Teaching Our Children About Peace

You may ask “Why teach our children about peace?” There are many answers to this question and one of the most powerful is given to us by Mahatma Gandhi in the quote for my blog post today: “If we are to teach real peace in this world, and if we are to carry on a real war against war, we shall have to begin with the children.” In order to overcome all the turmoil and fighting in our world, we must educate our next generation as to how important peace is and how it can be accomplished.

I was fortunate to get the opportunity to speak with Steve Killelea, the Australian philanthropist and entrepreneur who has dedicated his life to studying peace.  Steve established the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), a global think tank, to better understand the intersection of business, peace and economics.  The IEP has been recognized for its preeminent work internationally.

Steve has just written a book Peace in an Age of Chaos – The Best Solution for a Sustainable Future.   He joined me as a guest on my podcast Be Convinced! Sharing Lifechanging Stories of Hope, Ep. #29, to talk about the work he has done all over the world promoting the study of peace, how peaceful societies can be developed, and his new book.   

Peace is a subject that can and should be studied.  Many people erroneously believe that peace is the absence of war, but that is not accurate.  Steve stresses that peace is a strong positive force and that there are systems that can be put in place to develop and foster the elements that create and sustain peace.   Steve emphasized that “peace is the single most important factor in enabling people to reach their full potential.”

For teaching our children, I suggest to begin with introducing books about different peoples and cultures.  Helping our children to become more inclusive and understanding of others would be a big step forward.  At the website below, coloursofus.com, there is a listing of 33 multicultural children’s books about peace. I also came across a website that has many fun activities for children – globetrottinkids.com.

To learn more about the subject of peace and how it can be taught, please visit:

www.peaceintheageofchaos.org

https://coloursofus.com/21-multicultural-childrens-books-about-peace/

https://www.globetrottinkids.com/teach-peace-books-activities-for-kids/

You can also listen to Ep. #29 on my podcast at www.sorayadiasecoffelt.com.

How are your children known?

      How do we know the true nature of a person?  Typically, it is by the person’s words and actions.  The same is true for children.  Proverbs 20:11 shows us that a child reveals himself to us by his acts.  Your children’s behaviors will manifest to you their true character.  Are you observing them closely?

      Another version of this verse in Proverbs is The Passion Translation: “All children show what they’re really like by how they act.  You can discern their character, whether they are pure or perverse.” When children are young is the critical time to mold their character.  If you catch a child telling a lie, you should address that behavior right away.  Many people do not, but instead believe that the child who tells a lie is being cute or funny.  If you catch a child taking something that does not belong to him, you should address that right away as well.  To allow a child to take something that is not his and keep it, is signaling to the child that it is acceptable to take what is not his.  Another objectionable behavior is hitting and bullying another child.  Aggressive physical behavior can start from a young age and should never be tolerated.

       There are many other instances of behavior that parents and other adults in the lives of children should not ignore or condone.  It starts from young too.  Being diligent in observing our children’s behavior and taking quick corrective action is vital to our children’s well-being.

At the website calvarychapeljonesboro.org, there is the following commentary on this verse that I would like to share:

A child needs is to be trained that God's Word is what determines what is pure and right.  Then the child needs to be trained in how to walk in this world in a way that pleases and honors the Lord.  Oh, what a blessing such a child is to the world around him when he or she is trained in this manner.  Oh, what blessings will surround and flow forth from such a child.

To read the entire commentary please visit:

https://www.calvarychapeljonesboro.org/proverb-a-day/how-to-have-your-child-stand-out-from-the-rest-proverbs-2011

Character Building Books for Children!

I have been recommending books for children to read this summer and another two that would be motivating for your children are by Lisa Wiehebrink.  Lisa established the nonprofit foundation Tails That Teach to promote character building in children, including taking good care of their pets, and literacy.  Her focus is children ages 5 -8 years old.

Her books Love Me Gently – A Kid’s Guide for Man’s Best Friend and Gray Whiskers – A Kid’s Guide for Loved Ones Growing Older are about a boy and his rescue dog’s journeys toward patience, compassion, kindness, and empathy.  Her book Love Me Gently has won awards, including the 2020 Purple Dragonfly Award and from PETA.

        Lisa partners with elementary schools and animal organizations all over the US to teach humane education, using her books as teaching tools. She is also the founder of National Rescue Dog Day, celebrated on May 28 annually, which was established primarily to bring attention to all the dogs that are available in shelters for adoption. 

On the website, Lisa explains why she has dedicated her work to this cause:

When children are taught to be kind to animals, the ripple effects are boundless and they are less likely to abuse a pet or bully a classmate. Teaching kids to properly care for pets helps them grow up to be compassionate adults and responsible pet owners.

         Lisa was an inspiring guest on my podcast Be Convinced! Sharing Lifechanging Stories of Hope. The podcast, episode #28, is available at sorayadiasecoffelt.com. She shares how it all began when she observed a small child at the park playing roughly with a dog; why she wrote the books; and how she is dedicated to promoting character building and humane education. You will certainly enjoy listening to her share her story of hope!

For more information and to purchase her books, please visit www.tailsthatteach.org.

Where are your children’s roots drawing nourishment from?

            Where our children draw their spiritual nourishment from is very important.  The Bible often uses the tree analogy to describe man.  Colossians 2:7 states that we are to “let our roots grow down in him and draw our nourishment from him.” (TLB). 

            Just like huge redwood trees, our children are grand and awesome, with their potentials being limitless.  They are extremely special to God and to us.  Their roots are their firm foundations from which they derive all the nourishment that they need to grow and flourish.  

            Ask yourselves, are my children’s roots getting the spiritual nourishment that they need?  Where are my children drawing or deriving their spiritual nourishment from?  Each parent should be readily able to answer these questions.

            Children will derive spiritual nourishment from having the Bible come alive to them and knowing God personally.  Make sure that they attend church regularly and participate in the children’s ministry at your church.  Many people make the mistake in believing that the children’s ministry is just a babysitting service while parents attend the adult church.   As a former children’s lay minister, I can assure you that it is not!  Your children will learn the Word of God at their levels. 

            Be sure to supplement what they learn at church with material at home.  Once a week church attendance is just not enough in this very noisy world that is trying to steal their attention.   Some of the things you can consider are the following: having a short, daily memory verse from the Bible; talking with them about what they learned in church; praying with them daily; having books about biblical heroes and Bible topics easily accessible for them to read; and having them watch Christian movies/videos and discussing with them to get their thoughts and feedback. 

            Also, be mindful of who are your children’s friends.  Are they also Christians?  Please read my blog post titled Helping Our Children Choose Their Friends, which will give you the Christian’s perspective on the type of friends for your children based on 1 Corinthians 15:33 – “Do not be misled: bad company corrupts good character.”  (NIV).

The Importance of the Special Grandparent-Grandchild Connection

I believe very strongly that grandparents play a uniquely vital role in the lives of their grandchildren and the connection is both spiritual and physical. Proverbs 17:6 actually describes grandchildren as being the crown of the elderly.

What does it mean that grandchildren are a “crown”? A crown is worn proudly on the head as a beautiful ornamental representation of honor, wisdom, joy, respect, and hope. God gave us the ability to have children because they are extremely important His eyes: Psalm 127:3 states that “children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.” (NIV) Then, our children have their own children who become our precious grandchildren.

As we age, we learn more about wisdom, grace, patience, true love and true joy. In our older years, we are ready to pass down what we have learned to our grandchildren. Grandparents can only do so by spending time with their grandchildren. Actual interactions, whether in person or virtually, will help to build those deep, special connections. Actively search for activities to do with them and include some quiet time as well just holding them in your arms.

Remember that the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren is different than the relationship between parents and children. Grandparents must respect the requests and admonitions of their own children in raising their grandchildren, but still be there to impart wisdom and love at all stages.

To read more about Proverbs 17:6, please visit:

http://chrisbrauns.com/2013/07/proverbs-17-verse-6-the-beauty-of-grandchildren/

https://dailyverse.knowing-jesus.com/proverbs-17-6

Celebrate with Your Children the Freedoms We Have July 4th

This coming weekend is the 4th of July holiday weekend and there will be lots of fun, family activities for you and your children to participate in outside as the weather has warmed and many areas have lifted the CV 19 regulations. This is also a wonderful opportunity to participate in some fun learning activities that teach your children about why we celebrate this particular day, because it is one of the most important days in our nation’s history.

As a Christian, I firmly believe that a nation that is founded on God’s Word and for whom God is Lord, is indeed blessed. Psalm 133:12. I wrote a blog post many years ago titled Teaching Your Children the Importance of What Happened on July 4th. It is filled with basic historical facts showing how the founding fathers’ belief in God was critical to our new nation. Please take some time and read and discuss it with your children.

On July 4, 1776, our Congress voted to adopt the Declaration of Independence that had been written by God-fearing men and actually mentions God five times. The United States of America declared itself free from the religious and financial tyranny of Great Britain. This was a brave move as Great Britain was a dominant world power at the time. Years later, the U.S. Constitution was written and adopted, articulating many basic freedoms that we have and must always be thankful for, including the freedom of religious belief.

There are many resources filled with activities for children about July 4th. I list a few links below. Please encourage your children to learn more. Moreover, please do not overlook this excellent opportunity to develop in your children a love for their country and God.

Please visit the following links for activities:

https://www.childrens-ministry-deals.com/pages/4th-of-july-sunday-school-lesson

https://childrensministry.com/7-independence-day-activities/

https://ministry-to-children.com/bible/independence-day-4th-of-july/

Plan Family Visits to Your Local National Parks This Summer

Our National Parks are among our country’s greatest treasures! Last year, I wrote a blog about how they have become more welcoming to people of diverse races and cultures. This summer, I would like to encourage families to plan visits to their local National Parks. 

                The National Park Service (NPS) has many suggestions for trips with children at the link below and at a webpage titled “Kids in Parks”.  There is a list of activities for children, including specific ones for 4th and 5th graders, as well as junior ranger activity books and activities to do online.   There is a tab “Visit Parks with Kids” where advice is provided about how to prepare before visiting a park and how to plan for hiking and camping.  There is also another tab “Events for Kids” which has a monthly calendar and a list of events for specific parks.   

                The National Park Foundation also has many creative activities for children on its website (the link is provided below), some of which can be done at home.  These activities include history and science lessons and learning about park wildlife and digs.

                Many people think about the larger parks such as Yosemite National Park or Yellowstone National Park, but there are parks within cities or short drives outside city limits.

You may not have to travel very far for a visit.   Have your children get involved and do the research as to which parks to visit.

                There is so much for your children to do and learn this summer.  Plan a visit and get out of the house to explore one of our beautiful National Parks.  Your entire family will enjoy it! You will be building fond memories for your children for years to come!

To learn more, please visit:

https://www.nps.gov/kids/index.htm

https://www.nationalparks.org/connect/blog/back-school-national-parks

https://fullsuitcase.com/best-usa-national-parks-for-families/

Summer Reading is Very Important for Children!

We parents often spend quite a bit of time planning our summer vacation with our families, especially now as we come out of the Covid-19 pandemic.  It is very important that we spend time as well planning what our children will be reading during this time. 

            Experts agree that reading should continue during summer vacation.  Why is this so critical to our children’s success as they start the new school year?  There is what is known as the “summer slide” and almost one-half of parents are not aware of it.  It is the loss of academic skills when children are not in school, which is attributed primarily to a lack of reading.  Unfortunately, the trend of children not reading has increased dramatically, almost doubling for certain age groups.

            The benefits of summer reading include children maintaining and even improving their reading skills and being better prepared for the new school year.  Experts recommend children reading at least 5 books to maintain their skills.  If you think about that, it is about 1 book every 2 weeks. Surely your children can read that amount!

            What can parents do to encourage summer reading? Experts recommend the following:

• Lead by example – If you demonstrate a love of reading, more than likely your children will follow in your footsteps.  My parents mentored the love of reading for me and my sisters and we all grew up with a love of books.

• Have lots of reading material available – Children usually enjoy reading a variety of books so be sure to have books, magazines, comic books, joke books, etc., easily and quickly available for them.

• Take your children on regular trips to the library.  My parents did that for me and my sisters when we were growing up.  At least once a week, we were all at the library and then came home with armfuls of books.

• Set aside at least 15 minutes a day to read to and with your children.  Think about that – just 15 minutes out of your 24-hour day! 

• Ask your children questions about each book that they read - before, during and after they have finished reading.  These questions can include: Why did you select that book? Who are the main characters? What is the main subject of the book? What was your favorite part of the story?  What did you learn?  Asking questions helps them to reflect on what they are reading and develop good verbal skills.

 To learn more, please visit:

https://www.scholastic.com/readingreport/summer.html

https://readingpartners.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/SummerAtHomeOnePagerFinal.pdf

Adventures In Kindness

As I was researching to find new books for children and families, I came across the mother and daughter team, Carrie & Sophia Fox, and their book Adventures in Kindness. I can wholeheartedly say that I fully endorse their book and all that they are trying to accomplish.

In the Author’s Note section of the book, they state the main reason they wrote the book: “We developed Adventures in Kindness as a practical resource for kids and their families who care about doing good in the world and who might enjoy connecting with other kind kids too.” The book has 52 “kindness” adventures, one for each week in the year. These adventures are divided up into 9 chapters and are very diverse. For example, there is a chapter about having adventures with animals, such as volunteering at an animal shelter, and a chapter about adventures with troops, with suggested adventures involving writing letters to troops and interviewing a service member.

The book also involves journaling after each adventure. That way, the child reflects on the adventure and then writes down answers to various questions posed, such as what he/she has learned and been surprised with.

On their website, adventuresinkindness.com, they have so much information about what they are involved in as well free printables and products for sale. They are adding products regularly to help children continue with acts of kindness after reading the book and doing the adventures.

The authors are offering all supporters of As the Stars of the Sky Foundation a discount of 20% on book orders on their website. Just use the code at checkout BECONVINCED.

Teach your Children About Memorial Day

The last Monday in May each year is honored as Memorial Day.  It is typically seen as the first day of summer and families usually clean their barbeque grills off and plan big get-togethers.  But, what is Memorial Day all about and how can you involve your children in the true celebration of this holiday?

            President Harry Truman proclaimed this day in 1950 to be a day of remembrance of those who died while serving in the armed forces in the line of duty.  It is a memorial to them and the great sacrifices that they made for our country.

            There are many ways that you can teach your children about what Memorial Day is all about.  Here are some suggestions:

• Lay flowers at the grave of a person you know who died serving his/her country

• Visit monuments of fallen soldiers. Some of the most famous in the country are found in Washington D.C.  However, if visiting the nation’s capital is not an option, you can always find graveyards and memorials in or around your town to visit.

• Purchase an American flag to put outside your home or have your children draw and color some to put in the windows of your home.

• At the website below, military.com, there is a link to a coloring page for the Medal of Honor. 

• There are crafts, worksheets, and projects for children at https://www.military.com/memorial-day/celebrating-memorial-day-with-children.html

To learn more, please visit:

https://www.military.com/memorial-day/celebrating-memorial-day-with-children.html

https://www.military.com/memorial-day

https://www.parents.com/holiday/memorial-day/traditions/patriotic-ways-to-celebrate-memorial-day-with-kids/

https://www.timeforkids.com/g56/meaning-memorial-day/

African American History & Culture for Children

             As the celebrated orator and journalist Marcus Garvey once said, “A people without knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.”  For many families, finding worthwhile information on African American history and culture is challenging.  Along comes Amber O’Neal Johnston who began homeschooling her 3 children and wanted to help them learn more about themselves.  I would like to highlight Amber in this week’s blog post.

She began researching to find information to teach her children.  Before long, she had amassed a rich collection of information and knowledge about African American history and culture that she used to teach her children and wanted to share with others.  She established the website heritagemom.com which is filled with her writings, information she has found, and recommendations.  She acknowledges that the purpose behind what she does is “raising black kids to love themselves and others.”  She is a Christian and the name for her website is from Psalm 127:3 “Lo, children are a heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.” (KJV).

I came across Amber when I was looking at various Instagram accounts.  I immediately was drawn to her postings and visited her website to find out more.  As a person who loves history and promotes the importance of reading, I was very impressed with the variety of information she has collected and written about to help other parents as well as teachers educate their children.

I interviewed Amber for my podcast Be Convinced! Sharing Lifechanging Stories of Hope and you can listen to podcast #18 at https://www.sorayadiasecoffelt.com/podcast. It does not matter what race or nationality you are. I am certain that you will enjoy the podcast as well as learn from her website.

Children Are Like Arrows — Psalm 127:4. How Are you Preparing & Aiming Yours?

             The Bible compares children to arrows in the hands of a warrior. Psalm 127:4 provides “Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.” (NIV) Arrows are to be prepared and then aimed in a specific direction.  How are you, as parents, preparing and aiming your children?

            In writing this blog post, I researched that verse to fully understand its true meaning.  I found an online article titled Crafting God’s Arrows written by Dennis and Barbara Rainey that was a true blessing to me as it explained this verse very well.  Much of what I write here can be attributed to their article.

            An arrow has four parts and each of these parts must be expertly crafted and put together so that the arrow flies directly to where it is aimed: shaft, fletching (feathers), nock (groove at the end of the arrow that fits on the bowstring), and point:

• The shaft is the main part of the arrow to which all the other parts attach.  It can be similar to a child’s identity.  If that identity is centered on God and His Word, the child has a firm foundation.  What are you doing to ensure that your child’s foundation is secure?

• The feathers on the arrow are critical for the arrow to stay balanced as it flies through the air.  They can be compared to a child’s character.  Will your child’s character be strong enough to withstand all the outside pressures and keep your child balanced on his/her foundation?  What are you doing to build your child’s character?

• The nock is the small groove on the arrow that keeps it in place on the string.  It can be compared to a child’s relationships with others.  Are your child’s friends and mentors having a positive influence?  What are you doing to ensure that they are?

• The point on the arrow is the sharp end that penetrates the target.  It is similar to your child’s destiny or mission in life.  What impact will your child have in God’s kingdom?

            God has given parents a great responsibility to raise our children as He wants.  We must be prayerful and diligent in achieving His goals and desires for them.

To read the entire article and others, please visit: https://www.familylife.com/articles/topics/parenting/essentials/releasing-your-child/crafting-gods-arrows/

https://graceinspiredhome.com/what-does-it-mean-to-raise-arrows/

Children’s Mental Health Matters!

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and there is much being done to promote the importance of mental health in our communities especially due to all we have gone through as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic.   When we talk about mental health awareness, we must include our children as well.

            The American Psychological Association has some surprising news for us: about 1 in 5 children has a diagnosable mental health disorder and “child and adolescence mental health problems are at a point of crisis for our nation”.   The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains that mental health in childhood is “reaching developmental and emotional milestones, and learning healthy social skills and how to cope when there are problems.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s WIC Program also understands the importance of children’s mental health, stating that we must raise the awareness of the “significant role mental health plays in overall health and wellness and how vital positive mental health is to a child's development and everyone's well-being.”

            What can parents do to help their children?  The CDC website page shown below provides important information for parents.  It has wide variety of articles on such topics as what works for the treatment of disruptive behavioral problems and getting the facts on anxiety and depression in children.  There are even recommendations as to how to talk to your children about Covid 19. 

            The key is for parents to monitor their children.  Be aware of their moods and activities.  If parents notice anything different or concerning, they should immediately seek professional help for their child.  

 To learn more, please visit:

https://www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/index.html https://www.apa.org/advocacy/health/children

https://wicworks.fns.usda.gov/resources/2021-childrens-mental-health-awareness-week-and-mental-health-month

Celebrate the National Day of Prayer with your kids

Thursday May 6 is designated as the National Day of Prayer for this year. Annually, the first Thursday in May is set aside as a national observance that was first signed into law by President Harry S. Truman in 1952. It encourages people of all faiths to dedicate themselves to prayer for our nation. This blog post is devoted to including children in this prayer observance.

The theme for this year’s prayer is “Lord pour out Your love, life and liberty”, based on 2 Corinthians 3:17 “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” To include children in this day, there are available online many different activities such as games and a prayer puzzle as well as free prayer books for children and many other downloadable and printable information and activities. There is also information on teaching children to pray. Please check out the links below for teaching tools and activities so that your children can learn the importance of prayer and participate in a fun and meaningful way.

To learn more, please visit the following links:

https://www.nationaldayofprayer.org/

https://encouragingmomsathome.com/celebrate-the-national-day-of-prayer/

https://ministry-to-children.com/national-day-of-prayer/

Teach Your Children Biblical Money Principles

I believe very strongly that teaching our children sound biblical financial principles is essential to their future financial stability and success. A few years ago, I wrote a blog post titled Teaching Biblical Financial Principles to Your Children.

In today’s blog post, I would like to provide further information and website links to assist parents with this important topic. This post is not duplicative of my prior post but supplements it.

            Some Bible verses that are foundational principles to your child’s understanding of money are:

• 1 Cor. 4:7 – “What do you have that God has not given you?”  (NLT) All we have comes from God and we need to use it wisely.

• Matthew 25:26-27 – God refers to the man to whom he had given a bag of silver but who did not actively do anything with it so that it would increase in value as “a wicked and lazy servant”.  God expects us to be active with our use of money and work hard, not be lazy.

• Luke 6:38 – “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” (NLT)  God wants us to be generous givers, with our generosity coming from a sincere heart.

Learning to create a budget and working within its confines are vital.  Money is not limitless, so children must understand that a budget helps them to monitor their income and expenses and then they must be disciplined to keep within those reasonable bounds.

Saving and goal-setting are other critical components of money management.  Most experts advise to save at least 10% of your net earnings.  That money should be set aside for the “rainy day” – when the unexpected happens – and also for goals – for example, to purchase an item of clothing or jewelry.   As your child grows up, those same principles can be applied to making larger purchases, such as buying a home or a vehicle.

Please be sure to teach your child to tithe to your church as well.  That is yet another principle that God instructs and honors and the budget should include it. (Leviticus 27:30, Proverbs 3:9).

            There are many resources available for parents and the links below provide some of them. 

To learn more, please visit:

https://thekingdomcode.com/about/teach-kids-about-money/

https://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/teaching-your-kids-about-money/

https://www.biblemoneymatters.com/balancing-biblical-financial-principles/

Using Songs, Including Jingles, As Teaching Tools

I recently heard a guest speaker from a maternal and child health program speak about how the program uses songs, including jingles, to teach children and promote good healthcare and nutrition.  I have written previously about the importance of music and singing in a child’s life and how these activities help children to learn letters and sounds and eventually words, leading them to read more.  Today, I would like to focus on using songs to teach and educate children.

            The website educationandbehavior.com has a very interesting article on 10 of the best educational songs for elementary school-aged children.  It emphasizes that “a catchy tune with easy to remember lyrics will leave a lasting impression and help to in-grain educational concepts into a child’s memory.”  Songs which are recommended include an impressive list of many different subjects:

            ● The Solar System song

            ● Count by 5s

            ● Nouns Rock

            ● 50 States that Rhyme

            ● What’s the Time?

            ● The Measurements Song

            ● Nations of the World

            ● The Sentence Song

            ● Silent “e”

            ● The Big Numbers Song

            In addition to these topics, jingles assist children with completing everyday tasks, such as brushing their teeth and hair.  They are catchy, short songs that are easy for children to remember and make doing the task fun.

            It is highly recommended that when singing these songs, include hand and finger movements.  Children who ordinarily do not sing will catch on quicker when these types of movements are used.

To learn more, please visit:

https://educationandbehavior.com/educational-songs-for-elementary-school-kids/

https://www.scholastic.com/parents/books-and-reading/raise-a-reader-blog/literacy-boosting-summer-music-playlist.html

https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/kids-brushing-playlist

The Many benefits of Music for Young Children

“Everything in the universe has rhythm.  Everything dances.”

-Maya Angelou

It is hard to find someone who does not enjoy music.  From classical to rock, music tends to bring people from all walks of life together.  Not only is listening to music an enjoyable experience, but it also has some major benefits, especially for young children. Listening to or playing music has a plethora of benefits for their social, emotional, and even academic performances. So why wouldn’t we want our children exposed to that? Here are just a few of the many benefits of music for them.

1. It accelerates brain development.  Studies have shown that musical experiences actually help children academically, including in the areas of math, language and reading skills.

2. It improves memory skills. This goes for adults as well as children. When your children listen to music or play an instrument, they are flexing their brain muscles and learning and then saving what they have learned in their memory banks.

3. It makes children happier! Listening and singing along to music release endorphins in the brain. Endorphins are mood improving chemicals that make people happier.  Children will want to get up and dance.  Encourage them to use wooden spoons and drum (beat) on pans.  Watch them smile and laugh! When they sing in a group setting, the effects are multiplied, causing an even more heightened sense of happiness. This works for most music types, but techno and heavy metal music is known to have the opposite effect, causing anxiety and depressed behaviors in people.

4. It improves a child’s speech. For children who take music lessons, their word comprehension is increased.

5. It improves social skills. This applies more for children who sing or play instruments as part of a group. Being in a group of children who work together to create beautiful music can be a profound bonding experience. Also, being with the same group for an extended period of time- especially when you are all aiming toward a single goal- can form forever friendships.

6. Music is relaxing. Classical music has been known to help adults and children fall asleep easier. It calms the mind, which in turn, creates the same relaxing effect for the body.  

To learn more, please visit these websites:

https://www.carnegiehall.org/Explore/Articles/2020/12/09/Why-Making-Music-Matters

https://www.brighthorizons.com/resources/Article/music-and-children-rhythm-meets-child-development

https://earlychildhood.qld.gov.au/early-years/activities-and-resources/resources-parents/encourage/the-many-benefits-of-music

Puzzles Help Build Your Child’s Memory Skills

        How often have you heard “I’m bored!”?  Too often, children complain that they are bored and seek our assistance to get them motivated and interested in doing something else.  Be prepared for these times.  One way is to have a variety of puzzles available.  Why puzzles?  The most important reason is that they help build memory skills but there are many other reasons which are extremely beneficial for your children. 

There are at least 5 reasons for the benefit of puzzles:

1. They help develop memory skills.  Children have to remember the shapes and sizes of each piece as well as where they fit in the big picture of the puzzle itself.  If one piece does not fit, they must remember that piece later and where it may fit. 

2. They teach your children problem-solving skills.  As children work on solving a puzzle, they are thinking of different ways to put the pieces together.  The pieces must fit in designated ways and there are no shortcuts. 

3. They teach patience and concentration.  Without them, your children will never finish a puzzle.  Encourage them to take their time and work on one part of the puzzle before moving on to another part.  With patience, they will work through the challenges.  Have a designated area for them to work on completing the puzzle and if they have to stop and return, it will be there for them to finish.  Also, encourage them to finish it so they learn the importance of completing a task.

4. They give a fun break from computers and digital devices.  Children need this regularly as they spend too much time on these devices.

5. For younger children, the aid in developing hand-eye coordination and many motor skills.

Consider having a variety of puzzles available. There are regular jigsaw puzzles as well as Legos.  My sons loved playing with their Legos sets, building all sorts of things.  As always, please make sure to have age-appropriate puzzles available for your children.  If a puzzle is too hard or too easy, the child will not want to work with it. 

There are many articles online that provide more information about the benefits of puzzles as learning tools and I have included their links below. 

https://www.thecriticalthinkingchild.com/why-puzzles-are-good-for-kids-development/

https://www.mathgenie.com/blog/puzzle-power-how-puzzles-help-your-childs-development

https://www.bkkkids.com/blog/10-reasons-why-jigsaw-puzzles-are-good-for-kids/

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