All parents need a good parenting resource of their own. Since parenting is such a tough occupation a parenting resource can help make things easier for any parent. How and where can a parent find a relevant parenting resource? There is no one sure and perfect parenting resource for everyone. A parent may have to determine for himself/herself which parenting resource is helpful and applicable. There are however specific areas where one can get a parenting resource. You can get your parenting resource from the following:
The Book and Video Haven
Any place where they sell or lend a vast selection of books and videos may be a parenting resource. You can go around looking for a bestseller parenting resource or something created by experts in the field of parenting and psychology to get a good parenting resource. Surprisingly, an experiential parenting resource account or even fictional stories of parenting may be useful parenting resource for the discriminating parent.
Comprehensive Sites and Links
Not surprisingly, the internet can have every kind of parenting resource imaginable. You have the option of checking out sites that will provide you with a comprehensive parenting resource section or one that will provide you with specific parenting resource information. You can also check link or .net sites if you want to have a brief overview of some other sites that may be good places for a parenting resource.
Message Boards and Others
You may prefer a parenting resource that’s highly practical and that comes from people who have actually experienced parenting. You can use parents’ forums and message boards as your parenting resource. In this kind of parenting resource you can swap stories and practical tips and information. A lot of parents may warm up to this kind of parenting resource because it is conversational, light and a fun way to go about talking about parenting.
Formal Classes and Support Groups
A clear and structured parenting resource may come from such formal areas as parenting courses and support groups. This type of parenting resource will surely offer highly professional pieces of information. There is no doubt that if you enroll in a parenting resource class, you will get a load of theories and actual practice accounts from trained professionals in the field of parenting. Support groups can also offer parenting resource that may be both categorized as formal expert quality and personally supportive and uplifting in nature.
People You Know
A practical parenting resource source would be people you actually know. Your own parents, family, friends and colleagues may each be a parenting resource. Ask these live, actual parenting resource people what they can share based on what they know and their experience. This may be the cheapest and best parenting resource you can ever have.
However and wherever you choose to get your parenting resource make sure that your parenting resource is applicable to you and your family. Remember, not all families are the same.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Saturday, October 25, 2008
The Advantages of Attending Parenting Classes
PARENTING CLASSES YOU NEED IT
Parenting can be the toughest job in the world, indeed it is. Even the smartest ones give up on finding the perfect equation for the perfect relationship with your kids. You know why? Because there is no such thing as perfect, there are only ideals and appropriates.
If you are a newbie in the world of parenting, it will be as twice as hard for you. Let’s be honest, all of us wants to be the best parents for our child and who wouldn’t. However, most of us are still uncertain if our so-called way of parenting is correct. If you want to learn a lot of helpful strategies to cope up with the staple challenges of parenting, then help is on the way.
Parenting classes are all the rage of today. Some even take classes even if the baby is still on its way. Parenting classes are facilitated by expert instructors that give out lessons to aid moms on the need. They give out helpful information on different aspects of parenting. If necessary, they will even require some parents to undergo structured parenting program that will teach them a step by step approach on parenting.
The only misconception about parenting classes is that some parents think that it can change their ways of raising a child. What you need to remember is that, these lessons only serve as your guide and the implementation of such all depends upon you. But when the time comes that a real change is required in your usual parenting technique, your instincts will tell you so and you will know it.
If you think that only problematic parents take parenting lessons, you are absolutely wrong. What you don’t know is that even healthy families tend to scout for help if they need it. If you’re one amongst the big majority who want to attend but just don’t have the time to attend parenting classes, you are just in luck because parenting classes are well established on the web. You can just easily take online courses in the comforts of your own home. How’s that for a class?
Parenting is truly the hardest job one could ever have and to note all of these are a lifetime commitment. Parenting classes are mere supplementation for those who wants to seek help from experts. There is no right or wrong way in parenting, however there will always be what we call as the acceptable way.
Parenting can be the toughest job in the world, indeed it is. Even the smartest ones give up on finding the perfect equation for the perfect relationship with your kids. You know why? Because there is no such thing as perfect, there are only ideals and appropriates.
If you are a newbie in the world of parenting, it will be as twice as hard for you. Let’s be honest, all of us wants to be the best parents for our child and who wouldn’t. However, most of us are still uncertain if our so-called way of parenting is correct. If you want to learn a lot of helpful strategies to cope up with the staple challenges of parenting, then help is on the way.
Parenting classes are all the rage of today. Some even take classes even if the baby is still on its way. Parenting classes are facilitated by expert instructors that give out lessons to aid moms on the need. They give out helpful information on different aspects of parenting. If necessary, they will even require some parents to undergo structured parenting program that will teach them a step by step approach on parenting.
The only misconception about parenting classes is that some parents think that it can change their ways of raising a child. What you need to remember is that, these lessons only serve as your guide and the implementation of such all depends upon you. But when the time comes that a real change is required in your usual parenting technique, your instincts will tell you so and you will know it.
If you think that only problematic parents take parenting lessons, you are absolutely wrong. What you don’t know is that even healthy families tend to scout for help if they need it. If you’re one amongst the big majority who want to attend but just don’t have the time to attend parenting classes, you are just in luck because parenting classes are well established on the web. You can just easily take online courses in the comforts of your own home. How’s that for a class?
Parenting is truly the hardest job one could ever have and to note all of these are a lifetime commitment. Parenting classes are mere supplementation for those who wants to seek help from experts. There is no right or wrong way in parenting, however there will always be what we call as the acceptable way.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Inspired Parent Before Conception, Pregnancy, Birth and Baby
Inspired Parenting
There are a few different elements involved in inspired parenting which will I will address in a series of articles.
One of the basics of inspired parenting is the whole idea of co-parenting with the Universe, God, Angels or whatever word/image fits for you. Inspired parenting invites in the support of the universe so you don't have to do it alone.
When you believe you have complete and sole responsibility and have to do it alone, parenting can feel overwhelming (even before conception or during pregnancy!).
When you realize that you are being loved and supported as you parent or prepare for pregnancy the whole experience becomes so much easier and joyful for all concerned (including baby).
Inspired Parenting in Pregnancy or Before
As you actually invite the universe to help you in your different tasks, you are opening the door to great joy and fulfillment in pregnancy and family life.
So every day you can ask that the universe to help you prepare for your baby, to keep your baby safe and to support his/her healthy development. You can ask that it easy for you to feel good, have energy and enjoy the pregnancy.
You can visualise all the support you need during pregnancy and when baby arrives. And any worries you have can be handed over to the angels so that they can sort it out.
In inspired parenting there is trust that all is well, that your baby is safe, that you are protected and cared for and that you can have fun.
There are a few different elements involved in inspired parenting which will I will address in a series of articles.
One of the basics of inspired parenting is the whole idea of co-parenting with the Universe, God, Angels or whatever word/image fits for you. Inspired parenting invites in the support of the universe so you don't have to do it alone.
When you believe you have complete and sole responsibility and have to do it alone, parenting can feel overwhelming (even before conception or during pregnancy!).
When you realize that you are being loved and supported as you parent or prepare for pregnancy the whole experience becomes so much easier and joyful for all concerned (including baby).
Inspired Parenting in Pregnancy or Before
As you actually invite the universe to help you in your different tasks, you are opening the door to great joy and fulfillment in pregnancy and family life.
So every day you can ask that the universe to help you prepare for your baby, to keep your baby safe and to support his/her healthy development. You can ask that it easy for you to feel good, have energy and enjoy the pregnancy.
You can visualise all the support you need during pregnancy and when baby arrives. And any worries you have can be handed over to the angels so that they can sort it out.
In inspired parenting there is trust that all is well, that your baby is safe, that you are protected and cared for and that you can have fun.
ARE YOU THE BEST PARENT
Parent as Leader. Parent Leadership. What does it really mean? Do you think that as a parent you are also a leader and if so, how do you go about that?
I have always found the words Parent and Parenting to be very emotive. For me, they bring up a feeling of exhaustion, frustration and a feeling of being stuck. I'm not sure if this is only me but I have never found these words at all inspiring. Let's face it, bringing a child into the word and caring for them, ensuring that they grow up to be a fine young adult is so much more than about parenting. I remember saying to someone ages ago that I am not a parent; I am a relationship builder and that felt much more freeing for me. I then went on to replace this with the word Leader; I am a leader for my child. To me that feels more like a task to take, a result to achieve, an inspiring outcome to work towards.
Our radio show last week was all about this topic and it really got me thinking of the similarities between parent coaching and corporate coaching. You see, they are not much different. In executive coaching a person comes to a coach to grow and improve their leadership style, perhaps they need to step into a leadership role they feel uncomfortable in, or perhaps they need to make uncomfortable decisions as a leader. Well, parent coaching is the same thing; without knowing it, clients come to me because an area in their parent leadership needs developing. There is a place as a parent that they need to step into and they know it. Despite how ever many books you read, you will not find the answer to this. You see, most of the parenting books tell you what you need to do and not who you need to become to do it. That, I guess, is where my book differs and is why parents who read it feel relief, because they realise that actually, to change things at home they just need to make little adjustments. When we see ourselves as a leader we can see hope where before we saw, well let's just say, our child not doing anything we say. When we see ourselves as a leader we make different choices. Like Benjamin Zander askes, "What am I doing that is not allowing this person to shine?" It puts everything in a different perspective.
A Parent Leader thinks differently and asks different questions of themselves and their child For example, instead of asking, "Why will my child not do anything I ask?" they will ask, "What do I need to do to teach my child responsibility?" Instead of, "What is wrong with my child and how can I fix this?" they will ask, "What do I need to change about my style to support my child in this result? Instead of "Why does my child always speak to me in this way?" they ask, "What am I doing that is allowing another person to treat me like this?" Instead of. "I don't think my child could handle that!" they ask, "If I believe my child could handle this, would I behave differently?"
As you can see, it is entirely a different mindset and as I am sure you can imagine, it produces different results than merely parenting, whatever that is anyway.
So how can you access your leadership and what is required of a good parent leader?
For this I want to turn to the great book, The Four Fold Way, which draws on ancient wisdom and I believe can show us the way forward. In ancient wisdom it was believed that to raise a well adjusted child, four types of leadership were required; the way of the Warrior, Teacher, Visionary and Healer. Now in ancient and past times, children would have gone to different people for these things and certainly within tribes, people would have been given these designated jobs. Think of your own childhood, who was the person you went to when you needed someone to be strong. What about when you needed to heal some pain or have someone gets excited about your future plans? Anyway, you see where I am going. Now in modern day society, this does not happen. Children don't have these different people to go to so as the Parent, we need to search inside ourselves and learn to become all of them when our child needs us to.
I have always found the words Parent and Parenting to be very emotive. For me, they bring up a feeling of exhaustion, frustration and a feeling of being stuck. I'm not sure if this is only me but I have never found these words at all inspiring. Let's face it, bringing a child into the word and caring for them, ensuring that they grow up to be a fine young adult is so much more than about parenting. I remember saying to someone ages ago that I am not a parent; I am a relationship builder and that felt much more freeing for me. I then went on to replace this with the word Leader; I am a leader for my child. To me that feels more like a task to take, a result to achieve, an inspiring outcome to work towards.
Our radio show last week was all about this topic and it really got me thinking of the similarities between parent coaching and corporate coaching. You see, they are not much different. In executive coaching a person comes to a coach to grow and improve their leadership style, perhaps they need to step into a leadership role they feel uncomfortable in, or perhaps they need to make uncomfortable decisions as a leader. Well, parent coaching is the same thing; without knowing it, clients come to me because an area in their parent leadership needs developing. There is a place as a parent that they need to step into and they know it. Despite how ever many books you read, you will not find the answer to this. You see, most of the parenting books tell you what you need to do and not who you need to become to do it. That, I guess, is where my book differs and is why parents who read it feel relief, because they realise that actually, to change things at home they just need to make little adjustments. When we see ourselves as a leader we can see hope where before we saw, well let's just say, our child not doing anything we say. When we see ourselves as a leader we make different choices. Like Benjamin Zander askes, "What am I doing that is not allowing this person to shine?" It puts everything in a different perspective.
A Parent Leader thinks differently and asks different questions of themselves and their child For example, instead of asking, "Why will my child not do anything I ask?" they will ask, "What do I need to do to teach my child responsibility?" Instead of, "What is wrong with my child and how can I fix this?" they will ask, "What do I need to change about my style to support my child in this result? Instead of "Why does my child always speak to me in this way?" they ask, "What am I doing that is allowing another person to treat me like this?" Instead of. "I don't think my child could handle that!" they ask, "If I believe my child could handle this, would I behave differently?"
As you can see, it is entirely a different mindset and as I am sure you can imagine, it produces different results than merely parenting, whatever that is anyway.
So how can you access your leadership and what is required of a good parent leader?
For this I want to turn to the great book, The Four Fold Way, which draws on ancient wisdom and I believe can show us the way forward. In ancient wisdom it was believed that to raise a well adjusted child, four types of leadership were required; the way of the Warrior, Teacher, Visionary and Healer. Now in ancient and past times, children would have gone to different people for these things and certainly within tribes, people would have been given these designated jobs. Think of your own childhood, who was the person you went to when you needed someone to be strong. What about when you needed to heal some pain or have someone gets excited about your future plans? Anyway, you see where I am going. Now in modern day society, this does not happen. Children don't have these different people to go to so as the Parent, we need to search inside ourselves and learn to become all of them when our child needs us to.
Friday, August 29, 2008
TIPS TO STOP BED WETTING
TIPS TO STOP BED WETTING
O STOP BEDBedwetting is quite normal when it is among the infants. It turns out to be a problem when the parents find it at the time of their school going stage or sometimes beyond that. Bedwetting is an involuntary urination during one's sleep which develops frustration among the parents and embarrassment among the children.
Bedwetting is quite a delicate subject to deal with as any punishment or restriction like teasing, scolding etc. gives our negative result. Correct way has to be adopted by the parents in order to overcome this problem. Rather than making child feel bad about this problem of bedwetting, parents have to try and assure child that this could be easily overcome.
Below are some tips that could help the child have night without wetting.
1. A very normal idea to avoid bedwetting is to take the child to toilet before they go to bed. This should be a regular routine so that they go to bed with their bladder empty. It should also be taken care that the child has easy access to toilet in case they need to urinate waking up at night.
2. Another tip is to avoid plenty of fluid intakes at night so that they have lesser tendency to urinate during night that can prevent bedwetting. Parents can stop feeding them with fluids at least two hours before they go to bed.
3. Always use a plastic or rubber sheet that could protect your bed from getting wet by urine and smelling due to bedwetting. This will make it easy in changing bed and child will also not feel much disturbed with wet sheets.
4. Building confidence in a child who wets the bed is more important than treating him otherwise. The feeling of self-belief will help a child overcome bedwetting to a large extend.
5. Praise from the parents when the child does not wet is also as important as how parents try to overcome it. This will make the child understand that the positive side of it is not to wet and be dry till he or she wakes up in the morning.
O STOP BEDBedwetting is quite normal when it is among the infants. It turns out to be a problem when the parents find it at the time of their school going stage or sometimes beyond that. Bedwetting is an involuntary urination during one's sleep which develops frustration among the parents and embarrassment among the children.
Bedwetting is quite a delicate subject to deal with as any punishment or restriction like teasing, scolding etc. gives our negative result. Correct way has to be adopted by the parents in order to overcome this problem. Rather than making child feel bad about this problem of bedwetting, parents have to try and assure child that this could be easily overcome.
Below are some tips that could help the child have night without wetting.
1. A very normal idea to avoid bedwetting is to take the child to toilet before they go to bed. This should be a regular routine so that they go to bed with their bladder empty. It should also be taken care that the child has easy access to toilet in case they need to urinate waking up at night.
2. Another tip is to avoid plenty of fluid intakes at night so that they have lesser tendency to urinate during night that can prevent bedwetting. Parents can stop feeding them with fluids at least two hours before they go to bed.
3. Always use a plastic or rubber sheet that could protect your bed from getting wet by urine and smelling due to bedwetting. This will make it easy in changing bed and child will also not feel much disturbed with wet sheets.
4. Building confidence in a child who wets the bed is more important than treating him otherwise. The feeling of self-belief will help a child overcome bedwetting to a large extend.
5. Praise from the parents when the child does not wet is also as important as how parents try to overcome it. This will make the child understand that the positive side of it is not to wet and be dry till he or she wakes up in the morning.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
MAKE YOUR MARRIAGE WORK FOR YOUR CHILDREN SAKE
MAKE YOUR MARRIAGE WORK FOR YOUR CHILDREN SAKE
I've seen a lot of couples who are living happily together for the first years of marriage, but for some reasons fell apart after a number of years of being together. It's so sad to think that what was once a happy relationship turned into a nightmare.
Once a relationship failed the first reason that comes into our mind is infidelity. That one or the other has a third party. That may be true, but we cannot disregard the fact that there may be a lot of other reasons. Instead of dealing with the negatives, let me share with you my thoughts on what are the essentials in a lasting relationship.
Communication and intimacy are vital in a relationship. I believe that the absence of communication or the lack of it creates discord in a relationship. Likewise, miscommunication is another major factor. It is important that we communicate what we feel, but it is even more important to learn how to communicate it. A lot of times, we feel down in the dumps for being misunderstood, but we fail to realize that it was our manner of communicating that trigger the fight. Tact must always be practiced and we should truly listen to what the other is saying to better understand what is being conveyed.
Appreciation is equally important in a relationship. Be grateful for all the good things that your partner is doing for you. Let him feel that he is very much appreciated. If your spouse feels that he is appreciated and valued, it doubles his joy and inspires him to do even greater things. Be lavish with praise and it will surely do wonders.
Support each other. When one dances, the other claps. Support his interests, hobbies, ideas. Find out his childhood dreams and help him realize that dream. Always be there for him. His boss may not see his value, his friends may turn their backs on him, but your support will make a big difference. After all, what you think and believe in is what matters most. Your support will help him cope up with everyday stress and will make him a better and happier person.
Commitment. It is the commitment to the relationship that makes the marriage last forever. There may be times when you may feel like running away from it, but remember that 'LOVE' is not a feeling. It doesn't stop when the feelings end. During moments of trials and temptations, be reminded of the vows that you made and your strong commitment to that vow will lead you back to the right track.
Pray together. Cliché' as it may sound, but it's true. The family that prays together stays together. Make God the center of your married life and you would have a stronger bond. Should problems come your way, you will be confident that you will all surpass it because you know that you have a God who is bigger than all your problems and concerns.
I've seen a lot of couples who are living happily together for the first years of marriage, but for some reasons fell apart after a number of years of being together. It's so sad to think that what was once a happy relationship turned into a nightmare.
Once a relationship failed the first reason that comes into our mind is infidelity. That one or the other has a third party. That may be true, but we cannot disregard the fact that there may be a lot of other reasons. Instead of dealing with the negatives, let me share with you my thoughts on what are the essentials in a lasting relationship.
Communication and intimacy are vital in a relationship. I believe that the absence of communication or the lack of it creates discord in a relationship. Likewise, miscommunication is another major factor. It is important that we communicate what we feel, but it is even more important to learn how to communicate it. A lot of times, we feel down in the dumps for being misunderstood, but we fail to realize that it was our manner of communicating that trigger the fight. Tact must always be practiced and we should truly listen to what the other is saying to better understand what is being conveyed.
Appreciation is equally important in a relationship. Be grateful for all the good things that your partner is doing for you. Let him feel that he is very much appreciated. If your spouse feels that he is appreciated and valued, it doubles his joy and inspires him to do even greater things. Be lavish with praise and it will surely do wonders.
Support each other. When one dances, the other claps. Support his interests, hobbies, ideas. Find out his childhood dreams and help him realize that dream. Always be there for him. His boss may not see his value, his friends may turn their backs on him, but your support will make a big difference. After all, what you think and believe in is what matters most. Your support will help him cope up with everyday stress and will make him a better and happier person.
Commitment. It is the commitment to the relationship that makes the marriage last forever. There may be times when you may feel like running away from it, but remember that 'LOVE' is not a feeling. It doesn't stop when the feelings end. During moments of trials and temptations, be reminded of the vows that you made and your strong commitment to that vow will lead you back to the right track.
Pray together. Cliché' as it may sound, but it's true. The family that prays together stays together. Make God the center of your married life and you would have a stronger bond. Should problems come your way, you will be confident that you will all surpass it because you know that you have a God who is bigger than all your problems and concerns.
Friday, August 22, 2008
YOUR CHILD NEED A STORY
TELL YOUR CHILD A STORY
Do you envy those people who are natural storytellers? Perhaps you want to make reading stories more fun, but lack the confidence or know-how? Below are 10 simple things you can do to help make reading stories more fun.
1. Read the book several times to yourself before you read it with the child so that the content, the layout and the pictures are all familiar to you.
2. Talk about the front cover with the child before you open the book. Ask the child what he thinks the story is about.
3. Use a variety of different voices for different characters. Not every parent is able to speak in a variety of accents. There are some very lucky children whose parents can. But you don't have to be a trained actor, or even an amateur to be able to make your voice interesting. You can whisper, you can shout, you can sound angry, or sad, silly, or intelligent. You can make your voice squeaky, deep or scary. At first you might feel silly, but I'm sure with practice you will learn to enjoy it. I know I do.
4. Adapt your voice to help create different atmospheres. Is the book scary or funny, serious or lighthearted, sad or happy? Using an appropriate tone of voice is far better than speaking in a boring monotone.
5. Encourage your child to join in. Remember how much you as a child enjoyed those repeated phrases: such as I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house down. Create a special signal to your child to let him know when it's time to join in: raise your hands, tilt your head, half close the book. The more dramatic, the better. Children also enjoy putting in missing words. This is particularly useful and educational if the story has a pattern of rhyme to it. For example: I'll... and I'll..., blow your house down.
6. Add sound effects or encourage your child to do so. Animal sounds, bird song, bells ringing, people snoring etc all add to the fun. Many authors add these to the text, but if they don't there's no reason you couldn't improvise.
7. Add actions too, silly walks, waving, driving a car. All these add greatly to the fun factor.
8. Pull funny faces to show feelings such as fear, joy, surprise etc. The more exaggerated these are the better.
9. Talk about the pictures on the pages and relate the text to the pictures. You might even encourage your child to guess the next word or words, using the picture to guide him.
10. Learn from the experts. Many well-known children's authors read their books at festivals or book shops. Storytellers also offer sessions in local libraries as well as at organized storytelling events. Look out for family literacy training at your child's school or ask to work as a volunteer there when literacy sessions are taking place. Last, but not least, listen to recorded books for inspiration.
Follow the ten tips, and make reading a pleasure, not a chore. You'll be glad you did, and so will your child.
Do you envy those people who are natural storytellers? Perhaps you want to make reading stories more fun, but lack the confidence or know-how? Below are 10 simple things you can do to help make reading stories more fun.
1. Read the book several times to yourself before you read it with the child so that the content, the layout and the pictures are all familiar to you.
2. Talk about the front cover with the child before you open the book. Ask the child what he thinks the story is about.
3. Use a variety of different voices for different characters. Not every parent is able to speak in a variety of accents. There are some very lucky children whose parents can. But you don't have to be a trained actor, or even an amateur to be able to make your voice interesting. You can whisper, you can shout, you can sound angry, or sad, silly, or intelligent. You can make your voice squeaky, deep or scary. At first you might feel silly, but I'm sure with practice you will learn to enjoy it. I know I do.
4. Adapt your voice to help create different atmospheres. Is the book scary or funny, serious or lighthearted, sad or happy? Using an appropriate tone of voice is far better than speaking in a boring monotone.
5. Encourage your child to join in. Remember how much you as a child enjoyed those repeated phrases: such as I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house down. Create a special signal to your child to let him know when it's time to join in: raise your hands, tilt your head, half close the book. The more dramatic, the better. Children also enjoy putting in missing words. This is particularly useful and educational if the story has a pattern of rhyme to it. For example: I'll... and I'll..., blow your house down.
6. Add sound effects or encourage your child to do so. Animal sounds, bird song, bells ringing, people snoring etc all add to the fun. Many authors add these to the text, but if they don't there's no reason you couldn't improvise.
7. Add actions too, silly walks, waving, driving a car. All these add greatly to the fun factor.
8. Pull funny faces to show feelings such as fear, joy, surprise etc. The more exaggerated these are the better.
9. Talk about the pictures on the pages and relate the text to the pictures. You might even encourage your child to guess the next word or words, using the picture to guide him.
10. Learn from the experts. Many well-known children's authors read their books at festivals or book shops. Storytellers also offer sessions in local libraries as well as at organized storytelling events. Look out for family literacy training at your child's school or ask to work as a volunteer there when literacy sessions are taking place. Last, but not least, listen to recorded books for inspiration.
Follow the ten tips, and make reading a pleasure, not a chore. You'll be glad you did, and so will your child.
CHOSEING A STORY BOOK FOR YOUR CHILD
CHOSEING A STORY BOOK FOR YOUR CHILD
There are so many storybooks available it is difficult to know which to choose. You will no doubt remember stories you enjoyed reading or having read to you as a child. But today's children have different needs and tastes.
Here are ten tips to help you choose storybooks:
1. Favourite authors: If your child loves a book by a particular author or authors, look for other books by the same person.
2. Series: Look for series of books with the same topics or characters.
3. Interests: Think about your child's interests (dinosaurs, foreign places, space, animals etc) and find storybooks with these as themes.
4. Topics: Match books to topics your child is studying at school or nursery. If you don't know what these are, then ask!
5. Reviews: Read reviews of storybooks and look at the children's books' bestsellers lists.
6. Your favourites: Try books you enjoy or enjoyed reading yourself. But don't be upset if your child doesn't share your enthusiasm!
7. Meet the author: Look out for opportunities to meet children's authors and hear them read. Writers and illustrators promote their books in libraries and schools, at book festivals, on television and radio, in magazines and newspapers and on the web.
8. Friends: Find out what your child's friends are reading and what their favourites are.
9. Experts: Ask your child's teacher, librarian or children's bookseller what is popular. Go to the library regularly and allow yourself plenty of time to browse.
10. Book clubs: Join a children's book club and encourage your child to choose from the catalogues or leaflets. Children sometimes bring these leaflets home from school or nursery.
Use these tips to help you choose suitable books for your child, but don't overlook the traditional stories such as fairytales, fables, myths and legends. Every child should have some good quality anthologies of traditional stories to enjoy as well as modern books they will want to read over and over again.
There are so many storybooks available it is difficult to know which to choose. You will no doubt remember stories you enjoyed reading or having read to you as a child. But today's children have different needs and tastes.
Here are ten tips to help you choose storybooks:
1. Favourite authors: If your child loves a book by a particular author or authors, look for other books by the same person.
2. Series: Look for series of books with the same topics or characters.
3. Interests: Think about your child's interests (dinosaurs, foreign places, space, animals etc) and find storybooks with these as themes.
4. Topics: Match books to topics your child is studying at school or nursery. If you don't know what these are, then ask!
5. Reviews: Read reviews of storybooks and look at the children's books' bestsellers lists.
6. Your favourites: Try books you enjoy or enjoyed reading yourself. But don't be upset if your child doesn't share your enthusiasm!
7. Meet the author: Look out for opportunities to meet children's authors and hear them read. Writers and illustrators promote their books in libraries and schools, at book festivals, on television and radio, in magazines and newspapers and on the web.
8. Friends: Find out what your child's friends are reading and what their favourites are.
9. Experts: Ask your child's teacher, librarian or children's bookseller what is popular. Go to the library regularly and allow yourself plenty of time to browse.
10. Book clubs: Join a children's book club and encourage your child to choose from the catalogues or leaflets. Children sometimes bring these leaflets home from school or nursery.
Use these tips to help you choose suitable books for your child, but don't overlook the traditional stories such as fairytales, fables, myths and legends. Every child should have some good quality anthologies of traditional stories to enjoy as well as modern books they will want to read over and over again.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
HOW TO TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOUR KIDS
1) I always remember the saying that God gives me the courage to change the things I can, gives me the grace to accept the things I cannot and the wisdom to see the difference. I think that this applies to parenting a lot. We cannot change our teenager's mind about anything or make them do anything, just because we want them to. We have to accept with grace that some things we cannot change, we have to have the courage to change ourselves, and the wisdom to know the difference. Look at the situation with your teen and see how this applies. Where are you not being so graceful, trying to change things you cannot? Where are you not being courageous enough to change what you can?
2) Are you holding any judgments about your teenager that is affecting the way that you are responding to them? Look at the judgment you are holding about your teen and how you see them. How can you suspend this judgment, if just only for a day, to see what happens?
3) Ask yourself if you want to move from control to choice. In this situation you always have a choice between the two. Are you trying to control too much? What choices could you make that would be different?
4) Take note of what triggers your reactions. What is your teenager doing that is sending you into a pattern of behaviour that is not serving you? What can you set up to ensure that you are not triggered?
5) Relax, find a way that you can relax and calm yourself in each situation, for example, breathing or just touching your heart, things to remind you that you are at choice in your reactions.
6) Make a decision to look at your child in another way. Ask how you want to see them and choose to see them like that in all situations, including the challenging ones.
7) Don't focus on the poor choices they have made and what may happen in the future. Instead, focus on what is present in front of you now.
8) Centre yourself before you start any communication. Before you start any communication with your teen get calm yourself and ask what you want from this conversation.
9) See what you can learn from each situation with them. Instead of seeing each situation as challenging, ask yourself what you have learned from this.
10) Focus on their strengths rather than their weaknesses.
11) Get clear on your bottom line in situations and be willing to state what is true for you. In others words, get clear what is and is not OK for you as their parent and make sure they are clear about this.
12) Ignore hurtful comments; you will get more satisfaction from not reacting to them and staying calm.
13) Look at how you have more personal control, rather than control over your son or daughter. How can you manage yourself more in these situations?
14) Remember that your job is to fix the relationship and concentrate on that over the behaviour. It is the relationship that needs fixing, not your teen or their behaviour. What can you do to fix the relationship?
15) Do not focus on the way things have been, focus on the way you want them to be.
16) Have it be OK that your teen may have a different value set than you and that they may choose to reject yours.
17) Take a look at the situation from their point of view. It may have been a while since you were a teen and life looks very different through their eyes.
18) Remember, our teens challenge us in this way at home because it's a safe environment for them. Whilst it might seem backhanded, it IS a compliment.
2) Are you holding any judgments about your teenager that is affecting the way that you are responding to them? Look at the judgment you are holding about your teen and how you see them. How can you suspend this judgment, if just only for a day, to see what happens?
3) Ask yourself if you want to move from control to choice. In this situation you always have a choice between the two. Are you trying to control too much? What choices could you make that would be different?
4) Take note of what triggers your reactions. What is your teenager doing that is sending you into a pattern of behaviour that is not serving you? What can you set up to ensure that you are not triggered?
5) Relax, find a way that you can relax and calm yourself in each situation, for example, breathing or just touching your heart, things to remind you that you are at choice in your reactions.
6) Make a decision to look at your child in another way. Ask how you want to see them and choose to see them like that in all situations, including the challenging ones.
7) Don't focus on the poor choices they have made and what may happen in the future. Instead, focus on what is present in front of you now.
8) Centre yourself before you start any communication. Before you start any communication with your teen get calm yourself and ask what you want from this conversation.
9) See what you can learn from each situation with them. Instead of seeing each situation as challenging, ask yourself what you have learned from this.
10) Focus on their strengths rather than their weaknesses.
11) Get clear on your bottom line in situations and be willing to state what is true for you. In others words, get clear what is and is not OK for you as their parent and make sure they are clear about this.
12) Ignore hurtful comments; you will get more satisfaction from not reacting to them and staying calm.
13) Look at how you have more personal control, rather than control over your son or daughter. How can you manage yourself more in these situations?
14) Remember that your job is to fix the relationship and concentrate on that over the behaviour. It is the relationship that needs fixing, not your teen or their behaviour. What can you do to fix the relationship?
15) Do not focus on the way things have been, focus on the way you want them to be.
16) Have it be OK that your teen may have a different value set than you and that they may choose to reject yours.
17) Take a look at the situation from their point of view. It may have been a while since you were a teen and life looks very different through their eyes.
18) Remember, our teens challenge us in this way at home because it's a safe environment for them. Whilst it might seem backhanded, it IS a compliment.
HOW TO MAKE THINGS WORK
HOW TO STAY ON TOP AS A WOMAN
I think most of us would agree that procrastination is probably the biggest waster of time that there is. Quite often the job takes less time than the procrastination itself.
The problem with constant procrastination is because it creates a psychological mountain out of a mole hill, by the time we start the task we are probably feeling stressed and uptight. Sometimes we are own worst enemies as we do not even recognise we are suffering from this time stealing habit.
Alongside procrastination there is the busy mentality we buy into. Let's face it there is a sort of kudos in today's world about having so much to do. It makes us feel important and needed. What is also interesting is that the definition of one persons busyness compared to another can be quite different.
Having done spoken to lots of people and done a little research on the subject here are some ideas to eliminate the procrastination habit, which in turn may help to free up some precious time.
1. Get into the habit of keeping a daily "To Do List" -or as I spoke in the last newsletter the What Have I Done List. That way you are less likely to forget something that is urgent and important.
2. Those of us that procrastinate often have an unrealistic sense of time. We either start believing that a project will take forever. (So we never can find the time to start it). Alternatively, we do not allow enough time to get the task completed comfortably. See my article on clearing out the rabbits. Remember even five minutes is enough time to complete something. This could be some filing at work or sorting out the cutlery cupboard or making a telephone call
3. If you are finding "starting" the task difficult - remember not all tasks need to be started at the "beginning". If it is a difficult letter or a report which needs your attention - make a start and go back to the beginning later.
4. Try to action things as they appear, this way you will end up with less of a backlog.
5. Are you making the task more difficult? Sometimes there is a simpler, quicker solution. Try to be flexible in how you approach tasks. Think delegate, Fake not bake. Not so much finite detail. Most importantly stop aiming at perfection.
6. If there are particular types of projects you consistently procrastinate over, think about why. It could be that the information you need is not conveniently accessible. Or maybe there is an emotional reason for your reluctance to action your task or project e.g. confidence.
7. If you can not establish why you continually procrastinate over a particular task. Ask yourself if you really want or need to do it.
8. Schedule for problems and setbacks. By expecting problems and difficulties you may find yourself motivated to start the project earlier.
9. Plan a reason to motivate yourself into action. If it is a home based activity that you have not managed to get round to. Invite friends round and use this as your motivation to complete the tasks before their visit.
10. Tell someone else your deadline and give permission for them to remind you.
11. Listen to your moods. Use your energy to get tasks completed. For example gardening, washing the floor are great when you are frustrated or angry. Feeling overwhelmed - have a clearout.
12. Be opportunistic. Utilise "dead" time. If someone is running late, is there a phone call you can make. What five minute task can you do while you are waiting. Not only will you be able to tick something off your to do list you are less likely to be irritated by their lateness.
I think most of us would agree that procrastination is probably the biggest waster of time that there is. Quite often the job takes less time than the procrastination itself.
The problem with constant procrastination is because it creates a psychological mountain out of a mole hill, by the time we start the task we are probably feeling stressed and uptight. Sometimes we are own worst enemies as we do not even recognise we are suffering from this time stealing habit.
Alongside procrastination there is the busy mentality we buy into. Let's face it there is a sort of kudos in today's world about having so much to do. It makes us feel important and needed. What is also interesting is that the definition of one persons busyness compared to another can be quite different.
Having done spoken to lots of people and done a little research on the subject here are some ideas to eliminate the procrastination habit, which in turn may help to free up some precious time.
1. Get into the habit of keeping a daily "To Do List" -or as I spoke in the last newsletter the What Have I Done List. That way you are less likely to forget something that is urgent and important.
2. Those of us that procrastinate often have an unrealistic sense of time. We either start believing that a project will take forever. (So we never can find the time to start it). Alternatively, we do not allow enough time to get the task completed comfortably. See my article on clearing out the rabbits. Remember even five minutes is enough time to complete something. This could be some filing at work or sorting out the cutlery cupboard or making a telephone call
3. If you are finding "starting" the task difficult - remember not all tasks need to be started at the "beginning". If it is a difficult letter or a report which needs your attention - make a start and go back to the beginning later.
4. Try to action things as they appear, this way you will end up with less of a backlog.
5. Are you making the task more difficult? Sometimes there is a simpler, quicker solution. Try to be flexible in how you approach tasks. Think delegate, Fake not bake. Not so much finite detail. Most importantly stop aiming at perfection.
6. If there are particular types of projects you consistently procrastinate over, think about why. It could be that the information you need is not conveniently accessible. Or maybe there is an emotional reason for your reluctance to action your task or project e.g. confidence.
7. If you can not establish why you continually procrastinate over a particular task. Ask yourself if you really want or need to do it.
8. Schedule for problems and setbacks. By expecting problems and difficulties you may find yourself motivated to start the project earlier.
9. Plan a reason to motivate yourself into action. If it is a home based activity that you have not managed to get round to. Invite friends round and use this as your motivation to complete the tasks before their visit.
10. Tell someone else your deadline and give permission for them to remind you.
11. Listen to your moods. Use your energy to get tasks completed. For example gardening, washing the floor are great when you are frustrated or angry. Feeling overwhelmed - have a clearout.
12. Be opportunistic. Utilise "dead" time. If someone is running late, is there a phone call you can make. What five minute task can you do while you are waiting. Not only will you be able to tick something off your to do list you are less likely to be irritated by their lateness.
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