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…
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…
I have outlined below ways to help your child with imagination/creativity, emotional intelligence, literacy, math, joy of learning, writing development and service. As you interact with your child, remember children are not mini-adults. They are qualitatively different in their ways of learning and thinking from…
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…
Children have different learning styles. Developmental psychologist Howard Gardner defines six different intelligences/learning styles. Linguistic intelligence: sensitivity to spoken and written language. Logical-mathematical intelligence: the capacity to analyze problems logically, carry out mathematical operations, and investigate issues scientifically. Musical intelligence: skill in the performance, composition,…
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…
Sometimes it feels like you cannot change your child’s behavior so try focusing on changing your own behavior instead. For this, use “I messages”. This only works in certain situations, though, but can be an extremely effective tool. “I messages” are about controlling your own…
What are some signs that your child is having to deal with bullying behavior? There is an imbalance of power within their friend group. Power differences can be based on almost anything. Any time one person really wants something, there is potential to be kind towards…
Is my child OK socially? What should she be doing at this age with her peers? You are in luck. NAEYC, an early education organization and the largest education group in the world, has figured this out for you. The following checklist will help you…
Is your child being bullied? Is she too passive with others? How can you make sure your child is not someone else’s doormat? Is your child bullying others? How can you teach them to rein in aggressive tendencies so they don’t hurt or alienate others? Teach…
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…
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…