Luangkan masa dengan keluarga

Berkumpul, melakukan aktiviti bersama memberikan banyak manfaat 

Berkumpul dan meluangkan masa bersama keluarga adalah antara detik yang patut dihargai. Justeru, jika anda mempunyai waktu terluang, tiada salahnya untuk selalu memanfaatkan waktu yang ada itu untuk berkumpul bersama keluarga. 

Cara memanfaatkan bersama keluarga atau family time bermacam-macam dan boleh dipenuhi dengan melakukan apa sahaja aktiviti yang dapat menghimpunkan semua ahli keluarga.

Apa yang pasti, masa bersama keluarga jangan diabaikan kerana ia sangat bermanfaat untuk saling mempereratkan hubungan antara anggota keluarga. Lazimnya, masa bersama keluarga paling tepat adalah pada musim cuti sekolah atau pada hari hujung minggu. Anda dan keluarga dapat berkumpul serta menghabiskan waktu bersama-sama dengan melakukan kegiatan bersama-sama. 

Bagaimanapun, mungkin ada yang bertanya apa sebenarnya fungsi utama masa bersama keluarga. Jawapan yang pasti, sememangnya ada beberapa manfaat yang sangat penting dan apabila menyedarinya, pasti anda tidak mahu lagi mengabaikan masa atau detik seumpama itu. 

1. Eratkan hubungan 

Masa bersama keluarga amat berguna untuk mengakrabkan semua ahli keluarga. Saat keluarga berkumpul, ia akan memberi peluang masing-masing saling berinteraksi secara spontan. Justeru, suasana seperti itu akan meningkatkan hubungan erat semula jadi. 

2. Hilangkan tekanan 

Kegiatan berkumpul dengan keluarga boleh menghilangkan tekanan anda. Anda yang biasanya sibuk dengan pekerjaan akan berasa amat senang hati apabila dapat menatapi wajah dan keletah anak di depan mata. Melihat keceriaan anak ketika itu, pasti akan hilang bebanan di tempat kerja atau segala kekusutan yang bermain di fikiran. Begitu juga anak anda, akan berasa gembira apabila ibu bapa dapat bersama-samanya. 

3. Berkongsi 

Ini adalah masa paling sesuai untuk berkongsi perasaan, pengalaman atau apa saja khabar berita yang baik. Ketika berkumpul dengan anggota keluarga, ia adalah saat yang sangat tepat untuk saling bercerita mengenai semua hal. Dengan kata lain, ini akan membuat semua menjadi terbuka satu sama lain. Membentuk keluarga bahagia dan harmoni, anda tidak perlu terlalu berahsia antara satu sama lain. 

4. Mengajar perkara baru 

Waktu yang ada ini amat sesuai digunakan untuk mengajarkan sesuatu yang baru kepada anak anda. Banyak sekali hal yang baru boleh diajarkan kepada mereka jika anda benar-benar berkumpul bersama keluarga. Walaupun perkara baru yang diajar itu amat remeh, ada kala ia memberi banyak pengajaran dan mana tahu mungkin boleh digunakan pada suatu masa nanti. 

5. Tunjukkan ambil berat 

Apabila berkumpul bersama, ia sangat baik untuk menunjukkan pada anak, sebagai orang tua anda sangat mengambil berat dan selalu mempunyai waktu dengan mereka. Ini membuatkan anak menjadi dekat dengan anda. Jadi, apabila anak ada masalah mereka tidak akan teragak-agak untuk berkongsi dan meminta pendapat anda. 

6. Perhatikan perubahan 

Setiap ibu bapa dan anggota keluarga perlu prihatin dengan perubahan tingkah laku anak supaya pencegahan awal dapat dilaksanakan. Justeru, sebagai ibu bapa, gunakan waktu berkumpul seperti itu untuk memperhatikan perubahan yang terjadi pada anak dan jika perubahan itu ke arah yang tidak baik, segeralah bertindak. 

7. Tingkatkan kebahagiaan 

Waktu bersama keluarga ternyata juga boleh meningkatkan kebahagiaan pada anak anda kerana mereka berasa sentiasa dikasihi dan mendapat perhatian dari ibu bapa. Ini sangat penting untuk meningkatkan pertumbuhan yang lebih baik.

Dua maut bertembung

Kuala Terengganu: Seorang lelaki 44 tahun dan seorang wanita 35 tahun maut dalam kemalangan membabitkan empat kenderaan di Tapak Pelupusan Sampah Kampung Sungai Ikan, di sini, 10.45 pagi tadi.

Kejadian dipercayai berlaku apabila pemandu lori tanah dari arah Setiu menuju ke Kuala Terengganu hilang kawalan sebaik memotong sebuah kenderaan di depannya sebelum bertembung sebuah kereta Perodua Myvi dari arah bertentangan. 

Lori tanah berkenaan yang hilang kawalan terjunam ke dalam gaung sedalam tiga meter selepas bertembung dengan kereta Perodua Myvi serta dua kenderaan di belakangnya iaitu sebuah kereta Perodua Myvi dan sebuah van Toyota Hiace. 

Kemalangan itu menyebabkan pemandu lori tanah, Mohd Ghani Embong, 44, dan pemandu kereta Perodua Myvi Rohaiza Yusof, 35, meninggal dunia di tempat kejadian.

Seorang lagi pemandu kereta Perodua Myvi yang parah di beberapa bahagian badan dikejarkan ke Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah, di sini, untuk rawatan lanjut manakala pemandu serta tiga penumpang van terbabit selamat.

Ketua Polis Daerah Asisten Komisioner Zamri Shamsuddin mengesahkan kejadian dan kemalangan disiasat mengikut Seksyen 41(1) Akta Pengangkutan Jalan 1987.

How to Be a Friend to Someone With Autism

When people meet Andrew Phillips, they cast him off as anxious. Maybe irritable, and certainly disconnected.

Then there are the people who know him well. The people who say he's funny, sweet and very smart.

"Those are two completely different kids," says his mom, Leslie Phillips, of the two descriptions. That's because Andrew, 14, has autistic disorder, the most severe of the autism spectrum disorders -- which also include Asperger's syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorder. "He struggles with communicating with people in a meaningful way, so to be a friend to Andrew, you have to take the time to get to know him and be around him."

In late March, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new data that suggests 1 in 68 8-year-olds is now affected by autism, a 30 percent jump since 2012. That means virtually every grade in every elementary school has at least one autistic student -- and it's likely you know one (or more) of them.

Autism affects the way a person's brain and body work, and someone with the disorder might have trouble speaking, make strange sounds or not talk at all. About 25 percent of people diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder are considered nonverbal, but they can sometimes communicate by writing, sign language or picture cards. Autistic people may flap their hands, spin in circles, do or say the same things repetitively, or sit quietly and avoid looking at others.

But none of that dampens the fact that they're intelligent, capable, passionate, honest people. People who, in many cases, deeply value friendship. "It's so hard for Andrew, but I don't think there's anything more important to him than being connected with other people," says Phillips, who lives in Katy, Texas, with her three sons and does advocacy work for the National Autism Association. "I think if autistic kids could say one thing to people, it would be this: Don't give up on me."

As we mark National Autism Awareness Month, consider these ways to be a friend to someone with autism:

Don't assume he or she doesn't value friendship. Yes, there are communication challenges and trouble with social interactions. But that doesn't mean friendship isn't important. "The reality is that autistic people, like neurotypical people, are very diverse in our levels of sociability and desire for friendships," says Lydia Brown, a junior at Georgetown University who has autism. Some people with autism are exceedingly social, while others are significantly more introverted. "But like all people, we value others who want to be our friends for the sake of who we are," Brown says, adding that "we seek friendships based on mutual interest and respect, shared values and negotiated boundaries."

[Read: An All-Out Assault on Autism .]

Be patient. Meet somebody where he is -- don't try to change him so he becomes what you consider acceptable. "You need to be sensitive to the fact that they're doing the best they can, just as you're doing the best you can," says Lisa Goring, vice president of family services at the advocacy group Autism Speaks. "There's no reason they need to be the only one to change."

Communicate clearly. Speak at a reasonable pace and volume -- and keep in mind that it's often helpful to use short sentences. Gestures, pictures and facial expressions may also work well. Speak literally rather than using confusing figures of speech, and when you ask a question, don't expect an immediate response -- give your friend extra time.

[Read: You! Too! Can Become More Patient .]

Make plans. There's a good chance someone with autism wants to be included but doesn't know how to ask. A number of formal school programs pair autistic kids with neurotypical buddies, setting up dinner or movie nights. But little or no interaction occurs outside those structured times, Phillips says. "Real friendships are made in the cafeteria at lunch, or in the stands at the softball game, doing normal daily activities." She says her oldest son, a 19-year-old who has Asperger's, found a few close friends in elementary school. As the years progressed, he always had someone to sit with at lunch and a friend in gym class. "Those are the times when kids who are alone get bullied," Phillips says. "It's really important that one or two people -- it doesn't have to be a big group -- are spending time with that person on a regular basis."

Respect sensory differences. People with autism are often unusually sensitive to sounds, sights, touch, taste and smells. High-pitched sounds like fire alarms may be painful; scratchy fabrics intolerable. "A good friend will learn to respect sensory differences, whether or not they understand the reasons or causes for them," Brown says. "Don't question or doubt someone's knowledge of their own body and mental state." Likewise, don't assume people with autism are intellectually disabled. Often, they have normal to high IQs and excel in areas such as music and math.

[Read: What You Need to Know About Autism .]

Don't treat people with autism like a project. This happens often, Brown says, stressing that friendship with an autistic person is not community service. "We don't need charity or pity friendships," she says. "And we neither want nor need people who want to 'look past the autism,' as autism is integral to our identity and experiences." Brown suggests this test to determine whether your friendship with an autistic person is a positive, healthy experience, as opposed to a charity project. Do you include the autistic person in events or nights out with your other friends? And are your perceptions of the person based on widespread stereotypes of autism or other disabilities?

Stand up for your autistic friend. Bullying, abuse and other types of violence are prevalent in the lives of autistic people -- from childhood through adulthood. If you see someone teasing or picking on an autistic peer, take a stand. "Working to end the systemic ableism that stigmatizes, isolates and normalizes violence against autistic and other disabled people ultimately benefits everyone," Brown says. "So too does working through ableism at the individual level and in one's own personal relationships."

Human body parts grown in a lab

In a north London hospital, scientists are growing noses, ears and blood vessels in the laboratory in a bold attempt to make body parts using stem cells. 

It is among several labs around the world, including in the U.S., that are working on the futuristic idea of growing custom-made organs in the lab. 

While only a handful of patients have received the British lab-made organs so far— including tear ducts, blood vessels and windpipes — researchers hope they will soon be able to transplant more types of body parts into patients, including what would be the world's first nose made partly from stem cells. (AP)

Search for MH370 seeks plane's 'final resting place'

Perth (Australia) (AFP) - The hunt for "pings" from a missing Malaysian airliner's black box narrowed in the remote Indian Ocean on Thursday after fresh signals were detected, raising hopes that wreckage will soon be found.

The Perth-based Joint Agency Coordination Centre (JACC) announced Thursday that the search area off western Australia had been significantly pared down to 57,923 square kilometres (22,364 square miles), ten times smaller than its previous size.With the beacon on flight MH370's data recorders due to fade more than a month after the Boeing 777 vanished, the Australian-led search continued trawling for signals, seeking to pinpoint an exact location before sending down a submersible to take a look.

The Australian ship Ocean Shield, bearing a special US Navy "towed pinger locator", is now focused on a far smaller area of the Indian Ocean 2,280 kilometres (1,400 miles) northwest of Perth where it picked up two fresh signals Tuesday.

Those transmissions matched a pair of signals logged over the weekend.

"When you put those two (sets of pings) together, it makes us very optimistic," US Seventh fleet spokesman commander William Marks said, adding that the search was getting "closer and closer".

"This is not something you find with commercial shipping, not something just found in nature -- this is definitely something that is man-made, consistent with what you would find with these black boxes.

"So we are looking pretty good now."

He told CNN he expected the pings to last "maybe another day or two".

No floating debris from the aircraft, which disappeared on March 8 with 239 people aboard, has yet been found despite days of exhaustive searching by ships and aircraft from several nations.

- Renewed optimism -

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A woman ties a message card for passengers onboard the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 at a sho …

Officials had feared that the signals which were initially picked up might not be detected again, particularly since the batteries on the "black box" tracking beacons have a normal lifespan of about 30 days.

Australia confirmed Wednesday that the first signals were consistent with black box recorders.

JACC chief Angus Houston said the high-tech underwater surveillance was meant to define a reduced and more manageable search area in depths of around four kilometres (2.5 miles), but he acknowledged that time was running out.

"I believe we are searching in the right area but we need to visually identify the aircraft before we can confirm with certainty that this is the final resting place of MH370," he said Wednesday.

Houston again urged against unduly inflating hopes, for the sake of the families of missing passengers and crew who have endured a month-long nightmare punctuated by a number of false leads.

But he voiced renewed optimism.

"They (experts) believe the signals to be consistent with the specification and description of a flight data recorder," he said.

No other ships will be allowed near the Ocean Shield as it must work in an environment as free of noise as possible, but up to 10 military aircraft, four civil planes and 13 ships were to take part in surface searches in the region on Thursday, the JACC said.

- Investigation still 'inconclusive' -

Houston said it would not be long before a US-made autonomous underwater vehicle called a Bluefin-21 would be sent down to investigate.

"I don't think that time is very far away," he said.

The pinger locator can search an area six times that which can be scanned by the Bluefin-21's sonar.

In Malaysia, Home Minister Zahid Hamidi said there was "no conclusive evidence yet" from the continuing investigation into what caused the plane to divert from its Kuala Lumpur-Beijing route.

Zahid, who oversees law enforcement, said around 180 people had been interviewed, including relatives of passengers and crew as well as airline ground staff and engineers.

"We are filtering all the information. When the evidence is conclusive then we will let the media know about it," he said.

A number of theories have been put forward to explain MH370's baffling disappearance.

They include a hijacking or terrorist attack, a pilot gone rogue or a sudden catastrophic event that incapacitated the crew and left the plane to fly for hours until it ran out of fuel in its suspected Indian Ocean crash site.

But no evidence has emerged to bolster any theory.