Title: Brain Education Exercise Tips For Successful Aging Author: Ju Eun Shin Date: 07-22-2011 Why relevant and summary: Since life expectancy has been growing steady the last few decades in the US, the aging population has been in the center of attention for the society and government. This article points out some very useful tips, that the elderly can use to keep their brain active and improve not only their health but the quality of live as well. I really liked the facial release exercises that help with reliving the tension. How has this influenced my opinion: As my parents are getting older I want to know more about ways, tips and exercises on how to keep them healthy not only physically but mentally as well. Credibility: This was published on an online magazine called "BrainWorld" published by the International Brain Education Association (IBREA), a nonprofit educational organization in Canada.

Title: Caregiving Support & Help: Tips for Making Family Caregiving Easier Date: last update April 2013 Author: Melinda Smith, M.A. and Jeanne Segal, Ph.D. Why relevant and summary: This was a very interesting article that outlined some of the challenges of being a caregiver and how to handle the situation. Some of the tips where practical like, exercise, eat healthy or get enough sleep to more specific which had to do with how to handle the emotional burden of the situation. How has this influenced my thinking: This article was very interesting for me, because I currently support my parents, even though they are in good health and able to take care of themselves, still some of the issues outline in the article apply to my situation as well. Source credibility: The article was publish on a government website and the authors are medical professionals.

Title: The signs of a heart attack in women over 50 date: 01/05/2010 author: Sherril Steel-Carlin Why relevant and summary: This was a short article articulating what women over 50 should know to prevent a heart attack or get help as soon as they feel the first signs. In the recent disease heart attack are the number one killer of women and most of them can be prevented if we recognize the early symptoms. how has this influenced my thinking: Even though I am not quite that old, I do have an aging mother and mother in law, this is something that they need to be aware and my husband and I as well. Credibility: the article is published in a health and wellness online magazine, and even though the author is not a doctor, I am pretty sure she got her information for credible sources.

title: 10 Strengths to a happy marriage Author: unknown Date: 2010 Why relevant and summary: I really liked this article it was brief interesting and to the point. It is a reflection on a study conducted on more than 21,000 couples in all the United states and gives 10 easy tips on what to do to improve your marriage and also gives the top 10 reasons that cause problems for a marriage. I think it is an easy piece to read for everyone at every stage of their married life. How it changed my thinking: Most of the tips are common sense that everyone will agree to it but more than often we fail to follow; reading them kind of reinforces their message. Credibility of source: The website "first things first" is a non profit grass roots organization that came to be as a tool to help the residents of Hamilton county , Tennessee. Apparently they have a high divorce rate and other relationship and children rearing issues and this website offers advice, support and education on hoe to deal with family problems on a day to day basis. Dozens of books are written every year about the things that go wrong in marriage. Now one of America's foremost marriage researchers has evaluated the things that go right in marriage. David H. Olson, founder of Life Innovations and one of the creators of the Prepare/Enrich marriage enrichment tools, has surveyed 21,501 married couples in all 50 states to identify the top ten strengths of happy marriages.

author: Jonathan Montgomery Date: 03-28-2011 title: Teaching Cultural Intelligence Could Provide Advantages In Job Market Why relevant and summary: Cultural intelligence is another aspect of intelligence that we discussed in the class which is worth pursuing and very valuable to us. Especially in this global market where we trade with partners from all over the world, having an understanding of their culture and background better prepares us to make sound decisions. For those who study abroad gives them a great advantage to thrive and not feel outcasted and socially neglected. How this has influenced my thinking: I was not aware that CI was being studied and promoted and I think it is a great idea for our children to develop. Credibility: This article was published on The Huffington Post which is a pretty reliable online newspaper.

Title: How Does Religion Affect the Lives of Adolescents? Date: 11-30-2005 Author: Jennifer Elliot Summary and why important: This was an excellent article about religion and adolescence. It was well written, had great sources, it taped onto this issue from all the sides. It talked about the media's influence, how recent religious scandal might or have affected faith in our young generation and it explained that religion is one of the factors that influences adolescents to make the right choices and not the only one. How it has change my thinking: I liked this article because it seemed impartial, it did not glorify or vilify those who practice religion and those who do not. It was realistic, it explained some great concepts, and everything was backed by research. Credibility: the author has a BS in Mass Communication, a BS in Psychology and is a Certified Mental Health Technician. This article was published on yahoo! voices which is a great website with a good reputation.

Title: Talking To Your Kids About Sex date: May 2005 author: American Academy of child and adolescent psychiatry why relevant and summary: This article offers an overview on what to expect as your child approaches middle childhood and adolescence. It explain what to expect the question to be at certain stages and how much information to give and how to present it. how has this influenced my thinking: I have a 7 and a 9 year old and I am very interested to know as much as possible about this topic. I was very surprised to read how the professionals contributing to this article find it a OK to explain to an 8 year old the basic concept of conception. credibility of source: it was published on the "American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry" website.

title: Social Issues: What Can Parents Do? author: PBS- parents date: n.d why relevant and summary: I found this article very interesting, it gives great advice on how can parents help their kids with their friendships and what can they do without overpowering them. how has this influenced my thinking: This article has confirmed a lot of strategies that I have used with my kids and their friends so far. credibility of source: it is published on the PBS website.

Title: Face Bullying With Confidence 8 Kidpower Skills We Can Use Right Away Author: Irene van der Zande Date: n.d. Why relevant and summary: This article was an extract from a book called "Bullying - What Adults Need to Know and Do to Keep Kids Safe", which gives advice on how to handle bullying and how to help young children who are subject to it. It gives 8 tips that anyone who works with children can find useful. It stresses the idea that this is a phenomena that unfortunately exists in our schools, but it is preventable. We should educate ourselves and our kids and empower them to face challenges with confidence. How has this influenced my thinking: I am a mother of two young boys, and even though we have not experienced any bullying, is good to know as much as possible that in any event I can help my boys deal with this challenge. Credibility of source: This article was published on Kid-power.com by its founder who is a published author. Kidpower is a non profit organization which advocates and helps kids against abuse, kidnapping, bullying etc nation wide and internationally.

Title: Suicidal Thoughts More Common in Kids With Autism: Study Date: 3/21/2013 Author: Amy Norton Why relevant and summary: This article reports on the findings of a scientific study published on the "Research in Autism Spectrum disorders" journal, that children on the spectrum have a higher chance of contemplating or thinking about suicide than their typical peers. This is especially pronounced in those families where the mothers are depressed as well and bulling happens in school. The author reports on both sides which support and are against such findings. How has this changed my thinking: As a mother of a child on the spectrum I am really concerned and interested in finding out how this disorder will affect him, as he grows and what can i do to help. Source credibility: This article was published on an online news magazine and reports findings published in an academic journal.

Title:Dr. Spock: Cultural Differences in Parenting Author: Dr. Benjamin Spock Date:n.d Why relevant and summary: This article is an excerpt from Dr. Spock's book and he gives insight on the role of parents and culture in a child's life. How has this influenced my thinking: It convinces me more that we should raise our children not only as individuals who should strive to make themselves better and successful but also to feel as members of the society and its contributors. Why credible: This is an excerpt from a published book.

Title: Dealing with others Author: Rick Green Date: 2010 Why relevant and summary: It is a funny short article that deals with how to answer questions and misconceptions about ADHD and keep your cool. It is aimed to people who have the diagnosis and struggle to explain their behavior and challenges to others. How has this influenced my thinking: I really found it very interesting the advice given, and i think these rules can be applied to anything people have misconceptions about. Why credible: This article was written for the ADHD.org website.

Title: Infant looking time habituation. Activity 2 from "what babies can do?" DVD Author: power-babies-youtube video Date: March 24, 2011 Why relevant and summary:The process of habituation is very crucial to our cognitive development and ability to function in the world. This clip shows the activity how it is performed and how the data is collected and the graph plotted. I think it is very interesting watching what we learn how it is actually done in practice and also how it occurs naturally. How this influenced my thinking: It has made my belief stronger on the ability our children have to perform cognitive tasks at a much earlier age than previously thought. Credibility of source: This DVD is put together by a psychologist with a PhD in experimental psychology and cognitive science.

Title:Suggested Toys for Infants to Encourage Cognitive Development Author:Cheryl Gabbert Date Published:updated: 2/23/2012 Why Relevant and Summary: It provides useful information for young parents as it explains what type of changes your infant goes through as he grows and how parents can help his cognition with a variety of activities and toys build for specific milestones. How This Influenced My Thinking: As a parent of two boys, I heavily relied on newspaper and magazine articles about new toys and activities to engage your child, and I found them to be helpful Credibility of Source: It was published in a website that it is devoted to education, its references were legitimate and it was also updated last year which makes it current

Title: Mother-Baby Behavioral sleep Laboratory Author: James McKenna Date Published: 2013 Why Relevant and Summary: Sharing your bed with your infant is a controversial issue, that has opponents and supporters. Dr McKenna has been studying sleep patterns of the infant for over 30 years and highly supports and recommends co sleeping if done properly. There are steps that he explains and the video is really good. How This Influenced My Thinking: I have practiced bed sharing with both my boys when they were infants and it was a very wonderful and beneficial experience for all of us. I am glad research supports it, despite media trying to make it a big issue. Credibility of Source:

Title: Texas Mom Delivers Two Sets of Identical Twins Author:Katie Moisse Date: 2-18-2013 Why relevant to summary: This is a story of a woman giving birth to two sets of identical twin boys. It is a very rare occurrence and it mostly happen if IVF is involved; in this particular case was all natural. The pregnancy and delivery had no complications and the 4 baby boys were delivered at 31 weeks via c-section. How has this influenced my thinking: This was a good happy story that it doesn't happen very often.

Title: Babies Seem to Pick Up Language in Utero Author: NICHOLAS BAKALAR Date Published: January 7, 2013 Why Relevant and Summary: This study took place in two different countries, and aim to gather information to prove the hypothesis that memory and language learning starts even during gestation. How This Influenced My Thinking: I already knew about it, but actually having a study to support this claim, made it even more reliable. I think studies like this influence future parents in their quest to stimulate their babies learning in the womb. Credibility of Source: It was publish in the health and science section of the New York Times, and the study is conducted by a University.

Title: Nature vs. Nurture Revisited Author: Kevin Davies Date Published: 04.17.01 Why Relevant and Summary: We are studying this concept this week and it is the focus of our short critical thinking essay. It is a great article about the findings of the Human Genome Project that analyzes and lists the reason why we should take very seriously the role of environment into human development. How This Influenced My Thinking: It has given me a different perspective on how I see disease, illness and good health. Credibility of Source: It is published on NOVA, and the author is a doctor of genetics.

Title: Bronfenbrenner's Ecologycal Systems Theory Author:Dede Paquete and John Ryan Date Published: July 12, 2001 Why Relevant and Summary: It gives a great overview of his theory and also how it is applied in practice, talks about its strength and weaknesses. After this general presentation breaks it down to its components and starts analyzing each layer of the ecological systems theory starting with the body and the brain of the child, which reflects to Bronfenbrenner's revised name for his theory from ecological to bioecological. Even though the material is a little bit old, it is definitely not outdated; it taps on important issues going on in our schools especially with the preschool system that serves underprivileged children. How This Influenced My Thinking: It gives specific examples, and brings his theory from abstract to practical thinking Credibility of Source: It is a publishing of the National Louis University

Title: The Tribal Mind: Moral Reasoning and Public Discourse Author: Arnold Kling Date Published: April 26, 2012 Why Relevant and Summary: As soon as I saw this article I thought it was great. In a very interesting way it explain what moral reasoning is and how it is developed, influenced upon and used in today's complicated world. It taps on issues that we are faced with daily, especially coming after a presidential election where the "morals" of each side where being discussed and with a fierce public discourse. This essay also discusses some great books written about the topic and the author does a great job at explaining how our own personal moral values and beliefs are used to justify our behavior and manipulate others; and also how these moral decisions are very often based on instinct and rapid judgment rather than rational thought. The author maintains the position that even though we have come along as a society we still behave sometimes in tribal manner, and that goes not only for how we conduct business or personal relationships but also how this great country of ours is run. How This Influenced My Thinking: As a young person, and as a mother of two young boys, I took in all the information that I got from this article; I think I am going to read it again and also read the books that were used to support some of the thinking behind it. I believe that when someone truly understand where someone else is coming from it will be easier to comprehend their thinking and the commitment that they have to their moral compass. Also interesting to find out was how often rushed moral judgment occurs in our society, and how that directly impact all of us. It was a great article with a great deal of food for thought. Credibility of Source: It was published on "The American" an online magazine of the American Enterprise Institute and its author is a member of the Financial Markets Working Group at the Mercatus Center of George Mason University