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Balancing Work and Parenthood

March 9, 2011 By

From the beginning of time, one of the toughest jobs that we have been saddled with as human beings is that of raising children. Being a parent is not an easy occupation at all. When you now consider the fact that in the modern world, most parents have to hustle and work so to provide meals on the table for their children, the whole concept becomes more daunting and challenging.

But in an age like this, most parents have to go to work or they will starve alongside the kids. You can afford not to work only if you are very wealthy. For those that have to combine work with raising kids, it is important to strike a balance so that neither work nor family will suffer.

If you are a mother with young kids, you can lessen the rigor and tension by taking your children to day care centers while you go off to work. If the children happen to be too young to be left in a day care center, then you will have to apply for a maternity leave so as to have time to cater for the kids until they grow old enough to stay with a nanny. As a father, you can also help out by taking the kids and dropping them off at the nanny’s or at school. Give a helping hand in whatever way you can, this is to ensure that no single partner is weighed down by the stress and demands of being a parent. It is quite unfair for the father to leave all the raising the child to the mother. Several online college degrees sites are available on internet for a better course on parenthood for new parents.

As a parent with a career, it is important that you squeeze time out of your busy schedule to interact with your children and ask them about schoolwork or help with assignments. Do not be the parent that is more of a stranger at home.

Filed Under: Child Care, Day Care Tagged With: , ,

Teaching Rules At Home

January 12, 2011 By

When teaching rules at home with your pre-school aged child, there is one word that you must always remember, consistency. What gets many parents into conflict with their child is when they threaten a consequence, the child refuses to respond, and the parent does not act on the threat. Children figure out very quickly whether or not their parents are giving them empty threats, and whether or not they can continue with the behavior. For example, when a parent says, “you had better stop or I will take away (fill in the blank).” If the addressed behavior doesn’t stop, then you must follow through on your threat. By consistently acting on your threats when a negative behavior is present, the child will soon learn that that particular behavior results in a consequence, they don’t like consequences, and the behavior diminishes.

When parents threaten and threaten without action, it is essentially telling the child that it’s alright to disregard the order to discontinue with whatever the behavior is. What many parents do not realize is that by not training your child to behave in a specific way, they are in turn training their children to behave however the child sees fit. For example, if a child is stealing gum from a store, and the parent does nothing to change that behavior, the parent is essentially sending the message that stealing is an acceptable behavior. When teaching your children that stealing is wrong, parents must be consistent and continuously proactive on exerting consequences until the behavior diminishes. This trains the child to no longer steal, and it provides instances of consistency, so that if another mal-behavior begins to surface, and the parent threatens, the child will take the parent seriously. After a while, things will take only one time for the parent to address. Consistency is truly the key in teaching rules in the home, be stearn in the beginning, so that you can be relaxed later.

Filed Under: Education Tagged With: ,

Understanding the Reggio Emilia Method

December 5, 2010 By

The Reggio Emilia learning approach is fast becoming a favourite, mainly due it’s child-lead learning style. There are many Reggio Emilia preschools, and this is a style of learning many parents feel will help their child to develop much more efficiently than the traditional method.

Reggio Emilia is centred around the idea that a concept must make sense to a child to be meaningful. This means a child should control their own learning, and should be both respected and encouraged to find their own educational path. As this is quite a wide idea, it is narrowed down into four main principles.
The first principle is that children must have a say in what they learn. They must be interested in the concept, and want to learn in. This ensures the child is likely to understand the concept, and therefore learn it efficiently and be able to utilize it. The second principle is that a child must fully experience a concept to understand it fully. The Reggio Emilia method is very focused on senses, so a concept must be seen, heard and felt, and if possible tasted and smelt too. A child must be immersed in a concept to fully process it.

The third principle is that children must be able to interact with other children, as experiencing relationships with others provides a way for the child to explore the world. This principle encourages children to socialize, and to visit new places and meet new people. The fourth principle is that children should always be encouraged to express themselves through whichever means possible. This could be through vocal methods, through materials such as paint and clay and through dramatic and imaginative play.

The Reggio Emilia method encourages parental involvement, and often preschools and schools will invite parents into the classroom to join in with the learning. This helps to further development and allows the parent to continue the method at home.

Filed Under: Activities, Day Care Tagged With: , , ,

Preparing For Preschool Tips

December 2, 2010 By

Many parents worry about how to ensure their child will thrive in education, and this can be difficult to predict. There are ways to ensure your child will make the most of preschool, however, and a positive preschool experience is the perfect basis for an enjoyable and beneficial school life. Whatever your child’s age or educational experience, there are a few things you can do to help starting preschool go smoothly.

Set a sleep routine with your child. Preschoolers need between eleven and thirteen hours of sleep each night, and having a routine means your child is much more likely to get their full amount without everyone becoming stressed and upset. Start the set the routine as early as possible, so your child has time to get used to it. Many children will rebel against bedtime, but stick to your plan and soon putting your child to sleep will be both regular and enjoyable for both of you.

Make your home school-friendly. Set up a desk or area where your child can do any homework they may be set, or you can help them with areas where they are struggling. Allow them to decorate and arrange this themselves if possible, with their own choice of pens and notebooks. This will help them to feel that the area is their own.

Attend any sessions which allow your child to meet their class or teacher beforehand, and reassure your child that you will pick them up later (use a specific time, if your child can tell the time, or “after snack” etc). Be supportive and excited about your childs first day, and don’t let them see your anxiety or sadness. Your child is likely to be bewildered, and will use you to judge how they should be feeling. Lastly, talk to the classteacher and offer help if you can. Knowing what your child is up too will help!

Filed Under: Day Care Tagged With: , ,