Most parents enroll their child in a martial arts education because they want them to learn discipline, self-esteem, and confidence. Whether your child has become a student of judo, karate, or tae kwon do, the ultimate objective should always be to achieve a better body and mind through martial arts instruction. However, you may find yourself in a situation where after a few years of instruction, your child is begging to be allowed to quit.A parent may have a hard time deciding whether or not they would like to give their child carte blanche to quit their martial arts instruction. On the one hand, parents don’t want to force their kids to participate in anything that they don’t absolutely love – after all, our kids have enough on their plates between extracurricular activities and school, right? On the other hand, quitters never prosper, and allowing a child to up and quit could teach them the wrong lesson.To help you make your decision, here are some things to consider when you are trying to decide as to whether or not you should allow your child to quit their martial arts education.- Reasons Why – Before you make your decision, ask your child to write down a two-column list. One side should list the reasons why they think they should stick with martial arts and the other side should list reasons to quit. If the reasons to quit involve things like “not enough time for homework” or “want to try a different sport,” consider allowing your child to quit. If it lists things like “too hard” or “I’m not as good as the other kids,” then push them to stick it out.- Talk To Their Instructor – Consider talking to your child’s instructor if they want to quit the program. Perhaps the instructor can provide some insight as to why your child is no longer enthusiastic about their martial arts education. The instructor will be able to help you make the decision as to whether or not your child should be advised to continue further or to drop out.While it’s never a good idea to encourage your child to quit anything, there are always legitimate reasons as to why quitting can sometimes be a good thing. Remember, quitters never prosper. But neither do kids who are forced to stick with something they absolutely loathe. Kids need to be given some freedom – just enough so that they are free to pursue what they love, not what you think they should love.
Our Guide To Omega 3 and Retinopathy
Retinopathy is a medical condition in which a deterioration of the retina occurs. Prematurely born infants suffer from this disease and their retinal blood vessels increase in numbers excessively, sometimes leading to bleeding or scarring. Infants who progress to a severe form of retinopathy are in danger of becoming permanently blind.The results of this study can determine advances in studying the causes and remedies of diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration (diabetic retinopathy is a disease in which ocular blood vessels swell and leak fluid or grow abnormally on the surface of the retina and the macular degeneration is a serious disease of the macula, the part of the eye responsible for central vision).Studies conducted on lab mice showed that administering omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids protects against the development of retinopathy.This study, whose results have been published in July 2007, tried to study the potential benefits of omega 3 fatty acids in treating and preventing retinal diseases. Because the retinopathy in mice shares many characteristics with retinopathy in humans, it was possible to study the omega 3 EPA and DHA fatty acids on the loss of ocular blood vessels, the re-growth of healthy vessels and the growth of destructive abnormal vessels within the eye.Scientists concluded that if you increase the omega 3 fatty acids intake, while reducing the amount of omega 6 fats in your diet, the area of blood vessels lost which can lead to permanent blindness is greatly reduced. Lowering the amount of omega 6 fatty acids is also recommended because these fatty acids are responsible for a series of inflammatory conditions and the growth of abnormal blood vessels in the retina. Mice fed with a diet containing higher amounts of omega 3 fatty acids compared to omega 6 fats witnessed an almost 50% decrease in retinopathy.Omega 4 fats help the body produce a series of chemical compounds, bioactive mediators. These mediators protect the eye against the growth of abnormal blood vessels, a major cause for retinopathy. The bioactive mediators stop the production of an inflammatory protein, called tumor necrosis alpha, a type of protein closely related to ocular conditions.Currently, scientists at the National Eye Institute conduct clinical studies on the potential benefic effects of omega 3 fatty acids (especially DHA and EPA) in preventing and treating several age related ocular problems as well as ocular problems in small children.
How to Check Wooden Furniture Quality
Before you buy wooden furniture, it’s always advisable to check the quality of furniture that you are about to buy. In this way, you will be able to buy the best furniture possible. Here’s a guideline on what to check.Wood sourceThe type of wood used in the manufacture of the furniture would have a direct bearing on how long you furniture would last. The furniture could be made of softwood, hardwood or re-engineered wood. Most furniture, usually, are made from hardwood from the deciduous forests. These include maple, mahogany, oak, teak, cherry, walnut and birch. Coniferous trees like cedar, redwood, pine and fir are softwood. Good quality furniture can be made from these woods as well. However, they are more prone to dents and scratches. Modern furniture is rarely constructed completely out of wood. Plywood is extensively used as it gives strength to the furniture and prevents warping or spilling. It’s being used for making long-lasting, sturdy and attractive looking furniture when used with a high quality veneer.ConstructionThe construction of a furniture piece contributes immensely to its functionality, beauty and longevity. The sturdiness and joiner of a piece furniture would tell you much about the quality. A good joint can also have screws and dowels but would never be stapled. Use of glue must not be visible outside the joint. Corner block forge stability and strength to furniture. They aren’t visible from outside and bolt to each side of the interior corners. A fine quality chest of drawers or chest would have thin wooden sheets or dust panels between drawers on the body of a desk or chest. Besides making the furniture structurally stronger, they keep the dust away from papers and clothing.Back panels facing the wall are usually attached together with screws for ensuring lateral stability. Unexposed parts must be well fitted and sanded smooth. This is a vital feature as only a well constructed piece of furniture would comprise such details. Drawers will have glides that allow effortless operation of a drawer and also helps in preventing the drawer from falling out. Office furniture that has glides like computer armories, file cabinets, desks etc. are crucial to the functionality of the piece.FinishingA quality finish of furniture would involve staining, sanding and finishing. Any neglect at any of these stages could affect the quality of a furniture piece. Signs of poor finishing include a rough surface, a cloudy or a glossy surface that shields the wood grain, dents, scratches or dust specks, splintered edges, dust spots that indicate missing areas or lack of enough coat on vertical surfaces and around edges.It’s always advisable to check out first hand the furniture you intend to buy. This will make you aware of the quality of the furniture that you are buying. You can also go for antique or vintage furniture as such pieces are likely to be sturdier than today’s furniture. Remember, never compromise on quality even if your furniture costs more.