Listen to “Amy Pollack Authors Coming of Age book” on Spreaker.

“Pollack’s titular hero shines; she’s likable and relatable, an even blend of relatable worries and drama-queen moments….  An endearing, plucky girl endures and overcomes in this absorbing quick read.”
–Kirkus Reviews

Ever since she was in fourth grade – back in 1960 – Amy Meislin Pollack was writing and telling stories about a character named Jelly Bean. She never stopped telling those stories, sharing them with her students over a teaching career that spanned 40+ years. She shared them with her three children when they were younger – and then with her seven grandchildren. Now her stories have been made available to everyone with the recent publishing of two coming-of-age books intended for middle-graders, The Adventures of Jelly Bean and The Further Adventures of Jelly Bean.

“My books touch upon topics of friendship, popularity, death, race, drugs, alcohol, feeling neglected, family issues, and the types of things many kids today are confronting as they look to find their way in an ever-changing world,” says Pollack.

The Adventures of Jelly Bean and The Further Adventures of Jelly Bean are the stories of a fourth-grader who faces challenges that just about all children her age can recognize.  Her parents don’t approve of her favorite friend in the whole world. She has trouble getting along with the brother who is closest in age to her.  The uncle she loves so much is about to marry the most awful woman she could ever imagine, and the girl who used to be her best friend has turned on her. Jelly Bean faces these and other stumbling blocks, including: the difficulties in achieving and maintaining popularity and how important having certain friends should be to her; difficulties inherent in relationships with various friends and family members; and learning how to make decisions on her own.  In these first two books of my middle-grade series, Jelly Bean comes to understand that much of life is trial and error, and that the only constant in life is that it is always changing.

Pollack is available to discuss the following:

Why coming-of-age stories are always needed for children.

What parents can do when they have strong disagreements with their children.

Why some kids need help making friends and dealing with issues of popularity.

The dialogues she hopes to see people launch into as a result of her books.

Solid generational advice that still holds true for our youth confronting challenges.

What parents need to know about raising healthy and successful kids today.

How grandparents and parents can help kids navigate the problems of growing up today.

Why a retired teacher of four decades and a grandma of seven recently took to publishing her middle-grade fiction after developing the story 60 years ago.

About The Adventures of Jelly Bean:

What if the start to your day was falling into the toilet, which caused you to miss your carpool, that in turn caused you to get to school late, that ultimately caused you to miss getting one of the decent parts in the upcoming Thanksgiving play? That is exactly what happens to fourth-grader Jelly. Bean on the day we first meet her. Things only go downhill from there and no one at home seems to have much time for her. Except Roger-Over, her beloved dog.

About The Further Adventures of Jelly Bean:

Jelly Bean in the continuation of her adventures as she seeks solutions to the challenges that confronted her in book 1. Michael, her oldest brother, has dropped out of school and joined the Marines, which usurps much of her parents’ attention. Kylie, the new girl in school, faces a medical emergency. And Jelly Bean is still forbidden from going to her best friend’s house.

She has to decide how to deal with these dilemmas and more. Along the way she learns about love, death, pain, relationships, the difference between right and wrong and the value of friendship. See the world through the eyes of this forthright fourth-grader as she discovers two truths about life – that it is always complicated, and always changing.

5-Star Amazon Reviews:

“Understanding a young girl’s feelings, capturing her mind’s world in a fun, loving way. This debut novel will win the hearts of school children because they will relate, feel heard and laugh along the way.”  *****

“I am so glad I was with my grandchildren (11 & 12 years old, boy and girl) when they both read the book! They had planned on sharing the book by reading one chapter then letting the other read one…but they had such trouble giving up the book!! Each chapter simply made them want to continue on!” *****

“Bought this for my 12-year-old granddaughter. She read it easily, and had a good time following the stories. Beautiful, fun illustrations.” *****

The post Coming-Of-Age Book Series By A Retired Teacher & Grandparent Helps Middle-Graders Navigate The Challenges Of Growing Up appeared first on Good News!.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, it’s estimated that more than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s in 2021. That means that nearly 6 million Americans are battling the daily effects of Alzheimer’s in these hot summer months.

Lisa Skinner, behavioral expert in the field of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, highlights the unique effects that hot summertime weather can have on a person battling Alzheimer’s:

“Elderly adults are more prone to heat illnesses than their younger counterparts because when we age, our bodies become less efficient at regulating temperatures. Seniors over 65 don’t sweat as much as younger adults which is an important heat-regulation mechanism. Also, seniors store fat differently, which complicates heat-regulation in the body further. Heat is even more dangerous for those with cognitive decline because they lack the sense of reasoning to take the necessary precautions to protect themselves, especially from dehydration and heat stroke,” says Lisa.

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder and what does it look like in people with Alzheimer’s and Dementia?

“Depression is a very common risk factor for those living with dementia, and the more symptoms of depression that a person with dementia experiences, the more rapid a decline they tend to suffer in thinking and memory skills. Seniors who have dementia are also more prone to suffer from a health condition called SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) due to the symptoms and nature of dementia. This disorder is a form of depression that coincides with the seasonal changes that take place to the fall and winter months. The causes are unknown; however, some of the factors that seem to influence seasonal affect disorder include a change in the circadian rhythm as the days grow shorter, a decrease in melatonin levels, a decrease in serotonin levels, and pre-existing health conditions such as dementia.”

“SAD can greatly impact the quality of a person’s life with dementia. Effects include depression, lethargy, fatigue, anxiety, loneliness, difficulty concentrating, moodiness, restlessness and insomnia. Conversely, some people experience overeating, weight gain, as well as oversleeping. All these symptoms are also common to dementia itself, so if you are a caregiver to someone with dementia, it is imperative that you act as a second set of eyes and ears to watch for any concerning changes in behavior that may alert you to a more serious situation arising,” says Lisa.

Here are Lisa’s top 5 tips for caretakers navigating the hot, summer weather while supporting someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia:

TIP #1: Keep elders with dementia out of the direct sun and extremely hot environments
As temperatures rise, their internal body temperatures do too, which is the main reason seniors suffer from heat stroke more than younger people do throughout the summer.

TIP #2: Keep seniors well-hydrated
This is critical to their well-being during hot summer months. Dehydration diminishes one’s ability to regulate temperature; so, the risk of developing a heat illness rises dramatically. For seniors who already struggle to manage internal heat, dehydration can deter the body’s natural cooling process even further. During heat waves, especially, make sure you provide water and juices regularly at every meal, as well as have them sipping fluids throughout the day rather than drinking them quickly. Providing ice chips and drinks containing electrolytes are popular choices for people with dementia. Also, avoid alcohol.
TIP #3: Be mindful of these lifestyle and health factors that increase the risk of developing heat-related illnesses
Some common heat-related illnesses among the elderly may include 1) Dehydration; 2) Chronic illnesses such as heart and kidney diseases, and blood circulation conditions; 3) Prescription medications that reduce sweating; 4) Salt-restricted diets; 5) Overdressing. People with dementia have a tendency to layer their clothing… So make sure their clothing is appropriate for the current temperature in their environment; and lastly 6) Lack of airflow or access to air-conditioning.
TIP #4: Watch for signs of heat exhaustion, which may precede the more serious heat stroke
Heat exhaustion symptoms include excessive sweating, tiredness, weakness, dizziness, headache and muscle cramps. As exhaustion progresses, symptoms may progress to nausea, vomiting, and fainting. Heat stroke can set in quickly, within 10-15 minutes. The symptoms of heat stroke include extremely high body temperature, the absence of sweating, confusion, seizure and coma. It is especially important to look for signs of distress or noticeable changes in people with dementia, since they most likely will not be able to communicate many of these symptoms to you.
Here are a few things you can do to help someone who is suffering from heat stroke symptoms:

Have the person lie down in a cool place, and if you can, put a fan directly on that person.

Take steps to lower their body temperature; air-conditioning, cool fluids, and/or providing access to a cool bath or sponge bath will also help.

Always seek proper medical attention.

If you are interested in learning more about how to practice an Alzheimer’s safe summer, I would be happy to connect you with Lisa directly for a phone, zoom or email interview. I’d also be happy to send you a copy of her upcoming book Truth, Lies & Alzheimer’s for review.

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Rick Snyder, M.A. in Psychology and author of Decisive Intuition: Use Your Gut Instincts to Make Smart Business Decisions, argues that the rational mind, doubt, busyness, fear, and the ego often disconnect us from our intuitive nature and inner compass, which makes our life choices much more challenging to navigate.

However, these obstacles and deeply-ingrained filters can be overcome. Each of us is capable of being more present to what our inner signals are trying to communicate, allowing us to open our mind and body to a deeper guidance within.

So what are you waiting for? Learn how to harness your gut instincts to make better decisions and live a fuller, happier and more purposeful life!

www.invisible-edgellc.com

The post Use Your Intuition to Live a Happier, More Purposeful Life, Rick Snyder shows us how… appeared first on Good News!.

Holiday Travel…Not as simple as “over the river and through the woods”.

Since the beginning of time, “travel” has been linked with “the holidays.” Even the trip to Grandma’s house, over the river and through the woods, has been immortalized in song! But these days, packing up the family for the holidays can be a difficult task. To help us get there comfortably, for less money, and with minimal stress, travel expert and mom of three, Kendra Thornton has some helpful tips.

With extra costs tacked on to air travel, especially when making last minute travel plans, many of us will be relying on the family car to get us where we need to go this season. According to AAA, millions of us will be hitting the road this holiday season, making car travel the preferred mode.

Kendra will offer advice on:

• Money-saving tips while on the road
• Secrets for smarter packing like leaving non-essentials behind and buying on the road. Even your car has weight restrictions!
• How to travel with your kids and pets and make sure they are comfortable
• Last minute, long distance travel: advice on searching for best rates on flights, hotels or rental cars, even now…it’s not too late!

Kendra will help you navigate the busy holiday travel season. No matter where your travels take you and your family, you’ll be sure to be well-prepared.

Travel Expert, Kendra Thornton has been packing her bags and traveling the world since she visited the Bahamas at 3 months old. She comes from a family of travel agents, giving her a unique angle on the industry, Thornton appears regularly as a leisure and business travel expert on ABC, CBS, NBC and CW affiliates across the country to share travel trends, tips and deals with millions of viewers every year. She’s also been quoted frequently on travel trends and issues in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, USA Today, and appeared regularly on the ABC, CBS and WB networks and affiliate stations across the country to discuss travel.

SUGGESTED QUESTIONS:

• What are some of the most notable trends in holiday travel this year?

• If we’re hitting the road, what are your top money-saving tips?

• What are some things we should check to ensure our cars are ready for the trek?

• How can we make sure our kids and pets have a comfortable trip?

• What are your secrets for packing light?

• If we decide to travel at the last minute, how can we find the best rates on flights, rental cars and hotels?

The post Travel Expert Weighs in on Planning and Executing a Stress-Free Holiday Trip appeared first on Good News!.