Safe Search Kids - Education, Parenting, Internet Safety for All

The connection between oral health and your child’s performance in class may not be obvious at first.  However, a child’s health and overall well being can have a major effect on every other aspect of their life. As the years pass, issues related to insufficient oral care can compound as children age.

How does Oral Health Affect School Performance?

Poor oral health can affect more than just your child’s teeth.  Bad dental hygiene and proper oral care can cause distracting discomfort or even pain that will have a negative impact on your child’s performance at school. It can even affect their social life, as one of the most common signs of poor oral health is bad breath, and children can often shun or mock other children at school if they smell bad.

Furthermore, if a minor oral health issue is left untreated, the problem can quickly turn into a much more serious problem such as tooth decay or even tooth loss. The early signs of cavities can easily go unnoticed if your child does not get regular dental checkups, especially as children often will not tell you about oral health problems they are experiencing for fear of getting in trouble.

To avoid these issues, it is absolutely vital for children to learn good oral hygiene habits and attend regular dental checkups.

How Pain Distracts The Brain

It is difficult for anyone to concentrate on challenging mental tasks when they are feeling pain, especially a school-aged child. A recent study conducted by the American Public Health Association found that children who are experiencing oral pain or other problems were falling behind their peers in terms of their performance in class.

Any kind of ongoing pain can be very distracting, and both physically and mentally exhausting for the person suffering it. In addition to reducing your child’s ability to focus on their work, this can also make them more irritable. It can increase the chance that they act out in class or have negative social interactions with their classmates.

Poor Oral Health Also Means Missing school

Children who have dental issues because of poor oral hygiene can often have to miss more school visits to the dentist, which naturally can lead to a drop in grades due to not being present in class to learn important parts of their course. According to a study published in the Journal of Pediatrics, children with poor oral health were 90% more likely to miss more than a week of school per year than other children who did not experience any oral health problems.

Absences can also affect a child’s performance in school because of the disruption to their routine. While a regular schedule leaves your child’s mind free to concentrate on their work in class, if a child is frequently leaving school early or missing entire days for dentist appointments, they will always be partly focused on that instead of their lessons.

Signs Your Child’s Oral Health is Impacting Their School

Children do not always tell their parents about the pain or discomfort they are experiencing as a result of poor oral care. They may fear that they will be punished for failing to brush their teeth, unaware of your concern for their dental health. As a result, they may not want to tell you about problems that they think might be related to not following your instructions regarding their oral hygiene. This means you might not find out about a problem until it has become a much more serious and painful issue for them.

Furthermore, children do not always understand why they are experiencing pain or poor health, and therefore will not mention it. Others simply might not know how to communicate the problem they are having, especially if they have not received any education in oral health and the potential results of poor oral health. Because of these problems, it is very important to look out for the early signs of an oral health issue and to teach your child to tell you if they spot any of those signs themselves. These signs can include:

• Tender, swollen, or bleeding gums
• Pain when chewing or swallowing
• Bad breath
• Discolored teeth
• Frequent or persistent ulcers or sores
• Teeth that are highly sensitive to temperature
• Swollen face or cheeks
• Painful, clicking or locking jaw

When these symptoms are not given attention with a follow up to a dentist, they will most likely lead to more severe problems.  It may not seem like a dental emergency today, but handling the issues now can prevent a lot of pain for the child and less cost for the parent in the future.

School-Based Programs to Promote Oral Health

Because oral health can play such an important role in children’s education at school, some schools are adopting health programs aimed at improving the oral health of the children attending their school. These typically include:

• Education about oral health, how to maintain good oral hygiene, and encouraging children to adopt healthier behaviors regarding their dental health.
• Basic oral health procedures to promote better dental hygiene while the children are at school, such as a regular fluoride mouth rinse to strengthen their teeth.
• Oral health screenings to provide early warning if a child shows signs of needing dental care.
• Applying dental sealant on children’s teeth to help to protect their teeth from decay caused by bacteria.
• Raising awareness about the effects that sugar can have on children’s teeth and oral health, and helping them to choose alternative foods and snacks with less sugar that are less harmful to their teeth.

Good Oral Health Habits Start at Home

While these school programs can help to support your child’s dental health while they are at school, good oral hygiene habits need to be established and maintained at home if they are going to become part of your child’s normal routine. This includes brushing at least twice a day with a fluoride-based toothpaste, and ideally also rinsing and/or brushing after each meal of the day.

Of course, it is not always possible for your child to brush their teeth after every meal, especially when they are at school. Encouraging the habit of always drinking and rinsing with water can help to wash out at least some of the bacteria and the sugars that they feed on from their mouth in between opportunities to brush their teeth properly.

Your child’s eating habits are also a crucial part of their oral health routine. Frequently snacking on candy, chocolate, and other foods that are high in sugar is naturally not advised. Bear in mind that most fruit contains a lot of sugar and acids that both damage your child’s teeth, so rinsing or brushing after eating these is just as important as doing so after eating other sugary foods like candy.

When your child is at home, you can make sure that they rinse and brush after enjoying sugary snacks, and you can control how much they eat. However, you cannot do this as easily when your child goes to school. If they are already in the habit of eating sugary snacks then they will continue to do so at school, where they cannot clean their teeth afterward. Getting your kids used to healthier snacks at home will help them to make healthier food choices when they are not at home.

Additional Resources:

If your child has a fear of dentists, educate yourself on how to help them overcome dentophobia.

Read about ways teens can cope with braces.

Is it safe for children to chew gum?

All software based internet filters block content to prevents kids from viewing harmful websites or downloading apps their parents don’t approve of.  Covenant Eyes does this as well, but has added features that encourages a culture of accountability through email reports disclosing internet use and sending them to an accountability partner.

This accountability relationship may include kids and their parents, or may strictly be among adult friends who are struggling with porn on the internet.  Therefore, Covenant Eyes is not just marketed to parents who want to protect younger internet users. If you’ve ever wondered why is porn so hard to quit, it’s crucial to understand the role of accountability in overcoming addiction, which is where Covenant Eyes can help.

How Does Covenant Eyes Work?

Unlike the history in your browser that can be deleted, Covenant Eyes keeps track of all user activity within the subscriber’s account.  It teaches safe browsing habits.  Just knowing that an extra set of eyes will see the search history on a daily or weekly basis help keeps family and friends responsible when surfing the internet, including Google.

It is these two facets that makes Covenant Eyes unique.  While most parental control software programs are set up to give parents all the control, Covenant Eyes can also be for adult users with accountability partners.  These adults have control of their own account and their accountability partners are sent reports of online activity, as well as changes made to restrictions and app downloads.  To further clarify, let’s recap that which may be confusing to those who are new to internet filtering, parental control apps, and monitoring software;

Covenant Eyes has Two Distinct Features depending on the End User

• It is just like your standard parental control software used by parents to monitor and restrict internet access for younger kids.  Age limits can be set according to age to give teens more freedom to make good choices online, but a certain level filtering and blocking is still implemented. This is controlled by the parent.

• It is monitoring software for adults who want accountability with a friend or spouse*.  The account is opened by the adult user.   An accountability partner is added (or multiple partners) and email reports are sent to this partner or multiple partners of their internet activity.  The frequent of email reports is determined by the account holder.

The creation of the Covenant Eyes software program was based on the word covenant, which is basically an agreement one makes with another person about particular issue. In regards to internet safety, the agreement made with what people see online (covenant eyes).  The commitment is to stay away from harmful content online.  Later, Covenant Eyes was expanded to also provide complete internet blocking for kids.

Accountability for You

Both internet blocking and screen accountability are included in the full software download.  The difference is who owns the account.  For families with kids, the parents have the control.  For adults, they hold the account and have full access to the internet. They simply want to be accountable to others. It may be to fight a porn addiction or they are struggling with control issues over internet use.

*It has been recommended by many counselors of couples who are struggling with porn that your Covenant Eyes accountability partner is someone other than your spouse.  This sets up inequitable parental roles within the relationship.  All couples, married or not, should be focusing on open and honest communication about all aspects of their relationship without condescension.  It can work better for each individual to set up accountability with a friend that both people in the relationship respect and trust.

If you are an adult seeking control over the internet within your own life, you still have freedom online.  For example, a site like YouTube may automatically be blocked.  This is a standard setting for parents who may want to prevent their younger kids from being on YouTube.  Therefore, you can change the settings to allow YouTube.  Your accountability partner(s) will see these changes in their email report but it won’t be something they would question since YouTube is not a pornographic website.

Internet Blocking

If you are a parent with older teens, you may not even decide to block content.  You may want to teach self control.  Your teens actions will be greatly controlled by the strength of their accountability relationship with you as a parent.  When they are aware that the parent will be receiving email reports about online activity, it will teach good decision making and self control.

Accountability can also go both ways.  Friends may want to be accountable to each other, or a support group of friends.  Each member would have their own account and add multiple partners.

Email reports are not cumbersome. Bad websites are highlighted to produce an easy to view history report of where a user has been online. Those keeping an eye on a users internet habits can also log in with limited access to see a recent history.  Of course, this is not ideal for younger kids because you don’t want them stumbling on explicit material even by accident.  This is where you would want to employ complete parental controls.

Beyond the accountability option, Covenant Eyes still allows parents to block websites based on the age. This protects kids from being exposed to explicit material by mistake.  It comes preloaded with at set of obvious sites that should be blocked but may decide you don’t want a person to access a particular social media site and only access safe apps.

Basic Covenant Eyes Account Set Up

• Covenant Eyes downloaded to a computer or smart phone.
• Covenant Eyes keeps a complete and accurate record of all web usage.
• Filtering, blocking  and Monitoring can be set up according to age.
• Accountability Partners, selected by the user, receive reports by email about internet activity.
• Unique dynamic scoring system highlights questionable sites, making the report easy to read.
• When an accountability partner is removed, that partner previously set up to receive activity reports is notified.

Screen Accountability

Covenant Eyes has responded to the growing need to their software to work as the internet privacy and security protocols evolve.  Therefore, they have redefined accountability as screen accountability.  Basically, it’s not as easy now to determine the content of a website based only on the url or written content on the page.

Screen Monitoring:  The software periodically captures screenshots of screen activity and stores them securely.

Screenshot Analysis:  Advanced artificial intelligence analyzes those screenshots, on your device, for explicit imagery.

Screenshot Processing:  The software rates the images, blurs them to protect your privacy, then prioritizes them based on content.

Activity Reporting:   A report of concerning activity, circumvention attempts and other activity is sent to you and your ally.

Safe Search

Safe Search Kids recommends the use of parental control software to implement internet filtering. If you decide not to subscribe to internet filtering and blocking via software, we still encourage families to use Google Safe Search.  Just know that while filtered search engines such as ours do a great job of blocking offensive and dangerous websites, they only work while the child is using the safe search website to conduct searches.  A program such as Covenant Eyes is a tool that combines greater restrictions to internet access.  In either case, parental guidance on safe browsing behavior is always best to teach kids safe browsing habits.

If you have a computer gamer in the house, a parental control program is not the same as anti-virus software.  Many gamers complain of reduced speed while running anti-virus for protection and now there is a new solution to that problem.  It’s Performance + Security in One for gamer security.

Covenant Eyes Accountability Reporting

Covenant Eyes analyzes each website visited and blocks or allows them according to each user’s sensitivity settings. The parental control filter requires an ‘uninstall code’ in order to remove it from the computer. If the program is uninstalled, all users and accountability partners receive an email that the Covenant Eyes is no longer tracking usage.

As mentioned, you can choose to not have a lower level of filtering for older family members. At it’s most basic level, the software program instills positive browsing habits through accountability and reduces the risk of developing addictive behavior. Parents should also consider controls for very young children spending time online.

Simply create an Covenant Eyes account and download.  The software provides an economical solution to internet filtering for the entire family.  For adults, it offers freedom with the ability to set up accountability with trusted friends.   Typical adult users are those who choose to resist temptation on the internet by remaining accountable to a friend or spouse.

Give it a try and if you are not completely satisfied with how the program is working for you, simply request a refund within 30 days for a guaranteed 100% refund.

Families!  Take the Covenant Eyes 7 Day Digital Detox for Free!

Generational theory is probably one of the handy tools in human resource management. After all, knowing the motivational preferences of each generation, such as Generation Z Career Motives, is very important for managers. Young people are entering the labor market more and more actively.

So, we will have to figure out what characteristics of Generation Z employees need to know. Plus, we must carefully consider the methods of motivation, which are successfully used and help not only to stay in line but also prevent burnout.

Generation Z Features

To find an approach to the person  to understand their motivation, we need to do some analysis. As always, to identify the peculiarities of a certain generation, an empirical study is mostly carried out. Very often we hear or watch people say that Z is the first generation for whom digital technology and availability of information is a completely natural phenomenon. Well, it’s no secret that this is the case. But is the fact that today’s young people are so addicted to gadgets so bad?

Perhaps it is just difficult for the older generations to realize and accept the fact that they just perceive information differently. Moreover, members of Generation Z think, evaluate, and sift through large volumes of information faster. It’s just that in the modern world of digital technology the sources, form of presentation, and properties of perception of any information data have changed.

But let’s also look at other features of this generation, among which will be both pros and cons.

• Clip mentality

This phenomenon is the main characteristic of the youngest generation. Clip consciousness manifests itself in the perception of information in the form of short, rapidly changing frames. Attitudes toward cliched thinking are ambiguous. Some believe that it leads to an inability to concentrate on long-term tasks. However, most experts admit that people with clip consciousness are characterized by a high reaction rate, the ability to quickly perceive and process information. This quality has another important advantage – it helps to navigate very quickly and make important decisions, which is a big plus in work.

• Ability to brand management

Most of today’s teenagers spend a couple of hours a day communicating on various social networks, creating vibrant themed accounts, perfect images, and effective personal brands. This can also help to develop and improve company work.

• Pragmatism

Generation Z representatives from a young age have an entrepreneurial streak and a desire for comfort. Such qualities become a prerequisite for the development of healthy pragmatism, absolute practicality, the ability to make strictly logical conclusions and find their ways out of various situations.

As for the well-known problems of this generation, the following can be noted:

• Infantilization
• Sick attitude towards criticism
• Lack of concentration
• Burnout
• Tendency to depression

Now that we’ve gotten to the surface of Generation Z, let’s turn our attention to the main issue – motivation.

Basic Ways of Motivation

As for motivation, it has to be approached very carefully. After all, we are dealing with, one might even say, unusually soft people. So, let’s look at the ways that motivate Generation Z.

Let them learn from their mistakes

The manager needs to remember that these people are used to relying on their knowledge and feelings. Representatives of Generation Z have a hard time accepting ready-made solutions, even if they are correct and time-tested. These people need to be able to express themselves. So, the most effective way for them to learn something new is to discuss, offer their ideas, assess the pros and cons. This way of learning will help them draw the right conclusions on their own and come up with the best solutions.

Diminish the criticism

People like to feel appreciated. It’s part of what makes us human and motivates us to keep doing the good behavior for which we’ve been noted.

It is almost useless to criticize people of this generation. It is most likely that in response to criticism the manager will receive no reaction. In their opinion, the anger of the manager indicates only that he/she, does not understand the real picture. To influence the representatives of generation Z, they must be praised. Otherwise, the person will constantly walk away from the uncomfortable situation. It is worth noting that when communicating with them, regular praise does not have to be expressed in money. Of course, this does not apply to the picture where your employees accidentally burned down your office and you praised them for it.

The best motivation is a salary and a convenient schedule

The perfect job for the Z generation is a remote job with a competitive salary. Generation Z people should always be approached individually, their work should inspire them and be interesting for them. If the employer on top of that can provide a flexible work schedule, the person will run errands with a sense of uniqueness.

Career opportunities

It’s no secret that Generation Z will be motivated by job guarantees, as long as the companies align with their brand values. Stability is also key. But a stable salary alone won’t give much motivation or engagement to employees. Representatives of this generation also count on stability and, of course, career advancement, which will lead them to success.

More often than not, these people are looking for jobs that match their talents as well as their interests, either it be in information technology (IT), business, finance, or education. This may be a career that requires college or achieved through trade school.  And, of course, these people need managers who care about them and their career growth.

Respect independence

Generation Z is very independent. While collaboration is very valuable to this generation, and they like being part of a team, they also value their autonomy. Growing up in a technological boom means that this generation is constantly “communicating” online through various social networks, but sometimes they need time to think about and assimilate information on their own. Our challenge is to accommodate these preferences and different messaging styles. You can even use a site survey or an employee survey to determine if your message is resonating or if you need to make some changes. This will show employees that you respect their independence and preferences. It also allows you to best communicate your ideas to employees and overcome confusion.

Conclusion

A modern manager needs to understand the peculiarities of Generation Z: their individualism, their desire to secure their inner world, and at the same time to express it fully through their career. The main thing for a manager is to give these people the opportunity to express themselves and allow them to feel unique. Then they will make very productive employees. Taking into account all the subtleties of this generation is a sure key to the success of your company.

About the Author
Liza is Masterbundles’ CMO and copywriter, passionate about black coffee, writing and Depeche Mode. She does her best to deliver you the most valuable deals on the web. Write to [email protected] if you want to talk or publish your article.

Poorer exam scores, weaker self-confidence, and a lesser likelihood of high school and college achievement are long-term implications of learning loss. Fortunately, improving specific learning skills only requires a few months of subject-specific study.

Building strong math foundations is elementary school years right up through high school is strengthened when we make math part of everyday life. Here are some ways to incorporate math into a child’s life!

Make Math Delightful!

When children are not overburdened with responsibilities, especially when it comes to classes, homework, extracurricular activities, and so on, they have more time, are less exhausted, and can concentrate better. Select activities that will appeal to both you and your child, and have fun creating memories that you will treasure.

1. Mathematics should be included in the cooking process.

Following a recipe necessitates the use of concepts such as sequencing and counting.

Baking requires precise measurements. Therefore scaling a recipe requires division or multiplication.

You can start with a super easy recipe for shakes and smoothies. Then, once your youngster has mastered following a recipe, double it to test their proportional thinking.

2. Play games that need you to utilize your math skills to improve your arithmetic abilities.

Math-based games include Monopoly, Solitaire, Blackjack, Scrabble, Chess, Blokus, and any board or card game that uses money, keeps score or requires strategy. When traveling, there are numerous entertaining games to play. Games can assist your child in improving their mathematical fluency, logic, and probability skills. It’s also a terrific way to spend time with family and friends.

3. Go on a shopping spree.

Solicit your child’s assistance in locating sales, comparing prices, and calculating a range of things. First, bring your coupons and have them calculate how much you’ll save. Next, go to a farmers market for a pleasant, healthful, math-focused exercise. Then, you can give your child some cash and analyze what they do with it.

4. Visit a science center or museum on a field trip.

A visit to a neighboring science center or museum can be entertaining and informative for you and your youngster. Learn about inventors and innovators, participate in hands-on activities and interactive exhibitions, and improve your mathematical reasoning skills. It’s a perfect setting for your child to pursue a career in science.

5. Do some math while watching sports.

Make math a part of the experience when watching sports with your family or watching a soccer game. Encourage your youngster to collect statistics on their favorite baseball team or player, such as how long it takes for each goal to be scored. Football players can be compared based on touchdowns, yards, and tackles. Your child is capable of taking measures. Comparing them to a regulation-sized court is a good idea.

6. Put on some background music.

At it’s core, music is mathematical. There is a mathematical structure to the patterns you recognize in your favorite tunes.

7. Read math-related books.

One of the advantages of summer is having more time to read. In addition, when math is woven into the story, your child will benefit from being able to think quantitatively.

8. Start your own business.

Summer is the best season to make some additional money for spending. Ask your child to have some business idea or start a new venture with him. It’s a great approach to learn about accounting, costing, and profit management. Try to keep your math skills up by doing math in your head while possible and not always relying on calculators.

9. DIY (do-it-yourself) group!

Your youngster is practicing arithmetic while they work on a home repair project. Working with numbers, spatial thinking, measures, angles, calculating area, and problem-solving, depending on the topic, is a fantastic method for you and your partner to collaborate toward a common goal.

10. Enroll in a math curriculum appropriate for you, such as IB Mathematics.

IB Mathematics is an easy-to-use resource for IBDP math students and teachers. It offers fascinating scenarios in which students must take real-world problems and model them using appropriate mathematical skills that are taught throughout the process of navigating these situations to aid students in meeting the particular mathematics challenges.