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His Toy, Her Toy
I remember when my daughter was born. Visions of her and I dressed in pinks and purples sitting in her lacy pink room playing dolls danced threw my head. A year later my son was born ;My husbands vision of sports and trucks revved around like mad men threw his manly mind. Those dreams were simply that dreams. Little did I know there are lessons for parents to learn about children?s toys and who ... continueMutants or Clones?
In a single dose of children's television, I was bombarded with themes of mutants, cyborgs, evolving and the digital world. These words intimidated me at first, until I learned what the shows were talking about. I wondered how this prepares children for living in the 21st century. The answer hit me when I came across the saying, "Don't Clone...Mutate." For those not familiar with the new langua ... continueBreaking the Cycle of Emotional Blackmail
Family decision-making is an intriguing phenomenon. Many factors become part of the decision-making process. Emotions play an important part in this activity. Parents and children each use emotions to steer decisions favorable way to themselves. Using emotions to influence decisions develops naturally. The use of emotions becomes harmful when they are used as threats to control or intimidate ... continueChildren are People, Not Machines
When growing up, my father frequently reminded me to "pay attention to the details." That saying became very real to me in the area of parenting. While raising children, the details make great differences in development. Being that children are people and not machines, the kind of detailing needed is different. Focusing on the externals of name brand clothing, perfect hair and having the most e ... continueSaving Money on Preschool: Readiness Skills Needed for Kindergarten
As a mom of 4 who's youngest child is about to start Kindergarten this Fall, I'd like to share with you some things I've learned about Preschool over the last ten years, along with a list of readiness skills every child can be learning at home - whether attending Preschool or not. Preschools, especially those taught in a church environment, are a wonderful resource that help prepare children fo ... continueWhat the Matter Is
When my oldest boy was really young, he tickled my mother with that phrase. I would ask him, "What's the matter?" and he would answer me, "Well, what the matter is..." followed by whatever it was that he needed to discuss with me. He would say it with that very serious face that children get when they are expecting to be taken very seriously. We all loved the cute way he prefaced his concerns. ... continueHow Kids Learn To Cooperate In Video Games -- A Guide for Parents and Teachers
A great many parents are concerned that the electronic games their kids play are teaching the kids ?negative? messages such as aggression, violence, and isolation from real people. I want to illustrate here how computer and video game playing, can have positive effects on kids. This includes even the ?addictive? game playing associated with many of these games. The learning from these games is w ... continueReally Good News About Your Children?s Video Games
Research published by University of Rochester neuroscientists C. Shawn Green and Daphne Bavelier has grabbed national attention for suggesting that playing ?action? video and computer games has positive effects ? enhancing student?s visual selective attention. But that finding is just one small part of a more important message that all parents and educators need to hear: video games are not the en ... continueDigital Natives and Immigrants
Perhaps the least understood and least appreciated notion among those who design and deliver education today is the fact that our students have changed radically. A really big discontinuity has taken place ? the arrival and rapid dissemination of digital technology in the last decades of the 20th century. Today?s learners represent the first generations to grow up with this new technology. The ... continueWhat Kids Learn That?s POSITIVE from Playing Video Games
?Our family engages in "mindless" video games from time to time ... but it's treated like "junk food"?. It really has no "nutritional" value for our minds.? ? Ben Armstrong 1 Like the observer above, many parents and critics express the opinion that computer and video games are ?mindless,? i.e. that kids don?t learn anything beyond hand-eye coordination from the thousands of hours they spend pl ... continueFor the Love of Mommy
For most of you being a mother is one of the most wonderful and rewarding experiences that you will have in your life. It can also be a time when you feel lost and out of touch with who you are outside of being a ?mommy?. Maintaining an identity outside of your children is vitally important, not just for you, but for your family as well. So here are ten strategies that not only keep you connected ... continueSoul Mate - a Pain in the Neck
"and they lived happily ever after... That is how our favorite childhood fairytales have always ended. That is how the romantic movies from Hollywood always end. And that is what the media agencies advertisements promise will happen if we'll purchase the right toothpaste, car, T-shirt or life insurance policy. In short, ""...and they lived happily ever after..."" is what we have been c ... continueA Dad's Thoughts On Dad's day
21 Reasons I Love Being A Dad) ? Lee Wise All rights reserved What you will read in the next five to eight minutes will not qualify as one of the top ten professionally written articles of the year: guaranteed. But you will read this, guaranteed: thoughts created on Father's Day from a guy who loves being a dad. 21 REASONS I LOVE BEING A DAD... AND AN OLDER ONE AT THAT I love the privi ... continue5 Steps to Raising an Optimistic Child
I had just completed a session with 17-year old Julie who suffered from severe depression. Julie believed she was a total failure and would never be able to change anything in her life. Julie also felt all her shortcomings were her own fault. Where, I ask myself, did such a young person acquire this negative and fatalistic thinking? The answer soon became apparent when I invited her parents ... continueThe Ten Things That Successful Parents Do
1. They are leaders as well as parents. They don?t rely on the schools, the government, television, the movies or music to teach their children values and the difference between right and wrong. They do it themselves. 2. They have a vision for their family and its future, one that is discussed and shared often. And they support the vision with clearly articulated, clarified and communicated val ... continueChildren?s Birthday Party Planning: When and When Not to Have a Big Party
Age 1: Invite only family members and close friends only because this birthday is more for the parents than for the child. At age 1, a child doesn?t understand the concept of ?Birthday Party.? He or she is getting a lot of attention---which is all a 1-year-old wants or understands anyway. You should not go overboard on presents because too much could scare or confuse a child. You should consider g ... continueMommies and Me Special Time
Creating and making special memories with your child is very important, especially for your child?s development. Special memories also help build a relationship with your child that will last a lifetime. Moms often do not have the money they would like to spend to do things with their children. With that in mind, I have put together activities I used to do with my son (who is now 17 and stil ... continueHow to Pick the Best Name for Your Baby
Expectant parents spend hours preparing the nursery, poring over pregnancy and delivery books and going to childbirth classes. Yet surprisingly, many decide their child?s given name within a matter of minutes, often spending more time selecting the right car seat or stroller. What should parents-to-be consider when choosing a baby name? All About Baby, a personalized children?s products company ... continueTwin and Multiple Births are on the Rise
Did you know that the number of twin births have more than doubled since the early 1970s? Today, about one of every 35 births in the United States are twins. Even more significant is the number of triplet and higher multiple births which have increased 200 percent over the last three decades. Why the huge jump in the number of multiple births? The most obvious reason for the growing birth ra ... continueHow to Raise Creative Kids
?Where did he come up with that?? Kids often amaze us with their imaginative ideas, and we should give ourselves a pat on the back for playing a role in this development. Innovative thinking is essential for success in school and in life, and it?s our job as parents to nurture our kids? innate desire to be creative. Inventive play fosters original thinking, an asset when children are confronted wi ... continueFirst Previous listings 211 to 230 of 427 Next Last