Travel Safe

Kids seem to actually pose a challenge for us in securing their safety. A bit of guidance is required by them while they take their first few steps or learn to cross the road. Negligence can lead to a disaster which no parent would want. Teaching kids about traffic rules is interesting with the traffic signal and simple rules about walking on the pavement. Kids like to watch the traffic go by and are almost fearless in realizing danger.

 The easy way to alert a child is to play a game at home with the toy car in explaining the rules to sit or behave while driving. They also are very interested in learning about automobile parts and this is irrespective of a boy or girl child. Get them to be interested in observing how the traffic slows and pulls up at the signals. It is important for ourselves to heed to traffic rules and the indication given by the traffic police as kids are constantly watching us.

 When kids travel by their first van to the play school or the first school bus, it is natural for all parents to be apprehensive. They may seem anxious but most school buses have responsible care takers who help children. It is better to tell the child to sit in a safe position and hold on for support especially when the sudden breaks happen. Discipline is very important while traveling and hence the more we travel with children the sooner they learn to adapt.

 It is also a way of educating them and satisfying their inquisitive nature by showing them speed and distance while traveling. Take them in all kinds of transport like trains, buses or the rickshaw. The exposure to many vehicles make them realize the probable danger. While you drive the car, it is important to let them be belted on the backseat and also advise them it is for their safety. Initially they may not like to be chained but then keep them occupied with simple toys or books.

 Pavement or footpath rules are important. Actually the best way to learn is to observe. If you show kids how people walk on the road and observe lane discipline it is easier for them to understand. Let them walk independently on the pavement and this gives them a great sense of independence. Supervise older kids while crossing lanes and most importantly do not flout rules yourselves.    

Children's Temper Tantrums

Children’s temper tantrums can be a dreaded thought for any parent. Being responsible parents you must find ways to reduce these temper tantrums as they can happen anywhere or at anytime without warning. The best way to handle this kind of situation is to be prepared. You need to be prepared with knowledge of how to cope and handle your child, and go a long way in dealing with their temper tantrums. The reason for that being you can easily predict when your child might lose his/her temper and throw a tantrum.

The first tip would be to understand the behavioral nature of your child. Some children are adjustable, while many are non cooperative and whine at the drop of a hat. The second tip would be to ensure that your child has had ample sleep.

In case your child is feeling sleepy and is throwing a tantrum inside the house or outside, it is better to put him to sleep. The next step seems funny but works. When your child is throwing a tantrum, do not react. Just take deep breaths and wait for your child to calm down. Once your child calms down explain to him/her that throwing a tantrum is wrong. Remember not to hit your child or scold them when they are throwing a tantrum. You can handle the situation pretty well the next time with these simple tips.

Is Your Child Computer Savvy?

Computers have started to play a very important role in our lives. They are wonderful educational tools. Parents should try to familiarize their children with the computer. Enrolling your kid to computer classes is one option but there are other options also that you can try at home. For instance, teaching use of word processor can be quite easy. Everyone needs to have a basic knowledge of word processor. Parents should show kids how to open and save files and delete words, and let them figure out the rest. Child can be encouraged to keep a personal diary on the computer. Give him a reason to experiment with MS Word.

Parents should encourage child to keep in touch with friends and relatives by email. We all know how important and preferred mode of communication email has become. A child will need to learn emailing sooner than later. Teach him how to send birthday cards or write a letter through email. He will also enjoy the process.

To make computer learning more interesting, introduce your child to different games. However, keep an eye on time limits. Outdoor sports are far healthier but you can introduce your kids to play mind games like Chess and Scrabble, or general games of skill like Packman. Help him to find general knowledge sites which will prove very beneficial in his studies. Bookmark few sites that offer interesting mind games and contests. Encourage him to participate in interesting games. Keep an eye on violent sports and adult sites. You can block such sites with the help of different software.

Child Safety

Parents need to ensure that their children are safe especially when they play out. Safety tips for parents when children play outside are: Do not let your child go out of the building compound without your permission. Warn your child not to play alone in isolated areas. Empty houses and construction areas should be avoided when playing.

Your child should memorize the address and the telephone number. Many children feel ashamed to say no to strangers. Make your child learn to say ‘no’. Also tell your child not to accept any kind of sweet or food material from any stranger. Teach your child traffic rules and symbols. Maintaining personal Safety at home is also an important factor. Do not talk to strangers on the phone. It is better not to encourage salesmen especially with children around. All the plugs should be beyond your child’s reach or should be kept covered. Do not allow your child to go anywhere close to the bathroom. Balcony doors should be kept shut. In case there are table fans at your house ensure that they are out of your child’s reach.

Maintaining safety is an important element in taking your child’s care. If as a parent you cannot devote extra attention to your child, then it is better to hire a caretaker. But again you have to make sure that the caretaker is genuine and credible enough. If possible hire a recommended caretaker. These are some of the safety tips that should be taken care of while upbringing your child.

How to Identify Child Learning Disability

Learning disability has been a growing problem in children, not because there is a higher incidence, but because of earlier and much more elaborate diagnosis. Earlier diagnosis and interventions can help child obtain the level of education tailored to its needs and capabilities.

Learning disability cannot be equated to mental retardation. It means that despite the child having an average IQ, he or she is unable to learn at the expected rate, compared to the children of his/her age.

Learning disability can be of various categories such as writing, reading, listening skills, mathematics, or spelling etc. Any one of these or more can be affected and they will all be termed as learning disabilities and not mental retardation. Due to the learning component involved, usually they should not be diagnosed until school age, and even then the first couple of grades are not enough to diagnose a child having a disability issue.

Usually teachers recommend the children to repeat the grade if they find them slow in math or reading, and sometimes that’s all the child needs, as he/she may need time in maturing. If the child doesn’t improve in a specific time period, the teacher may recommend a professional child psychologist. Only he is licensed to officially diagnose the child.

There are several signs that may indicate a learning disability. Child may have a problem with attention span. He may get frustrated easily. He may stare in the space with no specific reason or have problems learning new words. These symptoms may point to a learning issue, but it cannot be diagnosed by a teacher or a parent.

Based on the diagnosis, it can be decided whether the child needs to be in a mainstream school or a special education school program. Special education schools help in aiding the child to work on his learning disability and acquire education at a comfortable pace. If possible, the child may join back the mainstream schools if he/she is able to cope up with the learning disability.

Lying Problem in Children

Lying is a common problem found in children. Many kids are afflicted with this problem and parents find it difficult to accept or to deal with such issues. Lying and stealing are sensitive issues and parents should be very careful while handling these matters. Quite often, the case of lying is merely a work of child’s overactive imagination. This can not be considered as lying because most often than not, child is not able to differentiate between his imagination or a realistic dream and what has actually taken place. So what might seem like a lie can just be a case of perception and anxiety.

Parents should make sure not to brand their children as liars. It stunts their emotional development. If parents keep calling child a liar, soon he will lose his self-confidence and that will create lots of problems in his future growth. Child being a child will sometime exaggerate things but that does not mean that parents should misunderstand him. Parents should be careful in putting their child down in public or in asking kid’s friends or siblings to verify his statements. Such conditions should be totally avoided.

The fact is no child is a born liar. Child often turns liar because of high expectation or pressure from the parents. He tries to please his parents and once the first attempt goes successfully, lying becomes his second habit. Parents should not be strict or rigid in handling lying issues. That will further aggravate the problem. Talk it out with the kid, make him understand the implications of his actions and provide all the mental and emotional support. Right dosage of love, understanding and compassion will help parents in tackling the problem of lying.

How to Handle Rude Teens

Is your teenager rude and bad-mannered? If the answer is yes, parents need to pay close attention to this problem because it is not a normal behaviour for teens. Teenage is always considered as a difficult stage for both parents and teens but some teens are best friends with their parents. Occasional incidents of fight and trouble are normal but if it is taking place too frequently, parents need to find the cause and nip the problem in the bud. If your teen is rude to you, it is the duty of parents to let him/her know that, this is not an acceptable behaviour. However, parents should also ensure that they are not treating their teenagers in a negative way.

If parents fail to warn teens about their behaviour, teens will take it as granted. They will assume that their behavioural pattern is acceptable. Parents should take concrete actions. No child or parent wants to hurt each other, however, there might have been incidents that would have caused pain and hurt. The idea is to find those reasons and explain them to the child. Parents should not ignore teen’s desires again and again as that will lead to feelings of frustration in child.

It is important to check rudeness and disrespect at every step. Teenagers are quite vulnerable to the influence of peer pressure. Parents should never underestimate the peer influence. Communication is the key here. Parents should talk about all the problems faced by child and make him understand the causes and effects. Keep your cool and calm intact while interacting with your teen.