Uncategorized

Expert Tips From A Work From Home Veteran An interview with Chris Beiting, Content Manager, Digital Product at Solution Tree How long have you worked from home? I have worked from home off and on ever since 2009. But full-time since the spring of 2014. What is your general routine? A routine is important. In order to get into the work mindset, I have to get up, get showered, and get dressed for work. Now, I don’t mean wear business casual or a suit. But I need to at least not work unshowered and in my pajamas. I start my workday typically around 8/8:30am. I will typically take a quick break around 9:30/10 to let the dogs out and grab coffee or water. I then break for lunch and then have another break around 2:30. It’s important I end the day at 5 pm. It’s easy to get into the mode where you’re always working. And it’s even more important to have that division when working from home. So I do my best to stop at 5 and not work evenings or weekends — unless there’s a deadline or things need addressed that can’t wait. How do you ensure you do not get distracted by things to do around the house? The trick for that is to have a dedicated work area. I’m fortunate enough that I’ve usually been able to have a dedicated room in my house to set up a home office – but even if you don’t, it’s important to set up space. Don’t work from your bed. It’s setting you up for failure. Now, that being said…I’d be lying if I didn’t toss a load of laundry in during one of my quick breaks. You’re home and laundry will never die. Might as well multitask a little. What is your set up like? (Technology etc) I’m a video producer and product manager for an education company. So I have a wide variety of computers — both Mac and Windows. I always at least run two machines at once, connected by a virtual keyboard/mouse switch. That way I can share work between the machines and use two displays. Since I’m editing video, I always need the most power. The less time I take rendering a video, the more time I can spend finishing projects or balancing my work/life. I also get a lot of emails answered on my iPhone and iPad. While I typically don’t work at night, I will usually at least answer an email back when I get it. People might disagree with that mentality, but it’s always worked for me. How has having your daughter at home changed your routine? My daughter has never known her dad to not work from home. When she’s been sick or just off from school most of the time she will be here with me. In the summer, she is usually at daycare. With the recent events, it is looking like she is going to be here with me during the day for the foreseeable future. Thankfully she’s 8, so there is some self-sufficiency that happens. But I need to be mindful so she’s keeping up on the tasks that her school has given her. It usually results in me taking more frequent breaks to follow up with her. She also isn’t afraid to come into the office. I usually always give her a heads up if I have a video call or meeting, so if there’s a need while that is happening she’s allowed to send me a message through iMessage on her iPad. What does remote learning look like for her? Since this kind of caught a lot of schools off guard, they’ve had to more or less adapt on the fly. Thankfully her school is a one-to-one school with Chromebooks, so all the students from K-12 have had exposure to learning with technology. While the students under 4th grade aren’t allowed to take their Chromebooks home, the school did give us all the login information so if we wanted, or had the ability to we could log in from home. Thankfully a few years ago I bought a Chromebook, and it’s been sitting around collecting dust. This week I updated it…added her login info, and she’s been completing her tasks. Her teacher is pretty tech-savvy, so she’s been engaging with the students through video. I believe my daughter is more skilled at Google Apps than me. How does she like being at home with dad? With the social distancing, she’s been bored. She understands that I am busy, and I have a lot going on — but I am making time to make sure she’s engaged. I like her being here. Kids grow up so fast and before you know it, they don’t want to hang out with you. I’ve been extremely fortunate that I’ve been able to participate in her daily school life since the beginning. This is just another version of that. We’re making the best out of a weird time in history. What tips do you have for people that are new to working from home? – Create a specific workspace. If you have an extra room, use it. If not use your kitchen table, but have a consistent spot where your daily work will be completed. – Get dressed and ready for work. It sounds nuts, but trust me it mentally prepares you for it. – If you have a dog/cat have them in your workspace with you. It helps and gives you something to talk to. You get lonely quickly. – Video call with your co-workers if possible. Using Zoom, Skype, FaceTime, Google Hangouts, Facebook Messenger. There’s no excuse to not use it. It helps you stay connected. Again, don’t like the loneliness set in. – Create a daily to-do list. It will let you collect your thoughts, and keep you focused and on task throughout the day. Since you’re at home it’s easy to get distracted. Working on

Today is find a rainbow day! 🌈 Download this fun activity for your family.  As you walk around, notice what you see around you. Can you find an object for every color in the rainbow? As you find each color, draw or write about the object in the matching color square on your worksheet. When you have all of the colors, you can come back to the table and show your finished worksheet for a prize. While you are working, see what other things you notice. What sounds do you hear? What do you smell? What can you touch? How many items can you find for each color?

Take this time to connect with your children! Keep your child engaged with their social and emotional learning. This week, we will be sharing engaging activities for parents & kids to do together or mindful activities for your child to do on their own. Follow along and share! https://beechacres.org/beech-roots/ https://beechacres.org/newsletter/ https://www.facebook.com/BeechAcresParentingCenter/ https://twitter.com/BeechAcres https://www.instagram.com/beechacresparentingcenter/ https://www.youtube.com/beechacres http://linkedin.com/company/beech-acres-parenting-center

Take this time to connect with your children! Keep your child engaged with their social and emotional learning. This week, we will be sharing engaging activities for parents & kids to do together or mindful activities for your child to do on their own. Follow along and share! https://beechacres.org/beech-roots/ https://beechacres.org/newsletter/ https://www.facebook.com/BeechAcresParentingCenter/ https://twitter.com/BeechAcres https://www.instagram.com/beechacresparentingcenter/ https://www.youtube.com/beechacres http://linkedin.com/company/beech-acres-parenting-center

Earlier this week we received notice that The Character Effect™ a universal social-emotional learning program for elementary school students has been designated as evidenced-based by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Character Effect™ is a flexible developmental framework for the classroom that combines mindfulness and character strengths in an effective curriculum that promotes confidence and improves overall well-being in a school. The Character Effect™ is designed to: improve students’ self-control, increase classroom participation, cultivate an atmosphere of respect for others, boost academic success and, decrease behavior issues. To learn more about this designation click here.

January 11th is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. National Human Trafficking Awareness Day is designated to bring awareness to the plague of Human Trafficking. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, nearly 25,000 runaways were reported in 2017. Of those, an estimated 1 in 7 were possible victims of child sex trafficking. This sobering statistic heightens the importance of being aware of the global problem of human trafficking. Be Aware As a busy parent, the possibility of having to deal with this issue is likely a low priority on your list of daily concerns. While the likelihood of your child becoming a victim is remote, it is important to be aware of the issue and look for signs of human trafficking in your community. The National Human Trafficking Hotline lists a number of “red flags” to look for in your community. These include: Common Work and Living Conditions: Person is not free to leave or come and go as he/she wishes Person is in the commercial sex industry and has a “manager” They owe a large debt and is unable to pay it off Poor Mental Health or Abnormal Behavior: Person appears fearful, anxious, depressed, submissive, tense, nervous or paranoid Person exhibits unusually fearful or anxious behavior after bringing up law enforcement They avoid eye contact Poor Physical Health: Person doesn’t have medical care and/or is denied medical services by employer Person appears malnourished or shows signs of repeated exposure to harmful chemicals They show signs of physical and/or sexual abuse, physical restraint, confinement, or torture Often, bizarre security measures inconsistent with the rest of the area exist in the work and/or living locations. Look for opaque or boarded-up windows,  bars on windows, barbed wire, security cameras, etc.. How to Protect Your Children Tell your child to always be aware of their surroundings, be wary of communicating with strangers, and always have their cell phones with them (and charged!) with family and emergency contacts programmed in. Helping your child develop and maintain good self-esteem and healthy relationships, you reduce the risk that he or she will be targeted by traffickers. Nationwide Children’s Hospital offers some tips on their website including: Know what your kids are doing online. (check out our recent tips on online safety) Know who your kids are with and where they are hanging out. There are obvious situations, like being on the street late at night, but even places like the mall can be dangerous. Teach your children resiliency. Help your child build strong self-esteem from an early age. Maintain open communication with your child. Be someone the teens in your life can talk with. Awareness and caution are key to recognizing, reducing, and preventing human and sex trafficking. If you have any questions or concerns about this topic visit the National Human Trafficking Hotline or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children websites.

THANK YOU! Because of your generous spirit, we raised over $2500 yesterday -exceeding our goal. Thank you! Don’t worry, it’s never too late to give a gift to Beech Acres Parenting Center. Remember, your donation helps inspire and equip parents to raise capable, caring, contributing children. Make a one time or recurring gift online today or contact our development team at 513-231-6630 to find out how you can become more involved in our mission.