KIDS CORNER BLOG
Tips, Activities, and Helpful Ways to Support Elementary Kids
My heart broke the other day when I was talking to a grade 2 youngster who told me about having visitation with their mom, and she didn’t show up. It was all I could do to hold back my tears. Hearing about a parent not showing up wasn’t the first time I had heard a similar story. As much as we hear about dads not showing up for their kids, many mothers are doing the same. I want to give a shout-out to the dads who do. What do you say to a six, ten, or fourteen-year-old when a parent doesn’t show up? What is this doing to our children? What can we do as parents to minimize the long-term effects on our children who a parent rejects? We need to build their self-esteem , self-confidence and self-worth . Let them know that their mom or dad's actions are about the person they are. But how do we go about doing this? First, how does rejection affect your child?
I loved this time of year when I was a youngster because it was the start of a new school year. My mom took us shopping for back-to-school clothes and equipped us with the necessary pens and notebooks. At my school, we knew who our teacher was at the end of the previous school year. This one June, I was filled with anxiety, knowing who I was getting as a teacher come September. The kids called her Tommy-Gun-Thomas because of her loud voice and larger size. I worried that whole summer about my upcoming school year.
Bullying is a serious issue that affects your children in both online and offline spaces. As a parent, it's essential to understand bullying, why it happens, and how to help your child navigate these difficult situations. The other day, my daughter and I were talking, and she told me about an incident several months ago when my grandchild was bullied by their classmate. Then, a couple of days ago, the father of the bully said and gave threatening remarks to my grandchild when they was with their friend.
As summer winds down and the school year approaches, it's a perfect opportunity to help your kids develop a sense of responsibility. Teaching responsibility prepares children for school and fosters independence, confidence, and self-discipline —skills that will benefit them throughout their lives. Self-discipline is critical as it helps kids manage their time, resist distractions, and stay focused on their goals. It also equips them to make better decisions, handle challenges resiliently, and build strong, healthy habits. By instilling responsibility now, you're laying the foundation for your children to grow into disciplined and motivated individuals, ready to tackle academic and personal challenges confidently. When your kids consistently practice these behaviours, they start to form habits that reinforce their ability to stay disciplined, even when challenges arise or tasks become difficult . This combination of consistency and discipline builds a strong work ethic, laying the foundation for their future achievements and growth.
When I was raising my children, we didn’t have the technology available as there is nowadays. I don’t know if that is a positive or negative thing. On long trips with the kids, it was easy to run out of ideas to entertain them. A godsend would have been allowing them to watch a movie would. However, travelling long-distance with kids in a car can be an excellent opportunity to bond with your children, but keeping them entertained without relying on technology can be challenging. It was a five-hour trip for my kids to see their grandparents. So, I know what it is like to travel with them and keep them entertained. Here are three of my tried-and-true methods to keep kids of all ages engaged and happy during long and short trips.
When I was parenting my kids, I encouraged them as much as possible by praising them. I told them “what a good job they were doing,” that "they were the best,” or “they were right." It wasn’t until I started my journey into being a better parent that I realized there is a better way to praise than the words I used. Praising your children is essential, but it’s not as simple as it sounds. When done right, praise can boost a child’s self-esteem, motivate them, and reinforce positive behaviours. However, when misused, it can lead to unintended adverse effects. Let’s dive into why praising your children is essential, how to do it effectively, and what pitfalls to avoid.
Summer is upon us as I write this blog. The sun was shining this past weekend, which meant most of my kids and grandkids enjoyed time on the beach and tubing. It took me back to when my children were little ones sitting with their grandparents. I have enjoyed summer fun on the same beach for over fifty years with my grandparents, parents, kids and now my grandkids. There wasn’t the same technology back then as today, so I had to get creative with things for the kids to do to keep them entertained during the summer. Here are 15 fun yet educational summer activities that involve little to no technology and strengthen family bonds.
Reading is a passion of mine, which I got from my grandparents. I spent many summer holidays with them and observed them reading newspapers and books daily. My Grampa read the business section of the newspaper because he firmly believed in blue chip stock. My Gramma read the newspaper because she kept current on the news and then enjoyed where books would take her in her imagination.
We often fear setting boundaries and holding others accountable. However, boundaries, accountability, acceptance, and compassion are all connected. As Brené Brown says, "Compassionate people are boundaries people." In other words, to be compassionate, we must set boundaries and accept ourselves and others.
A few months ago, I read a book that completely transformed my perspective on judgment. It profoundly impacted how I think about and judge others. In this blog, I can't wait to share the powerful insights I gained and how they can help you break free from judgmental thinking. It fascinates me about how much we are quick to judge others. Why is that? When my children were all at home, I judged them a lot without trying to find out their side of the story. I just assumed they were on the wrong side of the fence, being the cause of whatever mischief they were in that day. Or judging my husband when he was late getting home from work and not telling me. Judging others is a natural human tendency. We often assess and evaluate the behaviours, choices, and appearances of those around us, forming opinions that can be either positive or negative. As parents, it's critical to understand the impact of judging others, especially our youngsters, and to learn how to foster a more accepting and supportive environment at home. In this blog, I’m delving into what judging others entails, How Judging Others Affects Our Mental and Physical Health, 7 Ways Not to Judge Others, How Not to Judge Your Youngsters, and How We Judge Others is How We Are Judged.