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Tips for Teaching Your Child to Play Nicely

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No parent is perfect, and when your child is consistently showing an inability to share, aggression towards others or other forms of bad behaviour, it can be difficult not to blame yourself or know what to do. It’s important to note that all children go through phases of bad behaviour as they grow and develop, and these are perfect opportunities to work on teaching your child how to play nicely.

Create a Chill-Out Zone

Instead of punishing your child every time they act out, which could lead to further tantrums and bad behaviour, try instead creating a ‘chill-out zone’ where they can go to cool off and collect themselves. Encourage them to think about their behaviour and what they could have done instead to improve. This helps your child to learn self-calming skills, as well as giving them the opportunity to reflect upon their behaviour.

Set a Good Example

Children see and copy everything, so if you want your child to play nicely with other kids, you’ll need to start setting a good example yourself. This isn’t to say you have to be perfect all the time, but try to make a concerted effort to display to your child how you overcome disagreements with your partner for example, or how you can stay calm even when you’re arguing. If you do mess up and end up getting angry or aggressive, remember to talk to your child about it and point out where you went wrong.

Encourage Empathy and Conversation

One of the key steps to learning how to play nicely with others is learning how to effectively communicate and empathise with them. It’s important to encourage empathy with your child, even if they are young, by asking them to consider how their actions affected other people, and asking them why the behaved the way they did. Often young children struggle to understand ‘why’ questions, so instead try using ‘what’ questions such as ‘what made you hit your brother?’

Read Books That Encourage Good Behaviour

Try reading to your child from books that encourage good behaviour, sharing, kindness and empathy. There are plenty of kids’ books geared towards encouraging nice play, such as ‘Why Should I Listen’ and ‘How To Be a Friend’. Reading these books before bedtime is a great way to calm your child down, ready them for sleep and teach them some life skills. Studies have also shown that we are more likely to remember concepts we learn before going to sleep, so making it a bedtime routine can help good behaviour to stick.

Create Some Art That Demonstrates Friendly Playing

An easy and fun way to encourage friendly productive play in your children is to incorporate it into an art session. For younger kids this might mean bringing out the finger painting kits and making a picture of them playing nicely. For slightly older kids, try using an online comic creator such as Rage Maker, to make a fun and silly comic addressing how to resolve conflict effectively.

Parenting is never easy, and we all struggle sometimes.  Searching online for a little help and guidance now and again can provide you with some tips and reassurance and will also make you realize that you are not alone.

Dealing with Your Child’s Use of Slang

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Children and young people have always delighted in creating their own languages and finding ways of communicating that their parents don’t understand. In the fifties, teenagers would say “razz my berries” knowing their folks wouldn’t have a clue it meant getting interested or excited about something and confusing your elders is still seen as an essential skill by many young people. In the modern world of constant communication and social media influence, these slang terms catch on and spread seemingly overnight, but they also come and go far more quickly too.

Why do kids like using slang?

As children grow up, they form their own social groups and networks, and being able to share a language no-one outside the group understands can make them feel a part of something special and different. Young people grow away from the dependent relationships they have as young children and are likely to go through a phase of seeing their elders as something of a hindrance interfering with their freedoms. If you can communicate with your peers without adults understanding what you’ve said, it makes you feel clever and reinforces the idea that your elders are stupid and don’t understand you. This pulling away from the parents is a normal stage of development and will usually pass as the child matures.

How can you get to grips with your kids’ language?

It can be very frustrating for parents when they don’t understand what their child is saying, and this can lead to conflict. Your child will probably be thrilled that this is winding you up, but try and stay calm and remind yourself it’s just a developmental stage. If you want to get to grips with the slang terms that are doing the rounds, a quick internet search should provide you with some definitions. You can also see what’s happening with trends in slang by going to a website like lolhit.com that analyzes the use of slang terms and catchphrases. It is a good idea to know what current slang terms mean, just in case your child is using offensive or unpleasant references, so you can step in and dissuade them from saying anything unsavory.

Joining in

There’s a temptation to want to use the same language as your kids when you’ve found out what their slang terms mean, but it’s best to resist. If your kids know you understand them, they’ll simply find or invent new ways of communicating that baffle you anew. They will not be impressed by your new-found knowledge either, and parents who start using the same slang terms as their kids are generally seen as being very uncool indeed.

Try not to worry about the slang your child is using, as there is little you can do to stop them and any efforts to do so are likely to be met with resistance. That’s not to say you shouldn’t maintain standards of communication at appropriate times, such as social occasions and family mealtimes, just don’t get too hung up on the way they speak with their friends. In general, it’s best to stop sweating the small stuff and try and stay frosty, hang loose and chillax.

Tips for Taking Great Action Shots of Your Kids

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If you love photography and would like to be able to take some great action shots of your kids to add to your photo album or hang on the walls, you’ve come to the right place. Taking photos of your kids as they are exploring the world and doing what they love can be a great keepsake and a memory you can treasure forever, in photograph form. Below are some great tips to ensure you get sharp, focused action shots of your kids rather than blurry ones.

Increase Your Shutter Speed

To get an action shot that is not blurry, you basically need to freeze motion. In order to do this effectively, you need a fast shutter speed enabled on your camera. This should be around 1/200 or above. If you are trying to take an action shot, or something that involves a lot of speed such as your child’s first football match, try adjusting your shutter speed to around 1/1000, especially if you are in natural outdoor light.

A Stabilizer is Your Best Friend

Trying to stay still when taking action shots is impossible! You may have everything else set right, but if you can’t stay in the exact same position then you may still get blurry shots. We are not made to stand still; we are not statues. A stabilizer ensures you get clean, crisp shots whether they are action shots or not. Indreviews have all the low down on the best stabilizer for your needs and price range.

Use Continuous Shooting

The best way to ensure you get the shot you want and to have a multitude of shots is to use continuous shooting. This means you can take many photos of the action, as and when it is happening. Taking them one at a time may mean you miss out on the shot you want. But remember, your camera will then have to process all these images, so the longer you use continuous shooting for, the longer your camera will need before it can begin shooting again. This also means the more shots you take the more chance one or a few of them have come out the way you want them, so you have more shots to play with this way.

Make Use of The Center Focal Point

When taking actions shots of your kids, it is best to fix the center focal point on the face to ensure they are in shot and not blurry. If you focus past your kids then chances are you will get an out of focus shot. This can be hard when they are constantly running around, and you will need the patience to get that dream shot, it takes time, but with practice, you will be taking professional-standard photos of your children in no time.

Having great action shots of your kids gives you great memories to hang on your walls and is much more fun than a standard family photo.  Also when taking pictures make sure your kids are dressed in nice fashion like uniquely printed kids t-shirts and cool sneakers. Action shots show true happiness as they aren’t posed and can be really heartwarming pictures to share with family and friends.

Here’s Why You Should Enroll Your Kids to an International School

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First thing’s first: the quality of education your kids will get is not solely based on the school’s exclusivity or cost. Parents and guardians should take the time to examine the teaching methods of the school and the programs they have so that kids can further improve their skills. Whatever the outcome of the examination, which should be the basis for choosing the school.

Today, it has become doubly imperative to make sure our children are equipped with critical thinking skills and the social understanding that enables them to see from other people’s perspectives. We want them to easily comprehend if a reading material has verified facts, if what they are saying is intersectional, and if what they are doing benefits the society. For this reason, parents have considered enrolling their children in international schools.

A brief history of international schools

According to UNESCO, it is difficult to know precisely when international schools actually originated. However, they pointed out the Maseru English Medium Preparatory Schools established in 1890 as one of the first international schools ever established. It was meant for the children of British missionaries, traders, and officials in Basutoland. In 1924, international schools expanded to Asia, also catering to English-speaking children of expatriates.

Today, international schools do not only cater to foreign, English-speaking students. They also cater to local students who want an international quality of education. One of the best international schools in Singapore is the Global Indian International School, and it is one of more than a thousand English-medium schools in Southeast Asia. The demand for more international schools is oddly coming from locals and the expatriate families.

A unique educational framework

Most international schools are champions of holistic education. It involves a curriculum that does not just give importance to academic excellence, but also on athletic prowess, merits in the arts, and community care. A school that adapts a holistic education framework aims to produce students who are not just effective movers of society but are also compassionate and sympathetic towards other people.

This framework starts with repetition and memorization. They are taught concepts and theories that move society, and they are expected to repeat the definitions discussed in class. Then, they are expected to apply what they have learnt through hands-on work and collaborative tasks. However, true learning is exhibited when they formulate their own ideas either to support or to disagree with some concepts they learnt.

Students are also given state-of-the-art equipment for sports and the arts. Instructors can guide them to further their skills and improve on their weaknesses, all while teaching them values like sportsmanship, preparedness, and discipline.

Being exposed to a multicultural environment

By its very nature, international schools provide students with a multicultural landscape. This is important, now more than ever, in teaching them the value of listening before speaking. The students they will be collaborating within the school bring with them different experiences, beliefs, and traditions. And in a multicultural environment, they are taught to appreciate those differences and develop an open mind.

Learning about diversity at a young age enables them to analyze issues through a critical, empathetic, and scholarly lens. They will be given the tools to work through challenges like language barriers and learn the differences and similarities of cultures around the globe.

Being in an international school is more than just giving our children an advantage when it comes to university or career prospects. It is about guiding their education and making sure they are equipped with the right tools and values to navigate a competitive world.

Easy Holiday Crafts for Kids

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The best way to bond with your kids when there’s a holiday is to get into craft projects together. Take some colourful pieces of paper, glue, glitter, scissors, and a box of craft embellishments, and you’re ready to create your own versions of these easy holiday crafts for kids.

New-Year Noisemakers

Want to make some noise but don’t want your kids to play with firecrackers? These noisemakers are a fun way to ring in the New Year!

Materials:

  • 2 Styrofoam cups
  • Glue
  • Glitter or metallic paper
  • Paint brush
  • Pipe cleaners
  • Scissors
  • Candies (optional)

Steps:

  1. Decorate your Styrofoam cups using some glue and glitter or metallic paper.
  2. Cut your pipe cleaners in halves, and then twirl each half using your finger. Once they’re all twirled, group them in two, and twist each group together on one end.
  3. Using your scissors, punch a hole on the bottom of each cup, and then stick the twisted end of the pipe cleaners into the hole. Bend the end so they don’t fall out.
  4. Put some candies on one cup and then carefully, without getting glue on the candies, use the paint brush to stick the two cups together.
  5. At midnight, break your noisemaker to welcome the New Year!

Easter Bunny Mask and Tail

Make Easter a little more special by creating Easter Bunny costumes for you and your kids. Here’s how.

Materials:

  • Cardboard
  • Cotton balls
  • Pink construction paper
  • Pink pompom
  • Black pipe cleaners
  • String
  • Pencil
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • Safety pin

Steps:

  1. Using a pencil, trace the shape of a bunny’s head (minus the mouth part) and tail onto the cardboard. Cut them out using the scissors, making sure that you also cut holes for the eyes. Leave a small slit on each side of the mask for the string as well.
  2. On the pink construction paper, trace the shape of the bunny’s ears. Make sure that you make it half-an-inch thinner than the cardboard cut-out.
  3. Glue the pink bunny ears on the cardboard and then cover the mask and tail with cotton balls.
  4. Decorate the mask using the pompom as the bunny’s nose and the pipe cleaners as its whiskers.
  5. Using the string for the mask and the pin for the tail, you can now wear your Easter Bunny costume.

Christmas Wreath

What’s a fun and way to decorate your kids’ bedroom doors? Create this Christmas wreath with them!

Materials:

  • Paper plate
  • Tissue paper
  • String
  • Red pompoms
  • Red ribbon
  • Paint (green, red and gold)
  • Plastic container
  • Glue
  • Scissors

Steps:

  1. In a wide plastic container, mix your green paint with some water. Dip your tissue paper into the mixture for a few seconds and then let each sheet dry.
  2. While waiting for the tissue to dry, trace a lit candle on the centre of the paper plate. Cut around it by using your scissors, making sure to leave the candle and the ribbed edge as your frame.
  3. Paint the candle using your red and gold paint.
  4. Once the sheets are dry, crumple them into balls, and stick them to the frame.
  5. Decorate your wreath with the red pompoms and ribbon. Use the string to hang it on the wall.

So, here are a few Christmas crafts to try with your kids. Which one are you making?

Brendan Wetzel’s Top Tip for Children’s Illustrations

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Children’s book are always filled with art and illustration. According to illustrators like Brendan Wetzel, this is due to the fact that it speaks more to them, particularly since they cannot read yet. Through the art of illustration, characters get personalities and emotions can shine through. They say a picture paints a thousand words, and that is true for children as well.

Brendan Wetzel on Why Children Need Illustrations

Children are notoriously impatient and they often struggle with keeping their attention on a single page for long periods of time. They prefer having a glance and making up their own mind about a story. If an author writes a children’s book, or a magazine targeted at children, therefore, they must enter into a solid partnership with their illustrator if they are to be successful. Hence, they must also know where to find good illustrators and familiarize themselves with their work.

A good artist will be able to immerse a child in their images in a way that captivates them. In the world of children’s literature, this is actually a two way street. For instance, an author could write a book and ask an artist to come up with images, and any images that are not chosen can inspire the author to write another story. Sometimes, illustrators become so skilled at what they do, that they start to write their own stories to accompany the images that they have made. These are the ones who can create true magic, using both images and words to tell stories.

There is a very big difference between the illustrations needed for medical writings, journals, articles, and regular literature. Those that are created for children are truly unique, because they enable to tell a story in a single image for those who cannot read. For adult writings, images are a point of reference, rather than the story in its own right. Good artists also understand the visual processing capabilities of young children, sticking to simple shapes and primary colors for the very young, and going more in depth as the child ages. They also use a range of different mediums, such as paper cut illustrations and acrylics, and different types of inks, such as pastels, water colors, color pencils, dark markers, oil paints, and so on. A good artist is able to adapt their personal style to the theme that they are working on, creating something that is both unique and fit for purpose.

Some children’s illustrators have become global sensations. Interestingly, many of these came from the Netherlands. For instance, the recently deceased Dick Bruna created the Nijntje (commonly known as Miffy) character, made solely from simple shapes and primary colors. Anton Piek, meanwhile, worked on the Brothers Grimm stories and his drawings were eternalized in the creation of an entire theme park with a magical forest in which children can literally immerse themselves in Piek’s drawings. While many of us remember authors, it is perhaps time that we started to remember illustrators as well.

Keeping a Close Eye on your Child’s Vision

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According to recent research, one in twenty pre-school children now wears glasses, and problems with visual acuity is a growing problem among younger people. This is down in part to poor eating habits, lack of exercise and increasing amount of time spent in front of a screen (as well as natural eye diseases and macular degeneration), and it highlights the need for parents to pay attention to their children’s vision.

But how can you do this? And what steps can you take to ensure your child’s eyes stay healthy? The first thing you can do is to ask your child if they have any problems with their vision. Often children don’t know there’s a problem (particularly if they’ve had issues from birth), or they don’t want to say anything for fear of being different from their counterparts. Ask your child regularly if they have any issues, and keep an eye out for tell-tale signs such as problems reading or difficulties at school.

Similarly, you should also ensure you get regular eye tests for your child. This is the best way of ensuring their eyes are healthy, or dealing with any problems with their vision. It may be that your child needs glasses or an operation, but it’s better to fork out for surgery or a pair of must-have Ray-Ban glasses than have them struggle through their school years with vision problems.

When it comes to keeping your children’s eyes healthy, there are several simple steps you can take:

  • Ensure a varied and healthy diet, containing fruits, vegetables and plenty of amino acids
  • Make sure you child gets regular exercise
  • Limit screen time, ideally to less than two hours per day
  • Schedule yearly eye examinations, both to ensure their visual acuity is good, but also as they can be an early indicator of other diseases
  • Ensure appropriate eye protection is worn during sports and other activities
  • Ensuring children’s eyes are protected from the sun, with 100% UV protection sunglasses being worn whenever appropriate

Of course, there are some things you simply can’t prevent – such as disease or certain injuries – but you can take steps to limit the likelihood of these things occurring, and keep your children’s eyes healthy for longer.

Increasing The Level Of Literacy In Your Child

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We all want to give our children the best that we possibly can in life, and one of the best ways of doing this is giving them the very best education that you can, and igniting a passion in your child for learning. When children are young, their brain is like a sponge absorbing masses of information on a daily basis which helps them to develop and learn to express themselves. There are lots of ways that you can ignite this passion in your child, and all you need to spend a little time with them and show them how much fun learning can be!

What You Can Do In Your Home

There are lots of different activities that you can do with your child from a young age that will help to increase their levels of literacy. Even when your baby is only a few weeks old, talking and singing to them helps them to learn to listen and focus, preparing them to get ready to speak. A good trick is to use rhymes a lot, even if they are nonsense, as it is the patterns of speech that you are showing your child which are essential. Singing nursery rhymes is also good and if you want your child to copy you then make it fun. If you start by copying your child, then they will soon begin to copy you and make a game of things. The trick to teaching is just to make it fun, the more fun the child has, the more open they will be to learning. Talk about the things around you, the objects in your house and garden, or what you can see in pictures and storybooks. Spark their imagination and sit back and watch them thrive!

Find Somewhere That Can Assist You With The Process

Another consideration to help your child develop is to introduce them into a structured daycare facility where they will not only increase their literacy levels, but they will also be learning about social interaction, and controlling, as well as expressing their feelings. There are many excellent child care centres in Sydney, many of which offer superb facilities along with a high-level of care for the children. Choose one that teaches in a way that you are happy with, and one also has a full and varied curriculum, which will see your child learning about many new things that they have never seen or heard of before. You will know you are in the right place when you find a teacher in one of the schools that has that learning bug and also can ignite it in children, making learning a thing of fun.

Every child is different and will develop at a different rate, so do not get frustrated if your child does not develop as quick as you wanted. Give them time and find out what they like to learn, and you can find a way to set their passion for learning alight.