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7 Helpful Parenting Tips for Today

The worst thing that can happen is that you become your parents! Right? Remember thinking that you would never become like your parents, and when you grew up and had kids of your own, you’d be cool and hip, and your kids would love you. Then what happens? You become your parents right? All of the same things that stressed out your parents are now the same things that stress you out. Well, that’s okay things happen and now you realize why your parents were the way they are. The bottom line is you really want to be a good parent and here are seven solid tips that you can use to help improve your parenting skills.

1. Spend time with your children. Yes, life is tough and finding the time to spend with the kids is sometimes really hard to do. But at the end of the day kids really just want to spend time with their parents, and the parents have spent time with their kids are the ones that can make a very positive impact. If you have more than one child, find ways to spend time alone with each of your children. Make a habit of taking one child with you when you do the grocery shopping for instance so that you can spend some time alone together. Give each child a chance to feel special. In much the same way a neglected puppy becomes a problem puppy, your children need attention. You don’t need to spend money on them, you don’t need to find all kinds of things for them, you just need to be there with them.

2. Communicate with your children. They say that 90% of communication is listening, so listen. Be genuinely interested in whatever news they care to share with you about whatever might be happening at school or with their friends. Try not to have any preconceived notions your children talk to you. Sometimes you may want to jump into the conversation but your children well appreciated if you can just allow them to talk. Take the time to explain things to your children and give them reasons. Make sure they understand and when you need them to do something clearly outline your expectations. Involve your children in the discussion and be open with them. Parent soar able to express themselves to the children often have better relationships with them. Children who participate in decisions are more motivated to carry them out.

3. Build your child’s self-esteem. Be a cheerleader. If you have kids and they feel that you are rooting for them, and they’ll be loyal to you and look up to you. Your words and actions affect your child’s self-esteem. Praise your child’s accomplishments, no matter how small. Let your child do things independently. Be generous with your praise, but make sure that it is sincere. Look for the good and call attention to it. But that does not mean to ignore the problems either.

4. Discipline your child. Be consistent with discipline and set limits. When you set an expectation you need to make sure that you hold yourself accountable. Your children will be confused if you are inconsistent with their expectations. Established guidelines and follow them.

5. Be a good role model. Do not live by the model do as I say, not as I do. Children are smart and they pick up quickly on hypocritical behavior. The last thing you can do is say one thing and do another. Once you lose your credibility with your children it may be difficult or impossible to regain.

6. Show that your love is unconditional. As an effective parent, you are responsible for correcting and guiding your child. This child is you, and you are the child. There is a genetic and biological connection between the two of you. The matter what happens, your child will always be there and you will also be there. Understand that your child will make errors just like you did when you were growing up. There is a phrase and the phrase goes… It is what it is. Remember, there are things you can control and things you cannot control, make sure you know the difference.

7. Recognize your own needs and limitations. While you are a parent and they are your children, don’t ever forget that you are a special unique individual. You need your own space and you need to respect that and provided for yourself. You also need to teach your children that they need to respect you as an individual also. You are their parents, but you’re also a special and unique person. If you can get your children to understand that, and can respect your own private time while you respect theirs, ultimately you should have a great relationship.

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How To Build Self Confidence in Parenting

Raising a child has never been easy and in fact it is one of the hardest job you will ever have. It is challenging, exciting, nerve-wracking but provides you with one of the most amazing experience you will ever have. Along with the joy of raising a child often comes self-doubt - the fear of doing something that is not right, the permanent psychological damage that you may cause your child, or a whole list of other things that could possibly go wrong. But relax! There are a few simple things that you can keep in mind to raise your confidence as a parent.

We all make mistakes even as parents and there is no such thing as a perfect parent. Keeping this in mind will take a great deal of pressure off. Simply do your best, expect hitches along the way and be prepared to deal with them. Understanding the stage of development that your child is in and knowing what to expect and expect the unexpected is great preparation. However, do remember that the worst may not happen! Your child may not be a reckless teenager.One important point to always remember is that all children are different so do not compare your child or parenting style with others. This will likely cause you unnecessary stress.

Do not always believe everything that the experts say. Certainly, many experts have loads of experience working with children of all sorts. However, do listen to what they have to say but do not take it as the final word. You as a parent know your child better than anyone else, and if a piece of advice does not seem right for your child, trust your parental instincts. You are most likely to be correct. What may have worked for others may not work for you, and that is okay. Very often, kind-intentioned friends and relatives are likely to offer their advices. Some of these might be useful and some not. Do not oblige and feel pressured to follow these advices as long as you feel that it is not right for your family situation. This understandably can be difficult especially in close relationships. However, by establishing those boundaries because you know what is best for your child will help to boost your confidence simply by knowing that you can determine what is best for you and stand up for it.

It may sound like old advice, but do spend time with your child. More and more studies have shown that children whose parents show an interest in them are better equipped to deal with some of life’s challenges. Spending time with your child also helps you to know your child better and in turn helps you to make better choices. It works well for all involved.

At the appropriate time, seek help when you need it. It may sound contradictory to the earlier statements but it is actually not so. When you know your child and understand his or her needs well, you are in a much better position to know what advice to accept and what to reject. When dealing with a difficult or serious situation, and feeling that it is out of your control, it is probably time to seek outside help. This does not necessarily mean that you have failed. On the contrary, it shows that you are confident enough in yourself and your parenting style to recognize that you may not have all the answers. Some of the situations like out of control behaviors and drug abuse require outside intervention. It is definitely alright to ask for help when you need it, so do not put yourself down if and when it happens.

At any one given moment, you are giving your best to your child and family, so do keep that in mind at all times. It is a fact that life does not always go smoothly all the time, and this is often most obvious in parenting. It is alright to make mistakes and admit them. And when your children see you doing this, you are showing them that a confident person is not perfect and that everyone makes mistakes from time to time. This in turn will help your children to feel more confident when they make mistakes as well.

Paul Hata is active in various community and social programs aimed at providing access to education and training to all. Access 1000s of Educational, Training and Degree Programs here - WorldChristianPages.com and ChristianWorldPages.com

How to Build Self Confidence in Children

It has often been said that what your child does at thirteen very much decides what he will be doing at thirty. And this does hold some truth! If a child learns to hold his head high no matter what comes, he will most certainly sow seeds of happiness, success and prosperity that he can reap when he becomes an adult. It is the duty of every parent to create an atmosphere where their child can learn to be self-confident, responsible and courageous. As parents, you have the duty to believe in his capability, encourage him to take initiative and you will be positively amazed at what he can do!

Be Self-Confident As A Parent
Children learn through imitation. As a child spends most of his time with his parents, he grow up becoming like them. Hence a self-confident parent unconsciously instills the self-confident nature as a life skill in the child. A child is a great observer and thus it has been said that a child is the father of man! Observation forms the first half of learning while doing forms the second half. So if he observes you idling, not completing your tasks on time, getting confused at the last hour and the resulting fights and bouts of your temper, he might never know the right way to handle situations. He will also most likely be struggling with ill habits like procrastination, laziness and indiscipline.

Give Time For Your Children
Spending time with your children is something that can never be over-emphasized. As working parents, it is often very tempting to place your child in a daycare so that you can have ample time for other chores. Many a time, we conjure up excuses of having to earn a living, providing the best for our child so on so forth to justify our actions. However, what the child needs most of all is you and your time. His treasures are the games you play with him. The long walks you share with him, the time you spent in tutoring him and the way you tell him what he means to you. This imbues a sense of security in the child that makes him automatically confident. He knows that he has nothing to worry about. Once your child gets strong and self-confident, he will not need your money, as he will have the aptitude and strength to go out and earn for himself. As the old proverb goes, give a fish to a man and you take care of him for one day. Teach a man how to fish and you take care of him for a lifetime. That is how it must be!

Be A Loveable Family
The best thing a father can do for his child is to love his mother. Nothing else works better. Should there be problems between you and your spouse, children are the ones who suffer the most. These little souls are very sensitive and watching parents yelling at each other cuts deeply into his heart and can create long lasting scars in them. A baby is the most amazing gift that nature can present to you - he is your flesh and blood. It is a great responsibility to take care of him. Love is the most basic essential ingredient of a home. For where there is love, happiness and prosperity is not far away.

Have Trust In Your Children
It is natural for parents to be concerned about the safety and security of your child. However, do make it a point that you do not overprotect him. It is not possible for you to be with him everywhere and he has a responsibility to make his mark in this world by himself. Faith is the best encouragement. Being trusted can at times be a greater compliment than being loved.

Entrust your child with small tasks. Nothing is as grand for a child than being given the responsibility to handle a task. He feels honored and his self-worth increases. Begin by guiding him to complete the task successfully and soon he will have his own unique way of handling things. Nature has given him wings of imagination so do not clip them. Encourage him and let him fly!

Paul Hata is active in various community and social programs aimed at providing access to education and training to all. Access 1000s of Educational, Training and Degree Programs here - WorldChristianPages.com and ChristianWorldPages.com

Parenting Pitfalls - The Two Critical Turning Points of Childhood

What are the most frustrating years of being a parent? An overwhelming consensus of parents believe it is when children are two, and then around fourteen.

Neuroscience now gives solid validation that something striking is happening during these times. It all comes down to brain-wiring.

Virtually overnight, around age two, the first significant change appears when a child recognizes that he or she is an individual with a separate identity. At this point, children begin to assert their individuality with the common “me, my, mine” statements. This indicates the early stages of the formation of the conscious mind, and burgeoning neural network.

Taking about five years to fully form, the conscious mind is learning to protect the highly suggestible subconscious mind. Until this critical survival faculty is firmly in place, everything seen, heard, and witnessed has unfettered access to the subconscious.

Harmless statements to a child such as “You’re so messy” or “Why can’t you be more like your sister?” are in reality, potentially damaging suggestions that are conveyed directly to the child’s subconscious mind. Experience indicates that most issues adults present in therapy sessions are related to the core belief patterns established before the age of seven.

The next significant metamorphosis takes place around age fourteen. The teenage brain begins the second transformation in wiring, which accounts for typical adolescent impulsiveness, defiance, lack of organizational skills, and narcissism. At this stage, the brain lacks the neural wiring to effectively moderate behavior and emotional responses. Frequently sparking turmoil, the teenage brain is preparing that individual for autonomy by testing limits, building skills, and encouraging individual initiative.

A parent’s most important role during this stage is to provide children with a secure, loving environment while allowing events to unfold. Rather than reacting, parents need to recognize that these events and struggles are preparing children for life in the real world.

Here are some helpful tips for parents to express unconditional love and acceptance to their child:

In discussion, look them in the eyes, at eye level, not down at them. Focus more on their feelings, challenges, and needs, rather than their behaviors.
Demonstrate that you value their uniqueness and independence. Support their drive to expand their confidence and social skills. Take a deep breath, and think before you speak. Your words have a lasting impact.

Cherish the journey of parenthood. It’s the most responsible job on the planet.

International speaker, Dr. Brian E. Walsh is the author of the bestseller Unleashing Your Brilliance and has also co-authored with John Gray and Jack Canfield the self-help book, 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life: Volume 2.
Find out more here.

Is Your Kid’s School Lunch A Nutritional Time Bomb?

It’s back to school time, and all across the country millions of kids are experiencing their first day of school after a long, lazy summer. Unfortunately for many of America’s children, few school supply lists address what may be the most important school supply of all: a healthy lunch.

It’s difficult, if not impossible, to turn on the television or radio without being bombarded with news about the American obesity epidemic. Close to two-thirds of adults in the United States are either overweight or obese, a startling reality made even more disheartening by the fact that child obesity rates are catching up fast. “Recent statistics indicate that 15.5 percent of 6 to 19 year olds and 10.4 percent of 2 to 5 year olds in the United States are overweight. The prevalence is even higher among non-Hispanic blacks (23.6 percent) and Mexican Americans (23.4 percent)” (source: Amanda Gardner, HealthDay Reporter).

“In the last 10 years alone, the number of children and adolescents diagnosed with type 2 diabetes has increased several-fold. A decade ago, we rarely diagnosed type 2 diabetes in children and teens. Now, we are seeing an epidemic increase in the incidence of type 2 diabetes in youth. The jump is phenomenal” (source: Benjamin Franklin Literary and Medical Society Nov/Dec 2004).

From the largest high schools to the tiniest elementary schools in the nation, overweight students can be found at public schools and private schools alike. So what’s causing this dramatic rise in childhood obesity?

The answer is the same as it is for adults: kids are eating too much of the wrong foods and at the same time aren’t getting enough exercise. “Lifestyles are clearly a contributing factor. The proportion of students attending physical education classes every day has declined from 41.6 percent in 1991 to 29.1 percent in 1999. And almost 80 percent of children aren’t eating the recommended five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day” (source: Amanda Gardner, HealthDay Reporter)

Aside from pulling your kids out of the school district altogether and starting up a home school program, there are some basic steps you can take to put children’s health back on the report card.

First of all, encourage your child to be more active. Although many summer school programs involve sufficient exercise and physical education, the regular school year may not. If your kid isn’t getting at least an hour of active playing each day, then it’s a good idea to supplement their exercise program at home. This can be as simple as going for a family bicycle ride after dinner or playing tag in the backyard.

It’s also a good idea to monitor what your child is eating at school. About the time your youngster reaches middle school age, they’ll find vending machines at school stuffed with kid snacks of varying nutritional value. Even if you can’t control what they buy once they’re at school, you can certainly regulate how much money they take with them each day.

Finally, it’s important to control what goes into your child’s school lunchbox. Loaded down with sugar, fat and salt, many lunchboxes are sorely lacking in fruit, vegetables and whole grains. Here’s how to pack a healthy school lunch that’s sure to please:

1) Permit only milk or 100 percent juice for lunchbox drinks. Beware of ‘juice’ drinks that contain very little juice and heaps of sugar.

2) When choosing a school lunch main dish for kids, be it the ever-popular sandwich or something more creative, use low-fat cheeses and meats. The majority of the saturated fat in children’s diets comes from milk and cheese, and lunchmeats are often another dangerous source. Most grocery stores offer low-fat and fat free cheeses and meats for sandwiches, which when combined with 1 percent or fat free milk will dramatically lower the amount of artery-clogging saturated fat your child is consuming.

3) Include fruits and vegetables every single time you pack the lunchbox. A steady diet of produce reduces the risks of heart disease, cancer, blindness, stroke and, or course, obesity.

4) Choose 100% whole-wheat bread instead of white bread. Higher in fiber, whole wheat bread will make help your child feel full longer, as well as make him or her healthier.

5) Keep kid desserts to a minimum. All too often, children wolf down their dessert first and are later too full for vegetables. Consider including dessert just three times per week, or just as a treat on Friday.

Finally, ask your child what they’d like in their lunchbox! The quickest way to get an angry kid is to pack their lunch with healthy foods that they hate. Instead, give them a list of healthy foods that you are willing to put in their lunch, and let them choose. You may even consider bringing them along to the store with you so they can be part of the process of making healthy food selections.

Making smart food choices can be fun and exciting for children, allowing them to try new foods and set healthy habits for life. With some planning and a little effort, your kid’s school lunch doesn’t have to be a nutritional time bomb this year - or ever again!

Tracie Johanson is the founder of Pick Up The Pace, a 30-minute exercise studio for women focusing on fitness, health and nutrition for maximum weight loss. Subscribe to our FREE weekly email newsletter, and receive a FREE weight loss e-book, just by going to http://www.letspickupthepace.com/ and clicking on the ‘Newsletter’ link.

Books For Children Tips - Where Do You Begin

To instill the love of reading in your children is one of the very first thing parents wanted to do. Once a child begins to read at an early age, the tendency is that he will have the love of reading for the rest of his life.

The child who have the love for read usually do better in school because of the fact that reading any type of book will be easier for them. School textbooks may be dry and not much fun to read, but it will be easier for a child who loves to read to get their assignments completed. The best way to get your child started is to buy some books for children at an early age.

You can start buying some books for children earlier than you might think. To begin with, you can start with picture books that children can handle as young as six months old. Even though they may not even understand what it is about, it will give them a positive association with books. Many of these books for children are soft, have bright, stimulating colors, and can be chewed on safely.

As your children age, the books for children you buy will begin to involve words as well as pictures. One of my daughter’s first books was a picture book of other babies. Children are often fascinated with other children their own age. The book had very few words, but it helped her to understand that words tell a story, and the pictures in the books go with the story. When children reach age three or four, you can purchase more complicated books for children. They can have longer storylines, and they should encourage your child to ask questions. Rhyming stories are great, because they engage your child’s mind in learning and understanding patterns and sounds.

You can find books for children just about anywhere you buy books. Many bookstores have special sections just for books for children, and they often have extras like a play area, and they may also have story time. You can also find them at the library, and the library will have story time as well. These programs are geared towards getting your children to develop a love of books that will last a lifetime.

It is one of the best things you can develop in them. To begin with, you may start a book sharing program with some of families and friends. Eventually you can start one of these for your community. This will not only encourage people to share or donate books for children to the community, it will also help lower income families give their children the love for reading.

Joshua Poyoh is the creator of http://www.motherbabytips.com where you can find out more information on Books For Children Review

Some Tips For Preserving Your Baby Girl Dresses

Perhaps one of the most treasured items a mother may save will be her daughter’s baby girl dresses. Many moms dress their babies up in the frilliest of dresses knowing that one day they may prefer jeans. These dresses can be saved for a lifetime of memories.

While many moms like to save the very first in a long line of baby girl dresses, there are other dresses they may wish to save as well. Perhaps some of the cutest dresses their little girls may wear are christening, flower girl, or ones worn on special holidays such as the first Christmas or birthday.

A professional can carefully preserve these dresses or you can do it yourself by simply wrapping your girl dresses in acid free tissue paper and storing them away. It is always a good idea to find a container that will repel moths, as they can be the death of any garment.

When planning to store your little girl dresses for the future, make sure they are professionally cleaned first, much like you would do for a wedding dress before you slip it into the closet. Some cleaners can package the dress for you in a box or a garment bag that will help preserve the integrity of the garment.

These dresses can be passed down to your daughter one day when she has children of her own. She may wish to she her daughter wear one of her old baby dresses, or may cherish that you have saved it all that time as a reminder of when she was young.

Special dresses life flower girl dresses can be used from generation to generation, much like wedding dresses. Choosing simple yet beautiful baby girl dresses will ensure they will be loved and cherished for generations to come.

If you have a ton of baby girl dresses that you can’t part with, it may be unrealistic to keep them all boxed up and saved for the future. It may be painful for you to watch or do yourself, but you can have the dresses cut up and made into a quilt.

If you are into quilting, you can easily do this yourself. If not, there are places you can go to have someone make them for you. You may not have the entire dress left, but you will have a lifelong reminder of the beautiful baby girl dresses your little one once wore.

Whether you choose to preserve a few dresses, or to turn your baby girl dresses into a treasured keepsake quilt, you are keeping the memory of your babies alive and well. As they grow, they may irritate you, rebel against you, or try to run away from you, but you always have those baby girl dresses to remind you that under all of their teen angst, they will always be your little girl.

Joshua Poyoh is the creator of http://www.motherbabytips.com where you can find out more information on How To Store Your Baby Girl Dresses

The Basis and Purpose of Active Parenting

What is Active Parenting?

Parenting takes a lot of energy, and this is why the matter of active parenting is so truly crucial. Active parenting involves helping your children to learn survival and life skills, and although there are many skills that are involved in the raising of family, there are several factors in particular that are especially important, which are: courage, self-esteem, responsibility, and cooperation.

Courage is an incredibly important virtue to teach upon your children as if children have courage they will feel as though they are able to try and even if they fail they will feel capable and willing to try again. As well, it is important to know that courage is an incredibly strong base for children, and is a virtue and component that all children should have.

Another important matter of active parenting is that of the teaching of self-esteem. Responsibility is also incredibly important, as in active parenting, parents are leaders who encourage that of cooperation and stimulation of learning. It is important that all family members are able to make decisions and accept responsibility for their actions and decisions, and parents will not be able to be there for everything their child does, and so it is vitally important that the children have learned to make responsible decisions and thus have the courage to stick with those decisions.

Cooperation is another incredibly important virtue, as children who can cooperate with others will learn that life involves teamwork. Active parents are able to help their children to learn to have courage, be responsible, be cooperative, as well as to have them feel good about themselves overall. The matter of parenting revolves around the fact of protecting and preparing children to be able to survive and thrive in society, to feel good about themselves and their decisions, and to have them act with confidence in their daily life.

Regardless of how you go about being an active parent, the most important factor to remember is that at least you are doing something. There are so many options available in this matter in fact that it can be hard to choose which one to go with. The Internet, for example, offers a wide array of active parenting classes and courses that you can attend, some of which are even available to you at no cost, and the convenience of completing these courses online is incredibly beneficial to most.

Sam Crowley is a best-selling co-author and motivational speaker.
You can see Sam’s home business at
http://www.defendyourdream.com. Sam’s mission is to create ten millionaires in the next five years

Socialization In Homeschooling

When we consign our children to public schools, we feel satisfied that they are receiving ‘quality education’. But, are we really getting our money’s worth? More importantly, are the children gaining anything from this kind of a learning procedure?

Socialization is hailed as one of the greatest advantage of schools. This is the place where the child picks up the rudiments of social skills that help him survive. But in truth, a regular school-going child can interact only with his peers. He may bully younger children or fear older ones. He does not know how to behave with an adult. This is because in the school environment he interacts only with his peers. A homeschooling environment brings in a more natural social environment.

A regular school going child cannot read literature. He cannotkeep silent or think in depth about any one thing. The artificial ‘busy’ness imposed upon him by the school disallows quiet contemplation. Rowdy and destructive behavior, as seen among peers, is more noticeable in school-goers.

There is little long-standing knowledge among regular school goers because most things are learnt for the exam. There is no correlation of facts with life. The child may know a lot, but understands very little. This is where the homeschoolers beat theregular school goers. Ultimately, homeschoolers emerge more adept at facing the outside world.

Social skills is an area of deep concern when it comes to homeschooling. Many critics point out that since man needs to hone his social skills, a homeschooling environment where social interaction is limited is detrimental to his growth and development. But studies have proved this wrong.

Children put into the fiercely competitive school environments lack the confidence to hold a conversation. Such children show little genuine interest in the topic of conversation and don’t know how to interact with people of various age groups, especially their elders.

Children who learn at home are more aware of the implications and the purpose of their learning. They will ask intelligent questions and make accurate observations. Children begin their life by imitating their parents. Homeschooled children therefore pickup the sterling qualities they see in their parents. On the other hand, they are protected from the detrimental influences of their peers.

These children are thus better equipped with the tools necessary to face the world. The positive reinforcement that takes place in the homeschooling environment as opposed to being abandoned, embarrassed or ignored in a normal school environment strengthens their self-esteem. Children turn out to be better balanced and well-rounded as they progress into adulthood.

The most common reason today’s parents have for not sending their children to public school is that they feel that public school is no longer a place where children can obtain a quality education. 48.9% of parents in a survey stated that their reason for wanting an alternative to public school was that they could give their child a better education at home. Another 25% gave the reason that public school offered a poor learning environment and another 11% say that public school did not challenge their child (Bielick).

That study just cannot be ignored.

The homeschooling population in the United States has grown from some 10,000 to 15,000 children in the late 1960s to over one million children in 2001 (Bielick). Homeschooling is currently growing at about 11% a year. This obviously says something about the state of public education and theopinion of parents concerning the education of their children.

Homeschooled children appear to perform better on tests, as well. According to Brian Ray, Ph.D., “Home educated students generally score at the 65th to 80th percentile on achievement tests, 15 to 30 percentile points higher than those in public schools.

Parents who homeschool do have some notable differences from the mainstream population though. In a study by L. M. Rudner homeschool parents had more formal education than parents in the general population; 88% continued their education beyond high school compared to 50% for the nation as a whole. The median income for home school families ($52,000) was significantly higher than that of all families with children ($36,000) in the United States. Almost all home school students (98%) were in married couple families. Most home school mothers (77%) did not participate in the labor force; almost all home school fathers (98%) did work (Rudner). This may explain why homeschooled students outperform the public schools students on standardized tests and academic competitions like the National Spelling Bee.

In 1997, the winner of the National Spelling Bee was a homeschooled student. Every year since then, the winner has been a homeschooled student. This year, the first and second runners up were also homeschoolers.

RESEARCH is the best key to learning the why, if, should I and the difference between public education and homeschooling. http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2001033 is an excellent place to start with reading studies that have been done, http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v7n8 is another. Even TIME magazine did an article regarding homeschooling: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1000631,00.html.

Homeschooling can be the best option for a child if the following conditions exist: the home provides a suitable learning atmosphere, the parent is capable, the child is receptive and the option to homeschool exists. These factors include the enabling of parents, the emotional health of the child, interest and curiosity, the socialization of the child and the teachability of the child.

Joyce Jackson is an educational expert and consultant in northern California. For her latest book and information see Homeschooling Easy.

Toys for Traveling: Must Have Toys for Summer Vacation Road Trips

Summer vacation is now in full swing and that means summer vacation road trips and plane rides. It’s hard enough to keep your little ones entertained on the way to the grocery store let alone on a long journey. Summertime travel requires toys that will keep kids entertained that they can do in the car with limited movement. Instead of depending solely on portable DVD players and handheld video games, try offering kids these brain building boredom busters for the ride.

Under Cover Detective Kit:
The Alex toy company has a knack for understanding kids of all ages. The Under Cover Detective Kit by Alex comes with hours of fun activities for young sleuths like puzzles, codes, fingerprint kits, a secret marker pen set and much more. Alex Toys won the Openheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award for the Detective Kit. More importantly, kids love it and can stay entertained for hours working through the puzzles and deciphering code.

Car Valet:
The Car Valet by Alex is a wonderful car ride companion for younger children. The valet attaches to the back of the front seat and opens up into a portable arts and crafts center. Pack the valet with all of your child’s favorite art supplies, stamps, paper, crayons, and coloring books for hours of creative entertainment in the car.

Wooden Sewing Box:
This little wooden sewing box by Alex is the perfect mini replica of a real sewing box. Inside are buttons, thread, and beads. The 4 compartments make it easy to store all kinds of car friendly crafts like cross stitch, beads and thread for making necklaces, felt sewing projects, and more. Kids and families are so busy today that it’s difficult to find enough peaceful time to sit down and do craft activities. A car ride offers the perfect reason to slow down and engage in a quiet craft activity and the Wooden Sewing Box by Alex gives kids fun way to store and organize their goodies.

IQ Baby Beep Traffic Jam by Small World Toys
Small World Toys is another of our favorite manufactures of toys for kids of all ages. The IQ Baby Beep Traffic Jam by Small World Toys is designed specifically to keep toddlers busy in their car seats. The Baby Beep attaches directly onto the stroller or car seat and has lots of colorful interactive activities to engage toddlers. Small World Toys designed this toy with parents in mind too; all of the activities are attached so mom and dad won’t be constantly reaching back to pick up dropped pieces.

Kids Sleeping Bags
Though not a toy, kids sleeping bags are essential for long car rides. Kids love to cuddle up in their own kids sleeping bag during the dark hours of the drive. Colorful kids sleeping bags are built for packing and can be rolled up for easy storage. When you arrive at your destination, kids sleeping bags help kids feel comfy and cozy in the new environment. For kids, sleeping bags are a way to bring the comfort of home on a new adventure.

No matter where your summer adventures take you, get the trip off to a great start with a smooth car or plane ride. Toys that encourage kids to use their imaginations are not only healthy, but keep kids entertained longer. When kids are entertained during long travel, the experience is much more enjoyable for them and for you!

Author is a writer for My Polka Dots who offers kids sleeping bags and other kids traveling toys. For more information you can visit
http://www.MyPolkaDots.com.

Parenting Help For You And Your Child

Parenting is a committment most people aren’t really prepared for but that doesn’t mean parents don’t have any idea of how to raise a child. Natural instinct is a wonderful thing; relatives and friends form part of the parenting equation but I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: parenting is something you grow into. Each child is different and believe it or not, being a parent to your first child becomes a team effort in a lot of ways between you and the child.

Now, what about the other end of the spectrum. Is parenting help available when you are at your wits end with a child who who has stretched you to the “end of your tether?” You’re a first time parent so you have never dealt with this issue before. Where do you go for parenting help? Apart from picking up the phone to ask the in-laws which many people seem relunctant to do; maybe it’s got something to do with the old chestnut…”I told you so…” go figure. Let’s examine what’s available in the parenting help category.

For starters, let’s examine what the problem might be. In most cases, it’s just a matter of taking a little time out for yourself. Hey let’s face it, spending a couple of hours on your own doesn’t constitute being a bad parent. Not finding a release for your stress levels isn’t going to do anyone any good. So who is going to babysit junior?

There are several suggestions to consider if either your parents or in-laws aren’t available. For pre-schoolers, daycare is a great option. Yes, it is expensive in most countries but we are talking a few hours a week. In my case, two three hour sessions a week for our child was more than enough time out plus the benefit of interaction he got with other children couldn’t have been measured in dollars and cents.

Have you ever considered checking out your local community programs? This could be church-based programs or child-oriented programs where activities are organised for kids on a weekly basis. It’s usually a cheap way to not only get some much needed respite for yourself but again, your child will be mingling with other like-minded “rug rats” while you can sit back for a few hours, chill out with other parents, and swap notes. If you have been feeling a little over-whelmed, then by meeting other parents you’ll soon realise you are not alone.

What about if it’s just information you require? A problem has occurred and requires you disciplining the child. Hey I hear you… this stuff wasn’t taught at “child raising finishing school” but like I said, parenting is something we grow into especially with number one.

I found for immediate assistance that a quick search online or the telephone book ( do they still produce telephone books? ) for local parenting groups often worked most times. If you don’t locate a parenting group then try the local hospital. Either someone there will be able to assist you or they’ll point you in the right direction. And speaking of parenting groups, if you’ve got the time, and at this point you would certainly have the inclination, why not join one and “give it a test drive.”

Books and magazines are a useful set of resources for parenting help but don’t rely too heavily on the information available. You need to decipher the good from the bad and it’s a good idea to always double-check information that takes your fancy.

The message I hope you get reading this article is there is always parenting help available in all shapes and forms but don’t feel alone. Raising a child is a wonderful experience but the waters aren’t always calm.

Dean Caporella is a professional broadcaster.Read the latest news and reviews onparenting helpand related information at:http://www.parentinginfoline.com

Addressing Homeschooling’s Three Concerns

Many homeschoolers or families contemplating homeschool face a barrage of criticisms and scrutiny for their inquiries and decisions. Homeschooling is actually precess that can contribute to a solid family life and bonds.

The biggest concerns in undertaking homeschooling are loss of two parent income, choice of curriculum and socialization.

From the perspective of committed homeschooling, here are answers to those concerns.

Homeschooling actually benefits families in innumerable ways. Teaching your kids at home is not as difficult as it might seem, either. Anyone can do it. Keep in mind this is different than thinking anyone should do it.

1. One Paycheck
For many families choosing to homeschool, it means only one parent is earning a paycheck.

Sometimes its a choice that comes down to choosing kids over cash. Besides the loss in income, there is the cost on home school curriculum each year. However, there are many ways homeschoolers can mitigate the costs of homeschooling and even come out on the positive income side of the equation. There is no peer pressure to keep up or have the latest styles under thrat of being made fun of.

Many homeschoolers use a variety of curricula over the years. When choosing a curriculum, the family must also factor in the cost. Home school materials are not cheap, but they probably won’t break the bank, either. As time passes, however, those costs potentially drop because families are able to reuse some materials.

Home school children may be spared schoolyard ridicule, but critics, including the National. Education Association, say keeping kids at home also cheats them out of a chance to develop important social skills.

2. Curriculum
When a family decides to home school, perhaps the biggest question that must be answered is, what to teach. The possibilities are nearly endless.

First, parents are able to choose any curriculum and choose it to match the child. Some people choose a curriculum and stick with that curriculum and use that for all their subjects. They can also try one for history and try another for science, for example.

Many homeschoolers use a variety of curricula over the years. When choosing a curriculum, the family must also factor in the cost. Home school materials are not cheap, but they probably won’t break the bank, either. As time passes, however, those costs potentially drop because families are able to reuse some materials.

3. Socialization
The National Education Association (NEA), the nation’s largest teacher’s union, said there is another hidden cost to home education. Home-educated students miss out on opportunities to build socials skills by not studying with their peers.

In a Feb. 26, 2002 letter to the National Home Education Network, former NEA president Bob Chase wrote his organization was concerned that homeschooled students were not provided a comprehensive education experience because they did not have an opportunity to interact with students of different cultures, economic status or learning styles. They felt homeschooled students learned in a setting primarily made up of family members and friends.

Family and friends aren’t the problem. They are the solution. You don’t want an 8-year-old teaching an 8-year-old how to behave. You want them to learn how to behave from someone who hopefully knows how and then practice it on the other 8-year-olds. Forced socialization with misbehaving, misguided peers is something to be avoided, not embraced.

Homeschoolers have heard this before and the notion that home schooling retards children’s social growth is ridiculous. They actually learn better socialization skills because they’re around people of all different ages all the time.

Public schools are not necessarily a real representation of what life is like. We don’t all go around in little clusters with only people our own age.

Joyce Jackson is an educational expert and consultant in northern California. For her latest book and information see Homeschooling Easy.

Communication Is A Foundation Of Good Homeschooling

Good homeschooling starts with good parent to child communication skills. Regardless of the educational philosophy or the curriculum followed, the most effective educational tool is good, effective communication with your child.

The burden of good communication is definitely on the parents. Children will learn and absorb good skills when guided by the parent but more importantly, by using the parents as role models.

Kids will do as parents do so here are a few guidelines for good homeschool and family communication:

1. Make the Time.
In today’s complex world, it’s even more important to make sure you set aside time to talk. That doesn’t mean you have to hold a formal meeting. Sometimes the best discussions take place while you’re driving the car or puttering around the kitchen.

2. Listen to the Little Stuff.
Kids will talk to you if they know you’re going to listen, whether they discuss heavy issues such as sex and drugs, or everyday things like schoolwork. If your kids know you’re listening, they are more likely to trust you enough to talk about everything in their life.

3. Listen Between the Lines.
Because a lot of kids find it hard to talk to their parents about things that really matter, parents have to pay special attention to what their kids may be trying to say. It helps to pay particular attention to emotions, not just the emotion itself, but its intensity, too.

4. Ask their Opinion.
Few things please children (or anybody else) more than being asked their opinion. You don’t have to ask about important issues all the time, either.

5. Don’t Interrupt.
In a national survey, more than half the children said that when they talked, their parents often or sometimes didn’t give them a chance to explain themselves. It’s a good idea to give your children some extra time to explain their opinion or desires, even if you think you know what they’re going to say.

Building a healthy relationship with your child begins with good communication choices you make each day. When you take the time to listen to your child, instead of brushing her off, you are building connections.

When you respond in a manner that validates her feelings instead of invalidating them, you are teaching her to be caring. When you help her to choose appropriate actions, you are helping her to be more competent.

What are some final things to keep in mind as a role model for effective and positive communication with your children? Connect instead of disconnect, assist instead of taking over, listen rather than lecture. Stop firmly rather than grabbing or jerking.

Help instead of abandon. Explain instead of force. State rather than shriek. Smile more, frown less. Think about your relationship in the long run.

Implementing just a few of these ideas can make a huge difference in your homeschool and family environment. Remember, you just have to start and start with a single step.

Joyce Jackson is an educational expert and consultant in northern California. For her latest book and information see Homeschooling Easy.

Parenting Courses In Tune With Our Ever Changing Lifestyles

We face many challenges in life as human beings but undoubtedly, one of the biggest and most rewarding is parenting. If you ask any parent whether they went into the role with a complete understanding of what was involved then it’s a sure bet the answer would normally be no. Parenting is a role most of us grew into as every child is a unique individual. But can you learn the basics of being a parent through taking a course?

Fundamental Principles Of A Parenting Course

Courses are available either offline or online and depending on your level of requirement, are a useful ally in either enhancing your skills as an effective parent or preparing you for parenthood. Because parenting can cover a wide variety of styles you’ll need to filter through exactly what areas you need honing in before committing yourself to class.

Course topics may cover areas such as discipline, safety, preparing children for new additions to the family, authoritative, learning to cope with a handicapped child and even preparing yourself and the child during tough times such as separation.

One of the biggest benefits of taking a parenting course is the interaction you get with other parents in a similar situation to yours. This is especially so offline and you’ll be surprised that you are not alone in dealing with a specific “weak” area that you want to improve in. Other parents may have had a similar situation to yours and found an effective way to overcome it. You will reap the benefits of their experience while the same applies in reverse. They may benefit from a solution to a problem scenario you encountered and heed your advice.

Who Runs Parenting Courses

During the last twenty years, in line with modern education, parenting courses have become very popular. There was a time when parenthood was simply a matter of copying what mom and dad did and in most cases, it was a reflection of past experiences. Today, society has become a little more complex and the traditional roles we once valued have gradually diminished in line with the changing pace of life. So where can you go to receive tuition?

One of the best places to start is to check with your local hospital or health practitioner. In my case, I remember only too well the message boards on the hospital wall offering parenting classes at the local college. Then there are education outlets, local government bodies as well as social work offices. Online courses have become popular with the advent of VOIP technology and chat rooms are another useful source of information. Don’t forget to check your local newspaper classifieds for more information.

Basic parenting principles today are virtually the same as they were fifty years ago with the one subtle difference being the advent of increasing technology. Children today are more accustomed to wanting things now rather than later while parents in the main, have had to adjust to busy work and lifestyle schedules and incorporate good parenting values into the scenario. Sure it’s not easy, but remember, you don’t have to solve what appear to be insurmountable issues on your own. There is more than one avenue of assistance.

Dean Caporella is a professional broadcaster. Parenting tips and reviews as well asparenting courseinformation at:http://www.parentinginfoline.com

Homeschooling Help And History

When parents begin homeschooling, much thought and fact finding goes into their decision. This initial period is full of discovery and anticipation. The day arrives when homeschooling begins.

Three weeks into the homeschooling effort things begin to feel rocky. The thought of homeschooling your children may have seemed like a great idea at first. But then reality hits you. Yes you may be good in math or science, but you’re not knowledgeable in everything. Then there are so many questions that start going through your head. Where do I get curriculum, what curriculum should I use, can I really do this, and of course what about socialization?

Put your mind at ease. It’s not as difficult as it looks or feels at this early stage in homeschooling.

First and foremost, relax and have fun. The main objective to parenting is to teach children how to become adults. The reason you are homeschooling is to enjoy the time spent with your children and to learn together. You want to help your children learn how to learn, teach them how to figure things out, to work through problems.

Once they understand the basic principles of math, language, or life they can accomplish much. Here is something you might want to think about. In the typical school, one teacher spends six to seven hours teaching twenty to thirty children. This is equivalent to one on one tutoring for only one to two hours a day.

Learning is a lot easier in a relaxed atmosphere with this type of one on one attention. And when it is all said and done, you will have taught your children something more valuable than what is written in a schoolbook. You will have shown them how much you love them.

Whether you are just starting to homeschool or are just starting to investigate the idea of homeschooling, start talking to people you know who already homeschool their children. They will have plenty of good advice to get you started. If you don’t know any homeschoolers then try to find a homeschool support group in your area. Many churches also have organized homeschool support groups. Check around and see what you can find.

Next you should find out about the homeschooling laws in your state. Different states have different requirements. Some states have testing requirements. Some have specific curriculum requirements. State support groups generally have a summary of their state laws. Check the listings on our State Homeschool Support Information page or ask a local support group.

Homeschooling continues to grow in its rolls. At the same time, be prepared to become part of a growing minority when you begin. A little history can help: for most Americans, homeschooling seems rather odd. We have had public and private schools with us all of our lives, as have our parents before us and their parents before them from time immemorial. Why not stick with what works? The thought would be touching, if it were historically accurate. It isn’t.

The concept of compulsory schools with mass attendance is a radically new idea to Western civilization, no older than industrialization. Indeed, industrialization arguably could not have taken place without the mass school, and therein lies a tale.

As John Taylor Gatto points out in his impressive work, “The Underground History of American Education,” America’s schools were not very much used prior to 1870. The reason is simple.

The printing press was invented less than 50 years before America was discovered. The press enabled the Protestant Reformation. Because Protestant Faith argues that Scripture alone is authoritative, Protestants have a strong drive to be literate. The religious wars in Europe also drove many Protestants to find safe haven. The discovery of America was fortuitous in that it gave Protestants, that is, literate men, a place to flee.

As numerous commentators of the time noted and US Census figures confirm, white men in America were essentially 100% literate prior to 1870. While schools existed, they were not much used. Like children from time immemorial, American children were educated at home and self-educated, not schooled.

The first compulsory school law was passed in Massachusetts in 1852. The second law would not be passed until 1864, in Washington D.C. The great wave of compulsory school laws were passed between 1870, with the last falling into place in 1917.

In 1860, one-third of the 300 high schools in the country were located in Massachusetts, where the school year was twelve weeks long, and only six of those weeks were consecutive. Even by 1890, the school year was only twelve to twenty weeks. Even by 1900, only six percent of American teenagers had graduated high school, only two percent of Americans 18 through 24 were enrolled in a college.

While most Americans had attended an elementary school of some sort prior to 1900, they spent no more than two to three years in it, if that, perhaps forty weeks total. While in school, they were generally not learning to read. They learned that at home.

Instead, they were reading. Fifth grade basal readers included works from William Shakespeare, Henry Thoreau, George Washington, Sir Walter Scott, Mark Twain, Benjamin Franklin, Oliver Wendell Holmes, John Bunyan, Daniel Webster, Samuel Johnson, Lewis Carroll, Thomas Jefferson, Ralph Waldo Emerson.

The school system is so effective at passing on knowledge and forming young minds that this entire history is lost to most of the Americans who pass through its gates. We no longer remember how or why today’s school system came to be what it is. The modern college student is radically less well-read and radically less moral than the average twelve-year old was in colonial America.

So, yes, homeschooling does seem a little odd to many. It seems unnecessary, not a good fit for most families. And in a certain sense, that assessment is correct. Homeschooling is not a good fit for the modern family, if only because the family has, in modern times, ceased to exist. Family cohesion has been obliterated by the mass school.

Our society requires massive consumption. Needy, ignorant people consume more goods and services than educated, emotionally stable people do. The quickest way to create needy people is to obliterate the family. The quickest way to create ignorant people is to divorce them from their parents.

Joyce Jackson is an educational expert and consultant in northern California. For her latest book and information see Homeschooling Easy.

Special Communication Tips For Homeschooling

Good homeschooling requires good, solid communication with your child. As a parent, the burden of good communication and a role model for it lies squarely on your shoulders. Communicating with your child involves more than the words and phrases you use. What you are saying will be more effective if you:

1. I’m sorry.
Parents need to acknowledge their own mistakes and express regret whenever they cause their child unhappiness or distress. “I’m sorry I got soap in your eyes,” or “I’m sorry I wasn’t listening; tell me again,” or “I’m sorry I can’t read any more stories to you; I have to make a phone call now.” By expressing your sincere regret, you are showing your child that you are being considerate of her feelings and providing her with a model of good behavior as well.

2. No.
“No, don’t do that; you might hurt someone,” or “No, we don’t behave that way,” or “No, we don’t have enough money to buy that.” When parents have a hard time saying ‘no’ to their children, these children may grow up without knowing how to respond to limits. Parents can provide children with some freedom of choice (for instance, let your child pick out his own outfit, or let him decide what he’d like to eat for lunch), but be prepared to set boundaries.

3. That’s enough.
“That’s enough TV,” or candy, or roughhousing, or arguing. This phrase sets limits and paves the way for your child to develop a sense of self-control. Sometimes a “time-out” period is necessary if your limits have been reached and your child isn’t responding to the verbal message you are trying to send.

4. How do you suppose she feels?
Asking this question provides an opportunity for your child to consider the effects of her actions on another person, and it gives her the chance to develop empathy toward others. When you and your child read stories or watch TV shows together, look for opportunities to talk about the feelings of others.

5. This isn’t working. Can you think of another way?
Considering alternative ways of behaving in difficult situations is one of the steps of problem solving, an important skill that is useful throughout life. Your response to problems that arise in daily life, at home, or at work provides a model of behavior for your child.

6. How to Say It
Communicating with your child involves more than the words and phrases you use. What you are saying will be more effective if you:

Try to speak to your child in a pleasant tone of voice, instead of an angry one.

Speak in a light conversational tone instead of yelling. If you do end up yelling, apologize to your child.

Take the time to really communicate with your child, instead of rushing through a conversation.

Devote your full attention to your child when she is talking to you, and try not to let your mind wander.

Use facial expressions that correspond to the words you’re speaking and the emotions you’re feeling.

Let your love and respect for your child guide your words and actions.

Let the responsibility of being a parent be reflected in your willingness to take control when it’s necessary.

Smile more often than you frown.

Homeschooling gives parents a unique opportunity with their children in many ways. To make the most out of a homeschooling experience, regardless of philosophy or curriculum, good parent to child communication is a must.

While good parent communications skills are learned, here are some easy to follow tips and phrases for any great homeschool experience. You can use these everyday phrases to instill confidence, self-respect, and thoughtfulness in your children.

Joyce Jackson is an educational expert and consultant in northern California. For her latest book and information see Homeschooling Easy.

3 Reasons Why Your Child Needs Strong Memory Skills

For some kids it causes frustration. For others it causes despair. And for others it is plain hopeless.

What ever the circumstances, there is one important thing to know about memorizing. Your child needs to be good at it if they want to succeed in school.

And the sooner they begin learning how to memorize, the better.

Besides the fact they are developing a skill that is used in every class every day, they are separating themselves from other students that aren’t aware of the importance of memory skills.

Most kids just wing it when it’s time to study for tests or prepare presentations. If they remember some of the information they studied the night before, they’re happy.

But your child doesn’t need to settle for that approach. Here are some reasons why you need to help them develop strong memory skills. Skills that can make a dramatic difference in their learning almost immediately.

Reason #1 - Helps to eliminate learning deficiencies. According to Dr. Mel Levine, founder of All Kinds of Minds, an institute dedicated to helping children learn, many learning problems can be traced to an inability to memorize.

For example, math problems occur because a child can’t remember the steps to a formula. English problems crop up when a child can’t remember important points to make in an essay. Science problems arise when a child can remember the procedures to an experiment.

Strengthening memory skills is one of the solutions Dr. Levine and others propose.

Reason #2 - Develops self confidence. If your child is able to memorize more easily than others, they feel like a million bucks. They aren’t afraid to study and they look forward to showing what they remember in class.

When they have an effective system for remembering information, they feel less stress at test time and get better grades. They’re calm and relaxed…the perfect mental state to do well in big moments.

Reason #3 - Allows time to build critical thinking skills. It is never too early to begin thinking about the material you’re studying. In fact, it’s clear that the earlier any habit is formed the stronger it gets over time.

When your child is able to remember, retain and recall information easily, they have more time to think about what they’re studying.

While others are fighting to remember important points to include on a test, your child has the points memorized. All that’s left is to put them down on paper in a logical fashion.

In summary, don’t take memory training lightly. It is not as difficult as it sounds. And once your child learns just a few techniques, they’ll begin developing a powerful memory that will make a dramatic difference in their education.

Jim Sarris is a veteran teacher and author of two books on memorizing: Comic Mnemonics for Spanish Verbs and Memorizing Made Easy, a book/DVD that shows parents how to easily teach their children, regardless of age, valuable memory skills in as little as a week. For more information, visit Memorizing Made Easy and sign-up for a free report.

Words and Phrases to Use When Homeschooling

Homeschooling gives parents a unique opportunity with their children in many ways. To make the most out of a homeschooling experience, regardless of philosophy or curriculum, good parent to child communication is a must.

While good parent communications skills are learned, here are some easy to follow tips and phrases for any great homeschool experience. You can use these everyday phrases to instill confidence, self-respect, and thoughtfulness in your children.

1. Thank you.
It’s important to acknowledge your child’s efforts to help you or others. You might say: “Thanks for helping me look for that missing sock” or “Thanks for setting the table; I got the salad made while you were doing that.”

2. Tell me more.
Words like these show your child that you are listening and that you would like to hear more about what’s on her mind. “Tell me more” encourages conversation without passing judgment or giving immediate advice, two responses that discourage further communication from your child.

3. You can do it.
Your expression of confidence in your child’s ability to do many things without your help is important. As your child grows older, there will be many times when your encouragement will mean the difference between his giving up on a challenging task or seeing it through.

4. How can I help?
Let your child know you are willing and available to help her accomplish a particular task that may be difficult for her to manage on her own. You might say: “I think you can read that story by yourself now. Let me know if you need help with a new word.” As your child takes on projects in school, encourage her to think of specific steps that are necessary to complete a project. You both can decide which tasks your child can handle on her own and which ones she’ll need help with.

5. Let’s all pitch in.
A child is never too young to learn that cooperation and team effort make many jobs easier and speedier and often more fun: “Let’s all pitch in and finish raking the leaves so we can go in and bake cookies,” or “Let’s all pitch in and clean up the kitchen or we’ll miss the movie.” Family activities and group chores can develop into pleasant rituals that enrich a child’s life and create fond memories.

6. How about a hug?
Don’t just tell your child you love him, show him. Research indicates that young children deprived of physical touch and displays of affection often fail to thrive. As children grow older, they vary in the ways they like us to show affection. Some love to be cuddled, while others prefer a quick hug or pat on the shoulder. It’s important to be aware of what your child enjoys most at a particular age.

7. Please.
After all these years, “please” is still a classic. When you ask a favor of anyone, including children, this “magic word” acknowledges that you are asking for a behavior that will help you and/or make you happy. (P.S.: Don’t forget to say “thank you” when the job is done.)

8. Good job!
Good for you. Self respect and self confidence grow when your child’s efforts and performance are rewarded. Whenever possible, give your child lots of praise. Be sure your praise is honest and specific. Focus on your child’s efforts and progress, and help her identify her strengths.

9. It’s time to…
“It’s time to get ready for bed,” or “do homework,” or “turn off the TV.” Young children need structure in their daily lives to provide a measure of security in an often insecure world. It is up to you as a parent to establish and maintain a workable schedule of activities, always remembering that children benefit from regular mealtimes and bedtimes.

10. I love you.
Everyone needs love and affection and a feeling of acceptance and belonging. We can’t assume that children know and understand our love for them unless we tell them. Letting your child know that you love him (and showing him with countless hugs) is important not only in toddlerhood, but also as he gets older.

As a parent your response to problems that arise in daily life, at home, or at work provides a model of behavior for your child. Your homeschool experience will multiply if the communication channels are open and positive.

Joyce Jackson is an educational expert and consultant in northern California. For her latest book and information see Homeschooling Easy.

Flexibility In Homeschooling

For any parent considering homeschooling for their own children, weighing the pros and cons of it before making a decision is very important. There are many benefits to homeschooling your own children.

In terms of private schools and their skyrocketing costs, homeschooling is a more affordable option. In terms of public schooling, homeschooling allows more educational flexibility and can be scheduled conveniently around other family activities.

Additionally, the curriculum and learning environment can be tailored to suit your child’s individual needs.
Flexibility of the operative word when deciding to homeschool. When you decide to homeschool your child, you must have a clear, plan, goals and a curriculum to follow. Homeschooling also allows you this great deal of flexibility. Children can be taught in many different ways and many different things for a given subject.

Be careful. However, this very flexibility can also be your downfall if not handled properly, as you run the risk of providing an inconsistent and sub par education that leaves your child lagging behind his or her peers.

Setting a clear educational plan means you have a better chance for effective homeschooling. To set your plans and goals, it is a good idea to first take a look at your child’s standard curriculum for his grade in a public or private school. See what the standard expectations are for a given subject level, then set your targets, timeline and curriculum for your child. Once you have decided what your child is going to learn, you can allow for some flexibility in how your child will learn best.

Homeschooling also requires discipline, as it can be difficult drawing a distinction between home and schooling at home. There are plenty of distractions in any household and when you get busy you may be tempted to try and multitask, that is, to educate your child and also do some other chores at home.

Parents may even be tempted to give an assignment to their child and then leave to complete some other activities. By doing so, you are sending a negative message that his schooling is not a high priority for you, and this will seriously undermine the child’s attitude towards his own education. So make sure to do household duties “after-school” hours and when “school is in,” you and your child are both focusing 100 percent on learning. This will communicate to your child that education is important and top priority.

Homeschooling not only allows you to tailor education to your child’s individual needs, something that is lacking in both the private and public school systems; it also allows you and your child to learn together, thus helping to create a valuable learning experience, and also to strengthen family bonds.

In preparing to home school your children, you should also be able to have different learning tools available around the home. Different subjects may require various educational tools to help your children learn and understand their lessons better. For history and geography lessons, it is important to have a globe or a world map available as well as history and geography books within reach.

Joyce Jackson is an educational expert and consultant in northern California. For her latest book and information see Homeschooling Easy.

Help Your Child Learn And Finish Your To-Do List

By now you’ve heard we are a country in an educational crisis. One report in Time Magazine (April, 2006) says that one in four students will drop out before graduating high school. In Reader’s Digest (September, 2006) it’s reported that only one in three eighth grade students scored at grade level for math, reading and science.

We need to get our act together.

The calls have gone out for support to the parents and I’m sure they’ve heard them loud and clear. More parental involvement is a great way to help your child remain motivated and interested in school. Most parents understand what they need to do.

However, many parents can’t seem to find the time to help. It’s not because they are bad. But rather, they get called to help right at the moment of doing something else. (which, unfortunately never gets done).

The parent gets stressed because they were in the middle of something and the child is upset because mom is upset. And all the while, the clock keeps ticking.

I have a few suggestions that will help you give the support to your child and still have time for your to-do list.

The first thing is to have a set time for homework. This way you can plan accordingly. If homework starts after dinner, and the other parent is at home, someone can be in charge of the kids while the other can clean the kitchen.

However, in the event you’re home alone, here’s what to do: Set a planned homework time. Either before dinner or after. Homework needs to be done during this time. You can set your schedule and be available for help.

Without setting a planned time, you’re asking to be interrupted while doing something else. With a plan, you know you will have time (in theory) later on.

The second thing is to learn how to work with your kids. I’m a teacher and even I don’t have the patience I need with my own boys. This normally leads to a prolonged study session and a lot of wasted time.

Remember, depending on the ages of your children, their ability to grasp things varies. It does no one any good to create tension when one of them doesn’t understand something. It’s up to you to handle it. Regardless of whether they hit your hot buttons or not, you must remain calm and patient. You’ll finish earlier and save a lot of time.

Finally, you need to find resources that are ‘parent friendly.’ That is to say, they are instantly understandable and explainable to your child. Whatever the subject, the materials need to be simple and straightforward. No wasted time, no frustration, no disappointment.

By keeping these points in mind, you can move from quantity time to quality time with your kids and still have moments to spare for everything else.

Jim Sarris is a veteran teacher and author of two books on memorizing: Comic Mnemonics for Spanish Verbs and Memorizing Made Easy, a book/DVD that shows parents how to easily teach their children, regardless of age, valuable memory skills in as little as a week. For more information, visit http://www.memorizing-made-easy.com/memory.php and receive the first chapter free.

The Seven Approaches To Homeschooling

When parents make a decision to homeschool, one of primary decisions they must make is what approach to take to homeschooling. There are many approaches. None is right or wrong. Rather, it is a matter of philosophy.

Here is an overview of the seven approaches to homeschooling for any potential homeschool parent to consider:

1. Traditional Textbook
In the traditional approach, parents use graded textbooks and/or workbooks. They follow a certain schedule for the entire school:ear of 180 days. There are usually teacher’s manuals, tests and record keeping materials that correspond to each text and workbook. This material is also available on the computer. You can also find these kinds of courses or “curriculum” through some public school districts, through private schools, through companies that sell pre-packaged curriculums or parents can pick and choose by buying directly from textbook publishers.

2. Classical
Children under age 18 are taught the tools of learning known as “The Trivium”. The Trivium has three parts. Each part corresponds to a childhood developmental stage.

Stage 1: Grammar Stage: Early elementary ages focuses on reading, writing, and spelling, study of Latin, developing observation, listening and memorization skills. The goal of this stage is to develop a general framework of knowledge and to acquire basic language arts and math skills.

Stage 2: Dialectic Stage: This stage starts about the age of middle school. Children begin to demonstrate independent or abstract thought, which is molded and shaped by teaching logic discussion, debate and how to draw correct conclusions and support them with facts.

Stage 3: Rhetoric Stage: This is the final phase of the Trivium which seeks to produce a student (usually by 15 years of age) who can use language, both written and spoken eloquently and persuasively.

3. Unit Study Approach
A Unit Study takes a theme or topic (a unit of study) and investigates deeply into all there is to know about that topic, integrating language arts, science, social studies, math and fine arts. Instead of studying seven or eight separate, unrelated subjects, all the subjects are blended together. For example, a unit study on bears could include reading and writing about bears (language arts). You could also include famous biologists who studied bears, studying their body parts, eating habits and life cycles (science). You could calculate the body fat needed to hibernate all winter (math) and learn about the habitats and ecological impact on their life. You could learn to sketch bears and so on until you have learned everything there is to know about bears.

4. The Living Books Approach
This approach is based on the writings of Charlotte Mason, a turn-of-the-century British educator. She felt that educating a child was preparing them for life and helping that child to live the fullest right now. She believed in respecting children as persons, involving them in real-life situations and allowing them to read really good books instead of what she called “twaddle,” worthless, inferior teaching material. This approach is probably best for elementary aged children. They are taught good habits, to be involved in a broad spectrum of real-life situations, and given ample time to play, reflect and create. Young children were not to have formal lessons at all. But when children are at an older age she would use what she called “living books” to educate. For example, for literature the children would read the classics. For history, she would pick historical biographies. For geography: well-written travel books. In art, the children would study great art pieces. If the children couldn’t read they would be read to. Arithmetic is not mentioned at all but I suppose you could add this in for a well-rounded education.

5. The Principle Approach
This approach uses three American Christian concepts: the knowledge of our Christian history, an understanding of our role in the spread of Christianity and the ability to live according to the Biblical principles upon which our country is founded. Learning is based on seven principles: 1) Individuality, 2) self-government, 3) Christian Character, 4) A person’s conscience is the most sacred of property, 5) The Christian Form of Government, 6) How the seed of local self-government is planted and 7) The Christian principle of American Political Union. The belief here is that God has given us principles that govern every area of life: politics, education, and business. These areas of focus make up the curriculum for this approach. This kind of learning has been misunderstood as a history course but it is not. It does involve the study of much American history and encourages the use of notebooks for recording information. The whole emphasis as Mary Pride tells us is “on reasoning through basic principles rather than regurgitating facts.” Thus the principle approach.

6. The Unschooling Approach
This is probably the hardest approach to explain and least understood. Unschooling is letting the children learn through their own desires and curiosities. It is the least structured learning approach. This allows children to pursue their own interests with parental support and guidance. The child is surrounded by a rich environment of books, learning resources and adults who model a lifestyle of learning. John Holt had started this style of homeschool. His motto was “trust children”. He believed that children really want to learn and that they will learn what they need to know if left entirely to themselves. This style of learning is particularly scary for parents. There is always that doubt in the back of the mind, “Is my child learning all that he/she needs to learn to be an educated person?” I have known several families to use this method and they like it.

7. The Mixed Approach
Also known as Eclectic, this is a blend of the different approaches. I think that is the best way to educate and I have used this approach throughout most of my homeschool experience. Parents can use the best ideas from all the different approaches. I think strictly using one approach can limit what a child will learn. For example, you can use traditional math and science textbooks, but use unit studies around historical periods and geography. Then maybe use a computer program to teach typing and foreign language. I really like the idea of learning history through historical biographies. I have used this approach many times.

There is a lot to think about when trying to decide whether you want to homeschool your children. It seems scary at first, but with good preparation and lots of praying, it can be done at any time in your children’s life. Some women (as you will read) know they want to homeschool from the time they give birth to their first child. Other women don’t really know they want to homeschool until their child is already in 3rd grade. At times, public school will accentuate learning problems and it becomes obvious to the parent that something more needs to be done.

I have known some mothers who pulled their children out of middle school, homeschooled for a year or two, and then let them go back for high school. There are many different ways to educate your child and at any age.

Joyce Jackson is an educational expert and consultant in northern California. For her latest book and information see Homeschooling Easy.

Good Planning Ideas For Homeschooling

One of the things a homeschool parent needs is a good plan. To make that plan and approach work, you need to be organized. Good organization skills are learned like any other skill. To help in being organized, planners, all types and kinds of planners will help.

Homeschool planners vary a great deal from person to person. Before you assemble a planner, think about what sort of forms beyond the average that you think would be useful to you. If this is your first year then I will try to help you with a few recommendations.

Putting together some sort of system to organize your homeschool is paramount to your success. There are several types of planners. A basic homeschool planner should or could have these forms and you can make them for yourself:

Title Page
I do not have any planner title pages here, I suggest that you open up a word processor and make one. The title page is helpful for having a record of the year and who the planner is for. You can make these in just about one minute. They are very easy. Try one with the school name, an image, the student’s name, the term (year), the level of instruction (grade), and the instructor’s name.

School Calendar
keep this on its own sheet of paper. Whether ist Monday through Friday, Sunday through Saturaday or whatever, just make sure it is a style you are comfortable with.

Events Calendar
This is an optional calendar. These are a two page spread, print the first page behind the calendar. They are used as a single place to record events such as field trips, music lessons.. etc. There are two styles.. I always preferred a horizontal format events calendar.

Attendance Form
This is also optional. These attendance forms are really simple. They contain 180 squares. In each square, write the date of each day which your child attended school.

Course of Study
This is a list of subjects and books that one child is studying.

Goals
This sometimes is a confusing item, leave it out if you wish. However, it is helpful to force yourself to make goals and to write them down. The goal forms can be used for either short term or long term goals. For short term goals, space several goal planners within the planner every 4 to 6 weeks or so.

Book List Forms
There is a need for several types of book forms. Homeschoolers need: Library Book forms to keep track of checked out and returned books, Reading Logs to keep track of book that have been read, Book List to keep track of books you are planning to read, Home Library List to keep track of the books you own, borrowed or/and lent book lists for those own borrow or lend books to and from friends. A curriculum book list to have a record of that.

Ruled Paper or Journals
The ruled paper can be used for anything. Some homeschool moms print ruled paper behind every weekly planner sheet to make notes of the week. You can stop here and journal the homeschooling year or if you wish to make plans, keep going.

Software Lesson Planners
Choose the type of planner which you like best or make your own with a word processor. Good planning skills and tools can be home made and very effective. The better you plan the better your homeschooling success will be.

Joyce Jackson is an educational expert and consultant in northern California. For her latest book and information see Homeschooling Easy.

Considerations For Beginning Homeschooling

As you begin to think about whether you want to homeschool your children keep in the back of your mind several important points. This will be helpful to find out before you pull your child out of traditional school and start your actual learning time.

1) What does my state law say about homeschooling?
2) What kind of curriculum will I use?

State Laws
Every state in the United States of America says something in their law books pertaining to homeschooling. According to the Homeschool Legal Defense Association, there are four areas which states are divided into for homeschool requirements.

Curriculum
As for the curriculum you use there are many to choose from and much to read about. Right now there are thousands of web sites, workshops, book fairs and companies of curriculum, which specialize in this homeschool arena. Many times curriculum can be very overwhelming to a new homeschool parent.

When parents ask me what kind of curriculum they should use for their children, I tell them they need to find out for themselves what their own children need to learn. Homeschool for parents then takes on an everlasting job of finding out exactly what their children need to learn in their life until they get out on their own. This is sometimes done by trial or error but there are some points you can keep in mind.

1. There is a great deal of study involved before you start. You need to study up on the different types of catalogues, lesson manuals, books, computer programs and other materials before going to those fairs. You can find much of this on the Internet by typing “homeschool” into a search engine. You can also ask other homeschool families what they use.

If you don’t know any, find out about your local association meetings and ask questions. Or you can read about curriculums from companies willing to send you a free catalogue.

When you go to a curriculum fair for the first time, DO NOT BUY ANYTHING. Just look at what is there. Then, leave. The next day go back and look again. If you still feel strongly about buying something (especially the $200-$300 sets) then make an educated purchase. The biggest mistake to make is to spend big money on a curriculum you don’t know much about and then end up not wanting to use it and then you are stuck. All that can be avoided if you do some research on what is available.

2. If you do make the mistake of buying the wrong kind of curriculum, don’t make the mistake of pushing your children into finishing the whole book. Either pick bits and pieces out to use through out the year or just resell it to someone else and start over.
But don’t despair about the curriculum. Start early enough before you have to actually home school so you will have time to decide. For example: if you have a preschooler at the age of 3 or 4, that would be a good time to start looking around and studying what options you have to teach your child. You don’t always have to start a child at the age of five.

If there is an emergency where you have to pull your child out of school right away, contact your local homeschool association. Many times you can find second hand books suitable in an emergency and they will know the state law requirements. This does happen quite often. But with genuine concern for your child and persistent parental study, you can get through anything.

Homeschool is such a challenging opportunity. I say challenging because it can test your patience with your own children and make you feel as if you didn’t learn anything when you went to school. I say opportunity because your child will have the chance to learn at home in a comfortable environment. Who ever said having the same age group peers help children to learn appropriate behavior? Being in the company of adults regulates how a child should act.

In homeschooling, you also get to decide what your children will learn. There are no state mandates and no school authorities breathing down your neck.
You also have to remember that public school is a modern invention. It has been only in the last 150 years of human history that we have had this public school system to teach our own children. Parents used to educate their children or find a tutor to do it for them in their own home. So this system is still really being tested and the trouble spots are still being resolved.

Another added bonus for homeschooling is that you will learn all that you missed from school and at the end of the day; you feel that you really accomplished something. It is much more satisfying than a regular 9 to 5 job. Best of all, you will learn to love your child like no one else ever has. You will get closer to each other, which builds a great parent-child relationship.

Joyce Jackson is an educational expert and consultant in northern California. For her latest book and information see Homeschooling Easy.

Six Steps To Better Homeschool Reading Skills

Reading is one of the foundations of homeschooling. How can we keep pace with printed words that challenges us daily in our lessons?

Each book often seems to be a priority. We may read some of these publications faster only to discover we’re understanding less. Possibly, we eliminate information only to realize later we are uninformed in an important area.

These are time-saving strategies, but not efficient reading techniques. A mark of efficient reading is being able to select quickly the skills you need to read a particular selection in keeping with your purpose for reading it.

Consider using the following reading strategies to help you become an efficient reader:

1. Be a flexible reader.
Proper reading speeds vary according to the type and difficulty of reading material. In order to be a flexible reader, you need to recognize your purpose for reading a given selection, preview the information, and then decide whether it will be sufficient to skim it, or if it will be necessary to read the material in-depth. To skim is to let your eyes travel quickly over a page and grasp key words or ideas by skipping with judgment.

2. Be an involved reader.
After you decide on your purpose for reading a given selection, the next action is to preview the materials. Previewing is performed by an initial skimming of the material. This includes reading the title and subheads; noting visual aids and paragraph format; and looking for key words. This action provides an internal outline of the information which helps to increase reading speed and ultimately improves comprehension. You become involved in the materials as you anticipate the author’s emphasis and direction.

3. Limit re-reading.
Regression is a serious obstacle to efficient reading. Some re-reading may be necessary for difficult materials, but regression can easily become a habit. Previewing will help you to minimize the desire to re-read everything.

4. Limit vocalizing or sub-vocalizing.
If you vocalize (say aloud) or subvocalize (say silently) some words as you read, that is not unusual. Some inner speech occurs in all readers, but to a lesser degree with efficient readers.

5. Read words in clusters.
Do you look at words as individual words or as part of thoughts or phrases? Do you look at words as individual words or as part of thoughts or phrases?
These phrases or thought groups can be read as a unit, and convey ideas beyond that of a single word.

6. Use vocabulary, author, and, publisher aids.
Use aids such as context, word origins, publishing aids (sequences, italics or boldface type, illustrations), and signal words (furthermore, although, consequently, in conclusion).

Applied routinely, these six steps can become an automatic part of your reading process and you will take charge of that daily deluge of printed materials. You will also find efficient reading is more informative and enjoyable, and that it will improve your comprehension.

Joyce Jackson is an educational expert and consultant in northern California. For her latest book and information see Homeschooling Easy.

Personality Matters In Homeschooling

Regardless of your personality as a paretn, you can homeschool and succeed with it. Homeschooling your childis a journey of a lifetime and many parents have the right authoritative personality to do it well. If you don’t, you can learn some of the skills and still apply them to successful homeschooling, especially in teaching your child.

Do you know someone, perhaps a friend or neighbor, who seems to live life as a full-time explorer, always trying new activities, taking classes, traveling, cooking up exotic recipes with ingredients you’ve never even heard of? I do. I think of him as a person who has never lost the love of learning…who never tires of taking on new challenges. (Yes, he’s more of a starter than a finisher, but I think that’s what keeps the kick in his step.)

It’s certainly not an ideal lifestyle for everyone. In fact, many of us would probably welcome a day or two with a few less challenges to overcome, especially if you have a young child at home! On the other hand, consider those characteristics described above not as an adult’s approach to life, but as a child’s approach to learning. Isn’t that joy of discovery exactly what we want to encourage; to start our children on a lifelong journey of exploring and facing challenges?

Numerous research studies have examined the influence of parents and the family on children’s willingness to explore and take risks. When young children experience close, trusting relationships, that security encourages them to try out new behaviors, to risk faltering or even failing. Researchers are now investigating the possibility that these feelings carry over into young adulthood and similarly encourage or inhibit risk-taking in education and job choices.

Parenting style also have been shown to have a significant influence on children’s feelings of self-confidence and personal responsibility. Researchers have identified four types of parenting styles:
1. authoritarian - very demanding but not responsive 2. indulgent - very responsive but not demanding
3. authoritative - both demanding and responsive
4. uninvolved - neither demanding nor responsive

Studies show that the authoritative style - which balances high expectations with recognition of children’s autonomy - is associated with self-confidence, persistence, academic success, and social competence. Authoritative parents provide guidance and support for education and development of personal interests, set expectation standards, and encourage responsible independence - a style that results in children’s broader and more active exploration of career choices later in life.

While an authoritarian parenting style is often associated with success in school, the pressure to live up to their parents’ expectations can eventually produce emotionally unhealthy children. Conversely, indulgent and uninvolved parental styles - marked by a lack of guidance or encouragement - are likely to lead to children who have few well developed personal interests and find it difficult to identify a personally satisfying area of study.

So what can you do to adopt more of an authoritative style and encourage your child to explore, discover, and learn? Here are some tips on how to help your child begin the journey of a lifetime.

Tell your child stories about your work. Discuss the importance of finding work that is personally rewarding. For younger children, choose a colorful example of your job and describe it in concrete terms. Turn events into simple plotlines, focusing on the “characters” and different ways to handle problems. Is there a bad guy/girl? How about a hero? Help your child understand why you think so.
Read with your child and keep good literature in your home. Great stories teach and inspire, and your child’s questions and comments about the stories provide opportunities to share thoughts, beliefs, and concerns about values and behavior.

Encourage learning, taking on challenges, and developing new skills. Give your child opportunities to recognize natural talents, explore interests, and identify academic strengths and weaknesses. Follow up by suggesting related activities and finding additional information together.

Joyce Jackson is an educational expert and consultant in northern California. For her latest book and information see Homeschooling Easy.

Small Wander

Do you have small children who wander off? Have you ever experienced that feeling of panic when you believe your child is missing? Most parents have traveled this road, your heart is racing and you immediately think the worst. Approximately 2,100 missing-children reports are filed each day. To small children the world is a huge, exciting, fun filled playground, and with no reason to fear any of its inhabitants, boundaries are nonexistent.

For most children a parent, is the only wall between them and what lurks in the outside world. You love your children and want to them to have a safe and happy childhood, so of course you take every precaution to ensure their safety. The dangers are already numerous for small children and even greater for children who wander away from their parents.

While children can wander off anywhere, some places present more of an opportunity than others do. Most kids are found within a few moments of wandering off but that does not stop the nerve racking feeling you get upon discovery that you child is gone. The key to saving yourself from this nightmare maybe in your preventive measures. If you know your children are subject to wandering off you will want to keep a close eye on them, especially in public places.

Handling children can be tricky at times. They may take advantage while your are engaged in other activities and make their escape. As a parent you probably have already experienced the momentary absence of your child while shopping in one of the giant retail stores. If the child is small enough, a good way to alleviate the problem is to let them ride in the shopping cart. Its not an all purpose solution but it works sometimes. These stores are like giant playpens full of excitement, which may agitate the senses of some children and make freedom, even for a moment, worth the separation from parents.

The small ones can travel at an amazing pace and given the right amount of time could end up just about anywhere. Movie theaters also provide an opportunity for the adventurous youngster to disappear. They are often dark and unsecured, but many parents see no problem with allowing their children to roam free. This maybe an invitation to trouble.

Public parks, with all their splendor, seem to be gathering places for parents with children who wander away. They are lots of fun and everyone should be encouraged to visit them, but they become your worst nightmare when your child is lost. This peaceful sanctuary for animals and trees turns into a war zone with a myriad of dangers. Most children do not wander very far and are usually lo