 After a long summer vacation, school is finally back in session. As you probably already know, jumping from leisurely pool days into a hectic school day routine can prove to be a challenge for everyone involved. If you feel like you’re getting whiplash from the transition, don’t worry. With a little preparation you can save time and regain some of your sanity during the school day with these tips from DCH Freehold Toyota.
Talk it up
Frequently remind your kids that school is something to look forward to, and not to dread. Be encouraging and supportive. Begin with the understanding that all kids experience some sort of hesitation or anxiety when going back to school. Remind your kids how nice it is to see their friends and classmates. Ask questions and try to get them excited about what they’ve learned and what they’ll learn next. Planting a positive seed in your child’s brain about the school day will make it more likely they’ll cooperate in the morning when you’re trying to rush them out the door, lunchbox in tow.
Stick to a sleeping schedule
During the summer, kids often go to sleep late and wake up late. Their bodies will take some time to adjust to a schedule that involves earlier bedtimes. If your kids are struggling to make the switch, try transitioning their sleep schedule slowly, going to bed earlier and earlier each night until you reach your goal time. Even older kids will benefit from this new sleep schedule, and it will make learning and morning routines much easier when everyone is well-rested.
Establish morning and evening routines
Practicing daily routines will significantly decrease early morning chaos. Getting into a set morning routine that includes waking up, getting dressed, and eating breakfast is not easy, especially if your kids are used to lazy summer mornings. Set a morning the whole family is aware of, and get your child an alarm clock to decrease your morning rush and to give them the responsibility of waking themselves up in the morning. In the evenings, cut back on TV and videogame time. Even if they don’t have homework, get your kids in the routine of reading in the evenings so they’re used to focusing on something that isn’t a screen. The more you practice your routine, the easier it will become, so try to repeat it the same way every morning.
Eat a healthy breakfast
Research has continually shown that eating a healthy breakfast every day is extremely important, especially for young children and students. Without proper nutrition in the morning, kids tend to feel drowsy and distracted. Many children don’t like eating breakfast in the morning because they are not used to getting up that early, but prioritize getting at least a few bites in. A nutritious breakfast will give your kids the long-lasting energy that they need to kick start their school day. Plus, it will lower your risk of a morning low-blood-sugar-induced temper tantrum.
Pack lunches
Unless you pay for school lunches, your kids’ midday meal usually comes from home. Get yourself or your children in the habit of planning their lunches the night before. You can also pack the non-perishable items in their lunches the night before to save even more time in the morning. Include healthy snacks and try to limit the amount of junk food and sugary drinks in their lunches. Nutritious snacks will give your kids the energy and important nutrients that they need to focus on learning.
Lay out clothes
Avoid last-minute searches for socks or your kids’ favorite article of clothing by laying out their outfit for the next day the night before. Ask your child for input and suggestions to help them feel a sense of inclusion and responsibility. For younger children, practicing getting dressed quickly and efficiently can save lots of time and hassle in the mornings. Good luck from DCH Freehold Toyota!
Set up a study area
A designated study area will help keep your kids focused on homework, assignments, and studying. This space can also double as an area where your kids’ school items are located. Backpacks, lunchboxes, and the next day’s clothes will all be conveniently located in one spot the night before, so in the morning your kids have everything they need already prepared and laid out for them.
Go over safety tips
Last but not least, it is important to go over safety tips with your kids before their school day. Teach your children basic safety measures such as to never travel alone and to stay away from strangers. More importantly, teach your kids to be aware of situations and actions that are out of the ordinary, and to follow their own instincts. Make sure they know that if something doesn’t feel right, they should keep their distance and tell an adult. You can’t repeat a safety mantra too many times. They may roll their eyes, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Having everything prepared and organized ahead of time will save you and your children a lot of time and energy, and it will give your kids time to get excited for every upcoming school day. Sure, there are bound to be hiccups in your schedule, but a little planning may stop you from wanting to pull all your hair out by Monday at 8am.
 Toyota is well known for developing safe, reliable, and efficient vehicles that people really want to drive. Although Toyota is known for focusing on these priorities, they have also turned out their fair share of powerful sports cars over the years. Many examples can be found of Toyota’s engineering and design prowess, but as a nod to our favorite brand’s need for speed, here’s a list of the “10 Fastest Toyota Cars of All Time,” according to their 0-60 acceleration times:
10. MR2 Spyder- 7.2 seconds
9. Celica 1.8 VVTLi T-Sport- 7.0 seconds
8. Corolla T-Sport Compressor- 6.9 seconds
7. Camry Solara SE Sport- 6.9 seconds
6. Supra Mark IV- 6.5 seconds
5. Celica GT-Four- 5.9 seconds
4. Camry SE V6- 5.8 seconds
3. MR2 Turbo- 5.7 seconds
2. Supra 3.0 Turbo- 4.9 seconds
1. Supra Twin Turbo- 4.6 seconds
DCH Freehold Toyota is proud to represent a brand that has churned out so many impressive sports cars. Stop in today or call or contact us online to schedule a test drive and see what Toyota vehicles can do.
Pictured: 2014 Camry SE
Image: Toyota
 When you think of gadgets, what comes to mind? Maybe you think of cars, smartphones, GPS devices, or pedometers: all the devices that connect you with the rest of the world while also making your life easier. The trend for the future, though, may redefine our traditional associations with tech. Innovators are investing millions in gadgets we may not even realize are there: wearable technology. Beyond watches and glasses, check out some of the coolest concepts for wearable tech we’ve come across so far at DCH Freehold Toyota. How many would you wear?
Hardworking Headphones
Have you ever taken out your headphones at the gym or before a run, only to find the cords in a hopelessly tangled mess that makes you question whether or not you want to work out in the first place? Enter, The Dash: wireless in-ear headphones that are also a 4GB MP3 player, microphone, Bluetooth headset, fitness tracker, and heart rate monitor. Oh, and they’re also waterproof, so you can swim too. The good news: these things are awesome. The bad news: you no longer have an excuse to put off that workout.
Lose-able Luggage
Lost luggage. It’s even the savviest of travelers’ worst nightmare. You wait and wait at baggage claim only to find that of all the hundreds of suitcases on your flight to Tahiti, yours ended up in Nebraska. And of course no flights go out today, or tomorrow, so you’ll have to go without a change of clothes for a few days. But, what if your luggage was smart enough to let you know it was lost? This “smart luggage” would not only give you a heads up if its GPS tracking chips sensed it was going off course, but it would contact your airline and initiate the delivery process to your home or hotel when found. You can’t technically “wear” luggage, but it’s still pretty cool.
Capable Contacts
What if your contacts could measure your glucose levels using your tears? Google is developing smart technology embedded in contact lenses that could completely change the way diabetics manage their disease. If research is successful, instead of a painful finger prick, wearers could be alerted with tiny LED lights of shifting glucose levels. The research for these contacts is still in the early stages, but it sure is exciting.
Revolutionary Ring
Remember those dreams you had as a kid of becoming a wizard and waving your magic wand to control the world around you with magic? No? Just us? Well, whether you’re a wizard wannabe or not, this Bluetooth ring is the closest thing to a real life magic wand we’ve ever seen. With just a flick of the wrist, or rather, a twitch of a finger, advanced gesture sensors will be able to read your commands and surf the web, answer a phone call, take a selfie, write a text, or whatever else you need to do. Magic.
It looks like for now we’ll just have to make do with our luggage that can’t talk and our rings that can’t do magic, but the future is sure to bring a veritable wardrobe of wearable technology. We’re excited to see what’s next!
 DCH Freehold Toyota is proud to share the first details of the all-new 2015 Sienna SE. The new model offers a subtle exterior update and two new unique features, following in Toyota’s tradition of protection, convenience, and reliability.
One of the most distinguishing new features is the addition of a dark mesh grille for a more modern look. The shape of the headlights has also been altered slightly to accommodate a new strip of LED lights. The interior is consistent with what families have come to expect from a Toyota minivan, while also offering more to love. The new Driver Easy Speak system that redirects the driver’s voice to the back seats using a microphone and speakers.
Another exciting new family-oriented feature is the optional pull-down mirror. This lets parents keep an eye on their little passengers without the risk or hassle of turning all the way around. A panoramic backup camera also comes standard, ensuring that parking and backing out of spaces with blind spots is safer.
The 2015 Sienna SE recently debuted at the Artscape festival in Baltimore, MD this July. Here at DCH Freehold Toyota, we invite you to contact us to learn more about this exciting new minivan and our many other reliable Toyota models.
Image: Toyota
 The summer road trip. Along with grumbling about orange barrels and the price of gas, it’s an American tradition. DCH Freehold Toyota offers a look at where we go, when we go, and what it costs to get there.
Where
We drive far and wide to see families and friends, cities and National Parks. According to a report by Hotels.com, the top five destinations for Americans traveling within the US back in 2009 were Las Vegas, New York, Orlando, Chicago, and L.A.
We love getting out in the wilderness too. According to the National Park Service, there were approximately 279 million visits to our National Parks in 2011.
When
Summer driving season starts in earnest at the end of May, and boy, do we ever hit those roads! In 2012 the Chicago Tribune noted that “during the Memorial Day holiday, 30.7 million Americans drove to their destinations … according to a DK Shifflet and Associates survey conducted for AAA.”
Statistics from the Federal Highway Administration show the busiest months on the roads are May, June, July, and August. Probably no surprise there, although why do they also seem the busiest months for road construction? In fact, the FHA determined that in August 2012 we drove a staggering 262 billion miles. Yes, that’s billion. No wonder the roads seemed busy last summer!
The cost
We don’t all go visiting our relatives; many of us stay in hotels on our road trips, and depending on where you go, those can be expensive. The same Hotels.com report mentioned above also noted that in 2009 the most expensive states for hotels were New York, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Wyoming, and Rhode Island.
Many people believe the price of gas rises in lockstep with the temperature, but a glance at the charts on Gasbuddy.com shows this isn’t so. Yes, what we pay per gallon rises and falls throughout the year, but there’s no clear correlation with the time of year.
Road travel does, however, have one particularly grim seasonal correlation. Road fatalities peak in August, according to MSN Money. Now we know there are more cars on the roads, but the NHTSA reports accidents rates in terms of deaths per 100 million miles traveled. According to the report, August 2009 saw a “fatality rate of 1.09, compared with 1.08 for September, the second-deadliest month, and 0.94 for March, the safest month. July, at 1.04, is the third-deadliest.”
Why is summertime particularly bad? Insurance company Esurance put forward a number of reasons: more teens on the road, more congestion, and more construction. And could alcohol also have something to do with it? The NHTSA notes that the 4th of July is the most dangerous day to be on the roads.
Take it easy out there
Summertime should be fun, and the road trip should be too. Buckle up, stay safe, and hit the road!
Your car’s paint puts up with a lot. You can keep your vehicle looking better longer by getting Genuine Toyota Paint Protection Film applied at DCH Freehold Toyota. This accessory protects the paint on the front of your vehicle from chipping, dings, scratches, and other deterioration.
The film is applied by our specially trained installers and is completely clear and colorless. The film’s patterning focuses on the most vulnerable “impact zone” exteriors of the vehicle. An optional front bumper protection kit can be installed. You can even have the Genuine Toyota Paint Protection Film installation included in your overall financing or lease payment.
Interested in learning more? Contact the DCH Freehold Toyota service department for more information.
 Keep your car rolling safely and efficiently
One major cause of accidents, and financial distress, is not maintaining your vehicle properly. When it comes to driving, your vehicle’s tires are one of the most important parts to maintain. If you are looking to save money and increase your car’s safety, then you should consider regular tire balancing as well as alignment checkups. Here’s more information from DCH Freehold Toyota.
One of the biggest reasons that you should make sure your vehicle’s tires are aligned is safety. Misaligned tires can cause a number of problems including pulling to one side, less control over your vehicle, and an increased rate of wear on your tires’ tread. Not only is this dangerous, but you will have to replace your tires much more frequently if the alignment is off, which will put a big hole in your wallet. Another thing to consider is that misaligned tires will negatively affect your vehicle’s fuel economy.
Balancing your vehicle’s tires is also very important. Think about everything your tires encounter on a day-to-day basis. Whether it is potholes, sticks or rocks, your tires go through a beating every day. Sometimes, certain tires will wear more than others, creating an imbalance in your vehicle. The result is often a slight shaking of the car, which will get worse with speed.
Even the slightest imbalance can cause big problems, which is why it is important to take your car into the shop and have its tires balanced every so often. The result is that no one tire will be worn to an exaggerated amount, and wear will occur more evenly on all four tires.
If you need your tires balanced, aligned or both, then don’t hesitate to contact the DCH Freehold Toyota service department for friendly assistance. You won’t regret it and your car will thank you by running better than ever!
 Toyota has decided to decrease their production of longer-range battery-electric vehicles (EVs) and instead focus on building hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in their North American plants. Jim Lentz, CEO of Toyota’s North American region, says that EVs are best suited for commuting and for use on large corporate campuses, “but for long-range travel primary vehicles, we feel there are better alternatives, such as hybrids and plug-in hybrids, and tomorrow with fuel cells.” Toyota is looking to the future by refocusing their efforts towards the development and production of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles will be cheaper and more efficient, a savings that will benefit both Toyota and consumers. As part of this restructuring, Toyota has committed to fuel cell infrastructure in California. They have extended a $7 million arms-length loan to First Element Fuel, Inc., so they can build refueling stations for the new hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. The hydrogen refueling stations are slated to be up and running across California by fall 2015. Initially, the hydrogen fuel will be trucked in to the new stations until self-generating hydrogen stations become more cost-effective.
DCH Freehold Toyota is excited to watch the production of the new hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and pass along the savings to our customers. Call or contact us online to learn more about this new technology, or stop in today to test drive one of our new Toyota vehicles.
Toyota FCV at CES 2014 shown.
Image: Toyota
 Toyota has made the official announcement- it has decided to move its United States headquarters to Plano, Texas. The Japanese automaker has maintained its headquarters in California since 1957, but has decided to relocate nearly all of its operations, including much of its engineering, finance and sales and marketing teams to Texas.
Plano, a suburb of the large metropolis of Dallas, will be a major change for Toyota, and the move will affect a large number of Toyota employees, including those at the current Torrance, CA, Toyota Motor Sales USA campus, as well as thousands of employees at the company’s other locations. Some of the operations affected will include 1,000 workers at Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America in Erlanger, KY. Toyota believes this reorganization will affect about 4,000 employees total.
While Toyota has invited all of its current employees to make the move with them, they know that some employees will be unwilling to relocate. To encourage relocation, and make the transition as easy as possible for employees, the automaker is reportedly making expenses-paid visits to Plano available to full-time staffers and spouses to help them make the relocation decision, as well as a lump-sum payment if they decide to go through with the move.
The move will mean massive savings for the automaker, specifically in areas of taxation, real estate and employee cost of living. The move will bring Toyota headquarters closer to the majority of its North American manufacturing facilities which are increasingly concentrated in southern states, including Texas.
DCH Freehold Toyota knows this move will bring big changes to Toyota, and their increased savings will be passed along to you! Call, contact us online, or stop by today to schedule a test drive in one of our new Toyota vehicles and learn more about the exciting new changes happening at Toyota!
 What does it take to become a great golfer? Practice, practice, practice. But golfing technique isn’t the only thing that can be developed over time. Confidence can also be practiced and improved, and is key to achieving real, lasting success on (and off) the course as this guide from DCH Freehold Toyota shows.
As Tom Ward, PGA Tour Instructor, explains, “We all lose confidence from time to time; the important thing is to minimize the occurrences and the duration of these self-doubt spells.” Tom offers up four main ways you can achieve the results you want on the course, and we’ve explained them in-depth below.
Set defined goals for your training regimen.
With proper training, your mind and body will both develop over time. If your training is unstructured or aimless, though, it will take much longer to achieve the desired results—if they come at all. Set goals that correspond to what you want to achieve on the course. You’ll find this much more productive than simply hitting balls at the range. Plus, you’ll know when you’re getting closer to your goals and can adjust your training as needed.
As an added benefit, practicing specific swings can help you draw on these movements more naturally in an actual game. Two-time U.S. Open winner Curtis Strange calls this building “movement memory” in his book Win and Win Again!.
Establish a pre-shot routine that makes sense for you.
Jack Nicklaus, “the Golden Bear,” was famous for a pre-shot routine that he repeated down to the second throughout his professional career. That should be evidence enough of the importance of a well-defined routine. Coming up with the steps that work for you won’t be a one-time process, but you should be able to start seeing what feels “comfortable” and puts you in the best position—physically and mentally—before you take your swing.
Move forward by using past successes—even those off the field.
It’s easy to give in to defeat when approaching a hole where you’ve had difficulty before. If you’ve letting memories of past failures keep you from achieving future success, it’s time to make a change. Focus instead on the memories of your best shots—or other successes from throughout your life. No matter where your inspiration comes from, the result will be a more confident, more relaxed “you” who’s ready to face the challenges ahead.
Accept that you will make mistakes.
It would be nice to think that you will eventually play a perfect round of golf with enough practice, but the best players accept that making mistakes and adapting to new challenges is a mark of true success. As you build confidence, you’ll begin to trust more in your ability to handle whatever the next shot brings your way.
These tips for building confidence may bring the biggest results to your golf game, but they can also have positive results on other aspects of your life. When you put your mind to improving yourself, you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve.
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