Thursday, January 26, 2017

Using Cooking and the Kitchen as Parenting Tools

An experienced lawyer, Andrew Barovick serves as a partner with Alegria & Barovick LLP in New York City. Outside of work, Andrew Barovick enjoys exploring new restaurants and preparing delicious foods at home. While perhaps not a traditional location for parenting, the kitchen provides opportunities to impart lessons and grow closer to children.

Teaching in the kitchen can begin at very early ages. Toddlers can help adults count the number of fruits or vegetables they are using and report colors. Talking about ingredients helps build vocabulary.

As children grow older, adults can teach them about safety and what they can and cannot touch. Parents may also want to talk about where food comes from and other basics of agriculture. Making a recipe with a child helps teach reading comprehension and following directions.

Children can take part in cooking by choosing meals and foods for the family. The knowledge that they contribute helps build confidence. As children get older, they can help with mixing dough, basic chopping, and more. Naturally, children will spill foods and make mistakes. Being caring and understand helps them develop self-esteem.

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

A Few of New York’s Great Destinations for Cross-Country Skiing


Andrew Barovick has provided legal representation as a partner at Alegria & Barovick LLP in New York City for more than four years. Outside of work, Andrew Barovick pursues a multitude of hobbies, including cross-country skiing. 

New York has several excellent cross-country skiing destinations, including Mohonk Mountain House, which is less than two hours from Manhattan. Here, individuals will find 30 miles of groomed trails for cross-country skiing. 

Those who do not mind traveling farther can check out Lapland Lake Nordic Vacation Center in the Adirondacks. Because it is four hours from New York City, families are encouraged to stay in little Scandinavian cottages, which come with free use of the trails. 

One of the most affordable destinations is Beaver Lake Nature Center, which charges only $3 per car for admission. The center boasts seven miles of cross-country ski trails and three miles of snowshoeing trails.

A free option is Great Bear Recreation Area, which has eight miles of single-track trails through the woods.

Friday, January 6, 2017

Breathe from Your Diaphragm while Biking for Better Performance


Andrew Barovick works as a partner at Alegria & Barovick LLP, a New York-based law firm focused on Social Security disability claims, medical malpractice, property damage, and personal injury. Outside the office, Andrew Barovick enjoys cycling. 

One of the quickest ways to improve your performance and fight off fatigue on the bike is to focus on breathing from your diaphragm

The diaphragm is a muscle below your lungs that aids them in sucking in and expelling breaths. When someone tells you to breathe low, or from your stomach, they mean to breathe from your diaphragm. To do so, push your abdomen out as you breathe in, and tighten your stomach as you exhale. Breathing from your stomach allows your diaphragm to act as a billow instead of your lungs, improving the quality of each breath. 

The next time you ride, find a comfortable position that allows you to breathe from your diaphragm. You may have to sacrifice aerodynamics by sitting up straighter to allow your stomach and chest to expand. Any speed loss is made up for by having better breath control that allows you to persist longer without fatigue. 

Once you master breathing from your diaphragm while biking, you can start to focus on rhythmic breathing, which also helps boost performance.