Grandparents Can Form a Special Bond With Your Child

• grandparents are mommy’s and daddy’s parents
• grandparents come in different shapes and sizes
• some kids have one, two, three, four, or more grandparents
• some kids might not have any grandparents, but they can adopt one
• grandparents are older than mommies and daddies
• some grandparents need help – they walk with a cane or walker
• my grandparents loved me before I was born

Grandparents are not stereotypes
Traditionally, grandmas and grandpas are supposed to have gray hair, wear glasses, be retired, and simply adore their grandkids. Today, the opposite can be true. Grandmas and grandpas might be only in their early forties! Thanks to dye products, they might never have gray hair. They might have active careers and simply not have the time to develop a close relationship with your child. If that is the case, then perhaps you can find an elderly person in your neighborhood who would like to become a surrogate grandparent. It is a terrible thing, to be old and lonely. Reaching out to someone could be very rewarding for all concerned.

Letter G, 10, Gray and Star

Concepts covered this week include the letter G, the number 10, the color gray, and the star shape. In the special location in your home where you do your calendar activity, you will display a large letter G. I like the six-inch wooden alphabet letters found in craft stores and Wal-Mart. If you are especially crafty, paint the G with yellow paint, and give it irregularly shaped brown spots like a giraffe. Hang a picture of the number ten. On a shelf, set several items that start with a G sound – like a small, plastic goat, a golf ball, a stick of gum, a goldfish in a bowl or a picture of one, an old pair of glasses, and a picture of Grandma or Grandpa. You will also have a box that will hold ten items for counting – ten pennies, or ten raisins, or ten tiddlywinks. Display a piece of gray paper, or write the word “gray” on the gray paper with black marker. You also need a calendar.

In the morning, when you do your calendar activity with your young child, you will introduce the concepts for the week on Monday. Let your child hold the letter G, or trace it with a finger. Talk about the color gray, and what is something gray? (the sky, grandpa’s beard, etc.) Let your child count the items you put in the counting box – there should be ten of them. Tomorrow, you’ll hide ten different items in the counting box. Remember, END this activity before the child is restless! You want an eager learner, not a resistant one. If you skip calendar once in a while, that’s okay, too. Eventually, you’re young child may sit with you for about 45 minutes! This can become a favorite part of his day!

Spend a Day with Grandma

It would be wonderful if your child could spend one day this week with grandma. Print off the lesson plan for that day and share it with her. Let her see the activities ahead of time, so she’ll feel more comfortable doing them with your child. You should send any necessary materials for the projects with your child. Depending on your child’s relationship with the grandparents, you might be able to take the day off! Or you might need to stick around, but maybe you could do something for grandma – like weed her garden – and let her spend some quality time with your little one. If this is impossible, if the grandparents are just too far away, make sure to call grandma on the phone (or Skype!) and let her talk with your child. Look at pictures of the grandparents with your child, and share happy memories of your childhood.

Grandparents May Have More Time to Enjoy Exploring the World with Their Grandchild

Five Star Picture Books

• The Grandma Book by Todd Parr
• Grandma and Me by Karen Katz
• The Grandpa Book by Todd Parr
• How to Babysit a Grandpa by Jean Reagan
• I Love You, Grandma by Parragon Books
• What Grandnas Do Best by Laura Numeroff
• In Grandma’s Arms by Jayne C. Shelton
• Grandpas Are for Finding Worms by Harriet Ziefert
• Grandmas are for Giving Tickles by Harriet Ziefert

Quality Toys and Products

• Fisher Price Little People Grandparents
• Fisher Price Loving Family Grandparents
• Grandma picture frame
• Grandpa picture frame
• Large tote of marbles
• 103-piece Marble Run set
• CLassic Jacks set
• Going to grandma’s suitcase

Free Printable Lesson Plans and Worksheets
G is for Grandparents

Photo Credits:
Grandma Reading: photo by lilgoldwmn
Little Girl with Grandpa: photo by Nota

After “mama” and “dada”, the next word is often “No!”

It is not uncommon for fathers to feel a little slighted, until the baby starts to babble “dada”. This, of course, is met with smiles and claps and happy faces, all of which encourages Baby to make those same sounds again – and that is how language is learned. But often, the next word baby learns to make is “no!”. And from then on, it is “no!” to everything. Day in, day out.

When “No!” Is All You Ever Hear

You try to feed your little one strained green beans or spinach, he obstinately shakes his head and proclaims firmly, “No!” You take his hand so you can cross the street, but he struggles to get free and again tells you, “No!” As you help him dress, it’s “No!” You tell him it’s bath time, and he says “no!” Sometimes you find yourself thinking that life was easier before your baby learned to talk!

It may not seem funny now, but I think this is adorable. Saying “no!” and being contrary are what toddlers do. From about twelve months up to nearly thirty months, the young child is discovering the power of language. He is learning to communicate his needs, his wants, and his desires. This can be an exhilarating time for him. But it can also be very scary. At some point, when he says “no!”, his mommy and daddy are going to react with anger – and he will not understand why. That will lead to the classic temper tantrum. When the child’s emotions are so strong, yet his ability to communicate is limited, he has no other way to react than to explode.

Tantrums May Be Caused By Limited Language Skills

You can moderate or eliminate temper tantrums by helping your young child develop the language skills necessary to communicate his needs clearly. You can also help by being consistent. Be calm, yet gentle and firm, when dealing with your often bewildering young child. If, one day he tells you “no!” and you laugh, but the next time he uses that word and you scold, you will confuse him. We are only human! Sometimes it is impossible not to laugh at the things that come out of our children’s mouths! But the more consistent you can be, the happier your child will be.

Removing the Power of “No!”

There are several ways to limit the power of this word in your child’s vocabulary. The first is, try not to use the word yourself! Try to not say “no” to her for a long time – weeks, if possible. If she reaches for something hot, you might make a sound, like – “uh uh!” Otherwise, you can turn your negatives into positives. Instead of “No, don’t hit!” you could take her hand and smile and say, “Hands are for loving touches”. Then put her hand on your cheek, make it pat your cheek gently, and say “Nice Mommy” and smile.

If she throws her food on the floor, instead of scolding “no!”, you could just simply take the hint. Remove the food from her reach, take her out of her high chair, and DO NOT let her eat until the next meal. It’s almost a guarantee that at the next meal she will be too hungry to throw her food.

Children are Mirrors – They Reflect Our Moods Better than Glass.

Save the Memories

Enjoy your little one. And take a picture of him saying “no no!” to add to your photo album. One day you are going to want to remember this, and how precious he was, once upon a time.

Photo credits:
Top: Angry Child photo by Tammra McCauley
Lower: Happy child photo by Tammra McCauley

Motivate with Marbles

Motivating With Marbles

It’s amazing what a handful of marbles can accomplish! This little behavior-modification technique can work wonders. Start with a jar. For one child, use a smaller jar, like a pint-sized canning jar with a lid. For a whole classroom, try a quart or half-gallon jar. Then, buy enough marbles to fill the container, plus a few more… in case you lose some.

Put the jar where your child can easily see it – but out of reach – especially if your youngster might try to put the marbles in his mouth. You will put marbles in the jar every time he does what you ask him to. You will take marbles out of the jar whenever he refuses to do it. When the jar is full, he will have earned a big reward.

Changing Behavior, One Marble at a Time

What is one specific behavior you would like your child to change? Is it whining? Dawdling? Sassing? Do you want him to pick up his toys when it’s time? Make a short list, and then chose ONE to work on first.

Next, you need to come up with a great reward. Something that would motivate your child. Maybe you will promise to take him to a favorite pizza place that features arcade games and activities. Maybe your child would rather go to the beach, or have a friend spend the night. Whatever you come up with, make it something affordable, and something you are willing to do in about five to seven days.

Now it’s time to explain this to your child. Talk to him about the behavior that he needs to change. If it’s getting dressed in the morning, tell him exactly what you expect him to do. Make it clear and specific. For instance, if you want him to get dressed, tell him exactly what he needs to put on, and when he needs to do it by. “John needs to get out of bed, put on clean underwear, pants, shirt, socks and shoes, by 6:30 am, without being reminded, and without whining.” That is a clear goal. Now, tell him that he is a smart boy, and you are so proud of him. You are sure this is something that he can do! And every day that he does it, you will put marbles into the jar. Any day he does not do it, you will take marbles out of the jar. And when the jar is full, he earns the reward.

Success Breeds Success

The first time you use the Marble Jar, you need to make sure that the goal is something your child can easily attain within a week or so. Give him several marbles each time he succeeds… only take one marble out when he fails. You NEED him to earn the reward right away! Nothing breeds success like success! Then, when he is more familiar with the system, you can be a little less free with the marbles. It might take him two weeks to earn the next reward. But for the young child, don’t make the reward too hard to earn, or the child will lose interest and give up.

Weaning Away from Marbles

Each time your child has mastered a new behavior, and received the reward, then that behavior should be permanent. If you set the goal that he dresses himself by a specific time, and he earned the trip to the pizza place or having a friend spend the night, now you and he both know that he is capable of dressing himself, without whining. Let him know that he must continue to dress himself, without earning the marble, but when he fails, you will still remove a marble from the jar. Then talk with him about the next new behavior you want to work on.

This can be a fun game. Keep it light. Do not lecture or scold or threaten or intimidate your exasperating child. Just be calm and be firm. You can give him one warning only. If you are working on having him dress himself every morning, and you notice that he is really dawdling, you could remind him that he has only a few more minutes to finish, or he will not earn any marbles. Then, if he continues to dawdle, follow through. Make sure he sees you remove a marble from the jar. If he throws a fit, walk away. He needs to learn that he is responsible for his behavior. It is up to him if he wants to behave correctly and earn the marble, or behave badly and have a marble removed. You are not the meanie in this game.

This technique has worked with four-year-olds in preschool and students in high school. I would not recommend it for children under the age of four.

Related Reading:
Eight Techniques to Eliminate Dawdling
Reduce or Eliminate Tantrums
Mealtime Battles

Preschoolers Often Dawdle At Mealtimes

Preschoolers are notorious dawdlers, according to grown-up standards. They are just so curious! They do not understand the concept of time or deadlines… what a wonderful way to live! Unfortunately for the parents of preschoolers, who could lose their job for continued tardiness, this charming preschool habit is not so desirable after all. But how can we hurry our little ones along, yet not stamp out the natural curiosity and wonder of childhood?

There is no easy answer, but there are a few compromises that can be reached.

Choose Your Battles

First, chose your battles carefully. Not every war needs to be won. If your child dawdles during dinner, you can allow him the extra time to pick away at his food. You can begin together as a family, sharing a simple table grace if such is your habit, and encourage family chat, the together time when everyone talks about their day, their dreams, and their challenges. But as the older members of the family finish, they could remain for a few minutes more, then simply leave the table but allow the pokey eater to finish his meal. One parent should remain in the room, to ensure that the child doesn’t choke on something, or decide to see how the walls would look if papered in mashed potatoes. The parent could continue to talk with the preschooler in an upbeat, friendly manner, while loading the dishwasher, or putting away the left-overs.

Breakfast, however, is a different situation. For many families, breakfast is only a short part of a busy morning schedule that includes getting dressed, packing lunches, gathering school supplies, and loading the car to head out in various directions to school, work, and day care. There simply isn’t enough time to allow the slow eater to take his time.

Try Waking Your Child Earlier so He Has More Time to Eat

Remove Distractions

Some preschoolers are too easily distracted. I’ve noticed that my granddaughter cannot eat breakfast while watching cartoons. She may be very hungry, but while focused on the television, she will simply hold her toast or cereal and forget to put it in her mouth. So, the natural consequence is, turn off the television. This should be obvious, and should be true for every meal and snack. When we eat, we should concentrate on eating. We should visit with our family. We should be pleasant and respectful of one another, for this improves digestion, besides building strong families.

Other things that might distract the preschooler include the family pet, loud music, too much going on, unpleasant conversation, ringing telephones and buzzing doorbells. You cannot control every distraction, but it is in your best interest to limit as many as possible. Develop a house rule that cell phones are to be silenced during meal times. Turn off or down the radio. Do not use mealtimes to rehash past disagreements, and put the dog out or in another room.

To help your young child focus on the meal, set the table and eat there. Sometimes use the good dishes, sometimes use pretty paper tableware. Sometimes light candles or place a low bouquet of flowers for the centerpiece. Dim the lights, but not too low. Create a feeling of togetherness that will draw your child in. He will want to be a part of this, and will have healthier eating habits as a result.

Eliminate Between-Meal Snacks

Serve Healthy Snacks and Eliminate Excess Sugar

Use a Timer

One final option, is to set a timer. A good time is about twenty minutes. Let your child know that this meal time will be twenty minutes long. When the timer dings, the meal is over. Then do not nag him. Set the timer in front of him, so he can see the passage of time – which is a good pre-science and pre-math activity. When the timer does go off, simply remove the rest of the child’s food from the table. If he howls, be calm, be patient, but be firm. Remind him that he has had enough time to eat, and meal time is over. He chose to take too long. Tomorrow, he will have the opportunity to make better choices. Let him get down from the table, but DO NOT give him any snacks until the next scheduled time. Let his slight hunger be his guide. You are not punishing him. You are teaching him that actions have consequences, and helping him to learn responsibility. This is a wonderful lesson for him to learn!

With a little patience and loving guidance, you can create a harmonious home where every member of the family feels loved and valued. That is a far more important goal, than whether your child can inhale his breakfast in ten minutes or less.

Photo Credits:
Top: photo by Tatiana Gladskikh
Middle: Photo by Daniel Dezura
Bottom: Photo by Nagy-Bagoly Ilona

St. Patrick, Patron Saint of Ireland

This week, your child may learn:
* St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland.
* Ireland is an island.
* Emerald is a nickname for Ireland, because of its pretty green countryside.
* Emerald is a bright shade of green.
* Clover is a small plant with three heart-shaped leaves.
* Sometimes clover has four leaves.
* A four-leaf clover is thought to bring good luck.
* Leprechauns are imaginary little people who live in Ireland.
* Leprechauns store their pots of gold a the end of a rainbow.

Calendar Activities

Concepts covered this week include the letter P, the number 11, rainbow colors, and an arc. Add a large letter P to your calendar corner. I like to get the 6-inch tall wooden alphabet letters sold at major stores and hobby centers. Paint the P either green, for St. Patrick’s day, or in rainbow colors. Cut out the number 11 from green construction paper, and tape to the wall by your calendar. Post a picture of a rainbow. During calendar time, point out the shape of the rainbow, how the colors make a gentle curve – or an arc – shape. If the child says something about Noah, agree with him that it sounds just like “ark” but it is spelled differently. Worksheets for these concepts are included in the lesson plans.

Sensory Play is Messy Play

Sensory Play Develops the Brain

The young child needs to touch, taste, smell, see, and listen to everything. He needs to explore his world. Parents are always telling their child “no”, “don’t touch”… when they should be providing a wealth of touching activities. Stimulating the senses develops and strengthens the neural pathways in the brain that are important for all types of learning. As the child discovers hot or cold, rough or smooth, hard or soft, he is learning classification and sorting – an important first step in science and mathematics. Provide plenty of sensory experiences when you are there to supervise, and just maybe you’ll find yourself telling your child “no, don’t touch!” a little less often.

Five Star Picture Books for St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick in the Morning by Even Bunting
St Patrick’s Day by gail Gibbons
St. Patrick’s Day Alphabet by Beverly Vidrine
Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland by Tomie dePaola
St. Patrick’s Day by Anne Rockwell
The Little Leprechaun Who Loved Yellow! by Sally Huss
Jack and the Leprechaun by Ivan Robertson
Leprechauns Never Lie by Lorna Balian

Quality Music and Movies for St. Patrick’s Day

The Faerie Isles – Celtic Harp Music
A Very Unlucky Leprechaun
The Best of Riverdance

Free printable lesson plans and worksheets

St. Patrick’s Day lesson plans

Photo Credits:
Top:
Bottom: photo by Abra Lincoln