Summarize the following:
It’s important to choose a bedtime based upon how much sleep you need. One of the most important things that factor into being organized is waking up on time each morning. Let’s face it, if you wake up late then it impacts the rest of your day. However, when you get adequate sleep then you’re more likely to get up on time each morning. Make sure you choose an appropriate bedtime for the children as well.  Figure out how much sleep you need to feel well rested in the morning. Then figure out the exact time you need to be in bed in order to achieve this. You may need to experiment by sleeping a different amount of hours for a few nights to see which one works best for you. Keep in mind that most healthy adults need 7-9 hours of sleep and children need 10-14 hours of sleep based on age.  It may be helpful to start winding down approximately 30 minutes before your bedtime. Try turning off electronics so that you can have some quiet time before bed. This is a great way to transition from the day’s activities to bed. Many people think that your morning routine starts in the morning. However, that’s not entirely true. Setting your alarm the night before will help you wake up on time in the morning.  To avoid hitting the snooze button in the morning and risk throwing yourself back off schedule, try putting your alarm clock in a place far from your bed. This way you will actually have to get up to turn it off. Alternatively, you could set two different alarm clocks that are far from your bed. Space out the timing by about 10 minutes. This way, even if you do lie back down after turning the first one off, the second one will still help you stay on track. Make sure the alarm is set to give you enough time to start the process of waking up the children in a timely manner. You may want to start waking slow-risers a few minutes in advance. Many people have specific rituals that they like to engage in before starting the rest of their day. Your rituals could include prayer, exercise, meditation, journaling, or even just spending quiet time with loved ones in the morning. Whatever your rituals are, be sure to actually put them into your schedule. Intentionally scheduling in rituals helps you to avoid running late.  Schedule in a specific block of time to participate in your rituals. Try half hour, one hour, or two hour blocks. Morning rituals often help you clear your mind and can increase productivity. Light exercise can increase blood flow and is a quick way to really increase productivity throughout the day. Something as simple as stretching can be a part of your exercise regimen. It’s easy to lose track of time when you’re in the shower, engaging in your beauty regimen, getting dressed, or doing other hygiene activities. However, investing in and using timer can help you stay on track. You can purchase one inexpensively at most stores.  Showering while the kids are eating breakfast is something that some parents choose to do. However, other parents prefer to eat breakfast with their children. Showering the night before is also an option to help stay organized in the morning. Multitasking is a great way to keep your family organized. For example, you can think of some ways that you can get chores done while also getting ready in the morning. Getting the kids on board to help is also useful. Here are a few suggestions:  Throw a load of laundry in the wash before leaving for work. You can put them in the dryer when you get home. If you have a dog, you can have the children prepare the dog for his walk while you are in the shower. For instance, they can have his leash and “poop bags” ready in advance. When you’re finished showering, you can quickly walk the dog with the children. Allow older children to help get the younger children ready in the morning. Getting your ten year old to help find your preschooler’s shoes could really save you some time. Food is your body’s fuel therefore every morning routine should include a healthy breakfast.  If you have a tendency to skip breakfast, try to figure out why you avoid that meal. It may be that you are rushing in the morning or maybe you just don’t like breakfast foods. Whatever the reason, be sure to acknowledge it and then figure out a way to include breakfast into your routine.  If you don’t like breakfast foods, try eating lunch foods for breakfast instead. If you find that you are rushing in the morning, go to bed a little earlier at night so that you can get up a little earlier in the morning. If you’re not hungry in the morning, at least have a snack. Remember, food is fuel and it’s important that you properly fuel your body in the mornings. It’s important that you leave the house at the designated time to avoid rushing. Make sure that you factor in all of the stops that you have to make. Whether it’s dropping the children off at daycare or stopping for your morning coffee, be sure that there is plenty of time allotted to get to your destination.  Figure out how much time you would need to get to your destination, including all stops in between. Try actually timing yourself one morning to get an accurate estimate. Then add 15 minutes to that timeframe to account for traffic or other unforeseen difficulties. Running late will throw you off schedule and you’ll certainly feel less organized. Also, try packing needed material the night before. This can save time and help you get out of the door in a more timely fashion in the mornings. The car ride to school is a great time to review test material, practice spelling words, or go over math facts, particularly if you had a busy night before.

summary: Determine your bedtime. Set your alarm clock. Schedule your morning rituals. Use a timer while doing hygiene. Find ways to use your time wisely. Eat a healthy breakfast. Leave the house on time.


Summarize the following:
Some people prefer to stand while playing and others like to sit with their instrument. All that matters is your sense of comfort and confidence, so try out a few different positions until you feel at ease. Your body posture is very important when playing this instrument and slouching will cause you to be inaccurate in your balance and consequently in your performance. The accordion is relatively large and requires a little bit of familiarity when holding it. Being able to maintain proper balance is crucial. The more evenly balanced you manage to keep the accordion's weight, the better you'll be able to play because of the added control. And the more control you have, the less uncomfortable the weight will feel. Slip your left arm under the strap of the instrument. You'll want to hold it as if you were putting on a backpack on your chest. The piano keys should be to your right and your left hand goes underneath the bass strap - the small strap on the left side of the instrument.  Note that there is usually a thumb wheel on the left side to adjust the strap. Make sure that your accordion fits tightly enough not to move at all while you move. An additional strap can be very useful. The back strap keeps the shoulder straps together so that the accordion doesn't move.  Note that if the back strap is too far down it alleviates weight from the shoulders, making the straps loose on top. This, in turn, causes your straps to move and slide. Keep the back strap higher up, or secure it diagonally. Remember that when the straps stay in place, so does your instrument. The buckles can be found on the top and bottom of the instrument. Take care not to push or pull the accordion yet.

summary: Sit or stand while holding your accordion. Don't slouch. Learn proper balance. Secure the instrument onto your chest. Try a back strap. Undo the safety buckles.


Summarize the following:
In South America, most countries speak Spanish, although in Brazil, Portuguese is the primary language. Esperanto = Pardonon, kie estas la banejo? (par-DOH-nohn, KEY-eh ESS-tahs la bahn-EY-yo?) Portuguese = Com licença, onde fica o banheiro? (com lee-SAY-nsa, OHN-jee FEE-cah oo bah-YAY-roo?) Spanish = Perdone/Disculpe, ¿Dónde está el baño?(Formal) (Per-DON-eh, DOHN-deh es-TAH el BAHN-yo?)
summary: Prepare by finding out which languages are spoken in the countries that you will visit. Study these translations before you leave for your trip to South America: