May 22, 2013
Author says sign language can ease parent-child communication | The Town Talk | thetowntalk.com
Yep! Another believer of the power of Sign language, I need to meet this woman who lives so close to me! I often recommend sign language to my clients because it reduces frustration for parents and children early on.
This article about sign language for hearing children actually mentioned the fact that both the left brain and right brain work together when a child sees and hears something at the same time. When I was teaching elementary school, I explained to my kids that both the eyes and the ears are directly connected to the brain. When we read things aloud together we would all look at the text and “train our brain.”
You can find out more about the benefits of sign language in my interview with Dr.Linda Acredolo , Co-founder of Baby Signs, Inc. In that interview, you’ll also learn that research has proven early introduction of sign language actually improves the child’s IQ!
You should check out Mimi’s books which teach you common sign-language with a story and song on Amazon
Letting others teach your children basic skills
I never judge what a parent decides is too overwhelming for them. My own mother outsourced toilet training to my grandmother. Each of my siblings were invited to stay the night at grandma’s house when it was time to lose the diapers. It took Yiyi one day when it would take mom weeks or months.
The article, Too busy to teach your child to ride a bike? Outsource it! – TODAYMoms describes a trending business that some are calling lazy parent enabling.
I don’t claim to be the exclusive teacher of any skill, especially car driving. My nearly 19 year old daughter just can’t get the hang of it even though she went to driver’s ed.If here was a similar service for teaching children how to tie shoes…I would be paying for that one! Fortunately my children had Uncle Kyle to take over that one.
What skills do you let others teach your children?
Parents publicly spank their kids in surprising numbers: Researchers – HealthPop – CBS News
Parents publicly spank their kids in surprising numbers: Researchers – HealthPop – CBS News.
Researchers secretly watched families with children to find out what discipline looked like outside of a laboratory. The real observations they made were of discipline in a public setting, as I imagine discipline in a home setting would give very different results.
They sorted categories of discipline with good touch and bad touch. With bad touch including arm pulls and pinches.
Many parents have told me they feel embarrassed when they are in a public place and that embarrassment leads them to those bad touch situations they later feel guilty about. It is very common, but not necessary to feel this way. The strangers around you have no idea what kind of stress you or your child is under. Staring eyes may feel like judging eyes; they may be judging eyes, but you are the one in control of the situation.
Your child is still learning appropriate behavior. Take that deep breath. If you are trying to conduct business, go ahead and let the cashier roll their eyes when you tell them “just a minute” so you can attend to your child.
Remember that sometimes all your child needs, is for you to acknowledge the message she is trying to give you!
Babys DNA Constructed Before Birth-will parents decide on sex and other criteria?
It seems as though we are moving closer to the world portrayed in Gatca shown below.
While we are still amist the controversy of the value of the invasive procedure called an amniocenteses, scientists are coming within 90 percent accuracy of reconstructing a child’s DNA. While the cost of this method of discovery is still too cost prohibitive to be used main stream, it makes some pause and wonder how much information is too much?
Currently, parents can predetermine the likely hood a child will have certain ailments such as Autism. Not all women jump at the chance to have this invasive test which can cause complications. This DNA construction could show the same results and more without the risk to the pregnancy.
I smell a lot of trouble with this new technology. A mother loves a child sometimes even before she knows it exists. Will there be medical and social pressure to have a “perfect” child? What about Gatica? Will some feel so strongly about eye and hair color, physical and cognitive abilities that they will terminate pregnancies that don’t meet that criteria?
My biggest concern is for the mother. What type of pressure will she be under from the medical profession and from her family members?
The Sassy Frass
I recently read an article about the 3 hats parents need to wear when a child starts to sass. The three hats were detective, teaching, and counselor. I don’t want to go into what I disagree with this article because there is a lot of good information in it. For example, it lists things that should be done in any parent/child relationship; Mutual respect, rules, enforcement, consistency and teaching by example.
Maybe my unrest here is that I don’t think parents should have to juggle any hats. While they gave excellent advice about how to address a child who talks back in anger (acknowledge the feeling), that is not exactly a teaching moment, it is a respectful moment, allowing a child to come out of the fight part of her brain and into a more logical part.
Bottom line, when a child sasses, deal with it immediately by letting her know it is inappropriate. Acknowledge the feeling behind the sass first, whether it is playful, angry or something else. Use your gut and discover the why behind the what, but don’t assume. Keep the lines of communication open despite her best attempts to shut it down.
Your child’s rebellion is a way of asking if you still care enough to enforce the rules.
Why yawns are contagious
A friend posted this on Facebook. Your younger kids might enjoy the photos of animals yawning.
Between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day Have this discussion with your own parents
Western History/Genealogy Department, Denver Public Library
Sometimes the “joy” of parenting doesn’t seem so joyful. The joy can be lost in stressful situations when your child doesn’t cooperate but that’s not what this post is about. Maybe you already know about the additional stress that enters you life when you have an aging parent. If you don’t, you probably know someone who does.
The fact is that people are living longer. With age comes the possibility that we will need assistance with daily living activities like bathing, dressing, and eating. Today, one in every two people is likely to need this type of care in their lifetime.
If you are considering being the one who’s going to help your parents you need to keep in mind that it is exhausting. Many people who take on these responsibilities find themselves needing medical care themselves because their body wears down. Sometimes it isn’t a choice, you need to hire someone to help or your parent needs to be placed in a nursing home.
There are a couple of ways to pay for long term care:
You can borrow from friends and family.
You can use your own savings.
You can enter the medicaid program (this is not easy OR fun)
You can have long term care insurance in place.
It is no longer as easy as it once was to qualify for a long term care insurance plan. The time to discuss this type of coverage with your parents is BEFORE they need it. To find a qualified long term care agent, start with your trusted life insurance agent. If they can’t explain it to you themselves, they will know someone who can. Before you purchase anything, read through the Long-Term Care Insurance guide the agent should provide you.
Unusual Easter Egg Hunts!
I’ve been dying eggs with little ones for over 20 years (I started super young!) A few of those years are far more memorable than others:
Every year, I count the eggs we hide so we don’t leave rotten eggs in the house. One year my math was off. We discovered the culprit around Halloween when it smelled like something had died behind the couch ! That’s the year we decided the Easter Bunny only hid plastic eggs.
We often travel during this holiday and one year our travel plans made us arrive at home far after dusk. Not to worry, because the Easter Bunny left us flashlights! We all had tons of fun finding the eggs on the front lawn, at night.
The best Easter by far was the one we spent at the local shelter. We served less fortunate people meals that day.
Here’s to making your own special holiday memories this year!
Red-Shirting Kids from Kindergarten
It seems everyone has an opinion about whether or not children should be kept from Kindergarten and sent to school at age 6 rather than age 5. The press has termed this practice “red-shirting” after the term used to gain a physical advantage by waiting a year before starting college.
When a parent asks me if they should hold their child back, I ask them to get clear about a few things:
- What prompted you to consider this action?
- What do you hope to gain by keeping your child home another year?
- What would happen if you did not keep your child home?
- How will you decide if you made the right decision?
Notice I didn’t ask any questions about the child’s development, skill set or social skills. That’s because those things are not a constant. The decision to keep a child behind or send them to school is not going to make or break the child’s career. If there is frustration, certain acts can help alleviate it, but life will go on!
Brain Based Parenting-unsolicited review
If you ever wondered about the way some parents act, this book will explain it using brain research. From theory to lab animals to real life examples, you will discover they why’s and hows of “parental blockage.” There is hope for that parent that doesn’t seem to “get” the whole parenting thing. A little heavy with the scientific terms for the average parent, this is a great read for someone who really wants to understand brain development and how it affects the parent.
Check this out!
Parenting News
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- Bret Baier: Justice Department targeted James Rosen's parents as well - Daily Caller May 22, 2013Bret Baier: Justice Department targeted James Rosen's parents as wellDaily CallerOn Tuesday's “Special Report” on the Fox News Channel, host Bret Baier revealed that the intrusions into James Rosen's privacy went beyond Rosen himself and also involved his parents. Baier laid out the specifics of Rosen's situation during the panel ...and m […]
- Parents of US software engineer found dead in Singapore quit inquest, saying ... - Fox News May 22, 2013AsiaOneParents of US software engineer found dead in Singapore quit inquest, saying ...Fox NewsSINGAPORE – The parents of an American software engineer who believe their son was murdered last year in Singapore have withdrawn from the inquest, saying they have no confidence in Singapore's legal process. Shane Truman Todd's body was found ...Parents […]
- Elementary School Phone Glitch Panics Tewksbury Parents - CBS Local May 22, 2013Elementary School Phone Glitch Panics Tewksbury ParentsCBS LocalTEWKSBURY (CBS) – A Tewskbury elementary school is apologizing to parents after accidentally sending out an automated call to more than 200 families saying their kids were not in class. Wendy Gagnon says she experienced pure terror Tuesday morning ...and more » […]
- Mila Kunis' Parents Meet Ashton Kutcher in London: Picture - Us Magazine May 21, 2013Us MagazineMila Kunis' Parents Meet Ashton Kutcher in London: PictureUs MagazineIn images snapped on Saturday, May 18, the foursome were spotted taking a casual stroll through the city with Kunis' parents Mark and Elvira. Kunis, 29, wore tall black riding boots and a hood for the walk around town, and Kutcher, 35, similarly kept ...Ashton Kutcher T […]
- Joplin Survivor to Okla.: 'Be Strong' - ABC News May 21, 2013Joplin Survivor to Okla.: 'Be Strong'ABC NewsCrystal Whitley lay in a hospital bed not knowing the whereabouts of two of her three children, Shante, 10, and Trentan, 6, both of whom were torn out of her arms by the fierce tornado that demolished her Joplin, Mo., home in 2011. "She got them all in ... […]
- Teen used 'murder kit' to kill girlfriend's parents, DA says - Los Angeles Times May 21, 2013Teen used 'murder kit' to kill girlfriend's parents, DA saysLos Angeles TimesShe claimed she did not want her parents dead but did not seek help because she was afraid of her boyfriend, whom she described as abusive. A jury deliberated for about three hours before convicting her of first-degree murder for both deaths. ALSO: ...Lawyer: Teen use […]
- Babies who share bed with parents 5 times more likely to die of SIDS - Fox News May 21, 2013Raw StoryBabies who share bed with parents 5 times more likely to die of SIDSFox NewsBabies sharing beds with their parents face a five-fold risk of dying of cot death, even if their parents are not smokers, new research shows. The increased risk of death extends to babies previously thought to be at low risk because they are breastfed ...Bed-Sharing With Pa […]
- Punched and Poked by Their Pride and Joy - New York Times (blog) May 21, 2013Punched and Poked by Their Pride and JoyNew York Times (blog)In a “public service announcement” on the blog, Absolute Uncertainties, Ms. Webster called for battered parents to rise up: “Will you fight back against the 2-foot 6-inch tyrants taking over our subdivisions, or will you continue to let unsuspecting ... […]
- How to Talk to Aging Parents About Moving to Nursing Home - Fox Business May 21, 2013How to Talk to Aging Parents About Moving to Nursing HomeFox Business“Children can generally see clear warning signs when it is time for their parent to enter an assisted living home or a nursing home,” says Kevin Flynn, president of Healthcare Advocates. “The sad reality is that it often takes an adverse event to make ... […]