By Jen Copfer, RN

Now that summer is coming to an end, it’s a perfect time to start focusing on reversing the sun damage that was incurred during the summer season and/or the damage that has incurred cumulatively over the years.

The damage I’m talking about specifically is sun spots, also known as hyperpigmentation or solar lentignes. These flat brown spots develop most commonly on the face, neck, chest, arms, and the back of hands, and are caused by an over production of melanin (the cell responsible for pigment) due to UV radiation damage of sun exposure.

In terms of visible aging, sun is the #1 enemy of the skin and the #1 cause of premature aging such as wrinkles, skin texture, and sun spots/hyperpigmentation. The best way to prevent this damage is by habitual use of broad spectrum sunscreen, reapplied every 2 hours, and to avoid direct sun exposure. But for those of us who didn’t know any better and basked in the lovely sun rays for most our childhood, early adult and adult life, either unprotected or not protected enough, the damage has already incurred. (more…)

Starting the college prep journey? Here’s a quick overview of the whys and wherefores of SAT and ACT tutoring.

Which (as in, which test: SAT or ACT)? I have a long answer to this question, but here’s the short one. Students who are fast workers and do well in their math and (importantly) science classes usually do better on the ACT. Students who are exceptional readers and writers, and who like to take their time with their work, usually do better on the SAT. Note that the tests are graded on a curve, and most students tend to score about the same on both of them. But choosing the right test can be worth a few percentage points. (By the way, I do not recommend getting tutored for both tests.) (more…)

By Dr. Trina Moore-Southall

Have you ever used a product for your child that seemed incredibly challenging or frustrating to use? It is possible that the team used to create the product had no one who actually had children on the team. How about a product for women that is designed by men? A product to help seniors created by millennials that consulted no seniors in the design? It happens.

The most successful and productive teams employ the widest ranges of experiences, identities, and backgrounds. This multicultural skillset begins at a very young age. It is a valuable skill that strengthens throughout our lives. Your child will be a better friend, a better student, a better employee and ultimately a better person if they are culturally intelligent.

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By Dale Atkins, PhD and Amanda Salzhauer, MSW

Kindness is important because, among the many benefits, studies continue to support that it is positively linked to our happiness, mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health, overall well-being, AND it can give our life meaning. For kids who are engaged in service to others, research shows that they feel better about themselves, have better attitudes towards learning and school (and they do better in school), have improved social skills, and increased civic engagement.

The majority of parents say that they place high value on their children being kind, yet that message can be confusing for children, especially, because they are more often acknowledged for their academic, athletic, and artistic achievements than for their acts of kindness. But when we look at our children through a lens of kindness we see things that often go unnoticed. When we tell our son: “It was thoughtful of you to draw a “get well” picture for your friend Joey when he was in the hospital” or mention to your daughter: “I noticed you filling your hamster’s water bottle. You take good care of her”, we are paying attention to, and acknowledging our kids’ kind behaviors. When we take an extra moment to thank the person who bags our groceries, or when we hold the door for someone behind us, or put our phone away to fully focus on the person with whom we are speaking, we are practicing and modeling kindness. Having these interactions, brief as they may be, gives us an opportunity to connect with others. And our children observe us doing these everyday acts of kindness. (more…)