Could You Spot These Warning Signs In Your Teen?

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There comes a time as a parent that you realize that your little ones are no longer babies, and they are developing their own minds at an alarming rate. The things that you start to witness them going through reminds you of your adolescence, and all you want for them to do is be able to work their way through their education, there hormones raging and their new found confidence for their lives. But there can be another issue that you might not necessarily want to face? Your teen will be going through so many changes, and often they can affect them mentally. Could you spot the signs that your teen is struggling? Here are some of the things that you might want to look out for.

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Is there a change in their mood?

One of the easiest things to spot will probably be their mood. Of course, all teenagers will have their hormones raging, and this can also mean that their mood is changing. But there will be more evident things to look out for. Naturally, you may find that they are grumpy, agitated, and frustrated, which can be normal, but they could also be down, sad, emotional, teary and even recluse. Look for changes that you wouldn’t feel is normal for your child, and take it from there. Often just monitoring it to see whether there is a pattern or any other changes.

Have you noticed a change in their behavior?

A big indicator that something isn’t right is a sudden change in behavior. Are they more secretive? Are they less talkative? Do they do things differently? Are they dressing differently? Sometimes these changes are noticeable, but other times they happen gradually so being more aware can help you to spot the signs if something isn’t right. This is when things like teen depression treatment could help your child get back on track with their thoughts, feelings, and behavior towards things.

Do they respond to things differently?

Often the response from a child is a big indicator that things aren’t what they seem. So listen out for their responses to normal questions. Is there doubt? Is there use of a lot of negative language? Do they still find fun and happiness in things they used to? Such as their favorite foods or the things they used to like doing like hobbies or sports. Do they respond to family or friends in a different way? Often asking yourself these questions may help you to spot any signs that things are not as they seem.

Have there been any changes to their routine?

Finally, has there been any changes to their normal routine? Things like exercising more frequently and rigorously? Not eating as much as they would normally do or a loss of appetite? Are they quieter more recluse? Are they getting up later or sleeping for much longer? Again these things can be big warning signs that things are not right, so try and work things out. Again teenagers can sleep more, or change their routines, but it is looking out for the unhealthy habits that might be developing.

Let’s hope these questions help you to spot the signs that your teen is struggling.

Why You Should Be Open To Foreign Home Buyers

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Selling your home isn’t easy at the best of times, but it's a task that we have to go through. Moving properties is a big change in your life. it's a chapter which you won’t forget and for good reason. When you’re selling you’re also buying, but that also means you’re making a huge transaction financially speaking. Maybe it's not actually about the money for you. Perhaps you’ve got a new job in another city or country, maybe you have just had a divorce and you need to sell quickly. Regardless of what the reason is, ask yourself would you really mind if someone from abroad bought your home? For the seller, money is money right, so why does this not occur more often? Yes, it might mean higher fees from real estate agents, but even then that’s not always the case.



One on one

Property buyers from abroad are often not your average home buyer. They are usually wealthy and are represented by their agent or manager. However, you can enter into a one on one relationship with the buyer. This can mean you have a better line of communication with them. In turn, you can negotiate a better price after having struck a relationship with them. The other benefit of having a one on one relationship is that you cut through legal jargon and middlemen. There are no funny games with smoke and mirrors, what you see is what you get. Because the bond is stronger, you can ask for more flexible terms such as moving out at a later date if you don’t want to be rushed.



A better expertise

Selling your home to abroad buyers first means you need to list your home around the world. To open up a realm of possibilities speak to William Pitt as they have a worldwide presence. Using their international network and platform, they can get your property the exposure to various markets around the world. You also get better expertise of the kind of client you should look for and speak to, as well as pricing your home accurate in accordance with the markets not just in your city or country, but worldwide. In comparison to other homes around your neighborhood you might get a competitive price but comparing to worldwide options you might get a spectacular price from buyers who are abroad.

You have more bargaining power

Since the buyer is abroad and they themselves know that you are offering them a chance to buy the property in front of perhaps local buyers, you have more options to bargain with. Buyers from abroad are often looking for specific properties, so since there are fewer options for their tastes, you have the ability to negotiate a higher price. You also have the fallback options of selling nationally or by region, so they cannot pressure you into believing you are their only hope.


Buyers from abroad are usually going to be wealthier than the average domestic property buyer. However, you have much more power to up the ante and increase the price.

Top Tips to Help Reluctant Readers

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Reading is an essential skill used in every aspect of life, from taking exams through to reading warning signs. Therefore, learning to read is one of the most important things that we can teach our children. While some kids love books, others are more reluctant which represents a real challenge, especially when they start bringing home reading books from school.

If your child is a reluctant reader, why not try some of the top tips below to see if you can bring out their inner bookworm?

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Play to their Interests

If your child is seriously unenthusiastic about reading, take some time to think about their hobbies and interests. Nowadays there is such a wide variety of kids books available on almost every subject, including novelizations of favourite kids films, along with books written by celebrities, so you’re sure to find a book that piques their interest that they will be keen to engage with.

Try Audio Books

While they may not be physically holding a book and reading a story, audio books for kids have many benefits. When listening to an audio book, your child will still be following a story, using their imagination and expanding their vocabulary, which are significant first steps towards developing an interest in reading. Engaging your child in a conversation about the story that you are listening to will help to build their reading comprehension skills. Talking about the book together will encourage your child to think more about the story and to begin identifying different plot features and personalities of the main characters.

Audio books are perfect for entertainment on long car journeys and are ideal for bedtimes too. Getting the whole family to listen to an audio book is an ideal way to spend some screen-free time together.

Take it in Turns

If the thought of reading a whole book leaves your child feeling overwhelmed, why not try taking it in turns. Take it in turns to each read a page so that your child can take a break and listen to the story before continuing to read. Taking it in turns to read alternate pages should help them to find reading less off-putting and more of a fun activity that you can do together.

Try not to Turn it into an Issue

Encouraging a reluctant reader to pick up a book and read it can be one of those genuinely stressful parenting moments! Keeping your cool when your child won’t cooperate is incredibly frustrating. However, trying not to turn their reluctance to read into an issue is most likely to be for the best.

Keep on encouraging your child with their reading as best as you can despite their reluctance. You could try compromising and getting them to read for a shorter amount of time than you would like, to make sure that they are still reading albeit for less time. The most important thing to do is to keep showing reading as a fun and positive activity and not as a chore.

How To Curb Driving Stress

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Do you constantly find yourself getting stressed behind the wheel? Stress whilst driving is surprisingly common and has many forms. There are those that get anxiety over the fear of being in an accident and there are those that get road rage as the result of being inconvenienced by traffic jams and other people’s driving. Overcoming driving stress is important, as it can make you a more dangerous driver and it can affect your general health. Here are just several ways in which you can help beat driving stress.

Give yourself enough time

One of the most common times when drivers get stressed is whilst commuting to work. Traffic jams and unforeseen diversions often get us agitated because we know that we’re then going to be late. A simple way to beat this stress is to leave home earlier. By having more time to get to work, you’ll be less likely to get in a panic about being late. This applies to any road journey in which you may need to be somewhere for a certain time.  

Plan your routes

Planning your route out could also help to eliminate driving stress. If you’re travelling somewhere new, planning your route can prevent you getting lost, which is known for making many drivers panicky and frustrated. It can also allow you to avoid roads that could be heavily congested or potentially dangerous in certain weather conditions, helping to make it a smoother and happier drive.

Listen to music

Listening to music can be a great way of relieving stress whilst driving. Obviously, it needs to be music that you enjoy and preferably nothing that’s too distracting. Something that’s tranquil and calm could be what you need to help calm you down on the road. In fact, why not try this song featured at Inc – science suggests it may be the most stress-reducing song.

Learn to deal with others’ bad driving

Other people’s bad driving can be a huge source of both driving anxiety and road rage. Learning to deal calmly with bad drivers is essential – treat them with caution, but don’t fixate on them. Some drivers feel that having a dashcam gives them a sense of security by helping to record any bad driving – sites like BlackBoxMyCar offer information on the best dashcams to buy. Meanwhile, there are also therapists that deal exclusively with road rage, helping you to act calmly during an incident on the road.

Bring some coffee and snacks

Having some coffee and snacks in the car with you could also help you to relieve stress. Tasty foods and drinks can trigger our feelgood receptors, flooding our bodies with endorphins that can help to flush out stress-causing cortisol. The likes of BODUM do great travel cups for drinking coffee on the road.

Health Issues To Think About As You Get Older

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Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important at any age. But as you get older, taking care of your health can require further effort, as well as being prepared to handle a range of issues. From maintaining a healthy weight to making sure your mental health is in order, there are things to consider that can help you live a longer, healthier life, and even help the signs of ageing too.

Need to start thinking about your health as you age? Use some of the following as food for thought.

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Eating well and keeping fit

We spend a lot of our lives focusing on our weight, and while the pressure to be ‘thin’ can be unhealthy, it is important to keep your weight within a healthy range. Being overweight can increase your risk of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer, but healthy living is considered one of the most effective ways of reducing your risk.

Get to know the basics of a healthy, balanced diet and start planning meals that are nutritious and healthy. Meanwhile, help give your cardiovascular health a boost by working out regularly and making sure you get moving during the day. It’s simple advice, but effective for keeping your health in check as you age.

Birth control

While you might have spent a large portion of your life trying not to get pregnant, your birth control needs will change as you start a family and get older. It’s a good idea to have a conversation with your doctor about appropriate birth control methods and to make sure you’re on the right type for your circumstances. You might want to consider coming off hormonal contraception altogether. A vasectomy is an option for your partner, and there are reversal vasectomy procedures available in case circumstances change. Your sexual and reproductive health is important, so don’t neglect these areas of your wellbeing.

Looking after your mental health

We focus a lot on our physical health, but mental health is just as important. You can start focusing on your mental health by learning how to manage stress, making time for yourself and relaxing. Sleep can also have a considerable effect on your mental health, so aim to get around 8 hours a night to allow your body to recharge ready for the next day.

Mental health can be a taboo subject, but it doesn’t have to be. Talk about your feelings and encourage open conversation in your family too. The sooner problems get picked up, the sooner you can get help.

Your health needs change as you get older, but that doesn’t mean you should neglect them. Self-care can help you stay healthy and happy, allowing you to enjoy the good things in life. It’s never too late to start taking care of yourself, so if you’ve been letting things slip lately, start over today and look forward to looking and feeling fabulous no matter what your age.