How Can Kids Understand The Trials Of Life?

We as parents should not expect thanks for doing the basics. What are those basics? Well, putting a roof over your child’s head, feeding them, making sure they’re warm and able to live a normal life of school, education, and fun. The real test of parenting comes when we teach them life skills. These skills will serve them well, long after we are dead and gone. They will love and cherish you forever if you can teach them about the way of the world. Let’s be honest, we shouldn’t expect thanks for feeding and clothing our children. We brought them into this world and the least we can do is to take care of the life we chose to make. Now, as they grow older and their brains start to develop more, we have to teach them the trials and tribulations of the world. Life is going to challenge them in so many ways and a child that hasn’t been prepared will be doomed to fail. So, let’s put on our thinking caps and figure out how we’re going to do this.

 

 

It’s not them, it’s you

Children don’t often get into anything serious when it comes to relationships, but they will begin to interact with the opposite sex more romantically at some point. When they’re toddlers, they’re too young to be taught about the birds and the bees and where life comes from. However, it’s incredibly sad to watch them get their heart broken for the first time. Your son or daughter might ‘like-like’ another kid at school, but they don’t like them back. We need to sit them down and tell them that it’s not the other person’s fault or their own that they have been rejected. They haven’t lost their value or become worth less in the eyes of the other kid. Talk to them about how when it comes to relationships and sexual attraction, we’re all very different. Just because you’re not someone’s type, doesn’t mean you are a bad person or need to improve on something. Don’t leave their feelings to fester and swirl around, as even at a young age, children can feel the bitterness of being rejected by someone they’re attracted to.

 

 

Going nowhere fast

Life has a way of becoming stagnant and no longer fulfilling. We get stuck in this routine and we just accept it as normal. Sometimes we are hit with an epiphany and we realize that there is more to our life if we so choose there to be. The trouble is, how can we explain such a complex thought process to our children so that they can notice when they feel like they are going nowhere fast? The hit show Waitress is a show that expresses this question in all of us. It’s safe for children to watch as there’s nothing obscene or too distressing in the show. We follow Jenna, a woman that seems to be trapped by her own inability to really chase after what she wants in life. Her husband has grown apart from her and she is sick of staying in a small town that doesn’t have many opportunities to better her life. The story told, shows how she gathered enough courage to break free from the bonds she had slipped into and find happiness by doing what she really felt she was meant to do. Through this live performance, our children can learn the value of remaining a sovereign individual. Always making sure that they aren’t living their life for someone else but just for themselves.

 

 

Test of will

Failure is something that children need to acknowledge but refrain from getting used to. Again, a tightrope for parents to walk across over. How can we teach children that failure is something they will encounter in life, but that learning from mistakes so that they improve and lessen the chance of failing in the future may happen? Firstly, we have to explore with them the nature of not giving up. This is simple as they do this every day with their homework. They have to work out answers to the questions in their math and science books so they already know what it’s like to try and figure out the correct answer. Therefore, if we sit down with them from start to finish and help them with their homework, we can help them to realize when they are failing to get the right answer, and how looking at a problem from different angles, helps us to learn where we went wrong in the beginning. It’s test of willpower to break through a wall that is crying out for them to give up, but you can hoist them over it.

The trials and tribulations of life have an impact on our lives in different ways. Children need to learn early on in life that stories of courage and self-improvement can help them in their own lives.

This post is a collaborative effort by St. Louis Dad.

3 Ways You Can Actually Make Money From Playing Games

Parents are often telling their kids how much a waste of time video games are. Even though attitudes are changing and they’re becoming more mainstream, people still don’t always consider it a worthwhile way of spending time. After all, it’s not a skill that you can use in later life to make money, or is it? The idea of earning money from playing games isn’t just resigned to the dreams of teenagers, it’s actually a reality. Here are just some of the ways that you can make money from playing video games.

Live Streaming

Ten years ago, if you’d told people that there would be people all over the world logging on to a site to watch other people play video games, they’d say you were mad. But now that’s a reality and there is a lot of money to be made from it. There are live streamers on Youtube and Twitch that are making literally millions, just because people love to watch them play games. If you can build a big enough following, you’ll be able to monetize it with adverts on your videos. On sites like Twitch, a dedicated video game streaming service, you can also take donations from your fans. If you create a loyal fanbase, you’d be surprised how much money you can make from donations. If you’re going to try your hand at streaming, you’ll need a few things. Firstly, a good internet connection; people aren’t going to watch for long. You need something to set you apart from the rest of the streamers out there as well, otherwise you won’t get many followers. It also helps to have tools like YeetDL available to help download your Twitch videos so you can upload them to other services like YouTube. It takes a while to build your popularity but even if you don’t make it big, you can make a decent amount of money every month just from playing games.

Casino Games

Winning money is another great way to get video games to pay. There are all sorts of games that you can play for money online, casino games are a great one. You can find a great online casino at livedealer.org where you can play roulette, blackjack or poker all from the comfort of your own home. If you’re good, you can make a little money while you play. Just remember that there are a lot of risks involved and you should limit your playing.

Esports

Esports is one of the fastest growing sports in the world right now with people winning millions in prizes at video game competitions. Chances are, you’re probably not good enough to get into the big competitions that are going to make you mega rich but that doesn’t mean you can’t earn a bit of money from esports. There are plenty of smaller competitions which still offer decent prize money. The best way to get into it is to first identify what games you’re best at (usually just the ones you play the most of). Have a look online and see if you can find any teams to join, there should be plenty of new ones popping up as the popularity of the sport continues to skyrocket.

Honorable mention: Buying and selling games

While it may not exactly count as making money by playing games, there is a growing collector’s market that is seeing the value of many older and rarer games skyrocket as of late. Being able to find a good deal, such as with the help of a video game price guide, and selling when the value rises is a legitimate strategy for making some extra money, nowadays. The collector’s market is ever-changing, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on its movements so that you know when to strike.

You’re probably not going to make millions from playing video games but you can definitely earn a little bit extra on the side.

This post is a collaborative effort by St. Louis Dad.

Welcome Regions to The Neighborhood

Sponsored by Regions Bank, Member FDIC.

You may have seen a new Regions Bank pop up in your neighborhood over the last few months. Well the expansion isn’t finished yet. There are two more locations coming here to the St. Louis area. More specifically, Cave Springs and O’Fallon!

With nearly 1,500 branches and about 2,000 ATMs across the South, Midwest and Texas you know Regions will be ready to help you focus more on life and worry less about money. The opening of 9 new branch locations in the St. Louis area will bring their total of branches locally to 69 by the end of the year. That leaves us with plenty of convenient locations when we need to stop at the bank.

The new locations will be technologically advanced, innovative branches, with a modern, open design that does away with waiting in the old-fashioned teller line and instead focuses on more personalized service from local financial professionals.

When working with Regions I’m happy to know they are growing in our area and offering more of that award-winning service here in St. Louis. Being welcomed directly by a Regions banker instead of having to wait in the teller line is a nice addition to the modern look and advanced technology.

Regions Video Banking ATMs are also available at all of the new branches. These ATMs are cutting-edge banking. They connect you with a banker via live, two-way video during an extended set of hours – including early mornings and evenings on weekdays. Video Bankers also provide personalized service on Saturdays and Sundays. They help people with account maintenance, general inquiries and just about any other service you’d find from a bank teller. They’re even available on most holidays!

These branches also offer Regions DepositSmart ATMs, which are available 24 hours a day to not only dispense cash, but also accept deposits, and cash checks, day or night! Inside, enhanced security facial recognition and fingerprint technology for customers using safe deposit boxes adds several layers of security while also improving efficiency of access.

In addition to all these features, the Regions Virtual Concierge service allows us customers to enjoy that great personalized service from Regions Bank anywhere, any time, using the accessibility of social media and digital devices. That means you can have the power to bank from a park bench or at the top of the Gateway Arch.

Whether it’s online, through Regions mobile channels, or face-to-face in one of the branches, Regions is committed to helping customers reach their financial goals. Check out Regions online at Regions.com or connect with them on social at Facebook.com/RegionsBank, on Twitter at @askRegions or on Instagram @regionsbank.

 

Education Discounts For Military Families

The types of education discounts for military families varies far and wide; you can find some for active personnel (for when they return), as well as for spouses of active personnel and veterans. In many cases, there are even discounts for the surviving members of deceased military veterans, and they can come in the form of scholarships and full rides. The following list does not claim to be comprehensive, but it’s a good start on your search for help with tuition fees. Some of them also offer tutoring services at a reduced cost or free.

  • Tutor.com – The eponymous website offers test preparation services for free to active duty military members that are completing or furthering their education; this includes tutoring and a bevy of other services as outlined on their website. In particular, these are reserved for K-12 students involved in the Armed Forces and associate military organizations.
  • Trident University – Another institution that honors military service people; Trident University has a Military Education Grant that provides an 11% reduction in tuition fees for a doctoral program, 36% reduction for the pursuit of a Masters degree and 28% off bachelor degree programs.
  • TreeHouse – With the military discount, TreeHouse representatives will honor a $9 per month discount on the regular tutelage courses and other subscriptions. This is for active military members and veterans only; just bring evidence that you are serving or have served and you’re all set.
  • Saint Joseph’s University – Proud to award a discount on services to any active duty service person, reserve, National Guardsmen or veteran; in fact, Saint Joseph’s also provides financial aid in the form of discounts to military spouses. The discount applies to all online degrees and tuition assistance for graduate certification programs.
  • Regent University – Discounted tuition rates are available for veterans, active duty personnel who did not make full utilization of the GI Bill; it applies to graduate degree pursuits.
  • Keystone School – Keystone proudly provides tuition assistance to the tune of a 10% discount for all immediate family members of active duty military personnel.
  • Kaplan University – Tuition reductions are available for military personnel and their spouses; this extends to veterans and even to dependents of active duty personnel. There are further discounts on online materials for courses.
  • eKnowledge – This growing website takes the education of the children of military families seriously; that’s why eKnowledge provides SAT and ACT preparatory courses and tutelage at no cost for the young dependents of said families.
  • Central Michigan University – Call the offices the minute you’re interested in attending; they have a tuition program for military students that meet the qualifications.
  • California Southern University – If you are interested in pursuing a degree in law, psychology or business, and you are a child of a military service member or the spouse of one, then California Southern University is happy to offer you a 10% discount on the tuition rate.
  • Berkley School of Music – A whopping 20% discount on tuition is available for eligible members of the military; additionally, as part of the extensive GI Bill, veterans are quite welcome at the same reduced rate.