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Child developmentHow Do You Deal With Misbehavior?
Submitted by community on Thu, 22/01/2009 - 6:12pm
This isn’t a child that wants to misbehave; It’s a child that is discouraged. Give him or her encouragement, and allow them a chance to contribute in meaningful ways to the family. Let them know when they’ve behaved the way you’d like them to. And, spell out clearly what you expect from their behavior. Kids don’t want to misbehave just to bother you. They do it for a reason - to feel more important, or to get more attention for themselves. Do you want more misbehavior? Then punish him or her, and see what you get. Warmly, Mark Brandenburg Mark Brandenburg MA, CPCC Resolutions Revisited
Submitted by community on Tue, 20/01/2009 - 7:50pm
In 2009 I resolve to stop yelling at my kids. That is precisely the New Year’s pledge that Marion Budnick broke the first week of the new year. It wasn’t that she didn’t have positive intentions. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to end the yelling. It wasn’t even that she wasn’t sincere about her goal. All of those were firmly in place. Yet something else was missing. Marion Budnick sincerely wanted to stop yelling at her children, but she had no idea of what to do instead. She knew what she wanted to stop, but she didn’t have an appropriate replacement behavior in mind for when she felt like yelling. Conscious parenting with Vicky Ellison - Part 5
Submitted by stefan on Mon, 19/01/2009 - 11:50am
In the last part of our podcasting series on child development and conscious parenting, Stefan and Vicky review the key points from previous podcasts and answer questions from dads - such as "what does object permanence mean"?. Listen and find out!
-Stefan Reading With Your Kids
Submitted by community on Thu, 08/01/2009 - 8:26pm
Instill a love of reading into your children by reading books with them and discussing them as you go along. This could include novels they’re reading in school or supplementary reading. Make your children truly rich in spirit – read with them! Warmly, Mark Brandenburg Mark Brandenburg MA, CPCC Conscious parenting with Vicky Ellison - Part 4
Submitted by stefan on Mon, 22/12/2008 - 10:16pm
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In part 4 of our podcasting series on child development and conscious parenting, Vicky talks about the six principles of effective discipline which were put together by SKIP. Some great tips there for parents and excellent background information on discipline vs punishment.
Conscious parenting with Vicky Ellison - Part 3
Submitted by stefan on Tue, 16/12/2008 - 5:03pm
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In today's podcast Vicky talks about providing opportunities for children to fully explore a "window of opportunity" for their development. They might be going through a phase of wanting to explore their sorting skills, drawing skills or their concept of cause and effect. So it is great to be able to provide them additional opportunities on top of what they discover themselves. It is also important to ensure that children can satisfy their desire to explore in a safe environment. There are lots of things in our households that we often throw away that could be used for providing those opportunities. Here's a few examples of DIY toys Vicky made herself:
Amazing what you can do with old drink bottles, caps and pieces of string. Check out the toys in detail in our post "How to stimulate your baby's development with home made toys".
-Stefan How to stimulate your baby's development with home made toys
Submitted by stefan on Tue, 16/12/2008 - 9:56am
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The following DIY toys were made by Vicky Ellison with bits and pieces she found in her household and garage. They are really easy to make and provide hours of fun for your baby / toddler to explore a particular developmental stage.
Conscious parenting with Vicky Ellison - Part 2
Submitted by stefan on Mon, 08/12/2008 - 9:28pm
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In today's podcast Vicky talks about the importance of repetition for brain development and repetitive patterns of behaviour which researchers/authors Chris Athey and Cathy Nutbrown called "schemas". Very insightful and potentially many "aha" moments for parents wondering why their kids play in a certain way.
-Stefan Bring it on!
Submitted by community on Wed, 26/11/2008 - 7:12pm
“You think so?” my daughter yelled back. “You’re gonna get what you deserve!” My son came at me from the front, while my daughter snuck around behind me. I spun to the ground, and was assaulted on both sides. It was only a matter of time before they each had a shoulder pinned to the ground. While they celebrated their victory, I planned my next attack, knowing that the “results” of the battle were far less important than the battle itself. Do you want to be an effective father? One of the easiest ways to be effective is to wrestle with your kids. Not only is it loads of fun, but its’ benefits go a long ways towards teaching your kids some valuable lessons. Time for Your Kids is Now
Submitted by community on Tue, 21/10/2008 - 8:40pm
She spins and she sways It's been a long day There's a ball at the castle So I will dance with Cinderella   
  
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Do you have a child that’s misbehaving?
One sociologist, looking over 8,000 years of human history, writes that the measure of wealth is the ability to own a book and be able to read it. Literacy is the ultimate luxury. And yet, in that regard, our country is becoming poorer and poorer. 
1) Glitter Bottle
“Bring it on,” I yelled to my kids. “I’ll pin you both at the same time!”
The next time you feel busy and overwhelmed, and one of your kids wants your attention, think about the lyrics to this song written by Curtis Chapman:
