Category: Parenting

• Value Your Child’s Emerging Ideas

  

  When your child observes you valuing and integrating his ideas, his self-esteem will increase. You can help boost your child’s confidence and self-esteem with these tips: Give your child choices where either choice is acceptable. For example, “Would you like to wear the blue shirt or the pink shirt?” In both choices the child is…

• Using Teachable Moments

  

  As your child grows and develops, a spectrum of feelings emerge. Young children react emotionally, but it doesn’t last for long. For instance, your child may cry when he doesn’t get his way and a minute later, he may be laughing hysterically. Many teachable moments arise as children reach school age: they begin to recognize…

• Healthy Eating

  

  Children need positive food experiences to build a healthy relationship with food and food choices. Work together with your child to find a healthy recipe and make the dish together. If you eat outside the home, explain clearly what you expect the child to put on his plate. Remind him of the importance of selecting…

• Play Is A Child’s Work

  

  It is through play that children learn about themselves and the world around them. They learn to understand their environment, practice what they have observed, and explore objects and activities safely and thoroughly. Your children learn many important skills through play. Here are just a few: To help your child get the most out of…

• Children and Change

  

  As nature sends signs of the changing seasons, it’s a great time to encourage children to be aware of the changes in their surroundings. Challenge children to notice something that is different from yesterday. It can be simple, like the clothingwe wear, or maybe something they notice outside, such as an insect. Children and change…

• Get Moving!

  

  Fitness is an important part of a healthy lifestyle for all ages, but especially for children. Moving and being physically active is just as much about growth and development as it is a matter of fitness. Ready to get moving? Here are some simple tips for encouraging fun and exercise: READ 5 Yoga Poses for…

• Teaching Respect

  

  Respect is an important principle to share with your child, but it can be a hard concept to teach and show. The basic idea is that there are many different people in the world, each with his own thoughts, feelings and needs that all deserve to be considered. Teaching respect starts at home. To help…

• Learn With Your Child

  

  The greatest learning comes from the natural interests and passions of your child. When you see your child’s eyes light up, stop and dig deeper into his or her interests. Learn with your child for a deeper, closer relationship. Here are some tips to connect with the interests of your child and learn together: The…

• Build Literacy Around The Home!

  

  Literacy is a part of everyday life. We are surrounded by written words when we drive, cook, eat and shop. Point out the print you see in your everyday experiences to your child. This interaction is the foundation of literacy. Here are a few ideas to build your child’s literacy in playful and easy ways:…

• Dramatic Play at Home

  

  Your child loves to imitate your actions. This is both natural and foundational to the learning process. When your child role plays, he learns how to problem-solve and make sense of the world around him. Offer your child a range of dramatic play props and materials to foster a love for learning. Dramatic play prop…