What comes after college applications?

Many high school seniors and their parents are rejoicing now that their college applications are done. Then the parents start to think about what skills and knowledge their children still need to learn to be successful in college, such as time and money management, tips on doing laundry and making friends, even on how to lengthen a paper - but the students don't want to listen now. Portable Parent (www.portableparent.com) is a wonderful solution to this problem.

Portable Parent is a unique online e-book. Parents download it, add their own insights to selected chapters, and upload it on their children's computers. When the students need the information - even at 1 AM, it's waiting for them, and they keep their treasured independence! Parents, meanwhile, can relax knowing the information is waiting for their children.

Wrapping Paper Alternative

The amount of waste generated by wrapping paper is immense. Instead of using it, one alternative is to wrap gifts in something useful, such as towels (new dish towels for small or kitchen items, bath or face towels for larger items).

Always Late?

Many people are habitually late to meetings and appointments. It can be a sign of poor "executive function" skills. "Executive function" means having the ability to plan and implement (or "execute") actions. People with ADHD, Asperger's Syndrome or who have had right-sided strokes or head trauma (from accidents) may have poor skills in this. Other people can, as well.

Regardless of the cause of the problem, others may interpret habitual lateness as disrespect for their time. It's as if the person with habitual lateness does not care about anyone else's time but his own. "Only my own time is important" is what the person seems be saying. In fact, the person is often totally unaware of the impact he is having on others; he never considers the fact that his lateness has any impact on others.

Ways to address it include showing the person (often in writing) how the lateness affected others,
and helping the person plan his schedule appropriately.

Hate Making "Small Talk"?

At this time of year, many people go to holiday parties where they hide nervously among the potted plants, wish the floor would swallow them up or that they could go home instantly.
One reason is that they are unskilled in making small talk.

In the e-book "Small Talk:Connecting with Others" (www.BusinessSpeechImprovement.com/ebooks.htm),
readers learn strategies to make connections and how to plan ahead to have ways to start conversations. Basically, people like to talk to others who are like them in some way, and we all have things in common.

What's your worst fear about going to parties and talking to strangers?

Talking too fast?

A surprising number of people say that they speak too quickly, and often don't know how to slow down. They say they can often speak slower when reading a simple sentence, such as "Bob ate an apple." In an e-book called How to Speak Slower in Six Simple Steps, readers learn that it is easier to speak slower when the topic is not interesting to them. For example, people who don't care about horses or parakeets could talk about how to ride a horse, or care for a parakeet. Then start talking about things that are slightly more interesting, at a slow rate. (The e-book can be found at www.BusinessSpeechImprovement.com/ebooks.htm.)

Some people only speak quickly when they are nervous, such as when giving a speech. They should remember that when giving a speech, what counts is not the amount of information that flows out of the speaker's mouth. What counts is how much information sticks in the listener's mind. Speaking too fast, particularly on complicated material or to audiences of children or seniors, is a big mistake. Speaking slowly gets the point across more efficiently.

If a fast rate of speech is new, people should see a physician. Sometimes a fast rate is the first sign of some neurological issues, such as Parkinson's. Life-long fast speech when both calm and nervous can also be a sign of a communicative disorder, called cluttering. This and other speech disorders are diagnosed and treated by speech-language pathologists.

In most cases, though, fast speech can be slowed down. The e-book is a great way to start.

Positive Impressions in Two Ways in Retail Stores

Two chains new in the area are using excellent techniques to create positive impressions on customers.

One technique, used by the new MacAuthority, is to know other nearby stores who carry related products that customers may ask for, which MacAuthority does not carry. The staff at MacAuthority appears very knowledgeable about products when they can do that. Another new store, EarthFare, promotes a positive experience by offering many food samples and encouraging customers to try these items. Obviously they want customers to stay longer in the store, and buy some new items. Whether through referrals, enthusiastic smiles, pleasant smells and wonderful tastes, or generally appearing eager - not just barely willing - to serve the customers, these stores are using some effective strategies to create positive impressions!

Parent of a high school senior?

Soon the college and scholarship applications will be done, and then comes the thought: does my child know enough about non-academics to do well in college? For example, does he know about time management, money management issues such as credit cards and phishing, finding cheap travel fares, doing laundry and more? While some high school seniors will listen to this advice, most won't.

One way to get around seniors' "I know it all attitude" is to write the information down for them to read when they are ready, and to put it on a computer so it doesn't weigh anything when it's time to go to college. Then, at 3 AM if they need to know something, the information is waiting! But who wants to write a book? Fortunately, it's already done and waiting on the web, at www.portableparent.com. There are even sections where parents with Windows on their computers can add their own tidbits of widom. "Instant information, with a parent's insight, available 24/7!"

Trouble with American English Pronunciation?

Newcomers to the USA, whether they are here with H1B visas or other reasons, often struggle with pronunciation, culture and language skills. Many learned British English, which has many differences in grammar, vocabulary, intonation and pronunciation from American English. My Pronunciation Improvement for Non-native Professionals seminars often discuss some of these differences. For example, the British may pronounce "schedule" as "shedule", while Americans say
"skedule". The British may say the noun "progress" as "progress" (with a long "o" sound), while Americans say "prahgress". For those who want to change their pronunciation patterns, the next open enrollment Pronunciation Improvement for Non-native Professionals seminar will be January 10 - 12, 2010; a few spaces are still open at www.BusinessSpeechImprovement.com/class3.htm.

Can't Get Up Early in the Morning?

Many people have difficulty getting up early in the morning for classes or work. They have an alarm clock but ignore it or don't hear it. A wonderful solution is an innovative product called a ShakeAwake. This is an alarm clock that you strap on your leg and it vibrates - strongly - to wake you up. It's designed for people with hearing loss, but it works wonderfully for people who hear (but maybe don't want to listen)! ShakeAwake can be gotten from www.devices4less.com, and is terrific!

Taking a freshman to college...

Each fall, as parents help new college freshmen pack and move into a college dorm, the question on their minds is, "Is he ready?" Thanks to a unique, down-loadable book, Portable Parent, www.portableparent.com, parents can now send their students with information they need before the students think to ask. Parents can even insert their own wisdom in it, to make sure certain ideas are covered. "Instant information, with a parent's insight, 24/7".

Topics such as what to bring to college, time and money management, tips on doing laundry and making friends (a big concern of new students), how to lengthen or shorten a term paper, finding private scholarships, student travel sites, getting textbooks less expensively, and much more are included. Best of all, the book will not add an ounce to the mounds of luggage to be lugged to your student's room!

A student reviewer for Portable Parent commented, "Hey - it's like a parent that you can get information from when you want it.... even at the times of morning that you need advice but don't want the lecture you'd get about calling at that time of night!"

www.portableparent.com

Diversity and idea generation

A client of mine who wanted advice on facilitating brainstorming groups recently asked if brainstorming groups should have people with similar backgrounds in them. Research has shown, I told her, that the more diverse the group, the greater the number of ideas that will be generated. Diversity can be from different places in the same (or other) country, age, race, sex, professional or educational background.

Another group of my clients who are from other countries come for help with improving their American pronunciation. As they improve their communication skills, we are also sharing information about our native cultures. "In my country, we...." is often heard. Often other groups' beliefs and ways of doing things are a real surprise to us, and we all learn about another way of dealing with a problem.

Whether focusing on improving pronunciation or brainstorming skills, diversity makes a difference!

Letting Your College Freshman Go -Gently

A few years ago, at a college orientation program for parents, sad looks and even tears were on many faces. Parents were clearly concerned about their children's ability to manage on their own.

There is another option, though, between being a "helicopter parent" and a "hands off" parent.
Children who are in college often do want guidance, but they don't want their parents to know about it.

A new downloadable book, Portable Parent (www.portableparent.com) offers this middle ground.
Parents can include their advice in sections of this unique customizable book, and then upload it onto their child's computer. The book includes advice and helpful information on everything from getting to know others and lengthening term papers, to finding private scholarships and avoiding phishing e-mails. Best of all, when giving this book to your child, it won't add a single extra ounce as you lug your child's things up to his new dorm room!

Ready for College?

Tomorrow, May 1, millionsof high school seniors will commit to the college of their choice. It is a scary decision for many of them and for their parents. After the big decision, parents start to wonder if their child is independent enough to go to college.

Parents worry about whether the child knows enough, and can do enough, about time and money management, health and safety, academic skills, doing laundry, and much more.

Portable Parent (www.portableparent.com) is designed to provide "instant information, with a parent's insight, 24/7". This new down-loadable book allows parents to customize some of the pages, and provides information on more than 20 topics relevant to college students today.

As student reviewer Will Hatch commented, Hey - it's like a parent that you can get information from when you want it.... even at the times of morning that you need advice but don't want the lecture you'd get about calling at that time of night!"

Anxious about your high school senior going to college?

Portable Parent, a new down-loadable e-book, provides what many parents of high school seniors want: a way to provide essential information on many skills and safety issues to their children
while also allowing them their independence. "Instant information, with a parent's insight, 24/7"

Parents can download the book, even customize a few of the pages and write a "good bye" letter, and then upload it onto their child's computer. Parents will appreciate the lack of additional weight when they lug all their child's things into his new dorm room!

Students love the fact that they can access the information as they need it.

To learn more about this, visit www.portableparent.com

Parenting a High School Senior?

Are you a parent who is wondering what the future will hold for your high school senior? When the time comes to leave him at his college dorm, will you BOTH be ready?

Will he know enough about making friends in a new environment, time and money management, what to bring to college, doing laundry, avoiding the dreaded "freshman 15" and all those topics? Will you wish you had told him some special tip "just one more time - so it will stick"? If your older child is going into an apartment, does he know what to search for when looking at an apartment, and also tips on finding a job and social life if he is graduating?

When kids go to college, they want independence - even though they may need advice. The problem is that they don't want to ask their parents- especially at 2 AM, which is when they think of the questions!

The solution is the Portable Parent, a downloadable e-book to which parents can add their wisdom, before giving it to their child. Visit www.PortableParent.com. "Instant information - with an parent's insight - 24/7"!