Teach Kids How

Teach Your Child the Basics of Camping

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:23:24 +0000

When it's time for a family vacation, turning to the great outdoors not only brings your family together but connects your family to nature. There is nothing more incredible than being on the same path or natural way of living as your ancestors of hundreds of years earlier once lived. Children connect simply to the beauty and charm of nature’s offerings, that is unless they are terrified of bugs and crawling things. In which case they may spend more time in the tent than out. There is a large variety of campgrounds to choose from, you can search for one close to you through AllCampgrounds.com or GoCampingAmerica.com. Make sure that the campground you choose has a variety of things to do, to make your stay fun, active and an experience your children will treasure. Your campground should at least offer swimming, fishing, a nature walk or center, a lounge (where bingo, ping-pong and other such games and activities are offered) and a ranger station or first aid center. Preschool When children are young, just like teaching them anything, it’s important to show them how each event is done. When packing for your camping trip explain how important being prepared is, make a checklist that your child can hold and check off all the stuff you are packing in your vehicle for the trip. “We have the tents, check that off. EShow them where tents is written, the food, fishing equipment, hiking equipment, sleeping bags, cooking equipment (which should be for cooking over a camp fire or a small BBQ grill), the bug repellent, first aid kit, sun block, clothes, hygiene tools (tooth brush, hair brush, toothpaste, shampoo, soap, etc.), extra blankets and pillows, and any prescription medications. Once you get to your destination or campground talk your child through putting up a tent and have them actively help you put the tent up (see teach your child how to put up a tent). Walk them through every activity you will be doing such as fishing (see Teach Your Child How to Fish), going on nature walks, building a campfire and all other campground activities. Teach your child to stay within eyesight and set up a plan if they get lost, you can have them wear a whistle around their necks in case this happens for precautionary measures. Main points to address:

Teach them to stay within eyesight.
Explain every step of each activity.
Allow them to experience everything camping has to offer.

Grades K-3rd This is a great time for children to learn about nature. In the early elementary stages, they will take in as much information and they are really beginning to enjoy learning about their environment. Science is normally introduced to children in the first grade. Although it is still not recommended for children to go off on their own at this age, there are activities that can be fun to do together that will also teach them about their world. Have your children bring along a spiral notebook with them, not for note taking but for making a camping memory book, some glue and a writing utensil. Have them write down all the fun things they see, or they can collect a variety of leaves, sticks and stones they find and glue them on the pages of the spiral. In the evening you can enjoy the lounge area with your children, if the campground you are attending provides these activities, such as bingo or ping-pong or other indoor activities they have, then later in the evening share a campfire and stories. Let your child make up some of their own stories to tell, this is a great activity the whole family can enjoy. Main points to address:

Teach them to stay within eyesight.
Have them make a memory book.
Enjoy the lounge area with your children.

Grades 4th-6th Older children usually really get into camping, making a campfire, roasting marshmallows, sharing camp stories, and enjoying the nature around them. Research a variety of fun activities that you and your children can do together or print out scary stories or campfire stories to tell in the evening. A scavenger hunt is a fun activity for children in this age group. You can provide a list of things you want them to find, a certain type of leaf, a stick that is shaped a certain way, rocks that are certain colors, etc., this is a fun event that the whole family can enjoy and do together. If you will be allowing your child to go off on their own to play ping-pong or basketball with other children at the campground, be sure to have your campsite close to the lounge area so you will be able to see your child and call for them when needed. Main points to address:

Allow them to roam, just a little but teach them to stay within ear range.
Have fun camping activities (such as a scavenger hunt).

Resources Resources that can help you in your venture include:

Camping - http://camping.pdqguides.com
Outdoors Place - http://www.outdoorplaces.com

Teach Your Child How to Swim

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 22:08:11 +0000

One of the most enjoyable things to do during the hot summer months is to cool off with a dip in a pool, lake, or even the ocean. Not only is this summertime treat refreshing and fun, it is one of the best forms of exercise. When you are swimming you are using every muscle in your body to paddle, push and wade through tons of water, which can give you a great workout. Although there are many benefits to swimming, the deep water can be intimidating to any parent, with nearly 4,000 deaths occurring each year from drowning it would seriously cause anyone participating in the sport concern. Yet, nearly 80% of those deaths could have been prevented, with more than half due to children swimming unsupervised, and one-third of drowning victims were overconfident in their ability and swam out too far in deep waters. Children should not begin swimming lessons until they are four years old, as stated by the American Academy of Pediatrics, therefore it is encouraged to keep a life jacket on your children until that age and possibly until six or seven. Preschool Remember to keep a well-fitted life jacket on your child while you are teaching them to swim, if you are planning on training a younger child to paddle it is still highly recommended that they keep a life jacket on until they are around six or seven years of age. For safety reasons teach your child how to roll over in the water and float, first. If there should ever be a water incident with your children having the knowledge of this, it will save their lives and give them the ability to scream for help. It is important for children to understand that panicking in a water incident will only hurt their ability to be safe while retrieving help. Main points to address:

Remind your child to never panic.
Teach them how to roll over and float first.
Keep a life jacket on them at all times.

Grades K-3rd One of the easiest swimming techniques to teach your child is the “doggy paddle Eso starting with this one first will make the other techniques easier. Hold your child, with both hands, in the water placing the palm of your hand on your child’s stomach. Hold them vertical on the water top. Tell them to bring their arms up to their chest, their hands bent over in front of them to create a dog type stance. Ask them to push the water, (not sporadically, but fast enough to create a movement in the water) with their hands, almost as though they are pushing the water to their chests. Only introduce one procedure at a time with this group of children and do not move on to the next lesson until children have practically mastered one. There are a number of videos on the topic that should be able to help you including; http://www.swimlessonskidslove.com/ and http://www.makeasplash.org Main points to address:

Until your child has three or four years of swimming experience they should keep a life jacket on.
Teach them how to doggy paddle first.

Grades 4th-6th As children get older and have a few solid years of swimming under their belt this is when parents should really be worried. Did you know the second leading cause of death for teenage boys was drowning? It’s true! They feel overconfident and swim beyond what their bodies can handle, it is important to go over safety precautions with your children as they get older until they understand that. Main points to address:

Explain the importance of respecting the water.
No matter how great they can swim let them know overconfidence can hurt them, and has done so to many swimmers in the past.

Resources Resources that can help you in your venture include:

Learn with Shamu - http://www.learnwithshamu.com
Swimming Drill - http://www.swimmingpracticeplans.com
Southern Cloth Baby - http://www.safelyswim.com/learntoswim.htm

Teach Your Child How to Fish

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 21:47:43 +0000

Taking your child on an outing, such as fishing, not only creates a bond between child and parent, but it also benefits the health and well being of children. In today’s society, with more video and technology related games and computers, children are spending more and more time indoors on the couch in front of the TV or staring at a handheld video game system. This only leads to unhealthy habits, overweight problems, loss of exercise and appreciation for the vast environmental encounters they would experience out of the house. Although most parents believe everything their children do has to be a structured learning experience, this is untrue, children learn through play, experience and a variety of worldly environments. Although fishing is not a physically exhausting occurrence it is a great time to enjoy the company. So sit back throw your lines in the water and have a relaxed time while you wait for the fish to bite. Preschool Preschoolers truly enjoy this recreational experience; with the thought of catching a swimming pal, young children will be eager and ready to learn how to fish. It’s important to have the right gear when fishing with your children, make sure to have a pole that fits the size of your child (you can purchase these poles in most fishing isles of your local department store) with a quality ultra-light bait cast or a spin cast, use small hooks (hook sizes run backwards so a size 12 hook will be smaller then a size 10), with bobbers (these are so much fun to watch and will alert you when the fish bite), sinkers and live bait (such as worms or crickets). Supervise your children when casting and waiting for the fish to bite. Make a few rules for safety around the water, such as no running, keeping their shoes on, be sure to look around when casting and always wait for an adult to pull a fish in. You may also put your child in a life jacket, if the water is deep enough and you are fishing off a peer. Main points to address:

Supervise your child and their pole.
Get a fishing pole that is their size and fits their arm's length.
Go over rules for safety with your child.

Grades K-6th The success of fishing greatly depends on the location, patience and the pole used. But the memories earned from fishing are far greater than ever being successful with it. Fishing is about connecting with the great outdoors and with the person you are fishing with. To have a better opportunity of making that memory more meaningful make sure that you have the right fishing pole for your child, one that fits their height. Supervising your child will help ensure a safe and successful trip, you should also make sure to have the right equipment (small fishing hooks, bobbers, live bait, sinkers, and the right fishing line, smaller poles usually have the right fishing line for the size of the pole) and protective gear (such as bug spray, a life jacket, sun block and a first aid kit). You can also bring along a small picnic lunch and plenty of drinks if you are making an entire day of fishing. But most importantly, have an enjoyable time talking or just enjoying the company of your child with a day of fishing. Main points to address:

Have safety gear.
Have the right fishing equipment.
Bring a packed lunch.

Resources Resources that can help you in your venture include:

Kids Fishing - http://www.kids-fishing.com/
Fishing for Kids - http://www.fishingforkids.net/

Understanding the Dangers of Online Predators

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 21:44:06 +0000

Surfing the Web is not only fun and educational for young children, it can also be dangerous. There are more pedophiles searching through the modem lines today then there were just five years ago on the playgrounds throughout the world. Why? Because that is where they can earn young children’s trust, by making them believe they are a friend and someone their age. Think of the difference of seeing a creep at a park, you know to run to your parents and hide behind their protective arms. Now think of a chat room with tons of other teens giggling, laughing and talking about how their BF (best friend) is making them ROFLOL (rolling on the floor laughing out loud)! Pedophiles only have to know a little lingo to gain your child’s trust and make them think they are just another kid hanging out. In an article written by Robert B. Fried, BS, MS titled The Internet: A Breeding Ground for Online Pedophiles concerning chat rooms Mr. Fried states, “It is also here were many offenders prey on vulnerable youngsters. One such example is known as a ‘chicken hawk E which refers to an online pedophile who uses chat lines and member profiles to locate potential victims, sometimes posing as another youth to establish a bond. EYou can read the entire article at http://www.crime-scene-investigator.net/OnlinePred.pdf It is a PDF file so you must have Adobe Reader to view the file. Preschool Be sure to have safe websites on hand, under your Favorites list that has learning games and things for your preschoolers to do. These should actually be the only web sites your child visits when they do go online. Use game sites that will teach your children about some of the dangers on line, such as: http://www.netsmartzkids.org there is nothing more practical for young viewers than fun that teaches them a lesson. Main points to address:

Never leave a child online alone in this age category.
Have a variety of safe sites for a fun and safe environment for your child.
Use games that teach and entertain.

Grades K-3rd Although it is not recommended for children to be online alone in this age group, you can allow them to freely explore the Internet with you in the same room or at an arms reach. Yet, before you do allow them to be alone on the net sit down with your child and set up “house rules Efor the computer. Establish your concerns and the type of web sites you are okay with them visiting, such as age appropriate web sites and sites that have chat rooms. You can use web filters, while you are giving them the freedom to browse, which only allow certain types of web sites to be displayed while your child is browsing. Where email is concerned only allow your child to use a family address until they reach the 6th grade. This email address should be easy to remember for the entire family and set up with the password preinstalled for easy checking. Main points to address:

It is still not recommended that children in this age group be online alone.
Keep a family e-mail address ourfamily@myisp.com, instead of giving them their own address.
Establish house rules for when you are not right there with your child.

Grades 4th-6th It is okay to allow this age group to be online alone, although you should establish house rules so your children know exactly what type of web sites they can visit, be sure to outline safety precautions. Tell them the truth about your concerns, girls have been abducted and perused by sick minded strangers who try to kidnap children. The slightest slip of a school, neighboring community, sport leagues or other local spots can give a pedophile the right motivation to find a child that he/she has been talking to online. Let them know it’s important to trust their instincts, if something online makes them feel nervous they should share that information with you. If there is someone on a message board or chat room that just doesn’t seem right tell them to let you know, this could be followed up with the local authorities (on which board or chat room it is and the person's online name) or Cyber Angels (http://www.cyberangels.org). You should also check the web sites your child visits, not as a nosey parent but as a precautionary parent. You can do so by looking at your temporary Internet files or the history files on your Internet browser. To review your temporary files using Internet Explorer complete the following steps:

While in your Internet Explorer click tools and then select Internet Options.
Once the window pops up click on the General tab, click Settings under the Browsing History or Temporary Internet Files.
On the Internet Files window find View Files and click it. The window that pops up will show every website ever browsed from that computer.

Main points to address:

Regularly review the web sites your children view by going to the Internet temporary files on your computer.
Establish house rules for this age group.
If you allow them to have their own e-mail address, be sure to set parental control filters so adult content or Spam can not get through your child’s mailbox.

Check the sites your children review. Resources Resources that can help you in your venture include:

Children’s Safe Internet - http://childrenssafeinternet.com/
Love Our Children - http://www.loveourchildrenusa.org

Tools for safety for your computer:

Safe Kids - http://www.safekids.com/
Kid’s Shield - http://www.kidshield.com

Teach Your Child How to Use the Internet

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 21:39:17 +0000

The information highway is a great resource for school age children to obtain information for a variety of school related and personal issues. No matter what they are looking for, your children will find it on the Internet, but it’s important they know how to look for the things they need to know. The Internet is just a vast open portal that can be overwhelming for young children when looking for things to do online, the younger your children are the more supervision they will need, not that this is much different than what most parents do anyway. Preschool Children of the preschool age should always go online with a family member or adult caregiver. Generally children of this age don’t have the critical thinking skills to be online alone. As you go online with your preschoolers slowly explain every move you are making while you are connecting to the Internet. “Here is the internet icon that we click to open the Internet, then we click our user name and sign in. Wow, look at that, we’re online.” Explain to your child how the search engine works to find all the web sites that you are interested in using. “Now, let’s find some fun websites, we click here in this search box and type in "preschool games", look at all those websites we can go to, to have some fun and learn. EUse kid friendly search engines, such as http://encarta.msn.com/ or download http://www.hekko.com free, where you can pre-select the websites you allow your child to browse. Main points to address:

Supervise children online consistently.
Explain how the search engines work to find information.
Slowly explain every step you are taking with your child.

Grades K-6th When your children are looking for information for school and other projects, the Internet can be a great resource. Explain to your child that not every website has accurate content so they should always double check the information they find online for accuracy. Have your child note the type of website it is, is it an entertainment website (which could have purposely misleading information), a media site, or a retail website. They should also back up the information they find on websites with reference CD’s, books or other similar web sites. Establish house rules (as set out in the article Understanding the Dangers of Online Predators) for your child’s safety. Its very important children understand the concerns and real dangers of giving out their real name on a web site or through personal e-mails. House rules should include, the time a child can spend online, the type of websites they are allowed to visit, the type of information they can provide to websites and chat rooms, and the type of chat rooms they are allowed to use Eit should actually only be school related or a room that is moderated. You should also check the websites your child visits, not as a nosey parent but as a precautionary parent. You can do so by looking at your temporary Internet files or the history files on your Internet Browser. To review your temporary files using Internet Explorer complete the following steps

While in Internet Explorer click Tools and then select Internet Options.
Once the window pops up click on the General tab, click Settings under the Browsing History or Temporary Internet Files.
On the Internet Files window find View Files and click it. The window that pops up will show every website ever browsed from that computer.

Main points to address:

Regularly review the websites your children view by going to the Internet temporary files on your computer.
Establish house rules for this age group.
If you allow them to have their own e-mail address, be sure to set parental control filters so adult content or Spam cannot get through your child’s mailbox.

Resources Resources that can help you in your venture include:

Learn the Net - http://www.learnthenet.com
Welcome to the Web - http://www.teachingideas.co.uk
Teach-nology - http://teach-nology.com/

Teach Your Child How to Keep a Journal

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 21:29:20 +0000

Journal writing is not only a good way to help your children with their writing ability but it is also a healing tool. Psychologists and therapists have used journal writing for many years to help those going through difficult situations to write down their personal issues and their feelings. They have found that this helps to clear out the negative feelings in individuals who have been abused, freeing themselves from the emotions that can cause personal abuse in the future. Teaching children early on how to keep a journal will give them a great tool to use should unforeseen circumstances happen in their lives, or throughout their teen years when things become more confusing everyday. Preschool Many preschoolers don’t know how to write anything more then their names, so to get them involved in writing a journal have them draw pictures about their day instead of writing about it. Get a spiral, or other type of journal book, and have them write in it nightly. Say, just before they brush their teeth for bed, you can have them sit down at the table and draw a picture about their day. Encourage them to write about their feelings as well. Therefore, if they went to the park that day, have them draw a picture of a swing and slide and a picture of how going to the park made them feel on the bottom of the page. Most children will feel happy about this so they could simply draw a smiley face. Let them know they don’t have to be an artist, no need to get them frustrated over the pictures, just draw it how they see it. Main points to address:

Have a consistent time of the day to write in their journals, make it daily or at the very least weekly.
Have them draw pictures about their day instead of writing about it.
Make sure they draw a face of how they feel as well as what they did.
Try to encourage them to draw as they see things, don’t worry about the way they draw.

Grades K-3rd Once children learn to write, it’s time for them to add writing to their drawings in their journal books. Have your children write at least one line of text, to accompany their pictures. It’s okay to allow them to continue to draw pictures just so they write about their day as well. This is a good age to begin to introduce journal topics. Journal topics can include everything from “What is your favorite thing to do? Eto “What would happen if everyone lived in space? EJournal topics can be anything that you can think of that will prompt children to write about something to expand their thought processes. Here are a variety of other topics you can have your children write about: http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/prompts.html This is a good age group to give your children the option to keep their journal private or to share their journal with their family. Understand if they feel they would rather keep it private; in addition show excitement or interest if they would like to share their journal with their family. Main points to address:

Have them add a line of text to their picture journal entries.
Begin Journal Topics, this will expand their thought process and writing process.
Allow them to keep their journals private or give them the opportunity to share that with the family.

Grades 4th-6th Once children reach the middle of elementary school, they are more inclined to write about deeper issues and keep the content of their journal private. Be understanding to your child if this is the case, and do not pry. It’s very important that children feel they can trust their parents to not invade their personal belongings. It is a good time to have you children provide a more detailed journal, this can include goal writing, plans, detailed thoughts and feelings, things to do, and additional writing prompts. Encourage them to write in their journal more often, presumably right before they go to bed. This is really the best time for children to write a journal, they feel more inclined to be honest and write without worry of someone looking over their shoulder. Main points to address:

Have them keep more detailed journals.
Expand Journal Topics.
Encourage them to write in their journal more often.

Resources Resources that can help you in your venture include:

Seeds of Knowledge - http://www.seedsofknowledge.com/journals6.html
The Write Site - http://www.writesite.org/html/journal.html
Tooter 4 Kids - http://www.tooter4kids.com/journal_writing.htm

Teach Your Child to Do the Right Thing

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 21:07:41 +0000

As our children get older little by little they become less and less dependent on their parents. As they get more independent they spend more hours outside of their home environment; including school, extra curricular activities, spending time with their friends, etc. While we hope we have taught our children to do the right thing when a variety of situations are presented to them it doesn’t always work in our favor. You can take preventative measures to make sure your child does the right thing both in your presence and when you're not around. WORDS OF CAUTION: While you are teaching your youngsters to “Do the Right Thing Efor other people, I urge you to stress to your children not to help a neighbor or stranger who they don’t know (not to help any grown-up without the consent and knowledge of their parents). This can only get your children intoextremely dangerous situations. See the article “Teach Your Children How to Be Aware of Stranger Danger E Preschool Although young, most preschoolers automatically do the right thing. As though it is a value automatically instilled into our children. But our guiding tools will keep them on the path to doing the right thing by, first setting good examples; hold a door open for a stranger, pick up something that someone dropped, help those in need whatever the situation might be, while your child is attentive (although this should be something we do automatically). Talk to your child about what it means to do the right thing and provide examples of situations in which to do the right thing. Offering help to mommy and daddy working around the house is doing the right thing, picking up your toys as soon as you’ve finished playing with them is doing the right thing, being kind to others, picking something up if someone drops something, turning in a lost purse or wallet (even if it has money in it) is doing the right thing. Main points to address:

Teach by example Eallow them to see you doing the right thing.
Read stories that incorporate the benefits of doing the right thing.
Talk about a variety of situations in which the characters does the right thing.

Grades K-3rd Provide hypothetical situations for your child and ask them what they would do in that situation, “if you found a wallet or a purse on the side of the road, what would you do with it? E“If an elderly woman dropped something next to you, what would you do? EAllow your child to answer without you giving direction or choices. Once they answer you can instruct them more, should their answer need instruction, “it would be the right thing to help other people in any way you can.” As always guide them instead of forcing your opinion on your child, encourage and guide. “I am so proud to know that you would help that person with their schoolwork, that’s doing the right thing right there.” You are exemplifying someone doing the right thing constantly, be sure to not get overly upset when someone cuts you off on the road, or get too anxious when the line at the grocery store is taking to long, use that time to talk to your child. In fact, if you have a cart full and the guy behind you has only a handful of things let him go before you. Use every opportunity you have to show your child how someone can do the right thing. Main points to address:

Talk to your children about situations where doing the right thing is an option.
Encourage and guide them, instead of forcing.
Don’t allow anger over small things to push your teaching back. Instead allow these to be teachable moments.

Grades 4th-6th Ask them when they are in a situation where they have to make a decision between doing something for someone else, first make sure that this is appropriate and safe for you Ethen ask them to think about how it would make them feel either way. Say they found a wallet that had money in it, how would it make them feel if they found the owner and gave it back to them or how would they feel if they kept the money. Allow everyday situations to become the grounds for talking to your child and teaching them about using good judgment. Allow them to talk to you about their friends and the things they might have done in school that your child was upset about. “Amanda borrowed my pencil and she never gave it back. E“Jane said she didn’t want to be Angie’s friend, and that made me really mad.” These might seem like tiny issues to you, but they are major to your child and can be great tools to use for backing up your values of doing the right thing. “You might be upset about the pencil, but there might be something else going on in her life that we don’t know about. Although you know that if you borrow something the right thing to do is give it back right away, I think we should just get you another pencil so you’re not so worried about that one.” Main points to address:

Talk to them about situations that could lead to someone doing the right thing, ask them what they would do in those situations.
Talk to them about their feelings, on both ends Eif they did the right thing and if they didn’t.
Allow them to discuss their small problems with friends, use the situation to back up your value of doing the right thing.

Resources Resources that can help you in your venture include:

Teach-At-Home - http://www.teach-at-home.com/JClark.asp
Child Care Aware - http://www.childcareaware.org/

Teach Your Child to Be a Good Sport

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 20:51:01 +0000

Sportsmanship is defined as "conduct and attitude considered as befitting participants in sports, especially fair play, courtesy, striving spirit, and grace in losing". As many of us have seen from newscasts around the world, there are sadly some parents who display poor sportsmanship. Most children have a desire to win; regardless of whom they are playing against or what sport they are playing. The desire to win can lead children to behavior that is considered poor sportsmanship, even when we as parents take the part of demonstrating how a good sport behaves. Here are some tips when you find your child in this position to help get him or her on the path to good sportsmanship. Preschool There are a number of parents that allow their children to win at games, although parent’s hearts are in the right place this only teaches children false hope. Which makes them believe they can beat almost anyone at the games they play because they beat their parents. Imagine the embarrassment children will endure when they go to school thinking they are the best chess player in the world because they beat their parents and then get beat by other classmates. Always teach your child the basic concept of games and allow them to learn by getting beat (you can always give them hints or ideas while they are playing you to help them win, just never allow them to win), the more times they lose the better they will learn the game. Explain to them the length of time you have been playing and how many years you had to practice to get really good at the game. (Mommy has been playing chess for 25 years, I started when I was your age and only really starting getting good after I played for two years, so although you will not be able to beat mommy right now, if you keep practicing you could one day beat me at my own game.) Exhibit good sportsmanship while watching sport on TV or at a sports outing. You can do this by cheering for your team, but making positive comments about the other team (the guy on the other team sure did make a good run, etc.) This will teach your children that although you are a fan of one team you still respect the other team's players. When your child is playing sports or a game and they display good sportsmanship, acknowledge and praise them for that. “That was wonderful how even though you were losing you told your brother good try, that is really good sportsmanship. EBut you should also be sure to address negative behavior, “I know you don’t like to lose, nobody likes to lose, but throwing the bat down or kicking the ground because you missed the hit is not appropriate behavior. Having the privilege of playing sports come with a responsibility to play fair and just have fun. EEncourage your child and all the other players to keep the competition fun and fair for everyone. Main points to address:

Model good Sportsmanship.
Acknowledge when your child shows positive attitude while playing games and sports.
Encourage fair play and competition by all players.
Correct inappropriate behavior.

Grades K-6th In this age group children will have more opportunities to be involved in school sports, clubs and group activities. This is one of the best times to install good sportsmanship into your child’s life, before it gets out of hand and to a point where the honor of playing sports won’t be an option for them. To eliminate that from happening start out with moderating your child’s behavior closely to see if there is starting to be a problem or you could see one beginning to develop. Watch closely when they are losing or winning at a game and see how their attitude develops for each. Address the issue right away if you see a problem, by simply explaining how good sportsmanship is not only recognized but it is respected and expected out of each player on every sports team. Support them with encouragement and motivation, while on and off the team. Set a good example for your child while attending their sporting events and respecting the coach’s decisions to play your child or not play your child. If you do encounter a problem with the coach never address that in front of your child, be sure to have a private moment with the coach. It is also important to accept your child’s ability, if you were a team quarterback throughout your school career don’t expect your child to have the same talent or the same passion for the sport. If they do, that’s great, but never push them into something you want to do. Listen to their wishes and desires before addressing yours to your child. Main points to address:

Take note of your child’s attitude when they are losing and when they are winning, address inappropriate behavior.
Support your child with encouragement and motivation.
Select appropriate sports/games with their ability in mind.
Accept your child’s ability.
Be a good listener to their needs.

Resources Resources that can help you in your venture include:

Kids Health - http://www.kidshealth.org
Youth Sports - http://www.youth-sports.com
Family Education - http://life.familyeducation.com

Teach Your Child How to Make Good Choices

Sun, 09 Jun 2013 20:14:32 +0000

As children grow so do the number of choices they have to make. The choices will begin just as soon as they start school and will continue to grow in complexity as your child matures. What does it take to make a choice? Making a choice takes a balance of self-confidence and the mental ability to think through the consequences of your decision. Therefore, teaching a child to make good choices will benefit them for years to come and will definitely set your child in the right direction. Children should be eased into decision-making at an early age. Below is a breakdown of each age group and the suggested amount of choices that should or will be presented in their lives. Preschool When children are in this age group it is a great time to introduce decision-making to your child, by offering simple daily choices to your child. Start in the morning by picking out two shirts for your child and ask them which one they would like to wear for the day. Throughout the day you can continue with small choices, “Would you like an apple or banana for a snack today? EIf they are unsure of which to pick, let them know it’s okay to take their time and just pick one, when you are giving your child a decision to make be sure to allow them to make the choice, otherwise they may depend on you to make all their choices. Once your children get the hang of making decisions for themselves, offer them choices that affect the entire family as well. Do you think we should have rice or potatoes for supper? Or which flowers should we plant in the front lawn, the white ones or the red ones? This gives your child the sense of family contribution and self-worth, their opinion is important to the family unit. Main points to address:

Encourage them to learn decision-making skills early, would you like an apple or cheese for a snack today?
Allow them to choose between only two different objects at a time (which of these shirts would you like to wear today?)
Once they can make decisions for themselves, allow them to make decisions that affect the entire family.

Grades K-3rd As most parents know, teaching through example is a very good starting point to teaching our children the values we want to instill in them. Talking about good choices is your next best tool, explain to your child what a good decision is. A good decision is one that results in more good then harm, considers the feelings of other, is selfless, follows the rules, and is positive and beneficial. At this stage of childhood children will make a number of choices that we aren’t happy with or make us turn the other cheek and wonder if that was actually our child. Allow children to make these choices, good or bad, and when the choice comes up that is not so good this is the perfect opportunity to talk about choices with your child. “The choice you made to spit in the house was not an appropriate decision, let’s talk about choices and how they affect you and the people around you.” Main points to address:

Teach internal control EAsk questions instead of giving directions.
Be a good example.
Allow children to make mistakes Ethis teaches them how to handle their errors in the future.
Be compassionate to your child.

Grades 4th-6th It’s an essential feeling to know that you are needed or of importance. Normally we gain this understanding by the jobs we do and the positions we hold in society or our home life. It is also a very important feeling for children. This not only helps children to make the right decision when they have choices presented to them, but this ensures they will make the right choice. Think of how important we felt once we became parents, all our choices changed in the blink of an eye, because someone else needed us. This rings true for this age group as well. Give your child a responsibility that makes them feel they are making a difference, not simply taking out the trash, but something that makes them feel they are contributing something important. For example, taking care of the family pet, making sure the wild birds have food, etc. Tell your children the truth about a variety of important issues, especially when they ask. Children that feel as though they are being mislead or lied to from their parents, they don’t feel as though they are important enough or not smart enough to handle the truth. Tell the truth about the effects of drugs and alcohol, one hit from certain drugs can kill you or make you addicted, which leads to worse things in your life, etc. Encourage your child to form positive friendships, see How to Form Positive Relationships on this site, children are more than 50% likely to make the same choices their closest friends make, therefore the friends they have and the choices their friends make will make a huge difference in your child’s decision making. One other very important step is to talk to your children about the affects of negative choices and the affects of positive choices, “If Oprah Winfrey never made the choice to go to college she may not be the highest paid woman in television history. EThe more open you are now with your children, the better and stronger the lines of communication when they get to an age where peer pressure, bad choices and the negativity of the teenanage years will be in abundance. Main points to address:

Give them a responsibility Ehelps to show that they can do something of importance and helps promote self-discipline.
Establish boundaries.
Tell them the truth about drugs and other harmful substances that might be a part of their choice making sometime in the future.
Help them choose positive friendships.

Resources Resources that can help you in your venture include:

On their Level - http://ontheirlevel.org/communication/help-them-make-healthy-choices/
Drug Proof your kids - http://www.drugproofyourkids.com/Parenting/A000000010.cfm
US Department of Education - http://www.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/adolescence/partx.html
Connect with Kids - http://www.connectwithkids.com/products/goodkidsbadchoices.shtml

Teach Your Child To Pray

Sat, 08 Jun 2013 20:12:08 +0000

Religion is a large part of society; nearly 85% of families practice some type of religion in the world. The core principle for more then 90% of those religions is prayer. When you raise your child in a particular religion, sure they duplicate the way you and other family members pray but do they know how to pray, the meaning behind prayer and why prayer is important to your religion? No matter what religion you and your family practice, you can use these practical tips to help your child better understand concepts of prayer through your particular religion. Preschool Prayer is simply a part of a preschooler's daily routine. Most religious leaders believe this to be normal for children of this age group, as long as they practice prayer on a daily basis it will be enough for them until they get a little older. You can use established prayers with this age group, such as the nighttime prayer many young children recite at night:

Now I lay me down to sleep I pray the lord my soul to keep Guide me Jesus through the night And wake me with the morning light.

And for dinner the following prayer:

Thank you for the world so sweet, Thank you for the food we eat, Thank you for the birds that sing, Thank you God for everything. Amen.

You can always replace the name of Jesus with your religious leader, if you are not of Christian or Catholic religions. Explain to your child that prayer is our ability to communicate with a higher power, and to talk to their higher power through prayer as though they were talking to their best friend, a friend who has the ability to make their prayers come true. Offer subjects for your child to pray about, get them in the habit of talking about their day, their wishes, their hopes and wishes for family and friends and praying for guidance. Talk openly about prayers in the home and have a time daily where the family can pray together, such as the dinner table. Be active in a community church or other organizations that practice prayer regularly. Main points to address:

Use established prayers .
Offer subjects to pray about.
Keep a consistent prayer schedule, before bed, when you wake up, at dinner, etc.
Offer stories of people whose prayers have been answered and the benefits they received from prayer.
Talk openly about prayer.
Be active in a community that practices prayer regularly.

Grades K-3rd Children in this age group begin to have an understanding of why prayers are used and how to pray accurately. Yet, open conversations about prayer are encouraged. When in a conversation allow them to explain in their own words what they believe prayer is, what it is used for and when people should pray. Give them the opportunity to explain their thoughts on the subject and adjust your advice around their answers. Therefore if they say you should pray at night and in the morning, you add yes personal prayers are best kept for morning and afternoon and family prayers are best used for dinner or before a major family event. You can continue to use established prayers with this age group, as the ones you regularly use or those provided above in the preschool age group.

Allow them to pray in their own words.
Encourage prayer daily (not just when there is a problem).
Provide directions for prayers, “you know your uncle is in the hospital so in your prayers this evening you should talk about how special your uncle is and why he needs and deserves a miracle to get better. E/li>
Give them the opportunity to explain what prayer is, then add additional comments regarding prayer and how it is used.

Grades 4th-6th As children get older so do the complications of the world, this is a good time for children to get a closer and fuller understanding of prayer through youth groups, youth camping trips or other group outings for believers in their age bracket. Children who feel closer to their spiritual guide have a better chance of turning against peer pressure and other pre-teen risks. Therefore a better understanding of seeking guidance through prayer, getting stress off their shoulders through prayer and the ability to talk openly with their higher power will benefit them on their journey’s now and as they get older. Main points to address:

Advise them on the reasons for prayer:
- Giving thanks.
- Asking for forgiveness.
- Asking for personal needs to be meet.
- Thoughts for others who need the support and guidance of their higher power.
Encourage them to talk to their higher power through prayer just like they are talking to their best friend or writing in their journal.
- As a great way to get all their stress off their shoulders without worrying about judgment from others.
Give examples of miracles that have happened to people who use prayer on a regular basis.
Encourage them to use prayer more often as a form of guidance for peer pressure and other things children tend to have problems with.

Resources Resources that can help you in your venture include:

Beliefnet EKids Favorite Prayers (in various religions) - http://www.beliefnet.com
A Fun Prayer Project - http://childparenting.about.com