Insurance Matters: Return of Premium By H. Darrell Watson
We are going to see the red-hot Braves play a game. The first parking lot we see costs $15. We give the attendant the $15, watch the Braves win, return to our car, and go home. The attendant keeps the $15. However, a little closer to the stadium is a $30 parking lot. We give the attendant $30, watch the Braves win, go back to the parking lot, the attendant gives us back our $30, and then we go home. Which parking lot would you choose? The first parking lot is like a term life insurance policy. You pay on the policy for a certain period, and at the end of that term, your insurance company keeps the premiums you have paid into the policy. The term policy served its purpose, but basically, you have rented the policy. The second parking lot is like a return of a premium life insurance policy. It does cost more than the first parking lot, but if you have not died during the term and you have faithfully paid the premiums, your insurance company gives you back every penny you have ever paid into the policy. The return of premium has an embedded savings account! The insurance company often times will give you a portion of the premium you have paid in if you are unable to continue to pay the premium. Life insurance is the cornerstone of your Planned Protection Portfolio. Make sure you talk through all your options with your insurance agent Continued on page 11
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Learning Lessons: Four Key Connections to Foster Your Child’s Early Development By Tanisha Turner
The brain develops faster in the first five years of life than at any other point, and studies show that the human brain is never more receptive than during this time period. Understanding some key facts behind children’s brain development can help parents and caregivers better support a child’s learning during this critical time. Dr. Laura Jana, a pediatrician, award-winning author, and member of the Primrose Schools Early Learning Council, employs four key connections to help explain why the first five years are critical for children’s development: 1. Connecting the Neurons. Babies are born with more than 100 billion nerve cells in their brains. These neurons must connect and communicate with each other in order to form the circuits needed to think, learn, and succeed – something neurons do at the remarkable rate of 700 connections per second in the first five years of life. In fact, peak development of sensory pathways, such as hearing, vision, and language, occurs during the first six months of life. Parents can make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity by nurturing their child’s natural desire to explore, asking meaningful questions, and creating as many learning experiences as possible. 2. Making Connections with Caring, Responsive Adults. The everyday back-and-forth interactions adults have with babies – from babbling to singing, cooing and other responsive gestures – shape brain development far more than parents and caregivers may realize. Research from The Continued on page 15
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