Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Cook with Your Kids!


Kids love to cook!  Check out my recipes recipe blog for healthy recipes your kids will love!


SHARING IS CARING







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Friday, September 13, 2013

Is your child shy? Do you wish they weren't?

The other day I met with a 14 year old girl in high school who said that if she knew she had to give a book report on a certain day, she wouldn't go to school.  Is your child shy?  Do you wish they weren't shy?  If so, think about the following benefits of being an introvert:

10) Work Well With Others, Especially in One-to-One Relationships
9) Maintain Long-Term Friendships
8) Flexible
7) Independent
6) Strong Ability to Concentrate
5) Self-Reflective
4) Responsible
3) Creative, Out of the Box Thinking
2) Analytical Skills That Integrate Complexity
1) Studious and Smart

 Is your child an introvert?  Our job is not to change them; our job is to understand them and... help them understand themselves.  Take a look at the Quickie Quiz below found in the book, The Introvert Advantage (available here in pdf).   Also read the chapter on parenting an introvert.  The whole outline of the chapter on parenting is below.

 Look over the list of key qualities below. Which list feels more like you, or is more like you most of the time? (Not every characteristic on a list will fit.) Answer as you are, not as you would like to be. Go with your first impression.
Qualities A
  • Like to be in the thick of things
  • Relish variety, bored with sameness
  • Know lots of people, consider them friends
  • Enjoy chitchatting, even with strangers
  • Feel stoked after activity, eager for more
  • Speak or act without needing to think first
  • Are generally quite peppy
  • Tend to talk more than listen

Qualities B
  • Prefer to relax alone or with a few close friends
  • Consider only deep relationships as friends
  • Need rest after outside activities, even ones you enjoy
  • Often listen but talk a lot about topics of importance to you
  • Appear calm, self-contained, and like to observe
  • Tend to think before you speak or act
  • Experience mind going blank in groups or under pressure
  • Don’t like feeling rushed


Here is the outline of the chapter on parenting: 
     CHAPTER V - Parenting: Are They Up from Their Nap Already?
·       Is Your Child an “Innie” or an “Outie”?
·       Understanding Your “Innie” Child
·       Provide a Private Space
·       Allow Time to Reflect
·       If You’re an Extroverted Parent with an Introverted Child
·       Understanding Your “Outie” Child
·       If You’re an Introverted Parent with an Extroverted Child
·       The Team Approach: Talking to Your Child about Introversion
·       Gifted and Talented Children

·       Parent Power           


SHARING IS CARING
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Monday, September 9, 2013

"This" is an example of a fit....don't let it scare you.


"This" is an example of a fit....don't let it scare you.  It's just a strategy and kids keep using the strategy cuz it works!

This mom called in May asking for help because she was having trouble getting her daughter to go to school.  I told her to go to the parenting classes.  She didn't.  She called me last week saying her daughter wouldn't go to school and that she had had to meet with the principal.  The principal told her it was her responsibility to get her daughter to go to school and that if she didn't, her other kids could be taken away.

The mother told the daughter she had to go to school and that if she didn't go to school, that she (the mom) would take the router and there would be no wi-fi at home.  The daughter did not go to school; the mother took the router.  The daughter threw a fit....a really bad fit.  She went into a rage, broke things, told her little brothers and sister that she hated them and that she was going to kill them and that she was going to kill her mother when she got home from work.  The brothers and sister went to school and told their teachers; they were scared.  The teachers called the mom and the mom was able to explain that she was having a fit because she didn't get her way.

I saw the mother and daughter that afternoon and told the mother she had done the right thing.  Today, the mom called me again saying the daughter didn't go to school.  I asked her if she had taken the router again.  She said no...that she was afraid of the rage.  My question for you is: Who is running the show?

Do you see why they keep using the strategy? It's not cuz they are bad kids, it's because it works!  In fact, it's very effective.  On most parents it works almost everytime.  The problem is we are teaching them to be manipulative, intimidating and to not care about anyone but themselves.  People who never leave this stage, which by the way, is appropriate for ages 0-4 are not capable of caring about others.

I don't know about you, but that is NOT the goal. When my youngest son, Andrew was three, my oldest son, Joshua told me: "Mom, you must hate Andrew.  You let him get away with nurder, you are creating a monster and no one is going to like him."  That was my wake-up call.

SHARING IS CARING

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How big is the universe?

My mom never went to school, however....she loves to learn.  She was always wanting me to read things to her.  We were at a botanical garden one time and she didn't just want to know the common name, she wanted to know the scientific name.  I think it's about having curiosity...about wondering about this and about that.  Have you ever wondered:  How big is the universe?  Watch this 2 1/2 minute video with your kids....I loved it!

SHARING IS CARING


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