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5 Thoughts That Can Negatively Impact A Child’s Mind

5 Thoughts That Can Negatively Impact A Child's Mind


A child’s mind is highly impressionable. A lot of the things that you might think kids won’t notice, can ignore, or won’t remember may wind up influencing the people they become as adults. It can be quite the scary and overwhelming thought, especially for parents to many children!

As a parent, you need to be aware of the thoughts your child is exposed to and experiences. Unbeknownst to you, they could be very much affected by these factors, so keep an eye out! Here are five thoughts that can negatively impact a child’s mind.

1.    Negative Comparisons Harm a Child’s Mind

Even if the family environment is one that is loving and supporting, research shows that children as young as six will notice the difference. As you can imagine, this can affect a child negatively. This is then further worsened by our result-oriented society, which cares not for the effort put into a task.

After such comparisons, a child will find themselves wondering if there was a point in any of their efforts. When such thoughts are left to go unchecked, it can cause:

·         Damaged Relationships

It should come as no enormous surprise that children are emotionally vulnerable, and therefore will take your words to heart. Repeated comparison between them and their peers may make them not only despise their peers. They may also despise you for not being on their side. This result will likely damage any positive relationships they have with you and those around them.

·         Jealousy

Constant comparison between their betters will make a child naturally jealous. This only gets worse if they really cannot match up to said better, due to their better’s virtues are always being exaggerated or improved. Such emotions can easily torment a child and transform into hatred and even aggression with enough time and animosity.

·         Negativity

For a child to be measured against others and found repeatedly wanting, it can be hard for them to see themselves in any positive light. As a result, they will likely develop a defeated spirit that struggles with any sort of positive thinking. They will also likely infect others with their negative assumptions, and assume the worst of themselves and of any outcomes that will occur.

·         Nervous Upbringings

A child that is on the regular end of belittling and comparisons will naturally become nervous and jittery, and create in them a tendency to overly focus on pleasing those around them. This habit is because they will develop feelings of inadequacies as they continue to fail meeting expectations. Additionally, these doubts will make them lose any sense of autonomy, natural confidence, and knowledge of boundaries.

·         Self-Doubt

Being repeatedly told that they’re not good enough and that there’s always someone out there that’s better than them will only plant and encourage the seed of self-doubt. This leaves a child discouraged continuously as they double-think their capabilities and skills at every step of the way. They’ll often feel that they aren’t good enough as well.

2.    Jumping To Conclusions

To jump to conclusions is something that children do very often, for better or worse. This is primarily due to their struggles with developing IQ and emotional biases. Further, research reveals to us a significant impact on reasoning errors. If they are already used to negativity and comparisons, they are going to naturally gravitate to assuming the worst.

This behavior can result in them feeling hurt and accused, and be inclined to lash out and blame others when things go wrong. To avoid this, you’ll want to teach your children that:

·         Explain That Others Can Make Mistakes

Not all hurtful actions are intentional or mean-spirited. It is only natural for people to blunder, and those mistakes will often affect those around them – including your child. Despite the harm caused, it is best to teach your child that it’s likely the perpetrator had meant well and accidentally made an honest mistake. As such, they shouldn’t jump to conclusions, and instead, focus on positive thinking and offer the courtesy of forgiveness.

·         Teach Them About The Importance Of Evidence

Children are not rational and logical, and as such, are likely to accuse or suspect people based on gut feelings or baseless reasons. While gut feelings are useful and can be the first sign that something is wrong, your children should learn that it is best to look for real, proper evidence to back up such thoughts and feelings. This can help prevent hurt in the long-run, as looking for information to explain their reasoning may make them realize that they had no real cause at all.

·         Role-Play To Practice

Role-playing can help a child to learn how to empathize with others and understand. This activity encourages them to step into the shoes of others and see how the other person may have felt, and from there, have your child understand how they should, in turn, treat others. For example, you can ask a child about the last time they had accused someone. Then prompt their imagination as you ask your child how they would feel if they were in such a situation – and in turn, how it must’ve made the other person feel.

3.    Catastrophizing

To catastrophize is to magnify or minimize a situation or an outcome for the worst. In a parent, this form of catastrophizing stems from anxiety over a distressing situation – which, as research shows, is a behavior that can pass down to one’s child. This is because:

·         They Will Notice

Despite a parent’s active efforts to conceal their worries from their child, they will unintentionally show those anxieties via their behavior, such as overinvolvement. Children will then learn from such action subconsciously, and internalize that same sort of tension that their parents suffer from.

·         They Become Worried Too

As parent’s overinvolvement may result in them taking away any sense of agency from the child. In the process, this creates a sense of inadequacy, as children don’t successfully learn from their mistakes and situations. This outcome then gets worse in the future, as the child’s worries grow in proportion to increasingly difficult situations that they never learn how to handle.

·         They Struggle To Be Independent

Research tells us that a parent catastrophizing can result in them being more controlling, which takes away a child’s autonomy. Anxious parents are also slower and more reluctant to pull back on parental control, which results in a child struggling to understand how to care for themselves as they grow older.

4.    All-Or-Nothing Thoughts

Studies prove that children naturally struggle with nuance and accuracy. Instead, they’ll lean towards thinking in hyperboles, and gravitate towards the extreme as it is simply easier to understand. This, however, can result in all-or-nothing thinking, which can hurt a child’s self-esteem. It can also make it even more challenging for you as a parent to obtain an accurate picture of the situation when your child tries to tell you about it.

If you notice this happening on the regular, you ought to take this as a red flag that your child may be dealing with more cognitive distortion that is healthy. To break this habit, try:

·         Be A Good Example

Take a look at your behavior. Children tend to copy what they see precisely, so it’s likely that you might be unintentionally teaching them by action. Pay attention to your language, and hold yourself accountable for being accurate when you are communicating yourself.

·         Show Them That False Accusations Are Lies

It’s essential for your children to understand that extreme statements are often similar to lies, as they can be misleading and unfair. This still applies even if your child hadn’t thought of it as a lie, or intended to mislead someone – so long as it’s an untrue statement, it is not okay.

·         Provide Alternatives To This Pattern

Completely stopping a habit is not realistically possible. It’s much more useful for anyone – both child and adult – to instead swap the unwanted behavior with something more positive. For a child who’s still developing their vocabulary, you can try suggesting alternative terms that are more accurate. From there, teach them to practice it and remind them on the regular until it’s replaced their more extreme statements instead.

5.    Negative Labels

While labels are a quick and easy way to identify people, research suggests that they can also be harmful when it is negative and unfair – especially when it is an adult saddling a child with such labels.

When a child is labeled, it affects a child in the following ways:

·         The Labels Become Ingrained

Labels can be difficult to shake off. Doubly so with impressionable children, who are likely to take any negative feelings and words directed their way at face value. Once a child internalizes a label, it also solidifies any negative behavior as something they believe is part of themselves.

·         It Harms Self-Esteem

Negative labels will plant in your child’s mind the consistent negative qualities, even if said quality isn’t necessarily a bad thing. At such a young age, children will see these limiting beliefs as the truth that will shape their thoughts into adulthood permanently. This thinking pattern consequently can affect their sense of self-esteem as well.

·         You Feel Less Empathy

Placing a negative label on a child can make them appear that they are unchanging. It can also create a sense of distance between yourself and your child’s thoughts and emotions, which consequently makes it difficult for you to connect to them and see from their point of view. Instead, you’re more inclined to not look any deeper as you rely on the label to tell you all you need about the child – usually at the child’s expense.

Final Thoughts On Some Things That Can Negatively Impact A Child’s Mind

You don’t have to coddle a child to keep their mind safe. You can be a strict disciplinarian with a fair but firm parenting style. On the other hand, you can be the total opposite and be especially outwardly empathic in your parenting style. Or, you can be somewhere in between. These are all valid and workable parenting choices.

But the fact remains that, no matter what you choose, you still need to be a good parent and learn how what a child experiences can impact their mind. Learn to take note of thoughts that can harm a child and the way they develop and mature, then work to prevent or change them. You’ll be glad when your child doesn’t have to deal with these thoughts years down the line!

Lifestyle

10 Ways Social Distancing Might Impact Your Company Culture

10 Ways Social Distancing Might Impact Your Company Culture


Socialization has always been a critical element in corporate culture. On your job, you probably enjoy chatting with your coworkers over a cup of coffee in the break room. Sharing a tidbit of gossip at the water fountain at work is also a classic example of employee camaraderie–and often part of company culture.

It’s Impossible to Have a Germ-Free Environment

Unless you work from home, it’s nearly impossible not to rub elbows with others a couple of times a day. However, proximity can spread germs and viruses exponentially, and therefore company culture must change. If one of your coworkers has the flu, he could easily share it with you and others by coughing, sneezing, or leaving germs on shared surfaces, like doorknobs and phones.

You already know how to keep your germs to yourself when you are ill. Actions such as washing your hands, covering your mouth when coughing or sneezing, and keeping your distance from others are common sense. The best advice is to stay at home if you are down with something contagious.

Did you know that when you sneeze, you can expel as many as 40,000 microscopic particles up to 100 meters per second, and a cough can propel up to 3,000 droplets? If you also spray particles in the air when you talk, it is bound to reach those around you.

If you expel tiny particles up to 100 meters in a second, it would be the equivalent of one and a half football fields. In our Western culture, we tend to keep a personal space of about 2-3 feet from others. Even if we sneeze or cough inside our elbow or a tissue, others on your job could still be affected.

ventilator
Read about the selfless act of a 90-year-old woman.

Understanding Presenteeism

It’s easy to assume that people who are sick will stay home until they are better. However, regulations vary by employer, and the solution to contagious employees isn’t that simple. Because of presenteeism, you may be seeing subtle changes in company culture around the nation.

Presenteeism is a newly coined word for those who are sick and decide to come to work anyway. Some of the reasons why suffering people come to work are they have inconsiderate employers, strict absence policies, no sick pay, or job loyalty. While these sick employees may think they are responsible, they are negligent by risking their coworkers’ health.

How can you go to work with the absurdity that someone isn’t going to share their sick germs? Will your company culture limit communication to smartphones and video conferencing? Here are ten ways that social distancing might affect your company culture and ways you can deal with the changes.

10 Changes Many Workers Will Witness in Their Company Culture

1. Closed Cubicles

Most large corporations have already changed to personal cubicle floor plans. Entry-level and middle management usually occupy rows of cubicles, while senior management generally has the traditional corner office space with a view. If this is the arrangement for your workspace, you are probably used to moderate social distancing already.

Closed cubicles may become the norm to protect employees, management, and clients’ well-being. Everyone may work in a plexiglass cubicle, with one person at a time permitted to enter. You would have a desk, and the other person would sit a few feet away from you.

You needn’t feel caged in a while working in a closed cubicle. Make good use of all the natural light you can and fix up your area to be warm, professional, and inviting. If you have a business to discuss with a coworker, try to do it in person rather than over the phone. Just makes sure you are at least six feet apart.

2. Limited In-Person Meetings

Remember watching George Jetson talk to his boss over a computer monitor? What was once amusing science fiction has been a reality for several years now. Video conferencing allows companies to meet with coworkers and clients all over the world in real-time. This technology saves money and time and will enable people to be in virtual meetings no matter where they are.

Video conferencing may replace most in-person meetings due to social distancing and convenience. Connect from a spot that is professional, yet friendly, for that touch of human warmth. If appropriate, a little humor goes a long way in these sterile-like meetings.

3. Regrouping Social Gatherings for Your Company

Traditionally, most companies have sponsored holiday parties and special occasions to keep high employee morale. Haven’t you attended parties at work for promotions, weddings, and baby showers over the years? These events are what often make coworkers feel like close friends and even family.

If social distancing issues prohibit office gatherings for a while, take heart. You can always gather in a public place or invite coworkers to your house. Even if you must leave a small cake and balloons in the honoree’s cubicle, you have shared your thoughts and kindness in some small way.

4. Breaks and Lunch at Your Desk

Every company has a break room or a shared kitchen where employees can rest, chat, and eat. What would an office do without the perennial box of stale donuts and burned coffee? Some of your best times at work may have been sitting around the break table laughing and blowing off steam.

If your workplace no longer offers an employee lounge or kitchen, consider keeping a minifridge in your cubicle for snacks, drinks, and meals. Personal size coffee makers don’t take a lot of space and are quite affordable.

5. Drinking Fountains and Coffee Pot Removals

One thing that will probably go is public drinking fountains and coffee pots. You will be encouraged to bring drinks to work. A public drinking fountain is one of the dirtiest places in the office. Did you know that you can catch E. coli and coliform from those commonly used fountains?

A study was conducted on various school fountains around the country. They found that there was an average of 2.7 million types of bacteria on these drinking stations. No wonder they are keeping these closed off as bottled water is much safer.

6. Staggering Work Shifts

To keep fewer people in the office, your company may rotate schedules so that some employees work from home on varying days. You may go to a plan where you work two days at home and three days at the office or vice versa. Consequently, on the days when you are home, other people will be in the office.

It sounds like a big hassle, but one of the advantages of working from home is that you might not have to fight the traffic and other daily commute issues. If you’ve always wanted to try telecommuting, then it might be your chance as corporate culture is changing.

company culture
Learn how to set boundaries when you work from home with the kids.

7. Temperature Checks

One of the downsides to social distancing is ensuring that every employee that comes to work is healthy enough to be there. You may be required to have routine temperature checks and answer a few questions about your health each day.

The goal is to ensure that you are not carrying a fever that could infect others. So a simple temperature check may be all it takes to prove that you’re not harboring an illness. Your company culture may now include temperature evaluations before you begin for the day.

8. Hand Washing

Another change that you will see in your corporate culture is an increased awareness to wash your hands and sanitize. You may see signs all around the building and in the restroom, reminding you of the importance of a good scrub.

Many people don’t wash their hands properly or don’t wash them at all after leaving the bathroom. It’s vital that you wash continuously throughout the day, even if you haven’t used the restroom. If you touch your face at your desk, then use sanitizer. It’s just another way to keep germs at bay and avoid any further changes to company culture.

9. One Way Traffic Patterns

Grocery stores and workplaces across the globe are going to one-way traffic patterns. While this won’t cause much of a problem to smaller offices, it may be a considerable shift in your company culture. You will be restricted to the places you can go and the flow of traffic down that aisle.

10. Wearing Masks

Whether you think they are essential or not, many companies are requiring their employees to wear masks. The best cover to use is an N95 that has capabilities to block every toxin you may breathe, but the homemade varieties are better than nothing.

If you opt for a cloth mask, make sure that you cannot smell anything through it. Also, it should comfortably cover your nose and mouth. While your glasses may fog up and you may feel as if you are suffocating, it’s a lot better than being on a ventilator from contracting a deadly virus.

Final Thoughts on Learning About the New Company Culture

A few small inconveniences are worth your health. Each employer will evaluate the space, the number of employees, and mandates that they feel are necessary for their operation. Cooperation is the key, or it could cost you in terms of wellness.

Technology

The Impact of Blockchain Technology on Event Management

The Impact of Blockchain Technology on Event Management


Blockchain technology has transformed traditional business models in the last few years. It provides a secure, traceable, and transparent network in which two users exchange Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. Its online presence is influencing many industries, including Government, Finance, Healthcare, and more, as it has redefined the way people transact.

Blockchain technology today is doing much more than managing virtual currencies. It supports a wide range of applications such as supply chain tracking, product quality identification, peer-to-peer transaction, and lot more across various industry verticals. Here, we will look at the essentials of Blockchain technology and its impact on the event industry.

Essentials of the Blockchain Technology

Blockchain is about storing digital information (block) in a public database (chain). Since its conceptualization in 2008, Blockchain has been evolving across multiple channels.

Initially, Blockchain technology helps manage Bitcoin, an electronic currency. It uses a distributed database for allowing a safe, quick way to users for verifying vital information and build trust. In simple terms, Blockchain enables users to manage electronic cash without the involvement of a central administrator.

In 2014, a project called Ethereum played a significant role in allowing vast improvements in Blockchain technology. Today, Blockchain provides numerous benefits to different domains, including:

  • Digital signature and encryption for a high level of security.
  • Banks and clients get convenient and transparent transaction process.
  • Maximum fraud control as digital data is stored in various places.
  • Different accessibility levels for users in public and permission-based Blockchain networks.
  • The need for the cash/credit card payment system is eliminated, which makes the transaction process faster and reduces operational costs.
  • A decentralized system makes users worry-free from paying any fees to mediators.
  • Participants can quickly check and confirm the validity of the previously made transactions.

How Blockchain Technology Influence Events Industry

  1. Prevent Unethical Ticket Sales:

    Many event organizers keep the event ticket price low to attract a significant number of participants. They use multiple platforms and take services from various vendors to sell or resale the tickets. However, such practices sometimes pose a challenge of financial loss.

    Because of the lower ticket rates, automated bots, or even some vendors may buy tickets in bulk and create a ‘sold-out’ scenario. It may result in low participation, which can affect the success of the event, or the participants may have to pay higher prices for the tickets purchased from such vendors.  

    To avoid this, many event professionals today use Blockchain technology that helps to create entirely secure and authenticated transactions from real users. They can set rules for the ticket purchase, reselling, and setting the limits for the number of tickets that a single user can purchase. A tool powered by Blockchain technology will ensure that once a user transfers Bitcoin amount from his address to another, he/she cannot replicate the purchase.

    Moreover, the Blockchain security allows the attendees to use their digital identification number to register for the event, instead of filling out lengthy forms.

  2. Linking Cryptocurrency with Ticket Sales

     Many companies today accept cryptocurrency as a mode of payment. Basis of the various advantages of cryptocurrency as a payment method; its use has become an eternal trend.

     Unlike credit card transactions, which use pull mechanisms, Blockchain uses a push mechanism. This method helps to limit the details passed onto the receivers. Besides, a peer-to-peer network manages the payment system instead of a centralized body.

     Event planners can implement cryptocurrency payment methods in their event ticketing systems, which will make the transactions absolute and counterfeit-proof once done. This feature can become invaluable for them in handling sales.

  3. Hassle-Free Venue Management:

    The decentralized transaction system helps event managers to connect with various venue owners and book a suitable space for their next seminar, conference, award ceremony, or any other type of event. The use of Blockchain technology will enable event managers to make fast & secure transactions and eliminate administrative hassles.

    Besides, event sponsors can utilize Blockchain technology to set an automatic search for events as per their interest. Further, they can give additional sponsorship support through value-based connections.

  4. Fraud Prevention:

    The security of any financial transaction is an essential aspect of any event planning. Factors such as settlement time, currency denomination differences, the influence of intermediaries, and more may complicate the financial transactions.

    With the use of Blockchain, users can share real-time information and update the transaction records after all parties agree. As a result, event planners can prevent loss due to fraudulent activities even before it happens.

  5. Manage Suppliers and Attendees:

    Through the Blockchain-powered tool, event planners can manage different vendors providing services such as catering, audiovisuals, maintenance, security, and more. By confirming the authenticity of these suppliers, event planners can book their services and make payments instantly.

    Further, the Blockchain tools enable to create of a point-based system. It helps event planners to reward attendees for doing particular activities, including taking part in surveys, provide feedback, and more. They can avail of these reward points for services such as free food or accommodation, travel expenses, and others. Such a system will motivate participants to take more interest in events and help organizers to create an interactive event environment.

    Moreover, Blockchain technology helps event planners to centralize the ticketing system that creates a uniform and transparent process for ticket sales. Further, it enables organizers to accept cryptocurrency as a payment for providing various services, including tickets, food, accommodation, and more. As this process is secure and efficient, it eventually lowers costs for multiple operations related to event management.

Conclusion

The proliferation of the Internet, along with a rapid increase in smart devices, has revolutionized the way managers organize and run events. Besides, Blockchain technology helps to build trust, transparency, and security among the entities and people even if they do not know each other. It enables companies to build a robust solution for planning & managing events that improve the attendee experience as well as reduce operational costs.

Although the Blockchain-powered tools are still evolving for the MICE industry, they will soon become the modern industry standards with the potential in offering better control, higher security, and efficient management for small to large-scale events.