Although you can expect snow and ice every winter, each year brings a new landscape for you to enjoy. Here are three ways to rediscover winter’s beauty.

1. Plan a winter retreat
Book a weekend at a cabin in the woods, or keep it simple by visiting a day spa with a fabulous view. Check with your local tourism operators to find out what’s open for the season.

2. Get moving outdoors
Winter offers plenty of unique ways to celebrate the picturesque landscape. Whether cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or hiking, there’s plenty of beauty to discover. Your sporting goods retailer can kit you out for your winter adventure.

3. Enjoy winter’s charms from home
If you prefer the great indoors, you can still take pleasure in the unique character of your garden at this time of year. Get to know the winter birds that visit. Engage your artistic side and recreate the view from your window with pastels or paints. Visit your local craft and hobby store for ideas.

Just as every snowflake is unique, so is every snowfall. This winter, make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime winter landscape.

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Anyone can be a victim of bullying. However, kids with any of these six characteristics may be more susceptible than others.

1. Successful. Kids who get positive attention from their peers, teachers, and parents may become the target of bullying from kids who feel inferior. These bullies want others to feel insecure and will try to discredit popular students.

2. Vulnerable. Children who are introverted, anxious, or lacking in self-esteem are more likely to be bullied. Bullies target these children because they’re less likely to fight back.

3. Isolated. Many bullying victims have few friends and are excluded from social events. You can help stop bullying by befriending kids who have trouble making friends.

4. Distinctive appearance. Unique features, such as height, weight, glasses, or acne, can make a child the target of bullying. Bullies often target physical attributes to get a laugh, and it can be damaging to the victim’s self-esteem.

5. Sexual orientation. The most brutal bullying incidents often target gay or transgender students. Schools must provide a solid support network for LGBTQ students.

6. Different races or religions. Bullying based on race, religion, and cultural practice is common. No race is immune from having bullies or being bullied. Students are singled out just because they’re different.

These characteristics aren’t flaws that need to be changed. It’s crucial to remind bullying victims that it’s not their fault.

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Conflict and bullying aren’t the same things. One describes a healthy dialogue between two parties, while the other represents an intent to harm someone else. Learning to deal with conflict healthily can give you essential social skills. It can also help you better identify bullying.

What’s conflict?
Conflict is a normal part of life and happens when two people respectfully disagree. The two parties have equal power in the relationship, and each has a chance to express their views.

Even though there may be negative emotions and hurtful words exchanged, both people are looking for a solution and don’t want to harm each other. Each person takes responsibility for their actions and modifies their behavior if they feel they’ve made the other person feel bad. Conflict can often lead to two people learning to solve problems and overcome challenges.

What’s bullying?
Unlike conflict, the goal of bullying is to hurt, harm, insult or humiliate another person and make them feel bad about themselves. The actions are unwanted and unwarranted, and the bullied person has little power to stop them. Bullying can result in physical and emotional harm.

Bullying happens when one person uses their power to control another. Power can mean the bully is bigger, stronger, older, or more popular than the person they’re bullying. Moreover, bullies aren’t trying to resolve anything and show no remorse if they hurt someone else. There’s no interest in a relationship with the other person.

Stand up to bullying when you see it. Don’t be afraid to share your views and express your opinions constructively. Not all conflict is bad.

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You’re never too young or old to learn to draw or improve your artistic abilities. Here are a few good reasons to enroll your child, or yourself, in an art class.

Children
From simple doodles to complex techniques, learning to draw can help your child develop several skills they’ll use throughout their school years. For example, art teaches observation, mental representation, and spatial perception, which are helpful in math and geometry. For toddlers, drawing is an excellent way to develop their fine motor skills and creativity.

Moreover, drawing helps build self-confidence and stimulate concentration. It can also lead your child toward a career in architecture, graphic design, or illustration.

Adults
Inspiring imagination and reflection, drawing has several positive impacts on the brain, including memory retention. It can even help you recover lost memories. In addition to being a source of pleasure, an art class is a great way to explore new ways to express your feelings and communicate your ideas. It can also help relieve stress and increase or maintain your motor skills.

Look for classes in your area and take the opportunity to discover different drawing styles.

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Whether an experienced skier or a novice, you can always learn something new to improve your performance on the slopes. As you head for the hills this season, here are three missteps to avoid.

1. Wearing ill-fitting boots
You may fear tightening your boots will be painful or compromise your agility. In fact, a tight boot is more comfortable and improves control. Your boots are the conduit for the pressure your feet place on the skis. If your boots are too loose, the pressure doesn’t transfer accurately, forcing you to work harder to achieve the desired motion.

2. Leaning back
Leaning too far back on the skis is an error that almost every skier must learn to correct because it can put you at a higher risk for knee injuries. Moving your weight to the front of your skis may not feel natural when you start, but it’ll help you control your speed and movement through steep drops and jumps.

3. Choosing runs above your skill level
Taking on a slope beyond your skill level is not just risky; it’s terrible for your technique. You can challenge your method and experiment with balance on more manageable terrain. By contrast, when you’re struggling on an icy or steep pitch, you’re likely to shift into survival mode and revert to poor habits.

Visit your local sporting goods store for the right ski equipment and reliable advice.

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Famous worldwide, chess is considered both a sport and a hobby. It provides many benefits for adults and children, which can translate into everyday life. Here are four examples.

1. Chess promotes brain growth, stimulating the neurons to form connections and increase cognitive speed. This improves the ability to evaluate situations and make good decisions quickly.

2. Chess requires you to think fast and readjust your strategy according to your opponent’s moves. This activity has a po sitive impact on problem-solving skills at work or school.

3. Chess players are accustomed to learning many rules and remembering multiple moves and strategies. They must also remember not to repeat past mistakes and learn their opponent’s specific style. The memory is then optimized, which is particularly useful for exam preparation or managing multiple work tasks.

4. Chess improves reading and speaking skills, which can translate into better academic results. It can also make you a better conversationalist.

Are you new to chess or thinking of getting back into it? Join a club or find out if there are classes in your area.

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