What to do When Your Children Use Bad Words

A few years ago, I wrote a blog post titled What to do When Your Child Swears and I think that it is time to update that post.  In it, I gave many suggestions as to what parents can do, so please take the time to read it.  In today’s blog, I would like to discuss the impact that cursing on television and internet programs as well as movies, music and video games can have on your children.   When you catch your children using bad words, it is   important to consider what they are listening to and watching.

Exposure to swear words has always been a source of this negative behavior for children.  A study published in the journal Pediatrics back in 2011 found that children who heard curse words on television or video games acted out more aggressively toward their peers.  Moreover, these children tended to use the same bad language themselves.

There are ratings for television programs, movies and video games, so I strongly encourage parents to read those before allowing a child to watch or play.  Cartoon programs used to be such fun shows but over the years, certain cartoons have allowed bad words to slip in.  Make sure you monitor those too. 

What about music?  We all have heard songs with degrading words referring to explicit acts of sex, guns, drugs and violence against women.  The impact of this on children who are listening or watching a music video with these types of lyrics is damaging.  An article published in 2009 in the journal Pediatrics stated that “research has reported that exposure to violence, sexual messages, sexual stereotypes, and use of substances of abuse in music videos might produce significant changes in behaviors and attitudes of young viewers.  … With the evidence portrayed in these studies, it is essential for pediatricians and parents to take a stand regarding music lyrics.”

Ask yourself – are you as a parent taking a stand?  I have always been a parent who believes very strongly in supervising and monitoring my children.  On one occasion, my oldest son spent the night at a friend’s house when he was about 10 years old.  I spoke to the parents beforehand to let them know that I did not want my son playing video games that involved cursing or violence against women.  To my surprise, when I arrived to pick him up the next afternoon, he was playing a video game with all of that!  I immediately spoke to the parents of the other child and found out that they were not even monitoring their son’s activities on any form of media.  They just assumed that everything he watched and the games he played were acceptable.  This was an important lesson for them.

For more information, please visit:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-profanity-tv-idUSTRE79I5OH20111019

https://raisingchildren.net.au/school-age/behaviour/common-concerns/swearing

https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/124/5/1488.full

Add Storytelling to Family Time

Storytelling has been around for hundreds of years and used by many cultures.  I’m from the Caribbean and storytelling was incorporated into our way of life.  I remember growing up while listening to adults tell wonderful, imaginative stories.  Unfortunately, over the years, with the advance of the internet, storytelling has declined but there is a strong movement to bring it back.  Just what is storytelling and why should we have it as a part of our family time?

The National Storytelling Network defines storytelling as “the interactive art of using words and actions to reveal the elements and images of a story while encouraging the listener’s imagination.”  Some definitions include written stories, but for my blog post, I will focus on oral storytelling.   Simply, storytelling is the art of telling a story that has an interesting plot and dynamic characters.  While telling a story, gestures and laughter should be incorporated too.

According to the Child Development Institute, storytelling benefits children in many ways, such as:

• Language skills – as a person tells a story, children learn by listening to the words and the inflections of speech.

• Memory – children listen to and then remember these stories.  Often, they tell them to other children or adults.  When they begin writing their own stories, the stories they remember will have an impact on their stories.

• New worlds – as children listen to stories, often from other cultures or of their ancestors, they learn about different people and times.  Their imaginations expand.

What stories should you tell?  The list is endless.  Start with one that you have heard and then add on to it.  Perhaps tell a story about one of your children when they were younger or of a grandparent.  The stories can be true or embellished or imagined - it is totally up to you.  The goal is to capture the imagination of your audience through your words and corresponding actions.  With children, it is important to use a variety of aids to keep their attention, such as puppets, music and dance.  And, of course, incorporate laughter as an essential part of your story!

To learn more, please visit these websites:

https://childdevelopmentinfo.com/child-activities/storytelling-for-children/#gs.wiwov1

https://storynet.org/what-is-storytelling/

https://www.scholastic.com/parents/school-success/learning-toolkit-blog/storytelling-children.html

Teach Your Children about the Amazing Life of St. Patrick – the Patron Saint of Ireland

For many of us, St. Patrick’s Day is associated with Irish leprechauns, pots of gold at the end of a rainbow, and the three-leaf shamrock.  Often, the man St. Patrick himself is overlooked.  My blog post today is about this amazing man who became the patron saint of Ireland and all that he accomplished.

            According to historians, Patrick was actually born in Britain, not Ireland, sometime in the 5th Century AD.  His father was believed to be a Christian deacon.  When he was 16 years old, he was kidnapped from his home by Irish raiders and taken to Ireland where he was held as a slave for 6 years.  He worked as a herdsman and was outdoors most of the time, lonely and secluded from others.  It is during this time in his life that he grew deeper in his Christian faith.

            In a dream, he heard a voice tell him to escape and return to Britain.  He did so but then later, in another dream, an angel told him to return to Ireland as a missionary.  It is reported that one of his visions involved the hands of Irish children reaching out to him to return to Ireland.  Patrick began his training as a priest, which is said to have taken 15 years, and then he returned to Ireland with two directives: to support the Christians who lived there and to convert those who were not Christians.

            Most of the Irish people at the time were pagans, meaning they worshipped what was known as a nature-based religion.  In order to reach the hearts of the Irish, he incorporated some of their culture into his teachings, such as the three-leaf shamrock, using it to represent the trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

            Patrick was extremely dedicated to his mission and very successful in converting the Irish people. Many legends exist, including one where he cast all the snakes in Ireland into the sea.  He also did many miracles, including raising people from the dead and feeding the hungry with very little food.  Although he was never canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church, the Church reveres him as a saint and he became known as Ireland’s patron saint. March 17 is believed to be the day that he died so it is celebrated as St. Patrick’s day.

For more information, please visit the following websites:

https://www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day/who-was-saint-patrick

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Patrick

Women’s History Month, March 2021

In the 1970s, Women’s History Month began as a week-long celebration of the important role that women play in our society and grew to a month-long celebration of women’s contributions.   As a parent, how can you teach your children about women in our history?  One of the reasons I am writing this blog is to provide parents with information and resources that they can use to teach their children. 

            There are many websites with activities and recommended books for children of all ages.  I have reviewed some of them and find the following ones to have wonderful information and suggestions:

https://www.readbrightly.com/stories-and-activities-to-celebrate-womens-history-month-with-young-readers/

https://homeschoolsuperfreak.com/womens-history-month-activities-homeschool/

https://www.weareteachers.com/womens-history-month-activities/

https://www.parents.com/kids/education/how-to-celebrate-women-s-history-month-with-kids/

            Since there are so many resources available, why not extend the study of great women in our history from only one month to several months of the year or all year long! 

How Did Bunnies & Chicks Become a Part of this Most Important Christian Celebration? Read to Find Out!

            Have you ever wondered how bunnies and chicks became a part of the most important Christian celebration – the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?  I did a lot of research to find that out and then wrote my book to help you and your children find out too – It’s Not About You Mr. Easter Bunny – A Love Letter About The True Meaning Of Easter.  My book is filled with colorful illustrations and lots of humor because children love to laugh! It’s a gentle reminder that this most important day is not about the Easter Bunny after all!

You can purchase a copy at asthestarsofthesky.org. All proceeds from book sales go to the nonprofit foundation As the Stars of the Sky Foundation to help promote childhood literacy. Thank you for your support

4 Ways To Help Your Children Keep Their Promises

             As Christian parents, it is important for us to raise our children to know and understand the importance of making and keeping promises.  Psalm 145:13 tells us unequivocally that God is trustworthy in all His promises.  That means we can rely on His Word all the time – not just sometimes.  A promise should not be something that is idlely made as once it is given, the person making the promise needs to follow through. 

            How can you instill in your children the importance of keeping their promises?  Here are 4 ways to consider:

1. Model to them what it is to be a promise keeper.  It takes character and integrity.  I frequently say that children do as we do, not as we say.  Do you make idle promises?  When you make a promise, do you not follow through?  Do you make a excuses for not fulfilling a promise?  Our children observe our behavior, and no matter what we say, they will imitate our actions.

2. Let your children know from an early age that they must be accountable and hold them to that expectation.  When they make a promise, be there to help them follow through to ensure that they live up to what they say.  If no one holds them accountable and expects the best of them, they will likely not follow through and get into the habit of making “excuses” to justify their inactions.  Don’t let that happen!

3. Look for teachable moments and discuss them with your children.  When a relative or friend follows through on a promise, be sure to discuss that with your children.  When a character in a movie or television show, makes and keeps a promise, point that out to your children and talk about it.  

   Additionally, there are many good children’s books about keeping promises, both Christian and secular.  Spend some fun time with your children reading and talking about them.

4. Give them praise when they fulfill their promises.  Let them know that you are aware of what is happening and what they have done and are proud of their accomplishment. 

For more information, please visit these websites:

https://www.allprodad.com/8-ways-to-ensure-your-children-keep-their-word/

https://www.primroseschools.com/blog/keeping-promises-how-to-teach-integrity-to-your-preschooler/

Celebrate Black History Month

This February, let’s be sure to celebrate Black History Month with our children.  There is so much for them to learn.

            One website that has a considerable amount of information for children about Black history is www.readingrockets.org.   It is filled with creative guidance so that children learn from a variety of sources.  Here is some of what it has to offer:

            •Video interviews with children’s book authors and illustrators

            •Link to Poetry for Children website that showcases poetry by African Americans

•Link to StoryCorps Girot, which is a website filled with “the voices, experiences, and life stories of African Americans (so that they) will be preserved and presented with dignity.”  Storytelling is an honored African tradition and this website seeks to celebrate the important part it has played in the lives of African Americans.

•Recommended activities for the home and classroom

•Writing activities

•Recommended books for children

•Recommended television programs

             Please take advantage of all that this website has to offer to promote Black history.   Moreover, I encourage you to celebrate it all year long with your children, not just for one month!

 For more information, please visit the site at: https://www.readingrockets.org/calendar/blackhistory

Why Children Should Read Biographies

I have written previously about how beneficial biographies are for children and wanted to reiterate that fact so parents would search out those types of books. Why encourage your children to read biographies? Here are a few critical reasons:

1. They are about real people doing real things. These people often faced and many then overcame challenges. This will help children to persevere when they too have obstacles in their paths.

2. Children find inspiration. My oldest son enjoyed playing sports and to encourage him to read more, I helped him to select biographies of famous athletes. Playing sports takes a lot of discipline, and by reading about the lives of athletes, he was able to develop that important skill. He especially loved playing basketball and was eventually selected to play on a Division 1 college team – a dream come true.

3. Children learn about history through important people who actually lived at the time. In addition to having children memorize facts about certain historical periods, biographies bring those historical periods to life and often help children to remember those facts.

4. There are so many different biographies and your children can select the ones they like. As I mentioned, my oldest son loved sports and read many biographies about sports figures. If your child has a musical gift, select biographies of famous musicians and composers. If your child enjoys art, select biographies about artists. The list is never ending.

To learn more, please visit:

https://www.scholastic.com/parents/family-life/parent-child/benefits-biographies-kids.html

https://therabbitholebooks.mystrikingly.com/blog/how-can-reading-biographies-help-children

Important Tips for Your Children to Have Better Posture When Using the Computer & Mobile Devices

Many adults are using their computers and mobile devices more since the pandemic. The same applies to children as well. One of the critical health issues that we rarely think about is our posture. I recently had some pain issues with my my neck and shoulders resulting from using these devices and not being more aware of my posture. Names have been attributed to various positions when on a mobile device, such as text neck, horns (bone growth at the base of the neck) and hunched or bent neck posture. You want to make sure to avoid getting any of these!

The following tips are for children but adults can incoporate them too and the links below provide a lot of helpful information:

Tip #1: The same rules that apply for adults apply to children – sit with knees, elbows and wrists at 90 degree angles, feet flat, shoulder blades supported on the back of a chair, and the screen at eye level.

Tip #2: Take frequent breaks – every 20 or 30 minutes if permitted. Stand and walk around. Do a wall alignment, which involves standing straight against a wall and raising hands up like a goal post. Time this position for 1 minute. It helps the spine to straighten out.

Tip #3: Stretch. You can stretch at the computer or when you stand for your break. Do head rolls and shoulder rolls. Stretch your chest.

Tip #4: Try alternating positions at the computer. Perhaps your child would like to stand rather than sit.

For more information, please visit:

https://kidspluspgh.com/doctors-notes/computer-ergonomics/

https://www.nbcnews.com/better/lifestyle/worried-about-your-kids-hunching-over-their-phones-these-3-ncna1020421

https://raisingchildren.net.au/teens/parenting-in-pictures/healthy-posture-for-teenage-screen-time

https://www.hss.edu/article_sitting-posture-for-kids.asp

Help Your Children Learn About Your Family’s Legacy By Building Your Family Tree

            Learning about your family’s history and building a family tree are wonderful ways to teach your children about the importance of family roots and dynamics and to also have a lot of fun.   Importantly, all of this has been connected to generating self-confidence and emotional health in a child.  Consider it as a huge puzzle and the pieces all have to come together in a proper fit.  Wondering where to start?  Here are some ideas.

            There are many genealogical records that are available – you just have to do the research.  I have listed some links below to assist you with finding information.  Military records and naturalization papers are often available.  These are great sources of information as they provide detailed descriptions of the person, in the event you do not have a photograph.  Census records also are good sources of information that you may not be able to find elsewhere, as they can provide marital status, citizenship, and occupation as well as whether the person owned a home.

Consider researching data kept by churches as many areas have churches that keep detailed records of their parishioners and families.  Genealogical societies are well known for collecting familial data as well. 

There is no doubt that your children will benefit from learning about the varied persons in their family tree and hearing stories about them.   Psychologist Marshall Duke from Emory University in Georgia worked with families and questioned children about their family history.  He commented: “Hearing these stories gave the children a sense of their history and a strong ‘intergenerational self’. Even if they were only nine, their identity stretched back 100 years, giving them connection, strength and resilience.”

You may think that it is a daunting task to build your family tree.  Try doing the research bit by bit. Having your children involved and motivated will be a tremendous help.  In the end, you have built a firm legacy for them to better understand who they are and then pass it on to their own children!

For more information, please visit the following websites:

https://www.legacytree.com/blog/importance-family-history

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/jan/14/children-family-histories-tales

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Words – A Call To Action For Us All!

On the third Monday of each January, we celebrate and honor the great civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Please take the time today to assist your children to learn more about his life and accomplishments. He was a man of immense faith and always believed his calling was for a greater purpose. And, it was!

In his famous quote that is on the picture of today’s blog post, he has a call to action for all of us. Let us strive, especially during this year, to seek, to do and to be used by God for a greater purpose than just ourselves. This is my heart’s prayer.

Read & Pray God’s Shield of Protection in Psalm 91 With Your Children

When the COVID-19 pandemic started last year, a friend recommended to me a book on Psalm 91 by Minister Peggy Joyce Ruth titled Psalm 91-Real Life Stories of God’s Shield of Protection. I can honestly say that I have read that book twice since then and some chapters more often. It has been such a blessing for me and impacted my prayer life tremendously, so I wanted to share it with you.

Psalm 91 is known as the psalm of God’s shield of protection. It is not known for certain who wrote it. According to Jewish tradition, Moses wrote it and David complied it in the Book of Psalms. The Greek Septuagint translation of the Old Testament, however, attributes it to David.

The Psalm is only 16 verses long, but each verse is power packed. In her book, Minister Ruth dedicates one chapter to each verse, so you get a full understanding of its meaning. As we trust and commit ourselves to God, He promises continued benefits and protection.

She also has available books for youth and children - Psalm 91 for Youth and My Own Psalm 91 Book. I recommend purchasing books which will teach the Psalm at the level that they need to understand it best. Also, consider praying the Psalm nightly with your children. And, have a contest where they memorize it and give out fun rewards. I memorized it so I know they could too.

To order the books, please visit https://www.peggyjoyceruth.org/psalm-91-books.html

Committing to More Family Fun Time in the New Year

This is the first week of the new year. I pray that one of your goals for the year is spending more time with your children as a family. Fun time is important in developing long-lasting relationships filled with love and memories. Just because it may be cold outside does not mean that you cannot have fun.

In my blog posts in January, 2018 titled Fun Outdoor Activities for the Winter Months and Fun Indoor Activities for the Winter Months, I wrote about all the fun children can have playing games outdoors and indoors during the winter season. As an update to those blogs, I wanted to provide families with more recent online articles that provide additional games to play. Please check out the links below.

It is key that you bundle up and prepare for those cold outdoor temperatures when playing outdoors. As a special treat, also prepare for your return back home, with hot chocolate and delicious munchies available. After a playful time outside, your children will be hungry! Moreover, when the weather is just too cold or blustery to go outside, indoor activities are important. There are so many to choose from, so plan ahead to incorporate as many as possible into your schedules as you make warm memories for your children.

For many more suggestions for outdoor and indoor winter activities with your children, please visit the following links:

https://www.todaysparent.com/family/activities/50-essential-winter-activities/#gallery/50-essential-winter-activities-for-the-whole-family/slide-1

https://www.care.com/c/stories/3931/101-snow-games-and-activities-for-kids/

Happy New Year 2021!

Psalm 20:4 is our fervent prayer for you in the new year. Thank you for your support of our nonprofit foundation As the Stars of the Sky Foundation and the important cause of promoting childhood literacy. We have all had challenges during 2020, some more than others. We join our faith with yours that 2021 will be an exceptionally successful year! To God be the glory!

Sprinkling Family Prayer Into Family Time

It’s Christmastime and what a wonderful time to start a new family tradition of praying regularly together as a family! Here are some suggestions as to how you can start and what to include in your prayer-time.

            A well-known acronym for helping everyone to remember how to pray is ACTS :

            A is for adoration. Begin your prayers acknowledging that God is holy. Adore and reverence Him for being the Almighty God.

            C is for confession.  Confess your wrongdoings and ask for forgiveness.

            T is for thanksgiving.  Philippians 4:6, The Passion Translation, states that when we pray, we should be “offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude ….”  Have your children think ahead of time of the many blessings they have so that they are ready to thank God for them. 

            Consider the “fill in the blank prayer”.  An example is the following: God is great, God is good, thank you God for _________.

S is for supplication or asking God to supply your needs.  What does each family member need and what does the family unit need.  Make those requests known to God.  Also, you should pray for the needs of others outside the family. Is there a friend or acquaintance who is struggling?  Pray for them.

            In addition, you can add a simple scripture verse for everyone to memorize and include during prayers.  One important verse is Jeremiah 29:12: “Then you will call my name. You will come to me and pray to me. And I will listen to you.” (ICB).

Having your children keep a prayer journal is helpful and instructive.  What is each child praying and standing in faith for?  How has God answered each prayer? 

By following a simple yet profound routine of family prayers, your children will grow in faith and treasure the memories.  What precious gifts those are!

For more information, please visit:

https://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/pray-with-your-children/

https://www.illustratedministry.com/2017/ways-to-pray-with-kids/

Build a Reading Fort to Encourage Your Children to Read More

“The simplest way to make sure we raise literate children is to show them that reading is a pleasurable activity. And that means finding books that they enjoy, giving them access to those books, and letting them read them.” Neil Gaiman

I love this quote by Neil Gaiman as it stresses the importance of showing children that reading can be a pleasurable activity.  Having a warm, cozy place indoors to read makes the reading activity so much more pleasurable for children, especially when the weather is cold or rainy, and children believe that they become part of an adventure.  I encourage parents to consider building a reading fort that would be such a place, beckoning their children to read, and read, and read.  What a wonderful way to promote reading!

            In my blog post a couple of years ago, I wrote about building a fort and that concept has increased in popularity.  Now, more than ever, parents should build one, with the pandemic still affecting us, and children spending more time indoors.

            There are a number of internet sites that provide a plethora of information as to how to build a reading fort as well as images of various designs.  The sky really is the limit!  The website scholastic.com has an article that provides a lot of helpful information.  Have your children help to design the reading fort.  Have books available that are about escaping to special, imaginary places, such as the series The Magic Tree House.  And, be sure to add snacks as well!

            At the website bookshark.com, parents are provided with instructions as to how to build a constellation reading fort.  By adding lights, the fort becomes ever so much more special and imaginary.   The adventure grows!

To learn more, please read:

https://www.scholastic.com/parents/books-and-reading/reading-resources/camp-indoors-reading-forts.html

https://www.bookshark.com/blog/reading-forts/

It is Important to Monitor your Children's Friends

For a parent, Proverbs 27:17 is a very important verse. Iron sharpens iron and similarly, a good friend sharpens a friend. Who are your children’s friends? Do you know? Have you asked to find out, not only from your child but from others? And, what kind of friends are your children to others?

As I mentioned, this verse is a positive statement as a good friend will sharpen a friend. But what effect will a friend who is not good have on your children? There is no doubt that this friend will definitely have an effect as well on your child, but it will be a negative one.

On the website letgodbetrue.com, there is an excellent, helpful analysis of this verse. The writer states: “There are two direct and important lessons here. You need noble and godly friends to maximize your growth, and you need to be such a friend to others to maximize theirs.”

In regard to who are your children’s friends, the Bible establishes that wise friends will make them wiser and foolish friends will dull and corrupt them. Prov. 27:9, 13:20. According to 1Cor. 15:33 NLT, “bad company corrupts good character”. We must diligently monitor our children’s friends as we want wise influence for them.

The writer on letgodbetrue.com asks the following questions and I suggest that you as a parent ask them as well:

1. What is the spirit, demeanor and conduct of your children’s friends?

2. Are their friends a sharpening influence on your children and vice versa?

3. Is it wise for your children to keep these friends?

4. Do you value and promote good friends for them?

5. Do your children improve the lives of their friends?

To read the entire article, please visit https://letgodbetrue.com/proverbs/index/chapter-27/proverbs-27-17/

What Is Your Contribution?

When I saw this profound quote from Pastor Andy Stanley, I had to take some time to pause and reflect on it. So often, we strive to do things because we believe these acts would be great contributions to the Kingdom of God. That of course is all wonderful and necessary. But, right under our noses are our children, who should be our greatest contributions to the Kingdom.

Psalm 123:7 tells us that children are a gift from the Lord and are to be considered a reward from Him. In return, we are to acknowledge that and raise them to contribute to the Kingdom. To raise Kingdom children takes a lot of effort, determination, and skill, especially in these times. There is so much that pulls us as parents in every direction and attempts to get us to conform to the world’s way of doing things. And, it is the same for our children. As Christians, raising godly children takes time and dedication as we are fighting a battle against the norms of this world.

As this year closes and a new one is on the horizon, I implore parents to commit to spending more time with their children and teaching them what God wants and needs them to teach. As a mother of two, I understand that this can be challenging but we have the Lord to direct and comfort us.

Adding “THANKS” Back Into Thanksgiving Day

I wrote a blog post on November 20, 2017 that is worth reposting here:

We will be celebrating Thanksgiving Day this Thursday in America.  It’s a national holiday set aside for us to remember all that we are thankful for.  However, as the child says in this cartoon, God has blessed us immensely so one day a year is certainly not adequate to give thanks!  In this week’s blog, instead of writing about the history of Thanksgiving Day or a similar topic (which you can find in my previous blogs), I have chosen to focus on some Bible scriptures instructing us on giving thanks regularly.  As you enjoy the day with family and friends, I encourage each of you to spend some time reading and practicing these verses as a family:

1 Chronicles 16:24 – “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever.”

Colossians 3:17 – “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

Psalm 95:2 - “Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms.”

Psalm 100:4 - “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.”

Psalm 107:1, 8-9 - “O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good: for His mercy endures forever… Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.”

Phil. 4:6 - “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

Colossians 4:2 – “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”

            There are many other Bible verses, but these are extra special to me.  Don’t let this Thanksgiving Day be one filled with just eating, drinking and watching sports.  Spend time thanking the great I Am for all He has blessed you and your family with and then remember to do it again and again each day thereafter!

Helping Your Children Get a Good Night’s Sleep

I have written before about the importance of a good night’s sleep for your children. The Mayo Clinic just released an article about this issue and the impact the CoVid 19 pandemic has had on children sleeping well. Here is some important updated information for parents.

The Mayo Clinic stresses to have a sleep-friendly routine for children to follow each night. There should be a consistent time for them to go to sleep as well as to wake up. On the weekends, you can allow a later wake-up time, but no longer than one hour from the normal time. Sleeping too late in the morning will disrupt a child’s internal clock and it becomes harder for the child to go back to the regular schedule during the weekdays.

Also, parents should monitor their children’s activities when they actually are in bed. Children should not be allowed to have electronic devices with them in the bed, when it is time to sleep. The Mayo Clinic recommends turning off these devices at least 30 minutes to 1 hour before bedtime. It is critical that your children see their beds as times to go to sleep, and not times to be awake and busy doing other things.

Additionally, reading to your children and talking and praying with them are loving activities that help them settle down and begin the process of getting ready to go to sleep. Talk with them about subjects that may be troubling them. Usually, this helps children recognize their anxieties and allows them to better relax and sleep. Especially now during the CoVid 19 pandemic, children will have concerns about their safety and future. Help them to better understand what is happening and what steps you are taking to ensure their health and well-being.

Finally, monitor what you do as a family before bedtime. Physical activity during the day helps children sleep better. At dinnertime, lessen the foods and beverages with too much sugar. Energy drinks and other beverages with caffeine should not be allowed after 3 p.m.

It is especially tough for children during these times. Helping them to get a good night’s sleep is paramount for their ability to concentrate and perform well in school.

To read the entire article, visit:

https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-q-and-a-healthy-sleep-habits-for-children/