Mirror, Mirror, in the Brain
Most of the time, when a colleague or co-worker calls me over to watch a video on Youtube, my first thought is to look at the time length of the video so I’ll know how long I’ll spend with a quizzical look on my face. But even I could not escape the hypnotizing cuteness of the “Talking Twin Babies” video. If you haven’t seen it, the clip shows a set of twins facing off babbling and gesturing like two old companions that are so in-tune they could finish each others’ thoughts. The toddlers break through the developmental boundaries of pre-language to share humor, coordinate dance steps, and converse about something that looks extremely funny and interesting to both of them.
Celebrate your Child’s Uniqueness
Just like a snowflake or a fingerprint, every child is unique in their own special way. Every child has a unique way of feeling, thinking, and interacting with others. Some children are shy, while others are outgoing; some are active, while others are calm; some are fretful, while others are easy-going. As a loving and nurturing parent, it’s your job to encourage them to embrace their uniqueness and celebrate their individual qualities.
Allow your child to express themselves through their interests. They may find a creative outlet in theatre, dancing or art, or they may be exceptionally talented in the sciences. Encourage them to embrace what they like to do, what interests them, and what makes them happy. Help them realize that they don’t need to worry about being ‘like everyone else.’
Why Puzzles Are Good for Your Child’s Development
You’ve probably heard that puzzles are good for your child’s mind and cognitive development; in fact, you may have received puzzles as baby shower or new baby gifts. But why are puzzles considered helpful to a child’s mental development? Here are some reasons.
The World Around Them
Psychologists have determined that a child’s brain development is influenced significantly when a child acts on or manipulates the world around him or her. Puzzles provide that key opportunity. Children learn to work directly with their environment and change its shape and appearance when they work with puzzles.
Easy Ways to Raise Responsible Kids – A Guide for Parents
Every parent wants to know that they have equipped their child for the real world. It is a big responsibility but one that is well worth the effort. And that is what we are talking about here – responsibility. We want to teach our children to one day become contributing members of society.
How would you define responsibility? When it comes to our kids, some might include the following:
- Learning to do what is right
- Taking care of themselves
- Making good decisions
- Lending a helping hand
- Learning to be financially savvy
- Making a difference with their lives
Yes, it is a tall order, but not one that has to be learned overnight. In fact, teaching kids to be responsible will take several years. You’ve got at least eighteen. So, relax and take the time to do it right.
Summer Camp Guide for Parents
Summer Camp experience can be a wonderful opportunity for children and teens to grow and develop. While at camp they learn to be more independent and develop self-confidence. It is a chance to improve social skills, learn about nature, improve sports skills, learn cooperation and responsibility while having fun and engaging in active outdoor activities.
Here is a guide for parents about summer camp and how to make it a positive experience for their children. Topics include: Is my Child Ready?, How to Choose the Right Camp, Creating a Summer Camp Checklist, Preparing your Child for Camp, and Pre-Camp Jitters – How to Talk to Your Kids about Homesickness.
Our Ever-Changing Role as a Parent
We watch our children grow right before our very eyes. It seems like yesterday they were a baby learning to crawl, walk, and feed themselves, and now they’re in school, involved in activities, making friends, and learning to be more and more independent. Parents before us have said that from the time they’re born, we are constantly learning to let go. As a result, our parenting strategies have to change. As our child grows, develops, learns, and matures, so does our parenting role.
As your child has grown, you undoubtedly have discovered they have their own unique personality and temperament. You’ve probably unconsciously redeveloped your parenting skills around the individual needs of your child. And no two children are exactly alike, and therefore, neither should your parenting style. Some children may need more guidance and feel more unsure of themselves, so we’ve become used to having to guide, lead, show and encourage that child consistently through their childhood while still trying to encourage independence and give praise in order to build their self esteem and confidence level. Yet another child may be very intrinsically motivated and very willful and not need a great deal of guidance or leadership from you. While you encourage their independence, it’s also important that you also encourage their ability to ask for help when needed and continue to praise good deeds, actions, and traits.
A Quick Guide To Understanding Your Child
Understanding your child is one of the most important things that you should learn as a parent. It is very helpful in becoming effective in guiding and nurturing your child as they grow and mature. You need to bear in mind that your child has a unique personality trait that remains consistent throughout life.
One of the ways you can understand your child is by observing them as they sleep, eat, or play. Look for the consistent traits. Which activities do they like best? Is adjusting to changes easy for them or do they need time to become familiar with these things? These things are the normal characteristics of a child and your child may not be an exception.
As much as possible, have time to talk to your children as this is crucial to gaining information and understanding. In the case of young children, they require less verbal language and more facial expression and body language in order to understand their thoughts and feelings. Asking them questions will allow them to share their feelings to you.
For example, rather than asking them what they did in school, ask them what they built with their blocks today. Instead of asking them if they played with their playmate, focus on the game they played.
Adolescent Health Visit
This fall thousands of adolescents and young adults are starting middle school, high school and college. Before they start school, they should visit their Pediatrician or Family Practice provider. Adolescents go through physical and emotional changes that can be distressing to them and their parents. Many times adolescents are afraid or embarrassed to ask their parents questions about these sensitive issues like pubertal changes and sex. I encourage the parents to speak to their children about these issues but the reality is that most parents are not sure how to even start the conversations. Unfortunately most teens get their information and misinformation from their friends and the Internet. There are many studies that show that if parents are more actively involved with their teens there would be less likelihood of drug use, high-risk sex, and pregnancy. As parents our children look to us for guidance and even though they appear to not listen, they really are paying attention.
Mother and Daughter Bonding Ideas
You’ve often heard of ‘Mama’s boys’ and ‘Daddy’s girls’ which may lead you to believe it’s not possible for moms to have special relationships with their daughters. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you’ve been having problems with your daughter lately, try some of these mother and daughter bonding ideas to help you set your relationship on the right track.
There are many reasons why it’s important for moms and daughters to have a solid relationship. Probably the most important is that mothers can help explain the changes their daughter’s body will go through in ways their fathers can’t. Moms can also understand how their daughter feels about some subjects where their fathers simply don’t have a clue. As a daughter grows older, moves out, marries and has children of her own, she will often seek her mother’s advice on how to take care of and raise her own children.
Autism and Freeways: more questions than answers at this point.
Findings of a new study conducted by autism researchers at the Saban Research Institute at the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles have created a buzz in the autism community. Their study has found that children born to parents living near… Continue reading
