"Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well." -Josh Billings
If parents want to be able to make best use of time with their children, then it is crucial for a parent to start becoming alert to the state that their children are in. Tired? Satisfied? Bored? His shoe hurts him? She has a stomachache from the spaghetti? And so on....This applies particularly during the time that children are playing with toys. They want to be happy. And you want them to be happy too..
Here's one way of looking at it: it's a bit like dealing with a baby. Your baby cries. So you figure, usually and probably it's one of four things. One, the baby is hungry. Two, the baby needs a diaper change.Three, the baby is tired. Or four, the baby wants to be held. You would probably test each of these out to see if the baby will stop crying. What's happening here is a continual process of trying to figure out and be sensitive to the the baby's needs. Right? So we are dealing with a sensitivity to the child, and a willingness to experiment to find out exactly what the baby needs. Once the thing is done (for example, changed a dirty diaper and put on a clean one) and the baby stops crying, and is now smiling and gurgling, you think: "Bingo! I did the right thing there!".
So the checklist is a key to a parent's success, because it provides the parent with the various possibilities of dealing with a baby's (or child's) needs.
As babies turn into toddlers who turn into pre-schoolers who turn into kids (and so on), their needs naturally get more sophisticated. In order to keep up with their kids, parents need to increase their checklist. Not only that, but to change the checklist as the kids grow, as some needs get taken off the list and others get put on. So it helps to start off with this idea of a checklist for each of your children. It can be simply a mental checklist. For those who are more organized, they can write it down.
An example of a checklist for a 6 year old can be:
1)Parents
2)Food
3)Friends
4)Clothes
5)Sleep/Fatigue
6)Homework
7)Entertainment
8)Siblings & Family (relationships)
For each of these items you can ask yourself- is my child happy and fulfilled in these areas? What areas does the child need help in? It would be difficult for them to be having fun playing if they have problems elsewhere.
In dealing with each of these items, here's an example of dealing with a checklist item: Energy Levels/Fatigue: Let's take a closer look at this. Children naturally have routines during the day. Wake-up, get dressed, breakfast, school, after-school activities, suppertime, homework, evening snack, bedtime. Yet you cannot expect children to have the same energy level in the afternoon after a long day of school/play as they would have in the morning when they are fresh from a full night of sleep. Many experienced parents know that when children are tired, especially little children, they just do not function as well in being able to do activities, in listening to their parents, or even at times to behave normally (!!). So this is a good item for the checklist: How tired is your child?
"I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see." John Burroughs
For parents, the same can apply for the time spent with their children! Parents who want to get the most out of being able to build relationships with their children should consider (as difficult as it is) to schedule their day around the times that children have high energy levels.
An example of a good time to be with the children is after supper. Often children are well-fed, and the time spent sitting at the dinner table allows them to recharge their batteries. They are refreshed and well-fed and ready for some evening activity.
The time that is well-spent with children is like depositing a lot of value into a bank account of love and trust with your child. And what could be more valuable than that?
"Life is half spent before we know what it is." George Herbert
Joseph Browns (http://www.home-educational-toys.com) wants to share his experiences and expertise in how parents can find valuable opportunities for quality time with children to acquire priceless family memories. A total environment approach is taken, dealing with issues like educational toys, parent-child relationships, environmental + interior design, health, communication skills, and child education.
Chicago limo Skokie ..The Internet is one of the greatest inventions of all... Read More
Rule #1 Make Every Bite Count!Everything your child eats should... Read More
When my son was 18 (and had finished school), he... Read More
Child care costs are are one of the most expensive... Read More
Did you know that inconsistency on matters of discipline gives... Read More
As the new school year begins, parents play a pivotal... Read More
Research published by University of Rochester neuroscientists C. Shawn Green... Read More
Children bombard parents with many challenging behaviours. We are delighted... Read More
Last night Tom's daughter, Sue, came out of her room... Read More
You can learn a lot from children.The best part of... Read More
Maryann is so focused she's blind. She's slipped over the... Read More
Yesterday my husband Wade took the day off (that's one... Read More
Despite the theory that people have kids because they want... Read More
In speaking with parents a comment I frequently hear is... Read More
Nurture and TeachThe single most important thing caregivers can do... Read More
Moms, did you ever question your value as a role... Read More
You are sitting with the professionals who know about learning... Read More
Bi-Polar Disorder, or Manic Depression, is characterized by mood swings,... Read More
There is little doubt that reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic are... Read More
Many research studies have shown the overall effectiveness of stimulant... Read More
Are your children truthful, kind, and helpful? If so, read... Read More
There is nothing quite like hiking with small children. The... Read More
Now I know that is not how the song goes,... Read More
I look out of the window as I am writing... Read More
Children explore the world around them and learn through pretend... Read More
limo O'Hare Bonfield ..Homes should be run by parents, not children. So many... Read More
1. New Word of the DayIntroduce your preschooler to a... Read More
Here is an easy, inexpensive and fun kid experiment for... Read More
Our children are our most important legacy to the world.... Read More
When was the last time you and your kids rolled... Read More
Under the "No Child Left Behind Act," public schools whose... Read More
Remember when cash was a tangible commodity in all of... Read More
Nail biting in all its various forms is problematic... Read More
What should the goals for counseling be when the patient... Read More
Having worked with parents for the last 35 years and... Read More
Q. We just got our daughter's progress report, and it... Read More
I thought I was the only one in the world... Read More
In our last article about the neurology of ADHD we... Read More
Diagnosing children and teens with ADHD can be a challenge.... Read More
For every season, check, check, check, There is a chart,... Read More
There are only two ways to get more money:1) Increase... Read More
1. Tell me something you like about yourself? Help your... Read More
Ask any teacher or adolescent counselor what the most disturbing... Read More
Individualism is a common thing in today's modern society. Many... Read More
Finding answers to a child's underachievement is often a difficult... Read More
It's that time again! Parent-teacher conferences are coming. Are you... Read More
Q. With another school year starting, we are not sure... Read More
In memory of 14 year old Matthew Smith; 11 year... Read More
When my son was 18 (and had finished school), he... Read More
If you are like most people today, you do not... Read More
Parenting |