by Flagship Staff | Jul 10, 2017 | Blog
Have you ever heard of the “summer slide”? No, it’s not spending time in the back yard watching your children go up and down the slide on their swing set. It’s also not a ride at the county fair. Summer slide describes what happens to children’s minds if they don’t exercise them during the summer months. What do I mean by exercise? Having kids read and do some cognitive thinking.
Many parents, me included, think about what activities our kids are going to be involved in during the summer months. We sign them up for swim lessons, volleyball camps, horse camps, boy/girl scout camps, or we spend time planning and going on family vacations. We have good intentions to make sure they focus on brain exercises (i.e., reading and math), but the warm weather and summer disappear fast.
The problem is that when school starts, they’re rusty. Things they learned the previous school year are gone, and teachers have to spend the first month of school re-teaching.
To learn more about summer slide and how to prevent it, I found an interview from Dan Hebel, chief professional officer at the Boys & Girls Club of Fond du Lac. Because of the great work the Boys & Girls Club does for children, I thought this would be a good resource.
Q: How do you or the club define the summer slide?
A: Summer slide is the loss of knowledge or concepts learned in the previous school year due to the lack of stimulating academic activities during the summer months. When students lack challenging educational opportunities that keep their brains thinking critically, there is a natural regression in the ability to learn new concepts because the previously-learned material must be re-learned.
Q: What does the Boys & Girls Club do to address this?
A: The Boys & Girls Club of Fond du Lac has a ten-week summer learning program offered to youth ages 7 to 11. Each child attends a mandatory daily, two-hour summer school learning program that focuses on teaching math and reading concepts and skills. The goal of the program is to keep their minds working and absorbing the material. Our program gives children a better opportunity to be prepared to learn on the first day of school, eliminating the need to catch up to their peers. This program serves an average of 130 youth per day, with over 250 participating during the summer.
Q: What are some ways parents and kids can help prevent the summer slide?
A: Education should be a part of the daily routine for children in the summer. Promoting reading time, short story writing or journal activities, and working on spelling words can be great ways to stimulate them to use language arts skills. Math flashcards and other logic and problem-solving exercises can be successful ways to stimulate their critical thinking and processing skills.
So if your kids haven’t done much reading or critical thinking this summer, it’s not too late. There are plenty of online resources to help you jump start a summer learning program. Here are some of them for your review.
–What Can Families Do to Keep Children Reading During the Summer?
–Children Who Can Read, But Don’t…
–Teenagers and Reading
And if your children spend a lot of time on their smart devices, Amazon has a subscription service called kindle unlimited. For $9.99 a month, you can enjoy unlimited access to more than 600,000 books. What’s really nice is that if your child doesn’t like to read books (like my youngest daughter), he or she can choose a book and read it on an electronic device which they might enjoy more.
Please make sure you download the appropriate book for them or you share with them your expectations. Not all books are suitable for children.
Do you have any comments you’d like to share? I’d love to hear them; please share them in the box below.
Topics: Family Safety, Health Tips
by Flagship Staff | Jul 3, 2017 | Blog
Pools and ponds can make for fun in the sun for you, your family, and friends, but they can also be a liability hazard and attract unwanted guests. It doesn’t matter if you have an in-ground or above-ground pool or a pond on your property; you have a liability exposure with all of them.
We’ll explain how you can protect others from harm and yourself from a liability claim if you have a pool or pond.
If you have an in-ground pool, it should be enclosed by a fence that’s at least five foot high and has a latching mechanism on all gates that access the pool area. If there’s no fence, it must be protected by an acceptable automatic safety pool cover (check with your insurance carrier to be sure the pool cover meets the safety features required to obtain coverage). This will keep unwanted guests from getting into the pool when you’re not able to monitor or use your pool.
If you have an above-ground pool, make sure the pool is installed to comply with your city’s ordinances. These pools must also have latching gates at any deck steps that lead to the pool. If there isn’t a deck attached to the pool, be sure the ladder is stored away from the pool when not in use.
If you have a pond on your property and your home is insured with West Bend, it’s not necessary to enclose the yard or pond area with a fence. Most properties that have ponds are in rural areas with few or no neighbors in close proximity. A fence may take away from the nature and beauty of a pond.
West Bend can ensure a pool exposure; however, it’s important to take precautions against unwanted guests using your pool in order to prevent a liability claim.
A diving board and/or pool slides are okay for in-ground pools and can make pool time more enjoyable. They can also harm your guests if they’re not installed properly.
Diving boards and pool slides should only be installed on in-ground pools. A diving board should be a diving platform rather than a springboard. The pool depth where the board is located should be at least nine feet. This will provide enough room above the bottom of the pool for a diver to avoid injury.
Pool slides installed on in-ground pools should be:
-professionally manufactured and installed;
-have handrails leading from the bottom to the top of the slide;
-have walkways and stairs leading to the top of the slide that are made of slip-resistant, rigid materials; and
-be no higher than 12 feet with a water depth at the slide’s drop off between 6-8 feet (depending on the height of the slide).
Diving boards and pool slides should not be installed on above-ground pools because water depths are typically not deep enough to prevent injury.
It’s also not safe to install diving boards or pool slides at your pond. The pond depth can vary from year to year and the bottom of the pond can change over time. A pond can develop debris and weeds. Rocks could surface on the bottom of the pond over time. The water may not be clear enough to see objects submerged in the water, making diving dangerous. For these reasons, neither diving boards nor slides should be installed on your pond.
Some insurance carriers will add more premium for these added exposures so always check with your insurance agent when installing a pool.
Whether you have a pool or a pond, keeping your family and guests safe — and unwanted guests out — will give you a more enjoyable experience for years to come.
Do you have any tips or information you’d like to share? I’d love to hear them; please share them in the box below.
by Flagship Staff | Jun 26, 2017 | Blog
Another sign that warm weather is here is the roar of a motorcycle as it drives down your street. It’s always been my dream to own a motorcycle.
Like many things in life, a motorcycle must be respected by the rider and other motorists who share the road. Motorcycles are small, hard to see, and fast. Without proper training and a basic understanding of how they work, serious and dangerous situations can arise. Unfortunately, motorcyclists are 26 more times likely to die in a crash and five times more likely to be injured than car occupants.
Here are some tips on how you can safely share the road with motorcycle riders.
1. Don’t be a bully. If you drive a larger vehicle, like a pickup or SUV, you may feel a bit aggressive when a motorcycle is in your way. Following at a close distance in an attempt to motivate them to go faster or get out of your way isn’t wise. This creates dangerously-short breaking distances. In addition, it may cause the motorcycle rider to become stressed and pull an unsafe maneuver. Everybody has the same right to be on the road. If you end up following a motorcycle, maintain a distance between of at least four seconds.
2. Double check your blind spots. Because of their speed and size, motorcycles may quickly come in and out of your blind spots. Always take a second look now that motorcycles are out on the road.
3. Be courteous. If you’re annoyed because a driver isn’t driving at your speed or if a blinker has been blinking for miles, take a couple of deep breaths. Little mistakes happen. If we blow them out of proportion, there can be dangerous consequences.
4. Be cautious when turning left. Making a left turn can be tricky, especially when traffic volume is heavy. You may have difficulty seeing due to sun glare, or because another vehicle is making a left turn opposite of you. You also have to watch for pedestrians in the cross walk. In addition, don’t forget about a motorcyclist. Most accidents between a car and motorcycle occur in intersections. Due to a motorcycle’s small size, we just don’t see them. When making a left turn, scan the intersection to determine what’s happening. Then scan again looking specifically for motorcycles. If everything looks good, safely make your left turn.
5. Allow adequate following distance. When it comes to slowing down, motorcyclists may not use their brakes immediately, so don’t expect to see brake lights. Motorcyclists may reduce speed by relaxing the throttle or downshifting so the speed will drop without ever touching their brakes.
6. Focus. Focus on driving and paying attention to what’s going on outside your vehicle. Eliminate distractions inside your vehicle.
If you’re a new rider or thinking about starting to ride, here are some tips for you.
1. Enroll in a class. Once you made the decision to ride, consider enrolling in a class. Basic rider classes, such as the one offered at Road America, teach basic riding skills in a safe controlled environment. They even provide the motorcycles! This is a great way to find out if riding is for you before making the purchase. The other benefit is that after you complete the course, you earn a motorcycle license. There’s no need to take a road test with your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). To find a class near you, visit the Motorcycle Safety Foundation.
2. Practice, Practice, Practice. After completing the basic rider’s class, continue to practice. Riding in a quiet neighborhood allows you to continue to learn how the motorcycle handles without heavy traffic. The more you ride, the more comfortable you’ll be. In addition, riding in a quiet neighborhood during different weather conditions will help you learn additional driving skills.
3. Remain alert. When driving a motorcycle, extra attention is needed. Constantly scan the environment for changing conditions. Pay attention to what the cars around you are doing, and watch for pedestrians and darting animals.
4. Avoid drowsy driving. Never drive a motorcycle if you’re tired or under the influence of drugs or alcohol. All these things can slow down your reaction time and cause a crash.
5. Make sure you’re seen. Because of the size and speed of motorcycles, your visibility may be limited to other motorists around you. Wear bright clothing and put reflective material on your motorcycle or clothing. Also, position yourself in your lane so you’re more visible to other motorists.
Do you have any tips or information you’d like to share? I’d love to hear them; please share them in the box below.
Source:
https://www.msf-usa.org/
by Flagship Staff | Jun 19, 2017 | Blog
It’s been reported in the news that the 2017 tick season is going to be worse than usual. If you’re wondering why they’re anticipating such a bad season, there’s some supporting evidence.
This year, our Midwest winter was on the mild side. While this led to less shoveling and warmer temperatures, it also allowed ticks to thrive and emerge earlier than they typically do. Mice are often hosts for ticks and because there’s a shortage, ticks are looking for other species to prey on … humans and pets!
Regions that will be most affected this year are the Northeast, mid-Atlantic, and the upper Midwest.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a bite by an infected tick causes approximately 300,000 infections each year.
If you plan to enjoy camping and other outdoor activities this summer, you should know:
Where they live;
How to protect yourself and your pets;
How to perform daily checks; and
Symptoms of Lyme disease.
Where they live?
Ticks live in wooded or grassy areas.
How to protect yourself and your pets
Avoid wooded or grassy areas. Walk in the center of trails.
Buy an appropriate repellant. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends using repellents that contains 20% or more DEET. If you use a repellant with DEET, please follow product directions carefully, especially when applying it on children. To find a repellent appropriate for you and your family, visit the United States Environmental Protection Agency website.
Wear proper clothing. If venturing into the woods, wear long pants, shirts, and closed toe shoes. Also, consider treating your clothing and other gear with 0.5% permethrin.
Keep an eye on your pets. Avoid letting them run freely if you’re camping in a woods or near tall grasses. While this may not be as fun for them, it can help prevent tick bites. In addition, talk to your veterinarian about using tick collars and other possible treatments.
Conduct inspections. Before entering your home, cabin, or camper, look at your clothing to make sure you don’t see any creepy crawlies. Also, inspect your pets.
Take a shower or bath. Wash your body soon after you come inside to remove ticks that may be crawling on your skin.
Wash your clothing appropriately. Wash your clothes immediately after coming in from outside using hot water to kill the ticks. If hot water isn’t an option, wash them in a colder temperature, and then dry them for approximately 60 minutes using high heat. If you can’t wash your clothes at all, put them in the dryer on high heat for 10 minutes.
How to perform daily checks
Examine your body daily. Ticks like warm areas of the body.
Check for ticks:
Under your arms;
Behind your knees;
In your hair and around your ears;
Inside your belly button; and
Between your legs.
Symptoms of Lyme disease
While not everyone experiences the same symptoms, here are some early signs of the disease.
A red circular rash that extends out from the site of the bite;
Facial palsy;
Pain in muscles, joints, and tendons;
Heart palpitations and dizziness; and
Flu-like symptoms that may include headache, fever, and overall body soreness.
If left untreated after several months, the disease will progress and the symptoms may get worse.
If you think you’ve been bitten by a tick or have Lyme disease, please seek medical attention immediately. Untreated Lyme disease can be deadly.
For more information, visit the CDC’s website.
Sources:
http://www.pestworld.org/news-hub/pest-articles/the-year-of-the-tick/
https://www.cdc.gov/features/lymedisease/index.html
by Flagship Staff | Jun 12, 2017 | Blog
Losing a home to a fire or tornado is a devastating life-changing event. If your home were destroyed, would you have enough coverage on your homeowner’s policy? Many policies provide a specific percentage of coverage based on the value of your home’s contents (clothes, TVs, appliances, etc.), other structures (garages and sheds), and additional living expenses (expenses like rent you must temporarily pay because your home isn’t livable). It’s hard to know what coverage amount is right for you.
Most of us acquire our clothes, furniture, sports equipment, and other personal items over a long period of time. They’re often received as gifts or purchased at sale prices. Unfortunately, after a home loss, there’s not much time to shop for sales because you need to replace these items as soon as you can. When that happens, people typically discover their contents cost more than they thought.
Fortunately, Flagship Insurance can relieve the worry associated with not having enough coverage. How? With blanket coverage for other structures, contents, and additional living expense. Insurance companies suggest using 2.5 times the home’s replacement value (or coverage A on your homeowner’s policy) to determine that amount. The minimum is $300,000. This means that if your home has a replacement value of $250,000, your blanket limit would be $625,000.
Rather than specifying dollar amounts for each area of coverage (home, contents, other structures, and living expenses), that amount is used as a blanket to cover all four of those areas. This allows us to place coverage where it’s needed at the time of loss. For instance, let’s say there are no other structures on the premises. Money that would have been used to rebuild the structure(s) can be used for contents or additional living expenses to help get you back to where you were before the tragedy.
To make sure you have the right coverage, talk to your independent insurance agent.
by Flagship Staff | Jun 5, 2017 | Blog
Nothing puts you on edge like a big storm. Whether it’s pounding rain and crashing thunder or a blizzard that knocks out the power for days, nasty weather can have you questioning your family’s fundamental security—and the steadfastness of the home that keeps you safe.
In fact, a really bad squall challenges all the things you usually take for granted: you have visions of your home being swept away, Wizard-of-Oz-style, on a gust of wind, with all your possessions—not to mention a major investment—airborne in one fell swoop.
Of course, it’s probably not going to happen like that. Most storm damage is a bit less dramatic, though no less anxiety-provoking. Leaks, ice dams, and fallen tree branches all present hazards that can make you and your family more susceptible to bad weather—and cost thousands of dollars to repair. Not all storm damage is avoidable, of course, but you can shore up a lot of vulnerabilities just by keeping a close watch over your roof maintenance.
Give Your Gutters a Good Flush
Your home’s gutters actually serve a purpose, and believe it or not, that function is not just to add to your home maintenance checklist. Your drainage system carries water and debris away from your roof and back onto the ground, where it belongs. But when your gutters are clogged, water backs up onto your roof and siding. This speeds up leaks and puts you at risk of more subtle problems, such as mold and roof rot. To keep your home in the clear, make sure to get up on the ladder at least twice a year—once in the fall, and once in the spring.
Put the Damper on Ice Dams
Icicles may look quaint hanging from the eaves of a gingerbread home, but in real life, they’re dangerous predictors of trouble to come. Icicles are usually a sign that your home has an ice dam—a buildup of ice layers from snow melting and refreezing when it hits the colder outer edges of your roof. Why’s that so bad? Ice is a lot heavier than snow—a one-inch layer of ice weighs about five pounds per square foot. Multiply that 20 or 30 times and you’ve got a real problem on your hands. Ice dams often block drainage systems and prevent runoff that could help lighten the load. And since roofs aren’t made to withstand standing water and ice, the dams can cause them to buckle, degrade, and leak over time. Ice formations are usually a sign that you have inadequate insulation or poor ventilation in your home. A roofing inspector can spot both problems—and solving these issues means you’ll use less energy to heat your home, too! Win-win!
Don’t Take Your Time Fixing Missing Shingles
I don’t need to tell you that missing shingles are a problem. If you’re a homeowner, you probably already know that a broken or absent shingle will set you up for leaks. But unless you have water dripping onto your kitchen table, it’s one of those issues that’s easy to ignore. However, you may not be as leak-free as you think. Water infiltration can occur in attics or inside walls—places where you may not see it until you have a full-blown mold infestation on your hands. Do yourself a favor and hammer out replacement shingles sooner, rather than later. It could save you a lot of trouble next time it rains.
Undergo Regular Roofing Inspections
Speaking of missing shingles, did you know you should have your roof inspected every three to five years? Unless you’re fond of ladders, you probably don’t get up on your roof all that often. And that can make it hard to see issues that aren’t visible from the ground. But a qualified inspector can seek out tiny, nearly-invisible problems—like pinhole leaks—which can cost you a lot if they’re not caught early on. Some roofing contractors even offer inspection services for free, so there’s no financial incentive to skip them—especially when a small repair now can save you the cost of a new roofing installation in a year or two.
Trim Back Nearby Branches
The old oak tree in the yard: a symbol of your deep familial roots and community connections. But when the winds blow, the branches may break, and when the bough breaks, your roof’s integrity is not far behind. Branches carried at high wind speeds can slam into your roof, causing damages untold. Protect your roof by hiring an arborist—a good tree guy will trim overhanging branches and inspect for rotting tree trunks that could be knocked over by one bad blow. A little preparation may not reel in every little fear, but you’ll definitely rest easier the next time it storms. Bring on the rain!
