Annoyed with their complaining I asked: “Those are really simple tasks like taking the trash our, how long do you think it will take you to do them?”

And of course they answered: “It’s so much work! We will do these for the whole afternoon”.

I said: “OK, let’s see.”

Then I prepared a table with tasks and left some space for notes. When they start performing those little tasks, I measured time and as you might imagine they did everything in 15 minutes. But it was fun and because of that it was not so difficult to do.

So, next time you want something from your kids, make it a challenge:

1. Measure how much time something will take them to do
2. Make a competition – who will be first to finish the tasks
3. Let them guess how much time will they need for the task and see how close they got
4. Set a time goal and see if they can perform within the specified time frame

Just like the kids learn through play and the play is their job, it will be so much easier if you make their “job” a play. Let them do something at their own pace and even their own way. As long as it is done what do you care how it is done.

What can you as a parent do about it? How can you help?

1. Listen to your child! If he or she complains about school, try to figure our what is really going on. Is he nervous about meeting new friends, maybe new teachers or is it something more serious? Does he have problems with the learning and thinks that he can’t cope with new stuff? Is he lonely and has no friends?
2. Attitude is everything! Let him think of different ways to see the situation. What good can it come our for him? How can the situation be viewed from different angles and different points of view. Think about many different ways. Try with many questions, especially that start with What if… For example if he is afraid of new teachers, try with questions like ‘what if you already knew this teacher?’ ‘What if the teacher was your friend?’ ‘What if this teacher likes you best?’ and so on. Think of as many different questions as possible.
3. Encourage your kid to come up with the solution! Now when you see the problem through different angles, what could he do about it? What steps can your kid make to come out of the situation as the winner? Let him think of different ways to cope with the problem. Help him find more ways to deal with it. There are always many solutions to one problem. It is important that he finds our his preferable actions, that he is most comfortable with. Of course you want to intervene if he comes with something negative or damaging.
4. Stand by Your child! Whatever he decides to do, encourage him to follow through. Help him with the action steps and encourage his willingness to improve the situation. Maybe some actions requires your cooperation or that you do something for him. Be there for him, but don’t do everything for him. Be part of the solution not its main part:)

Now at the beginning of new school year or going to the kindergarten for the first time, it can be quite challenging for some kids to be comfortable with new people.

Here are few tips how you can help your child to make new friends:

1. Examine your own thoughts, words and actions!

However strange it may sound, it all starts with you. How do you behave with strangers? What are you saying abut other people? How do you describe other kids? Are they adorable little creatures or those awful dirty screaming punks?

When you relate to others with negative words and even frightening your child, he will certainly feel insecure around new people. If they will be nice to him, he might even feel that he is betraying you if he is to return the kindness.

If you act reserved and going away from other people it’s great probability that your kid will act the same way.

2. Take it slow

Sometimes the kids are naturally shy and need some more time, even if you are very outspoken and open. In this case, keep your positive attitude, as it can help a lot. Approach other kids and communicate with them, making sure your kid see that it’s safe and that it’s ok to talk and play with them.

Encourage interactions with other people but don’t push your kid to make friends. He might need some more time. Allow him enough time and space to get comfortable with others. Maybe you can invite some families over your house for some ice-cream or lemonade. It will be much easier for your kid dealing with strangers in  familiar environment.

3. Keep it safe!

Even though most people are nice and friendly, there are some who are not. Let your kid know about dangers and how to react when faced with them. It is important not to scare or even threaten your kid. Explain differnet, possibly hazardous situations in simple and neutral terms.

How do you help your child when meeting new people and making new friends? Please share your thoughts and comme

Laughter relaxes the whole body and relieves physical tension and stress. It boosts the immune system by decreasing stress hormones and increasing immune cells. Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. And last but not least protects you from the heart diseases, because it improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow.

When laughing you can’t feel angry or sad. Humor helps you shift perspective. And you are so much more fun to be with.

Read more about the benefits of laughter at http://helpguide.org/life/humor_laughter_health.htm

So why don’t you make it a laughter day?

• Laugh for no reason!
• Smile to strangers!
• Make fun of things and events! (Just be careful not to offend anyone!)

Watch how your laughing gets contagious and how it spreads all over the world.

You like this game? You might also like “50 Law of Attraction Games for Children”.

Look for familiar shapes and make up a story about them. Where are they going? What are they seeing from above? What are they talking? Are they happy or angry?

Think about different stages and transformations of the cloud – from being cute little cloud to huge storm cloud that brings wind and rain.

Discuss with the child different stages in human life and how every stage has its own responsibilities and challenges and joy and happiness as well. Tell him about constant changes, and how we too have our ups and downs.

Snakes mean wisdom, healing, intuition, awaking of creative forces, ability to handle change without resistance, new opportunities for change, material vitality, intellect emotional control and increased sensitivity to the environment. Really great, isn’t? And now wherever I go I am looking for snakes eager to see one.

The only thing that changed in this story is my perspective, my point of view and my attitude.

When thinking of your family life and your children, what are your beliefs that limit your happiness? Are you afraid of something that never happens? Or are you holding yourself back because someone said something to you long time ago and you stick to “the truth”?

If there is an area in your family life that isn’t quite satisfactory and you have the feeling it could be better, first examine your attitude. Be honest and sincere. Are your thoughts and actions really positive and oriented toward the improvement of the situation? Or are you expecting bad outcome and you just “know” what will happen?

Remember, your thoughts are powerful magnets. You attract situations, some would even say, create ones that are in alignment with your dominant thoughts. How many times we say: “I knew this will happen!” Of course we knew, when we attracted it:)

“Whether You Think You Can or Can’t, You’re Right” (Henry Ford)

In most of the times it is only our attitude that makes all the difference. If we are expecting good outcome, we will get it, and when we are expecting something bad, we will get that too.

Think about your attitude towards family members. Are you expecting that your kids will talk back to you? Or that they will not do their homework? That they will get bad grade?

Think then about the message you are sending to your children. They are acting in the perfect harmony with your expectations. And instead being good students, they are expected to perform less than they are capable. Do you really want that?

Try to step outside your current situation and thinking and evaluate your thoughts. Ask other family members how they see your attitude and your support. Get your friends’ opinion about your family situation.

Decide what you want to change and start with little steps. Ask for the feedback and correct your attitude until it is in alignment with what you really want. After you take some positive action you will soon see positive responses and the family atmosphere will improve on other areas as well.

What really bothered me that day was that some parents were treating their kids as they were little babies even when they were already 4, 6 or even more years old.

Are you doing the same mistake? Do you always stand behind your kid and follow each step? Are you yelling: “Dress up, you will catch cold?” or “Don’t go there, you will fall!” or even “You already ate one ice-cream today, you might get ill if you eat more!”. And then there were parents who were dressing and undressing the kids. Running after them with sandwiches. Going with them to the ice-cream parlor just few steps away. Or have them wear shoes all the time.

By over-protecting your kid you are doing great damage to his self-esteem and his self-worth. You are taking away his power to do the things his way and to learn by doing. And you are depriving him of some great experiences.

Here are some tips you might consider doing:

• Even small kids can quickly learn to dress and undress, so let them do it by themselves. There is no need that you control them or even do it for them. So what if not everything is just perfect. The kids don’t mind and they can play as well with two different socks.
• Let your kid do errands – kids are eager to learn things that adults are doing. Let them do basic chores (like making beds, doing the laundry, getting out garbage, even some cooking and cleaning). It will take time at first, but you can be sure, they will learn soon enough. Not only will they feel empowered, you’ll have less work to do
• Give them some tools. Except when the stuff is too heavy or dangerous, when you should protect your child, let them bang and saw just like his daddy. The final product is not as much important as the feeling of creation. And when you actually produce something together they will be so proud.
• Send your kid to buy something. Do it with caution, but let him go to the store, pick up things and pay for them. Start with small list, ice-cream or donut , and wait for the kid in front of the store.
• Negotiate some basic rules when you go out with the kid, like how far he can go by himself, where you will wait for him and where you will meet again, but then let go. Watch from distance how he plays and where he goes.
• Do not intervene at every quarrel he has with the friends at the park. Trust him that he will handle it by himself. But make sure he is aware that he can always get your help if he asks for it.
• Kids know when they are hungry and thirsty. There is no need for you asking them all the time. Have special time for the meal, but before and after that they don’t really need to eat.
• Let the kids enjoy nature by walking barefoot on the beach, in the sea, through grass… Let them be outside when it rains. They are not so fragile. And if you protect them all the time, they will sure get cold when you least expect it.
• Let them get dirty. Clothes and hands can get washed, but the kids watching others from distance and being afraid to mess the clothes can get really miserable.

When you let your kid do things by himself, he will be more eager to learn more. He will gain confidence and will be more likely to try new things. He will learn to listen to his own voice and to judge the situation better, because he will have some previous experience. He will be more open to other people, but still careful and prudent.
And what is important as well, you will learn to trust your kid. You will be calmer and more peaceful, knowing that he can take care of himself and be responsible.

Here are few ways how you can do it from early years on.

When the kids are really small they depend on you and your care. But as soon as they can do something by their own, let them do it. Encourage their trying and efforts. Just like we are enthusiastic about walking, speaking and riding a bike, teach them other smaller tasks like dressing up, eating, putting away toys etc. with the same enthusiasm.

With older kids give them more responsibilities. Send them to the groceries by themselves. Trust them with money. Let them do the laundry. They can prepare some food. There are millions of things that kids can do if given a chance.

Of course at first they need some time to learn, but with some trying and encouragement they will get better and better. What is really important is that they learn to trust themselves, to never stop trying. They should learn not to be afraid of failing. And they should believe that they have your support even if they fail or do a mistake.

When your kids are getting even older, you can ask them about their opinions. Include them in family planning. Let them decide about things that are important to them, of course within the family limits. At some point my daughter decided to wear two different socks. And as silly as it looked to me, I let her do it. She felt understood and her decision appreciated and that is much more important than looking “right”. What you should learn is to respect their decisions even of you think they are silly or stupid. Intervene only if it is threatening to their or others lives.

By giving kids opportunities to do things by themselves they will learn important lessons of self-respect, being responsible and trust-worthy. By going from the young ages with little steps, increasing the tasks and responsibilities, you will also learn to trust your kid that he will more likely reach the right decision when necessary. You can’t expect from your kid, that you are always telling him what to do, to become responsible over night. It is a learning process for both parents and kids and it is much easier when it is performed gradually and over time.

It is a combination of laughing and yoga breathing and it is based on the assumption that the body cannot differentiate between fake and real laughter, and that their physiological and psychological benefits are thus identical. People get together just to laugh, which is stimulated by eye staring and playfulness.

Ever noticed that the children are naturals for this? They make funny faces, quirky noises and peculiar moves and I’m sure your child would love to laugh along, if you make those.

So, when you have a few minutes, make your child ROFWL (roll on floor with laughter).

Did you like it? Please share your comments below!

You might also like other 49 ideas and activities in the “50 Law of Attraction Games for Children” workbook to help you teaching children while you play.

Get them list all the things they really have.

Help them see beyond material things (although they will probably start with them). Put on a list all their friends, things in their neighborhood and the environment (like fresh air, water, woods …). Don’t forget to mention their rights (like freedom, schooling…) and their feelings (towards themselves, other people and from others to them).

You can even make a competition, who can list more things.

Or go even further and find the pictures of everything listed to post somewhere as a reminder.

The game will show your kids that they already have lots of things that they can enjoy and be grateful for. They will also help them appreciate the NOW and to live in the moment.

Did you like the idea? Post your comments below!

Or check out other 49 ideas in the workbook “50 Law of Attaction Games for Children”.