Archive for the ‘Tips’ Category

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Sleep Patterns in Children

Friday, March 12th, 2010

Children’s sleep issues are among the more challenging developmental stages for parents to master.  But biology is on the parents’ side in this one, because sleep patterns mature over time just like other developmental skills.

  • Polls tell us that one-third of American children and their parents sleep together some or most of the time before children start school. Co-sleeping varies hugely by culture and ethnicity. So think about what you want to do, and discuss the pros and cons with your pediatrician.
  • Make sure your crib is safe (locking rails), that your older child’s ‘big bed’ has side rails, and if you are co-sleeping, that there is plenty of room.
  • The human brain is active during sleep, but the deepest sleep is typically at the beginning of the night.  Babies spend more time than older children in stimulating REM sleep, with eye movements and irregular breathing. Don’t worry about all that action in your child’s body – it too is growth.
  • Start them young – do not ignore the importance of naps, watch for the yawn, and start bedtime early in the evening.
  • The transition from crib to bed is also a time of sleep pattern changes, but most kids want it to work.
  • To instill good sleep habits remember that consistency matters so much:
    • Bath Time
    • Goodnights
    • Tuck and Talk Bedtime Story
    • Lullabye (yours are best)
    • Goodnights

This all sounds well and good, but it is a rare family that hasn’t had to handle some sleep trouble along the way.  If your family is trying to re-establish a lapsed routine, stay calm and reassuring.  We almost all need more sleep than we get, and it is a tremendous gift to our children to teach them how to sleep well.

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Integrating Emotion & Learning in Everyday Moments

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

Excerpt from Me, Myself and I

Your own ideas about how to integrating emotion and learning in everyday moments with your child are probably better than anything I could advise for you personally.  But here are some ideas and suggestions that might help you customize those ideas.

  • Family - Father DaughterTalk with your child. Hopefully, you have been doing that since the moment she was born.  Chat with her about what you and she are doing.  She’ll become part of the conversation sooner if you express to her what you love about being a parent.
  • Encourage curiosity and understand that repetition is a good thing for him, boring though it might be for you.  The neurological basis for the insistence on the familiar lies in the fact that when synaptic connections are repeatedly activated by the same stimulation, they become immune from elimination during the brain’s pruning process.  They survive to become permanent neural connections that enhance learning.  So go ahead and do what your child likes – over and over.  This is a good rut to be in.
  • Simply being nearby and available while your child plays on his own is so important, as is your willingness to interact.  So get down on the floor and stay awhile.  Of course, this is hard for working parents, but the effort is worth it.
  • Nothing beats reading. Children don’t learn interactive, conversational language from TV because it does not respond to them. Language and eventually reading are learned from being actively engaged in speaking and reading with others – hearing parents and caregivers talk to each other and waiting for the child to respond.
  • Children learn best in the context of their daily lives and when the amount and kind of stimulation fits their temperament, level of development, interests or preferences, and mood.  Pressure to perform or conform to high expectations can lead to stress that can sabotage learning through burnout and confusion.
  • Young children do not need to be taught how to think.  Science is careening ahead pursuing fascinating findings and ideas about how, even whether, children this age actually do think.  But our ignorance dominates our knowledge embarrassingly.  We are still understanding why they even want to think in the first place.  It is like walking or talking, unfolding in due course when the maturational timekeeper tells the mind-body duality, “Johnny: it’s time?”
  • The five-second check-in. Since most of us don’t spend our days staring endlessly at our toddlers and preschoolers, it is important that you take a few seconds to assess the mood, or state your child is in before you join in his doings, ask him to do something or simply interrupt him.  This is the feeling state that will determine his ability to understand or comply with whatever you might need, no matter how small.  If you are not tuned in, he probably won’t hear (i.e. learn).
  • Join your child. Follow her lead in activities she is already involved in.  Don’t take over – it will turn her off.  But if you want her to learn, become a partner in the exploration she has begun.  Add a ball to hide in the pots and pans scene, or move close and take her hand if she is wary of a dog on a walk.  Don’t instantly rescue (unless safety is an immediate concern) because you will lose one of those interesting moments of tension that could be mastered, leading a child to a wider, more complex understanding of the world.
  • If your child balks at a “learning” moment with you, it could mean you didn’t read the five-second check-in right.  Back up and let your child know you know what she is feeling first.  (“I guess you weren’t quite through,” or “It’s hard to have to stop when you are having fun doing X.”)  When the feeling domain feels appreciated, then the learning domain is less burdened.
  • If your child needs redirection after you have connected with his mood or feeling, ask softly what he might enjoy doing.  If you still have no luck make two suggestions of things he might do and help him choose.  He will probably need some pump-priming from you, since you can manage your own mood apart from his.  Remember, how you are in such moments, is as important as what you do.
  • If it’s important for you to initiate an activity that will bring you pleasure and you know it could be good for your child, like reading or going for a walk, stabilize your own mood first.  Only then can you help your child regulate hers.  Once done, then she can crawl up on your lap or get out the door and learn.  For some kids, it’s the other way around.  But for the majority, in the feeling and learning dance, it isn’t always possible to say who is leading.

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Pack a Healthy Lunch…that your child will enjoy!

Monday, March 1st, 2010

Introduce your children to healthy eating by involving them in the lunch preparation.  Children have a tendency to eat and try new foods that they helped to prepare.  And children who help in the kitchen build their confidence which makes them feel important and proud.

Avoid brown bag boredom and try the following healthy, easy and fun options.  Bonus – your children will want to eat these choices!

Turn lunch into an adventure:

  • Cut sandwiches into playful shapes with cookie cutters.  Children are more excited about eating a star- or dinosaur-shaped sandwich because it makes the experience fun!  Choose cheese or deli meats to replace breads and cut them into fun shapes, too.

Make lunch fun by including a dip:

  • Yogurt is a great dip for fruit.
  • Provide hummus for veggies.

Use a variety of ‘sandwich’ options:

  • Bagels, pita bread, wheat wraps or crackers.

Consider packing applesauce or yogurt as a treat in lieu of a ‘sweet’ dessert.

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Goddard Schools Kicks Off the “Get Active” Initiative to Keep Youngsters Moving

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

Michelle Obama recently announced “Let’s Move,” a national campaign to combat childhood obesity through fitness and nutrition programs. Placing children on the right path to living and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is essential, and that is why Goddard initiated its “Get Active” campaign. Every day inside and outside the classroom, 360- plus Goddard Schools nationwide take great strides to get preschoolers, toddlers and infants up and moving.

To encourage children to “Get Active,” here are some simple and helpful ideas that you can do at home with your young child:

1. Take It Outside – Limit “screen time” and encourage your child to go outside and PLAY. Have a relay race, set up an obstacle course or bring back one of your favorite childhood pastimes like hopscotch or jump rope.

2. It’s In Your Nature – Take your child on a nature walk. Use this great opportunity to talk to your child about plants and animals you see while getting fresh air and exercise.

3. Get Dramatic – When you’re transitioning a child from one activity to another – like play time to dinner time – ask them to move like their favorite animal. Hop like a kangaroo, slither like a snake or waddle like a duck.

4. Be a Good Sport – Preschool age children love to learn the basic rules of popular sports and games. Take this opportunity to talk about sportsmanship.

5. Be Free – Remember free play? Let go of some structure, and encourage your children to use their imaginations in their indoor and outdoor play.

6. Stretch It Out – Preschoolers love basic yoga moves. Take a few minutes each day to stretch with your little one.

7. Put Some Movement In Your Music – When you sing songs or listen to music with young children, encourage them to dance with scarves, make up movements to go with the lyrics or just DANCE and move their bodies to the music.

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Worrying

Thursday, February 18th, 2010

As a (former) pediatrician and child psychiatrist for three decades, I increasingly respect the significance of children’s fears in shaping our shared everyday lives. Inconvenient though fears of the dark, animals, water, and monsters may be, they are meaningful clues about what children are trying to master about their world.

Worries all mean something, and we let our children down when we ignore and belittle, not to mention waste opportunities to master, so let’s spend a minute to understand them better:

  • Fears appear like clockwork in childhood. The adrenalin fears stimulate heightens learning of vital lessons, like when to run in the face of real danger, when to cry for help, and eventually to distinguish what is really dangerous (speeding cars) from what is not (family dog).
  • Fears only seem to emerge ‘from nowhere.’ Actually, they typically surface during periods of accelerated development – when children lose their old equilibrium while looking for a new one. Actively toilet- learning toddlers are often more afraid of the dark than before or after they get the potty thing solved.
  • Stranger anxiety begins when children start to crawl around and need to be more aware of who knows them and who doesn’t.
  • Other common fears which emerge and fade with predictability during preschool years may be insects, animals, loud noises, the dark (and its imagined inhabitants – monsters, witches, ghosts), high places, and parental loss to name a few.

Listen thoughtfully to your children as they describe their fear.  Their fears have their reasons, though they may not be instantly clear to you. Reassure your children that you’ll help them feel better- get your flashlight out and check under their bed.  Cuddle them a little extra during such times, and let them slip back toward babyhood a little.  Finally, when children work it out, remind them that they worked it out.  This will help them as new fears emerge.

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Teaching Tolerance and Diversity

Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

It is never too early to talk to your children about tolerance and diversity. Studies have shown that by ages three and four, children have an awareness of the differences in other children. They can recognize variation in skin color, language and customs as well as recognize obvious differences.

Cultural and lifestyle differences are common in everyday life, and may be confusing for young children. To help your children become more familiar with differences, start on a small scale. A solid understanding at a young age will encourage acceptance as they grow.

Teach your children about their family history.
Make a family tree together and explain customs or traditions your family practices. Dress up like your ancestors and cook an ethnic meal to help your children understand their family’s culture in a fun way.

Teach your children about other cultures.
Ask your children’s friends or classmates to teach them about their cultures (e.g., holidays, celebrations) and lifestyles. In turn, encourage your children to do the same.

Lead by example.
Make diverse friendships and encourage your children to do the same. Show your children the most positive way to interact in the world.

Make diversity a part of everyday life.
Fill your home with multicultural art and literature. Take your children to museums and libraries to provide them with as many multicultural experiences as possible.

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Benefits of a High-Quality Preschool Program

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

Children writingAn estimated five million children are in preschool programs, and the number is growing.  According to the Families and Work Institute, children benefit from quality programs with competent staff and good ratios. They suffer fewer behavioral troubles, have larger expressive vocabularies, feel close to their teachers, and enjoy more complex, less aggressive play with peers.

A high-quality preschool curriculum sets specific goals and uses learning and developmental standards that are age-appropriate. The curriculum builds on each child’s interests and natural curiosity and also allows them the opportunity to direct their own learning. Whole-class and small group activities as well as opportunities for individual interactions with the teacher are encouraged.

Preschool benefits children, their families and their communities. Children in quality preschool programs show improvements in the development of social skills and are more proficient in areas such as following directions, waiting turns, problem-solving, joining in activities and relating to teachers and parents. These advanced skills improve efficiency in classroom settings which allow teachers to spend more time working directly with children and less time on classroom management.

Studies have shown children that have attended preschool are more likely to do better on standardized tests, graduate high school and earn higher wages as an adult than their peers who did not attend preschool. They are also less likely to repeat a grade, to be arrested for a violent crime or to become teen parents.

At The Goddard School®, children are encouraged to explore learning centers including art, math, science and computers; to ask questions; and to take time making friends and socializing. The school focuses on building a strong and balanced foundation for each child and encourages them to develop at their own pace while supported by a team of dedicated teachers.

The Goddard School FLEX Learning Program™, based on the latest research in how children learn and designed with the assistance of experts, provides the optimal environment for the development of young children. The program’s foundation is the learning continuum that encompasses developmental guidelines with formative assessments, child-focused lesson plans, a creative and fun environment and a personalized child-centered approach that meets each child’s needs.

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Posted in Learning through Play, Tips | 2 Comments »

TV Time

Thursday, January 21st, 2010

Are you surprised that the American Academy of Pediatrics says no television before age two?  This standard alerts parents of infants, toddlers and preschoolers that their children are strongly affected by the talking tube and that they need to consider the way their children are exposed to its powerful influences.

  • If you chose to allow your children to view television, consider limiting the amount of “watching time” in their first three years to 30-90 minutes per day. This is more than enough for their young brains and eyes.  Children prefer, and benefit from, interacting with people far more.
  • The programming you chose should be specifically directed at the age of your child. Most good parenting magazines regularly publish guidelines that tend to be more objective and reliable than an advertiser’s suggestions.
  • Commercial-free is far better for eyes, ears, and minds.  Fewer interruptions and a generally higher level of intellectual and emotional content are the benefits.
  • A child’s room does not need a television. Television may inhibit a child’s desire to read and play imaginatively for years.
  • When your children watch television, watch with them.  They may need your help to decipher the barrage of messages, and only you know when they have had enough.  Occasional babysitting by means of television so you can get something done is understandable, but may be a waste of your child’s time and mind.

These guidelines should be discussed regularly by all adults in your household. The evening news may matter to the grown-ups, but it is frequently incomprehensible and somewhat frightening to your little ones. Media-literate parents are great blessings to their children.

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True Toys and Their Positive Effects on Children

Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

truckboyTrue toys have no bells or whistles, they do not do anything and you do not turn them on. Most toys today have taken the fun out of imaginative play. Manipulating toys and giving them life develops reasoning and problem-solving skills as well as creates a base of simple knowledge of how things work.

Infants

Rattles – Fine motor development toy of the century. Grasping, repetitive motion that creates a desired outcome, music, hand-eye coordination and focusing visually on a moving object are all part of infant learning. Have rattles handy in a variety of colors, shapes, sizes and sounds.

One-Year-Olds

Blocks, blocks and more blocks – Spatial relationships, size and shape discrimination leads to early math skills, fine motor control as well as cause and effect. This true toy is fun at any age! A child may spend hours building and knocking down blocks while developing science skills including balance, gravity and concepts of weight.

Two-Year-Olds

Paint and play-dough – It is messy and that is why they like it so much. This tactile experience will open the doors of creativity and thinking. Let them mix the colors, use different tools and add to the experience by playing some music in the background. Finger paint, paintbrushes and textured paint can be mixed with a variety of painting surfaces for further explanation.

Three-Year-Olds

A ball – Look at everything you can do with a ball – kick it, catch it, sit on it, bounce it, dribble it, play alone or with someone. A ball develops gross motor skills, hand-eye coordination and encourages healthy practices. A child needs to learn to handle a ball before they can handle a pencil.

Four- to Five-Year-Olds

Dramatic Play – Dramatic play is more than dress-up. It is a shovel, a whisk, a pad of paper. It is a pile of dirt, an old tire and a cardboard box. The sky is the limit – if your children have seen it, they want to explore it. Cut the cord off an old landline telephone and let them look inside as the telephone repair man. True toys for a four year old are simply real life items. These toys will allow children to try on new personalities and play out roles.

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Navigating Childhood Stress

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

Did you know that children are just as likely as adults to feel stressed and overwhelmed?

Contributors to childhood stress include school, over-scheduling or family dynamics. Many young children put pressure on themselves by worrying about peer pressure, balancing school work with extra-curricular activities and making friends. Even preschoolers can feel stress. Their stress points may be separation from parents, a change in daily care or a new baby. Young children may express their stress through a change in their eating habits, talking less or trying to control bodily functions.

How can parents help? When your child complains about having too many things to do after-school or not wanting to go to activities – listen – this may be a signal that a child is over-scheduled and may need a break. Be sensitive to behavioral or developmental changes.

Parents should also be aware of how they manage their own stress and frustration. Children learn from their parents’ behavior, even if it looks like they’re not paying attention. Children are sensitive to everything their parents do and they will mimic strategies for dealing with difficult situations. Be a good role model.

One of the best coping mechanisms for children is routine. Young children thrive on routine; when they know what to expect they are more likely to adapt to changes faster and deal with their emotions better.

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