How to Sing Higher, Clearer, and On Pitch 3 Simple Fixes

How to Sing Higher, Clearer, and On Pitch 3 Simple Fixes Suzy S. Most beginner vocalists come across the same types of issues such as struggling to learn how to sing higher and stay on pitch during practice and performances. Read on as Grand Rapids, MI teacher Kelsey P.  explains why, plus three simple fixes! Having trouble hitting those high notes while staying on pitch and producing a clear tone? Do you ever feel like singing is really hard work, and notice your voice feels and sounds tired after just a short amount of singing? In most cases, all of these problems can be traced back to posture, tension, and breath. Posture First things first. Are you standing up straight? A lot of the time we think we are when we actually stand with a slight slouch. Proper posture frees up the space in our chest for our lungs to expand effortlessly. When we slouch, breathing is a lot harder. Pretend that youre one of those old marionette puppets with a string attached to the top of your head pulling your head up and elongating your spine. Feet should be shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent to avoid locking (locking your knees on stage can lead to passing out!), tailbone tucked in, chest out, and shoulders relaxed. Avoid standing like a tin soldier with raised shoulders, or lifting/shrugging the shoulders when you breathe. Tension It can be a lot to think about when you start, but eventually proper posture will feel more comfortable. The key is to relax! There should not be any tension in the shoulders or neck. These muscles are supporting your vocal cords and tension can encourage you to strain your voice, leading to all sorts of nasty damage. Before you warm up, do some stretches. Reach your hands up over your head. Then bend over and touch your toes. Roll your shoulders back and stretch the neck by leaning the head to one side and then the other. Pretend to yawn and you’ll start yawning for real. This actually helps relax your voice, since it’s stretching out the soft palate in the back of the mouth. It also trains your throat to relax when you sing. You can hum lightly and pretend you have an egg in your mouth, which will also stretch the soft palate and relax the voice before singing. SEE ALSO:  Baritones Can Sing High Notes Breath And last but not least: BREATHE! A lot of students don’t realize that the voice is a WIND INSTRUMENT! Think of any other wind instrument. A flute, clarinet, saxophone… there’s no sound without wind. That’s just how the voice works. We only use about a third of our lung capacity when we speak, so when we sing, we’re not used to breathing as much as we need to in order to produce a fuller, longer tone. But this is where the problems start. You arent breathing enough. The solution? Do some breathing exercises, which will help you sing higher and stay on pitch. Start by laying on your back on a flat surface. Place a shoe or a book on your stomach while you breathe. Notice that the object rises and falls with your stomach, and your shoulders don’t really move at all because they don’t need to! Stand up straight with proper posture. Inhale for four counts and hiss on an “s” sound for eight counts. The next time, hiss for 10 counts. Keep adding more and more counts and see how long you can hiss. With these three points in mind, and some practice, singing should become much easier! Youll learn how to sing higher, at the top of your range, and how to sing fuller longer. Keep working at it and you will definitely see improvement! Kelsey P. teaches singing, songwriting, and guitar lessons in Grand Rapids, MI. She has a Bachelors in Music and has been a full time musician for three years. Learn more about Kelsey here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by Tracy Byrns

Beginner Basics How to Teach Yourself Guitar

Beginner Basics How to Teach Yourself Guitar Suzy S. Getting started on guitar can be mystifying without a great teacher to guide you. Follow these tips from guitar teacher Jerry W. and  youll be on your way to playing the guitar So you want to teach yourself how to play guitar? You dream of playing your favorite song or gigging in a band. Youve bought a guitar and youre ready to start. But now what? Where should you begin? In this post I will walk you through making a plan to teach yourself guitar. I will cover the steps to developing your goals and making a plan. Determine Your Starting Point Your first step is to assess your current musical ability. Are you a complete musical beginner or do you already play another instrument? The most important factor to consider at this point is whether you already know how to read music. If you have previous musical background and read music then your task will be much easier and you will want to look for teaching materials (books, videos, blogs) that delve right into the actual techniques of playing the guitar and the unique characteristic of guitar music. If, however, you are a complete beginner, then you need to find teaching resources that take you step by step through reading music in addition to learning guitar. Determine Your Goals Once you know your starting point you need to determine your ending point. What do you hope to accomplish as a guitar player? Why do you want to teach yourself guitar? Do you want to simply strum along with your favorite song or play standard chords as you sing, or do you want to be able to play lead guitar and solo over the band? Are you interested in strumming rhythm on the acoustic guitar, rocking out on the electric, fingerpicking a folk tune or playing classical music? Although it is possible to become proficient in each of these areas, it is best and more reasonable to start with a simple clear and reachable goal. Determine Your Style The most important part of your goal setting is to determine your preferred guitar style. The first step in this is to choose between the three primary types of guitar: acoustic, electric and classical. Once you select the type of guitar I would recommend focusing on a specific style of music. There are a lot of resources out there for the guitar player and knowing what style you are looking for will help you to quickly narrow down your options. Also, the style of music you wish to play will help determine what music reading skills you need to have. You can strum to music by simply being able to read chord symbols, a lot of pop music is written in guitar tablature (tab) but to play classical guitar you will need to learn standard music notation. Make a Plan Now that you have a clear goal it is time to make a plan. Here are the primary steps to your plan: Find resources. Search the web for the best books, videos and articles on your chosen guitar style. Go to your nearest music store and look at their resources. Talk to the salesperson and ask them what will work best for your goals. If you know anyone who plays guitar, see what they use. There are a wealth of resources available so spend some time checking out the reviews and seeing which ones look best for helping you reach your goals. Set up a practice schedule. There is no substitute for practice. The amount of time you are willing and able to practice will have the greatest impact on your eventual success. It is best to have a specific time set aside. If you really want to reach your goal you will need to spend the time. If you dont schedule it, then it is all too easy to forget and allow other activities to crowd it out. Choose a time and stick with it.  Play with others. As soon as possible begin to play with others. The fun of making music together will encourage you to go back and practice some more. Also, more advanced musicians are often happy to offer pointers you can take back to the practice room. Work the Plan You have a goal. You have a plan. Now for the hard part. You need to work your plan. No amount of dreaming and no amount of planning will make up for the hard work of practicing and playing on a regular basis. If you want to teach yourself guitar then you will have to work hard. But if you stick with it, in a few weeks you will begin to see progress and soon you will have the pleasure of reaching your goal and the enjoyment of playing your favorite music on your guitar. Remember, you can only get so far teaching yourself guitar. Nothing beats private guitar lessons if you want to learn proper technique and see fast results! Jerry W. teaches classical guitar, composition, trombone and  trumpet  in Grosse Pointe, MI.  He received his Bachelor of Music in Theory and Composition from  Cornerstone University and went on to receive both his Masters and PhD in Music Composition from  Michigan State University.  Jerry has been making music and teaching students for over thirty years.    Learn more about Jerry W. here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo  by  yoppy

What They Dont Tell You About Becoming a Musician

What They Don’t Tell You About Becoming a Musician Sign up successful Early in high school, I decided to be a multi-instrumentalist. Saxophone has always been my “primary” instrument, but I play and teach many instruments. Like many 15-year-olds, I had the desire to try my hand at guitar. Having had solid experience with another instrument, it came to me very quickly, albeit self-taught. One day, I was in our high school music room playing a song I’d figured out on the guitar, and one of my friends heard me playing. “I didn’t know you played guitar!” he said. This was immediately followed by a request to join a garage band, help him with his bass playing, and write songs together. Whoa! Am I even capable of this? Well, I went for it, but as soon as I said yes, I felt the overwhelming anxiety of not being as virtuosic as I was falsely perceived to be. At this point, I had learned everything that I knew about guitar from a Walmart poster. I’m serious. Poster + guitar = now offering advice? I needed to learn some things and quick! I immediately started thinking, “Who do I know that plays guitar well?” Seeing a pattern here? No matter when we decide to give making music a try, someday, you’ll teach somebody something about music. Don’t be afraid of this; rather, rise to the challenge and let this be your inspiration to submerse yourself in thoughts and ideas that will in turn push you to the next level. For example, I’ve always been sort of a hobbyist in regards to guitar. I teach music for a living at a university, so guitar has always been an outlet instrument for me. I teach big bands, so now I have college-level jazz guitarists coming to me for advice. The best way for me to teach them was for me to pick up my guitar and put myself in their shoes. I’ve had great success teaching them, and they go on and on about how much more things seem to make sense. I’m just having fun playing guitar with them! Music is an art. This art of how to become a musician is passed down from generation to generation via friends, family, and mentors. On behalf of music teachers everywhere, welcome to the club! Carl S. teaches saxophone, music theory, piano, and more in Brookings, SD. He  completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in saxophone performance at the University of Kansas in 2014, and his Master of Music Pedagogy and Performance from Oklahoma State University in 2011.  Learn more about Carl here!   Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by Jhayne

Why College Student Debt Is Growing

Why College Student Debt Is Growing There is now more accumulated student loan debt than accumulated credit card debt for the first time in the United States, according to an article in the New York Times. Accumulated student loan debt will likely reach a trillion dollars this year, as more students are enrolling in colleges and borrowing government dollars. However, economists argue that this is actually a good sign and could boost the economy as students pay back loans with interest. They believe that its a healthy investment that will lead to higher earnings, unlike credit card debt, which only hurts consumers budgets, giving them less disposable income to put back into the economy. But, this increase also means that more college graduates will be repaying debts and repaying them longer. In 2008, two-thirds of bachelors recipients graduated with debt, compared to less than half in 1993. In 2010, the average student debt (for those who took out loans) was $24,000. This average has been rising consistently and even faster for students and graduates of for-profit colleges. In 2000, accumulated student debt was slightly under $200 billion and was barely a factor in overall household debt. Many expect student loan debts to increase rapidly in the next few years as tuition at public colleges rises because of tighter state budgets that will likely decrease their college funding. Also, it looks like Pell grants may be cut, which offer the largest amount of financial aid to low-income students. In the coming years, a lot of people will still be paying off their student loans when its time for their kids to go to college, said Mark Kantrowitz, the publisher of FinAid.org and Fastweb.com. Kantrowitz has compiled student debt estimates for federal and private loans. Increased debts could create larger, macro issues as well. People are now taking longer to transition from adolescence to adulthood, as they get married, buy homes and have children later on in life. Larger debts can only slow down this process. Yet, receiving a college degree still yields significantly higher returns even if student debt is incurred. In 2008, full-time employees working year round who had bachelors degrees earned a median of $55,700, which was $21,900 more than the median earnings for just high school graduates. Also, the unemployment rate was significantly lower for college grads. The Obama administration alleviated some of the pressures of student debt in 2009 as it made it easier for low-earning graduates to get out of debt. It created an income-based repayment plan for students that also forgives remaining student debt after 25 years for those who put at least 15 percent of their income toward their debt consistently. Those who work in public service get debt forgiveness after 10 years.

What You Didnt Know about the Health Benefits of Kickboxing

What You Didn’t Know about the Health Benefits of Kickboxing Here’s Why You Should Take Up Kickboxing ChaptersIs Kickboxing Better than Other Sports?So, What are the Health Benefits of Kickboxing?And the Benefits of Kickboxing for Your Mind?Of all sports, there are few that are as high intensity and dynamic as kickboxing.It’s a sport in which you move fast on your feet. It’s a sport in which you use every single part of your body: in striking with your hands and feet â€" and in having to dodge those of your opponent â€" kickboxing is a total body workout. In fact, there are few sports that have such a range of health benefits as kickboxing training.This is a sport that focuses your mind as much as it does your body, helping to develop your concentration as much as to help you burn fat and burn calories. For this reason, it is an absolutely incredible sport that has the power to change your attitudes and outlook on life.Here, we’re going to explore the ways that a simple kickboxing workout can work for you â€" whether that is Muay Thai kickboxing or the classic French and Britis h styles. Because, as you’ll see, the health benefits of kickboxing really are incredible.Now, if you get to the bottom of this article and you are convinced, check out our guides to getting started with kickboxing â€" and to the kickboxing gear you might need to make the most of the sport. AndreyBoxing Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KostiaBoxing Teacher 5.00 (1) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LeeBoxing Teacher £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SajBoxing Teacher 5.00 (1) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KaranBoxing Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ThomasBoxing Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HaileyBoxing Teacher 4.50 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DavidBoxing Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsIs Kickboxing Better than Other Sports?As we said, with its punching, kicking, and sparring, there are very few sports that are as dynam ic as kickboxing. Sure, this doesn’t mean that kick-boxing is better than other sports â€" obviously. But it sure does offer perhaps the best workout, with the most drastic effect on your health and fitness.Yet, the important thing about kickboxing classes is that they are precisely not just a full body workout. Or, rather, they are â€" but only if we consider that our body also includes our mind.Much more so than many aerobic activities â€" from simple running to Zumba, from tennis to swimming â€" kickboxing focuses your emotions, your concentration, and your confidence. And that’s because it is inherently social. In kickboxing, you are engaged in a real, full contact, physical battle â€" and that’s not only going to sharpen your muscle groups but sharpen your mind and your social skills as well.So, let’s dive in â€" and see how you can improve your health through kickboxing.  And once you are finished, check out the different types of kickboxing. Kickboxing is really excellent exerciseSo, What are the Health Benefits of Kickboxing?Whilst it is fundamentally a false distinction, we’re going to divide the benefits of kickboxing into two separate categories: the health benefits for your body and the health benefits for your mind.We say this is fundamentally false for a simple reason: those things that will benefit your body will inevitably benefit your mind too. Your mind and body are â€" of course â€" inextricably linked. And, whilst the majority of us know the excellent feeling that comes with exercise, those of us that don’t should.The greatest benefit of exercise â€" from a kickboxing class to any sort of cardio workout, interval training, or jogging â€" is that it makes you feel great. And it’s this feeling that is responsible for many of the health benefits of sport for your mind.Sitting around at your computer is one thing. But humans were made to move.Find out the biggest names in kickboxing!Shed Calories. Like, Lo ts of Calories.When people think about the health benefits of exercise, they usually think about how many calories they are going to burn. And whilst this approach has its limitations, it gives you a great idea of the amount of physical work you will be doing whilst exercising.Experts say that, when you are doing fitness kickboxing, you can expect to burn, on average, some four to five hundred calories an hour. And this can increase to about nine hundred if you are going particularly hard.Factor in the fact that, after your boxing workout, you will be burning a higher rate of calories throughout the day, you’ll be burning really a lot. Train at kickboxing and see your health improveTone Your Muscles â€" All Over Your Body.Kickboxing uses all parts of your body. Each combination of jab, punch and kick works a different part of your body.Kickboxing is not just about your arms and your legs. Each of your punches will engage muscles in your shoulders and back, whilst every kick will work on your abs and your glutes too.This is why kickboxers look so ripped. And you can tone up and sculpt your muscles too.Improve Your Balance.In 2012, scientists undertook a study into the benefits of kickboxing for people with multiple sclerosis. The results were pretty amazing â€" showing an improved balance across the board.Kickboxing improves your balance for two reasons. Firstly, it builds the muscles in your lower body â€" which, obviously, supports you as you move. But, secondly, it also develops your awareness of your body â€" through footwork and controlled movements â€" which means greater muscular control.Work on Your Cardio.C ardio â€" short for cardiovascular â€" is a type of exercise which develops the strength of your heart and your respiration system. Given that cardio exercise is also that which burns most calories, people think that that calories burned is the measure of effective cardio exercise. It isn’t.A healthy heart and lungs are essential for a healthy body through life â€" cutting the risk of heart disease and respiratory problems.Kickboxing is excellent at getting these organs into shape.Develop Endurance and Stamina.Besides the inherent benefits of a healthy heart, cardio enables the rest of your body to receive the energy, nutrients, and oxygen it needs. When the levels of these are optimal, your stamina â€" your ability to endure physical work for longer â€" is improved dramatically.By developing your cardio, kickboxing allows your body to exercise more, be active for longer, and to be comfortable with that. The health benefits of kickboxing can't be overstatedAnd the Benefits of Kickboxing for Your Mind?So, we’ve discussed the benefits of kickboxing for your physique. Let’s turn now to your mind.Health is not all about the physical. Rather, you’ll find that the healthiest people have the healthiest mind too.Reduce Stress â€" and Release Emotional Tension.Punching and kicking is not just about fat burning or fitness training. No. Rather, the instinctive element of these actions is in the fact of their implicit aggression.These actions relieve stress. Besides the physical, aerobic exercise â€" which is a natural stress relief in itself â€" the aggression that you can channel through kickboxing is unparalleled in pretty much any other sport.Take out the frustration that you feel in life on a punch bag â€" and feel the emotional release.Focus and Concentrate Better.The point about martial arts, however, is not that they are just a string of random punches and strikes. Rather, sports l ike kickboxing require poise, elegance, and precision â€" qualities which require the height of concentration and attention.When kickboxing, then, you will be thinking about your movements; you will be focusing on their accuracy and grace.In this way, you’ll be improving your ability to concentrate in all fields when you are outside of your gym too.Build Your Confidence â€" and Self-Esteem.With good exercise comes a body of which you can proud. And with such a body, your confidence â€" and self-esteem â€" will flourish.This is one of the most important health benefits of kickboxing. Because, by confidence, we do not mean vanity or excessive pride. Rather, confidence comes with the knowledge that you’d be able to defend yourself if required, with the appreciation that you have a new skill, with the sense that you are doing something great for yourself.Give it a try; it feels great.Achieve Goals.Part of this is in your ability to set and to meet goals. By having goals set â€" and by being able to achieve them â€" you get into a really positive feedback loop in which you are feel you are making great progress.Winning a fight in a ring or being able to squat three hundred times â€" all of this will improve your confidence even further as you reach your milestones.Foster New Relationships.In kickboxing, it’s not just about you. Whether you are in a gym class or you are sparring with a partner, kickboxing is primarily social. And there is no better place to make strong relationships than when you are dripping with sweat and beating the hell out of someone.Yes, this is a health benefit. Because great, meaningful social relationships improve your mental health and your overall wellbeing.Improve Your Mental Health.Talking of mental health, this is perhaps the crucial part of this second section. Exercise makes you feel good â€" and it sets the conditions for a really healthy mindset and outlook on life, as well as for healthy thought processes.This can’t be str essed enough!Interested in the rules of kickboxing? We bet you are.

Trust but Confirmation Needed on What You Contribute - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Trust but Confirmation Needed on What You Contribute - Introvert Whisperer Trust but Confirmation Needed on What You Contribute I read something yesterday that still has me thinking.   It was about “confirmation”.   The point was that when you hear a positive thing, you really want to confirm if it’s true or real but for some reason when you hear something bad you assume it’s true.   We’re kind of confusing creatures, don’t you think? It’s the reason why “social proof” has become almost a requirement these days.   Even I have to collect testimonials from people who have used my programs and gained benefit as part of what I do.   We have sites like Yelp to review restaurants, events and businesses and many other sites doing similar things. Because we have the need to confirm or substantiate the claim of goodness. The burden of proof is on you that you do well and that you add value in your job.   Ha!   Never thought of it that way, did you? Granted, all of this is annoying and kind of a pain.   I know for me, on my grumpier days, it kind of insults me because I think of myself as a good, honest person.   I do what I say I’m going to do and I know the good I’ve done but…   I’m sure you’ve probably had the same thing going on in your head at times. I’ve spoken to people who refused to communicate (or self-promote if you want to think of it like that) their results and good work to the boss.   They are almost indignant in the perspective that its part of the managers job to dig around to find out how you perform.   While I can understand why they might think that, its not how us pesky humans work.   To take the position and refuse to move off of it is not going to serve you in the long run.   The burden of proof of how well you do your job, your expertise and your capabilities is yours alone. Confirmation is an ongoing task as well.   That means you are constantly in need of confirming what you contribute as we have a short memory.   This is all part of your personal brand.   It’s what you do consistently but you must do it on an ongoing basis in order for others to maintain a positive belief about you. Letting others, especially the boss, know what and how you are doing, is never a problem. Go to top Power-Influence-Office Politics: it comes down to your Strategic Relationships and understanding of how you build each one of these elements. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my video that outlines all of this and meaningful actions you can take today!  Start watching now by clicking here! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

Are Kids with ADHD at Risk for Becoming Overweight as Adults

Are Kids with ADHD at Risk for Becoming Overweight as Adults The term ADHD often invokes images of hyperactive children who rarely sit still and have endless amounts of energy. Think about what these children may be like as adults, and youll likely picture individuals who are always on the go and maintain a relatively average weight because they are so active. Of course, today we know that ADHD is associated with much more than hyperactivity, and that some kids with ADHD experience difficulties with inattention and/or impulsivity without being at all hyperactive. However, even for non-hyperactive kids, parents, teachers, and mental health professionals have historically not considered ADHD to be a risk factor for obesity. Yet, recent research has in fact shown that adults who were diagnosed with ADHD during childhood are more likely to be overweight or obese than adults without a history of ADHD. There is also evidence to suggest that kids with ADHD are more likely to be overweight or obese than kids without ADHD (although additional research is needed to confirm these findings). Why are kids with ADHD at increased risk for becoming overweight or obese in their lifetime? At this point, researchers arent sure, but they do have some theories. Preliminary studies suggest that dysregulated eating patterns, decreased physical activity, sleep problems, genetics, and the executive functioning deficits associated with ADHD may be some of the factors driving the connection. Studies also suggest that treatment of ADHD symptoms with stimulant medication significantly reduces obesity risk. While there is little specific guidance currently available for parents of kids with ADHD around obesity prevention, targeting factors that may underlie the connection between ADHD and obesity is a good place to start. Helping your child learn to regulate his or her appetite and eating habits, develop healthy sleep patterns, and become physically active will make it much easier for him or her to engage in a healthy lifestyle as adults. For kids who respond well to stimulant medications, including medication in their ADHD treatment plan may also be an effective preventative measure. Making lifestyle changes to support your childs eating, sleeping, and physical activity habits can be challenging, and it can be hard to know where to start. In general, its best to start small and target one or two areas at a time. Here are a few ideas to get you started: Help your child regulate his or her appetite and eating habits. Help your child regulate his or her appetite by providing meals and snacks on a consistent schedule (on both weekdays and weekends). This will help ensure that your child is hungry when mealtimes come around. Your child will eat more of the healthy foods on his or her plate and will develop an improved awareness of his or her bodys hunger cues. Avoid letting your child graze on food throughout the day or engage in mindless eating while watching TV or playing videogames. Encourage your child to eat (and enjoy) a range of foods. Kids will be more likely to be on board with broadening their meal options if they are involved in choosing which foods they will eat, and in preparing their meals. If your goal is to have your child eat more vegetables, allow to choose from 2 or more veggie options, and/or a selection of relatively healthy sauces that he or she can add to enhance the flavor. Involve your child in meal prep activities when time allows, and plan some fun cooking and healthy baking activities during weekends and school breaks. Encourage physical activity through participation in sports. Kids, teens, and adults are more likely to be physically active if they are participating in athletic activities that they enjoy. Help your child find a sport that he or she loves and provide him or her with the opportunity to participate regularly. It doesnt really matter if its a team sport or an individual sport, as long as its something he or she looks forward to doing. Your child will be building skills that he or she can apply to other athletic pursuits as he or she grows, and he or she will develop a positive association with exercise that will stay with him or her as he or she grows into adults. Prioritize sleep. Sleep can be a real struggle for many kids with ADHD. With busy schedules, it can be easy to allow kids to stay up late and get less sleep than they really need. But the cost of insufficient sleep is high for kids with ADHD it makes their symptoms of inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity worse in the short term, and can interfere with their ability to regulate their emotions and appetite now and in the future. So, make your childs sleep a priority by creating a sleep schedule and sticking to it. Be a good role model. Kids will have the most success with regulating their eating habits, activity levels, and sleep patterns if they see their parents engaging in these healthy behaviors too! If making any of these changes feels overwhelming, or your child shows persistent difficulties with eating, sleeping, or engaging in physical activity, reach out to your pediatrician and ask for extra support. Even small steps that you take now will go a long way in helping your child develop healthy lifestyle habits that will benefit him or her throughout his or her lifetime. For a summary of the latest research on the link between ADHD and Obesity, check out the following article: Cortese, S. Tessari, L. (2017). Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Obesity: Update 2016. Current Psychiatry Reports, 19, ePub. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-017-0754-1 ABOUT DR. MARY ROONEY Mary Rooney, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco. Dr Rooney is a researcher and clinician specializing in the evaluation and treatment of ADHD and co-occurring behavioral, anxiety, and mood disorders. A strong advocate for those with attention and behavior problems, Dr. Rooney is committed to developing and providing comprehensive, cutting edge treatments tailored to meet the unique needs of each child and adolescent. Dr. Rooney's clinical interventions and research avenues emphasize working closely with parents and teachers to create supportive, structured home and school environments that enable children and adolescents to reach their full potential. In addition, Dr. Rooney serves as a consultant and ADHD expert to Huntington Learning Centers. ABOUT HUNTINGTON Huntington Learning Center is the tutoring and test prep leader. Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students of all levels succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntington's mission is to give every student the best education possible. Call us today at 1.800.CAN LEARN to discuss how Huntington can help your child. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com. This website does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The material on this site is provided for educational purposes only.

A tutors guide to choosing the right school for your child

A tutor's guide to choosing the right school for your child For students and parents, it can often be a stressful experience choosing which school to go to, especially when in some cases there can be many to choose from.   Here, Vishal N, one of our 11+ tutors with several years of experience, gives his top three factors to consider when choosing a school. Choosing the right school 1. Location, location, location! This is often the most neglected factor when it comes to choosing the right school. If you live in Harrow and decide to apply for Whitgift (London), you are looking at a travel time of a minimum of 1 hour and 15 minutes â€" and this doesn’t even take into account any traffic. Not only can this be a stressful journey for parents, but can often take its toll on the child who arrives at school fatigued and not in the mood to learn. 2. Whether or not your child can cope with the pressure As we all know, not all children are the same! Just as some children prefer football over music, some children can work well with pressure from teachers and constant mini-tests on a weekly basis, whilst others may begin to dislike school and everything associated with it. Therefore, knowing whether your child enjoys dealing with pressure and always having to be compete academically with his/her peers is imperative when choosing the right school. Some schools are certainly more academically challenging than others. 3. The atmosphere and how you feel whilst visiting the school One of the most important things is to visit the school on open days. This is a fantastic opportunity to not only meet the teachers and ask questions, but it also allows your child to soak in the atmosphere and helps them imagine how they would feel studying in the school for the foreseeable future. Vishal is one of our experienced 7+, 10+, 11+, 13+, 16+, Common Entrance, Admissions and GCSE tutors. He covers Maths, English and Science and has helped many students prepare for competitive entrance exams at a range of schools. If you would like to book a lesson with Vishal, get in touch with him by visiting his profile here! If you would like to find an 11+ tutor, you can search through our fantastic tutors here!