A leopard never changes its spots - Paula Manoli-Gray
As I write this I am quite angry at the way my sister and her husband have been treated, and it has reignited memories of all the times that I too have experienced similar treatment and service.
I am talking about one of the areas that we are particularly lacking in on the island and one that I am sure will resonate with every reader… customer service.
I had genuinely thought that after the crisis hit, businesses/organisations had become more humble, and that there had been a shift in attitudes. You see, prior to the crisis, the island had a peculiar back-to-front attitude with its customers, whereby instead of the organisation/business being grateful for the custom, the customer was made to feel that the business/organisation was actually doing them a favour instead!
This was evident in the shoddy service, the way that customers were spoken down to, the lack of good exchange and return policies and the presence of one of two attitudes; either stuck-up or indifferent.
And so there we have it, the attitude of 'we are doing YOU a favour' is still prevalent and it doesn't look like the leopard will change its spots anytime soon.
Encouraging Children To Meditate – 4 Simple Tips & Video
Children are under huge pressure and they are subjected to sensory overload. Meditation and relaxation is a necessity to help build resilience and help children feel more in control of their emotions.
Here are some simple ways to encourage children to take out a few moments each day.
LEAD BY EXAMPLE
Be a role model and meditate with your child. They will remember this bond and this closeness forever. You will also show your child that meditation is so important that you are willing to take time out of your busy day to do it as well.
MAKE IT SPECIAL
Designate a specific area for them in the house that will be their meditation spot. Make it welcoming with their own pillow or rug to sit on. Encourage them decorate their special area with objects that they love: perhaps a family photo, their favorite artwork, a remnant of the earth such as a crystal or even a plant.
KEEP THE CONNECTION
Ensure that your child maintains his or her connection to Nature, the Earth and the Universe. It is through our connection to Nature, the Earth and the Universe that we are reminded of our singularity and our oneness to everything that is. These concepts are often found in meditation and seem complex to adults, but children understand it because it is a part of their inner being. When they are deprived of this connection, they become disconnected and imbalanced. Make sure to go on hikes, look at the stars, go to the beach, float down a river on a canoe, go camping or just take a daily walk to notice the wildlife that shares their space with you in your neighborhood.
SPECIAL TOOLS
Add books, CDs/MP3s and apps to your child’s meditation toolbox. There are numerous books and other resources that can be implemented into your child’s meditation practice that will help reinforce the concepts and techniques associated with meditation and relaxation.
There are lots of videos on the internet to help encourage younger children to meditate, they can make it more fun and help explain things quite well – especially if you are a beginner yourself.
Sources
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-1631/Meditation-for-Kids-4-Ways-to-Start-Kids-Meditating.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dawn-gluskin/teaching-children-meditat_b_3891216.html
http://www.artofliving.org/za-en/meditation/meditation-for-you/why-should-children-meditate
http://www.mindful.org/at-home/tips-for-teaching-mindfulness-to-kids
http://soulcenteredkids.blogspot.com/
A French Nurse named Sonia Rochel has developed an incredibly unique baby bath technique
A French Nurse named Sonia Rochel has developed an incredibly unique baby bath technique, which looks a little odd at first, because she submerges the baby’s eyes and ears in water. Yet, slowly but surely it becomes clear that the baby just loves it! While she bathes the baby in warm water, she allows the infant to direct the bath. Her bathing technique mimics the womb, and watching this tiny angel relax and smile is simply marvelous.
Read more at http://blog.petflow.com/baby-bath/?
The siren’s sad song - Paula Manoli-Gray
PUBLISHED BEFORE SUNDAY
Tomorrow (Sunday), the war sirens will go off at 5.30am to mark the first wave of the Turkish invasion in 1974. For many of you, it will be a distant sound, but for us in the area of Vergina – which is near to an army camp – it will be blaringly loud, almost as though it is outside my front door.
As the daughter of someone who fought in that war at the tender age of 19 - and has been haunted by it ever since - I am no stranger to the history and pain, so I am not against marking the date in some way. But whenever those sirens go off, I think about the people who are not aware of what they symbolise and how frightened they must feel, as well as my young children who will be shocked awake by the harsh sound at that early hour.
For many tourists who already arrive in Cyprus thinking that the conflict could be reignited at any second, the sound of unexpected war sirens must make them jump out of their skin, unless they are very distant and can be passed off as an emergency vehicle. Every time I hear the chilling sound, I imagine the panic that must set in and wonder if there is enough information out there explaining and preparing visitors. For that matter, is there enough information for visitors about the situation in general, other than thinking that 'the Greeks and Turks don't like each other'?
The sirens are also a stark reminder that although the staus quo of the invasion remains, the two sides are in a stalemate rather than a conflict and that it could easily have been a different situation when you look at Israel and Palestine and their ongoing violence and bloodshed. We are not 'lucky' and our situation is tragic, but on the other hand, we ARE 'lucky' that 40 years on there are not militant groups on either side staging terrorist acts. For all intents and purposes, life in Cyprus is peaceful – at least on a daily basis and on the surface - which in this day and age is something quite extraordinary considering the situation.
Sadly, due to the long, drawn-out nature of the occupation, the generations who were and are most affected will start to dwindle, and the younger generations will only know the island as it is. And with the bigger variety and number of foreigners calling the island their home; many of whom do not know or are not particularly interested in knowing the history – evidenced by their love of taking holidays in the north - there won't be many left who care. And this might be the biggest tragedy of all.
So, I guess however inconvenient the sirens may be, they might be the only thing left that will remind people that our situation is by no means fair and that it shouldn't be considered the norm. At least with the sirens, people who know what they symbolise cannot fail to hear them and be reminded, and those who do not, will always ask why.
First appeared in The Cyprus Weekly, 19/07/14
Kids Football In Cyprus
Football develops agility, speed and stamina, and also teaches children the importance of teamwork, so it can play an important part in your child’s physical and social development. There are approximately 9000 kids in Cyprus playing for football clubs and academies and because of this Cyprus has many football academies / clubs for kids and here you can find the right club for your child.
Football builds healthy kids
From a physical standpoint, football offers one of the best ways, if not the best way, for a child to get in top physical shape through participation in a youth sport. Playing football improves flexibility, cardiovascular capability, body composition (lowering the percentage of body fat while increasing muscle mass) and does not jar the body in the way that other sports can do.
Football grows self confidence
In addition to these physical benefits, footballers should experience a heightened sense of self-confidence and increased social skills. Playing in a team with other peers forces you to interact in ways you wouldn't learn at school. To win as a team, you must play as a team, which includes passing and communicating on the field. Your child may learn they are better at communicating on the pitch than they have been anywhere else up to that point. Generally, team actions are noticed more than individual actions.
Even though, as a parent, you may be worried about your child finding time for schoolwork when he or she is also juggling going to football practice or games, studies have shown that children who play competitive sports generally also perform at an above-average level in school. Whether this results from an increase in self-confidence, or an increase in physical energy which helps mental energy and stamina, it is good for your child to learn the lesson of balance in his or her daily life.
Football builds balance in life
As an adult, your child will have to balance work, family, health, and personal time in a very busy schedule. So it is always a good idea for your child to start early. Assist them in setting up and following a schedule, and they will begin to learn how to prioritise all of the necessary tasks and obligations that make up our daily lives.
Further Information : kids football cyprus/
Football builds healthy kids
From a physical standpoint, football offers one of the best ways, if not the best way, for a child to get in top physical shape through participation in a youth sport. Playing football improves flexibility, cardiovascular capability, body composition (lowering the percentage of body fat while increasing muscle mass) and does not jar the body in the way that other sports can do.
Football grows self confidence
In addition to these physical benefits, footballers should experience a heightened sense of self-confidence and increased social skills. Playing in a team with other peers forces you to interact in ways you wouldn't learn at school. To win as a team, you must play as a team, which includes passing and communicating on the field. Your child may learn they are better at communicating on the pitch than they have been anywhere else up to that point. Generally, team actions are noticed more than individual actions.
Even though, as a parent, you may be worried about your child finding time for schoolwork when he or she is also juggling going to football practice or games, studies have shown that children who play competitive sports generally also perform at an above-average level in school. Whether this results from an increase in self-confidence, or an increase in physical energy which helps mental energy and stamina, it is good for your child to learn the lesson of balance in his or her daily life.
Football builds balance in life
As an adult, your child will have to balance work, family, health, and personal time in a very busy schedule. So it is always a good idea for your child to start early. Assist them in setting up and following a schedule, and they will begin to learn how to prioritise all of the necessary tasks and obligations that make up our daily lives.
Further Information : kids football cyprus/
The wildfires we spread - Paula Manoli-Gray
I grew up in Larnaca, and as a teenager in the nineties, I can remember that the issue of gossip and people staring and judging was always a prevalent one.
Wherever you went, people would stop and stare, looking you up and down. Not because there was anything particularly freaky about the way you looked, it was just something that people did. Although if you did happen to wear a short skirt or have a non-conventional hairstyle then you really were bait for the stares!
The fear of 'antropi' (shame) and what-will-the-neighbours-say was something that clouded your every move and one wrong move and the news would spread like wildfire. Many a young lady was tarnished with an unfair reputation because of what she wore, because a mean-spirited friend was jealous, or for spurning the advances of a boy who would take revenge by spreading nasty falsities. And once the rumour mill started to grind, it didn't stop.
Fast forward to today and most Cypriots are far more liberal minded – even the older generation who have come to accept that their daughters and sons have married different nationalities, gone through divorces, had children out of wedlock, sport tattoos or are gay. It is actually the norm to wear something risqué, enjoy dalliances with multiple partners, sport a gothic look and act with complete abandon and freedom. And it's a good job too because with the advent of social media and advanced technological devices, the rumour mill would be in complete overdrive if we were still the village gossips of yesteryear.
But however liberal or multicultural our society has become, social media and advanced telephony can still cause a lot of damage. I really pity teenagers today who are living out these years of discovery, mistakes and terrible fashion choices in the public eye; who may get caught out on a mobile camera, or have a picture that will haunt them forever splashed all over the internet.
And with this social media freedom comes another issue that is more prevalent due to our size. Being a small island with smaller towns and even smaller communities means that flippant remarks or comments can destroy people and businesses, because everyone knows exactly who or which organisation you are talking about, and nothing can get lost as it would in the geographical vastness of other countries.
The case in point is the story last week of Billy the dog. I don't even need to say anything else and you will no doubt know all about Billy, thanks to social media. But whilst what happened is abhorrent, what is equally abhorrent is the way people have tarnished an entire company for the actions of two employees, with some even calling for people to boycott the group. Those spreading such ridiculous suggestions are too outraged about the attack on an innocent animal to realise that they are attacking innocent people. A whole organisation and the thousands they employ may end up with their livelihoods and reputation destroyed.
We all have a responsibility to think carefully about what we post or say on the big World Wide Web to ensure that are not spreading malicious gossip or defamation. Lives are literally at stake.
First appeared in The Cyprus Weekly, 05/07/14
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