Tag Archives: decision

National Child-Centered Divorce Month

July 29, 2018 Health Alliance Leave a comment

July is National Child-Centered Divorce Month. Thinking about your kids if you’re going through a divorce doesn’t mean staying together for their sake. It just means you’re considering their feelings and emotions while making choices.

If you’re getting a divorce, take the time to sit down together with your kids and explain the decision whenever possible. Presenting a unified front, even at this difficult time, is important for your family.

Put yourself in your children’s shoes and validate their feelings while handling a divorce. They have a right to have feelings about the situation and to express them.

Safely Expressing Feelings During Divorce

Remind your kids that they’re not at fault or a cause of the divorce, and reassure them at each step that mom and dad will always be their parents.

Don’t ask them to take sides or put them in the middle of arguments. Make sure they feel comfortable loving both of you and talking about it.

Avoiding Putting Your Kids in the Middle

Focus on change and not blame. Help them understand the changes that are coming to all of your lives and how you’ll work through it together.

Be confident and consistent when discussing the divorce with them. You should both decide on how you’ll handle issues with the kids upfront and be ready to communicate with them about these issues consistently.

Education, Health and Wellness

Fraud Awareness for National Fraud Awareness Week

August 20, 2017 Health Alliance Leave a comment

Last week was National Fraud Awareness Week, and there’s no better time to think about protecting yourself. These fraud awareness tips can help.

If you’re cold-called and asked for an immediate decision to buy something, beware. A legitimate company lets you have time to choose.

Check the Better Business Bureau to see if a company is listed and its ratings and reviews.

Search for the business online. Legitimate businesses usually have websites and a web presence. Scammers are more likely to change their online name regularly to avoid bad reviews.

Protect yourself online with virus protection software and by creating strong passwords.

Don’t open suspicious emails from people you don’t know, and don’t download files from people or sites you don’t trust.

Pay smart. Credit cards have fraud protection built in, but wiring money, cash, or reloadable cards make it impossible to get your money back.

Don’t always trust free trials, which can sign you up for products you have to cancel to get out of. And sign up for scam alerts from the FTC.

Education, Health and Wellness, Long View, Series

Long View: Did You Thrive or Survive this Holiday Season?

January 1, 2015 Long View Leave a comment

Here at Health Alliance, we’ve made it through another holiday season. Most years I’m stressed from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day. Add in Medicare and Individual enrollment seasons, and it’s easy to wish the holidays away. Here are some ways I managed to thrive, not just survive, during the holidays.

I need to say no sometimes.

I didn’t attend every activity I was invited to, and I am a better person for it. Most years, I cause a lot of my own stress by trying to fit too many things on the calendar. Setting aside some time to relax and reflect became an important part of this round of celebrations. Try it. You might enjoy the things you agreed to do a little more.

I need to get over myself.

I don’t have to be involved in every decision. All the adults in my life are capable of selecting a turkey or picking up family from the airport. My involvement is not only unnecessary, but sometimes unwelcome. That realization took stress off me and my family!

I will not whine.

The grocery stores seemed to be crowded every time I needed to shop. Long lines, people rushing around, tempting candy displays—you know the scene. Every time I was close to whining, I remembered almost 20 percent of the population in Champaign County doesn’t know where their next meal is coming from. We can all stand in line without complaining. This gave me a much better attitude throughout the holidays.

I will not mention how cold it is outside.

I need to hunker down and stop focusing on the weather. We live in Illinois, not Hawaii. The weather is no surprise. I’m trying to focus on the warmth of the holidays, not the cold outside.

These little steps helped me have a more enjoyable holiday season. We’re also using them to get through our Health Alliance busy season with great results. Give them a try and you can thrive during the holidays, too.

Patrick Harness is a community liaison with a long history of experience in health insurance. If you ask him to pick a color, he always chooses orange, and he is known for his inability to parallel park.