Children's behavior is shaped by how they experience the world through their senses. If your child reacts atypically to things like noise, touch and smells, he may be sensing these things in a very different way from most people.
The book Raising A Sensory Smart Child provides information about sensory integration problems and provides many practical ways to handle them. Veronica Zysk, Managing Editor of Autism Asperger's Digest magazine wrote this about the book:
"As our world gets faster, louder, more crowded and stress-laden, it's not just kids with disabilities who experience sensory challenges. It's all kids (and adults!) - some a little, some a lot. Yet most people never stop to think about sensory issues and the extent to which they interfer with learning, functioning, with daily living.
Lindsey Biel and Nancy Peske have done a bang-up job explaining the complexities and far-reaching effects of sensory challenges. I've read numerous books on sensory issues. What makes this book stand out is the clear, conversational tone coupled with page after page of practical, helpful information. The authors go way beyond "education" and give you the real life tools you need to make the world a friendlier place for individuals with sensory issues."
Toddler dangers - window blinds
Tragically, window blinds kill one young child every two weeks. Michele and Larry Frank lost their precious 18-month-old daughter, Jaclyn, when she was strangled by window blind cords at a home daycare.
Since Jaclyn died on December 1, 2005, her parents have been working hard to help other families avoid this same tragedy. The front page of the Jaclyn Frank Organization site states "We will not rest until it is a law nationwide to have window blinds illegal to use in daycares."
In 2007 a bill called the Jaclyn Frank Act was passed in Washington State. It requires removal of window blind cords within reach of small children in childcare centers and homes that provide daycare.
I'm grateful to Michele and Larry Frank for their dedication in working to prevent other families from suffering a tragedy like theirs.
Since Jaclyn died on December 1, 2005, her parents have been working hard to help other families avoid this same tragedy. The front page of the Jaclyn Frank Organization site states "We will not rest until it is a law nationwide to have window blinds illegal to use in daycares."
In 2007 a bill called the Jaclyn Frank Act was passed in Washington State. It requires removal of window blind cords within reach of small children in childcare centers and homes that provide daycare.
I'm grateful to Michele and Larry Frank for their dedication in working to prevent other families from suffering a tragedy like theirs.
Join the conversation!
Would you like to be able to ask other parents for ideas on handling certain parenting challenges? Are you willing to share your parenting wisdom? If so, please join the Priceless Parenting discussion group!
Preschool Teachers and Child Care Providers:
You play a critical role in raising children and deal with challenging behavior on a daily basis. If you'd like to post questions to other professionals and are willing to share your knowledge, please sign up for the discussion forum's subgroup for preschool teachers and child care providers.
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BigTent has a rich set of features including:
Preschool Teachers and Child Care Providers:
You play a critical role in raising children and deal with challenging behavior on a daily basis. If you'd like to post questions to other professionals and are willing to share your knowledge, please sign up for the discussion forum's subgroup for preschool teachers and child care providers.
How does it work?
The forum is hosted on BigTent so when you register you'll get a BigTent account. It does not cost anything to join.
BigTent has a rich set of features including:
- Posting questions, answering questions, searching through questions
- Ability to control how you hear about new messages - web only, email - messages or daily digest
- Adding family information and pictures if desired (I've even added pictures of our dog and cat!)
- Deciding who can see what information
Angry responses – escalating situations
A mom explained how their peaceful evening fell apart when her 4-year-old son, Carl, irritated his dad by refusing to go brush his teeth. By the time their short exchange had ended, she wished she could rewind the situation and start over.
Dad: “It’s time to brush your teeth.”
Carl: “That’s stupid.”
Dad: (now angry) “Go to your room! There will be no brushing your teeth or story time tonight.”
Carl: “You’re a poopy head!”
Dad: “You’ll also go without dessert for a week!”
Carl then began crying and thrashing around in his room. While the mom wanted to support her husband’s parenting decisions, she also really wanted to have story time and thought that denying Carl dessert for a week was too harsh.
When we’re upset, it’s easy to give consequences that are not well thought out. In this situation the dad could have bought himself extra time to calm down and think by saying something like “That comment really upset me. Please go to your room and I’ll talk to you once I’ve had a chance to calm down.”
It’s important for parents to back each other up in their parenting decisions whenever possible. This is certainly easier when parents agree on their parenting approach. One way to come to some common agreements is to take a parenting class together.
You can take the Priceless Parenting online parenting class together – one fee covers you and your spouse or partner – and you can take it at your own pace and from your own place!
Dad: “It’s time to brush your teeth.”
Carl: “That’s stupid.”
Dad: (now angry) “Go to your room! There will be no brushing your teeth or story time tonight.”
Carl: “You’re a poopy head!”
Dad: “You’ll also go without dessert for a week!”
Carl then began crying and thrashing around in his room. While the mom wanted to support her husband’s parenting decisions, she also really wanted to have story time and thought that denying Carl dessert for a week was too harsh.
When we’re upset, it’s easy to give consequences that are not well thought out. In this situation the dad could have bought himself extra time to calm down and think by saying something like “That comment really upset me. Please go to your room and I’ll talk to you once I’ve had a chance to calm down.”
It’s important for parents to back each other up in their parenting decisions whenever possible. This is certainly easier when parents agree on their parenting approach. One way to come to some common agreements is to take a parenting class together.
You can take the Priceless Parenting online parenting class together – one fee covers you and your spouse or partner – and you can take it at your own pace and from your own place!
Male teens views on relationships and sex
If you have a teenage son, the recent survey on "What Guys Think About Sex, Love, Contraception and Relationships" has some interesting data for you. Last fall's survey of 1,200 males ages 15-22 reveals that they value relationships ahead of sex. The survey also reports "Nearly 8 out of 10 guys say there is way too much pressure on them to have sex—from society, from their friends, and from girls. More than half say they are relieved when a girl doesn’t want to have sex and 45% say they’ve had sex and regretted it afterwards."
When they do have sex, they don't always use contraception. Of those surveyed, 57% admit they've had unprotected sex. If you don't want to join the 2 million plus grandparents raising their grandchildren, this fact alone may motivate you to talk to your son about contraception! The guys also say that their parents influence their decisions about sex. Review the survey's six tips for talking to your son and get the conversation started!
When they do have sex, they don't always use contraception. Of those surveyed, 57% admit they've had unprotected sex. If you don't want to join the 2 million plus grandparents raising their grandchildren, this fact alone may motivate you to talk to your son about contraception! The guys also say that their parents influence their decisions about sex. Review the survey's six tips for talking to your son and get the conversation started!
Kids swearing
When children swear, it certainly catches our attention! How should we respond when this happens? There are a number of ways to handle it depending on the situation.
Trying Out Swearing
Young children often try swearing at some point. One day our daughter was coming home from preschool when she dropped something while getting out of the car and exclaimed "F#@$!"
My husband calmly asked her if she knew what that word meant. She said she didn't know what it meant and he explained that it's best not to use words she didn't know the meaning of since they might offend other people. She accepted that explanation and didn't say the word again.
Swearing and Name Calling
One mom told the story of driving her 5-year-old son, Nick, home from preschool one day when he announced "John is an ass!"
(read the rest of the article at Priceless Parenting)
Trying Out Swearing
Young children often try swearing at some point. One day our daughter was coming home from preschool when she dropped something while getting out of the car and exclaimed "F#@$!"
My husband calmly asked her if she knew what that word meant. She said she didn't know what it meant and he explained that it's best not to use words she didn't know the meaning of since they might offend other people. She accepted that explanation and didn't say the word again.
Swearing and Name Calling
One mom told the story of driving her 5-year-old son, Nick, home from preschool one day when he announced "John is an ass!"
(read the rest of the article at Priceless Parenting)
Bad attitude
Think for a minute about how you would feel if I said to you “You have a bad attitude and you need to change it!” What would you be feeling? What thoughts would be going through your mind about me?
Recently I attended a fun-filled Healthy Family Day event at our local YMCA. While there I overheard a conversation between a girl, who looked to be about 4-years-old, and her mom. The girls’ mom was scolding her saying “You need to change your attitude. Why are you in such a bad mood? Put a smile on your face. This is supposed to be fun for everyone.”
Being scolded certainly made her daughter quiet but it didn’t bring a smile to her face. When we’re upset it’s easy to say things to our children that actually make the situation worse rather than better.
Recently I attended a fun-filled Healthy Family Day event at our local YMCA. While there I overheard a conversation between a girl, who looked to be about 4-years-old, and her mom. The girls’ mom was scolding her saying “You need to change your attitude. Why are you in such a bad mood? Put a smile on your face. This is supposed to be fun for everyone.”
Being scolded certainly made her daughter quiet but it didn’t bring a smile to her face. When we’re upset it’s easy to say things to our children that actually make the situation worse rather than better.
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