Winston & Damman January 2018

Want to See Better Report Cards in 2018 Make Reading a Family Resolution

Every parent wants to see their child do well in school, and there’s one fun activity that benefits students of all ages: reading. In a world with so much stimulation, however, it can be difficult to motivate kids to put down a screen and pick up a book. New Year’s resolutions are the perfect opportunity to make reading a priority. Here are a few tips to make 2018 the year your kids become bookworms . Make It a Family Resolution There’s no better motivator than solidarity! Plus, we’re guessing everyone in your household could stand to read a little more. You don’t have to read the same books or set identical goals, but it’s a lot more fun when everyone participates. Schedule weekly reading discussions so everyone can share the cool stories they’ve read. Stack your completed books in your house somewhere as a monument to all the knowledge your family has gained. Set Reward Milestones Positive reinforcement will propel your kids to keep reading long after the calendars have turned. For a certain number of books completed or hours spent reading, offer them a prize. You can even create a big end goal to really cement those reading habits. Better yet, set a combined goal that the entire

family can work toward. Don’t be afraid to pull out all the stops. If your kids know that reading one book per week through June means an extra-special summer vacation, their enthusiasmwon’t wane come spring. Use Reading Apps Goodreads is a social network for bibliophiles. You can find recommendations, share ratings, and create lists of both completed and to-be-read books. Users also create reading lists based on topic, genre, decade, and more. With over 2 billion books added, you’ll never run out of inspiration. Biblionasium offers the same services, but it’s designed specifically for children. Talk to other parents and create a network of friends and classmates. After all, nothing is cooler to a kid than what their friends are doing. Avid readers tend to do better academically from kindergarten through college. In fact, a study from the Journal of Education and Practice found that reading comprehension predicted success in other subjects more than any other factor. If you want to see improved report cards, make a reading resolution for your entire household.

SOCIAL MEDIA: Insurance Adjusters’ Secret Weapon

Imagine you’re in court disputing the validity of a car accident claim you made to your insurance company. Their attorney argues that the company has already paid an amount appropriate for the damages to your car. But a month after they sent a meager check to cover the damages, you began to suffer from serious neck pain due to whiplash, eventually requiring surgery. Despite mounting medical bills that you cannot afford, the insurance company refuses to provide adequate compensation.

Suddenly, asking for money to cover your medical bills seems suspect. The validity of your claim is in serious danger, and perhaps even completely sunk. Back in the day, insurance adjusters would sometimes hire private investigators to tail accident victims and dig up dirt that appeared to invalidate their claim. But today, an adjuster often need only turn to sites like Facebook to find the victim undermining their own case. Whether you’re a victim of a car accident, a disabled person trying to claim benefits, or an individual accused of a crime you did not commit, it pays to be savvy about your social

The case seems to be turning steadily in your favor. That is, until the insurance company’s attorney pulls up an image on the screen. It’s a status update from Facebook, your Facebook, posted the day after the accident. “Got in a brutal car wreck last night. My car’s totaled, but luckily, nobody’s hurt!”

media usage, especially in the midst of a hotly contested case. One way to block an insurance adjuster’s prying eyes is to set your social media profiles as private, allowing only friends to view your posts. Still, adjusters sometimes will send you friend requests, banking on the chance that you’ll add a stranger. Don’t do it. It’s best to avoid posting anything that could potentially be incriminating in the first place. If you’re seeking benefits for leg surgery, for example, that picture where you’re poised to ski down a steep slope isn’t going to look good for you in court. Be smart, and don’t give the opposition any ammo to use against you. Anything found on a public Facebook or social media site is completely admissible in court.

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