Science Wants You to Stop and Smell the Roses The Benefits of Spending Time Outside In a 2008 survey conducted by the National Trust in Britain, children were more likely to correctly identify a Dalek from “Doctor Who” than a barn owl. Likewise, a 2010 Kaiser Family Foundation study of 8–18-year-olds in the U.S. found that the average youth spends more than 53 hours a week engaged with entertainment media. These statistics, coupled with growing concerns that children are spending less time outdoors, are leading to terms like “nature deficit disorder” and global initiatives to get kids outside. Why is contact with the outdoors so important? Researchers are answering this question by studying the benefits of time spent in nature. One benefit is that outdoor time helps kids understand boundaries and learn how to assess risk. As naturalist, author, and broadcaster Stephen Moss puts it, “Falling out of a tree is a very good lesson in risk-reward.” Not to mention, time in nature may help improve focus for hyperactive kids. In one national study of youths by the University of Illinois, participants’ attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms were reduced after spending time in a green setting versus a more urban one. This may be due to the fact that natural environments call upon our “soft fascination,” a less exhausting type of focus than what is required by urban environments. Emotional benefits were discovered too, including reduced aggression, increased happiness, and improved self-esteem. Beyond just getting outside, the type of contact we have with nature also matters. Visits to nature centers and watching “Planet Earth” are two ways to experience the outdoors. But research points specifically to the importance of free play in the natural world: unstructured outdoor time when children can explore and engage with their natural surroundings with no curriculum, lesson, or activity to complete. Ever notice how kids are fascinated by the simplest things? A child visits a rose garden, but before they even get to the flowers, they become captivated by a leaf on the ground or an ant crawling on their shoe. Children are born naturalists. These are the moments we need to recapture. Take a page out of that kid’s book, and as the saying goes, stop and smell the roses — or leaves or ants — with no checklist and no plan, just time spent playing outside.
When was the last time you reviewed your auto insurance policy? Many people don’t review their auto policy until after they’ve been in an accident. This is when they learn they don’t have the coverage they thought they did. Following an accident, it can be devastating to find out you didn’t have the right coverage or your policy was too limited. To make matters worse, if you’re involved with another driver and they don’t have insurance, the entire burden may fall on your insurance and your wallet. Underinsured or uninsured motorist (UIM) coverage is one of the most important auto insurance options you can have because it covers damages caused by a driver who has an insufficient policy. Basically, your UIM coverage will pay for damages on top of the coverage provided by the other driver. Let's say an underinsured driver slams into the back of your car and that driver only has the $25,000 coverage. If you have damages valued at $250,000 and you have UIM coverage of $250,000, you should be paid full value for your claim. In this situation, you could potentially receive $25,000 from the liability coverage of the at-fault driver and $225,000 from your UIM coverage. If the driver has no insurance in this situation, your insurance company could potentially pay out the full $250,000. However, if you have no UIM insurance and the driver has no insurance, you face an uphill battle to get the compensation you need to take care of medical bills and to get your car repaired or replaced. There’s one thing more important than having UIM insurance: It’s knowing the full details of your auto insurance policy. Don’t risk driving if you don’t know how you’re covered. If you haven’t reviewed your policy yet this year, take some time to read through all the fine print. If you have questions about your auto insurance policy, or you don’t understand the terms and want to make sure you’re adequately covered, don’t hesitate to get in touch at 817.618.6381. We’re more than happy to walk through your insurance policy to make sure you’re fully informed before you hit the road. FIND PEACE OF MIND WITH UIM COVERAGE
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