Holland & Usry - August 2020

Holland & Usry - August 2020

SOME GOOD THINGS ABOUT THE VIRUS We’ve had challenging times from this pestilent virus, and more struggles are sure to come. But it hasn’t been all bad, and I want to share two things I’ve learned from it. baseball. It’s a mystery, love story, and a lesson on doing the right thing. It’s Amurica, man. And if you need starpower, it features Robert Redford and Kim Basinger in their prime.)

Family and children are a gift to be enjoyed — make time for them.

Control what you can — which is you.

This virus can be an infuriating disruption for me, professionally and personally. I don’t want anyone to feel like they can’t get legal help; our office is wide open, fully staffed, and here to help in a comfortable environment where we observe any protocols you need to feel safe. Luckily, I’ve been able to move a lot of cases to settlement. That’s because I didn’t stop working on them. Personally, it hurts to see my children get yanked from school and lose sports. I miss my friends. It pains me that major league baseball is in a “shadow season,” and worse, there likely won’t be any college football. I can’t control the virus, but I can control my response to it because it’s my choice. No one said it better than Viktor Frankl in his monumental work “Man’s Search for Meaning”: “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms — to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” Now’s the time to focus on who you really want to be and exactly what you want to accomplish in your life. If you do that, and remain true to it, you’re gonna weather this storm all the better.

I have four children, ages 6–12 — and the youngest two are twins! They generate a tremendous amount of noise and activity. Having them home 24/7 posed a new challenge for my wife. While Mamie’s got the patience of a saint, managing their schooling and all their demands — plus her own work as an educator — created the need for some extra help from me. I’ve always claimed I didn’t have time to come home for lunch, but recently I’ve found it made a helpful impact for Mamie, the children, and me. It breaks up their day and gives them a different face to see. We’ve also had some fun simply enjoying each other’s company. At lunch, no one’s tired from a long day, and there’s no time-sensitive agenda like the post-supper routine that transforms most parents into drill sergeants. I’ve also had some “stolen moments” that I cherish. Right after the school shut down, my 11-year-old son, Jack, struggled with some hyperactivity. (I bet he wasn’t the only one.) One glorious spring morning, we addressed that by throwing the baseball in the front yard. I felt like Roy Hobbs in the last scene of “The Natural.” (By the way, you can rewatch that free on Amazon Prime — if you’ve never seen it, now’s the time. It’s not just about

Dr. Frankl also observed, “Those who have a ‘why’ to live, can bear with almost any ‘how.’”

If you don’t know who Dr. Frankl is, here’s all you need to know before you run out to grab the book: He reached these conclusions while enduring the most sustained physical, mental, and emotional torture imposed in the history of mankind — as a Jewish prisoner in a Nazi concentration camp.

He used that perspective to survive Auschwitz. It can surely get us through this.

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HELP YOUR KIDS HANDLE STRESSFUL SITUATIONS

With These Sensory-Rich Activities

You can see it happening, almost in slow motion: Your child goes from playing and laughing to frowning in less than a second. They start to cry, and suddenly, a meltdown is underway. Is this just the way raising young kids is? Does a lack of sleep, change in routine, or intense hunger always have to lead to a meltdown? While it’s human to feel emotions and express them, you can use certain strategies to help your child navigate major emotions and calm down. The key is helping them tap into their central nervous system with activities that engage their senses. Just like adults, younger kids sometimes need support to regulate their emotions, especially in situations that are stressful for them. That’s where activities that engage the five senses can be really beneficial. Sensory activities that utilize the five senses can help your little one

connect their body to their immediate surroundings and the larger world around them.

Here are some sensory-rich activities that can help kids feel calmer in stressful times:

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Make a pile of pillows and jump into it.

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Put on some fun music and dance.

• Bounce your little one on your lap or an exercise ball.

• Take them for a spin around the house in a box or laundry basket; kids can even race each other.

• Create a slide by propping a mattress or exercise mat against the couch.

These are activities you can use right where you are to help your child find their calm again, even in a meltdown. According to early childhood development expert Alyssa Blask Campbell, sensory input stays in the system for about two hours, meaning even just five minutes of these types of activities can give you and your child hours of calm throughout the day.

Testimonial HEAR WHAT OUR CLIENTS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT US! “Rob and his staff have helped me on a number of occasions and I couldn’t have been more pleased with these guys. They have always been extremely helpful and friendly along the way. Would highly recommend and couldn’t imagine using anyone else!” -Lee C. “Great lawyer! Rob and his whole staff are very welcoming.” -Renee H. T. Everyone’s health and welfare remains our critical concern. We are OPEN, and our staff is in the office to help you. Contact us in the best and safest way for you. We can discuss your case over the phone. If you prefer meeting in person, rest assured we can do it with safe physical distancing under CDC guidelines. As always, we’re here for you, and we look forward to helping you.

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The Sobering Number of Trucking Accident Injuries DON’T BECOME JUST ANOTHER SCARY STATISTIC

When a tractor-trailer blows out of nowhere from behind us on a dark, rainy night, we count our blessings that we didn’t get slammed into and wonder how many unfortunate souls suffer that fate. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) released a study based on 2017 >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4

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