Author Archive for Phyllis Wheeler

Sleep Hygiene–How to Do It

Published
by
Phyllis Wheeler
on August 4, 2008
in Home & Family
. 0 Comments
by Susan Harris

If you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, your habits could be to blame.

Sleep hygiene is a relatively new concept. It helps you think of caring for yourself in preparation for sleep, just as you might care for your teeth. If you suffer from insomnia, you should take a look at various elements of your sleep hygiene:

*Caffeine. Perhaps as time goes by your body is not as adjusted to taking caffeine as it used to be. Cut out the caffeine (and possibly chocolate too) for a few days and see if that helps. Even caffeine or chocolate taken early in the day can cause problems at bedtime for some people, especially in middle age or later.

*Exercising in the evening. Exercise for your recommended 30 minutes can get your heart rate up and can keep you awake. Try exercising before 6 p.m.

*Sweets. Sugary items eaten close to bedtime may stimulate your system, and make it hard to fall asleep. Natural sugar such as what is in orange juice is no exception.

*Arguments. Instead of getting into arguments in the evening, make an appointment to argue the next day, preferrably not at bedtime!

*Creative projects. Are you working on a creative project late in the day? This can get your creative juices flowing too strongly at bedtime. This could be great for ideas for your project, but bad for sleep. Best to save these for the following day.

So what SHOULD you do for good sleep habits?

*Do calm things after supper, in a calm way.

*If you read near bedtime, read news magazines or other items that have no exciting story line.

*For watching TV and video, choose documentaries over thrillers.

Give these practices a try to see whether good sleep hygiene will make a difference for you!

About the Author:
If you want some suggestions for an insomnia cure, you can try changing your habits in favor of better sleep hygiene. You are seeking an insomnia remedy, but a habits change may allow you to spend less than other possibilities!

10 Things I Like About Kauai, Hawaii

Published
by
Phyllis Wheeler
on July 16, 2008
in Travel & Leisure
. 1 Comment
by Phyllis Wheeler

Looking for a place for a sun and sand vacation? Perhaps you’ve thought of Hawaii. But maybe you think it’s too crowded.

If you like less-crowded vacation spots, you should definitely consider Kauai, Hawaii’s least-traveled large island. Here are 10 reasons why:

Put your face in the water (wearing a mask or goggles) at any beach and watch the colorful fish. You don’t even need a snorkel.

2. There are sheltered beaches for kids on the sunny south side.

3. Adventurous folks will find zipline tours, helicopter tours, and plenty of opportunities to kayak to see amazing scenery.

4. Kauai’s northwest coast, the Na Pali cliffs, will look familiar to you from movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark and Jurassic Park. You too can take a look at the amazing cliffs from a boat tour or from a helicopter tour. You could also take a sea kayak day-long adventure to see them up close.

5. You can use frequent flyer miles to get there.

6. Since it is a U.S. destination, U.S. liability laws apply for diving outfitters. So you are more likely to have a safe diving experience with safe equipment than in non-U.S. destinations.

7. Kauai is the least crowded of the major Hawaiian islands. This is great depending on whether you like or hate crowds.

8. You get to see monk seals and sea turtles at the beaches. Don’t feed or touch! They are endangered.

9. You can see the crafts of Niihau, the neighboring island where Hawaiian language and culture still survive. This island, 17 miles from Kauai, is closed to outsiders.

10. Your vacation may be cheaper than you think, especially compared to some other tropical destinations that are not in the U.S. You’re using U.S. currency, and that will help.

So, consider Kauai!

About the Author:
Before you imagine your tropical vacation, think about a Kauai Hawaii vacation. Author Phyllis Wheeler took her husband and children there and is wanting to return! Find out about Kauai activities from a fellow tourist.

Internet Safety for Your Kids

Published
by
Phyllis Wheeler
on July 8, 2008
in Homeschooling
. 0 Comments
by Phyllis Wheeler

Are you wondering how to make the Internet safe for your kids? You want them to use the Internet for research, but you don’t want them to find objectionable sites or emails.

Maybe you are hoping to buy a program for your computer that blocks objectionable sites, but will allow them to do the research you want them to do.

Here’s the bad news: filtering programs can’t do the job by themselves. NentNanny and other applications like it search for certain words in the Web site your child is clicking on. Simple words like “belly” can be targets for blocking, causing frustration, while research on “breast cancer” may be impossible.

But these word-blocking solutions are no good at all at blocking objectionable photo sites that have no objectionable words attached. Ask me how I know? My teenage son figured it out. He just went to Google Images and started looking. Your son could do that too. And the objectionable sites he found weren’t blocked by NetNanny, which was turned on.

The problem is that filter programs search for individual words. They never look at pictures, and in fact cannot.

So, how can you protect your child?

*Put the computers the kids use where YOU are in your home. Then monitor what they are doing.

*To log on, anyone who is not an adult will have to ask an adult to input the password, giving permission in this way.

*Insist that your kids log off when they finish. As a result, they will need an adult to input the password the next time they want on.

*Use a filter like NetNanny. It will help when your back is turned.

*Make sure the kids know you will punish them if they are looking at objectionable sites. Visit their terminals at unpredictable times.

*Unplug the Internet cables if the child doens’t need to access the Internet for his task.

*Require younger children to use your email address. This will allow you to protect them from vicious spam. As they get older, give teens their own email address, but make sure they give it out only to friends.

Your watchfulness will pay off. Your children will be protected from what they should not see, and they will also learn good habits for using the Internet as adults.

About the Author:
Phyllis Wheeler, the Computer Lady, gives these tips for parents. She also furnishes homeschool computer courses via MotherboardBooks.com, which has offered do-it-yourself computer skills and programming courses for kids and teens since 2003.

Why Your Child Should Learn Logic

Published
by
Phyllis Wheeler
on June 25, 2008
in Homeschooling
. 0 Comments
by Phyllis Wheeler

In Star Trek, the logical mind of Mr. Spock contrasts with the emotional minds of everyone else. But this is fiction. In reality, each of us needs to be both logical and emotional.

Unfortunately, learning logical thinking doesn’t just come naturally for most people. But it’s an important skill. Logic traps are everywhere.

Instead of just going with the flow, you can be proactive and teach logic to your child. In the process, you may get some practice at it too. Here’s why:

1. Learning about cause and effect, your child will be able to make better choices. For example, “friends” who urge him to misuse his money and his time may find he understands what the logical consequences of such behavior are.

2. Your child will be a good problem-solver. Good problem-solving involves coming up with a list of options to consider. This will help later on in a range of situations, from how to deal with a plugged-up sink to what to do about a car that breaks down.

3. Your child will be better prepared to challenge advertising. He will be able to identify fallacies such as circular reasoning. For example, an advertiser might tell us, “Happy folks buy Toastie Puffs.” What he means is, “Buy Toastie Puffs, and you’ll be happy!” This is circular logic! Can your child recognize it?

4. Your child will be able to carefully consider persuasion from politicians and the media. What if a TV reporter interviews five people who say the US should allow illegal immigrants to stay? Then the reporter concludes that everyone in the state wants illegal immigrants to stay. What is the problem here? This is an error in generalizing from too small a sample group. The reporter needs opinions from a much wider sample group. Can your child see the error?

5. Your child can learn to evaluate advice on the basis of the qualifications of the person doing the advising. If your dentist tells you to floss your teeth, you will believe him — he’s an expert. But if he tells you to put an oil additive in your car, you need to weigh the advice because he’s not an expert there.

6. Your child will be able to understand computer logic as well. Computers think simply: if A is true, do B; if not, do C. Our own brains aren’t so linear. But learning to think in a linear manner like this will help a child learn logical thinking, a useful skill in the Information Age. In fact, a child who learns about computers can master computers eventually.

About the Author:
Find out about computer programming for children and teens and get a free e-lesson on Internet research, the Internet Scavenger Hunt. Phyllis Wheeler provides curriculums for those who want to instruct their children and teens fun computer skills.

Turnkey Real Estate Investing

Published
by
Phyllis Wheeler
on May 21, 2008
in Real Estate
. 0 Comments
by Phyllis Wheeler

Real estate investing may be a lot of things, but it isn’t easy. At least that’s what a lot of people think.

Investing for short-term appreciation isn’t a good idea these days. If you buy property and hope for quick gains, you’re likely to be disappointed.

As far as long-term appreciation goes, you can buy a property, looking to purchase one at a price that allows you to pay management fees. Otherwise, you can manage the property yourself. But what about the tenants?

Commercial real estate is risky too, depending on the local market. So you are thinking about residential real estate. Managing it yourself may mean you are doing a lot of maintenance. And how do you find the right tenant? How do you create a lease? What you want is a stable situation with a tenant who stays a long time and keeps up the property. How do you get there?

A real-estate investment trust (REIT) is the real hands-free alternative. You simply purchase shares in a publicly traded fund that owns property, often commercial property, and possibly mortgages. When the stock market goes up, these funds tend to go down, and vice versa. This helps balance your holdings.

But the fund fees can siphon off your profits. What if you want a simple, low-risk long-term investment ? One where you can file the deed in your safe deposit box?

What do you think of the idea of investing your money in a single-family house, to be rented out? You can choose the house from a variety of local sunbelt markets, and you can take advantage of negotiated relationships with property managers, insurers, and mortgage originators. All this at just five to 10 percent down on each house.

A system like this will give you a predictable set of expenses and income. In fact, your tenants will pay off the mortgage for you. You can start a college fund for your kid this way–you can sell the house in 15 to 20 years, and take out your equity.

About the Author:
Search out more about one group that offers an easy real estate investing system. Writer Phyllis Wheeler recommends PAREAS for real estate investors as she has watched this enterprising start-up grow from its beginning in 2005.