With Your Family in Mind

To enhance fire service for the residents of the Santa Clarita Valley, Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich announced that the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the construction of Fire Station 128 at 28450 Whites Canyon Road in Santa Clarita.  

Does your teenager need help socializing with others?  Is he or she having difficulty finding the right coping skill to deal with stress?  Are you considering taking your teenager to a mental health professional for help, but are worried about the cost? 

It is hard to believe that September is almost here.  This means that it is back-to-school time.  But even if your child is in primary school, sooner rather than later, the big college tuition will loom over you. Most parents expect their children will attend college, but many of these parents have saved no money at all for college.

Over the course of the last month or so, we have had the idea of death placed in front of us seemingly more frequently than usual. Together, we have witnessed the passing away of celebrity after celebrity. Many of us have had increased exposure as we have experienced the passing of loved ones connected to us either biologically or spiritually.

“The measure of choosing well, is, whether a man likes and finds good in what he has chosen.”  –  Charles Lamb
What are good mediators made of?  Maybe some sugar and spice.  Perhaps even a puppy dog tail.  Choosing a mediator for your divorce is a crucial step during an emotional storm. Dreams of smooth sailing are far in the distance.  The mediator is tasked with finding order in chaos, hope in despair, and reason in the face of fear and anger. 

A Magazine of Santa Clarita reader writes in about breaking into voiceover:
Q:  I’ve been a public speaker for a number of years now, and have always wondered if I have a shot at being successful in the field of voiceovers.

Here are some fantastic ways to say, “I love you,” to your husband or wife with some ideal wedding anniversary gift ideas.
Remember when you said, “I do.” Now fast forward to the present.  Does she still look as beautiful as she did that day she walked down the aisle and took your hand in matrimony, guys?

In this day and age, we have so much going on in our lives.  Most families require both parents to be working.  All the while, there are kids to care for, meals to prepare, activities to attend, shopping to do, and grandparents to look after.  Does it ever seem like there is time to breathe?  More importantly, are you caring for yourself well enough to care for the others around you? 

With the summertime temperatures hovering around the century mark, it is of utmost importance that we create a safe environment for our seniors.  The number one guideline is fluid intake.  Along with the recommended eight glasses of water per day, it’s a good idea to add fruits — especially citrus — to your diet to replace the electrolyte lost in sweating. 

If you have ever used the Internet, then you have undoubtedly stumbled onto uncouth websites by accidentally typing in the wrong web address.  Perhaps you were trying to research, but you didn’t know which key terms to put in the search engine and now your computer is filled with annoying ads.  Some people, out of sheer confusion, end up giving away their e-mail address to unreliable websites, and then their e-mail inboxes are bombarded with spam mail. 

Your child begins to learn pre-reading, writing and math skills as early as preschool. When a child struggles to learn these beginning skills, it may be an indication that they do not process information in the way it is being presented. If the child continues to lag behind their classmates in attaining any of their academic skills, they may experience a sense of defeat and lose confidence in themselves as a learner.

As the High Holy Days approach, many Jewish people are deciding that this is the year—the year they join a synagogue and get involved in the local Jewish community.  Determine what you and your family want out of your synagogue experience. Temple offers a great deal above and beyond Shabbat and High Holy Day services, including religious school for your kids, social events and education for adults, a sense of belonging and so much more. The temple you eventually choose should provide a good mix of the things you want.

No matter how safe you are behind the steering wheel, auto accidents are sometimes unavoidable.  Therefore, for your safety, and for legal and insurance reasons, there is no legitimate reason not to be prepared.  The first action you should immediately take is to place a pad and pen in your glove compartment and keep them there.  Leave a disposable camera in the compartment as well.  These will enable you to provide invaluable information and evidence.

Foster families and adoption families will benefit from Inner Circle’s new executive director, Pam Jordan, who joins the center with her 35 years of experience working with children, adolescents, and adults. “There is nothing more meaningful than to provide safe and secure homes to children who have experienced life’s harshest realities. Parenting the next generations may be challenging, but never more rewarding,” says Jordan. 

Times are tough.  Staying cool during Southern California summers is challenging.  Driving in L.A. is challenging.  The threat of fire, earthquake, and other natural disasters is challenging.  Getting up in the morning is challenging.  Employment and unemployment are challenging.  Change is challenging.  Falling in or out of love is challenging. 

The timing of a bankruptcy is often the most important decision to insure that a debtor gets the full benefit of the filing and the discharge.  In a Chapter 13 case, where a debtor is restructuring their debt, the time to file may depend on how close a lender is to foreclosing on the home, or repossessing the car.  Often, a Chapter 13 case is designed to stop creditor actions while there is still time to set up a plan to pay back missed payments on a secured loan.  If an individual waits too long to file the bankruptcy, a foreclosure may occur and it will be too late to reorganize the debt and keep the home.

After you realize that you are expecting, the “to-do” list suddenly seems to grow by leaps and bounds. Your free time is often spent shopping for maternity clothes, choosing a theme for the nursery, getting daily care items, car seat(s), blankets, and more.  As you prepare, you are frequently asked a few common questions: “When are you due?” ,“Is it a boy or girl?” and “What are you going to name the baby?” This last question can be one that requires the most thought. 

There is no debate about minor drugs leading to bigger drugs, but not everyone who smokes pot and parties with alcohol in high school turns into an addict.  We need to keep things in perspective, because no matter how much a parent may feel these behaviors are ultra dangerous, most teenagers feel it is a normal part of their young lives.