Whenever I get together with other parents, conversation inevitably comes around to what activities their kids are into these days. Some parents rattle off half a dozen activities in which their child participates; piano lessons, scouts, soccer, baseball, Odyssey of the Mind, dance, gymnastics, and the list can go on and on. Add to this all the homework demanded by “No Child Left Behind” and you have a very busy child! Don’t misunderstand; supplementing our children’s development with structured activities can be very beneficial. However, too much structure can be harmful to a child. If you, as the parent, feel overwhelmed and stressed out by trying to accommodate your child’s schedule, just imagine how they must feel! Continue
My Articles about children
Well-disciplined children become well-disciplined and responsible adults. A great method for instilling responsibility and discipline in your children is to use natural and logical consequences. Natural consequences are results of actions that happen as expected. For example, when you eat too much you feel sick and have an upset stomach, when you stay up too late you are sleepy the next day, etc. We learn a great deal from simply understanding that actions have certain predictable consequences. Children learn valuable lessons from experiencing the consequences of their choices. For instance, my 5 year old son is learning that when he leaves his toys outside they can get ruined or stolen. He’s learning to take care of his things. If I always pick up after him he won’t learn how to be responsible with his things. Continue
