Planning Spring Play, Raising Lifetime Leaders
When the sun is out, the air is warm, and the birds are chirping, it’s time to beat those winter blues with outside play! While it is true that free play encourages imagination, allowing kids to “be bored” will unleash their creativity. There’s still lots to be said about helping children plan for play. As parents, modeling our thought process and questioning skills will help our children be decisive decision makers, become strategic planners, and develop leaderships skills. Consider the following scenario:
Phase 1 – Invite your child to be a decisive decision maker.
Child: Mommy, Daddy, can we play outside?
Parent: Sure, what would you like to do? Would you like me to help you think of ideas?
At this point, your child may very well say “No, thank you” to your offer of help. Imagine how empowered your child will feel because you gave him permission to say “No.” This is a very powerful step, as it communicates to your child that you trust him to be decisive in his decisions. He will continue to the next phase with a definitive idea for play all ready to go! [Read more…]
Amy and Joe are madly in love with their baby daughter. They are full of dreams and aspirations for their daughter who they plan to raise in a traditional, two parent household. Joe is a 5th generation Californian with ancestors from Ireland and Germany. Amy is a third generation Japanese-American. Amy and Joe want their little girl to appreciate both of their cultures. Raising their daughter to enjoy a rich cross-cultural heritage can be enhanced when considering the following: 
Recently, I read an article about the increased level of student anxiety arising in our schools. National research indicates that one-third of teenagers will experience an anxiety disorder. It is expected that 8 percent of students will be seriously impaired due to anxiety. These results indicate an increase from prior decades.
Parents ensure that their children get enough sleep, make healthy food choices, and are ready to learn. Parents must also consider what they need to do for themselves for self-care. We are our children’s first and primary teachers. We should model the healthy lifestyle that we want our children to follow.