Raising Kids Archives - The Motherly Heap

Cultivating Your Child’s Interests

Jordan N. — Thu, 11 Nov 2021 22:14:29 +0000

Raising a well-rounded child takes effort and dedication from parents. Finding ways to pursue your child’s interests and cultivating them can be one of the most time-consuming yet best feelings in the world. Remember the astonishment you felt when you were younger as you spent time doing the things you love? Yes. I most certainly do. Your child can also partake from that feeling and let it unfold. What’s excellent about cultivating your child’s interests and passion? A research center shows that pursuing something children love provides them with many learning opportunities for growth and self-discovery. It also promotes self-esteem as they master these skills and excel in them. Your child can experience greater satisfaction in life as they explore their interests in a non-judgmental way. Your child’s learning is also seen as nurtured through cultivating these interests in ways that aid in creativity and self-expression. I am amazed at how a child can truly shine as they go through steps from the beginning and continue growing their interests and talents. I’ve been fortunate to witness these with my children as I recall how my parents made every effort to encourage me to do what I love the most. Supporting your child and interests takes commitment on your part and most understanding of the benefits of letting it bloom. Post may include affiliate links to products. If you click the links and purchase from those links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Full Disclosure. Tips for Parents to Cultivate the interests and talents of children Let your child explore diverse activities. Allowing interactions and experiencing new activities can spark an interest in them. Your child, while trying out new experiences, can open up many possibilities for growth and creativity. You may not see it happening right away; one day, you’ll be surprised that they’re asking more questions about a particular past event that kept them interested weeks after. As children’s age progresses, they will be more selective about what piques their interests and makes them happy. Therefore, considering a child’s many aspects, you balance it out with their physical, mental, social, and emotional development and needs. Discover the interests themselves. Letting your child lead the way of selecting what they want to do and observing on the side as they engage in the chosen activities. When a child is given space and uninterrupted time to explore their interests, they tend to develop more on where their interests lie. What your dream may not be your child’s. Letting your child freely choose what they’re into, rather than you selecting for them. There’s a thin line between letting your child encounter what you experienced as a child and allowing your child to find it with your guidance. No to pressure. The word is to encourage and not push. Letting your child venture is one thing while trying to find what activities they are most leaning to is excellent. However, making and pressuring them to take lessons or classes that they’re resistant to may be counterproductive. Your child may exhibit unwarranted behaviors. May complain of physical ailments such as headache or stomach pain. It’s good to be attentive to these cues and assess the situation for you to help your child. Examine if they may just be exhausted or overly scheduled, or even stressed. Then, openly discuss with your child – ask what’s bothering them and plan together what to do. Sometimes, all your child need is a break. Provide a learning environment at home. These strategies help your child explore in a safe, familiar environment – your home. Books and learning centers are a great place to start. You’re spending extra time with them as they engage in their chosen activities. Learning music or musical instruments are available to use. Art supplies are readily available that your child can use. Encourage imaginative and creative plays. You don’t need a huge backyard to play sports. Instead, you can accommodate their play around with what’s available in and outside your home. RELATED POST: How to Start a Family Game Night Tradition that Everyone can Enjoy Refrain from criticizing. There’s loving feedback, and there’s a harsh comment. But, unfortunately, both aren’t the same. Your child can sense your tone, your actions. It may be a brief statement that wasn’t intentional and may have opened up some gap or doubt on what they’re capable of. Don’t shut it down—gentle corrections instead of degrading comments. Show interest. Whether you have to go down on the floor or be eye-to-eye level with your child, your body language says more. These gestures evoke a sense of security and pride within themselves. They are seen and heard, and you are interested in what they like or what caught their attention. Listen intently. Taking the time to listen to what your child says will give you enough clues about what they’re interested in participating in or doing. Your child may switch up interests on any given day or have lost enjoyment in their previous chosen activities. Sit with them and be empathetic. Invest in experiences and trips More often than not, what they experience or have been around sparks interest within your child. Let your child immerse in the event and encourage questions. Start visiting museums, space centers, garden centers, historical landmarks, state parks, and more. In addition, new cities and communities offer new encounters for your child. Travelling is an excellent teaching method for your child to experience new places, people, cultures, and languages. Different settings they can run into expand their learning and interests. RELATED POST: Family Road Trip Checklist for Summer (Plus Printable Packing List) Give praise for your child’s effort. Paying attention to your child’s progress and giving credit to them is better than focusing on the outcome. It’s a given to celebrate growth and mastery. Children can pick up on any feelings shown or not – joy, pride, or displease, etc. They will internalize your words, and they’ll play it on repeat in their head. As a result, they will feel unsupported, especially when they sense they’re not living up to your standards. Your words of encouragement can also serve as a booster of confidence within themselves. It circles back to getting more motivated to pursue their likes and interests. Go beyond the lines. Parents can teach science to children in many settings, as well as math. Set an afternoon to explore measurements, causes, and effects within the confines of your home. For example, in the kitchen or the yard, be hands-on. Books around the home. Books can indeed take you to places you dream of, and some can bring you into another world. In addition, books serve as an instrumental tool for finding what best interests your child. Let them choose books to purchase based on their interest. Then, visit a local library and read books together. You certainly don’t have to limit the book’s genre on children; they can also enjoy learning from other literature to expand their interests. Nurture your child’s interests and cultivate their talents Time will come when your child has selected what interests them and begins to engage more in it. These critical times of establishing the ground for exploring and mastering their interests can lead to more profound commitment in them. Be the cheerleader to encourage them to put effort towards it. You may rearrange your schedule, time, and other commitments to open up some allotted time for your child’s interest. Life lessons are just a tip away when an opportunity presents them. RELATED POST: 10 Basic Ways To Teach Kindness To Your Child Use community resources and engage with people from all different walks of life. Local community centers are a great source of learning activities. Connect with other community people who can speak or are around your child or group to show their craftsmanship, career, or any endeavor. Schools have career days and encourage children to dress up for what they want to be when they grow up. In addition, community workers are invited to speak with the school children about their jobs. Even daycare centers have small learning centers that young children can choose to participate in. So there’s plenty of opportunities for each child to find what sparks and what they love to do. There are free art classes or chess clubs that your child can participate in—even free swimming lessons from a swim coach who retired a few years back. Cultivating your child’s talents and interests Navigating these explorations for what your children are interested in and love to do can be time-consuming. It can also be a financial load that parents face. We are our children’s providers; what I mean to say is talking down on them that money is wasted or what can harm them. There are ways to speak with them about finance without criticizing anyone. Showing positivity towards their interests will stretch more than encouragement on your part. It acts as a spring step for your child to pursue what they love to do, and you’re right behind them. Make an effort to learn your child’s interests, showing genuine support and cultivating them. With these thirteen steps, you can start to help your child with what interests them, nurture and support them. Parenting takes a lot. Showing how everything works are good for our children. Yet, it is extraordinary to support your child in the crafts and activities they want to explore and contribute to how the world works. If you liked this post, let me know in the comment below or share this post with everyone. Thank you for stopping by today.

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Chore List for Kids by Age and Getting Kids on Board

Jordan N. — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 00:20:25 +0000

Have you implemented a chore list for kids in your home? Do you know that at any age from 2 and above, kids can help with chores around the house? Find out how your kids can benefit from doing chores and help them feel great about it. Chores are routine tasks in the house to be completed. Chores can be an annoyance to kids but are necessary. Parents do chores every single day, and that’s a given to keep the household running, and kids can help too. Having a chore list will guide your kids to follow based on their age range. A chore chart for kids that post all the tasks needed to be completed can be written, typed, or printed to keep a visual reminder. Reading in younger kids might not have been mastered; it will be enough to use images of their assigned tasks. How Do Kids Benefit from Doing Chores at Home? Doing chores teaches kids the meaning of responsibility. It also teaches them to build self-reliance. It can boost their self-esteem and self-confidence. Chores reinforce the value of teamwork and being dependable. It teaches them essential life skills. Chores promote respect among the household members by witnessing how they can contribute to cleanliness or add to the home’s mess. It develops a sense of belongingness and plays a big part in caring for the family. It shows them the value of time management and setting priorities. How to Persuade your Kids to Participate in Housework Set Your Expectations as Realistic They Can Be Parents will have to consider the age of their kids when assigning chores. Don’t assign duties that aren’t up to their level and end up frustrating them and yourself. Also, it could be that you want things done a certain way; however, if you’re going to redo or re-adjust how your kids completed their chores – resist that urge. Perfect is not the end goal here; done is enough. Be Patient, and lots of them. When your 3 years old decides to help you fold newly washed clothes, take the time to slow down. Show them how to fold a shirt; step-by-step instructions. At first, they won’t get it right away. But as you continue to do hands-on folding lessons with your kid, they’ll eventually have it down as they practice. Same thing with other chores that are new to younger kids, repetition is key in mastering their skills in a particular chore. Sometimes being quick and efficient gets thrown out the window when teaching your kids tasks around the home. So be ready to spend as much time as you can for kids to grasp the task assigned to them. Show support and appreciation. As your kids perform their tasks without prompting, tell them you witness it and thank them for showing initiative in completing the chore. Most significantly, your child will know that their work is appreciated when they hear you say it. They’ll also feel more capable and supported. Make sure to ask them if there’s another need to show them how to do a newer chore again. Let your kids understand that you are there for them; you’re ready to guide them. Doing the chore together can also help your kid get oriented with the task, and you both get to bond as well. Photo Credit: pixelshot Make the chore fun to do If your kids love listening to upbeat music, blast off the speakers while doing chores. When it’s time to pick up the floor, and my kids aren’t in the mood to do it, I play the clean-up song and start picking up. Then they’ll follow my lead and even finish before I do. We also do a short TV time when it’s folding “your clothes” time. Yard work on Saturday is one of our morning chores as a family. They get to run around while we gather items around the garden. Sorting clothes by colors is a fun way for your kids to do laundry with you. They’ll be delighted to extend a helping hand when tasks are done happily and fun. Be consistent Chores become part of their everyday routine. When kids know what’s expected of them, chores tend to get done without a fuss. For example, making their beds in the morning knows that this chore gets done first. Then other tasks follow. Reminding your kids about their chores doesn’t need to be on repeat every single time. Nagging about chores makes them not want to do them in the first place. Why not introduce a chore chart. A chore list for kids can also be pinned on the refrigerator or calendar, or a simple chore chart printed out for them to see. Starting Early On Introducing chores to your kids can begin when they’re interested in helping you with simple tasks such as picking up toys or books. The complexity of the tasks will grow as your kids’ age. The key to getting them motivated is to show appreciation and rewards for positive behaviors. Photo Credit: Getty Images Signature Encourage Open Discussions When their chores are consistently left undone or incomplete, get into the habit of having a family meeting at the end of the week and review what happened. Ask your kids for input or solutions in tackling the obstacles arising from not doing or completing their chores. Provide positive feedback on completed chores to promote morale and cooperation. Showing Them That You Complete Your Chores too What better way to model, especially to younger kids that mommy and daddy are doing their chores at home. Your kids are constantly observing and watching your moves. They may even copy what you do, like wiping the table, or they might want to try washing the dishes too. As soon as they start asking you if they can help, YES – grab that opportunity as a learning moment. Reward System I know this part is to each their own. Families decide what works best for their own tribe. It can be adjusted to your family’s specific needs; one system may work now that kids are younger and may need to be changed again as they get older. If money incentives are given at the end of the week with completed chores, then make it known. If chores are done because you are part of the family and allowances are given separately from completing chores, then have an open discussion. And if the reward system falls under-earning privileges after completing a week of chores, then make sure everyone is on the same page. Now let’s go over the list of age-appropriate chores for kids. Here is the Chore List for Kids By Age: 2-3 years old Kids Chores List The kids within this age range manifest an eagerness to help. So, take advantage of these early years of exploring and wanting to help out. And sure enough, they can be a great help. Their completed tasks may not be pristine at this time; however, the sense of accomplishment within them is a marvel and can be seen in their faces. Kids in this age range appreciate stickers, art items, and toys as rewards for helping out. Pick up books and toys around. Put clothes on hanging hooks. Put dirty clothes in the laundry bin. Set the placemats on the dinner table. Help make the bed. Help wipe spills and messes. Start to sort socks/pile up books with guidance. 4-5 years old Chores for Kids Checklist These preschoolers are gaining confidence and want to show independence. Let them practice these traits through chores. In addition, they are eager to explore new things around their environment. As we know, they are a curious group and desire to understand how things work. So take this chance to show them how to clean an item properly or sort it by colors or shapes. Preschoolers appreciate the same rewards such as stickers, toys, or other specific items of interest when they complete their tasks. All previous chores listed Making their beds without guidance Putting away lunch box and school backacks in their proper place Setting and Clearing the table Light gardening: watering the plants, pulling out weeds Sorting socks and pairing gloves Help folding clothes and putting them in the closet/drawers Carry light groceries and help arrange the pantry Wash plastic dishes and utensils with supervision Help unload the dishwasher Dust appliances and windows Feed pets 6-10 years old Kids Appropriate Chore List As your kids begin to take on more responsibility, their enthusiasm for doing chores may dwindle, or they may even rebel. Or it may be the opposite. So take a deep breath, Mama. This shift doesn’t mean it’s going to get worse; your patience and your kids’ attitude will need some flexibility this time around. You can encourage your primary schooler by providing extra incentives, pocket money, and even favorite outings/activities that they can look forward to. All previous chores listed. Clean their bedrooms/Make Beds. Pick up things from the floor. Do vacuum Sweep the floors Empty the dishwasher Empty the dryer (their clothes) Fold their clothes and put them away Empty their bedroom garbage into the big trash bag to take out. Keep their bathroom tidy Help prepare meals and clear the kitchen Help with garden/yard work Assist in giving pets bath Photo Credit: Gemütlichkeit 11-13 years old Kids Checklist of Chores The age range during these years may need balancing in handing out chores. Yes, your preteen can handle more complex tasks and responsibilities. Yet, taking the time to listen to them and come to an agreement on chores will take you far beyond the start of power struggles. The aura can become tense, and they may be resentment towards you. Be clear about your expectations and remind them that doing chores help the whole family and home management. The same thing as above is to set up a reward system that motivates your kids to do their chores. For example, you can provide additional playtime on their favorite games, tokens for activities they like, or simply an allowance for them to spend on items they want. All previous chores listed. Clean their bathroom. Mop the floors They can do independent laundry with their clothes. Take out the trash for pick-up. Help unbuckle younger siblings in the car. Can watch younger siblings at home; parents are around the house. Heat food for themselves or cook a simple dish. Help with the grocery and prep ingredients. Help clean the car. Organize books and school supplies Help clear the garage. 14 years old and above Chore List Teenage years can become challenging with chores getting done on time. Their sleep habits can change, their moods are unpredictable, and their activities are increased. Time management and accountability are good traits to strengthen these years. Also, discipline and organizational skills are encouraged. Active listening and openly discussing chores with them go a long way. Your Kids can do chores as quickly or as efficiently as an adult. However, taking on the complex tasks that are challenging to handle can give them a sense of accomplishment in the end. Teenagers may respond to more rewards related to independence, more screen time, and having more time to be with friends. Allowances can also become part of the reward system; it will also serve as a lesson on managing money and being responsible. Additionally, through chores, you can help your kids prepare themselves to be ready for the real world, to be self-sufficient and responsible. Mow the lawn Help clean the house (bathroom, kitchen, living room) Do laundry for their own or family’s clothes Update grocery lists and prepare/cook meals Clean Furniture/Appliances Wash windows and wipe doors Clear out the fridge and clean it Babysit younger siblings only for a short time without supervision Iron clothes as needed. Grab mail from the mailbox and get packages at the front door. (16 and above) Independent pet care; including walks with pets...

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The Doctor Visits Your Child Will Encounter Before Entering Kindergarten

Jordan N. — Sun, 01 Aug 2021 17:19:36 +0000

Children need a regular wellness check-up at least once a year. You can arrange all the doctor visits for your child ahead of time because the clinics’ schedules can quickly fill. Also, parents can schedule appointments with other doctors that their child will need to see about their eyes, dental, or specific health issues. These check-ups are aimed to make sure your child’s growth, development, and health are evaluated. When a child enters Kindergarten in the U.S., the school may also require documentation of a vision screening, dental visit, or hearing exam. Kindergarten program requirements vary in every state. Therefore, verify with your child’s school or school district for more necessary required information. Parents can request a proper health assessment for their children before starting school and getting their children’s immunizations up-to-date. Why do your child need doctor visits? Having your child evaluated by the doctor can help pinpoint developmental delays, aid in getting early interventions for diagnosed health issues, and ascertain your child is healthy. It can also create a solid foundation of health baseline for your child’s wellness. Learning is contingent on your child’s vision, hearing, and oral health. Your child may need corrective eyeglasses to help to identify learning materials. Your child may need dental interventions for proper teeth development and structures. Teeth braces, retainers, and teeth filling. Adjusting to these health plans can affect them tremendously. Hearing is paramount to a child’s learning. Children learn through listening and hearing sounds. In addition, there’s an interlink between hearing and children’s speech development. Listening skills for children help them learn to write, read and even improve social skills. Who are the Healthcare Providers that Your Child Needs to See? Eye Doctor The eye doctor (optometrist) will examine your child’s eye health at this visit. Eye check-up schedules recommended by American Optometric Association start at six months of age to a year for eye health baseline assessment in low-risk young children. The second visit happens when your child turns three years old – 5 years old. Third eye doctor visit occurs at age six years old. Then yearly after that. If your child is categorized as High-Risk for Eye Health Issues, you are encouraged to follow the above schedule plus the recommendations of the eye doctors for close follow-ups. These eye health assessments are performed to ensure proper eye development is noted, vision problems are identified, early diagnosis of eye issues and treatment plans, and to ensure your child’s learning will be optimum. The eye doctor will dilate your child’s pupils using a medicated eye drop to see the overall eye health and structures. Another eye doctor who checks eye health for high-risk young children is an ophthalmologist. These children are seen and monitored closely with frequent appointments in addition to the regular schedule. When children fall under the high-risk category, it means they have a significant risk for eye or vision issues. Such risk factors can include: Prematurity, Long-term supplemental oxygen use in the NICU Babies with Low Birth Weight Pregnancy complications of the mother Moms who had difficult labor or assisted labor Familial history of eye disorders Any visual impairments Vision is only on one eye Previous eye surgery/injury And other eye health problems These children are given a more comprehensive eye check-up and a thorough eye care plan. Parents are encouraged to keep these eye doctor visits for proper monitoring of children’s eye health. With my preemie daughter, we visit her eye doctor to monitor her eyes and vision regularly. The same doctor performed retinopathy of prematurity exam before leaving the NICU and succeeding follow-up visits afterward. Dentist Oral care and health are essential for your child’s growth and development—time for the dental check-up. What age does your child need to see the dentist, and how often are the visits? Based on the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommendations, your child needs to make the first dental visit around age one to establish a foundation for their dental care. Also, the AAPD recommends a check-up every six months to check dental health, prevent cavities and other dental problems. Your child’s pediatric dentist will recommend how often and what dental follow-up schedule is based on your child’s oral health. When your child is around three-four years old, oral health habits are starting to form. Visiting the dentist can help promote good oral hygiene through healthy routine check-ups and dental recommendations. Why do your child’s teeth need to be assessed before school? Your child’s oral health is significantly linked to overall health and growth. Cavities can appear as early as two years of age. Preventive oral care is a key to keeping your child’s dental health good. Schools often note that children with poor dental hygiene or teeth cavities have more absences than their peers with regular dental care. Plenty of school-age children missed school due to high dental-related illnesses. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General, 2000. “The consequences of poor oral health have a negative influence on children’s speech, growth, function, education, and social development.” Tips for Parents to Keep-up with Children’s Oral Health Have your child brush their teeth twice daily. 2. Choose a toothpaste with added fluoride. 3. Floss regularly. 4. Keep up with every dental check-up (twice a year) unless otherwise recommended by the dentist. 5. Contact your child’s dentist for any oral illness/injuries. 6. Read books about dental hygiene with your child. (Recommended book list at the end of this post.) Primary Care Doctor Parents bring their children to see the pediatrician for wellness appointments and sick visits. The doctor will examine your child: a complete review of any developmental achievement/delay, growth charts, and immunization schedule. Then, you can expect a routine physical evaluation in this visit. In addition, assessing your child’s motor, language, cognitive, and personal skills is performed accordingly. These exams are crucial and completed to make sure your child is prepared to enter Kindergarten. During this visit, the clinic may perform a hearing test and a quick eye reading exam. The clinic nurse will perform these tests on/with your child. Evaluating each eye equally, the clinic nurse will use those tiny chart symbols (♥, +, o, and others) and use a spoon-like vision covering tool. It’s good to tell your child what expected tests she may encounter in this check-up. However, most times, children also get anxious when they go to the doctor’s clinic. By letting children know ahead of time what to expect, it helps alleviate those worries and fears. Other Specialists These other specialists consist of medical or other healthcare providers that see your child on an annual or regular basis. Several children may not need other doctor visits before entering Kindergarten; however, it’s good to see these other doctors/specialists for your child. For instance, if your child has asthma and has a lung specialist managing their care, it is appropriate to have a visit before entering school. With that in mind, you will also need the doctor to fill out the Asthma Action Plan for the school clinic. This Asthma Action Plan is a health form primarily used by school clinics to help assist and manage any child’s asthma disorder. It tells the school nurse what medication, dose, and frequency of your child’s prescribed inhalers. This health form also includes your child’s triggers, their best peak flow reading, symptoms to watch out for, what to do in case of emergency and information about their doctor. The school nurse or school website will have a downloadable link for this health form. However, if you don’t have it – you can also download this Asthma Action Plan from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. The lung specialist will fill it out, sign the form, and then you can bring it to your child’s school clinic. Health Evaluation of your child is important before entering school through these doctor visits. Health assessment is vital to maintain your child’s overall health through check-ups and fulfill any particular school requirements for Kindergarten. Being proactive about your child’s health helps lessen the stress of having to scramble around nearing the beginning of the school year. Also, maintaining these doctor visits can help your child keep up with recommended immunizations, address health concerns and evaluate their growth and development. Setting up appointments for your child’s check-up can also be overwhelming when a clinic has fully booked days. So, make sure to plan ahead of time. Advocating for your child’s health is one of the many responsibilities that you have as a parent. Bringing your child to the doctor’s clinic for a visit will show your child that health is essential. It’s also a great way to build a parent-doctor connection for the proper health management of your child. Ensuring good, timely doctor visits for your child can aid in attaining better health, learning optimized, and getting ready for Kindergarten. Related Post You Might be Interested: Kindergarten Readiness **As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. When you purchase through my product links, I may be eligible for a commission at no extra cost to you. See Full Disclosure here. What are other doctor appointments that you think need to be included before entering school? Let me know in the comments. Also, feel free to email this article to families and friends you know with a child entering Kindergarten. Thank you for all your continued support of The Motherly Heap. I truly appreciate that you take the time to read and share. Pin it for your reference later.

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The Benefits of Kindness For Kids: Taking a Closer Look

Jordan N. — Tue, 01 Jun 2021 14:52:49 +0000

Teaching Kindness and Its Benefits What are the significant benefits of showing kindness? Does kindness impact kids’ well-being? Does it even matter? What makes it beneficial to kids? Kids can experience tremendous benefits when practicing kindness. Due to kindness being teachable – it calls for the prime behavior to be taught. From an early age, kids can slowly learn how to be kind through their hands-on experience and daily interactions with everyone. We all know that kindness is rooted in the value of empathy. Being able to extend help or show compassion without expecting anything in return. The act of discerning another person’s feelings and acting on them in a meaningful way for the benefit of others. In parenting kids, we encourage purposeful loving-kindness in everything that they do and say every day. Likewise, with younger kids, even if they already grasp the concept and importance of kindness, nudging is still required most of the time. As parents, we want what’s best for our kids and commit to providing the best possible upbringing. Naturally, we look for different ways to help our kids be the best they could be. For the same reason, that kindness is considered the top core value that parents desire for their kids. But definition aside, what does kindness do to kids? Teaching kindness to kids can promote a positive impact on their growth and daily interactions. Besides being manifested not only in their personal connections to others but most importantly also kindness makes them healthier. We will focus on the advantages of kindness when observed by kids. Important to note: Based upon the kids’ age groups, you can adjust how to explain the gains of kindness. As for the young ones, use simple, relatable words. In-depth explanations for the older kids are favorable. They’ll be more open to learning and applying it in life after knowing the science of kindness. Adding the lessons on kindness, emphasizing the benefits, will solidify the overall importance of kindness. Then, let’s find out how kindness benefits your kids. 1. Increases Happiness and Improves Mood The more kids show kindness, the better they feel. Kindness begets happy feelings. Science shows that kindness does affect a kid’s physical and psychological health. When kids practice kindness, the brain emits a chemical – the serotonin hormone. This particular hormone enhances the person’s overall wellbeing and happiness. As stated in Mayo Clinic Health System, “Being kind boosts serotonin and dopamine, which are chemicals in the brain that give you feelings of satisfaction and well-being, and cause the pleasure/reward centers in your brain to light up.” 2. Better Health for Kids Being kind makes kids feel good about themselves and having such positive emotions can lead to balanced health. Additionally, as kindness is exhibited, another hormone is released in the body called Oxytocin. Oxytocin helps increase feelings of security and safety for kids. When kids feel safe and secure, they develop positive emotions. Thereby aiding in decreasing stress and anxiety among kids and subsequently supporting the mental health of kids. Kindness also promotes a better immune system and improves heart health in kids. In general, when people witness an act of kindness, the body releases the same hormone (Oxytocin). This particular hormone releases a chemical called nitric oxide that helps lower blood pressure in people. 3. Builds connections Kind kids are most likely to experience solid relationships among others. People are drawn to kind persons. New relationships are forged among kind kids. When it comes to school, kids have a more broad circle due to peers able to relate well with them. Kindness bridges peer acceptance. According to this study by Layous, K and et al; (2012 December). Kindness Counts. Journal, Plos One. “Students were instructed to perform three acts of kindness versus to visit three places.” “ Students who performed kind acts experienced significantly bigger increases in peer acceptance (or sociometric popularity) than students who visited places. Increasing peer acceptance is a critical goal, as it is related to a variety of important academic and social outcomes for kids, including reduced likelihood of being bullied.” 4. A Confidence Booster Kids develop a sense of purpose and at the same time boost their self-esteem. We often see in kids when they know they can affect other people in a good way, kids do more of the same behavior. Kids feel good knowing they’re able to help someone who is down or in need. Seeing that confidence in them makes any parent feel honored. Kids are more likely to succeed better in all aspects of their lives. 5. Decreases negative feelings – as a vital benefit of kindness Kids can be stressed out at school or at home. Practicing kindness helps them regulate feelings of helplessness or depression. After acts of kindness are shown, kids can experience a sense of gratitude towards themselves. They see the impact of their actions, and it helps them identify self-worth. As kids start to practice mindfulness, kind acts through caring for themselves can lead to a calmer and happier life. 6. Improves Thinking Ability The brain works well to function daily. But when bombarded by the stress hormone (Cortisol) – nothing good can come out of it. Kids will have difficulty concentrating in school and will have a more negative outlook. The ability to concentrate and focus on tasks can get overwhelming to a kid. The brain will require more energy to do its job. Moreover, as kids perform acts of kindness, they feel energized and motivated. We look to the advantage of kindness to boost energy as a favorable effect on brain function. It allows kids to perform well in school by gaining more focus, improving attention span, and promoting creative thinking. 7. The Influence of Kindness We all can agree that kindness to others is contagious. When kids purposefully practice kindness in their lives, they will see the rippling effect around them. The act itself can move people. Additionally, when kids witness an act of kindness, it has a unique effect of influencing their own behavior towards being kind to others. Therefore, more kindness is spread among the people close to him, his peers, and the entire community. The Benefits of Showing Kindness Knowing these benefits of kindness in kids, you’ll be able to recognize that what you’re teaching does matter. You can rest assured that kindness fosters wellness. The overall health benefits are high enough to be regarded as a priority for the well-being and happiness of your kid. Plus, the idea of paying it forward as kindness is given; the whole community can benefit from any acts of kindness today and in the future. The way our world is right now, we can all channel kindness in any way and for our kids to inherit the value of kindness through continued practice. Key Takeaways: ♥ Increases Happiness and Improves Mood ♦ Better Overall Health ♥ Decreases Negative Feelings ♦ Builds Connections and Fosters Influence For more reading on Kindness: 10 Basic Ways To Teach Kindness To Your Child If you like what you’re reading, please share this post on your social media. Follow me on PINTEREST.

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10 Basic Ways To Teach Kindness To Your Child (Even As Young As 3 years old)

Jordan N. — Wed, 26 May 2021 18:24:22 +0000

As parents, how can we teach a child kindness? How can we let them see the importance of empathy, compassion, and consideration? At what age do we start teaching kindness? The world right now has become a saddening, threatening environment, and people can be cruel sometimes. Honestly, it can be terrifying out there. How much more to a child. By teaching kindness, we contribute to make the world a better place, one step at a time. We can’t perfectly shield our children from matters of the real world. However, we can teach them how to live in a meaningful and purposeful way. So it all comes down to what and how we teach them at home, how they grasp the lesson, and how they exhibit it through their own ways. People, in general, aren’t born kind. Although we have the natural capacity to be, children need guidance learning this core value. We confidently try to instill this value in our children in any way we can today. To accomplish that, we have to define what kindness means and explain why it’s important to our children. Start early and use words that a child can understand. Why Kindness is a Key-Value? Its importance lies within the foundation that a child can be taught kindness. The child can learn empathy towards others. The one lesson that covers a lot. Kindness is giving oneself to help others without expecting anything in return. What’s more important than being of service to others? Of being considerate and thoughtful? Empathy can help promote kindness in your child. It is the main value for which kindness springs forth. A child develops empathy starting at home. Learning through feelings and emotional effects towards parents or siblings, he/she develops the ability to respond accordingly. It will take practice and guidance from you for a child to hone in on this core value. Once learned, it becomes part of who your child is. Moreover, it will help your child during social interactions with other children and adults. It can also mean building connections with others outside the home. According to the Parents Values Study in 2020; “We polled more than 1,000 moms and dads of young children to find out what they want for their kids today and tomorrow – and what hurdles they face in making that happen. Here are the surprising responses.” “73% of moms rank kindness as the quality they most hope to instill in their children—more than intelligence (51%) or a strong work ethic (51%).” Also, “50% of moms believe the most important task of parenthood is showing a child how to be compassionate and kind, placing these above kids learning to be their authentic selves (28%), becoming successful high achievers (16%), or possessing intelligence (6%). Only 38% believed that kindness was what their own parents felt was most important.” “76% of moms and 58% of dads believe today’s kids are less kind than those of past generations, pointing to bullying, too much tech, and entitlement as reasons for the shift.” Looking at those poll results, kindness takes the number one spot for what parents want for their children. Ways to Teach Kindness to your Child By far, this list includes the methods I’ve used and continue to use in helping my children learn kindness and show empathy. Lead by example. Parents need to model the behavior every day. Being kind and compassionate to yourself and others. Children learn through direct experiences. They learn how parents interact with other people and how parents interact with kids. Modeling kindness – you become mindful of your words and actions around and outside the home. Teaching this trait through living it every day is a concrete example for your child to witness. It doesn’t require perfection on your part to be able to show what kindness is all about. If you only preach and do not practice kindness, there’s no point in delving deeper. It will only confuse a child. The key to success in coaching kindness to a child is the utmost willingness of a parent to teach the behavior through communication, connections which are accompanied by heaps of patience. Be confident that your child is capable of Kindness. Children see kindness all around. In school, church, supermarket, park, hospitals, home, etc. Find an opportunity for a child to be kind. Your child needs to practice caring for others. He/she also needs to develop an attitude of gratitude for the kindness shown towards them. Believe that one way or another, your child will grasp the lesson of kindness and be able to exhibit it. Whenever an act of kindness is done, praise your child. Give positive feedback to encourage the behavior. As well as encourage her/him to be proud of the kind behavior and appreciate them showing kindness. Explore your child’s feelings. Parenting involves sitting down and exploring the emotions of a child. It can be started as early when a child is developmentally ready. Help your child express emotions with no judgment. Affirm your child’s feelings. Recognizing emotions is the first step in learning to be kind. When they know how they feel after a person does or says something, they’ll be able to take in the effects of their own actions and words to others. In return, they’ll learn they can also affect other people in their lives. A question for your child; how would you feel if it happened to you too? Telling your child to put himself in someone else’s shoes is one way to present the concept of understanding how someone feels in a given situation. The child’s answer can give you an indication of the progression of the daily lessons of kindness. As a parent, you can talk about your feelings. Have an open conversation with your children or a quick talk when something has happened. This invites them to talk freely and openly to you as well. Learning Kindness through Books and Movies. Reading books depicting kindness can open up learning and exploration on the topic. Read aloud with your toddler or do guide reading with your early readers. Watching a movie together that shows emphasis on kindness is another way to illuminate the subject. After each reading, or show allow open ended questions, and start summarizing the main points of the story/plot together. Take this opportunity to explore your child’s thoughts and feelings. Emphasize the lessons of being kind and empathetic. **As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. Read more details on this disclosure.** ♦ Some books you can check out to read with your child: I Can Be Kind by Jessica Pippins I am Kind by Daniela Owen Kindness is my Superpower by Alicia Ortego To be inclusive of others. Teaching about differences and individuality. To show respect for a person’s uniqueness and culture. We live in a diverse world, and for a child to accept that, it’s easier to impart the lessons of being inclusive. We kindly broaden our circle. Being inclusive isn’t only for pursuant of moral obligation but also the improvement of our lives. Additionally, it helps to bridge connections and solidify relationships. It is reaching out to people without judgment. ♦ The bullying experience. Particularly, bullying has been a long-time matter on school grounds. Bullying doesn’t only happen in middle school, high school, or elementary. It also happens in early school. Yes, young children in the early formative years are exposed to it as well. A preschooler being picked on by the same child due to the color of her hair. A kindergartner getting out of the bus with a sad face because a group of children made fun of him every day. These situations can happen or so much more. According to American Psychological Association, “Bullying is aggressive behavior that is intentional and involves an imbalance of power or strength. It is a repeated behavior and can be physical, verbal, or relational.” Knowing what bullying means can help them understand what it is and discourages the behavior. Help your child learn methods to handle bullying and support her/him at home. Being a victim of bullying can awfully scar a child. Furthermore, a child’s mental health is at risk when repetitive bullying is experienced. Yes, some children show resilience to it, yet those children can also reach their breaking point. What about the ones with no adequate support? When bullying occurs in school, children are scared to take a stand. The fear of becoming the target or being excluded can affect how they interact with others. They need to know that they will have support when they stand up for others. Speaking up for others, that are bullied can bring about change. Extending kindness towards the ones who are hurt due to bullying can create lasting friendships in children. A gentle reminder every day to be kind goes a long way for the child to extend care and compassion to anyone. As a parent, you can also take on a major role in helping schools tackle bullying in general. Moreover, parents can partner with teachers in creating follow-through solutions with any bullying situation. Teach your child to do Acts of Kindness (to self and others). Finding the joy of helping others and the power to influence other people to do the same. A quick video about How to Change the World with Kindness by randomactsofkindness explains it in a short, simple way. Kindness to others can include siblings, parents, schoolmates, neighbors, relatives, or even strangers. Being innately kind doesn’t discriminate against anyone. When care is expressed, you give rise to caring. Kindness inspires genuine compassion and care. Learn to read people’s faces. There’s no better way to learn how to be kind than recognizing the feelings of others. People’s faces show a degree of affirmation of what they’re currently feeling. Playing takes a prime role in a child’s social development. Through play, this is an area where your child can naturally develop empathy and kindness. A window of teaching opportunity from the way a child plays with others and the way they respond to the emotions of everyone involved. When a child sees someone crying in the playground, it’s not expected of her/him to rush and comfort the other child. However, if she/he learned that showing concern and asking how the other child is can convey that she/he cares – that’s kindness. Also, when your child runs to you and asks why the other child in the playground is crying, he/she is trying to understand what the crying child is feeling. If you witnessed the scene that precipitated the situation, you have an edge to solidify the lesson by explaining to your child what happened and why the child might be feeling that way. Bonus, your child is feeling concerned towards the other child. Write notes of Kindness. Writing notes to other people is one way to teach kindness and thoughtfulness to your child. Sending someone a note of thanks, a letter of apology, words of encouragement, or a feel-better note. ♦ How to Make a Homemade Thank You Card: Gather the Materials: Card Stock Decorative Scissors Crayons Pencil Glue Stickers Double-ended Sharpie Pen Envelope (8.5 x 5.5 Inches) Cut the card stock into these dimensions: L 8″ x W 5.4″, using the special scissors (if not available, use a regular one) Fold the card stock in half; this will serve as your homemade card base. Cut another card stock paper with dimensions of L 7″ x W 4.5″. Next, duplicate it. Then paste one for the front of the card and one for the inside (where you write your special note). Decorate the card according to your liking or designs. Use the pencil to sketch a design idea. Trace it with a bold pen. Write your kindness note inside the card with the fine...

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