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By Rick Moore
As individuals and family members, we go about our business each day ignoring much of the information available to us. But while we tune out, University of Minnesota family social science professor Paul Rosenblatt pays close attention.
In Shared Obliviousness in Family Systems, a theoretical book that explores the intriguing topic in the title, Rosenblatt defines "shared obliviousness" as the state of being unmindful or unaware of something. In a family setting, it means that all family members distance themselves from information they could — and maybe should — be conscious of. These could be family issues or things of importance outside the family.
"I think we have to be oblivious to most that goes on in the world," Rosenblatt said. "You just can't pay attention to all the news or all the events in your neighborhood or the dust balls under the bed or the dust balls under your neighbor's bed. ... We have to be oblivious to 99.9999 percent of what's out there.
"What I argue in the book is a lot of our obliviousness comes out of shared dynamics in the family and also in the larger world we live in. We're not on our own in becoming oblivious. And we're oblivious to lots of things in our own families. Sometimes that's great, and sometimes it's terrible because something really awful is going on."
The most obvious example is a family that ignores an incident of sexual abuse. Drug and alcohol abuse, extramarital affairs and stealing are other topics that families conveniently ignore.
But families are also oblivious to much national and world news — news that is or may become relevant to their lives. Global warming shines as a prime example.
"What global warming is predicting is a sea rise that will make parts of this country unlivable," Rosenblatt said. "There'll be more flooding inland as well as the coasts, so if you're living on low land, you're in trouble. And it's striking to me that when we talk about global warming, it's kind of an abstract issue. As far as I know we don't have people moving in from the coasts, and we don't have a fire sale or a flood sale on coastal property."
He theorizes that mainstream media, corporations, the government and even educational institutions shape some families' ideas about who they are, how they should be and what they should be oblivious to.
Rosenblatt refrains from offering any easy solutions to shared obliviousness.
"This is not a self-help or family help book," he said.
But he wants other researchers, educators and therapists to be aware of the phenomenon of shared obliviousness to lessen the fallout from what might be missed.
“For ordinary families, I'd really like them to pay attention to what's in the news that's relevant to their lives, and what's going on in their families that involves somebody's health or safety," he said. "[And] for them not to be shutting other people up or stopping other people from whistle blowing, or scoffing at other people who have concerns.
"We do live in a time where the potential for learning more is great," he said. "The World Wide Web has vast amounts of information, and if you have access to the Web, don't look at the same nine things every week or every day. ... There's a potential there to learn a lot more, and I hope people will."
By Dan Shaw, D.M.D., M.S.D.
Summer is a time when mouth injuries occur, the result of tumbles from bikes and skateboards, an elbow to the mouth on the basketball court, or a poolside fall. Fortunately, accidents can be prevented with simple precautions.
Mouth guards: Although some sports don’t require them, encourage your child to wear a mouth guard while participating in contact sports, as well as activities like skateboarding, rollerblading, and basketball. Mouth guards protect the teeth and jaw from traumatic injury. Until children have all their adult teeth, their teeth are changing; mouth guards may need to be replaced often and can be purchased at sporting goods stores. Once a child has all permanent teeth, a custom-fit mouth guard from the dentist will be more comfortable and the child will likely wear it more often.
Swimming pool safety: Front teeth can be knocked out in accidents involving slips and falls on the cement around pools and dives into shallow water. Always avoid running at the pool and dive only into deep water that’s far from the pool’s edge.
Knocked-out tooth: Often a tooth can be reinserted and will reattach to the underlying bone. Usually only adult teeth can be reinserted. If a permanent tooth is involved, rinse the tooth lightly in running water, touching it as little as possible. Then, put the tooth in a glass of milk or water to preserve the nerve. To improve chances of the tooth being saved, get to a dentist within 30 minutes. For a knocked-out baby tooth, your child should still see a dentist to check for damage to adjacent teeth, surrounding bone, and developing permanent teeth.
If you’re out of town and can’t see your family dentist: First, call your dentist to help determine if immediate care is needed. Medication and referrals can usually be arranged. If immediate attention is required and you’re visiting friends, call their dentist. Or, call the state/local dental association for a referral. It’s also OK to cold-call a dentist; every dentist hopes their own vacationing patients will find appropriate treatment if dental emergencies occur away from home. Keep in mind that your dental plan may not cover out-of-town treatment. Additionally, the treating dentist may ask you to pay for services at the time of treatment, and later arrange reimbursement with your dental plan when you return home.
The University of Minnesota School of Dentistry treats patients, and so do other dental schools. University of Minnesota dental school clinics are open to the public and provide all general dentistry and specialty services for children and adults. Clinics are open regular hours during the summer. For appointments: (612) 625-2495.
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Dan Shaw, D.M.D., M.S.D., is clinical associate professor in the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry. This column is an educational service of the University of Minnesota. Advice presented should not take the place of an examination by a health-care professional. For more health-related information, go to http://www.healthtalk.umn.edu.
By Shirley J. Anderson-Porisch
College students have access to credit now more than ever. Research shows that 84 percent of college students have at least one credit card and the average student has more than four credit cards, according to a 2009 SallieMae study.
If your college student has credit cards, it is important to guide them in their financial decisions. Any form of credit means taking out a loan and since recent studies shows that the average-graduating senior had a $4000-plus credit card balance, it is important to educate your child early on credit card usage.
Credit cards are proving to be a common way for students to pay educational expenses. Nearly 33 percent of students use a credit card for paying tuition and more than 90 percent use it for textbooks, supplies or other education expenses.
The reality for some college students is that there is not enough income to cover everything and when they did have income or aid, they may not be using it to pay off those credit card balances.
However, it is important to note that there are distinct advantages to using a credit card. It can be convenient, flexible, useful in an emergency, protected if stolen and used as a financial management tool.
But if you don’t explain some of the disadvantages, then your child may face challenges with too many monthly payments, over-use and debt with a high interest rate. If not well disciplined, it can be too easy to use and can reward the impulse for instant gratification.
Most financial professionals will suggest that college students choose to have no more than one multi-purpose credit card, accepted in many places, with a low interest rate and no annual fee. A student’s financial institution – where they keep their checking and savings accounts – is a good place to get their first credit card.
College students should know these rules for using a credit card:
1. Use a credit card if you know you have enough money to pay the balance.
2. Vow to pay the balance off each month to avoid interest charges.
3. Always use income and student aid for school expenses incurred on credit.
4. Keep track of spending and save receipts to monitor accuracy of billing.
5. Practice cash spending for ongoing expenses and keep the credit card for a serious emergency. And remember, concert tickets or a weekend beach trip are not emergencies.
Making wise choices with credit are part of spending planning and will lay the foundation for a lifetime of financial well-being.
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Shirley Anderson-Porisch works as a family resource management Extension educator at the University of Minnesota and is an expert in family finance. She has long been a media contributor and is an accredited financial counselor.
Find more stories at: http://www1.umn.edu/news/features/index.htm