Happy Friday, RISERS! I hope this week has been good to you. This is the weekend going into our spring break, AND it’s my birthday weekend. Can you believe that at this time last year, it snowed as my family left for our Caribbean cruise? Whatever you happen to do this next week, be safe and have fun!
Quote of the week: “If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done.” –Bruce Lee
Joke of the week: Why did the scientist put a wristwatch in the flask? He wanted a timely solution to his research problem.
Nugget of Wisdom of the week: Time. It’s what makes the world go ’round. We always want more of it, and you can’t get it back once it’s gone. This Sunday, daylight saving time starts again at 2 a.m. local time. If you have any clocks or watches that don’t automatically update by synchronizing with the official national atomic clock, you can use the catchphrase “spring ahead” (or “spring forward”) to remember which way to manually adjust them by one hour.
If only it were so simple to change our body clocks! Every spring we lose an hour of sleep, and this small change can throw many people (especially children) surprisingly off-track. With the time change this weekend, I thought I’d give you a survival strategy that might prove useful any time you’re traveling across multiple time zones or facing this seasonal time change, which reverses in the autumn when we’re reminded to “fall back.”
One hour can be broken down many ways: four segments of 15 minutes, six segments of 10 minutes, 12 segments of five minutes, or however you want to divide it. In the days leading up to the time change, incrementally adjust the time you go to bed (and eat meals). By the last night, you should be fully adjusted to the difference in time.
Shout-Out of the week: This week, I want to give a shout-out to all of the people who continue to work during school breaks to keep things running smoothly…the central office staff, custodians, maintenance personnel, security guards, and any others I may have forgotten. It takes all of you to solve problems, ensure a clean school facility, and run a well-maintained school system. Thank you!
Have a great weekend. Remember, you are most awesome, and YOU ROCK!
Marion Rhines is a foster-turned-adoptive parent. She lives in Knoxville, Tenn., with her husband and five children. She has written and published two children’s books as well as two foster-care-themed novels. She has a Facebook blog, Tips from the FLIP Side, and enjoys working with children of all ages.