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Basic Skills Required for College

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Is your child academically ready to tackle on college? Even if your child is not completely ready academically, most universities offer non-credit remedial courses to help get your child to the level necessary for credit courses; however, you are paying for those remedial courses as if they were for credits toward a degree.

Every college is a little different. Generally speaking, most regionally accredited universities that are not considered ivy-league status require similar skills for successful students.

The main skills your child needs for college is grammar, writing, research, and reading. If your child can excel in those categories, the rest can be learned.

Some professors throw away college papers after x amount of grammatical errors, but most are aware that grammar has morphed into a creative process; however, if your child’s idea of a complete sentence is, “Although he will LOL when he sees that. SMH,” then your child is going to struggle in English Comp 1.

Students write everywhere in college, and if they aren’t writing, they are speaking. Content is most important, and critical thinking skills play an important role in content. Your child should be very familiar with literary devices used in literature as they will be using those in their writing.

One time waster many students struggle with is citation of sources. Google is an easy task for many children presently; however, properly citing where they got their information is not. They need to have a good understanding of MLA and APA format, with the focus based on their career choice.

College requires a lot of reading. It helps to really focus on main ideas and supporting details within a paragraph, and to use headings in note taking. Sometimes a study skills course can benefit even the smartest students.

Filed Under: General, Teens Tagged With: , ,

Help Your Teen Build Credit with an Auto Loan

Your teen has little hands-on cash, but she has just started her new summer job and wants to build some credit. She wonders if an auto loan will help, and comes to you for assistance.

Building credit with an auto loan can help. Here’s how:

  • Car refinance loans will enable your teen to purchase other things on credit in the future. With good management come greater opportunities such as the need for furniture, vacations, or a new motorcycle.
  • Credit scores are built based on how timely and regularly payments are made. When your teen makes regular payments, his/her credit score is built.
  • Your teen may already need a car to get to and from work. Getting that auto loan will help in both the commuting as well as the learning arena of your teen’s life.
  • Don’t hesitate to get an auto loan with an interest rate that is higher than you expected. Interest rates are often higher for teens without credit. After a year, refinance the loan and get the interest rate you want.
  • An auto loan will raise your teen’s credit score. If they pay more than the minimum payment their credit score will show it. Making double payments or a payment and a half per payment period is always helpful in improving a credit score.

When your teen builds credit, the success they feel will be on their own shoulders. Building credit is not only a good learning opportunity but a growing opportunity in building credit for future successes

 

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The Best Car Your Money Can Buy

Everybody wants the best car their money can buy in terms of speed, fuel efficiency and looks. If you are looking to buy a new car, there are certain objectives you need to keep in mind. Evaluating your situation will help you arrive at what kind of car you need and what price range you can afford. Fuel efficiency is primary for all vehicles. A rule of thumb is that the smaller the vehicle engine, the more fuel-efficient it is. Larger cars almost always require more maintenance. You could also consider buying a new car with an alternative fueling system or a hybrid electric car.

No matter what you are looking for, a directory like Canada 411 will help you narrow down the choice of places to visit for your new car. Always keep in mind that there is a right time to buy a car. All sales reps at dealerships are trained to talk you into buying something that is profitable to them and not of much use to you, so know what you want before you head off to the showroom. Once you have purchased your car, maintenance is the next issue. Look into the service options provided by the dealers you have on your list. Research on sites like Canada 411 will help you make the right choice.

Research is the key to making a good purchase when it comes to cars. In fact, things have progressed so much that you can even buy a car online if you are already familiar with the make and model of your choice.

Filed Under: General, Relationships Tagged With: , ,

Parents and Teenagers: The Neverending Conflict

Many parents often find it difficult to cope up with the increasing age and growing demands of their children. Some parents are so overwhelmed with the responsibility of parenting teens that they believe they are solely responsible for the way their children turn out. They believe that as a parent, they should be perfect for their children.

Many parents believe that giving their children a controlled and protected life will ensure that they are safe and secure from the crude realities of the world. This control is viewed by teenagers as a breach of their independence and they struggle to break free.

Such parents should understand their own limitations and should accept the reality of their child’s quest to gain individuality. Parents can assist on their child’s journey to individuality by allowing their children to dress the way they feel expresses their personality. Parents can help their children select and purchase their favorite Rocawear Clothing to wear.

Parents should also accept the fact that although parents are important in their child’s life, they are not the only influence for them. Teachers, fellow students, friends, neighbors, as well as many public figures also contribute in developing the personality of all teens.

The road to adulthood is difficult for both children and parents, as they both fear losing the mutual closeness they once shared. Being a responsible adult means that parents need to understand the mental struggle that most teenagers go through. They should help them grow and become independent rather than trying to control them.

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The Generation Demands: Teens and Clothing

It’s an expectation of immediacy — a demand of more, more, now. A quest for fashion leads your child to the endless aisles, searching through shops. Trends are craved; patterns are sought; and the hours are marked to the shrill justifications of every single silhouette. Your teen begs for clothing, promises that it’s vital to his existence (schoolyard survival is balanced on brand names and bold logos). He needs … everything and believes you’ll provide it.

The modern generation is marked by speed. All desires are quick; all impulses are answered. It’s an age of relentless needs — and parents are often forced to bear the burden of it. The change isn’t sudden. It has instead been slowly creeping into the collective childrens’ consciousness, with each era pleading for a little more of department store convenience. What was once an understanding of budgets, however, has instead become an assumption of ease.

This must stop.

Your teen — whether wanting stylish Nike Clothing or seasonal designs — has no concept of cost. This is the unfortunate aftermath of today’s easy victories. It’s essential therefore that you explain the one rule of fashion: it has a price.

You must create ways for your child to earn fabrics: allow him to complete chores around the house; encourage him to maintain part-time employment; offer a weekly allowance that he can save. This will cause a correlation between what is wanted and what must be worked for — a lesson that all modern teens need.

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Developing Safe Driving Practices

In my opinion, it is not the act of talking on... 

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Quite a few videos are circulating the web on the dangers of texting and driving. In addition, you can find many on the dangers of drinking and driving. While these are definitely important concepts to talk to your child about regarding driving, here are some other tips.

When you drive, talk out the laws and why you drive the way you drive. Explain the method to your madness, such as, “I switched lanes because people frequently merge into this lane at that moment…” In addition, explain the laws such as right of way, and feel free to give pop quizzes.

While texting and cell phones provide as a popular distraction, they are not the only distractions to the road. Empirical evidence supports that conversations are the key distraction with cell phones more so than the handling of the phone. It doesn’t stop with cell phone usage as conversations with other passengers can be just as dangerous as texting.

Teach defensive driving techniques. Not only should a driver pay attention to what he is doing on the road, but also he should pay attention to the other drivers. Many accidents are avoided with a little foresight.

Make sure they know not only should they be wearing seat belts, but all passengers in the car should as well. Include your child in the insurance set-up so that she is aware how insurance works. Explain how liability insurance works, and when it is needed, and who is responsible for passengers in the vehicle.

Limiting distractions, defensive driving techniques, and an understanding of natural consequences as well as the dangers of the vehicle will help promote safe driving.

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Benefits to Travel

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Sometimes the best education you can provide your pre-teens and teens is travel. In the United States, the best skill you can have for the current job market is social skills, which also entail developing healthy relationships with your peers.

Teenagers are at the age where they are in search for their identity, and they base this off their own knowledge and experiences. Many assume they already know everything they need to know, which makes many parents laugh maniacally. If their hometown is all they have to pull experience from, then they really don’t know much socially beyond their own community.

In their struggle to find their identity, it is very common for teenagers to get lost in the “me world.” Everything is about them. The way you dress is about them. The notion that you may not have the money to get them a mustang as their first car might not appeal to them. Children who travel a lot and see different cultures at play generally somehow naturally gain a better understanding of their role within the world.

Diversity is a big deal in this era. Many cultures have historically come together in the United States to form a great nation; however, in this era with the age of technology, everything is global. Even many small businesses now reach an international market. While learning a second language may seem like a very obvious skill to help ensure success, learning about other cultures and what makes people tick worldwide will provide better assurance to that success.

While international travel is sometimes the best travel you can get for educational purposes, even military brats who mainly lived in different states have developed a lot of these skills. Learning the transition and adaptation techniques with different cultures or subcultures is the primary goal, and even traveling within your continent can be beneficial.

Filed Under: General, Teens Tagged With: , ,

Teaching the Value of a Dollar

One of the most important things that you can teach to your children is the value of a dollar. The reason for this is that money management skills are some of the most vitally essential skills that you could learn. Your children are going to need to be able to manage money, and they are going to need to be able to use their money wisely. This is not something that comes naturally to most people. It is essential that you teach your children solid money managing skills so that they can be effective when dealing with money in the future.

Your child needs to learn how to get a job, how to balance a checkbook, and how to use a prepaid card like a credit card or a debit card. These are all strategies that you can teach them early, allowing them to practice for some time before they are old enough to actually do these things. These are all effective strategies that your child should know long before they actually have to get a job or use a prepaid card, for example. Keep in mind that there is nothing wrong with allowing your child to make mistakes, but it is better to do so early when you can help them move past the mistakes and move in the right direction.

It is completely in your power to help your children learn about money in a healthy and productive manner. When you teach your child how to manage money early on, they can grow up with a much better understanding of how money works, how loans and credit work, and how they can take care of their finances efficiently and effectively without making bad mistakes in the process. A little bit of planning and teaching ahead of time can really have a positive effect on how your child grows up.

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