Latest news with #2011
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
7 Signs You've Raised A Spoiled Child (And What To Do About It)
You're standing in the checkout line at the store when your son grabs a 'Frozen 2' stuffed animal. 'Mommy, can I get this Olaf doll? I really, really want it!' When you tell him no, he yells 'I hate you!' loud enough for everyone to hear before launching into one of his regular fits: kicking, screaming, crying. People are glaring at you, and you know what's going through their minds: 'Wow, what a spoiled brat.' If this scene sounds familiar, you're not alone. The spoiled child problem appears to be getting worse, too. In fact, 59% of parents think their kids are more spoiled than they were at the same age, according to a 2011 survey from Parenting and Today Moms. We asked parenting experts to reveal the signs that you might be raising a spoiled kid. Below, they also share advice that will help you undo some of those behaviors. A spoiled child is used to getting what they want when they want it with few exceptions. 'Every kid has an off-day —and so do adults — but spoiled kids are stuck in 'me' mode,' said Michele Borba, educational psychologist and author of 'UnSelfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-Me World.' 'Everything revolves around their needs, concerns, feelings, wants, desires,and everyone else takes second place.' Clinical psychologist Laura Markham takes issue with the term 'spoiled' because she believes it suggests the child is somehow 'ruined.' Nor does she like using the word 'brat' to describe a kid. When you think about it, the harsh descriptors may be a tad unfair given that the parents (not the kids) are the ones largely responsible for the spoiled behavior. 'Children do what we train them to do, what we lead them to expect,' Markham, founder of the site Aha! Parenting, said. 'If we have parented permissively and have never set limits, the child will not be used to accommodating appropriate limits.' When parents spoil their children, their intentions are often good, albeit misguided. They indulge their kids because they want to provide them with the best life possible, giving them everything Mom and/or Dad didn't have growing up. Some parents may worry that giving their kid a firm 'no' will hurt the child's feelings or damage their confidence. Other times, parents are just too exhausted to enforce the rules — or set any in the first place. 'It's plain easier to give in when you're tired,' Borba said. 'We hate to say 'no' when we've been gone [at work] all day.' Not sure if your kiddo fits the bill? Below are seven expert-backed signs they might be overindulged and under-disciplined. 1. When you tell them 'no,' they throw a tantrum until they get their way. All kids may express some disappointment when you tell them they can't, for example, have pizza for dinner two nights in a row. But spoiled children have a particularly hard time taking no for an answer. Tantrums might be developmentally appropriate for toddlers or very young kids who can't adequately express themselves, explained marriage and family therapist LeNaya Smith Crawford. But if these meltdowns are happening all the time and don't subside as the kid gets older, that could be an indication they're spoiled. 'How does your kid typically respond to the word 'no'?' Borba said. 'Spoiled kids can't handle the word. They expect to get what they want and usually do.' 2. They're never satisfied with what they have. Spoiled children may have all the toys and clothes in the world, but it's never enough: They want more, more, more. 'Because they have a lot, they tend to be unappreciative and a bit greedy,' Borba said. Instead of expressing their gratitude for what they have, they're more focused on getting the next thing. 'They may start to say 'thank you' less and 'I want' more,' Smith Crawford said. 3. They think the world revolves around them. Spoiled kids tend to be self-centered. They aren't all that concerned with inconveniencing other people. 'Spoiled kids think more of themselves than of others,' Borba said. 'They feel entitled and expect special favors.' 4. They demand things ASAP. Bratty children aren't particularly patient: When they want something, they want it now. 'It's usually easier to give in than to postpone the child's request,' Borba said. 5. They're sore losers. No kid enjoys losing — be it a board game or a tennis match — but spoiled ones may have a tougher time managing disappointment when they don't win. 'If your child is always blaming others for poor performance, expecting to be singled out for praise for everything they do, yells at others who aren't doing things their way and fails to give recognition when their teammates or competitors are successful, you may have a spoiled child on your hands,' therapist Virginia Williamson told Best Life. 6. They don't give up until they get what they want. Spoiled kids may employ manipulative tactics to get the 'yes' they're after, whether that means lying or pitting their parents against one another. 'For example, going to one parent and saying the other parent said they could have the item they desire,' Smith Crawford said. 7. They refuse to complete even simple tasks until you beg or bribe them. It's normal for kids to need some prompting to brush their teeth or clean up their toys, for example. But once a parent asks them to do something, they should listen. If your child frequently refuses to do very basic things until you plead or incentivize them with money, treats or toys, you could be setting a bad precedent. 'If you rely on bribes to motivate your child, then the next time you ask your 8-year-old to clear the dishes off the dinner table, for example, don't be surprised if s/he asks, 'How much are you going to pay me?'' clinical psychologist Suzanne Gelb wrote in a HuffPost blog. The good news is that spoiled kids are made, not un-spoiling is doable. But don't hold off on implementing these changes: The older the child, the more difficult it will be. 'Remember, there is no gene for spoiled,' Borba said. 'It's a learned behavior that can be unlearned — and the quicker, the better.' It won't be an easy transition for you or your kid — so be prepared for that. Commit to modifying your indulgent ways, knowing that it's going to be uncomfortable to stand your ground. You should anticipate resistance from your child. 'Allow them to cry and be upset,' Markham said. 'Empathize, while at the same time holding your limit and the expectation that your child will be able to handle your limit.' Get used to saying 'no' without guilt. Once you set your boundaries, you have to stick to them consistently. 'Add 'no' to your vocabulary and don't feel guilty about using it with your kids,' Borba said. 'Don't let your child's spoiled ways win. Don't give into every issue.' When setting limits, do so with empathy and understanding, Markham said. You don't need to be a tyrant for these methods to be effective. 'Remember that children accept limits more gracefully if they feel warmly connected to the parent,' she said. Emphasize that giving is better than receiving. 'And start boosting the concept that who you are is more important than what you own,' Borba said. Practice gratitude as a family. At the dinner table or before bedtime, Smith Crawford recommends spending a few minutes giving thanks for the non-material things in your lives. 'As a family, go around in a circle and name intangible things you are grateful for and one experience that day you were grateful for,' she said. 'This is a great way to begin to teach gratitude and honoring the good in each day.' Teach them to be considerate of others. When everything in your child's life is 'me, me, me,' shift the focus to 'we.' 'Look for those everyday moments to do so,' Borba said. 'Like, 'Let's ask Alice what she would like to do;' 'How do you think Daddy feels?' 'Ask your friend what he would like to play' or 'Let's go volunteer at the soup kitchen.'' Remember that kids respond best to encouragement, not punishment. 'If you want your child to meet your expectation, ask yourself what kind of support your child needs to meet that expectation,' Markham said. Help them appreciate the little things in life. Show them that there's plenty of joy in the simple pleasures, like being in nature or spending quality time with family and friends. 'Finding daily time to play and connect with your children is one of the greatest things a parent can do to curb most behaviors,' Smith Crawford said. How To Teach Your Kids To Be Grateful The Worst Things A Parent Can Say To A Kid Who's Getting Bullied How To Politely Ask Relatives Not To Spoil Your Kids During The Holidays
Sky News
5 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News
Whitehall officials tried to cover up grooming scandal in 2011, Dominic Cummings says
Whitehall officials tried to convince Michael Gove to go to court to cover up the grooming scandal in 2011, Sky News can reveal. Dominic Cummings, who was working for Lord Gove at the time, has told Sky News that officials in the Department for Education (DfE) wanted to help efforts by Rotherham Council to stop a national newspaper from exposing the scandal. In an interview with Sky News, Mr Cummings said that officials wanted a "total cover-up". The revelation shines a light on the institutional reluctance of some key officials in central government to publicly highlight the grooming gang scandal. In 2011, Rotherham Council approached the Department for Education asking for help following inquiries by The Times. The paper's then chief reporter, the late Andrew Norfolk, was asking about sexual abuse and trafficking of children in Rotherham. The council went to Lord Gove's Department for Education for help. Officials considered the request and then recommended to Lord Gove's office that the minister back a judicial review which might, if successful, stop The Times publishing the story. Lord Gove rejected the request on the advice of Mr Cummings. Sources have independently confirmed Mr Cummings' account. Mr Cummings told Sky News: "Officials came to me in the Department of Education and said: 'There's this Times journalist who wants to write the story about these gangs. The local authority wants to judicially review it and stop The Times publishing the story'. "So I went to Michael Gove and said: 'This council is trying to actually stop this and they're going to use judicial review. You should tell the council that far from siding with the council to stop The Times you will write to the judge and hand over a whole bunch of documents and actually blow up the council's JR (judicial review).' "Some officials wanted a total cover-up and were on the side of the council... "They wanted to help the local council do the cover-up and stop The Times' reporting, but other officials, including in the DfE private office, said this is completely outrageous and we should blow it up. Gove did, the judicial review got blown up, Norfolk stories ran." 3:18 The judicial review wanted by officials would have asked a judge to decide about the lawfulness of The Times' publication plans and the consequences that would flow from this information entering the public domain. A second source told Sky News that the advice from officials was to side with Rotherham Council and its attempts to stop publication of details it did not want in the public domain. One of the motivations cited for stopping publication would be to prevent the identities of abused children entering the public domain. There was also a fear that publication could set back the existing attempts to halt the scandal, although incidents of abuse continued for many years after these cases. Sources suggested that there is also a natural risk aversion amongst officials to publicity of this sort. Mr Cummings, who ran the Vote Leave Brexit campaign and was Boris Johnson's right-hand man in Downing Street, has long pushed for a national inquiry into grooming gangs to expose failures at the heart of government. He said the inquiry, announced today, "will be a total s**tshow for Whitehall because it will reveal how much Whitehall worked to try and cover up the whole thing." He also described Mr Johnson, with whom he has a long-standing animus, as a "moron' for saying that money spent on inquiries into historic child sexual abuse had been "spaffed up the wall". Asked by Sky News political correspondent Liz Bates why he had not pushed for a public inquiry himself when he worked in Number 10 in 2019-20, Mr Cummings said Brexit and then COVID had taken precedence. "There are a million things that I wanted to do but in 2019 we were dealing with the constitutional crisis," he said.
IOL News
14-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
R19,000 fine for man who ignored tax returns for 16 years
A man has been fined for failing to submit his tax returns for 16 years. Image: File The Rustenburg Magistrate's Court has fined a 48-year-old man R19,000 for failing to submit tax returns. This is despite the South African Revenue Service's (SARS) attempts to remind him to do so between 2007 and 2023. Paulo Silvino Dos Santos appeared before the court, facing 19 counts of contravening Sections 234(d) and 234(i) of the Tax Administration Act 28 of 2011 for failing to submit Personal Income Tax returns. His offences relate to the period from 2007 and 2008, during which he failed to comply with statutory obligations and directives issued by SARS. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson in the North West Division, Sivenathi Gunya, said despite numerous telephonic reminders and written notices, Dos Santos failed to comply. Gunya said the court appearance of Dos Santos was a result of the diligent work of the NPA's Specialised Tax Unit, which is tasked with promoting accountability and compliance by taking legal action against individuals and entities who wilfully disregard tax obligations. 'The NPA welcomes this outcome, as it underscores the importance of tax compliance in ensuring effective revenue collection and upholding public confidence in SARS's enforcement capabilities,' Gunya added. The Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West, Dr Rachel Makhari, emphasised the critical role of enforcing South Africa's tax laws in maintaining a fair and functional tax system. She said the NPA, in collaboration with SARS and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), remains committed to combating tax non-compliance under the Honey Badger Project. 'The hefty fine imposed on Dos Santos for failing to submit tax returns sends a strong message that such offences will not be tolerated,' Dr Makhari said. Additionally, she said the outcome underscores the seriousness with which the state treats tax non-compliance and reaffirms the legal obligation of all taxpayers to submit returns, an essential function that enables effective revenue collection to fund vital public services. Meanwhile, SARS has announced the official start of the 2025 filing season, which would effectively start from July 07, 2025, to October 20, 2025. In its statement, SARS said taxpayers who are automatically assessed would receive a notification from them from July 7-20. 'Taxpayers who do not receive an auto assessment notification from SARS and are required to file a tax return can do so from July 21,' read the statement. Additionally, SARS urged all taxpayers to prepare their documentation early to check their assessments and to avoid last-minute delays when submitting an income tax return.
Hans India
12-06-2025
- Hans India
GHMC cranks up crackdown against sweet shops in Hyderabad
Hyderabad: Several sweet shops in the city were found to be flouting food safety and hygiene standards. The Food safety officers of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation conducted inspections across the city on Wednesday. On a single day, as many as 60 sweet shops were inspected by the Food Safety Officers, following the directions of GHMC commissioner RV Karnan. Accordingly, the Food Safety Officers are conducting surprise inspection of sweets shops in their respective circle areas and the drive is being continued. The Commissioner instructed all the food safety officers to conduct surprise inspections on sweet Shops in their circle. Each officer was instructed to raid not less than five establishments in their circle. During the raid, the officers found common violations – use by/best before dates were not displayed for the sweets and savories kept in display for sale, utensils not clean, poor lighting in the kitchen premises, open dustbins. Moreover, windows are not fitted with insect proof meshes to prevent entry of insects, exhausts were found to be greasy, flooring was found to be patchy at some places and was found to be littered with food waste, housefly infestation was observed, walls and ceilings were found to be greasy, patchy and flaky, water stagnation was observed in the washing area and was found to be unclean and drainage system in kitchen was not proper. Additionally, food handlers were found to be handling the food with bare hands, employees were found without hairnets, pest control records, employee health records and water analysis reports were not found to be maintained. During the inspections, on finding violation of Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006 and Rules & Regulations, 2011, notices were also issued for rectification of defects and major violations, adjudication will be filed before the Adjudication Officers concerned. The food safety officers directed all sweet shop owners to strictly maintain hygiene standards in preparation of the food items, ensure clean kitchen premises, and maintain proper labelling of food items on display. The officers reiterated that failure to comply could result in legal action and possible closure of establishments.
Asia Times
11-06-2025
- Health
- Asia Times
A cure for Indonesia's ailing and corrupt health system
The Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional (JKN), Indonesia's single-payer health insurance, faces a looming deficit potentially amounting to 25 trillion rupiah (US$1.54 billion) as of 2025, the largest since BPJS Kesehatan (or BPJSK) began managing JKN in 2014. This alarming deficit has sparked public turmoil, with stakeholders suggesting solutions ranging from increasing monthly premiums to reducing coverage for smoking-related diseases. BPJS operates under mandates of UU 40/2004 and UU 24/2011, to administer JKN, Indonesia's universal health coverage program. JKN is financed through premiums: formal workers contribute 5% of their salaries, while informal workers pay according to one of three classes outlined in Perpres 64/2020. The government subsidizes premiums for the impoverished through the Minister of Health. When JKN users receive healthcare, facilities provide care and submit proof to BPJS for reimbursement. Additionally, primary health centers (Puskesmas) and clinics receive a per-person payment for each registered user, known as capitation payment. The models of Indonesia's national health insurance incorporate elements from two globally recognized health insurance models: the Beveridge model from England and the Bismarck model from Germany. The Beveridge model is seen in the National Health Service (NHS), which funds health insurance through government-owned services financed by tax. Conversely, the Bismarck model involves tax contributions deducted from salaries as part of the employee-employer contribution, applicable in both public or private sectors. JKN combines these approaches by collecting premiums through salary contributions and offering services to both the public and private sectors. Among the various factors driving the deficit, fraudulent activities within hospitals are particularly alarming. Several hospitals have been accused of creating false billing or shadow claims – a scheme often coordinated between the director and doctors in the hospital. However, these instances of misconduct represent more than isolated incidents; they are indicative of a deeper systemic issue characterized by an imbalance between funding and utilization of services. The tariffs set for hospitals providing JKN service, as determined by regulators, were considered insufficient by the hospitals themselves. Despite a revision in 2023, as indicated by the Ministry of Health Decree 3/2023, the updated tariffs were still perceived as inadequate. In response, the government increased the tariff in 2024, but only for Class A hospitals. This chronically underestimated tariff compels hospitals to adjust their practices. Some facilities discharged patients while still in compromised health—a practice that was eventually prohibited by BPJS. Moreover, certain hospitals engaged in patient 'cherry-picking' by selecting individuals with less severe conditions to reduce the length of stays and associated costs. Some seemingly unfortunate circumstances initially yielded positive outcomes for JKN and BPJSK, albeit briefly. During the Covid-19 pandemic, patients were compelled to stay at home to minimize the risk of contracting the virus. As a result, many refrained from using JKN services, which in turn relieved BPJS of the financial burden of hospital payments, ultimately leading to a surplus during the pandemic. However, as the pandemic subsided and service resumed, the usage of healthcare services rebounded. This resurgence increased BPJS's payments to hospitals, surpassing the expenditure levels during the pandemic. This complex phenomenon ultimately necessitates a comprehensive evaluation of the service provided under JKN by health facilities. It is essential to establish a transparent and timely surveillance and monitoring system focused on detecting fraudulent activities. Additionally, the formalization of entities responsible for managing fraud risks should be a priority. JKN has already set up a dedicated JKN Fraud Prevention team (Tim Pencegahan Kecurangan Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional ) , and it is essential to ensure both its operational capacity and robust governance to mitigate any potential conflict of interest. Beyond internal measures, external sanctions can also deter fraudulent activities. Current regulations allow for the revocation of medical permits for ethical violations. However, these primarily target individuals. Instituting broader institutional sanctions once fraud is proven can enhance accountability across the healthcare system. Indonesia's approach to managing its healthcare system must evolve to address both current inefficiencies and emerging challenges. This involves not only enhancing the integrity of financial transactions and service delivery within JKN but also fostering a healthcare ecosystem that supports ethical practices and robust financial management. As Indonesia navigates its path towards sustainable healthcare, the integration of stringent financial controls, coupled with an ethical healthcare delivery system, will be paramount. By reinforcing the structural and ethical foundations of its national insurance system, Indonesia can ensure that JKN not only survives but thrives, providing comprehensive and equitable healthcare coverage to all its citizens. The journey ahead is complex, but with concerted effort and strategic reforms, Indonesia can hopefully transform its healthcare landscape into a model for other developing nations and ultimately achieve universal health coverage amidst financial constraints and operational challenges. Ryan Rachmad Nugraha is an assistant professor at the Department of Family and Community Medicine, Universitas Gadjah Mada, specializing in primary care management. Ahmad Novindri Aji Sukma is an Indonesian Lawyer and PhD researcher at the University of Cambridge, specializing in Law & Criminology.
