Kids love strict Parents
Or perhaps they don’t. What children really need is something a little different: parents who are clear about boundaries and consistent about them, while still being warm and responsive. A three-year-old may not be happy when you say it is time to stop playing. They may cry when you say no to another sweet. They may protest when you ask them to put their toys away. That doesn’t necessarily mean the boundary is wrong. Sometimes, being a good parent means
Sometimes saying ‘No’ helps a child
There is a word that many parents find surprisingly difficult to say to their children. No. Not because parents don’t know how to say it, but because seeing your child disappointed can be difficult. A child asks for another toy. “No.” The tears begin. And suddenly, the simple decision you made a minute ago becomes much harder. It is tempting to give in. Sometimes we do it because we are tired. Sometimes because we don’t want a scene. Sometimes because
Play: The Brain’s preferred Classroom
Ask a young child what they would like to do after school. The answer is unlikely to be, “Can I do some more learning?” It is more likely to be: “Can I play?” And perhaps we should pay more attention to that answer. For young children, play is not simply a break from learning. It is one of the main ways they make sense of the world. When children play, they experiment, imagine, negotiate, make decisions, solve problems, communicate and
Raising Grateful Kids
Say “thank you”. It is one of the first things we teach children. When someone gives them something, we remind them to say it. When someone helps them, we expect them to show appreciation. But gratitude is much more than good manners. A child can say “thank you” without really understanding what it means to appreciate something. Gratitude develops gradually. It grows when children begin to notice what others do for them, understand that not everything comes automatically, and learn
We are being Watched
You may think your child isn’t paying attention. They are. When you speak to someone at home, when you react to a difficult situation, when you get frustrated in traffic, when you sit down for a meal, or even when you quietly water a plant, there may be a little pair of eyes watching you. Children are remarkably observant. They don’t always understand everything they see, but they are constantly taking it in. Children Learn From What We Do We
How important is Early Childhood Education?
When we think about a child’s education, we often think about what they need to learn: letters, numbers, reading, writing and, eventually, examinations. But ask a three-year-old what they are learning, and the answer might be very different. They are learning how to make friends. How to express what they want. How to wait for their turn. How to open their lunch box. How to deal with disappointment. How to ask questions. How to try something again when it doesn’t