If a very close family member just died and your kids are wondering what happened and why everyone is crying, this is probably going to be one of the hardest conversations and explanations you are going to have to come up with. Parents such as yourself are usually unsure and lost as to how to approach the topic on death to their children, especially if the person who died is someone they are very close to like the father, the mother, siblings, and the like. Talking about death with small children is especially difficult since they can’t really comprehend what it means to die and never come back. In the end we all have to accept that death is a part of life that we have no control of and that we should be able to teach our children what this means.
Some people would teach death using metaphors or euphemisms to ease the pain and the worries they might have. Some would explain death as it is: unpredictable, cold, and a painful reality of the kind of life we have on Earth. But one thing is for sure and that’s making sure that children understand what death is and learning to accept it. It is the obligation therefore of parents to provide all the necessary information the child may need in order to understand what death is and why people die in the first place. Personal experience, emotions, and ideas can be used to give a clearer picture of death to the kids as these aren’t as confusing and terrifying as stating or defining what death is point blank.
But when you think about it, talking about death with small children is actually okay because they see death in all kinds of scenarios. Dead pet fishes, dead birds on the ground, and even a wilted flower are things that actually explain to children what death is. Though they don’t compare to death of an actual human being, the fact that the child sees these things only goes to show that he is aware of the existence of death. Yes it will upset them to some extent but that’s what parents are for: to give them the information they need to understand that death is a part of life.
Here are 3 helpful tips on how to explain what death is in a light and understandable manner to children:
I Sit your children down and explain to them in a calm but serious tone about what death is and that it is a part of the life we live today.
I If they have questions, don’t feel too pressured to answer them all. It is normal to feel uncomfortable knowing that we don’t have all the answers to questions about death, the best way to handle this is to share what you personally believe in.
I Explain to your children that some people believe in different things when it comes to death and that nobody is the same. They should learn to be sensitive and aware of this so that in the future, they will know how to approach others who have different beliefs about death.
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Hearing your child curse all of a sudden, and at such a young age, can send you reeling off your chair in shock and anxiety. Children pick up on their parents, friends, and what they are exposed to in their environment, and with the media and our uttering a curse word or two at home, it’s inevitable that your child would try it out by saying those words out loud as well. Do not panic though because teaching a child to wash off his potty mouth can be done through tried and tested methods. It may or may not work for you but take some time to read through these tips on how to deal with a potty mouth and apply them in your own method of dealing with your child’s new interest.
The first thing you have to remember is that children tend to follow or try things that they see or experience from other sources. What you can do to is to set an example by toning down the language even if he isn’t around. If there are cases when you’d suddenly curse in front of him, you can replace those words with rhymes, words that will catch his attention, and ignore if he did say the bad word. Children eventually forget things that are not acknowledged by the people around him, so just let it go the other way and he’ll eventually shift his attention to other things. Make sure that you don’t directly or indirectly encourage him by laughing after saying the bad word or jokingly repeat it in front of him.
With older children, it’s important that you set ground rules as early as now when it comes to swearing. You’ll need more patience with older kids since they already have an idea what these words mean and would try it out by putting it in context. You can try to intimidate them by associating swearing with a punishment such as being grounded or cutting down on their daily allowances. But don’t punish without explaining to your kids why swearing is offensive in the first place. Explain to them that the word and the attitude while saying such a word are what offend people and therefore will not be tolerated at all.
Remember also to praise and encourage good behavior and efforts in stopping the potty mouth talk. It will encourage the child to stop swearing and to associate potty mouth with punishment or a stern look from Mom or Dad. If it’s become a habit to them, offer them a reward if they are able to get through a week or two without swearing. Just don’t forget to remind them of why you are doing this and why it is important to stop swearing whether at home or at school.
If for when nothing seems to work and you noticed that your child is already showing signs of bad behavior, sit them down and talk to them. They might be going through a problem that’s causing them to express themselves through swearing, so don’t jump into conclusions and don’t seek help from people outside of the family just yet.
Tags: anxiety, bad word, curse word, parents friends, patience, potty mouth, rhymes, shock Posted in Child Care and Daycare, Parenting | No Comments »
The years when your baby was still a newborn have passed by quickly. Now you’ve got a bubbly and active toddler who is too big to fit in his old crib anymore. Once you feel that the crib has served its purpose, it’s time to teach your child how to sleep in his own bed.
Teaching your child to sleep on his own is one of the challenges you as a parent must go through. This is because you are finally at the stage in which your child is sleeping in own bed and getting used to going through the night without Mommy or Daddy around all the time. Though it can be difficult, especially if he is too attached to you, eventually you will be able to succeed in instilling in your child the kind of independence that you would want for him.
Let’s take a look at some possible ways to teaching your toddler to sleep on his own bed:
- Show your toddler that he has his own bed by taking him with you when shopping for his bedding. you’ll be needing new sheets and pillow cases now since he’s got his own bed to sleep on, so make this a time to bond with him by bringing him to the mall and letting him choose the kind of bedding that he would like to sleep on. Let your toddler pick bedding of his favorite color or cartoon character so that you can easily encourage him to use them during nighttime.
- Allow your toddler to help you make his bed so that he will understand that this is his bed, something he can call his own. Let him put on the pillow cases or help you straighten out the sheets. Make this a fun experience that he can look forward to tonight.
- After dinner and putting on his pajamas, it’s time to put him to bed. His first night should be very memorable and fun for him so that nothing will cause him to not want to sleep on his own. Spend quality time with him by helping him get settled in his bed with a stuffed animal or any of his favorite toys. You can read him a bed time story if that will make him feel comfortable.
- Always have a night light on before dimming the lights. You should set up an environment that will tell your child that it’s time for bed. Before leaving the room, don’t forget to shower your child with kisses, hugs, and wishes of good nights and sweet dreams.
- There will be times when your toddler would suddenly wake up and call out for you. Do your best to get up and be with him so that he will know that you are always there if he needs you. This habit of waking up and calling you will go on for the next couple of days, so be patient and make sure that you respond to his calls with comfort and love.
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Kids at daycare love getting together for meals and snack time, especially when they are a big group and are constantly playing and sharing everything and anything with one another. If you’re the one in charge of handling them and keeping them happy and occupied, one of the things that you are tasked to do is setting up their meals and coming up with new and interesting courses for the menu. There are a lot of books and online resources that can give you tips on how to make meals fun at a daycare or child care center and all you have to do is to look for some really good ones online, write them down or print them out, and try them out when the kids come over at the child care center.
One of the things kids enjoy is doing something that they know is being done only by grownups. Let them take part in the setting of the table in such a way that you all are setting it for adults. You got plates, sipping cups, utensils, and napkins so assign every child one of each and show them how to set the table properly. You can arrange them in such a way that an older kid is near two smaller kids so that he can help them with their own table settings while you and your partners aren’t there to help them out. Once everything is set and they’re all settled down, you can start pouring the drinks into their cups or giving them bite-size snacks that they’ll enjoy before bringing in the good stuff out.
Don’t forget to remind the kids about their table manners. For example, no one should take a bite of their meal until everyone seated and served. You can also try encouraging them for showing good behavior during meal time with a happy smile, applause, a pat on the back, and the like. Try to also get them to talk and share in the conversation as this will surely make mealtime even more fun and entertaining for them. This is because children tend to want to eat fast and finish their meals so that they can get back to playing.
If they do not like the food being served, don’t spoil them by giving them food that they like all the time. Talk to them in a nice way and let them know that there will always be times when they could like or dislike the food being served and they should be thankful for the food being given to them. You can encourage them to try new things by letting them take turns in choosing what meals to have the next day so that each child can have their favorite meals in the rotation. There are many other ways to make meals fun so don’t hesitate to try new tricks and techniques that will make their meals fun, interactive, and memorable for them.
Tags: age, behavior, eating, meals, table manners Posted in Child Care and Daycare, Providers | No Comments »
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