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Looking to start a career as a freelance writer? As a parent, balancing your kids with your professional career can get overwhelming. Fortunately, there are thousands of writing courses you can do online. While your kids are watching a movie or at school, you can learn how to become a successful freelance writer!

7 Best Freelance Writing Courses

As a parent, you’re continually checking up on your kids. It doesn’t matter if they are 5 years old or already teenagers, you always want to make sure they are okay. And sometimes, this makes it harder to commit to starting a new career path or learning new skills, especially if you already have a job. Juggling between work, courses, and kids feel like having 3 full-time jobs.

The good news is that acquiring freelance writing skills is easier than ever with online education. In some cases, you don’t even need to connect synchronously and can take the course at your own pace. If you want to know the steps to becoming a writer while raising kids, these are the best freelance writing courses online to keep in mind:

1. The Complete Freelance Writing Course

Starting a career as a freelance writer can get extremely challenging when you don´t have the right foundation. You might think that a portfolio and a blog are all it takes, but the reality is that there are some tricks to start getting clients fast and easy.

Udemy offers several writing classes online that are perfect for freelance newbies. And this course is one of the best to get started.

What you will learn:

• How to write for blog posts, web copy, white papers, eBooks, and B2B outlets
• Identify opportunities for paid writing work (even in unexpected places)
• Apply principles of clarity, fluency, and flow to your writing
• How to negotiate fair fees for your work
• Market your writing practice creatively

The course is entirely asynchronous, so you can do it whenever you want! You get a certificate of completion, downloadable resources, and full-time access.

Cost: $13.99

2. The Complete Freelance Writing Online Course: Beginner to Pro

One of the major struggles working parents experience is juggling going to the office while taking care of their kids. Working from home is the ideal solution, but not all companies are all-in for flexible arrangements. If you want to ditch the office to start a new path as a freelance writer and manage your own schedules, this course is for you.

It is also in Udemy, and it’s 100% async – you can do it anywhere and at any time. The course´s primary goal is to teach you how to become a professional freelance writer in just a few weeks.

What you will learn:

• How to market your freelance writing business using social media.using social media.
• Write effective blog posts that win your clients
• Pitch for different types of work and clients
• How to write press releases and distribute them online
• Make your writing SEO friendly

Cost: $14.99

3. Write Yor Way to 1K

Elna Cain´s Write Your Way to Your 1K is one of the best freelance writing courses online. She shares that what encouraged her to become a successful blogger and freelancer was her need to work from home to raise her twins.

This course not only teaches how to win your first 1K as a writer, but Elna also focuses on teaching writers the importance of mindset and having a strong belief system to succeed.

What you will learn:

• How to get paid well for your writing
• Learn the tools and strategies you need to attract and retain clients
• Know where to find high-paying clients easily
• The necessary skills to become a successful freelance writer

Cost: $195 (one time payment) or $75 (per month for 3 months)

4. Earn More Writing

One of the best online writing classes that can make you earn a six-digit salary is Earn More Writing by Holly Johnson, a professional blogger, and columnist. In this course, Holly helps writers turn their passion for writing into a high-paying career that can be done regardless of their location and schedule.

You don´t need to land a 9-5 job to earn a six-figure salary. Holly shares how she transformed her writing skills into a profitable and successful career.

What you will learn:

• How to discover what clients actually want (how to engage editors)
• How to land your first client even when you have zero experience
• Land big gigs and negotiate raises
• Launch a blog and build your brand
• How to invoice clients (and ensure you always get paid)

Cost: $199 (Standard Membership), $399 (Blogger´s Membership Bundle), $475 (Pro Membership Bundle), $599 (Platinum Membership Bundle).

5. 3 Steps to Your First $1,000 Freelance Writing in 45 Days or Less

Jorden Roper is a real-life example of someone who built a freelance writing empire with no experience. She introduces herself as a “3-time college dropout who built a $5,000/month freelance writing business about 4 months after getting fired of my crappy full-time job.”

This course is all about helping you earn a high monthly income doing what you love: writing. Jorden shares the key steps you can take from having zero clients to writing for major companies.

What you will learn:

• How to make solid pitches with no experience
• Find reliable clients
• All the steps to get your first clients (and land your first $1,000)
• Proven cold emailing templates

Cost: $297 (One time payment) or $87 (Per month for 4 months)

If you don’t see a course above that you think will work, check out the list of online learning platforms on this post to better understand other options.

Start Your Freelancing Career Right Away!

There are many benefits of working from home. Perhaps you want to be there more for your kids, you want to avoid commuting, or simply because you wish to have a more flexible schedule. By starting a career as a freelance writer, you can do all this while earning a stable and high income providing a freelance copywriting service.  Businesses are always looking to hire a copywriter who can craft compelling content, making this a lucrative and in-demand career choice And these 5 courses are the best ones to get you started!

Author: Gabriela is a journalist and the copy editor of Think Remote. She has been writing for online magazines and blogs for more than four years and has discovered her passion for remote work and the digital nomad lifestyle.

Read nine tips for navigating higher studies as a single mom.

These days, kids spend a lot of time using screens. While you might not initially see a problem with digital engagement, the reality is that many children have a screen addiction. And, like any other addiction, that can come with a variety of issues for them now and in the future.

Before you talk to your children about screen time and addiction, it’s important to educate yourself on why it’s so important (and potentially dangerous). It’s estimated that kids and young adults between the ages of 8-28 spend over 44 hours each week in front of a screen. Let’s dive into that so you can be prepared for an educational conversation with your children. We’ll also cover some alternative ideas you can suggest to take the place of screen time in their lives.

What’s the Big Deal With Screen Time?

While letting your kids have screen time each week isn’t a bad thing, there’s a fine line when it comes to enjoying some entertainment and needing that time in front of a screen to feel satisfied. Not sure how to identify that line? Some of the most common signs of screen addiction include

• Your child can’t control their screen use
• They’ve withdrawn from other activities
• They’re being deceptive about how much time they spend in front of a screen
• They start having social issues

Unfortunately, too much screen time can harm your child’s developmental growth. Some studies have shown that excessive screen time can impact a child’s ability to learn, especially when it comes to language and communication. When you combine those communication issues with the common struggles of screen addiction, it can lead to more serious mental health concerns. Your child might start to isolate themselves, and their addiction could lead to anxiety or depression.

How to Teach Your Child About Screen Addiction

As a parent, your instinct might be to take away all digital devices from your child. But, going “cold turkey” isn’t always the best method for a child. It could end up fueling their dependence and possibly lead to other harmful addictions, even more, causing them to rebel or become more anxious, or contribute to withdrawal symptoms.

Instead, the best way to manage your child’s screen addiction is to talk to them about it. Make them aware of the potential risks using age-appropriate language, and explain to them why their health and well-being are more important than staring at a screen. You can even talk about specific types of problems, like smartphone addiction. If you have a teenager who seems to be glued to their phone 24/7, don’t be afraid to be honest with them about the effects that kind of addiction can have on their social life and relationships.

From there, you can set reasonable boundaries for their digital devices. That might include things like no screen time until homework and chores are done. Or, you can allow screens during certain hours of the day, but not others. At the end of the day, you’re the one who needs to put rules in place. Don’t be surprised if you experience some backlash, but when your child starts to understand those boundaries and knows they aren’t going to change, they’ll be more likely to follow them.

Come Up With Alternatives

It’s not uncommon for kids to turn on their digital devices out of boredom. One of the best things you can do to keep that from happening is to provide them with tech-free alternatives. Get creative with fun activities, and try things like

• Taking something apart to see how it works
• Creating a treasure hunt
• Flying a kite
• Building an indoor bowling alley
• Coloring

Don’t be afraid to try new activities that are out of your comfort zone. Not only will they keep your child’s interest, but you might spark a new hobby or passion that will encourage them to spend less time on a digital device and more time exploring that interest.

It’s also a great idea to get your kids outside as often as possible. Spending time in nature can help to reduce stress, boost energy, and improve your children’s mental state. If they’re having a hard time “detoxing” from their digital devices, the more time they spend in nature, the better. Go on a family walk every evening, or spend time at a local park a few times each week. Try to find activities that appeal to your child’s natural interests, and they’ll be more likely to want to be involved.

Like any addiction, a reliance on screens and digital devices is dangerous – especially for kids. It’s common for them to be defensive when challenged about internet use.  Set an example in your house by monitoring your own screen time and limiting it in front of your children. By understanding the risks involved with screen addiction and setting boundaries for your kids, you’ll set them up for a future where they’re less dependent on technology, and more likely to have healthy relationships and strong communication skills.

About the Author
Katie Brenneman is a passionate writer specializing in education, mental health, family lifestyle and online safety. When she isn’t writing, you can find her with her nose buried in a book or hiking with her dog, Charlie. You can follow her on Twitter.

Due to the rapid advancement of technologies, our lives are becoming more digital. Even though the digital era benefits humanity in many aspects, the increased access to the Internet also leads to cyberbullying. If you are a single parent wondering how to stop cyberbullying for kids, make sure to read this article.

Learning the Basics of Cyberbullying

The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, also known as UNICEF, defines cyberbullying as “bullying with the use of digital technologies.” Currently, cyberbullying covers a wide variety of online activities, including sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about a specific person or a group of people. In some cases, cyberbullying can cross the line into unlawful or criminal behavior.

According to a report published by Pew Research Center, nearly 60% of children have experienced some sort of cyberbullying at least once in their lives. The thing is, the age-long problem of in-person bullying has made it into the digital world. However, cyberbullying is more damaging than traditional face-to-face bullying, as it can happen at any time, and there is no place to hide.

Based on the information provided by Ditch the Label, one of the world’s leading anti-bullying organizations, cyberbullying most often takes place on social media platforms, such as Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat. The main reasons why most people get attacked online are as follows:

• Appearance
• Academic achievements/intelligence
• Race
• Sexuality
• Financial status
• Religion

The Signs and Impact of Cyberbullying

Some children are ready to tell their parents they are experiencing bullying online, which significantly simplifies the process of providing parental help. At the same time, most kids are still too embarrassed or ashamed to talk to their parents about it. Therefore, each parent should be able to identify the main signs that their child is a victim. If you suspect something, watch for the following behaviors in your child:

• being distant, upset, or angry after being online or texting
• appearing more lonely or distressed
• a decline in their school work
• trouble sleeping
• loss of interest in favorite hobbies
• unexplained weight loss or weight gain, headaches, stomachaches, or trouble eating
• suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts

Apart from this, what experts say about cyberbullying is that cyberbullying has a significant impact on a child’s mental health and well-being. For example, if the child suffering from cyberbullying does not get appropriate help, it can lead to:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Low self-esteem
• Eating disorder
• Self-harm
• Substance abuse

Best Ways to Help Your Child Handle Cyberbullying

If you don’t know how to protect your child from online bullies, try to stick to the cyberbullying tips listed below.

1. Listen to your child without judgment and blame

No matter who initiates the first conversation about cyberbullying, parents should discuss the ongoing problem with their child calmly. Instead of freaking out, try to gently ask questions regarding the names of bullies (if known), the forms of cyberbullying used, and the length of time the cyberbullying has been a problem.

Also, do not blame your child if they have been hiding the truth about being cyberbullied for a long time. In fact, victims of online bullying may be scared their parents won’t understand the magnitude of this problem. Let your child know that you are always here for them if they feel like they need to talk.

2. Help your child feel safe

What parents can do about cyberbullying is ensure their child feels safe. If you think that taking away your child’s phone or computer to teach them about online safety can be helpful, you’re wrong. This action can only alienate them from their peers.

To help your child build resilience, encourage them to block cyberbullies from contacting them. If the cyberbully still manages to contact your child somehow, they shouldn’t respond or retaliate. Usually, people who use electronic communication to bully someone only want to get a reaction.

Finally, let your child know that telling an adult isn’t tattling – it’s standing up for yourself. So, if new episodes of cyberbullying occur, the child should be able to talk about it with a trusted adult.

3. Collect evidence

If the harassment continues, collect evidence that you can later show to teachers, the parents of bullies, or police officers. For example, make screenshots or recordings of conversations, messages, pictures, videos, and other items that demonstrate a full picture of bullying behavior.

If you consider taking legal action, speak with a lawyer, legal service, or the police about the type of evidence you might need to help resolve your case.  Speaking with experienced criminal defense attorneys can also clarify your child’s rights and help determine the appropriate next steps.

Once evidence is collected, make sure to store it in a way that removes it from your child’s devices. For instance:

• Send the evidence to your personal device or email
• Store the evidence on an external hard drive

4. Work with the school administrator

Presently, the majority of schools have a bullying policy, and most cover cyberbullying. If your child and aggressor go to the same school, contact educators who take responsibility for creating a safe environment for victims of online harassment through an investigation and appropriate response.

If reporting the incident to the school doesn’t help you handle the issue well, step back and reconsider your options. Is the cyberbullying your child experience possibly a crime?  In the end, the last thing you want is for the problem to get worse for your child.

5. Report the online harm

Typically, social media platforms, games, apps, and websites have policies that help prevent and deal with harm caused by online abuse and restricted online content. Considering that cyberbullying violates the Terms of Service of all legitimate service providers, contact the content provider to inform about this violation.

f you manage to provide appropriate proof, the service provider will take action within 48 hours after the report has been submitted. As a result, the cyber-abuse material will be removed, and the person initiating cyberbullying will be blocked.

6. If necessary, seek counseling

If you don’t know where to find help for reducing physical and mental harm caused by cyberbullying, try to find a well-qualified cyberbullying counselor for your child. Many victims of online harassment may be reluctant to speak out, which is why parents should play an essential role in motivating them to seek help.

If you notice any signs of anxiety or depression experienced by your kid, communicate with your child on the subject of cyberbullying. If the child agrees to receive psychological help, mental health counseling can be beneficial for them in areas such as:

• Self-esteem building
• Dealing with aggressive people
• Learning to resolve conflicts
• Managing stress

7. In case of a real physical threat of harm, contact local law enforcement

Sometimes, cyberbullying includes a realistic physical threat of harm. In this case, parents should contact county or state law enforcement officials immediately. After researching your state’s cyberbullying laws and procedures, you can file an official report with the police.

In turn, the police are required to take appropriate measures to prevent new episodes of online harassment from occurring. For example, if the bully is anonymous, the police will try to track them down. If cyberbullying involves a credible threat or posting the victim’s contact information to provoke physical attacks against them, the police might launch an investigation.

8. Encourage positive connections and coping strategies

Reassure your child they are loved and supported by numerous people, including their family members and friends. In addition to having open communication about your love for the child, encourage them to engage with interests like sports or dance that connect them with other young people. In this way, your kid can improve relationships with their friends and get acquainted with new people who share the same interests.

Moreover, if your child feels unsafe at school, offer to switch educational facilities. This decision can help your kid find new meaningful connections and build lasting friendships from scratch. Considering that changing schools exposes children to a wide range of new ideas and attitudes, it can be a perfect way to start a new chapter of life.

A Final Thought on Cyberbullying

If you want to learn more information on cyberbullying and options to address this problem, there are a variety of cyberbullying help sites that you can use to improve your knowledge on this topic. For example, you can visit government websites, such as Stop Bullying, Cyberbullying Research Center, and Connect Safely Cyberbullying.

by: Natalie Maximets
Natalie Maximets is a certified life transformation coach at OnlineDivorce.com. She has expertise in mindfulness and sustainability. She is a published author focused on the most progressive solutions in the field of psychology. Natalie helps people go through fundamental life challenges, such as divorce, and build an entirely new life by reframing their personal narrative.

Parents get very concerned when it comes to making the perfect choice for their child’s education. And it is only natural because finding the right one among 100 different schools is a very challenging task. As a parent, you would want nothing but the best for your child.

This is in all aspects: education, extra-curricular activities, environment, and so on. All these factors contribute to helping your child develop the best qualities.

However, the task becomes more challenging when you are a parent living overseas in UAE. You may not be aware of the country’s standard and education system. So, allow us to make the choice easier by allowing us to walk you through what Reach British School has to offer for your child!

What Is Reach British School?

Launched in 2014, Reach British School is one of UAE’s leading ISP international schools and is also a part of the International Schools Partnership (or ISP). They cater to all students between the ages of 3 years to 18 years (Nursery/FS1 to Year 13/Pre-KG to Grade 12).

The course of the curriculum followed here is the National Curriculum for England, which is known to be a benchmarked course all over the world. The primary focus of this institution is academics. However, they also motivate the students to get involved in cultural rigor challenges.

This allows them to excel in both areas, including their academics and personal growth.

In addition to this, Reach British School is also one of the very few schools to aid their second-year students by offering stunning scholarships!

By enrolling your child here, you can be guaranteed that they will get extraordinary international learning connections, quality assurance, and excellent governance.

What Reach British School Has To Offer

Now that you have a basic idea of what Reach British School is let us take a look at what the school has to offer in detail.

World-Class British Curriculum

As mentioned earlier, Reach British School follows the National Curriculum for England. This curriculum is focused and centered around the students and also challenges them to achieve more.

Professionally Skilled Staff

Moreover, the teachers at Reach British School focus on the all-around development of every single student. Before they start a class, the teachers carefully plan out their lessons so that every student understands the lessons.

Other than catering to just academics, they also cater to the child’s emotional and social achievements.

The learning environment is one that is very social, stimulating, and organized. This way, the children get the best experiences in various challenges like teamwork, solving puzzles, project work, and so on.

All children are given awards when they overcome challenges which further helps by boosting their self-esteem and confidence levels.

Best Campus Experience

Give your child the best campus experience as they explore the heated 25m indoor swimming pool, spacious, well-ventilated classrooms, huge multi-purpose indoor sports hall, a superb astroturf football field, a multi-sports pitch meant for athletics, and a newly resurfaced central play area.

Additionally, they also have stocked up libraries, science labs, and ICT suites (also known as Information and Communication Technologies), interesting digital projects, and impressive school canteens!

High-Quality Health Services

At Reach British School, you can be guaranteed that your child’s safety will be the main priority. This school has joined hands with the Health Authority of Abu Dhabi (HAAD) to provide the best health care services for your child.

The nurses in the school are trained to teach children how to live healthy, thereby promoting safety.

Healthy House System

At Reach British School, every child is taught to aim for excellence by improving their sense of team spirit. And that is why children are sorted in different houses to inculcate the habit of teamwork and healthy competition.

To practice this, the school organizes various competitions that are designed to test the child’s physical, creative, and intellectual elements. Furthermore, this helps to promote creative thinking and collaboration among the children.

In order to do so, the school will give your child a house color right when they are enrolled. Not only will this make them feel like they belong with the community of the school, but they will also be able to win points for their house from day 1.

This way, they can bag a lot of appreciation and even stand a chance to get elected as the school’s Primary Head, Primary Deputies, and Primary Lead Prefect!

Excellent Online Learning System

Given the current global situation, we understand that your child’s health and well-being are a concern. And that’s why Reach British School has started an excellent online learning system!

In fact, this school’s online education system has received the highest rating by ADEK in all 13 areas! This is because even with online learning, Reach has maintained:

• A clear focus on learning
• Motivation for students to learn
• Attendance and engagement
• Sharing, connecting, and three-way communication
• Real-life learning connections
• Time management
• Feedback and other steps

However, this has all been made possible thanks to our talented team of staff and the constant support of the parents!

Affordable Fee Structure

The best part about Reach British School is that the fee structure is very affordable. They are also very flexible as they allow you to pay the fees as an annual payment or in three installments.

They are flexible with payment options as well and they support your payment in the form of cash, cheque, online banking, and credit card. Moreover, if you have two or more children, you can even avail yourself of discounts of 5-10%!

They also offer corporate discounts for the following companies:

• Etihad Airways
• SEHA
• Mubadala
• Esaad

Why Choose Reach British School?

If you are looking to enroll your child in an exciting school with guarantees to help lay a strong foundation for a successful future, your best option is Reach British School.

Moreover, the school also has passionate English-speaking teachers who will give your child the best in academics but also offers a wide range of fun extra-curricular activities. All these combined are guaranteed to give your child everything they need for a bright future.

Additionally, they provide one-of-a-kind opportunities specially curated for secondary students along with scholarships.

It is also interesting to note that Reach British School is one that has been certified by the British Schools Middle East (BSME) and is also an active member of this community. Furthermore, Reach is also a part of the International Schools Partnership, which provides quality education for children across the country.

Final Words

We understand that as a parent, investing in your child’s future is the most important thing. However, at Reach British School, the future of every single child, including yours, shines bright.

With world-class learning programs and skilled teachers, you can be sure that your child’s path to success is one that is paved clearly. This is because our school delivers the best of tried and tested educational programs, which leads the students to enter established universities.

So, come and join us on our journey to help create a brighter future!