Thursday, June 30, 2011

Positive Discipline Guidelines


Discipline is a part of parenting. We all know that and it can be difficult to do sometimes. What’s appropriate? What actually works? The following are positive discipline guidelines:

1.      1. Misbehaving children are “discouraged children” who have mistaken ideas on how to achieve their primary goal—to belong. Their mistaken ideas lead them to misbehavior.
2.       2. Use encouragement to help children feel “belonging” so the motivations for misbehaving will be eliminated.
3.       3. Give encouragement through spending special time, “being with them,” doing something you can enjoy together. With younger children this could be 15 minutes a day. With older children it could be an hour once a week.
4.      4. At night ask your children to share with you their “saddest time” during the day, and their “happiest time” during the day. Then share with them.  You will be surprised what you learn.
5.     5. Have family meetings to solve problems with cooperation and mutual respect. This creates a loving atmosphere while helping children develop self-discipline, responsibility, cooperation, and problem-solving skills.
6.      6. Give children meaningful chores. Many children would rather cook than wash dishes. Children feel belonging when they know they can make a real contribution. Decide together what chores need to be done. Put them all in a jar and let each child draw out a few each week. Then no one is stuck with the same chores all the time. 
  7    7. Take time for training. Make sure children understand what “clean the kitchen” means to you. To them it may mean simply putting the dishes in the sink.
8.      8. Children do not do better by first making them feel worse. Do you like doing better when you feel humiliated?
9    9. Punishment may “work” if all you are interested in is stopping misbehavior for “the moment.” Sometimes we must beware of what works when the long-range results are negative—resentment, rebellion, revenge, or retreat.

Stay tuned for more positive discipline suggestions. Share your positive discipline experiences! Try these out and tell us what happened! Comment on anything! 

Source: Positive Discipline book by Jane Nelsen

Monday, June 27, 2011

Dr. Brazelton and Touchpoints

Who is T. Berry Brazelton, M.D.?
He is a pediatrician who is known as the first person to place the observation of the child/parent interaction at the center of his pediatric research. This lead to the now common knowledge that children’s personalities can shape mothering styles (calm, less active babies produce a confident, satisfied mother). He has experience as a beloved pediatrician to two generations of patients. His great empathy for the universal concerns of parenthood and his candor and wit as he explains the complex feelings parenthood engenders, have made him America’s favorite pediatrician.
What is Touchpoints?
Touchpoints was written by Dr. Brazelton and is the essential guide for every parent of an infant or toddler. Families everywhere have long found reassurance and much-needed support from this book. Boston Globe says, “If you read only one book while your child is an infant, go for T. Berry Brazelton’s Touchpoints.” Help Me Grow’s team would also have to agree!
Part One is a chronological account of the touchpoints of development—the predictable spurts that are often preceded by distressing regressions. Part Two is an alphabetical reference to the most common problems of early childhood. Part Three explains the vital role of the child’s “allies in development”—mothers and fathers, grandparents, nannies and childcare centers, pediatricians and nurses, and friends.
 

What do you think about Touchpoints ? Have you heard about it or read it? Tell us! Express your thoughts and comments! We want to know!

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Resource Spotlight! The "Still Face" Experiment

Have you ever tried the “Still Face” experiment with your child? It was designed by Dr. Edward Tronick, director of UMass Boston's new Infant-Parent Mental Health Program and Distinguished Professor of Psychology. This experiment was a result of Dr. T. Berry Brazelton’s work, a pediatrician who is known as the first person to place observation of the child/parent interaction at the center of his pediatric research. 

“Still face” is an experimental procedure for studying infant social and emotional development. First, the mother plays with her baby that’s about a year old. They engage, interact, and the mother responds to the infant’s cues. Then the parent suddenly looks away and turns back with a “still face” and stops responding. A developmentally normal baby will recognize that something is wrong and try everything to get the mother’s attention and interact again. They will keep trying to influence the parent to engage while the parent remains disconnected from the child and his/her needs. The infant will smile, point, put both hands up in the air or make screechy sounds. The infant will eventually crumble and turn their head away or lose their posture because of the stress they’re experiencing. This demonstrates TYPICAL BEHAVIOR. After a short period of time, the parent then returns to playing and reengages her infant. The parent can then quickly change the child’s emotion as she responds to the infant. 

This interaction of moving from good socialization to periods of bad but repairable socialization has been used to study many aspects of early social and emotional development. This test is used to find infants who DO NOT attempt to engage the unresponsive mother. This behavior is a warning sign for ASD or other mental health disorders because developmentally normal infants are very responsive to their social environment.

The video below shows the “Still Face” experiment. Take a look and then try it!


Monday, June 20, 2011

Kindergarten Readiness

You may have asked yourself, how can I help my child get ready for kindergarten? What are they expected to know? Well, the following are skills that help to ease children transition into kindergarten. This list represents the IDEAL- something parents can AIM for.
Reading Readiness
                        -Remembers pictures from a printed page
                        -Repeats a 6 to 8 word sentence.
                        -Pretends to read (has been read to often).
                        -Identifies own first name in writing
                        -Attempts to print own first name
                        -Answers questions about a short story
                        -Looks at pictures and tells a story
                        -Understands words are read left to right
                        -Familiar with the letter of the alphabet
                        -Knows some nursery rhymes
                        -Knows meaning of simple words
Time
                        -Understands day and night
                        -Knows age and birthday
Recognizes Colors & Shapes
                        -Recognizes primary colors
                        -Recognizes triangles, circles squares, and rectangles
Numbers
                        -Counts to 20
                        -Can count objects
Listening & Sequencing
                        -Follows simple directions
                        -Pays attention
                        -Recognizes common sounds
                        -Retells a simple story in sequence
                        -Repeats a sequences of sounds
                        -Repeats a sequence of numbers heard
Size, Position & Direction
                        -Big and little
                        -Long and short
                        -Up and down
                        -In and out
                        -Front and back
                        -Over and under
                        -Hot and cold
                        -Empty and full
                        -More and less
                        -Fast and slow
                        -Top and bottom
Motor Skills
Gross Motor Skills
                                                -Run
                                                -Walk a straight line
                                                -Jump
                                                -Hop
                                                -Alternate feet walking downstairs
                                                -March
                                                -Stand on one foot 10 seconds
                                                -Walk backwards for 5 feet
                                                -Throw a ball
Fine Motor Skills
                                                -Paste pictures on paper
                                                -Clap hands
                                                -Buttons
                                                -Builds with blocks
                                                -Completes simple 5 piece puzzle
                                                -Draw or color beyond a simple scribble
                                                -Zip clothes
                                                -Control pencil and crayon well
-                                               -Handle scissors
                                                -Cut and draw simple shapes
Social-Emotional
                        -Express self verbally
                        -Looks forward to going to school
                        -Recognizes authority
                        -Shares with others
                        -Helps with family chores
                        -Works independently
-                       -Identifies other children by name
                        -Can take care of toileting needs independently
                        -Cares for own belongings
-Dresses self
-Brushes teeth
-Can be away from parents 2 to 3 hours
-Joins in family conversation
-Carries a plate of food
-Maintains self-control
-Gets along well with others
-Talks easily
-Meets visitors without shyness
-Puts toys away
My Child Knows…
                        -Body parts
                        -Own first name
                        -Own last name
                        -Parents/Guardians’ Names
                        Home address
                        -Home phone number
                        -When to use a tissue
                        -Own sex

The list was compiled by researchers for World Book, Inc., on the basis of a survey of 4,500 kindergarten teachers. Share any comments!

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Resource Spotlight!

As a parent, it is hard to determine who you can trust regarding your kids.  You want them to be in the best possible care and with individuals that are qualified.  

Utah Valley University offers a great program for parents seeking information about quality childcare for their children. The Childcare Resources and Referral (CCR&R) is an excellent program for parents seeking information for quality childcare.  Their website and programs offer free references to licensed and certified childcare providers in both English and Spanish as well as technical assistance to licensed centers and family home child care.  They also teach early childhood career ladder classes to childcare providers.  The CCR&R is focused on collaborating with community partners to improve childcare and a great resource for parents.

If you would like more information about CCR&R, you can contact them at 1-801-863-8220 or toll free at 1-800-952-8220 or visit their website at www.uvu.edu/ccrr.  For Spanish please call 1-801-863-7458. 

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D is one of those essential vitamins we generally don't think or stress about.  However, about 70% of children in the US have low levels of this vitamin which can put them at a higher risk of bone and heart disease.  The reason?  Most kids are deficient because of their poor diets and lack of sunshine.

Kids are not spending as much time outdoors as they have in the past.  A sedentary lifestyle is more common in households today especially with the advancement of technology.  Many kids are spending hours watching TV or playing video games rather than going outside to play/

So what can parents do to improve this essential vitamin by their kids? The solution is simple.  Turn off the TV and get the kids outside to play.  Just 15-20 minutes of sunlight a day is enough.  Experts also say, that unless your kids burn easily, don't put sunscreen on them until after they have been outside for at least ten minutes (sunscreen blocks UV-B rays which are used by the body to convert a form of cholesterol in the skin to vitamin D). 

You can also enhance your child's diet with vitamin D rich foods such as milk and fish to help prevent deficiency. 

What types of activities do you do with your kids outside to keep them healthy?  We'd love to hear your ideas!

Source: http://www.livescience.com/9700-lack-vitamin-children-shocking.html

Friday, June 10, 2011

Resource spotlight! Literacy Activities


Washington Learning Systems is making available, at no cost, parent-child language and early literacy activities in seven languages! English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Somali, Burmese and Russian. The materials were developed by and made available by Angela Notari-Syverson, Ph.D. and colleagues. These materials are free and may be copied and distributed as long as they are not sold.

The “On the Go” materials include fourteen home and community activities for adults and young children (birth to five) that encourage early language and literacy development. These activities are designed to be used every day outside the home: in the car, while walking, during bus rides, etc. They will encourage you as a parent to interact with your children while you are “on the go” to facilitate language, early literacy, and positive parent-child interactions. Isn’t that what we all want?!

Each of the activities includes an activity description, and hints for making the activity fun and developmentally appropriate.  An activity checklist helps parents notice their children's skills and prompts parents to examine and build their own interactions with children. The activities are appropriate for children with disabilities as well as children who are developing typically.

To download materials go to http://www.walearning.com and click on the button that says "Literacy Resources" on the home page.  You will need to create a login account using your email address and a password.

P.S. There are other literacy resources available on that page, including “Supporting Literacy in Natural Environments” for infants and preschoolers. They also are free and reproducible in English and Spanish.

For questions please contact:
Mary Maddox 
Washington Learning Systems

Try out the activities and let us know what you think! We’d appreciate it!

Monday, June 6, 2011

Encouraging Your Child to be Physically Active

Physical activity in all ages of children has been dramatically decreasing over the last years. Physical activity declines with increasing age and school grade. Therefore, it is important to make physical activity a regular part of family life. Children that have physical activity included in their lifestyle are more likely to stay that way as an adult. This helps provide children and parents with a strong foundation for a lifetime of health. So what can you do as a parent to help your child become more physically active? Parents can play a key role. Here are some ideas:


1.       Talk to your pediatrician. They can help your child understand why physical activity is important and suggest a sport or activity.
2.    Find a fun activity. Help your child find a sport that he/she enjoys. The more they enjoy the activity, the more likely it is that they’ll continue. Get the entire family involved as it is a great way to spend time together.
3.     Choose an activity that is developmentally appropriate. A 7 or 8 year old child is not ready for weight lifting or a 3-mile run. However soccer, bicycle riding, and swimming are appropriate.
4.     Plan ahead. Provide a convenient time and place to exercise.
5.     Provide a safe environment. Make sure your child's equipment and location for the activity are safe. Ensure that your child's clothing is comfortable and appropriate.
6.     Provide active toys. Young children especially need easy access to balls, jump ropes, and other active toys.
7.     Be a model for your child. Children who regularly see their parents enjoying sports and physical activity are more likely to do so themselves.
8.      Play with your child. Help him/her learn a new sport.
9.     Turn off the TV. Limit television watching and computer use. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends no more than 1 to 2 hours of total screen time a day, including TV, movies, computers, and video game. Use the free time for more physical activities.
10.    Make time for exercise. Some children are so over scheduled with homework, music lessons, and other planned activities that they do not have time for exercise.
11.      Do not overdo it. Remember to tell them to listen to their body. Physical activity should not hurt. If it occurs, your child should slow down or try a less vigorous activity. If your child's weight drops below an average, acceptable level, or if exercise starts to interfere with school or other activities, talk with your pediatrician. 

Exercise along with a balanced diet provides the foundation for a healthy, active life. One of the most important things parents can do is encourage healthy habits in their children early on in life. It is not too late to start!

Please, please share your experiences, success stories, and ideas to increase physical activity in children!

Source: American Academy of Pediatrics website- http://www.aap.org/......A reliable resource!

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Resource Spotlight!


Losing a child can be one of the hardest things a parent may ever go through. Some of you may be grieving over the loss of a child and not know how to deal with the pain or who to turn to for support and comfort.  Here are two excellent resources that Help Me Grow recommends to help you and your children deal with the death of a loved one.

Canary Gardens
Approximately one in 20 children will suffer the death of a parent before he or she is eighteen.  Many others will experience the death of a brother or sister.  This agency is a non-profit organization for children and adolescents who are suffering from the death of a loved one.  Canary Gardens provides a safe environment for kids and teens to deal with grief by exploring through music, art, play, storytelling, and creative writing.  They provide support by interaction with peers, trained volunteers, and professionals.

Canary Gardens is a Utah based company located in Orem.  There are a series of events happening each year that you and your family can participate in.  For more information click here or email info@canarygarden.org.


Compassionate Friends
This agency offers support for those that are grieving from the death of a child.  Simon Stephens, founder of The Compassionate Friends, stated, "The Compassionate Friends is about transforming the pain of grief into the elixir of hope.  It takes people out of the isolation society imposes on the bereaved and lets them express their grief naturally.  With the shedding of tears, healing comes.  And the newly bereaved get to see people who have survived and are learning to live and love again." 

Whether or not you are grieving from the loss of a child (regardless of age or cause) or if you are helping others go through a life changing experience, The Compassionate Friends exists to provide friendship, understanding, and hope to those going through the natural grieving process.  With locations in 50 different states, and over 650 networks, this organization is available to almost anyone who seeks it.  For more information click here and find a chapter near your location.


Sources: www.canarygarden.org
www.compassionatefriends.org