HOW TO PROVIDE LOVE JOY AND CONNECTION DURING A PANDEMIC HOLIDAY SEASON

For many people, life as they knew it has been put on hold due to the restrictions we all must adhere to with COVID-19. The days of waiting patiently for life to return to “normal” have passed. In fact, there has been enough time that has passed since the virus hit in early 2020, that we can confidently say, we have developed a new normal. 

At first, this new normal was odd. Anything new is going to be strange to our human brain. We like consistency, predictability, and familiarity. It is what helps us to feel safe and secure, the most basic of our human needs. We are now about to embark on another adventure in experiencing something new --The Holidays. 

This is a time of year that we typically would travel, visit family, go to parties at friends’ homes and restaurants, as well as within our offices. We typically deliver presents to share holiday cheer with others. Perhaps your family spends time in service for organizations or with individuals who need extra help and extra support during this time. While these traditions were part of the bedrock of the holidays, they may not be available to us this year. Although this season will look quite different than years past, we may be able to find some hidden treasures in our new “holiday normal.” 

Here are a few suggestions to help you get through this new “holiday normal” that are based on the science of how our human brain is wired with a sprinkling of strategies that will improve your relationships and boost your resilience. So, in other words, these may be things you choose to add to your life, regardless of whether or not we are in the middle of a pandemic. 

1.  Set the Tone: You set the tone of what this holiday will feel like for your children. They certainly will get messages from your community, their peer group, and the news, however, how you feel and talk about the holiday in your home will have the greatest influence on how they feel. Start by asking yourself, am I already setting myself and my children up for being disappointed? Boost your awareness by noticing how you are talking about the holidays with others, especially when your children are present. When you listen to the things that you say, do you feel uplifted or upset? When your children talk about the holidays do you feel your own body get tense or weak? Although you think your children can not sense this inner state, they can, and it greatly affects how they will feel. You can also use a mindfulness platform like Ninja Focus that can be a great companion for your children to check in on ‘how they are feeling’ and listen to guided tracks from wellness experts.
2. Make a List of Things You Do Not Have to Do: Rather than focus on what has been lost by listing all of the things that you cannot do this holiday season make a list of all of the things that you DO NOT HAVE TO DO because of the pandemic. Having worked with families for over 2 decades, I have found that many of them become overly burdened this time of year because of all of the obligatory things that they must do either personally or professionally. Start this list by titling your paper, “All of the things I do not have to do, and I never enjoyed doing anyway.” After you create that list, how does it feel when you read it? 
3. Focus on What Truly Matters: Without all of those obligations, you now have a lot more time to focus your energy on what truly has meaning to you and your family. Time for another list. What are some things that you wished you could have had more time to enjoy if you were not running all over the place during the holidays? How many times have you purchased gifts for your children, but then not have time to actually play with them? Focus on those things. 
4. Make New Traditions: It is a great opportunity to make some new traditions and get your children involved in it. Whether you are celebrating a specific holiday or simply taking some time off of work because school is closed, now is the time to collectively decide what family or individual things your children would like to explore during this time and perhaps share with you. Plan ahead, and yes, create another list by asking your children about things they are really interested in doing or learning and find creative ways to explore these things together. 
5. Spend Quality Time and Bond As a Family: Last but not least, remember that this is the perfect “storm” for you to actually BE together, as a family to talk and connect. Ask any child psychologist and they will tell you that the best way to raise children to be self-confident, respectful, happy, and secure, is to give them THIS most important present -- YOUR PRESENCE. Simply being side by side, listening to each other without being rushed, speaking honestly about their dreams, fears, desires, challenges, and joys. This is what cultivates a happy home and healthy relationships. 

Remember the most important thing is to spend a few moments each day enjoying the company of your children this holiday season. It can bring your family closer and boost your mood. If you think it helps, include yoga and mindfulness exercises into your daily routine. Ninja Focus is a great resource with short and easy to follow mindfulness exercises and meditations that you can practice as a family with your children. Happy holidays! 

 Allison Morgan is the founder of Zensational Kids, a pediatric occupational therapist, renowned author, public speaker, trainer, and an advisory board member of Ninja Focus.

DIVE BACK INTO GOLDFISH SWIM SCHOOL

For the last few years our normal family routine has been spending Sunday afternoons at Goldfish Swim School as my kids have gone through lessons and participating in the swim team there. In mid-March as the coronavirus began spreading into Michigan little did we know that visit to Goldfish Swim School may have been our final chance to dive into their pool. As things began to get crazy with the pandemic impacting the State that Sunday in March was one of our last moments of normalcy as the next week my son and daughter's school shutdown while my wife and I's work places went into lockdown. As we all know now life has changed quite a bit over the last five months.

Originally, it was thought the virus would burn out and life would resume back to normal in a few weeks. Yet it is August and my wife and I are still working from home. It looks like the kids' school year will start off with online learning from home. And that Goldfish Swim School we enjoyed spending our Sundays at has been shuttered since our last visit in March. We were one of the last families in the pool before the pandemic closed the place down.

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Light turn out for swimming practice tonight but the pool is open at @goldfishswimschool --> chlorine in the water kills virus germs and outside their pool the facility is taking extra efforts to sanitize the rest of the place. #GoldfishPartner *********************************************** #goldfishswimschool #goldfish #swimschool #swimforce #coronavirus #corona #virus #pandemic #dadlife #swimdad #swimclass #swimpractice #competitiveswimming #swimlessons #swimmingclass #swimminglessons #swimming #pooltime #pool

A post shared by @ geekdad248 on Mar 15, 2020 at 2:38pm PDT

Fortunately for families some sense of normalcy may be returning as our local Goldfish Swim School just opened again. Kids can dive back into the water and resume swimming lessons starting today! The Swim Force has been cancelled so we may not be back but my kids have had a golden experience at this swimming school that we will always appreciate. Now during these tough times it is nice to know that Goldfish Swim School can brighten the days with swimming lessons for kids who have been sticking close to home for a very long time and are probably very stir crazy to get out and about.

During our time at Goldfish Swim School, the staff not only focused on building the kids swimming skills but also emphasized water safety. So you know Goldfish Swim School is going to be taking the safety of their re-opening during this coronavirus pandemic very seriously! Here are some of the ways that they'll be letting children dive back into the pool being conscientious of the ongoing public health crisis:

Screening Swimmers & Caregivers

• No one will be allowed in the building before being pre-screened for exposure to the virus and having their temperature checked.
• Only one caregiver per family allowed in with swimmers. No non-sibling swimmers allowed inside.
• The parent will have a designated socially distanced seat in the observation gallery corresponding to the lane their child will be swimming in.
• Wearing masks by everyone is required. Children can remove masks when in the water.

Building Adjustments

• Screening barriers have been added alongside the edge of the pool to separate children in their lanes when out of the water.
• Showers and some changing rooms will be unavailable. Please come having your child wearing their swimsuit. Please don't linger and leave immediately after classes.
• Shared amenities such as hair dryers have been removed.
• Decals promoting social distancing and circulation of traffic flow through the building have been added.
• The facility will be a cashless operation with all purchases being charged to your account.
• Will not have googles on the pool deck to borrow.
• Specially designated cleaning staff will be continuously sanitizing the facility throughout the day.

Swim Class Sizes

• Group lesson ratios will be 3:1 instead of the usual 4:1.
• Mini 3 lesson ratios will be 2:1 instead of the usual 3:1.
• Mini 1 and 2 lesson ratios will be 4:1 instead of the usual 6:1.
• Swim Force team training sessions and competitions are cancelled.
• No Family Swim or Birthday Parties at this time.

Staff Precautions

• All staff will be temperature checked and will complete a self-assessment upon arrival. Anyone experiencing a fever or any symptoms will be sent home. 
• All dry side staff members will be wearing masks and all wet side staff will be wearing face shields. 
• Staff will go through a number of trainings to help keep themselves and swimmers as safe as possible.

Dive back in! The pool is back open! Go to goldfishswimschool.com for more information.

SUPER RUN VIRTUAL 5K

Looking for motivation to get some exercise? We all know getting in a work out can be frustrating right now with gyms closed down and social distancing rules in effect. With that in mind, Superfly Running is hosting a fun way to encourage people to get active by having participants individually walk or run in a virtual 5K event.

Sign up for THE SUPER RUN by clicking here to register plus pay a $10 entry fee to receive a swag bag. You'll then be sent a superhero cape and runners bib to wear while you complete a 5K independently. Run or walk indoors at home on a treadmill or take a jaunt around your neighborhood. Complete the distance at your own pace then award yourself with the finishers medal Superfly Running will be providing in the event's swag bag in recognition of the accomplishment.

An entertaining way to lighten up people's moods and get exercise feeling like you are involved in a group activity without putting anyone in jeopardy from the coronavirus.  Add a bit of fun to your workouts by participating in THE SUPER RUN VIRTUAL 5K. Plus proceeds from the event go to support providing fun activities for patients at children's hospitals across the country. This dad blogger is thinking of joining in!

A MUCH NEEDED EVENING AT GOLDFISH SWIM SCHOOL

Beyond going to work and school, my family had been staying around the house playing it safe this week as concerns about the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease) began spreading throughout the country and here in Michigan. Then things really hit close to home on Thursday when the kids' school district began cancelling classes. Looks like they won't be returning to school until mid-April at the earliest now! As Sunday rolled around we were all getting a bit stir crazy being home.

So it was nice to find out Goldfish Swim School was still open! Sunday nights are Swim Nights at Goldfish Swim School for my twins. Both of them are on the Swim Force competitive swimming team. They have an hour long practice once per week and quarterly competitive meets. My son and daughter were really excited to get out of the house for some pool time.

View this post on Instagram

Light turn out for swimming practice tonight but the pool is open at @goldfishswimschool --> chlorine in the water kills virus germs and outside their pool the facility is taking extra efforts to sanitize the rest of the place. #GoldfishPartner *********************************************** #goldfishswimschool #goldfish #swimschool #swimforce #coronavirus #corona #virus #pandemic #dadlife #swimdad #swimclass #swimpractice #competitiveswimming #swimlessons #swimmingclass #swimminglessons #swimming #pooltime #pool

A post shared by @ geekdad248 on Mar 15, 2020 at 2:38pm PDT

My son and daughter enjoyed having fun in the water and getting some exercise in during their Swim Force practice. Both of them put the stress of the coronavirus out of their minds for an hour as they focused on swimming. I wasn't too worried about them getting sick while being in the pool because the chlorine kills germs like coronaviruses and had peace of mind about the rest of the facility as I watched staff constantly taking actions to sanitize the place as we were there. Chairs, countertops, door handles, the pool deck and more were being doused with antiseptic in an effort to hold the virus at bay. No one showed signs of being sick and everyone kept a distance from each other to respecting one another's space.

From what I witnessed Goldfish Swim School understands our society is facing a serious health emergency but also realizes that people need to maintain some normalcy to their lives. They are striving to provide a safe space where families can get away from the stress of current events for a moment. We really appreciated that!

For more information about their swimming programs go to goldfishswimschool.com. A Geek Daddy is a brand ambassador for Goldfish Swim School receiving complimentary goods and services for sharing my family's experiences participating in their swimming programs. All opinions shared by this dad blogger are honest and my own.

UPDATE [3/16/20]: Because of a county state of emergency being enacted that restricts occupancy within public venues, including pools, to help reduce the spread to the COVID-19 contagion our local Goldfish Swim School is closing from March 16 to tentatively April 6, 2020. Check with your local Goldfish Swim School franchise to find out how they are being impacted by the coronavirus outbreak.

Orkin Buzzer Beater Quiz & Summer Scientist Giveaway

I can't wait for SUMMER and it is almost here! Grilling out on the back deck, baseball games, going on hiking adventures and all the other fun family activities you can do outdoors make it a great time of the year. There’s one thing no one likes about being outdoors, though: mosquitoes! Not only are they a nuisance, but they also pose potentially serious health risks. Fortunately, the experts at Orkin study the science of mosquitoes and other pests closely so they can help keep them away from your home this summer. To help you better prepare your family to avoid those pesky mosquito bites this summer, A Geek Daddy challenges you to take the Orkin BUZZER BEATER Quiz.



So how did you do on the Orkin BUZZER BEATER Quiz?  Orkin knows the information in this quiz because it invests in developing scientific knowledge of mosquitoes so they can properly understand the best way to address the problems they create and properly eliminate them from residential and commercial properties.  While mosquitoes are a nuisance when you observe and learn about them they are impressive creatures.  In fact when you taking a look from a scientific perspective you have to admit insects in general are quite remarkable.  To encourage children to study the insects that live around us, A Geek Daddy has an Orkin Summer Scientist Bug Catching Kit to giveaway.  Hopefully this will help cultivate an interest in science and nature for a child over the summer.

To be eligible for this giveaway you must follow @Geekdad248 on Twitter and retweet our original contest tweet which is embedded below before May 2, 2016 @ 11:59 pm EST.  Must be a US  resident over the age of 18 to participate.  One entry per person and we'll randomly select someone from all eligible entries to receive the Orkin Summer Scientist Bug Catching Kit.

UPDATE: Congrats to Katrina from Cadillac, Michigan who won the giveaway.

Follow @Geekdad248 & RT for chance to win @TheOrkinMan Summer Scientist Bug Catching Kit #LearnWithOrkin #Ad US Only pic.twitter.com/K4MIVcXbAU

— A Geek Daddy (@GeekDad248) April 23, 2016

 
The Orkin Summer Scientist Bug Catching Kits are fun for the whole family to use and enjoy together.  Each pack includes:

Bug Catcher Craft Kit:  This awesome DIY bug catcher kit will let your family's personality shine through while also learning about nature and the world around us.  The kits include a variety of foam ladybugs, dragonflies and more!

Bug Nets:  Explore the great outdoors with these fun mesh insect nets.  They can be used to collect and study butterflies, ladybugs, caterpillars and many other backyard creatures.

See-Through Bug Jars:  Reveal the wonders of your backyard with these clear bug jars.  Each transparent plastic box has a magnifying lid for better insect viewing.  Young explorers love discovering worms, butterflies, ants, and insects.

Magic Color Scratch Little Garden Critters:  Scratch faces, designs and more on these Magic Color Scratch Little Garden Critters! A perfect kids' activity for critter lovers, simply scratch away the black coating to reveal vibrant rainbow colors.  Includes butterflies, frogs, turtles and more.

Glow-in-the-Dark Creepy Crawlers:  Turn off the lights and let them glow!  These vinyl glow-in-the-dark bugs are lots of fun for all ages.

Still have questions about pesky insects and critters that may invade your home or backyard during the summer months?  Ask the Orkin Man!  Reach out to Orkin on Twitter and Facebook with your questions or visit their youtube channel to view useful videos like this one on whether mosquitoes prefer adults over children.



Disclaimer & Rules / FTC Notice:  A Geek Daddy Blog will be responsible for selecting the winner of this contest, but ORKIN LLC is responsible for fulfillment and delivery of the prize. By participating in this contest you waive any liability towards A Geek Daddy Blog or its publisher that may arise from your involvement with this promotion. A Geek Daddy Blog hosted this contest and blog post based upon ORKIN LLC providing the prize to the selected winner. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. Prize will be delivered by UPS or FedEx so no P.O. Boxes are allowed as mailing addresses. A Geek Daddy Blog is hosting this giveaway as a benefit to our readers. Information for this post was provided by ORKIN LLC. A Geek Daddy Blog did not receive any financial compensation for publishing this post but did receive one of the prizes for personal use.

#LEARNWITHORKIN

Dead New World

While I suffered through the flu over the holiday break, I passed some time reading the book DEAD NEW WORLD by Ryan Hill.  It is can become somewhat surreal reading a book about a zombie apocalypse caused by a viral pandemic while you are shaking and aching from the flu and the author did a nice job of bringing his story to life for its readers.  DEAD NEW WORLD really cemented for me that the zombie genre for the time being has allowed Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead to define the standard elements of any story - a crisis was created by a viral outbreak, a zombie bite will transform the person bitten into a zombie, a person's soul, identity, personality die when they transform into a zombie, and you have to destroy a zombie's brain to kill it although they don't act by thinking but rather through instinct, the world as we know it is gone and people are struggling to survive on a post-modern planet.  Though Hill sticks with these standardized elements in his story, he does branch off in some new ways to make this his own apocalyptic zombie tale.

In a Dead New World, the United States has been overrun by millions of infected people turned into zombies with a blood lust, but unlike the world of The Walking Dead the U.S. government was able to stay intact and operational stemming the tide of the infestation.  There are cities where people live in security and pockets of civilization spread out across the country.  The population is a small fraction of what it once was now though and the army is on constant patrol through the "wilderness" in an effort to keep zombie herds in check.  If it was just the zombies they had to deal with the tide may be turning back in humanity's favor but the army also is under assault from a dangerous cult of fanatics that worships the zombies and wants to take control of the world.  Led by a man known as The Reverend, this cult has the power to command the zombies and is quickly overrunning U.S. military bases and civilian settlements across the east coast of the country with an eye on destroying Washington D.C.

You see the Reverend was bitten by a zombie during the initial stage of the infection that enveloped the world but he didn't "turn" but rather just had some of his skin become discolored and mutilated.  Another side effect of his surviving the transformation was that he also now had the power to control the zombies around him.  He believes that those people who don't transform into zombies after becoming infected are meant to be a new hybrid race to rule a Dead New World.  The Reverend's zealous human followers volunteer to be exposed to the virus believing that it is God's plan for people to either become elevated to a higher level or to become zombie servants.   He has created a human/zombie army that may be unstoppable.

Young draftees Ambrose and Holt while on a routine patrol face their squad being wiped out by the Reverend's Army.  Can two sixteen year old grunts take on a cult, save Washington D.C. and prevent the world from becoming a place where humanity is obsolete and ruled by a maniac who believes that he will create a new hybrid race to rule over a world of zombie servants?  The focus of this book really is from the perspective of Ambrose and Holt and has just as much of a military stylized approach to telling the story as a horror or Sci-Fi tact to it. 

Ryan Hill

Dead New World receives A GEEK DADDY nod of approval because I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book from cover to cover.  Ryan Hill did a nice job of making this story an interesting and entertaining read that kept my interest and curiosity peeked throughout it.  If you are looking for some mindless zombie adventures that actually spin into a well thought out story arc this is a nice pick up.  Looking for a story to read at the beach, on a plane ride, or maybe while sick in bed with the flu...grab DEAD NEW WORLD published by Curiosity Quills. 

Dead New World is available on Amazon.com either for Kindle or in paperback. 




DISCLAIMER:  A Geek Daddy Blog received a free digital edition of this book to review.  The opinions expressed are my own.

Crooks & Spammers Make Super Heroes Toxic for Online Security & Privacy

It's a Bird, it's a plane ... it's malware?! That's not Superman! Unfortunately many of the people searching for information about "the man of steel" online are instead finding malware that steals their sensitive personal and/or financial information.  For those of you who don't know what malware is, it is malicious software that secretly infects a computer or mobile device to exploit it for someone else's gain without your consent.  Often times people are lured to fake sites that use popular trendy topics, like SUPER HEROES, to draw people in from search engine searches or advertisements posted in social media, blogs, e-mails, and other online communications mediums. Once people visit these sites there are variety of  methods that download malware or viruses onto devices in a manner that can leave you unsuspecting an intrusion.

McAfee, a computer security company for consumers and businesses, recently released a study of the Most Toxic Super Heroes that analyzed which comic book character names led to the most risky websites.   SUPERMAN was at the top of the list!  According to McAfee, searching through sites such as Google, Yahoo, and Bing with phrases such as "Superman," "Superman and free torrent download," Superman and watch," "Superman and free app," and "Superman and online" leads to a 16.5% chance of connecting with a website that has tested positive for online threats such as spyware, adware, spam, phising, viruses and other malware.  Superman is 2014's most toxic super hero meaning his name is the most likely to lead you to a website that has tested positive for threats by McAfee Site Advisor.  

Here is the list of top Super Hero names that Cyber Criminals are using to victimize people with the percentage of times the McAfee study was directed to a dangerous website for each name:

1.  SUPERMAN                       16.5%

2.  THOR                                 16.3%

3.   WONDERWOMAN          15.7%

      AQUAMAN                       15.7%

4.  WOLVERINE                     15.1%

5. SPIDERMAN                       14.7%

6. BATMAN                             14.2%

7.BLACK WIDOW                  13.7%

8.CAPTAIN AMERICA            13.1%

9. GREEN LANTERN              11.3%

10. GHOST RIDER                   10.8%

These might not seem like that high of numbers to worry about, but just think it takes a cyber criminal just one time to get access to your Social Security Number, Bank Account, or Credit Card to create havoc in your life.  So whatever you can do to be proactive in protecting yourself is important because once you are compromised it is often game over!

Here are a few tips from McAfee Online Security Expert Robert Siciliano, author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen:

• Be suspicious: If a search turns up a link to free content or too-good-to-be-true offers, be wary
• Double-check the web address: Look for misspellings or other clues that the site you are going to may not be safe 
• Search safely: Use a web safety advisor, such as McAfee SiteAdvisor that displays a red, yellow, or green ratings in search results, alerting you to potential risky sites before you click on them
• Protect yourself: Use comprehensive security software on all your devices, like McAfee LiveSafe™ service, to protect yourself against the latest threats

New Vampire Horror Series will try to Thrill TV Viewers on FX Cable Network

THE STRAIN has gone full circle now.  Originally created as an outline for a television series pitch by filmmaker Guillermo del Toro when no networks picked it up for a pilot the idea was transformed into a trilogy of New York Times Best Seller books and a comic book series.  Now the cable network FX has picked up THE STRAIN for a 3 season run with the first episode airing on Sunday July 13th at 10pm ET/PT.

The first episode of the show starts with a plane landing at JFK airport than going dark and silent.  When it is boarded, all of the passengers are found dead and the Center for Disease Control is brought in to investigate as authorities fear this tragedy was caused by a viral outbreak on board the flight.  The CDC sends their top investigator Ephraim Goodweather (played by Corey Stoll - Congressman Peter Russo in the first season of Netflix's House of Cards drama) to find out what is going on.  Goodweather is stumped as it appears the cause of the trouble appears to originate from a mysterious giant coffin filled with soil and worms found in the plane's cargo hold.  The infection quickly jumps from the plane to the airport to New York City.  Turns out though it isn't a virus but rather a vampire infestation that is the cause of this plague.

Season one's 13 episodes of THE STRAIN will be based on the first novel and tells the story of the eight days in which the outbreak first surfaces and infects New York City.  The main characters are similar to the ones from the novels and comic books, the CDC expert, an elderly pawn shop owner who encountered the vampires as a child in World War II era Europe, and a pest exterminator who encounters this new vampire infestation while on the job.  The show throws in a computer hacker character not from the books and comics to slightly differentiate the show's scripts from the prose. These four characters team together to tackle the Master, one of seven ancient vampires, who is responsible for bringing the strain to New York City.  What is the Master's grand plan and how does a rich industrialist lurking in the shadows play into it?

Watch THE STRAIN on FX to find out!

Oh, one other note to mention!  These vampires aren't the ones of Buffy the Vampire, Dracula, True Blood, The Twilight Saga that look like normal humans who need to avoid the sun, rather they are more like the Reapers from the movie Blade II (directed by del Toro) that have three-way jaws with leach like suckers that shoot out of their faces and bodies that are grotesque.  Like The Walking Dead this is not a show you want to allow children to watch!