distress.Roxie is rude and vulgar; pretty, yes, but what kind of witness would she make?It turns out, quite an inventive one. Although she has trouble learning her lines â€" Billy worked hard to coach her on her appearance and language, there was no end to her deviousness.Lawyer Billy’s interest in representing Roxie wanes in direct proportion to Amos’ (Roxie’s husband) ability to pay his fees. It didn’t hurt that another high-profile murderess had just been bro ught into the cell block â€" and she was demonstrably rich!Billy, not caring about anything but money, is brought sharply back into focus by Roxie’s assertion that she is pregnant. He sees headlines praising his efforts at earning justice for the young mother-to-be…Meanwhile, Roxie is making other plans.Knowing that she can’t rely on anyone but herself, she and Velma strike a deal. They will make the most of their fame together even though they despise one another.And so the story goes, with All that Jazz.Get on board with your creative team: how would Roxie have fared with The Phantom of the Opera?Production NotesIn a lot of ways, Chicago made audiences uncomfortable; it was a garish display of American celebrity culture wherein the actors spoke directly to the audience â€" breaching the so-called fourth wall.This musical comedy featured songs that were asides to the audience, making theatregoers feel like they were consorting with criminals.For that reason and for its bawdin ess â€" the Cell Block Tango alone was seen as outré and distasteful; kinky, even. Patrons hesitated to buy tickets.Especially as A Chorus Line premiered in the same year and swept the awards ceremonies.The Broadway production Chicago seemed doomed, especially when the actress playing Roxie accidentally swallowed a feather and had to have emergency surgery.Just as the artistic director and music director were going to throw in the towel, Liza Minnelli offered to fill in for Roxie; suddenly, you couldn’t find tickets for Chicago anywhere!And then, Ann Reinking reworked the choreography so that it was less vaudeville and more in keeping with other Bob Fosse Broadway shows.Mr Cellophane would have approved.Can you think of two more disparate shows than Chicago and Cats? The original cast poster was a bit more racy than 1970s America was ready for! Source: WikipediaProductions, Revivals and AwardsIn spite of all of the strange, coincidental happenings mentioned above, the Broadway show closed after a respectable 936 performances and debuted almost two years later, in London on the Cambridge musical theatre stage.There, it entertained audiences for about 600 performances, earning the Best Actor and Best Actress Olivier awards.  It was also nominated for Best Musical.Do you know other popular musicals that won awards in that category?It then made its way around the world, landing back on Broadway for a revival in 1996. By that time, it was a well-polished show; it went on to win six Tony Awards â€" a record that stood unbroken until 2008.Chicago still holds the record for longest-running revival on Broadway; its success today is due, at least in part, to changing social values in the US.After the 1995 OJ Simpson trial â€" a real-life celebrity crime, A merican audiences were more enthusiastic about a bit of vaudevillian dancing and Razzle Dazzle.The proof of that assertion is found in the awards Chicago has earned.The original Broadway show (1975) garnered a lot of nominations but only one win: a Drama Desk Award for Best Lighting. Conversely, the 1997 revival swept both the Tony and Drama Desk awards ceremonies!As Broadway musicals go, Chicago is no My Fair Lady â€" and not even in the same stratosphere as Beauty and the Beast.  Those characters are some of the most sympathetic in Broadway history, don’t you think?Still, you can’t help but care, at least a little bit, for Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly, even as you chuckle uneasily about the Matron (splendidly played by Queen Latifah in the film version!).Those women were a product of their time, making the best of what they had, much like Oliver Twist did in his time.If the story behind Chicago the musical is as gripping as the music and lyrics and story the show presents… now you know why!Now discover the show everyone is talking about: Hamilton

Learning Specialist - Isnt that just a tutor

Learning Specialist - Isn’t that just a tutor Improving Academic Performance Tutors have existed for as long as man. Elders helping the younger generation learn the skill sets necessary to survive in their environment. Of course, early tutoring focused more on gathering food and creating shelter than on memorizing math tables. Fast forward to our test driven and memorization based school curriculum. Students have to absorb and repeat mountains of information on a regular basis. They have to work quickly, efficiently, and a strong competitive sense emerges in most classrooms from an early age. Most parents feel their children need to keep up, and some are concerned with even “Average” performance. As a result, Americans spend billions of dollars each year for tutoring support for their children. A tutor is a very useful tool for many students. Tutors help their pupils learn facts, study for tests, and become more fluent and efficient with a range of academic tasks. But what happens when those academic deficiencies are driven by difficulties processing information? Does the tutoring work? My clinical experience would indicate that often it does not. When students come to Cognitive Solutions Learning Center in Chicago, many are initially assessed to better understand their processing and functioning through a comprehensive evaluation. Having information about how the brain processes information is highly useful when planning how to best help a student remediate areas of processing difficulty. Specialized interventions can be designed which are aimed at developing a student’s underlying cognitive and processing deficiencies. This makes the process of tutoring much more targeted and effective. Tutors come in all shapes and sizes, with a wide variance in education, background, and experience. They range from high-school and college students looking to make some extra money to retired teachers who love helping children, and everywhere in between. How well a tutor can help a student often depends on their experience and their ability to develop a strong rapport. But what they can do is often limited. Without understanding of and intervention with underlying processing deficiencies, many students will not make the expected levels of progress they are working so hard to gain. This frequently leads to frustration on the part of the student, the tutor, and the teachers and parents. A learning specialist is someone who typically possesses a minimum of a Master’s Degree in a special education related field. The have extensive experience reading and interpreting psychoeducational and neuropsychological evaluations, and are able to use these documents to create intensive and effective remediation programs. Many work as special education teachers in the school system, and develop private interventions for students in after-school hours. Learning specialists work to strengthen underlying brain processing, at the same time helping the student develop a strong academic skill base. A student who has difficulty reading will often begin work with a tutor. They will typically work to develop stronger fluency, decoding, and compression skills. But what if the student isn’t making progress in this work? What if all the repetition and multi-sensory teaching are not working? That is where an understanding of processing can better assist a learning specialist in their work. Many students who struggle to read have some form difficulty with their auditory, visual, or executive processing systems. A learning specialist will work to develop reading skills similar in a manner similar to a tutor, however they will also design and implement a targeted intervention to address any underlying processing deficiencies. This might include auditory processing work, expressive or receptive language development, visual tracking and visual motor work, or executive skills development. Strengthening how the brain processes information while at the same time developing academic skills m akes for a powerful and effective remediation program. The same processing difficulties can be true for students with a range of learning disabilities, including dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia. Often times, difficulties processing information through one of the systems mentioned is a strong underlying factor in their struggles to learn. Students diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD) often have executive deficiencies that can be strengthened through targeted work with a learning specialist. While tutoring is beneficial for many students who simply require some extra practice or “brush up” on skills, it is often ineffective for students who struggle to develop learning skills. These students frequently see far better outcomes when their academic interventions are designed more broadly to target and strengthen areas of their brain that aren’t properly processing the world around them. At Cognitive Solutions, many students come to us after multiple unsuccessful attempts at tutoring. Our learning specialists create highly individualized remediation plans, and work with students to strengthen academic functioning, processing capacities, and self-esteem. For more information on Cognitive Solutions Learning Center in Chicago, please feel free to visit us online at www.helpforld.com.

Screen Use after Bedtime and ADHD

Screen Use after Bedtime and ADHD With phones, tablets, and video game consoles accessible to kids just about any time and anywhere, setting limits around screen time is more challenging than ever. When ADHD is added into the mix, setting screen time limits becomes even harder. Kids and teens with ADHD are more likely to use screens excessively, become argumentative when limits are put into place, and have a harder time sticking to the limits and resisting the impulse to use their devices when theyre supposed to be doing other things. While research shows that screen time and video games dont cause ADHD, under certain circumstances, too much screen time does make ADHD symptoms worse. The biggest culprit for many kids and teens with ADHD is sacrificing sleep to get more screen time! Sleep is essential for regulating emotions, staying focused, and making good decisions. So, when a child or teen has ADHD, their ADHD symptoms are much worse when they arent sleeping enough. Unfortunately, having ADHD can make getting a good nights sleep a struggle. In fact, studies show that up to 70% of kids and teens with ADHD have ongoing sleep problems. One of the biggest culprits influencing sleep problems among kids with ADHD is screen time. Theres a great deal of research showing that using screens right before bed leads to poorer sleep in kids and teens with and without ADHD. But even more problematic for many kids with ADHD is the time they spend on screens after bedtime, when they should be sleeping instead. In a recent study of nighttime media use, researchers surveyed 81 teens with ADHD about their sleep habits and media use after 9pm.1 Study results showed that almost all participants had a cell phone in their room, and 50% also had other devices (e.g. tablet, TV). 80% of the participants reported spending more than two hours using their devices after 9pm. Screen time after 9pm was associated with more sleep problems and more symptoms of anxiety and depression in teens with ADHD. And the majority of the teens in the study were getting far less than the recommended number of hours of sleep each night. What can parents do to help limit screen use after bedtime? Well, prevention is really the only effective strategy. After all, parents cannot physically monitor their child or teens screen time when they are asleep themselves. In practice, the most effective strategies that Ive seen work are keeping all digital devices out of the child or teens room (including a television), using cell phone monitoring and control tools to restrict use after the bedtime hour, turning off household (or teen) internet access after bedtime, and using a device monitoring app to check the childs usage and ensure that they are in fact sticking to the screen limits. The biggest challenge to using these strategies at home comes from the kids and teens. Most will complain (convincingly!) that they cannot fall asleep if they are not using their device in some way they will say that they need to watch TV or videos to fall asleep, need to listen to music on their device, or need to use a white noise app on their phone or tablet. Parents need to resist giving in and look for alternative solutions to help their child or teen fall asleep. For example, a white noise machine can be purchased to replace a white noise app. A simple screen-free Mp3 player can be used to replace music on a phone or tablet. Books can be used in place of videos if they need something to quiet their mind before bed. Your child or teen isnt going to be enthusiastic about any of these alternatives, because what they really want is to have their device back! But the bedtime limits really are in the best interest of the child or teen, and their disappointment is a small price to pa y for better sleep, better ADHD symptom management, and potentially fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression. If parents are able to stick to the limits, after a while, their child or teen will adjust to their new routine, the complaints will die down, and they should be sleeping better. If sleep problems persist, consider talking to your childs pediatrician. There are many ways to treat sleep problems, and the pediatrician will help you find the right solution. 1Becker, S.P. Lienesch, J.A. (2018). Nighttime media use in adolescents with ADHD: links to sleep problems and internalizing symptoms. Sleep Medicine, 51, 171-178. ABOUT DR. MARY ROONEY Mary Rooney, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco. Dr Rooney is a researcher and clinician specializing in the evaluation and treatment of ADHD and co-occurring behavioral, anxiety, and mood disorders. A strong advocate for those with attention and behavior problems, Dr. Rooney is committed to developing and providing comprehensive, cutting edge treatments tailored to meet the unique needs of each child and adolescent. Dr. Rooney's clinical interventions and research avenues emphasize working closely with parents and teachers to create supportive, structured home and school environments that enable children and adolescents to reach their full potential. In addition, Dr. Rooney serves as a consultant and ADHD expert to Huntington Learning Centers. ABOUT HUNTINGTON Huntington Learning Center is the tutoring and test prep leader. Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students of all levels succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntington's mission is to give every student the best education possible. Call us today at 1.800.CAN LEARN to discuss how Huntington can help your child. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com. This website does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The material on this site is provided for educational purposes only.

How to Be Creative

How to Be Creative Creativity is a natural talent. And, the good news is you dont have to be born a creative person. Creativity can be taught and nurtured. Here are some tips for those of you who want to know how to be creative. First of all stop suffering from being dull and unimaginative. Creativity doesnt have to hit you like a bolt of lightning. So, remove the phrase “I am not creative” from your vocabulary and start developing your creativity. Here is how. Travel to interesting places and meet new people. Don’t get stuck in everyday routine! Find a couple of hours for yourself and forget about all your troubles. Learn to play a musical instrument. Playing a musical instrument fosters creativity. Surround yourself with good company. Share ideas with  your like minded friends. Learn something new every day. Remain a lifelong student, take online courses or get an Art tutor for stuff like animation, sketching, drawings etc. Ignore the skeptics. You know that new ideas are always resisted, even if they’re great. Do a lots of experiments. Find out when your brain functions better, in the morning or in the evening. Where you prefer to work independently in a quiet studio space or in a team. There are many variables when it comes to creative work. Give yourself the opportunity to be creative. Forget about “productive” use of time.  Make time to do what you crave. Because doing what you love is the most productive thing ever. To conclude, don’t be influenced by what most people think you should be doing. You have right to express yourself regardless of what anyone else might thinks of you or your work. Be creative, be happy and always be yourself!

Guest Post 7 Sites to Find Inspiration for Creative Writing

Guest Post 7 Sites to Find Inspiration for Creative Writing 7 Sites to Find Inspiration for Creative Writing Creativity is one of the most essential elements in every written work. And for writers who are writing a novel or even other materials that requires personal creativity, it can be really difficult. There are just times when you cannot get the inspiration you need to be able to write. When this happens, you find it extremely hard to let your creativity flow. But with the help of these 7 sites, you can easily find inspiration for creative writing (READ: Tips from an Irvine English tutor: 5 steps for surviving literature class). 1. Writing This site is free to join and very easy to use. As a known online community for writers from different backgrounds, writing.com has been widely popular among writers ever since 2000. With this website, you get to have a creative environment where you can access various writing tools and other opportunities to find inspiration. The site makes it easy for you to create your own writing portfolio and share your work. On top of that, you can also interact with other fellow writers. You can share ideas and collaborate with others that can surely bring out your creative side. 2. Inspiration for Writers When you cannot find inspiration to start or to finally complete your work, you can access the site Inspirationforwriters.com. The site is home to really useful materials that you can use for your writing. If you want essential tips to further improve your writing, Inspirationforwriters.com has a blog where you can read useful articles. You can also sign-up for their newsletters and even download their Workbook. Aside from the online resources that they provide to writers, the site also offers editorial services. If you are in need of professional editors who will review your work, you are the right place. 3. Boston Globe Before you can really become an effective writer, you need to be a wide reader first. It is essential that you are aware of what is going on around you. All writers read different materials as they use these to inspire them to write about something. One great site is the Bostonglobe.com. With this site, you get to read interesting features and other content in various categories from sports, politics, lifestyle, etc. Just click any category you want and you get to have a list of various articles that you might find worth reading. From any of these content, you can find inspiration. 4. Storybird Creating a pure written text can be quite dull especially if you want to make your work more visual and creative. By using the platform of Storybird.com, it is now much easier for you to do visual storytelling with just a few clicks. This site is for writers, artists and readers who want to make visual stories in just a matter of seconds. The platform is very easy to use. You can start creating your story, add visuals and share it online. In addition to creating your story, you can also interact with other writers and readers with the site’s global community. 5. Best Essay Tips Just when you really cannot find inspiration, there are websites like Bestessaytips.com that can help you with your writing. The site provides various writing tips that you can use. Apart from their useful tips, they also offer free samples to help you in making your own research. When you see the content, at least you get to have the idea as to how you can finally start your own work. 6. Protagonize Writers dream of not just creating their work but also to publish and share it with their readers and other people. Thanks to the Internet, there are sites like Protagonize.com. This site allows you to create your own work. But apart that, it also makes it easy for you to publish and to share your writing with the rest of the world. You can also collaborate with other writers and even get in touch with your readers. 7. The Story Starter Let’s face it. When you read any content, the moment you read the first sentence and you find it really dull and boring, you wouldn’t bother to read everything from start to finish. That is why it is essential for writers to capture the interest of their readers even with the very first sentence of their work. With the site, Thestorystarter.com, you get to have an online generating tool where you can generate the first sentence. Just type in the certain words or keywords and the tool will automatically generate the sentence relevant to what you are looking for. Creative writing is an arduous task among writers. But with the help of these sites and tools, it is much easier for you to finally find inspiration to jumpstart your work or to finally finish your work in such a way that you get to create a written work that will capture the interests of your readers and will showcase your talent and creativity as a writer. About the author: Cindy Bates works as a freelance writer and editor. She used to write articles and share her knowledge and experience in educational sphere. All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us post about.