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IN THIS ISSUE
SUMMER ● 2015
Summertime and the Living is… ........... P. 1
Staff Profile ........................................... P. 2
Your Financial Wellness Part 2: Credit Cards ......................................... P. 3
Online Contact ...................................... P. 4
Innovative Solutions
for Progressive
Organizations
To contact your
Employee Assistance Program, call:
1-800-825-5327
EAP Locations: Altoona
Downtown Pittsburgh Greensburg Grove City
Monroeville New Kensington
Robinson Township/Airport Area Shadyside
Upper St. Clair
Summertime and the Living is... By Amy Wineman, LCSW and Randi Ippolito, MSW Intern
School will soon be out, summer will be upon us, and the longer daylight hours will invite more activity. Millions of American parents are now faced with a challenging question: What am I going to do with my child for the next 2 and ½ months? Some parents utilize close family friends or family members to help with childcare over the summer. It can be helpful to clarify the rules you would like the child to follow and whom your child is permitted to play with to insure safety.
The following are some ideas that may help, especially single parent and dual career families with children, wile away the summer months:
Summer Camps There are a variety of camps for every interest and age group. The camp focus may be music, gymnastics, sports, the zoo, computers, reading, horseback riding, and scouting. There are also camps geared towards kids with asthma, diabetes, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. You should factor in your child’s age, interests, and
maturity level when making a selection. Adolescents who have had camp experience may be able to transition into a counselor role. This enhances their self-esteem and provides wholesome structure. Other options that may be less expensive than camp include vacation bible school and day programs run by your school district.
Chores and Employment Chores and jobs also often help teens gain a greater sense of self worth and maturity. Actually, chores that match their age and ability are good for any child.
Volunteering Teens who are too young to qualify for or are unable to find a summer job can gain valuable experience volunteering. Your school district may have some good suggestions. Often hospitals, nursing homes, museums, camps, the Humane Society, and most non-profit organizations utilize volunteers.
(Continued on page 2)
The Newsletter of 21st Century Employee Assistance Partners
Newsletter Editor: Bob Mason, LCSW, CEAP, Director of EAP Services
Free or Low Cost Options There are many activities that you can plan that do not cost a thing. These activities may include: fishing, playing inside at a local mall, visiting different community parks and playgrounds, swimming, having a picnic inside your home on a rainy day, and visiting the local library to participate in the summer reading programs for all age groups. Join an online community such as Pinterest ( address in website list at end of article) to see new ideas and inspire future activities. There are also free movies on Flagstaff Hill in Oakland and free concerts at Hartwood Acres. The parks in Allegheny County all have free or low-cost nature programming in their Nature Centers.
Play Dates “Play dates,” where parents of young children schedule a time for the children to meet and play while the parents visit with one another, are also a nice option for parents and children. This has the added advantage of giving parents a chance to spend time with other adults. These can also expand your child’s circle of friends.
Bazaars, Festivals, and Fairs Church bazaars and county fairs remind many of us of our youth in small town America. Many groups and communities have ethnic, cultural, or arts festivals planned all over the city and surrounding neighborhoods. They are plentiful throughout the summer months and can be a great source of offbeat fun, interesting exhibits, and new experiences. Down Time While summer can be a fun time for children and parents, it can also be a very busy time. Keep in mind the age of your children. Younger kids often require some quiet or “down” time to recharge their batteries and often need a routine to follow even if it is less structured than during the school year. Reading a book, taking a walk, laying down for a nap, or watching TV help some children settle down. Pre-teens and teens can tend to
(Continued from page 1) spend too much time on video and computer games. It is a good idea to screen the content of the games and limit playing time to no more than 2 hours per day. Following are links to helpful websites with a variety of activates for singles, couples, parents, and children:
www.alleghenycounty.us/parks/index.aspx
www.pittsburghmommyblog.com
www.kidsburgh.org
www.bikepgh.org
www.pittsburgh.about.com
www.pittsburghmom.com
www.ventureoutdoors.org
www.pump.org
www.volunteermatch.org (Search for your zip code)
www.pinterest.com For additional ideas, visit: www.21stcenturyear.com.
Obtain the user name from your Human Resources Department and click on Life Cycle Connect.
Wishing you and your family a safe, healthy, and fun summer!▄
Summertime is always the
best of what might be.
...Charles Bowden Author, Journalist, Essayist
Staff Profile Randi Ippolito Randi joined 21st Century EAP as a Master’s Level Student Intern in January 2015. She is a member of our Initial Contact Team and responds to callers’ requests for information and services. She has begun to assist staff in conducting EAP trainings and as a co-therapist. Randi is a second year student in Boston University’s Online School of Social Work. She graduated from Slippery Rock University with a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Psychology and Theatre in 2007. Between obtaining her Bachelor degree and entering the Masters program, Randi worked with children, adolescents, and their families. She has specialized in serving clients with Autism Spectrum Disorders.
In the last newsletter, suggestions and
ideas were offered about maintaining a
household budget. If you have tried to
establish a budget but are having
difficulty, please call the EAP so we can
help you.
This chapter discusses the use of credit
cards. Prior to 1950, there was not a
widespread use of credit cards.
Introduced in 1950 and coined the
Diners Club Card, it claims the title of the
first credit card in widespread use and
was used mainly for travel and
entertainment purposes. Today we have
been conditioned to carry a variety of
“plastic cards.” Not only credit cards,
but healthcare cards, auto membership
cards, and those massive numbers of gift
and “reward” cards. Using plastic is now
widespread and acceptable. However,
there is no need to carry a large number
of credit cards in your purse or wallet. If
you carry a lot of cards, you then have to
keep track of the balances and rates for
each, and worry about the growing
frequency of theft of credit cards or
credit card account information. Being
thoughtful and practical about how many
cards you need and for what reasons is
an important first step in assessing your
use of credit cards.
It is no surprise that credit card
companies are out to make money. The
financial marketplace relies on the profit
potential for credit card companies.
Today, because the economy has
recovered from a deep recession, credit
card companies are being aggressive in
seeking new customers by offering low
or no interest rate offers. So, right now,
it is fairly easy to get a credit card if you
are doing a reasonable job of managing
your finances. Therein lies the danger.
Each credit card offer includes a sheet
that lists their charges. Sometimes they
will use a title like “Pricing Information,”
or “Disclosures.” These are the sheets
that spell out the rules, conditions,
exceptions, and penalties associated with
the credit card that you are considering.
Keep in mind that whatever offer the
credit card company gives you, they are
counting on the fact that you will not
payoff that balance before the offer
expires. When looking at the pricing
information provided, pay close attention
to the following:
Annual Percentage Rate
It is usually between 12.9% and over 20%.
This is what they will charge you for your
balance when the low percent offer
expires.
Cash Advance
This is the worst place in the world for
getting cash if you can possibly avoid it.
The interest rates are typically 20% or
higher.
Overdraft Advance
This is where you charge more than the
maximum allowed for your credit card
account. If this happens to you, make a
payment as soon as possible so the
balance on the account will be lower than
the maximum amount. The interest rates
are typically 20 to 25% or higher.
Your Financial Wellness, Part 2: Credit Cards By James R. Long, Ph.D.
Annual Membership Fee
This is a fee charged to you for using the
card. There are many credit card
companies that do not charge an annual
fee. If you are eligible for a credit card
without an annual fee, you should
pursue that option and avoid any cards
with annual membership fees.
Remember, nothing is free. All the
rewards and incentives are designed to
give you something and then take it
away in interest and charges when you
don’t pay off your balance before the
offer ends. Here is an example of how a
credit card company benefits from
issuing credit cards:
At the end of your low rate offer, you
have a balance of $3000.00. Your
interest rate is now 17% and your
minimum payment each month is
$25.00. If you pay the minimum
payment on time each month, it will take
you 126 months to pay off the balance
which will have included $2241.14 in
additional interest charges.
Credit cards can be useful tools if you are
careful about how you use them. If you
generally are able to pay off the balance
that you charged thE month when the
credit card bill comes, you avoid interest
charges. If your credit card interest rate
is low, you may be able to charge a
larger more expensive item and pay it off
during an offer period or even a little
beyond. Using credit cards in this
manner minimizes the amount of
interest that you pay and avoids the trap
of high interest rates on old balances.▄
EAPLIFE TIPS Innovative Solutions for Progressive Organizations SUMMER 2015
Use Our Online Contact
It’s easy!
Go to www.21stcenturyeap.com
Click on “CONTACT US” from the menu at the top of the page
Then select “REQUEST SERVICES”
Free, Professional, Confidential
The Employee Assistance Program is provided to employees and their dependents (where applicable) through
21st Century Employee Assistance Partners.
EAP counselors can help with family, marital and job stress, substance abuse and emotional problems, and many other issues.
All contacts with the EAP are confidential to the extent permitted by law. Information about your call, or your visit,
is not available to anyone unless you decide it is something you wish to share.
Initial assessments or counseling sessions are provided at no cost to you. Any subsequent services needed will be arranged in
accordance with your health insurance benefit or ability to pay.
2540 Monroeville Blvd. Monroeville, PA 15146
Phone: 1-800-825-5327 (1-800-TALK-EAP) Fax: 412-823-8262
www.21stCenturyEAP.com
www.facebook.com/21stCenturyEAP
to learn more about health and wellness, HR tips, solutions to employee issues and many other subjects.
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