What Does the Bible Mean By “Train a Child”?

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As Christian parents, we seek to raise our children according to biblical principles.   There are numerous Bible verses that give us direction.  Many times, though, we need to study the scripture verse to get a better understanding of what it means and what God would like us to do.  In this blog post, I would like to give some insight into Proverbs 22:6 - what does it mean to “train a child in the way he should go”?

King Solomon, who was known for his profound wisdom, gave us this proverb.  We know that God loves children, as everywhere Jesus went when there were children around, He asked for them to be brought to Him: "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." (NIV).  In fact, the Bible calls them a “reward”.  Psalm 127:3.

As parents, we are given a special, yet tremendous responsibility to raise them as God wants them to be raised and with the priority of teaching them God’s Word.  I love this statement from the website gotquestions.org which gives answers to Bible questions:

Teaching children the truths of Scripture will make them wise for salvation (2 Timothy 3:15); thoroughly equip them to do good works (2 Timothy 3:17); prepare them to give an answer to everyone who asks them the reason for their hope (1 Peter 3:15); and prepare them to withstand the onslaught of cultures bent on indoctrinating young people with secular values.

As a lay children’s minister for many years in a non-denominational Christian church and as a Christian mother raising two sons, I know how critical it is to teach children from a young age God’s Word.  They must know how much He loves them and what He expects them to do – they will not know this unless they are taught. So when the Bible mentions “train a child”, it means to teach, direct, counsel, and nurture.

How do we “train a child”?  Here are a few practical ways: by reading the Bible with them, helping them to memorize scripture, speaking to them God’s Word, disciplining them, and having them attend church services with you.

To learn more, please visit:

https://www.gotquestions.org/train-up-a-child.html

https://www.crosswalk.com/family/parenting/kids/what-does-it-mean-to-train-up-a-child-in-the-way-he-should-go.html

https://www.christianity.com/wiki/bible/how-to-train-up-your-child.html

Share with Your Children Inspiration from America’s First African American Female Astronaut Dr. Mae Jemison

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Children need good role models.  Who are better than those persons who are living today and have made exceptional strides and achieved great accomplishments.  One of those persons is Dr. Mae Jemison, the first female African American astronaut, who is also a medical doctor and an engineer.

Dr. Jemison came from humble beginnings, with her mother working as a teacher and her father employed as a maintenance supervisor.  As a child, she was inspired by the Apollo space missions and the Star Trek show on television that had an African American actress who played a role as a lieutenant.  From an early age, she was interested in astronomy, anthropology and archeology.  She earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Stanford University and a medical degree from Cornell University.  She is fluent in Russian, Japanese, and Swahili. She joined the Peace Corps, where she served as a doctor for two years in Africa.

She was inspired to become an astronaut after seeing Sally Ride become the first female astronaut.  She applied and was accepted by NASA.  After significant training, she was selected to join the crew of the space shuttle Endeavor as a mission specialist.  Her team orbited the Earth 127 times in 1992.

She later retired from NASA and has been involved in many different pursuits, including serving as a professor at Cornell University.  

She wrote a children’s book in 2001 titled Find Where the Wind Goes which is about her life.  Parents, please consider buying it for your children.

In addition to her quote on the picture on my blog post, some of my favorite quotes from Dr. Jemison are the following:

“Greatness can be captured in one word: lifestyle. Life is God's gift to you, style is what you make of it.”

“Don't let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity. It's your place in the world; it's your life. Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live.”

“What we find is that if you have a goal that is very, very far out, and you approach it in little steps, you start to get there faster. Your mind opens up to the possibilities.”

To learn more about her, please visit :

https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/mae-jemison

https://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/whos_who_level2/jemison.html

Reading Books in a Series is Good for Your Children

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As the Stars of the Sky Foundation is dedicated to promoting literacy as we believe that reading is essential to a child’s development and ultimate success in life.  Not only is reading individual books impactful, but also reading books in a series. 

A study entitled Series Books and Their Effect on Reader Development that was conducted at St. John Fisher College established that there is indeed a positive correlation between reading a book series and child development.  It also found that book series nurture the love of reading. “Research has shown that students who read book series, particularly reluctant readers, become more engaged and enthusiastic about reading, and are encouraged to continue reading once they begin a series.”

The study found many positive impacts including:

• The child becomes invested in the lives and relationships of the characters;

• Because the child is familiar with the story structure, he becomes better equipped to handle more complex readings; and

• The child develops high cognitive skills of “reading, rule following, decoding, and pattern recognition” as well as inference and deduction skills.

In the online article 5 Great Advantages of Book Series for Kids, another advantage is highlighted: developing activities from the series.  If the series centers on characters going camping, for example, get together with friends and family and do similar activity.  This will bring to life what the characters experienced.

I can personally tell you what a joy it was to read many book series with my two sons as they were growing up and how they benefitted from the experiences.  One series Hank the Cowdog by John Erickson truly brought us a lot of laughs!  The main characters are Hank, a cow dog, his sidekick Drover, who was another dog, and Pete the barn cat.  They have a lot of hilarious and quirky adventures.  We would read these together, either by my husband and I reading a chapter or one of our sons reading a chapter a day. My sons enthusiastically looked forward to the next book in the series.  We ultimately purchased the entire series for the library at our sons’ elementary school.

Please visit the homepage of our website to find out more about my books and what we promote.

To read the study and for more information, please visit:

• Fisher Pub - Education

• Five Great Advantages of Book Series for Kids

• Hank the Cowdog

Create Special Bonding Time While Reading About Sports

As I was doing research for blog ideas, I came across this photo and editorial online Get Your Child Reading and Thinking About Sports at www.atlantaparent.com.  I just love this photo of a child, laughing and holding a book he is reading, while he is sitting next to his father, who is also laughing and reading.  It’s tender, happy, and shows the importance of reading, which is the key focus of As the Stars of the Sky Foundation. Spreading the love of reading in every way that is possible – that is our goal and mission.

One of the best ways to get your children to read is to select a subject that they are interested in.  If your children are interested in sports, or if you would like to introduce your children to various sports, consider having them read books about sports.  There are a plethora of children’s books on sports in general, on specific sports and about famous athletes – from picture books for young children to novels, biographies and autobiographies for older children.  The online editorial gives some suggestions of books to read and I provide some website links as well at the end of this blog.

Be sure to set aside time to read the book with your children.  If it is a long book, break it up into chapters.  Talk with them about each book they read.  What did they learn?  What was the most interesting part to them? What sport do they like and why?  By asking these and other questions, you will help them develop their memory, analytical and word processing brain functions.

Visit the following websites for more recommendations for books on sports:

• Kids Books for Sports Lovers

• Scholastic - Children's Books About Sports

Why is World Oceans Day Important to You & Your Family?

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In December 2008, the United Nations designated June 8 as World Oceans Day “to remind everyone of the major role the oceans have in everyday life”.   I live on St. Thomas, U. S. Virgin Islands located in the beautiful Caribbean Sea, with the Atlantic Ocean to the north of us.  I have come to love and respect the importance of our oceans and hope that you and your children will too. 

The UN’s goal to encourage people and governments all over the world to protect and preserve this major resource is set forth on its website:

The world’s oceans – their temperature, chemistry, currents and life – drive global systems that make the Earth habitable for humankind. Our rainwater, drinking water, weather, climate, coastlines, much of our food, and even the oxygen in the air we breathe, are all ultimately provided and regulated by the sea. Throughout history, oceans and seas have been vital conduits for trade and transportation.

Careful management of this essential global resource is a key feature of a sustainable future. However, at the current time, there is a continuous deterioration of coastal waters owing to pollution and ocean acidification, which has an adversarial effect on the functioning of ecosystems and biodiversity. This is also negatively impacting small scale fisheries.

The theme for this year is “Innovation for a Sustainable Ocean”.   Much information is provided on its website, including a virtual celebration event and other events that are scheduled all week long, and links are provided below.  Some interesting facts included in a “Did You Know” section are:

• Oceans serve as the world’s largest source of protein, with more than 3 billion people depending on the oceans as their primary source of protein.

• Over three billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihoods.

• Oceans absorb about 30% of carbon dioxide produced by humans, buffering the impacts of global warming.

This is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about our oceans individually and as a family.  Please don’t miss this opportunity.

To learn more, please visit:

• United Nations - Oceans Day

• World Oceans Day

Be Sure to Include the Children in Family Virtual Meetings

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I think that one of the best things that has happened during the COVID19 pandemic is families using virtual meetings to stay in touch with each other.  My family started to do that with our extended family every two weeks and it has been a source of joy, bringing us closer together.  Planning a virtual meeting is very helpful to make sure you have topics to stir conversations and always remember to include the children.

I view these family virtual meetings as similar to when all the family members get together to share a meal.  During those mealtimes, children are all around us, enjoying the meal and often listening to the conversations too and joining in the laughter. 

Sometimes, it is challenging to get your children to talk about what is going on in their lives.  How do we get them to participate?  One of the ways I recommend is to plan ahead of time as to what topics will be discussed.  Tell your children about those topics and ask them to think about what they will say.  Be sure to ask them to share their thoughts during the virtual meeting.

Since children love to laugh, you can plan on a joke fest.  Have each person select and tell a joke about something during the pandemic. Laughter is the best medicine!

It is important that all children feel acknowledged and respected.  Siblings can be condemning to each other so establish ground rules ahead of time that put downs and criticisms will not be tolerated.   If you see another family member’s child at the virtual meeting but not talking, you can try asking that child a specific question. 

The topics to talk about during the virtual meetings are innumerable.  Let’s make sure to actively include children in our discussions.

Celebrating Memorial Day with Children

Photo from Houston Family Magazine

Memorial Day is an annual holiday set aside to honor those in the military who have fallen, particularly during military service.  Many people confuse it with Veteran’s Day which is day to recognize and honor all veterans. Typically, we celebrate Memorial Day with parades and visits to cemeteries and war monuments.  However, due to the quarantine restrictions, we will have to be very selective as to what activities we participate in.  And, of course, children should be included in all your plans!

The links below provide you with a lot of information you can use as teaching tools about Memorial Day as well as activities for children.  These activities range from games to baking special patriotic deserts to coloring and, of course, reading.   Importantly, please do not have your children mindlessly playing computer games or video games all day.  Keep their bodies and minds active by planning ahead of time what you will do as a family to honor our fallen heroes.

For more information, please visit these links:

• Military - Memorial Day

• Celebrating Memorial Day with Children

• Patriotic Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day with Kids

Rescue Dogs can be Good Companions for Children

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I love dogs!  During my adult life, most of my dogs were rescued and adopted.  May 20 is recognized as National Dog Rescue Day, a day set aside to highlight the plight of dogs that are awaiting adoption.  And, as you can see, I put the photo of an adorable puppy on today’s blog to underscore the plight of so many rescued dogs.

Pets are wonderful additions to families and I have written before about their profound impact on children.   According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), approximately 3.3 million dogs enter shelters each year with approximately 670,000 of them having to be euthanized. Those are shocking statistics!

Children’s author Lisa Wiehebrink established Tails That Teach, Inc. to teach about the importance of rescuing dogs.  She has a series of books regarding how to love and take care of a dog.  She stresses that dogs can teach children compassion, empathy and kindness.  Her books are wonderful teaching tools for your children and would make great gifts.  The link to her website is provided below.

On a more personal note, my youngest son James just adopted a rescue dog from the island of Puerto Rico.  That island has suffered greatly from hurricanes and recent earthquakes.  A rescue center there partnered with one in the Washington, DC area and brought several dogs to be adopted.  James had been looking for a compatible dog for many months and immediately fell in love with Leyla!  He is a single young man and Leyla has provided him with affectionate companionship during the quarantine.

To learn more, please visit:

• Tails that Teach

• ASPCA - Pet Statistics

• National Rescue Dog Day 

Be Sure to Participate with Your Children in the National Day of Prayer on May 7

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The National Day of Prayer is observed annually in the US on the first Thursday in May and was officially established through the efforts of President Harry S. Truman in 1952.  As our nation unites in prayer, my call of action is to include our children in this event.  

The roots of this special day go back much further though than 1952, all the way to the Second Continental Congress in the 1770s and President John Adams in the 1790s, as prayer and fasting were deemed vital to the establishment and growth of our nation.  In 1988, the law creating this day was amended to include two explicit intentions: it would be a day when believers of all great religions could unite in prayer and it would one day bring renewed respect for God to all the peoples of the world. 

The theme this year is “Pray God’s Glory Across the Earth” based on Habakkuk 2:14.  If you have not included your children in this event before, please consider doing so.  There are many children’s activities and I have listed some in the links below.  I especially like what is written in the image for today’s blog about the prayers of children: they are pure and truthful! 

Be sure to set aside time on May 7 to join millions of others to pray for our country and our leaders.  The website link for the National Day of Prayer below has suggestions for prayers and provides a schedule for the national broadcast beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern time. 

For general information & activities for children, please visit the following links:

• National Day of Prayer Official Website

• Children’s Ministry - National Day of Prayer

• Focus on the Family - National Day of Prayer

Helping Children with Seasonal Allergies

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Photo from Pediatric Associates of Franklin, TN

We are reaching the spring season and it is known for triggering allergies.  Some symptoms include itchy or watery eyes; a rash; and congestion that will not stop.  If your children suffer from seasonal allergies, here are some recommendations to help them feel better.  Of utmost importance, however, is to follow the advice of your pediatrician.

1.    Keep children indoors as much as possible, especially during windy days when pollen is blown all over.  I know this is difficult to do, as children love to be outdoors when the weather warms up, but your goal should be to alleviate their aches and pains.

2.    Keep windows closed and use air conditioning.

3.    When children return from being outside (for example, returning from school), have them change their clothes right away and wash their hands and faces.  This will help eliminate any pollen that may have been brought inside.

4.    Have your children take long warm baths to help clear up their nasal passages and drain mucus.

5.    If your doctor prescribes medication, be sure to alert him if it is not working as it should. Also, be sure to administer the medication as prescribed.

No parent enjoys seeing their children suffer and following these recommendations should help them as the spring season arrives.

This blog was based on the articles found by clicking here and by clicking here.

The Importance of Laughter for Children

  A merry heart does good, like medicine.
Proverbs 17:22 NKJV

Children love to laugh and they laugh readily and energetically.  It has been said that the average 4-year-old laughs 300 times a day!  What I didn’t know was how beneficial a sense of humor and laughter are to children.  As I was researching this topic, I learned about these benefits and hope that you will be motivated to laugh more and encourage your children to develop a good sense of humor.

At the website www.theirworld.org, early childhood development writer Elaine Hunter explains that laughter is a vital part of a child’s development.  For babies and children, laughter becomes a part of how they engage people – their social interaction.  As children grow older, humor allows them to learn to put thoughts together and process language.  As they memorize jokes, their memorization skills improve.

According to clinical psychologist Emma Cintron, “humor and laughter also defines children’s friendship groups. They will bond with children they can laugh with because they all find the same things funny. There are lots of different people in the world and we all laugh at different things.”  Ms. Cintron encourages parents to use humor when talking with children, especially about difficult subjects.  “We can tackle difficult subjects with the use of humor. It’s a healthy parenting aid. When things make us laugh, we are less stressed and deal with things in a more positive way. Humor allows children to see things from a different perspective and to look at the world in a different way.”

Consider incorporating humor more and more in your daily interactions with your children.  They will learn from you and enjoy laughter throughout their days.

To learn more, please click HERE or HERE.

Preventing Your Children from Being Poisoned

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 300 children each day are treated in an emergency room and 2 die as a result of poisoning.  We all think of poisoning coming from the chemicals that we use to clean our homes but that is not all that can poison children.  Curious children can get their hands on medications that are easily accessible and then experiment with eating or drinking what they find.

The CDC has four main recommendations to prevent poisoning:

1. Keep medications and cleaning supplies in their original packaging and locked away where children cannot see them or access them.

2. Put the nationwide poison control center phone number 1-800-222-1222, on or near every telephone in your home and program it into your cell phone. 

3. When giving children medications, be sure to carefully read the labels and only give the amount prescribed.

4. Dispose of any medications and cleaning supplies you do not need or that have expired dates.  The CDC recommends that medicine be disposed by mixing it with coffee grounds or cat litter and making sure this mixture is thrown away.

Be especially careful not to refer to medications as candy.  Because pills come in different attractive colors, curious children are more susceptible to wanting to play with them and even eat them.

As parents, we must be diligent to protect our children.  Do all you can to safeguard items that are potentially hazardous to them and be prepared in the event poisoning does occur.

To learn more, either visit CDC Poisoning or CDC Prevent Tips.

Helping Your Children with Dyslexia

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Just what is dyslexia and what should we as parents know about it so that we can help our children? According to the Mayo Clinic, dyslexia is a reading disorder that affects the way that the brain processes language.  It is mostly associated with children having difficulties learning to read and has nothing to do with the child’s intelligence.  It is estimated that one in five children has dyslexia.

Before a child starts school, common symptoms include:

• Late talking

• Learning new words slowly

• Problems forming words correctly, such as reversing sounds in words or confusing words that sound alike

• Problems remembering or naming letters, numbers and colors

• Difficulty learning nursery rhymes or playing rhyming games

Once the child is in school, it becomes easier to diagnose dyslexia as symptoms include:

• Reading well below the expected level for age

• Difficulty finding the right word or forming answers to questions

• Problems remembering the sequence of things

• Difficulty seeing (and occasionally hearing) similarities and differences in letters and words

• Difficulty spelling

• Spending an unusually long time completing tasks that involve reading or writing

• Avoiding activities that involve reading

It is important to speak with your child’s doctor if your child is having any of these symptoms.  Be diligent as the social impact of dyslexia can have a negative effect on your child and how he perceives himself.  With assistance in forming strategies to compensate for various weaknesses, your child can excel socially and academically.  Unfortunately, however, a person never outgrows dyslexia.

For more information, visit:

• Mayo Clinic - Dyslexia

• Understanding Dyslexia

The Effect of Technology on Your Children’s Eyes

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image from Slate.com

More and more, parents are giving their children access to cell phones, iPads, laptops and other technology. Many children spend hours on these devices.  Think about it - do your children’s use of these devices actually affect their eyesight?

The answer is a resounding “yes,” according to Dr. Gary Heiting in his online article Children and Technology: Protecting Your Child’s Eyes.  He discusses some the vision-related problems that your child can develop:

• Computer vision syndrome – Also known as digital eye strain, it is caused by visual stress resulting from too much screen time.  Symptoms include headache, dry eyes, fatigue, tired eyes and fluctuating vision.

• Nearsightedness – Eye doctors have seen an increase of nearsightedness and attribute it to the increasing use of computer screens.

• Increased exposure to blue light – This light is emitted from LED screens on laptops and digital devices.  Eye doctors are concerned that too much exposure will cause eye diseases later in life.

• Unhealthy posture – When using technology, children often sit slouched in a position known as “turtling” – rounded shoulders and back with the head tilted back and chin jutted forward.  This is an unhealthy position.

It is important to monitor your children’s use of these devices.  Have them take breaks to give their eyes and posture a break.  Encourage media-free time, including play time and family time.  Their eyes are developing so they need to have large amounts of time away from these electronic devices.

For more information, CLICK HERE.

Helping Your Children with Fear of the Dentist

Last week, I wrote about helping your children with handling their fears.  One fear that must have a blog post of its own is going to the dentist.  Your children’s teeth should be regularly checked, but what can you do to make the visit easier on them?  Here are a few ideas from dentists themselves:

1. Find a child-friendly dentist.  Look for a waiting room that has an area for children to play.  Enquire as to how they deal with children who are afraid.

2. Communicate with your children.  Let them know that they will be visiting the dentist, so they are prepared.  Do not surprise them. 

3. Explain to them the importance of having their teeth checked regularly by a professional. 

4. Speak with your dentist about your children’s phobia ahead of time.  A dentist experiences this fear frequently and should have many good suggestions for you.

5. Take a favorite toy to the visit, if the dentist approves.

6. Speak with your children during the visit in a calm voice to reassure them that you are there for them.

7. Give positive feedback to encourage them to continue with good behavior.

It’s difficult for parents to observe their children suffering with fears.  Being patient and understanding are key.

For more information, please CLICK HERE.

Parental Involvement is Key to Your Children’s Development & Successes

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How involved are you in all aspects of your children’s lives?  I have written quite a bit about parents being involved with their children as much as possible. Experts have long concluded that a key ingredient for your children’s development and future successes is your involvement!

What does “involvement” mean? Your active participation!  It includes talking with them, asking questions, and actively listening.  Put your cell phone aside and strike up a conversation.  It means spending time with them such as playing games and attending their functions, no matter how trivial these games and functions may appear to you.  It means attending parent-teacher meetings and developing a relationship with their teachers to make sure you know how your children are progressing in school.

Especially during the holiday season, there are usually a number of activities to attend with your children.  Try your best to attend all that you can.  And, please do not promise your children that you will attend an event and then make up an excuse for not, in fact, attending.

When should parental involvement start?  As soon as your child is born!  From holding your children in your arms, to talking to them, to reading to them – those are just a few examples.

There are many stages to your children’s development and you should be an active participant in all of them. If you haven’t made an absolute commitment to them, consider doing it now.   They are more than worth it!

To read more, please visit:

• Child Development Info

• The Role of Parents

• Why Parental Involvement is Important

• The Importance of Parental Involvement in Your Child’s Education

Bullying has Long Lasting Effects on Children

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Despite the fact that bullying has been a topic of much discussion and intervention for the past several years, it continues to be a major problem in our schools.  Experts say that the long-term effects of bullying on a child victim can be very detrimental and last into adulthood.  And, the aggressor’s bullying can also continue into adulthood.

Many ailments have been connected to bullying, such as depression, eating disorders, self-harm, and post-traumatic stress disorder.  Inevitably, the child victim suffers from a loss of confidence.

The negative feelings associated with being a victim of bullying can lead to anger problems which may require therapy and medications.   Often, the child withdraws from social contacts, which then leaves him isolated.  It is critical to intervene as quickly as possible if this happens because isolation can lead to suicidal tendencies.

Interestingly, bullying tendencies as a child have been linked to sexual harassment as an adult.  A December 2016 study published in the journal Children and Youth Services Review showed that “43% of the children surveyed (from middle school to high school) had been the victims of verbal sexual harassment (including sexual comments, jokes, and gestures) in the past year.” One of the experts who was involved in the study said that the bullying tendencies associated with sexual harassment can have their beginnings long before the person becomes an adult: “Schools are breeding grounds for harassment of women.  What we see in college starts in K to twelve.”

To read more about the long-term effects of bullying, go to:

• Long-term Effects of Bullying on the Victim

• Myths About Victims of Bullying

• Truths About Bullying Only Victims Understand

• How Bullying is Linked to Sexual Harassment

New Study Shows the Importance of Naps for Children 10-12 Years Old

I have written before about the importance of children getting enough sleep.  

A recent study underscores how crucial naps are especially for children ages 10 to 12 years old.

The website Science Daily publishes the latest science research news.  On May 31, 2019, it published an article with the results of a study of 3,000 children ages 10 to 12 (4th to 6th graders) by the University of Pennsylvania and the University of California, Irvine.  The study’s summary is as follows:

Children who nap 30 to 60 minutes midday at least three times a week are happier, have more self-control and grit, and showcase fewer behavioral problems, according to new research. These children also have higher IQs and excel academically.

For children in grade 6, the researchers found the greatest impact academically.  One of the researchers commented: "Children who napped three or more times per week benefit from a 7.6% increase in academic performance in Grade 6.  How many kids at school would not want their scores to go up by 7.6 points out of 100?"

The article discusses the differences between the attitudes toward napping in the US and China.  In the US, napping is not encouraged as children grow older.  However, in China, napping is a part of everyday life from early childhood and even into adulthood. 

Incorporating naps during school time can be done.  Another researcher commented:  "The midday nap is easily implemented, and it costs nothing, particularly if accompanied by a slightly later end to the day, to avoid cutting into educational time. Not only will this help the kids, but it also takes away time for screen use, which is related to a lot of mixed outcomes.”

To read the entire study, please CLICK HERE.

Teach Your Children Etiquette

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Photo is from The New York Times

Etiquette is so important for our children to learn.  As a parent, you are probably thinking that they spend so much time at school learning various subjects, why should they now be burdened by learning proper etiquette? 

Etiquette is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as “a customary code of polite behavior in society”.  In essence, it means good manners.  We should all strive to teach our children good manners, for their benefit, our benefit, and society’s as well.

There are many excellent online articles about teaching etiquette.   Experts agree that teaching etiquette should start from when the child is young and learning to talk.  Simple words such as “please” and “thank you” should become a part of a child’s early vocabulary. 

But, etiquette is much more than just a few buzz words.  In an online article at townandcountry.com, etiquette expert Myka Meier lists 20 lessons that a child should know:

•The true meaning of etiquette is always to show respect and kindness to everyone around you.

•Use please, thank you, and excuse me every day.

•How to hold your silverware correctly.

•How to properly use a napkin to wipe your mouth.

•How to chew with your mouth closed.

•No elbows on the table.

•Never interrupt an adult when he is speaking to someone else.

•Never comment on someone’s appearance unless it’s to say something nice.

•How to give a compliment to someone else.

•How to write a thank you letter.

•How to help someone in need, particularly if he is less able than you are.

•How to introduce yourself and others properly.

•Be aware of positive body language and how to show it.

•Never call an adult by his first name unless the adult instructs you to do so.

•Always knock on a door before opening it.

•How to answer a phone politely.

•How to make eye contact when speaking to another person.

•Don’t point or stare.

•Always cover your mouth when sneezing or coughing.

•How to invite someone to join a group if they are alone.

To read more, please go to:

https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/a9641056/etiquette-lessons-children/

https://www.thespruce.com/teaching-your-children-basic-manners-1216584

The Harmful Effects of Plastic on Our Children’s Health

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More and more studies are showing the dangers that the use of plastic is having on our health.  As parents, our concern is the effects on our children.  The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a report and policy statement in August, 2018 detailing the hazards to our children’s health posed by chemicals in plastic and making recommendations to assist persons in the health field and parents as to how to reduce exposure to these dangerous chemicals.  It found that “food insecurity remains a substantial child health concern”.

According to the report, increasing amounts of diseases and disabilities are being linked to harmful chemicals in plastic.  For example, the chemical bisphenol A or BPA has been frequently used since the 1960s in manufacturing plastic but research has shown the negative health effects it has. “BPA has recently been banned from infant bottles and plastic beverage containers are increasingly designated as BPA free. However, BPA and related compounds are still used in polymeric resin coatings to prevent metal corrosion in food and beverage containers.”  Be aware that, even though BPA may not be used in the plastic of a specific item, there are closely related chemical alternatives now being used that show similar negative health effects. 

The report lists many other chemicals and additives in food that pose harm to children.  Please read it for a good understanding of how these chemicals are shown to negatively affect our bodies.

The Academy’s policy statement is very helpful as well as it contains many practical recommendations such as:

• Avoid microwaving food or beverages (including infant formula and pumped human milk) in plastic;

• Avoid placing plastics in the dishwasher;

• Use alternatives to plastic, such as glass or stainless steel, when possible; and

• Look at the recycling code on the bottom of products to find the plastic type, and avoid plastics with recycling codes 3 (phthalates), 6 (styrene), and 7 (bisphenols) unless plastics are labeled as “biobased” or “greenware,” indicating that they are made from corn and do not contain bisphenols.

One other practical recommendation is drinking tap water rather than bottled water.   As for us parents, isn’t that so much easier, as you simply have to fill a glass or bottle from the tap?

Unfortunately, it is predicted that the use of plastics will quadruple by 2050.  That’s a sad testimony for us!

To read the full report and policy statement, please visit:

• https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/142/2/e20181410

• https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/142/2/e20181408