How Does The Environment Influence A Child's Growth And Development?

What you teach your child will not restrict her overall development. The environment your child grows up in and things she sees around her will also influence her early learning. It could be the ambiance at home, at school, at daycare, in the neighborhood and any other areas where your child spends a considerable amount of time.

Here Are Environmental Factors That Affect Your Child’s Development:

1. Emotional Bond with Your Child:

·         One of the first and main environment, your child will experience is the one at home. Since her birth, the emotional environment she sees and feels around her will shape her personality. The bond your child shares with you will help her understand and learn how to express her love and fears.

·         It will teach her how to interact with those who are close to her. A sentimental connect with you during the early years will help her feel confident and secure.

·         A stable and loving relationship will nurture your child’s personality. She will feel important and valued.

·         Make sure you spend enough time showing her that you love her. Hold her hands and be there for her always.

2. Your Equation with Your Partner:

·         The relationship you share with your spouse will affect your child’s developmental and emotional growth.

·         Your spouse and you are the perhaps the two people who will be closest to your child. You will also be the first couple your child will ever know.

·         How you interact with each other, and the love and respect you share as a couple will help your child learn about valuing another person.

·         She will learn the importance of a strong connect and will learn how to respect others.

·         A little display of affection is okay and required in front of your child. Small but important gestures like holding hands and hugging will show your child that these are natural ways to express love.

3. Your Family’s Financial Health:

·         Your financial strength will affect various aspects of your daughter’s childhood experience.

·         Your finances will determine the neighborhood you live in, the school or daycare your daughter will go to and your family’s social circle.

·         In some cases, your child may notice your buying and spending habits and compare them with others she knows, like her friends and their parents. Depending on how she perceives these, she may start feeling self-conscious.

·         It is important you speak to your child about finances and how there are things more important than what money can buy.

COMMON MISTAKES MADE BY ENTERENEURS

A big part of starting a business is having a plan then having the discipline to act on it. Being part of a startup isn’t always glamorous, and often requires simply submitting yourself to the process.

Taking steps to avoid mistakes frequently made by new entrepreneurs is a part of this process. Here are nine mistakes you should avoid when starting a new business:

1. Not spending enough money or spending too much money.

As a new entrepreneur, money is likely to be one of your biggest concerns. Pre-launch cash flow is likely to be close to nil, so making and saving money will usually take There are two mindsets I tend to see among new entrepreneurs: Either “You have to spend money to make money” or “I’ll spend the bare minimum until I have some decent cash flow.” 

Both of these attitudes, when taken to the extreme, can be harmful. Spend your startup cash wisely, but don’t be afraid to invest in good people and quality products. This will bode well for you in the long term.

2. Think you have no direct competitors.

The excitement about a new product or business can often lead new entrepreneurs to think they really have no direct competition, or that their product is so head-and-shoulders above those of their rivals that they’re in a category of their own.

In reality, it’s extremely rare to have no direct competitors. Unless you’ve invented a completely new product, there will be someone who already has market share in your niche. Do your due diligence to find out what these companies are and how you can differentiate your business.

3. Making hiring decisions based on cost.

This is closely tied to number one, but is so important it deserves to be mentioned separately. When funds are tight, it’s tempting to skimp on the cost of new hires. The problem with this strategy, however, is that you’ll end up paying in the long run.

Low-cost employees and consultants are usually low-cost for a reason -- they are more likely to be inexperienced, unskilled or unreliable (or all three).

4. Not setting attainable goals.

New entrepreneurs can be so enraptured by their “big idea,” they work without a solid plan. But the reality is you must set realistic and attainable goals in order to succeed.

Make a point of setting both short- and long-term goals, and make sure they’re specific. Don’t just say, “I want to make $1 million this year.” Set a reasonable goal, and then determine what specific steps you need to take to reach it.

5. Not thinking about marketing.

“If you build it, they will come.” This is a common belief (sometimes conscious, sometimes not) among new entrepreneurs. They think that their products are so revolutionary that they can just rely on free PR and word of mouth.

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HOW TO STARTING MANAGING YOU MONEY.

You were probably taught some basic math growing up, but too many people make it all the way to adulthood without ever learning basic money management. Skills like creating a budget, investing for the future, or even how credit cards work are startlingly rare skills. If you’re in need of a Money 101, we’ll cover the basics for beginners, while also giving you the resources you need to learn more.

The Golden Rules of Personal Finance

Managing your finances feels like nothing but a lot of paperwork and numbers. You make X amount of dollars, you spend Y amount, and you try to make sure Y is less than X. However, your finances are just as much about psychology, habits, and the values you choose to live by. Put another way, your mindset matters just as much as the math.

Beneath all the software and the budgets, there are a few rules that will always help improve your financial life:

• Spend less money than you earn: If you earn $30,000/year and you spend $31,000/year, you’ll end up in a spiral of debt that’s hard to walk away from. If you spend exactly as much as you earn every year, you’ll never be prepared for emergencies or major life changes. Spending less than you earn allows you the freedom to save, to prepare for the future, and deal with the inevitable crises that life throws at you. The bigger the gap between your income and your spending, the better.
• Always plan for the future: This doesn’t just mean retirement. When a store offers to let you pay off some gadget in 6 months with no interest, you need to know you can pay it off, or avoid that deal. Establishing an emergency fund will allow you to deal with unexpected car repairs or medical bills. Having a retirement plan will ensure you have income when you’re unable to work anymore. Your finances should always look forward beyond the current month.
• Make your money make more money: Want to know how the rich keep getting richer? It’s because money can grow while you sleep, provided you save some of it. Properly invested money earns more money over time. Don’t just sock all your cash away in a low-interest savings account. Invest in things that will earn you more money than you had before. Sometimes that’s an investment account, but sometimes it’s starting a business, or even getting an education to get a better paying job.

The most important personal finance rules don’t change. What your grandparents did may not work for you. There will always be newer, better tools to manage your money. However, spending less than you earn will always be beneficial. Investing your money will always be better than doing nothing with it. And planning for the future will always be better than blowing your paycheck as soon as you get it

LIFE AFTER UNIVERSITY.

With graduation looming and inspiration yet to strike about your future plans, it's easy to get stuck in a cycle of despair. All of your friends are starting fancy grad schemes or llama-herding in Peru, while the only thing you've got lined up is a Breaking Bad marathon and scheduled panic attacks about the dwindling graduate jobs market.

Your student discount card is about to expire, and if another family member asks you about your career plans then you might just have a breakdown. Sound familiar? These six points might help to reassure you.

1. We're still young

Those who started a three-year course straight from school will have only just turned 21, so there's no rush to accept the first 9-5 job that you're offered. Becky Dnistrianskyj, a recent graduate from Cardiff University, turned down several graduate jobs in favour of continuing with bar work.

She says: "I don't see the point in accepting a poorly-paid graduate job that I'm not even sure I want to do, just because I'm expected to. I'd rather save up until I've had time to decide what I really want to pursue."

2. Comparing yourself to other people is a waste of time

Just because your housemate has secured their ideal job doesn't mean that you're a failure by contrast.

3. You can't discover who you want to be until you find out who you are

Personalities often change at university, which can be daunting beyond the bubble of campus life. Challenge yourself by experiencing something new, while you still have the chance. Chris Jenkins of Southampton University has just returned from Southeast Asia, in time for his graduation:

"I had wanted to travel and experience different cultures for a while, and the summer before starting work provided that opportunity. It was the best experience of my life. I thoroughly recommend going out into the world and seeing it for yourself, regardless of whether you have a job lined up for your return", he said.

4. Many successful career-people have 'fallen into' their line of work

Recent statistics from the New College of the Humanities found that 19 out of 20 graduates had switched jobs within three years. Be confident enough to accept that your dream career might not be as you had hoped, and devise a new plan according to the aspects that you enjoyed.

5. Your degree won't go to waste

Deciding that you don't want to be a psychologist doesn't necessarily mean that the three years and thousands of pounds spent on a psychology degree was all for nothing – any university education teaches a desirable skill set. According to Prospects, many graduate employers seek degree-level candidates rather than those disciplined in a specific subject.

6. You're not alone

Marcus Zientek, a careers adviser at Sheffield University, says that many students are unsure of their plans after graduation:

"How uncertain they are does vary, from those who have an interest in a general area of work but have not yet decided about it, to those who describe themselves as not having any ideas at all.

"Panicking doesn't help and is unnecessary anyway. Don't let things drift – keep calm and make a plan. Realise that you're not deciding what to do with the rest of your life, but choosing a good next step for you."

THINGS RICH PEOPLE KNOW THAT YOU DON' T.

Automate

You can be your own worst enemy when it comes to financial success. It’s all too easy to procrastinate and neglect what needs to be done and, meanwhile, give in to temptation and spend more than you should. It’s the perfect recipe for not becoming rich. 

The best way to protect yourself from yourself is to automate your savings. That means setting up recurring transfers on a regular basis from your checking account to your savings and investment accounts (or setting up auto deduction from your paycheck to your employer-sponsored retirement plan). This way, you force yourself to avoid bad money habits and save what you would likely otherwise spend. If you haven’t already, set aside 15 minutes on your calendar now to do it. Not later, now. Your rich future self will thank you. 

Maximize contributions

When it comes to retirement account contributions, you’ve probably been told to start small and then try to increase the amount by at least 1% every year until you max out. If you’ve been procrastinating, then yes, even a small starting contribution is better than none. The problem is that small efforts can lead to small results. If you want to be rich, you have to save like you mean it. And that means contributing the max amount allowed from the get-go (and at least as much as your employer will match in your 401(k) plan). 

This is especially true if you are starting to save later in life and need to play catch up. You might worry that maxing out your contributions will squeeze your cash flow too tightly, but it is easier to get in the habit of spending less if you don’t have that extra to money to spend in the first place. It’s much harder to increasingly scale back your budget year after year to accommodate for increasing contributions. 

Never carry credit card balances

Revolving, high-interest debt is one of the biggest threats to your financial freedom. It can seriously drag you down, costing you thousands in unnecessary fees and interest charges — and prevent you from saving more. If you ever want to be rich, you have to ditch the bad habit of carrying credit card balances, along with the minimum payment mentality. 

Instead, you need to learn how to use credit wisely, rather than as a crutch, and commit to paying off your balances in full each month. Smart credit card holders know and practice the tricks to maximize rewards, points, discounts and monthly cash flow without getting in over their head. Of course, living within your means is key to your success.

Live like you’re poor

Have you ever met someone who is unassuming and modest and then were surprised to later learn that they are actually rolling in dough? I had an older client who was stuck in 1983: he wore ugly brown suits and running shoes, drove a beat-up baby blue Volvo station wagon and lived in the same modest house he bought 40 years ago. Turns out, this man was an uber-successful entrepreneur and multimillionaire — and even richer because of his humble habits.

Millionaires are all around us, and many of them are probably not who you would think. This is because they smartly live below their means and save their money rather than showcase it. Of course, it’s easy to live below your means when you have millions, but even if you have far less, getting into the habit of spending minimally now will help you have a lot more later. The trick is adopting a “less is more” mentality and sticking with it, even when your income and net worth increase in the future.

Avoid temptation

The temptation to live large and beyond our means is all around us: TV, magazines, friends, family, colleagues, “the Joneses.” It is nearly impossible to escape the pressure to spend, spend and then spend some more. The problem is that overspending often leads to debt accumulation, under saving and long-term financial insecurity. 

Force yourself to avoid negative financial influences as much as possible. That means going cold turkey: Avoid malls, unsubscribe from all those retail emails and don’t sign up for new ones and say “no” to invitations that you know will cost you. 

Then, replace these temptations with things that motivate you.

       

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ALBERT EINSTEIN BIBLIOGRAPHY.

The German-born physicist Albert Einstein developed the first of his groundbreaking theories while working as a clerk in the Swiss patent office in Bern. After making his name with four scientific articles published in 1905, he went on to win worldwide fame for his general theory of relativity and a Nobel Prize in 1921 for his explanation of the phenomenon known as the photoelectric effect. An outspoken pacifist who was publicly identified with the Zionist movement, Einstein emigrated from Germany to the United States when the Nazis took power before World War II. He lived and worked in Princeton, New Jersey, for the remainder of his life.

Born on March 14, 1879, in the southern German city of Ulm, Albert Einstein grew up in a middle-class Jewish family in Munich. As a child, Einstein became fascinated by music (he played the violin), mathematics and science. He dropped out of school in 1894 and moved to Switzerland, where he resumed his schooling and later gained admission to the Swiss Federal Polytechnic Institute in Zurich. In 1896, he renounced his German citizenship, and remained officially stateless before becoming a Swiss citizen in 1901.

While at Zurich Polytechnic, Einstein fell in love with his fellow student Mileva Maric, but his parents opposed the match and he lacked the money to marry. The couple had an illegitimate daughter, Lieserl, born in early 1902, of whom little is known. After finding a position as a clerk at the Swiss patent office in Bern, Einstein married Maric in 1903; they would have two more children, Hans Albert (born 1904) and Eduard (born 1910).

Einstein’s Miracle Year (1905)

While working at the patent office, Einstein did some of the most creative work of his life, producing no fewer than four groundbreaking articles in 1905 alone. In the first paper, he applied the quantum theory (developed by German physicist Max Planck) to light in order to explain the phenomenon known as the photoelectric effect, by which a material will emit electrically charged particles when hit by light. The second article contained Einstein’s experimental proof of the existence of atoms, which he got by analyzing the phenomenon of Brownian motion, in which tiny particles were suspended in water.A

In the third and most famous article, titled “On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies,” Einstein confronted the apparent contradiction between two principal theories of physics: Isaac Newton’s concepts of absolute space and time and James Clerk Maxwell’s idea that the speed of light was a constant. To do this, Einstein introduced his special theory of relativity, which held that the laws of physics are the same even for objects moving in different inertial frames (i.e. at constant speeds relative to each other), and that the speed of light is a constant in all inertial frames. A fourth paper concerned the fundamental relationship between mass and energy, concepts viewed previously as completely separate. Einstein’s famous equation E = mc2 (where “c” was the constant speed of light) expressed this relationship.

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This Is Your Brain on Meditation.

 By Rebecca Gladding M.D

I realized today that in all my posts regarding the brain and how to sculpt it with mindfulness, I’ve never actually explained how and why meditation works. Specifically, the science behind how your brain changes the longer you meditate. I think this is important for many reasons, but one of the most salient is that this information serves as a great motivator to keep up a daily practice (or start one).

I’m sure you’ve heard people extol the virtues of meditation. You may be skeptical of the claims that it helps with all aspects of life. But, the truth is, it does. Sitting every day, for at least 15-30 minutes, makes a huge difference in how you approach life, how personally you take things and how you interact with others. It enhances compassion, allows you to see things more clearly (including yourself) and creates a sense of calm and centeredness that is indescribable. There really is no substitute.

For those of you who are curious as to how meditation changes the brain, this is for you. Although this may be slightly technical, bear with me because it’s really interesting. The brain, and how we are able to mold it, is fascinating and nothing short of amazing. Here are the brain areas you need to know:

• Lateral prefrontal cortex: the part of the brain that allows you to look at things from a more rational, logical and balanced perspective. In the book, we call it the Assessment Center. It is involved in modulating emotional responses (originating from the fear center or other parts of the brain), overriding automatic behaviors/habits and decreasing the brain’s tendency to take things personally (by modulating the Me Center of the brain, see below).

• Medial prefrontal cortex: the part of the brain that constantly references back to you, your perspective and experiences. Many people call this the “Me Center” of the brain because it processes information related to you, including when you are daydreaming, thinking about the future, reflecting on yourself, engaging in social interactions, inferring other people’s state of mind or feeling empathy for others. We call it the Self-Referencing Center
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