The Dress-Up game is one of many favorite games for girls. If you don’t have a wardrobe full of designer kids clothes, you might want to look for alternatives for your daughter to play this sort of game. Luckily, there are lots of games available! But finding the right game requires some decision making. The most important factors are age and game environment. Very young girls tend to like princess dresses or fairy dresses. Whereas a bit older girls are interested in more “realistic” clothes that they plan to wear at school or at home. Also, there are different game environments: Dress-up games can be played online on the internet or in the form of board games. Then again, there are quite a few designer sets out there, where children can design their own outfits. Not to forget is the very popular Barbie doll with hundreds of clothes at her disposal. Let me give you a quick overview:Barbie dolls:Dressing up Barbie dolls is probably best fit for very young girls. There are many fantasy-like dresses available that leave room for lots of imagination. You won’t find any designer kids clothes here, though.Fashion Board Games/Designer Sets:Most fashion board games are about fashion knowledge (like the game called “Fashion”). This might be interesting for a bit older girls that are very enthusiastic fashionistas. Dress-up board games are actually quite rare and the only one I know of is called “Pretty Pretty Princess”. So, unless you really want your daughter to be playing a board game, you shouldn’t be searching for too long in the board game section for a dress-up game.There are, on the other hand, many designer sets out there for many different age groups. Designer sets provide your child with the utensils necessary to design several pieces of garment. While certainly a fun activity that will teach your daughter more than just dressing up, it isn’t suited to be trying out different brand clothes.Online Games:As you have probably already expected, this is the game type where dress-up games with children designer clothes can be played. Dress-Up games (and other fashion games) are abounding on the internet. One website I know of for example is dressupgames.com.An interesting fact, though, is that these games usually let your daughter dress up women designer clothes for adults; and not designer clothes for kids. Nevertheless, online games provide the best way to play dress-up games. It’s the only way to provide your daughter with lots of clothes to try on (since they only have to exist virtually).A real designer kids clothes simulation does not exist (or not that I know of). Most online shops are trying hard to present their designer kids clothes as vividly as possible, but there are no dress-up games on their websites.I hope that after having read this short article you will be able to find lots of good games for your daughter where she can play dress-up games. Kids are supposed to learn a lot through games in their early age. So who knows, maybe turns out your daughter has a flair for fashion. She might then be able to use her dress-up game experiences to succeed in a fashion career.
Multicultural Issues in Psychology: Ethnicity and Family Therapy
This article explains the meaning of ethnicity and summarizes migration and its five Different Phases of the Life Cycle. In regard to the meaning of ethnicity, it is important for people to know their ethnicity because it is part of building their identity. It is also important for humans to know how and where they originated. A basic human need is the sense of belonging. Ethnicity or a group’s peoplehood is a group’s common history or ancestry.Ethnicity is retained, as its values perpetuates through generations. Ethnicity shapes thinking, feeling, behaving, eating, working, celebrating, making love and dying. Talking about ethnicity and referring to “we”, or “they”, or “other”, or “minority”, or “Americanized” can evoke deep and unconscious feelings. Ethnicity, or a cultural background, actually pertains and influence everyone’s value and behavior.I created a demonstration pilot video of my practice and I was asked not to make any reference to clients’ heritage, such as, “South-American”, “Italian”, etc. I was asked to evaluate a business for a marketing company and I was specifically asked not to mention ethnicities. In clinical and therapeutical notes, references to ethnicity are also to be avoided. Anthropologists, instead, study cultural influences on emotions.The tendency of countries, when the economy is bad, is to blame it on immigrants, instead of asking what they themselves did wrong. To become culturally aware, people must study and educate themselves with the history of cultures. Cultures change rapidly, but it is important to acquire a cultural and gender competence. Learning cultures means changing attitudes. Being open to cultural differences expands cultural understanding and awareness.In regard to Migration and its five Different Phases of the Life Cycle, migrating is a stressor and a psychological trauma because it involves adjusting to a new culture. It is basically a life stage. I am testimony of that, having migrated to the United States from Northern Italy at age 20, 13 years ago. During the young adult phase, immigrants have the greatest potential for adapting to the new culture but they may be the most vulnerable to interrupting their heritage. Their adaptability allows them the opportunity to become more Americanized, which could possibly make them vulnerable to losing their own culture. During the phase of families with young children, immigrants are strengthened by each other but they are vulnerable to the hierarchy reversal, because parents may acculturate slower than children and the same parents may need the children’s interpretation.To avoid parental leadership being affected, it is encouraged to use the help of the workplace, extended families and friends. During the children’s teen years, when adolescent rapport with their peers, problems may surface, which are solvable by teaching youngsters respect for the elders. Immigrant families with adolescents have less time together before the teens move out; therefore, several conflicts could arise. Distress can also arise from having ill grandparents far away. I have experienced exactly that. Migration during the launching phase is rare and hard.Migration usually happens because the parents of young adult children cannot stay in the birthplace. The stress of leaving aging parents behind can be big. For these children, inter-marriage can be hard on their parents, who are already struggling with losing their original culture. During the last and fifth phase, migration can be difficult. The children of these older parents may want to be “Americanized” and speak much better English than their parents, who are already struggling with reclaiming their culture, especially at this stage. Intergenerational conflicts could arise. The third or fourth generation feels at more liberty to reclaim their lost culture that was sacrificed by their ancestors to assimilate.An article about Native Americans and their relationship with psychotherapy illustrates how Native American descents deal with a history of genocidal sufferings (Warner, 2003). For them, as well as for Jewish people, remembering the sufferings is the way to heal. Native American’s culture and language have been destroyed. Symptoms of trauma and unresolved grief are psychosomatic symptoms, depression, stress, substance abuse, suicidal ideas and fear of death. Before the Europeans came to American, Natives were divided up in distinct, different, unique and separate tribes that had in common spiritual, economic and cultural skills. A few Europeans understood that the Natives’ life was practical, holistic, intact and not in need for “civilizations”.Europeans pressured and forced the natives to surrender their land and confirm to their culture, that they believe was better. The war, the European diseases, alcohol abuse, and starvation decimated the Natives. The remaining natives, psychologically, and in some cases physically as well, resisted the cultural assimilation, such as Western boarding schools that cruelly separated kids from parents. All of this history is important for psychologists to know. When working with Natives, psychologists are recommended to use tools for cathartic release, acknowledge the historical traumas on family members, and investigate repression and racism. Therapists are also recommended to provide a sacred and safe space for emotions and feelings to arise. Therapists must help patients become non-judgmental.Sessions are best to end with debrief and reassurance of confidence and esteem that the clients can rise above any negative feeling and that the clients is making great accomplishments. The therapists should encourage traditional ceremony and ways for anchorage, healing and emotional support. Because many people, including the Westerners who meant well, were involved in the past, healing must happen at the community level. An article about African Americans and their relationship with psychotherapy illustrates how Africans migrated to America involuntarily, as history well knows (Franklin, 2004). Just like with the Natives, Americans/Europeans wanted to annihilate their culture. Plantation owners, all throughout the American continent, enslaved the Africans to become wealthy and prosperous.Many Africans died. Many American-Europeans attributed negative traits to the darker skin color, which became racism. I have heard from a few plantation owners successors that they treated their African “slaves” as members of the family, but history says that must have been the exception and not the rule. Little by little the US government started banning slavery and the African slaves rebelled in Brazil and other countries and forming countries like Haiti and Jamaica. Despite the banning, African American were not treated fairly and equally till recently, after many legal Acts, movements and efforts of many leaders, such as Dr. King and Malcolm X, just a few decades ago. African American is different from African immigrants and different from Africans migrating to the US from the Caribbean and South America. Africans nowadays immigrate for educational and economic reasons.There have been less and less residential segregations in the US. I live in Los Angeles and I still observe segregation here, unfortunately. Like other ethnic immigrant groups, some of the African immigrants deal with the separation from family in their country of origin. I personally have not encountered many illegal African immigrants in the States. I have encountered more illegal European immigrants. In Europe, when I go back and visit family, I see several illegal immigrants from Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa, but most European governments are more tolerant than the US government to Immigration. I am testimony of it, being a European immigrant to the States. It was very important to me that my therapist, when I first migrated, understood my experience and that she kept all the Immigration details in strict confidence.Some questions the therapist could ask follow. How did you decide to migrate? Who did you migrate with and how? How did you benefit from it? Was anything lost? Do you interact with other people from your birthplace? This way clients understand it is still loyal to celebrate the new world and they can still grieve the separation. Three out 4 African Americans in the US are religious or spiritual. The Black church was the first place to offer refuge, counseling and community to African Americans. African Americans believe in the egalitarian work and family model, according to which both, males and females, are in charge. Male violence towards women and racism are reoccurring issues in counseling, which could be depression.The counselor must help understanding gender role expectations and institutionalized racism. America is class silent and saturated, besides being focused on consumption. American censuses reflect the wealth disparity between Whites and Blacks. High credentials, in someone’s place of origin, does not equate to the same high paid jobs in the US. I am testimony of that. There are still segregated all Black neighborhoods. Most African Americans value education and socioeconomic advancements, but there are exceptions. Homosexuality is taboo for many Africans and African Americans, as they already struggle with some racism and brutality. Africans, in history, have been labeled pathological, because of their resistance to adapt.Families of African origins have a history of injuries, colonization, losses, oppression, fear and injustice and they need help adjusting to reality. Therapists are best to acknowledge their resiliency and provide a safe place for feeling expressions. Some good questions to ask are: What happened to yourself and to people of your origins? How what happened affects you? Despite the past, how can you and you all succeed? What do you need to heal? This will validate their experience and help them share, give it meaning to, and use tools. This will also help African descents reconnect with their values.An article about West Indian Americans and their relationship with psychotherapy illustrates how British West Indian families are Black people from the Caribbean, such as Jamaica (Akbar, 2001). They tend to keep their problems for themselves. Jamaica became independent from the Great Britain not even 50 years ago.The Indians, who lived on the Island before slaves were brought over, died of abuse, disease and harsh labor. There are other minority communities there. They speak English and some African dialects. They want to distinguish themselves from other populations. They value English. In the past, Jamaicans migrated to find a better economy and escape colonialism and slavery. Jamaican immigrants separated from families, felt dislocated, isolated and disconnected, while adjusting to urbanization and colder climates. Jamaican related families, to save money, live all together in the same house.Nowadays, there are Jamaican stores, groups and houses of worship. The proximity of Jamaicans helped their economy. Due to racism, Jamaican immigrants have had to identify themselves as American Black. On the other hand, they wish to separate themselves because of the negative stereotypes linked to American Black. And American Blacks do not appreciate the Jamaican refusal to unify. It is like Sicilian Americans who do not wish to identify with other Italians, although they are Italians. In Jamaica, lighter skinned people are considered closer to Europeans and of higher status, whereas in America, they are considered as Black.Many American Blacks, unlike Jamaicans, believe there will always be injustice against Black people and for some it is learned helplessness. Unlike American Blacks, Jamaicans feel empowered because they fought off colonialism. Unlike American Blacks, Jamaicans have lived in predominantly black societies. Generally, the Jamaicans who make it are the ones who are familiar with European culture. Jamaicans are fiscally conservative and sacrifice for a delayed but brighter gratification. Many Jamaicans in history married British ladies, creating Creoles. In Jamaica, higher socio-economic status is obtained by marriage and/or education.Girls are not taught sex education and are taught obedience and house duties. They tend to date family friends. For a Jamaican man to have a mistress means success, high status and wealth. If that mistress is a discrete arrangement between the two spouses, the therapist should not make an issue about it. If there is not an arrangement, then the therapist could have a dialogue with each spouse separately. In Jamaican culture there is double standard for men and women and affairs. Supposedly, according to Jamaicans, adultery can dissolve a marriage.In terms of raising children, it is acceptable for Jamaicans to spank, scold, hit hands with a ruler and lash with a belt. I find this horrible. Respect for elders is mandatory. Poor fathers have to search for work far away from the community. Child lending is when students are sent to live with extended families. Jamaicans tend to blame the subject that has issues. Jamaicans interpret psychological issue as spiritual or medical disturbance. I have to say that this is a bit primitive and ignorant of them. Upper class Jamaicans believe in organized religions. Lower class ones use African folk beliefs. Most Jamaicans still believe in the African witchcraft to remove evil, which helps them with hope and self-efficacy.In conclusion, Jamaicans treat witchcraft, or obeah, as psycho-therapy. Even if families have a hard time admitting their child has a problem, when school gets involved finding a therapist, then Jamaicans will take it seriously, as they value doctors and professionals. Similar culture and values between the therapist and the client is important to Jamaicans.ReferencesAkbar, M. (2001). Racial identity, Africentric values, and self-esteem in Jamaican children. Journal of Black Psychology, 27(3), 341-358.
Franklin, A.J. (2004). From brotherhood to manhood. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Warner, J.C. (2003). Group therapy with Native Americans: Understanding essential differences. Group, 27(4), 191-202.
A Guide to Help You Pick the Best Air Purifier for Your Loved Ones
Holidays are around the corner. This is the time of year when people start purchasing gifts for their loved ones. If you are going to purchase an air purifier for someone you love, we have some helpful tips for you. If you want to purchase the best unit, you may be able to use this guide to your advantage. Read on to find out more.
1: Set Your Budget
Just like anything you purchase, make sure you have set your budget first. The price of the unit will vary based on a lot of factors, such as the capacity, filter type, features, and brand of the unit. If you don’t have a flexible budget, we suggest that you go for a product that is available to purchase for less than $300.
2: Consider the Needs of the Recipient
Your next move is to consider the needs of your recipient. If you are going to purchase this unit for everyday use, we suggest that you go for a unit that comes with a HEPA filter. On the other hand, if your loved one has a specific need, we suggest that you consider a specialized unit.
For example, if they are more prone to respiratory issues, such as allergies and infections, we suggest that you get a UV purifier for them. The devices are designed to neutralize viruses and bacteria.
3: Think About the Available Space
Another primary factor is to consider the available space in the office or house of the recipient. For example, if they need a general-purpose unit for a small apartment, you may want to consider a filterless unit.
On the other hand, if they have plenty of free space, you may consider a bigger unit that features a higher airflow rating. These units are powerful enough to cover a large face.
4: Consider Extra Features
Lastly, we suggest that you consider additional features that they will just love. For example, some units come with an indicator that turns on when the filter needs to be replaced. This will allow the user to change the filter so that the device continues to work properly.
So, you may want to consider these features before you place your order. These features may not be important to you, but your friend may just be over the moon.
Long story short, we suggest that you consider these four tips if you are going to purchase a gift for your loved one on these holidays. Since the air is full of pollution during winter days, nothing can make a better gift than an air purifier. Therefore, you should consider these tips before looking for an online or physical store to make your purchase decision.