Children like to contribute. Even two year olds can do things to help. They often say, “Let me do it myself” so try to find ways for your child to help with chores around the house. We have to remember how challenging it is for them…
What would life be like for us if no one really listened to us? What if we got home from work and wanted to tell our story, and those around us just looked at their cell phones and didn’t look at us. What if our…
Your child won’t listen? There are a couple more things to do when a child won’t listen. For levels 1, 2 and 3, see “HOW TO GET YOUR CHILD TO LISTEN- POSITIVE TALK” and “HOW TO GET YOUR CHILD TO LISTEN- INFORMATION/FEELINGS”. LEVEL 4 Asking…
If we had to choose only one parenting tool to use, it would be family meetings. Positive Parenting: A to Z by Jane Nelson Weekly family meetings made our family’s life a lot smoother. By anticipating what the bumps in the weekly schedule would be, we…
If you want your child to have a high sense of self-esteem, don’t go out of your way to praise her; go out of your way to make sure she experiences mastery in many different ways. We want to be teaching life skills, not providing…
ROLE MODELS Children need role models to show them how to behave in specific situations. They also absorb the behavior they see from others in every day life or in videos. Very young children need direct guidance to know how to behave in…
MRI studies, longitudinal observational studies and input from tens of thousands of educators of young children have changed the way most view how one should appropriately interact with and guide very young children. Historical discipline has given way to strong guidance. Some historical discipline approaches…
Definition Autism is defined by the Autism Society Of America (ASA) as: “Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of…
The following article addresses what it feels like for a parent to come to terms with having a child with a serious health issue. WELCOME TO HOLLAND by Emily Perl Kingsley. c1987 by Emily Perl Kingsley. All rights reserved I am often asked to describe…
Summary: If you can’t find the perfect preschool, at a minimum, choose a school where teachers are warm and nurturing. If possible, find a program where a teacher has a BA in early education or has extensive early education training. There is an enormous amount…
The first thing to go during school budget cuts is often music or art classes. Children are also playing significantly less during their preschool years. This is highly unfortunate as one of the most important skills your child can have is creativity. Creativity brings joy…
Scaffolding/Providing Support to Your Child According to developmental psychologist Lev Vygotsky, a child should be helped within the zone of proximal development. This means you support a child doing a task that is “challenging for the child, slightly above his or her independent level of…