DeSantis signs bill to defund DEI programs at Florida public colleges
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed legislation to defund diversity, equity and inclusion programs at all state universities, which he called a "distraction from the core mission."
2023-05-16 01:57
Pete Davidson got his mum same Mother's Day gift eight years in a row
Pete Davidson has admitted when he was younger he bought his mum the same Mother's Day gift eight years in a row. The comedian and his mum sat down for an interview in Good Housekeeping, where he spoke of his imaginative gift of Britney Spears' perfume. "Growing up my sister and I always tried to make things special, although I wasn't always good at it", he said. However, his mum admitted she never wore the perfumes, but it was the 'thought that counts'. Click here to sign up for our newsletters
2023-05-15 23:20
South Africa Beats Climate Goal as Blackouts Slash Emissions
South Africa is ahead of its target for cutting emissions of greenhouse gases. Output of the climate-warming gases
2023-05-15 22:54
9 actually useful things you can do to support teens this exam season
Exam season is underway, and many teenagers might be feeling overwhelmed about the important tests they’re facing over the next few months. “Sitting exams is often one of the most overwhelming and high pressure experiences teens face, and students often put immense pressure on themselves,” says Lara McIvor, a revision expert at Save My Exams. “For parents with children taking exams, it can be difficult to know how best to support their child without being too involved or under-supportive. “As parents and teachers, it should be our mission to ensure students have access to clear support systems, coping mechanisms and study techniques over these challenging few months, and we should all be better educated in the warning signs of stress in teens.” And Matt Buttery, CEO of the Triple P Positive Parenting Programme, adds: “This can be a stressful time, but the good news is that parents can support young people and help remove some of the pressure around exam season. By setting a positive example and encouraging them, you can help ensure they remain happy and healthy, as well as reach their full academic potential.” So what can parents and carers do to actually make the whole exam experience better for teens? 1. Encourage them to chat with you Encourage open communication, and if your teen seems stressed, ask if they’d like to talk through revision together, or more broadly discuss their concerns, suggests Buttery. “It’s important your child knows you’re there for them if they need you,” he stresses. 2. Set up a quiet study area Ensuring your child has an optimum place to study without distractions is vital to their success, McIvor says. “Often concentration can wane, so making sure there are limited external distractions – such as loud music or TV – will allow for the best results and prepare them for their silent exams,” she says. 3. Don’t just rush to make them feel better It’s vital to acknowledge what teenagers are feeling, rather than just trying to make it go away, stresses psychologist Dr Audrey Tang. “One of the most important things anyone can do is validate their right to feel as they do,” she explains. “We’re not very good at sitting with anxiety and often rush to try and make it go away or to feel better, and this can lead us to quick fixes which can include unhealthy behaviour choices such as not bothering to try, often led by unhealthy thoughts like ‘If I don’t try, I can’t fail’.” 4. Help teenagers unpack their feelings Encourage teens to analyse or unpack how they’re feeling about their exams and revision, advises Tang. “If we take a moment to respect our feelings, and try to unpack exactly what we’re worrying about, we may be able to work out what we need to do next,” she explains. For example, is your teen’s anxiety caused by them not understanding some things, and if it is, which specific bits are causing the problem? Or is it linked to knowing their parents are stressed and not wanting to add to it, and if that’s the case, are other services available? “When we begin to unpack our feelings, rather than suppress or deny them, we have a better idea of what action is going to help us the most,” Tang explains. 5. Help with visual prompts Creating an ongoing learning environment throughout the exam period is key, says McIvor. She suggests sticking notes with key quotes, equations, etc on them around the house in places where your child can always see them. “This can be really useful for some students as it allows for constant exposure to materials,” she explains. 6. Avoid ‘toxic positivity’ If a teenager says things like, ‘I’m so stupid’, or ‘I’m rubbish at everything’, it’s natural for parents to tell them they’re brilliant, observes Tang. “Unfortunately, this has the effect of not validating those emotions, and the opportunity to understand what they’re trying to say is lost,” she explains. “A better way to navigate that discussion would be to acknowledge the feeling with something like ‘I’m really sorry you’re feeling that way’, and asking for more information.” 7. Be a good role model Role modelling healthy ways to manage your own anxiety is hugely important, stresses Tang. “Why would you expect a young adult to listen to you if you aren’t showing in your own practice that what you’re suggesting works?” she asks. And Buttery advises parents to lead by example by staying positive and calm when talking about exams. “Avoid using phrases such as, ‘You must be nervous’,” he says, “As you may risk accidentally making an otherwise calm child more stressed. Children learn a great deal about how to manage their behaviour and deal with difficult situations from their parents. By demonstrating calm and resilient behaviour, parents can have a positive influence on their children’s ability to cope with adversity.” 8. Try stressbusting techniques together Tang suggests practising self-care or stressbusting techniques together, such as affirmations with deep breathing. One technique, she says, is to get your child to note down everything they need to do and its relative importance on a pie chart, where the size of the slice shows the importance of the activity. Then ask them to draw on a scale of zero in the centre, to 10 on the outside, where they are in each segment. “This gives them a visual representation of what they need to do, and where they are, as well as an indication of the areas they’re neglecting, and how important those areas are,” she says. “By having everything on one pie chart, it might feel a lot more manageable.” 9. Maintain the family routine Ensuring family dinners and other rituals remain part of daily life can help teenagers cope with exam stress, as routine is predictable and reassuring at a time of pressure and uncertainty. Maintaining structure can also help your child plan their downtime, stresses Buttery, who adds: “It’s important to ensure they’re taking time to relax and unwind, whether by watching their favourite TV show, playing a game, or hanging out with friends.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Children In Need removes Pudsey’s bandana to show not all challenges are visible Is your child too anxious to go to school? What’s the link between the menopause and anxiety?
2023-05-15 22:15
17 Things You Might Not Know About Tammy Duckworth
From serving in the Iraq War to becoming the first U.S. senator to give birth in office, Tammy Duckworth has an impressive history of overcoming adversity with grit and humor.
2023-05-15 21:57
How to Remove Stubborn Ketchup and Mustard Stains
Use these tips to remove stubborn ketchup and mustard stains from your clothing.
2023-05-15 21:25
Beyoncé fans convinced she ‘threw shade’ at Sweden during Renaissance tour
Beyoncé kickstarted her hotly anticipated Renaissance tour in Stockholm last week, debuting live performances of her hit singles to diehard fans. The star delivered songs from her seventh No 1 album at the Friends Arena, including 'Alien Superstar', 'Pure/Honey' and 'Summer Renaissance' while riding a giant disco horse. She also revived some of her classics such as 'Crazy in Love' and 'Love on Top'. While fans immediately turned to TikTok to watch footage from the gig, some were left underwhelmed by the crowd's reaction. "How could you witness the QUEEN in person and not at minimum do a lil 2 step in your seat," one person hit back, while another added: "Sweden failed her so bad! Some of us were TRYING!" Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter A third person, who claimed to have attended the concert, alleged: "That's true! I was at Stockholm and a girl even tried to shush me." One TikToker, Joshua Pingley (@yourbestfriendjoshua) suggested "Beyoncé hated Sweden," before claiming the crowd was seemingly "older, sitting down and quiet." At a later date in Brussels, she praised fans for their energy adding: "You have been the best audience so far." @yourbestfriendjoshua Beyoncé seemingly SHADES the audience from the first two nights of her Renaissance Tour in Sweden…😂😂😂 #beyonce While harsh critics were quick to slam Swedish fans, many more jumped in to suggest it's simply "cultural differences in concert etiquette." "Not everyone goes feral like Americans," one wrote. "You should see concerts in Japan." "They still spent their money buying tickets to see her," another added. "Why is everyone tripping at them sitting down? They're clearly enjoying the show." "She made that face cause they were hitting the high notes for 'Love on Top,'" a third fan commented, while one TikToker said: "In Sweden we are told not to stick out and be loud, because we see it as rude. it is part of our culture." Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-05-15 20:54
7 Dangerous and Deadly Toys From History
The toys on this list include "what were they thinking?" oddities—like a children's laboratory kit that included uranium—but also some seemingly innocuous recreational offerings.
2023-05-15 20:21
Novartis names Sandoz board members ahead of spin-off
ZURICH Novartis on Monday named the intended new board members of Sandoz, the generics business it plans to
2023-05-15 14:46
Kettering boy looks to career in music after Germany's The Voice Kids
The 13-year-old made the final of Germany's The Voice Kids, singing a song from The Greatest Showman.
2023-05-15 13:28
What's the Kennection? #62
All five answers to the questions below have something in common. Can you figure it out?
2023-05-15 01:56
EU Lawmaker Looks to Cap Windfall Profits in Power Price Crisis
The European Union should strengthen its emergency rules so that citizens don’t bear the brunt if electricity prices
2023-05-14 19:23