The Parent Institute
Loving Arms Child Care Center subscribes to a publication called "The Parent Institute." Part of our subscription allows us to publish some of the articles electronically. We hope that these articles are a value to you!
Developing Thinking Skills
Give your child opportunities to solve problems every day
Your child has the ability to think. But how far he takes this ability will depend on how much practice he gets.
In these early years, no one is in a better position to stimulate your child's thinking than you are. Keep these pointers in mind as you provide your child with practice thinking and solving problems:
Help him anticipate. "Put your toys away right now!" may in fact result in your child doing what you commanded. But it doesn't do much to engage his brain. Instead, try, "I am going to set the timer for three minutes. I want you to get as many toys put away as you can before the timer rings." Now your child has time to think: "It's time to put the toys away. What should I put away first? Where should I put my toys?"
Question, question, question. Few activities make your child think more than having to answer questions--with more than one word. Make a habit of asking your child "why?" Hint: This is easily done--just turn his own "why" questions back on him. If he asks, "why are you getting your umbrella," ask him, "why do you think I am getting my umbrella?" Just be careful not to do this with other adults!
Do not immediately run to the rescue. If your child says, "I can't get my shoe on," give a suggestion instead of rushing to do it for him. Example: "What would happen if you pulled on the shoelaces to make them looser?"
Reprinted with permission from the May 2009 issue of Parents make the difference!® (Early Childhood Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2009 The Parent Institute®, a division of NIS, Inc. Source: Michael H. Popkin and others, Helping Your Child Succeed in School, ISBN: 1-880283-15-8 (Active Parenting Publishers, 1-800-825-0060, www.activeparenting.com).
Building Social Skills
Social & emotional skills are important for school success
Research shows that 16 to 30 percent of children entering kindergarten have emotional or behavioral problems that pose ongoing challenges for teachers.
You may spend time preparing your preschooler for school subjects, but are you also helping her build social and emotional skills?
As a parent, you may wonder:
Do relationships really impact my child's future in school? Research shows they do. Early experiences affect your child's brain development. According to experts, "Emotional development is built into the structure of the brain along with thinking skills. Development of one affects the development of the other."
What does my child learn from time spent with me? Your child learns about socializing and emotions from you. She learns about trusting others and being confident.
What role does preschool play? Your child can benefit greatly from warm, responsive and well-trained teachers. Preschool should be a nurturing environment for your child that promotes her development and learning.
Why are social skills important? School is tougher for kids with disruptive behavior. They may find it difficult to pay attention and others may not react to them positively.
Reprinted with permission from the April 2009 issue of Parents make the difference!® (Early Childhood Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2009 The Parent Institute®, a division of NIS, Inc. Source: Jessine Foss, "Research shows ... social and emotional skills matter," Action Alliance for Children, www.4children.org/news/705hsree.htm.
Questions & Answers
Q: My daughter, who just turned five, loves her sleep! Preschool starts at 9:00 a.m. and we have been late many mornings. We have even missed some days because it is so hard to get her out of bed. The kindergarten bus comes at 7:45 a.m. next fall! Can you give me tips for helping her get up and out?
A: You're right to be concerned. Good attendance is absolutely necessary for school success. Research from Columbia University shows that 10 percent of kindergarten and first-grade children have too many absences. Excessive absences are associated with lower reading scores.Here's what to do:
Make sure your daughter is getting enough sleep. Children this age need at least 11 hours of sleep each night to be at their best. Try getting her to bed by 7:30 or 8:00 p.m. Try this for a week and you may be surprised at how much easier it becomes to awaken her in the morning.
Adjust your routines in the evenings and mornings. Prepare the night before school. Pack your child's backpack and have it by the door. Get her clothes out for the next day. Have all breakfast foods that don't need refrigeration on the table. These advance steps can save you 30 minutes or more.
Remember that preschoolers love to dawdle, so include a little extra time in the morning. If your child gets ready early, reward her with a quick story. That may be all the motivation she needs to move a little faster!
--Maria Koklanaris, The Parent Institute. Reprinted with permission from the April 2009 issue of Parents make the difference!® (Early Childhood Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2009 The Parent Institute®, a division of NIS, Inc.
Language Skills
Ask questions to strengthen language skills
Language skills explode between the ages of three and six. You can strengthen your child's verbal skills even more if you:
Ask your child questions. Questions encourage your child to give you more information and to use different kinds of language in the process. So if he says, "I saw a dog," you can ask: "What color was the dog?" "What was he doing when you saw him?" Now you are having a conversation and encouraging your child to use verbs and adjectives.
Ask your child to retell. Every day, encourage your child to tell you about something that happened to him. For example, "Tell me about the game you played on the playground today." You can also read your child one of his favorite short stories. Then close the book and ask him to tell you the story.
Reprinted with permission from the April 2009 issue of Parents make the difference!® (Early Childhood Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2009 The Parent Institute®, a division of NIS, Inc. Source: Steven P. Shelov and others, Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5, ISBN: 0-553-37184-3 (Bantam/Dell Publishing Group, 1-800-793-2665, www.randomhouse.com/bantamdell).
Building Responsibility
Build responsibility by asking your child to help with cleaning
Spring cleaning is an annual ritual for many families. Use this tradition to build your preschooler's sense of responsibility. As spring cleaning begins, ask your child to pitch in.
When including your preschooler, remember to:
Make sure your child knows exactly what you want him to do. Don't just say, "Dust the room." Instead, be more specific: "You're going to take the duster and go swish, swish, back and forth on the table. I will show you how to do it."
Keep it simple. Dusting a table is a good task. Picking up small sticks in the yard and putting them into a bucket is another. Always consider your child's age and ability level when assigning a task.
Don't redo a task in front of your child. Redoing something your child just did can make him feel you are disappointed in his effort.
Keep it short. It is not realistic to expect a four- or five-year-old to clean for an hour. Count on him to help you clean for about 10 minutes at a time.
Thank your child. Saying, "Thank you. That really helps the family," will increase your child's feelings of self-worth and make him want to continue being helpful.
Reprinted with permission from the March 2009 issue of Parents make the difference!® (Early Childhood Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2009 The Parent Institute®, a division of NIS, Inc. Source: Jim Fay & Charles Fay, Ph.D., Love and Logic for Early Childhood: Practical Parenting from Birth to Six Years, ISBN: 1-930429-00-2 (The Love and Logic Press, 1-800-338-4065, www.loveandlogic.com).
All articles reprinted with permission from the May 2009 issue of Parents make the difference!® (Early Childhood Edition) newsletter.