Dear Readers,
When you think you know everything there is to know about children and have seen it all, you come across a child that has a free spirit. As you hold their hands and watch them grow and learn, you gently remove one finger at a time so they will not know that you are only holding one hand.
Children with free spirits love living and it shows because they are nature lovers and love to experience life to the fullest. They will try everything at least once from food to all types of fun. Free Spirits love to share all their talents with you and they want your undivided attention.
This type of child will not let you off the hook easily because they are going to question you about everything. And you have to have a sensible answer for them. They will keep you on your toes and listen to your words while watching your actions. They will remember everything you tell them while hoping you forget the punishment they were promised. Free spirit children really bring out the parent in you.
You have to sharpen every parenting skill from listening to project making because they will always challenge you and your response to them. They do not mean any harm they just want to understand fully your answer to them.
Because they are so creative and independent, you will have an easy time letting go of the other hand as they get older. The only thing I caution you about is your strategy for helping them throughout life. Sometimes they will struggle with your method of teaching them because they will think it is old fashioned and will want to do it their way.
I have learned on several occasions that if you just coax them and let them learn in their own way (computer games, songs, etc) they will arrive at the same point that you want them to, even if they travel a different road to the beat of a different drummer.
As their little feet march along the path, you will be there as a parent to guide them along the way and keep them focused and on task.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Birthdays are Special Days!
Dear Readers,
What days are special in your children's lives. I imagine a birthday would be one of them.
Birthdays allow moms and dads a time to reflect on the past before a child's birth. Mothers remember the 9 months of pregnancy, labor pains and birth of the child. Mothers also remember the extremely painful kick from the child felt inside her stomach which caused her to catch her breath and say "There has to be a football player in there because he surely can kick."
Fathers remember the remarks that were said at the nursery window such as: he is the biggest baby in the nursery, he looks just like his dad, he is a handsome baby.
Other special memories and milestones are: son's graduation from Preschool and Mom's graduation from college occurred in the same month/year, his high school graduation occurred on Mom's birthday.
His 18th birthday, Mom was able to add to memories that he was a freshman in college living on the dorm. Today on his 19th birthday, Mom's memory will be that he has returned to college as a Sophomore.
Happy Birthday son, Mom loves you dearly! I will see you at the end of Sophomore year!
What days are special in your children's lives. I imagine a birthday would be one of them.
Birthdays allow moms and dads a time to reflect on the past before a child's birth. Mothers remember the 9 months of pregnancy, labor pains and birth of the child. Mothers also remember the extremely painful kick from the child felt inside her stomach which caused her to catch her breath and say "There has to be a football player in there because he surely can kick."
Fathers remember the remarks that were said at the nursery window such as: he is the biggest baby in the nursery, he looks just like his dad, he is a handsome baby.
Other special memories and milestones are: son's graduation from Preschool and Mom's graduation from college occurred in the same month/year, his high school graduation occurred on Mom's birthday.
His 18th birthday, Mom was able to add to memories that he was a freshman in college living on the dorm. Today on his 19th birthday, Mom's memory will be that he has returned to college as a Sophomore.
Happy Birthday son, Mom loves you dearly! I will see you at the end of Sophomore year!
Friday, August 21, 2009
Quote of the Day
Dear Readers,
“There are many little ways to enlarge your child's world. Love of books is the best of all.”
- Jacqueline Kennedy
“There are many little ways to enlarge your child's world. Love of books is the best of all.”
- Jacqueline Kennedy
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Brain Games
Dear Readers,
Try this game with your 4 year old toddler.
Draw a circle around the base of a glass or jar on a piece of lightweight cardboard.
Let your child color large spots of red, green and blue circles on the front.
Using play dough under the card, push a small pencil in the center.
Remove the play dough and let your child use the pencil to spin the circle.
Different colors of rings will appear as the circle spins around.
Source: Brain Games for Preschoolers, Eion
Try this game with your 4 year old toddler.
Draw a circle around the base of a glass or jar on a piece of lightweight cardboard.
Let your child color large spots of red, green and blue circles on the front.
Using play dough under the card, push a small pencil in the center.
Remove the play dough and let your child use the pencil to spin the circle.
Different colors of rings will appear as the circle spins around.
Source: Brain Games for Preschoolers, Eion
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Quote of the Day
Dear Readers,
“Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.”
- Emilie Buchwald
“Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.”
- Emilie Buchwald
Friday, August 7, 2009
All chilren are different - Part I
Dear Readers,
Sometimes as parents we do not realize how different our children are. The tricks of the trade of parenthood may not work for all of your children in the same way. My first child was somewhat of a breeze to raise. Whatever I told him to do he did in school and at home. Most of my instructions to him for elementary school was to sit at the front of the class, obey your teacher and do your homework immediately after school.
Sometimes I would have to explain my logic behind why I had him participating in the educational activities on Saturday. Most children want to sleep late and watch television on the weekends. Overall he followed Mom's instruction and achieved Honor Roll status every year throughout elementary, middle and high school.
Before he entered high school, I thanked him for his obedience and good grades for the past 8 years of school. I then proceeded to tell him that the past 8 years of school did not count, it is what you do in the next 4 years (9th - 12th grades) that is going to help you earn scholarships for college.
Again he listened to his mother and followed my lead and enrolled in one of the city's 1st charter schools. I chose this school because of the small class sizes, educational curriculum and Saturday school classes. The school ended up being an excellent choice for high school because of the many opportunities it afforded my child (ACT preparation classes, Prep School, Challenge, Rotary, Dual Enrollment (High School and College courses, etc). He was able to blossom and find out who he was as an individual and understand his leadership role in the community.
One of the school's requirements in order to graduate was for the Seniors to be accepted into college. In the fall of his senior year, my son came home and told me that he had applied to 18 colleges. Of course I asked him why so many colleges and his response was because they had my major and they accepted the common application. Thankfully, he followed up by completing the application process of essay writing and etc for each college. He did not have to wait long before the acceptance letters started appearing in the mailbox.
Each letter from each college brought a huge smile on my son's face and a sense of relief to me. He smiled because he was accepted and I was relived because he was offered many scholarships.
In the end he chose to stay at home and attend college in the city where he was born receiving a full academic scholarship. My only stipulation was he would have to live on the dorm in order to be able to really experience college life.
He received more than $700,000 in scholarship awards to various colleges in the United States.
Read Part II of my post to understand the title fully.
Sometimes as parents we do not realize how different our children are. The tricks of the trade of parenthood may not work for all of your children in the same way. My first child was somewhat of a breeze to raise. Whatever I told him to do he did in school and at home. Most of my instructions to him for elementary school was to sit at the front of the class, obey your teacher and do your homework immediately after school.
Sometimes I would have to explain my logic behind why I had him participating in the educational activities on Saturday. Most children want to sleep late and watch television on the weekends. Overall he followed Mom's instruction and achieved Honor Roll status every year throughout elementary, middle and high school.
Before he entered high school, I thanked him for his obedience and good grades for the past 8 years of school. I then proceeded to tell him that the past 8 years of school did not count, it is what you do in the next 4 years (9th - 12th grades) that is going to help you earn scholarships for college.
Again he listened to his mother and followed my lead and enrolled in one of the city's 1st charter schools. I chose this school because of the small class sizes, educational curriculum and Saturday school classes. The school ended up being an excellent choice for high school because of the many opportunities it afforded my child (ACT preparation classes, Prep School, Challenge, Rotary, Dual Enrollment (High School and College courses, etc). He was able to blossom and find out who he was as an individual and understand his leadership role in the community.
One of the school's requirements in order to graduate was for the Seniors to be accepted into college. In the fall of his senior year, my son came home and told me that he had applied to 18 colleges. Of course I asked him why so many colleges and his response was because they had my major and they accepted the common application. Thankfully, he followed up by completing the application process of essay writing and etc for each college. He did not have to wait long before the acceptance letters started appearing in the mailbox.
Each letter from each college brought a huge smile on my son's face and a sense of relief to me. He smiled because he was accepted and I was relived because he was offered many scholarships.
In the end he chose to stay at home and attend college in the city where he was born receiving a full academic scholarship. My only stipulation was he would have to live on the dorm in order to be able to really experience college life.
He received more than $700,000 in scholarship awards to various colleges in the United States.
Read Part II of my post to understand the title fully.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
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