Berlin Law Firm March 2018

Meet Sonya the Superstar The Woman Who Does It All When a client calls the office, the first person they’ll speak to is our rockstar, Sonya. Not only is she our receptionist, but she’s our office manager, marketing director, and paralegal, and she helps with anything else around the office that needs attention. She works very hard to make sure the office runs smoothly and that our clients get the best care. When a client calls the office and speaks with her, Sonya makes sure to reassure them they are in good hands. “My thing is that whenever I talk to clients, I want to let them know that I am on their side and that they are never alone,” Sonya states firmly. It’s important that all our clients feel secure that they’ve made the right choice by calling us, and Sonya does just that. The particular aspect that makes Berlin Law so unique, in Sonya’s view, is its practice. “There are not a lot of people who do this,” she says, “and this is what we’re good at.” She enjoys her job. She sees it as challenging and rewarding at the same time and enjoys working with Lee Berlin. “He’s so nice and a great guy. His work ethic is great, and he’s a go-getter.” When Sonya isn’t in the office, she enjoys cooking and baking. “Anything and everything. I like to try a lot of different things.” Recently, she tried making a homemade chicken pot pie from scratch, which turned out really fantastic in both taste and appearance. “I’ll be really artsy when I cook,” she adds. “I like to add decorations to it.” If she isn’t indulging in her cooking pastime, Sonya also enjoys walking her small Dachshund, Charlie, with her husband, Wayne, or visiting her grandchildren. Sonya expresses what our company and the people involved are here for. We at Berlin Law Firm want to ensure that all our clients feel secure coming to us. Sonya exemplifies this through her dedication to our clients by showing them how much we care for them.

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Screen Time Is Good for Kids?

If you Google the effects of screen time on children, you’re sure to be bombarded with horror stories. Numerous articles claim that, beginning in infancy, the more time a child spends in front of a TV, phone, or computer, the worse their developmental outcomes will be. At first glance, the research is utterly conclusive. It seems we should throw out every TV in our house, smash our kids’ smartphones, and usher our children into the great outdoors as soon as possible. But what most of these studies fail to take into account is the content of the electronic media. If a child spends two hours a day bingeing episodes of “The Big Bang Theory” or screaming obscenities into a headset while playing “Call of Duty,” it’s going to negatively impact their experience of the world along with their mental and physical health. But not all content is created equal. In the past, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended strict limits on electronic engagement for kids, following the old line of thinking that any kind of screen time would be better spent climbing a tree or running in the backyard. But in October of 2016, they offered new recommendations for parents. For infants and young toddlers, the research still sides pretty heavily against the use of iPads and television. Before 18 months of age, a child lacks the cognitive capabilities allowing them to apply the lessons of technology to real life, and even after that, the APP recommends that media consumption should be limited to “high-quality programming, such as the content offered by Sesame Workshop and PBS.” But for kids ages 5 and up, parents should avoid banning screen time outright, but function as their child’s media mentor. Instead of decrying time spent building complex structures in “Minecraft” as hours that could be spent on the soccer field, we should set expectations and boundaries to ensure that children can deepen their experience of the world through media, not hamper it. The problem starts not with the screen itself, but when the consumption of media becomes problematic, replacing regular face-to-face interactions and physical activity. But with a balanced media diet, kids can have the best of both worlds.

2 Berlin Law Firm • 918-770-0172

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