Fall into Better Sleep for the Whole Family

Fall into Better Sleep for the Whole Family

School is right around the corner, and as families switch from the looser schedules of summer to the schedule-driven fall, sleep is a critical factor of that transition. ResMed, a company working toward developing solutions for treating sleep-disordered breathing and other respiratory conditions, offers tips for getting the whole family on a successful sleep schedule that will set them up for sound sleep in the year ahead, as well as a host of solutions for combating sleep issues.
"Bedtime is one of the first things to change as school starts, and one of the smartest things parents can do with the summer-to-fall sleep schedule transition is to follow a routine themselves," says Susie Justus, sleep coach and licensed vocational nurse for ResMed.

How Much Sleep Do We Need?
The first step to setting a family sleep schedule is figuring out how much sleep each person needs for their age group. According to the National Sleep Foundation, preschoolers ages 3-5 years old need 11-13 hours of sleep per night; school-aged children ages 5-10 years old need 10-11 hours of sleep per night; preteens and teens ages 10-17 need 8.5-9.25 hours of sleep per night; and adults need 7-9 hours of sleep per night.
Setting the Schedule
With long, lazy summer days, kids are used to staying up and sleeping in later—as are their parents. Here are some tips that can help smooth the transition into fall.

• Start early. Don't wait until the weekend before school starts to move up bedtime. Start two weeks early to ease everyone into the routine.
• Tell the summer sun goodnight. At the beginning of the school year, the days are still long: To counter this, create cozy sleeping spaces for the whole family using blackout shades. White noise in the form of fans can also help encourage rest by blocking distractions and keeping warm rooms closer to the ideal sleeping temperature of 65-72 degrees.
• Set and enforce a bedtime ritual for everyone. Universally turn off screens an hour before bedtime—that means you, too, Mom and Dad—and establish wind-down plans that work.
• Promote days that will promote sleep. Welcome the sun in the morning by pulling back drapes or enjoying breakfast outside. Exercise, limit excessive caffeine intake and avoid daytime naps. Don't go to bed too hungry or too full, as that can disrupt sleep.

Source: www.resmed.com.

Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2013. All rights reserved.

Hurricane Safety Tips

Hurricane Safety Tips

The period from mid-August to late October is considered peak hurricane season. Earlier this year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted that the 2013 season will be even more active than last year. NOAA projects up to 20 named storms, including 7 to 11 major hurricanes that will be greater than a category three.
"Research suggests that there is a 70 percent probability of a major hurricane hitting the U.S. coastline this season, compared to the historical average of 52 percent," says Mark R. Desrochers, president, personal lines at The Hanover. "The good news, however, is that with the right preparation, individuals can significantly reduce their risk of personal injury or having their property damaged in a storm."

With hurricane season approaching its peak, here are several tips to help individuals keep themselves, their families, and their property safe during a storm.
Preparing Well in Advance

• Review your homeowners policy with your insurance agent to determine whether you have adequate protection. In particular consider whether you have flood insurance and if your policy will cover current rebuilding costs.
• Secure your home: Repair loose boards, shingles, shutters, down spouts—the kind of things that could become greater problems in high winds or torrential rain.
• Consider making improvements to protect your home, especially if you live on or near the coast. These could include protecting windows and doors with storm shutters.
• Make a home inventory so that you can easily offer a list of damaged possessions to your insurer in the event that you are impacted by the storm. Be as detailed as possible, listing all personal items and including photos and videos where possible. Keep your inventory list in a fireproof safe or a safe deposit box.
• Stock emergency supplies including: a battery-powered radio, flashlights, extra batteries, medicines, first aid handbook and kit and a week's worth of non-perishable food and water. Other items to have on hand include: tools, blankets and/or sleeping bags, cooking and eating utensils, pet supplies, paper plates and cups, boards, plastic sheeting, tape and toiletries such as soap, bleach (for disinfecting), and diapers, etc.
• Develop an evacuation plan including how you will notify family and friends and where you will be staying if forced to evacuate. Share everyone's cell phone numbers and compile a list of key numbers (fire, police, etc) you might need in the case of an emergency.

During a Hurricane Watch

• Listen for advisories on the radio or TV. Follow advice from local officials on how to best protect yourself for the upcoming storm.
• Charge your cell phone and tablet battery or batteries.
• Fill the gas tank of your car(s). You'll need it if you have to evacuate. If there is a power outage, gas pumps may not be functioning. If you have a generator, ensure you have gas for that as well.
• Bring items inside your home that could become dangerous as flying objects including all toys, and lawn furniture. Make sure that sheds, cabanas and similar detached structures are securely anchored.
• Protect glass windows with boards, shutters or tape. Otherwise they could be broken from wind pressure.
• Move important papers and valuables to the second floor if you expect flooding.
• Turn your refrigerator to the coldest setting so food will last longer if the power goes out.
• Fill your clean bathtub with extra water.

During the Storm

• Get inside immediately and stay calm. Don't panic. Stay tuned to weather updates.
• Check on family members and friends.
• Evacuate motor homes and take shelter in a grounded building.
• Windows and doors should be closed at all times and boarded up with wooden or metal shutters if possible.
• Stay away from windows. Stay in the center of the room, or in an inside room.
• If flooding begins, turn off electricity.

If you have an Evacuation

• Communicate with all family members so that everyone knows where to go.
• Turn off utilities, including gas, water and electricity.
• Lock doors and windows.
• Leave a message for authorities notifying them where you will be.
• Take important documents, including your insurance policies.
• Bring emergency supplies, such as battery-powered radio, cell phones, flashlights, extra batteries, prescriptions, first aid kit and non-perishable food and water.
• When advised to leave, go as soon as possible. Follow recommended routes only and keep your radio on for current storm information.

After the Storm

• Check to be sure all family members are safe.
• Notify your insurance agent as soon as possible if you have experienced damage.
• Wear shoes around debris to avoid injuries. And when beginning the cleanup process, use protective gear such as eyewear or gloves.
• Dispose of any impaired items touched by floodwater such as food, drinks, and medicine.
• Check utilities. Turn them off if you suspect damage, and let the power company handle.
• Create a list of damaged property and if possible take photographs and/or video. Do not dispose of damaged items without prior approval from your insurance claims adjuster.
• Keep an accurate record of any temporary repairs or expenses so that they may be considered in your claim.
• If there was an evacuation, wait for official notice that it is safe to re-enter your home. When returning to your home, be cautious when entering a damaged structure. Stay away from damaged or weakened walls.

Source: www.hanover.com.

Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2013. All rights reserved.

Six Surprising Home Hazards

Six Surprising Home Hazards

You might think home fires are due to someone leaving the oven running or the coffee pot on. However, an alarming number of appliance fires are caused by the units themselves as opposed to human error. The September 2013 issue of ShopSmart magazine, from Consumer Reports, indentifies six appliances that cause the most fires and tips on how to minimize the risk.

"It was shocking to learn that appliances can turn themselves on or suddenly short-circuit and go up in flames," says Lisa Lee Freeman, editor-in-chief of ShopSmart. "So it's important to learn the signs of trouble and know what to do if you have to deal with an appliance fire."

ShopSmart analyzed data from the National Fire Incident Reporting System from 2002 through 2009 and found appliances were the main cause of 69,000 fires – with about half of the incidents linked to a mechanical, electrical, or design flaw. Below are the appliances that accounted for most of these fires and ways which consumers can minimize their risk:

1. Ranges. Burners that turn on by themselves and delayed ignition on a gas oven's bake and broil functions are the leading contributors to a range fire.
Number of fires: 16,824
Play it safe: Look for any unusual error messages on the range's digital display. Stay in the kitchen when frying, grilling, or broiling food and be sure to keep flammable items, including oven mitts, away from the cooktop. Kids should be kept at least 3 feet from the cooking area.

2. Clothes Dryers: Lint buildup and blockages and gas leaks on dryers that run on gas can cause fires.
Number of fires: 8,717
Play it safe: Don't run dryers when asleep or when no one is home. Clean out the lint filter before each load and check vents annually for clogs. If using a gas dryer, install a carbon monoxide alarm near the laundry room to warn of leaks, which are poisonous.

3. Microwaves. Units that turn on by themselves and glass doors that shatter unexpectedly can lead to a potential fire. Some microwave fire victims said that the panel flashed the code "PAN" or "F2" as self-starting began.
Number of fires: 1,705
Play it safe: Don't store food or other items in the microwave. Look for unusual error messages on digital display panels and if the unit goes on by itself, try to turn it off. Know where it's plugged in and which circuit breaker controls it in case it won't turn off using the microwave's controls.

4. Refrigerators: Fires can be caused by electronic components that short-circuit, control boards that overheat, or by lightbulbs that stay on when the door is shut.
Number of fires: 1,514
Play it safe: Be aware of unusual error messages on fridges with digital displays. Check that the lightbulb goes off when the fridge is closed by pressing the switch, which is usually inside where the door closes.

5. Dishwashers: Fires can be caused by circuit boards and heating elements catching fire, and liquid rinse aids that can leak into circuitry, creating a fire hazard.
Number of fires: 1,015
Play it safe: Don't run a dishwasher when asleep or when no one is home. If the rinse-aid dispenser needs constant refilling, call for a repair. Know which circuit breaker cuts power to the unit in case it starts smoking or goes up in flames.

6. Toasters and toaster ovens: Two potential fire hazards are units that turn themselves on and mechanism jams while toasting.
Number of fires: 902
Play it safe: Unplug toasters when not in use and inspect them for any frayed power cords. Don't toast anything that doesn't easily fit into the slot.

The good news is that these incidents are rare given the millions of appliances sold, and there are ways consumers can protect themselves from an incident.

• Register new appliances to be notified of service problems.
• Check for recalls at recalls.gov. In the past six years, more than 18.6 million appliances have been recalled for flaws that could cause a fire.

Sources: Consumer Reports, ShopSmart magazine

Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2013. All rights reserved.

How to Help Your Child Adjust to a New School

How to Help Your Child Adjust to a New School

If you have moved this summer, your children may be nervous about beginning classes at their new school this fall. While moving is a difficult and tedious process for all involved, it can be particularly daunting for children. Leaving behind friends, familiarity and comfort in exchange for alien territory and feelings of isolation may leave your child anxious, scared or depressed.

Helping your child adjust to a new school will take a little time and a lot of patience. Read on for some useful tips on how to aid them in their transition.

Talk about it. Your child may be harboring concerns without voicing them. Bring up the topic of starting a new school to initiate a dialogue–talking about her fears and apprehensions will lessen the burden. Validate her feelings by expressing empathy and offering examples when you felt similarly, and mention times in her past when she had to do something else for the first time–perhaps her first day at kindergarten or summer camp.

Research the school. The fear of the unknown will lessen if it becomes more familiar. Spend some time researching your child’s new school online and take notes of interesting classes or activities that you think would appeal to him. Encourage involvement in sports and other extracurricular activities, and be sure to point out classes or clubs of interest to your child that were unavailable at his old school. Getting him excited about whatever his new school has to offer will take his mind off of his nervousness.

Have a practice run. Before classes begin, go through the motions as if you were taking your child to school. Walk to the bus stop, map out the route to school if she will be walking, or drive her to school so she is familiar with where you will drop her off and what entrance she will use. You could also schedule a tour of the school, where you can check out the classrooms, cafeteria or other places she will need to find on her first day.

Get involved. Younger children are often comforted by their parent’s presence in the school. Join the P.T.A or volunteer as a classroom aid or a chaperone for class trips and school events. This will also help you to meet other parents and arrange play-dates for your children.

Keep home life routine. With so much change happening, it’s important to try and instill some level of stability for your child. Keep his home life as routine as possible–stick to your usual schedule for mealtimes, bedtime and playtime.

Expect regression. Even the most perfect angel may begin to exhibit undesirable behaviors as a reaction to increased stress levels. Your younger children may throw tantrums, have accidents, or crawl into your bed at night. Teens may become angry and withdrawn, rebel, or mouth-off disrespectfully. Maintain your authority as the disciplinarian, but try your best to be empathetic to what your child is experiencing.

Source: Movers.com

Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2013. All rights reserved.

COLDWELL BANKER PLATINUM PARTNERS CELEBRATES TOP TEAM

COLDWELL BANKER PLATINUM PARTNERS CELEBRATES TOP TEAM

The Yelverton Team (Marta and Rick Yelverton of the Bluffton/Hilton Head Island Office) of Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners ranked in the Top 10 sales teams in the Southern Region for the 2nd quarter of 2013 for the Coldwell Banker^® franchise system for the AGC category.

“Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners associates and offices exemplify the standards of excellence for which Coldwell Banker is known,” said Frank Lindsey, Southern Region director for Coldwell Banker Real Estate, LLC.  “It is an honor to recognize the associates with these exceptional awards.”

Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners, established in 1995, is a full-service real estate firm with more than 100 sales agents strategically dispersed

among its office locations stretching from Beaufort, South Carolina, through the greater Savannah area to St. Simons Island, Georgia. The company was founded by Connie Farmer Ray, president and CEO of Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners. In addition to listing and selling residential real estate, Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners’ other divisions include commercial real estate, property management, relocation services, new homes, a real estate school, mortgage lending, and a publishing/media division. The company’s corporate offices are located at 6349 Abercorn St., Savannah, Georgia. For more information visit their Web site at www.MyCbpp.com or call 800.505.8111.

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Growing Pains as the Economic Recovery Turns Four

Growing Pains as the Economic Recovery Turns Four

Freddie Mac recently released its U.S. Economic and Housing Market Outlook for August, showing that despite the lackluster jobs recovery four years into the economic recovery, housing will continue to provide an increasingly positive boost to GDP in the second half of 2013.
Outlook Highlights

• Four years of recovery have only brought lackluster growth. In terms of GDP growth, the current recovery most closely matches the one beginning in May of 1954, but during that four year period the economy also experienced another recession.
• Fortunately, good news in the housing sector bodes well for future economic growth. Recently housing markets have shown solid growth. Housing starts were up 18 percent, home sales gained 13 percent, U.S. house price indexes were about 10 percent higher over the past year and serious delinquency rates have declined to their lowest level since the third quarter of 2008.
• A rapidly improving housing market will help the economic recovery in at least three ways:
  • First, increased demand for housing will help to stimulate new single-family and multifamily construction and boost home sales. Expect starts to hover just below one million (SAAR) over the second half of the year, the best six-month building pace since the first half of 2008
  • Second, through the housing wealth effect, rising home prices should help to spur consumption spending. Some evidence that home equity lending has picked up was found in Freddie Mac's Refinance Report for the second quarter, which saw $9.5 billion in home-equity cashed-out as part of a refinance, which was up from a year ago.
  • Finally, rising house prices will help the economic recovery by helping to spur small business formation, as a business owner's home often serves as collateral for a start-up

"The economic recovery has completed its fourth year, but it has not been without growing pains,” says Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist. “The U.S. has experienced the weakest economic recovery coming out of a recession in the Post-War era. Despite the eye-popping monthly house-price appreciation taking place in some parts of the country, the recovery that has lingered for years is just now starting for many Americans. Fortunately, we should see this positive housing trend continue to improve in the second half of the year. A housing recovery is a broad-based recovery, benefiting all Americans, and therefore the overall economy."

For more information, visit www.FreddieMac.com.

Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2013. All rights reserved.

Home Builder Sentiment Hits 8-Year High

Home Builder Sentiment Hits 8-Year High

Home builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes rose for the fourth consecutive month, reaching an eight-year high, the National Association of Home Builders reported recently.
The NAHB Housing Market Index rose by three points to 59 for August, the highest level since 2005; any number over 50 indicates that more builders view conditions as good than poor. The component gauging current sales conditions rose by three points to 62, while the component gauging sales expectations in the next six months rose by one point to 68 and the component gauging traffic of prospective buyers held unchanged at 45.
NAHB said all but one region saw a gain in its three-month moving average HMI score in August. The Midwest and West each posted six-point increases, to 60 and 57, respectively, while the South posted a four-point gain to 54 and the Northeast held unchanged at 39.
“Builders are seeing more motivated buyers walk through their doors than they have in quite some time,” says NAHB Chairman Rick Judson, a home builder from Charlotte, N.C. “What’s more, firming home prices and thinning inventories of homes for sale are contributing to an increased sense of urgency among those who are in the market.”
The report came out ahead of this morning’s New Residential Construction report from HUD and the Census Bureau, which measures July new housing starts, completions and permits.
Also recently, DataQuick, San Diego, released its July Property Intelligence Report, showing home prices increasing at an average of more than 13 percent over the past year.
The report said 25 of the 42 markets measured experienced home price increases in excess of 10 percent, with reporting counties ranging from an under 1 percent increase in Suffolk County, N.Y., to a more than 30 percent price increase in Sacramento County, Calif.
DataQuick Vice President of Analytics Gordon Crawford said the strong home price growth was driven by a decrease in both foreclosures and overall property availability, as total monthly home sales tapered from the previous reporting period. However, Crawford noted sharp home price increases amidst low sales volumes could be a cause of concern to overall recovery.

“We are seeing a direct correlation between home price appreciation and sales growth, as markets with the largest decrease in overall sales are those experiencing the most rapid increase in home prices,” Crawford says. “While economic drivers including job growth and low interest rates are contributing to increases in demand nationwide, prices in markets with tight supplies of available properties are skyrocketing. The main concern in this situation is that it is unclear if strong home price increases would be happening in the presence of more normal sales volumes.”
The report said home price growth was positive in all 42 reported counties over the past month and year, and positive in 41 of the 42 reported counties over the past quarter. Sales increased in 29 counties over the past month; in 37 counties over the past quarter; and in 28 counties over the past year. Foreclosures decreased in 31 counties over the past month; in 26 counties over the past quarter; and in 28 counties over the past year.
Not all housing news yesterday was positive; Fannie Mae, Washington, D.C., cautioned yesterday in a commentary that projected slowdowns in labor force growth could weaken future housing activity.
Fannie Mae Director of Strategic Planning Patrick Simmons says while forecasts suggest a “healthy rebound” in new housing production later this decade as housing markets return to normal, an anticipated slowdown in workforce expansion suggests more modest prospects for new housing demand and construction than witnessed historically.

“We project that labor force growth will slow substantially in coming years,” Simmons says. He noted even using optimistic assumptions about future labor force participation rates (the proportion of the population in a given age and sex group that is either employed or actively looking for work), Fannie Mae expects workforce growth between 2012 and 2025 will be well below the historical average

“The implications for housing are substantial,” Simmons says. “Given the positive correlation between housing production and labor force growth, the anticipated marked slowdown in workforce expansion implies weaker housing demand and homebuilding activity than observed in the past.”
For more information, visit www.mortgagebankers.org.

Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2013. All rights reserved.