Raising a Creative Child: What You Need to Know

Whatever your local schools do or do not do, parents can do much to stimulate creativity in their children and here are five small ways to encourage that.

 

Raising a Creative Child: What You Need to Know

Creativity is the ability to generate or make up stuff that is unique and often has practical or artistic value.  It also way to look for new solutions to old, and more importantly new problems.  When your child becomes an adult in the workplace, he will always encounter problems that may not be solvable through the old ways, and therefore requires thinking “outside the box”.  A child who is used to thinking creatively will be a success in his profession, and will be sought after by employers.  Or better yet, he may even employ people to work on his innovative creative project!

Apart from practical benefits of being creative, coming up with something new in itself is a source of pleasure.

Many artists actually create art not for money, but to express themselves and give purpose to their lives.  To many, it can be an important aspect of a happy, fulfilled life.

And of course a creative child may also grow up to be able to produce something very valuable in his generation.   A child whose creativity is well-nurtured, and have other traits like grit, persistence and ability to do hard work may grow up to be the next Larry Page, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Coons or Frank Gehry.

The Genetic Root of Creativity

A large part of being creative is genetic. Scientists claim that some people are born more creative than others, and creativity seems to come more naturally to some kids than others.  It is an innate talent, and the naturally talented person has an easier time acquiring the same level of expertise than the lesser talented person.  Also the talented person tends to master quickly what exists, so he can move on to working beyond what already exists and build something new.

Highly creative people are found to exhibit personality traits such as being intelligent, non-conformist and unconventional, and open to experience.  They have strong egos, and even have a mild form of madness.  They also tend to have a broad range of interests.  For example, highly creative scientists are found to be highly interested and engaged in the arts.

 

Read more: http://www.raisesmartkid.com/all-ages/1-articles/raising-creative-child-need-know

Dealing with Cyberbullying

Today’s bullies are expanding their role to keep up with the ever-changing requirements of the 21st Century’s digital cyber world. So in essence, nothing has changed about bullies except the way in which they execute their dominance over their victims.

 

Dealing with Cyberbullying

Technology means that bullying is no longer limited to schoolyards or street corners. Cyberbullying can occur anywhere, even at home, via email, texts, cell phones, and social media websites 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with potentially hundreds of people involved. For those who suffer cyberbullying, the effects can be devastating, leaving you feeling hurt, humiliated, angry, depressed, or even suicidal. But no type of bullying should ever be tolerated. These tips can help you protect yourself or your child online and deal with the growing problem of cyberbullying.

 

What is cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying occurs when a child or teen uses the Internet, emails, text messages, instant messaging, social media websites, online forums, chat rooms, or other digital technology to harass, threaten, or humiliate another child or teen. Unlike traditional bullying, cyberbullying doesn’t require physical strength or face-to-face contact and isn’t limited to just a handful of witnesses at a time. Cyberbullies come in all shapes and sizes—almost anyone with an Internet connection or mobile phone can cyberbully someone else, often without having to reveal their true identity. cyberbullies can torment their victims 24 hours a day and the bullying can follow the victim anywhere so that no place, not even home, ever feels safe, and with a few clicks the humiliation can be witnessed by hundreds or even thousands of people online.

If you or a loved one is currently the victim of cyberbullying, it’s important to remember that you’re not alone. As many of one third of teenagers have suffered from cyberbullying at some time in their lives.

How cyberbullying harms

The methods kids and teens use to cyberbully can be as varied and imaginative as the technology they have access to. It ranges from sending threatening or taunting messages via email, text, or IM to breaking into your email account or stealing your online identity to hurt and humiliate you. Some cyberbullies may even create a website or social media page to target you.

 

Read more: http://www.helpguide.org/articles/abuse/cyberbullying.htm

6 common medicine mistakes parents make with kids

“When it comes to health of our kids, we don’t have to second guess. We need to be precise as we are talking about life here. A simple mistake could result to fatal and serious issue.”

medicine-article

 

Cough, cold and flu season is in full swing, and so it’s the time when medication errors are most likely to occur. A recent study in the journal Pediatrics revealed that a child is given the wrong medicine or the wrong dose every eight minutes and that more than a quarter of these errors occurred in children younger than one year. The study also found that the younger the child, the more likely a medication mistake is to be made. Though the vast majority (94 percent) of these mistakes didn’t require medical attention, some lead to serious complications and even death.

Most medicine mistakes happen with liquid pain relievers meant to reduce fever (likely because they’re more commonly used with little kids, but also because they can be tricky to measure out), such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen, followed by allergy and antibiotic meds. The biggest jump in medication errors in kids has been seen with dietary supplements and homeopathic and herbal treatments.

The study’s lead author was careful to note that even the most conscientious parents make mistakes, but there are ways to cut the risk. Here are the most common medicine mistakes and tips to help keep your children safe.

1. Giving the wrong dose
Always follow the dosage recommended by your doctor or pharmacist or as written on the package. Most children’s medication doses are based on the child’s body weight, which is the most accurate way to dose medication. (Over-the-counter medication doses sometimes provide dosing by age ranges, which are based only on estimates of weight by age.)

Liquids often come with dosing instructions in millilitres (mL) as well as in teaspoon or tablespoon measurements. While you may prefer the familiarity of a teaspoon or tablespoon,using kitchen cutlery can lead to errors because they vary so much in size, and baking teaspoons can be awkward to use. Instead, measure kids’ liquid medicines in millilitres (mL) with an easy-to-use oral syringe or a medicine cup with clearly marked millilitre lines for precise doses. Syringes and cups often come with prescription liquid medications but are also available in drug stores. (Some pharmacists will give you one for free if you ask.)

2. Repeating a dose
Accidentally repeating a dose is a common error, particularly with babies, who can’t tell you that they’ve already been given their medicine. Keep track of your child’s dosing schedule with a medication log on your smartphone, a programmable timer app, a printable medication log or even a sticker on the medicine bottle. Make sure that all of your kid’s caregivers use the same log and are communicating about …

 

Read more: http://www.todaysparent.com/family/medication-mistakes-parents-make-at-home/

 

 

 

Study-Smart Tips: Balancing Studies & Play

“It really saddens me when  I see a parent forcing their child to study just because they have  personal ambitions like an award or recognition. Yes these things may be important but we should not forget that kids should enjoy their childhood. You must keep everything in balance so that they or  perhaps you won’t have any regret in the future.”

 

apple dictionaryStriking the right balance between studies and play-time can be immensely stressful for parents. That’s why we’ve come up with these study-smart tips to help parents as we navigate the ocean of formal schooling in Singapore.The worries are endless – will my child lag behind the other children in his class? Am I stressing my child out by being too ‘kiasu’? What if he starts to hate studying?

That said, managing your own stress is crucial: When the stress on parents becomes overwhelming, they might project their own anxieties onto their child, making communication and healthy learning experiences even harder to achieve. What we need are study-smart strategies for academic studies. It isn’t about clocking study hours or how many tuition classes you sign your child up for. Rather, bring study-smart means focusing on values and strategies that a child can learn and incorporate into his studying habits.

These five tips will help you crate a more positive and conducive studying environment for your child.

Good Study Habits

1. Develop organisation skills through timetables
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Following a timetable can benefit lethargic and poorly motivated children: After understanding the concept of time and responsibility, children will display more drive to accomplish set tasks. This is especially so if they can see that play-time has already been scheduled for them and they have something concrete to look forward to. To fully involve your children, get them to draw and decorate their own timetable.

Their contribution to the timetable will hopefully translate into commitment in timekeeping. Let your child know that this is their personal timetable and they have to take charge of it. This gives them a sense of ownership and responsibility. To follow up on this method, review the timetable with them at the end of each day for the first week and gradually reduce that frequency to allow your child to display independence.

2. Reducing distractions during study-time

Studying environments are closely tied to studying habits. Maintaining a stable and quiet environment for studying will train your child to focus fully on the task at hand. What all this means for a parent is to never let your child do homework while watching TV. Some families have their study areas set up in the living room. If that is the case, all family members should try their best to lower their volumes and minimise interaction with the child. Keep siblings away to prevent squabbling and playing, or better still, make them all do homework in silence together.

Cultivating concentration is very beneficial in the long run. Your child will develop an attention span that will carry him well through leisure reading, lessons and most importantly, exams. If study sessions mimic exam conditions, your child will be better prepared and less …

 

Read more: http://singaporemotherhood.com/articles/2015/06/study-smart-tips-balancing-studies-play/

Ten Tips for Helping Your Child Adjust to School

“I guess most of us parents have experience such point in our lives that we worry too much of our kids going to school. It’s not because we are overprotective but it’s just that we want them to be safe and happy at all times. But as parents, we also need to remember that we have to let our children learn on their own, that we need to teach them to be independent and trust in themselves when circumstance asks so.”

 

(c) http://www.ahaparenting.com

1. Facilitate your child’s bonding with the teacher.

Kids need to transfer their attachment focus to their teacher to be ready to learn. If you notice that your child doesn’t feel good about his teacher, contact her immediately. Just explain that he doesn’t seem to have settled in yet, and you hope she can make a special effort to reach out to him so he feels at home. Any experienced teacher will understand and pay extra attention to him for a bit. Many teachers assign the child a special job, so they feel connected and like they have a role to play each day.

2. Facilitate bonding with the other kids.

Kids need to feel bonded with at least one other child. Ask the teacher if she’s noticed who your child is hanging with. Ask your child which kids he’d like to invite over to play. If he isn’t comfortable with how the other child would respond to a playdate invitation, you can always invite the mom with her kid for ice cream after school, or the entire family for Friday night dinner. You don’t need anything fancier than pasta, and by the end of the meal, the kids will be racing around the house like long lost buddies. And who knows? Maybe you and the parents will hit it off.

3. Give your child a way to hold onto you during the day.

For many kids, the biggest challenge is saying goodbye to you. Develop a parting ritual, such as a hug and a saying: “I love you, you love me, have a great day and I’ll see you at 3!” Most kids like a laminated picture of the …

 

Read more at http://www.ahaparenting.com/Ages-stages/school-age/Help-kids-adjust-school

 

 

Understanding Dyslexia

“Children with dyslexia often struggle when it comes to dealing with other people. Kids with this condition may find it hard mingle and communicate with others and as a result their social lives suffer. It is important to know if your kid is suffering in such condition so that you can correct it and so that his life will life will soon become normal just like the kids his/her age.”

 

http://www.theparentreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/dyslexia.jpg

(c) http://www.theparentreport.com

 

 

Reading and Dyslexia

Most kids begin learning to read by learning how speech sounds make up words (phonemic awareness) and then connecting those sounds to alphabet letters (phonics). Then they learn how to blend those sounds into words and, eventually, they can instantly recognize words they’ve seen many times before.

Reading is a little like riding a bike: it requires doing many things at once with precise timing. With practice, typical readers gradually learn to read words automatically so they can focus their mental energy on comprehending and remembering what they’ve read.

Kids with dyslexia, though, have trouble with phonemic awareness and phonics. Research has shown that dyslexia occurs because of subtle problems in information processing, especially in the language regions of the …

 

Read more:  http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/learning/dyslexia.html

5 Ways to Motivate Kids to Do Chores

I think almost parents have already tried all sorts of pleading, shouting or perhaps bribery just to make their children do their household chores. It could be that the child is just canny or your way of disciplining and requesting them is not right. Here are some strategies that you can apply at home to motivate your kids in doing household chores.

mother teaching daughter to clean

“Don’t let your kids drag their feet about doing household chores. Instead, inspire them to make the dull routines enjoyable and entertaining.”

Read more: www.parents.com/kids/development/social/motivate-kids-to-do-chores/