Only Child...

Popular thinking often paints an unflattering picture of only children, portraying them as self-centered, attention-seeking, dependent, and temperamental. Despite these negative stereotypes, smaller families in general--and the one-child option--are growing in popularity.

Changing family patterns, economic concerns, and new roles for women may contribute to parents' choosing the one-child option:

* Divorce rates (higher than ever before) and the tendency for couples to marry later in life may contribute to shorter marriages and potentially fewer children

* Inflation and high unemployment, contributing to reduced family income, may encourage parents to have smaller families

* The majority of women are now employed before they have children. The benefits of this added income and involvement in careers may lead women to postpone childbearing and bear fewer children

Are There Any Advantages To Being An Only Child?
Most current data appear to indicate that only children have a slight edge over children with siblings on measures of intelligence and achievement--and that they suffer no serious interpersonal deficits. In fact, only children may have some advantages as a result of their special status: more attention from parents, freedom from sibling rivalry and comparison, and access to more family resources, to name a few.

Are There Any Disadvantages To Being An Only Child?
As an only child to the family the pressure that is with you is heavy. No doubt you may not need to compare yourself to your siblings, but what about others like your cousins? Don’t forget that you are the only hope to your parents. Moreover, you have nobody to stand besides you to give suggestion, to support you, to back you up....

Think twice, parents...

Depression

Depression leads people to focus mostly on failures and disappointments, to emphasize the negative side of their situations, and to downplay their own capabilities or worth. Someone with severe depression is unable to see the possibility of a good outcome and may believe they will never be happy or things will never go right for them again.

Depression affects a person's thoughts in such a way that the person doesn't see when a problem can be overcome. It's as if the depression puts a filter on the person's thinking that distorts things. That's why depressed people don't realize that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem in the same way that other people do. A teen with depression may feel like there's no other way out of problems, no other escape from emotional pain, or no other way to communicate their desperate unhappiness.

Sometimes people who feel suicidal may not even realize they are depressed. They are unaware that it is the depression — not the situation — that's influencing them to see things in a "there's no way out," "it will never get better," "there's nothing I can do" kind of way.

When depression lifts because a person gets the proper therapy or treatment, the distorted thinking is cleared. The person can find pleasure, energy, and hope again. But while someone is seriously depressed, suicidal thinking is a real concern.

People with a condition called bipolar disorder are also more at risk for suicide because their condition can cause them to go through times when they are extremely depressed as well as times when they have abnormally high or frantic energy (called mania or manic). Both of these extreme phases of bipolar disorder affect and distort a person's mood, outlook, and judgment. For people with this condition, it can be a challenge to keep problems in perspective and act with good judgment.

Depression is powerful. You can't wait and hope that your mood might improve. When a person has been feeling down for a long time, it's hard to step back and be objective. Talk to someone you trust as soon as you can. If you can't talk to a parent, talk to your trusted and best friend, a relative, a school counselor or a teacher.

The moment it clicks

No matter how many mega pixels you’ve got inside that fancy machine in your hand, they aren’t worth beans if you don’t hold them steady.

You can miss lots of moments with your head struck in your LCD. Checking what just went on is a surefire ticket to missing what’s about to go on. The sum is definitely greater than the parts and if you are checking the LCD you are not putting together the parts.

Be disciplined. Keep your eyes in the camera and your head in the game. Plenty of time later to moan, cheer, laugh, or cry. As a photographer, it’s better to ask for forgiveness than for permission. Sometimes you receive inspiration and direction, divine or editorial. Most of the time, baby, you’re on your own. If you want something to be interesting, don’t light all of it.

When shooting a story about someone, their hands should be always on your list to shoot. If you want to be a better photographer, stand in front of more interesting stuff. You always know when you’ve got THE frame. You may know it by a skip of your heart, a short gasp, a split-second of vertigo in your brain or a feeling like you’ve just gotten a quick punch to the gut. It doesn’t matter if its only five minutes, as long as it’s the RIGHT five minutes. Don’t pack up your camera until you’ve left the location. hoot it now. Don’t ever assume you can do a picture later. You need to keep your head on straight and remain confident behind the lens in a deal like this when everybody thinks you should shoot it their way.

Keep pushing. No is always the easiest answer. Sometimes it’s all working for you and you still miss. Other times it all sucks and you get a terrific frame. You just never know. The one surefire way to get nothing is not bother looking.

The only way to keep your heart beating as a photographer is to shoot what you love.

Unfortunate One

We all know the reaction we have when we come across a homeless person on the street corner. And most of us can admit the thoughts we've had as they hold out their cap asking for money.

We all have doubts as to what the money we give them will be used for. And the amount of money we USUALLY give them is a very small amount at best.

THIS challenge is to look beyond our preconceived ideas. If it's putting change (a little more than usual) in that cap without thinking of what the money may be spent on (you might actually be surprised sometimes!)...or helping out at a shelter, or looking in your area for ways to give of money or energy to help those less fortunate.

It's SO easy to judge. Not as easy to spend time trying to help solve the problem...

Appreciate

All of us know someone who is a parent...

and we all know that being a parent can be a rewarding yet overwhelming job. Your task is to write a note to a Mom or a Dad (or both) and encourage them in their parenting...tell them something you see in the way they parent that stands out, and is special - tell them something extra special you see in their children because of their parenting.

Trust me, your words will encourage them over & over as they think about how you took the time to bless them.

Is he back to me again?

I thought I could take this for a while..I don't want to reach this point and I'm never asked to feel this way. There's so much to say but I don’t know how and what to start with.

It's sad just thinking of him, knowing he is different everyday. I can't get to know him because he is never be the same..always on a different thinking / decision..and this man is unpredictable. I wish I never get into this game..a game which I am a loser..but why me? Why did I have to be this stupid..this oblivious of the situation..and where his words would take me? I tasted the hurts and pain, its really difficult for me to through that path, at least I made it, why it comes back to me again ???? I don't know how far can I compress myself....

Through the experiences of mine so called "drama"..I learned so much..yet, I'm too stubborn to stick by what's right. People say I dwell on my problems..especially when it's got to do with B O Y S..and I guess, to a certain extent..yeah, I do.

There is no end to this..and I can't hide everything I feel..and I definitely can't keep lying to myself. I just want him to be REAL for once.

Give The Gift Of Your Smile!! :)

Easier said than done some days.But I've SEEN the difference one smile can make.You can change someone’s day just by smiling at them.

Walking down the street...driving...ordering food. Just SMILE!I bet that the smile you get in return will make YOUR day too!! :)

Marriage....

I sat down with my schoolmate on one weekend updating each other as how our life is going on for these few years. Both of us are regret of having children but we are regret to have a relationship in marriage.



Those days, the old folks said "Man always wants children but not the wife". Well, I would interpret as " Woman would always wants children but not MEN". This trend change simply becaause woman are no longer depand on man to feed them nowadays.



The racial of divorce cases increase day by day. It is not a big deal, if you think that you are not happy in that marriage, just make your decision and walk out from that. For most of the female, they would think their love which has been showered to him will change his character. It's all bullshits, if he is born with that character, nobody is able to change that. Stop dreaming, ladies........