What parenting style are you using?
They say the parents are the first teachers, and if kids have been known to have different learning styles, ever wondered what type of parenting style you are implementing on your children?
I’ve stumbled upon several articles that describe different parenting styles and how this can impact you and your children.
Read on.
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Parenting Style: The Impact On You And Your Children
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In his book ‘How to Survive Family Life’ Oliver James describes four parenting styles and the impact they have on children.
Avoidant: unconsciously we consider our mother to be rejecting, controlling and negative. Mothers of avoidant children are observed to communicate with their children about their own emotions and difficulties, rather than commenting on their child’s acts, sounds or emotions. They are controlling and intrusive, ensuring their child focuses on the things they want rather than the things the child wants, and are adverse to cuddling. This rejecting pattern of care causes the child to grow up expecting rejection – so they always reject first. They are fiercely independent, assuming other people will be hostile and rejecting, and don’t want to settle down and have children. Avoidant children who do marry are more likely to divorce. Avoidant adults work long hours, preferring work to love, but are critical of co-workers because they are less committed to work than they are. Generally avoidant children grow up feeling very unhappy on the inside, but they dare not show it.
Read more from this article here
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Parenting Styles – Permissive, Authoritarian, Authoritative
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Parenting styles are usually permissive, authoritarian or authoritative, with the way one was parented having an impact on the choice of parenting style.
Publish Date: 07/06/2010 16:51
http://parentingmethods.suite101.com/article.cfm/parenting-styles—permissive-authoritarian-authoritative
How to feed your toddler a healthy meal
With all the junk food available and the so-called “healthy” junk food, it is rather tempting to give in to the request of your kid, just to make him eat. I found this good video on youtube.com that might help you out a bit. Learn how having the right environment setting can be as important as well. If you have other tips you would like to add, feel free to comment.
Feeding Babies & Children : How to Feed a Toddler Healthy Meals
In order to feed a toddler healthy meals, it’s important to set a good environment. Feed a toddler healthy meals with tips from the owner of a parenting store in this free video on kids’ diets. Expert: Erin Sheppard
Unlock the key to feeding your kid right without bursting your wallets
It’s that time of the year again! Time to hit the grocery aisles, checking out the latest packed baons that the kids will enjoy during their 7 hour day at school. And deep down, mommies are praying that these snacks are truly fortified with vitamins, calcium and all the other nutrients their children need to grow properly! Be it physically or mentally! And what’s more fun??? It’s trying to find the right price to fit the ever tightening budget!
Nutritionist Rebecca Lwin shares the same burden as all parents do: how to feed our children the right food (meaning healthy!), without bursting the wallets! Join her on Saturday, June 19th, for a morning of information on nutrition, proper eating habits and a full array of recipes that are easy to prepare, yummy, and healthy for your children!
From 10:00 in the morning, to 12:00, Rebecca will teach mom’s like you and me how to prepare these snacks that will keep our children asking for more! For only P500.00, you’ll get a whole morning of learning, demos & recipes that are easy to follow!!
If you are interested to reserve a spot for this great event, please contact the organizers at the following numbers:
Creative Kids:
0915.949.9858
509.8912
Back to school : Back to good sleeping habits
Summer was fun… all play, tv, out of town trips, swimming… but now it’s over and time to get back to reality.
School starts on June 7 (well for my preschooler that is) and luigi’s class starts at 8:30 am. During summer he can stay up late… sometimes even as late as 11pm. How on Earth will he be able to be ready for school at 8:30 am???
For me it’s a challenge to change his pattern/sleeping habit, since I only have a few days to go… but for the other moms who still have at least a week or two…
Here’s a small list of things you can do to help your child get back the good sleeping habits he/she lost during summer:
1. Talk to your child that things will be changing.
Sit down and explain to your child about the fact that your routines are going to be changing and that you’re going to help each other in the family so that all of you will have better sleep. Inject the discussion throughout the week with gentle reminders.
2. Set a schedule for bed time and wake up time… and stick to it!
Regular bedtimes and wake-up times help your child organize his expectations of what is supposed to happen at certain times. Regularity helps them understand when they are supposed to be asleep in bed and when it’s all right for them to jump and play around with their siblings.
3. If he has older siblings… make sure you have them on your side 
For the younger ones, falling asleep is easy but with the bigger siblings around they tend to get excited. So if “kuya or ate” is in on your plan, then they can help motivate or remind the little one of the schedule. (this can include your partner as well)
4. Get an alarm clock.
Having an alarm clock with soft music… and not a shocking one will help the child ease into the habit of waking up at a certain time without being startled.
5. Around 30 minutes before bedtime, try to calm the child down with some quiet time. This is best spent, reading a book, or going through old photo albums. This will settle their excitement from all the playing (TIP: please keep the TV off). If you can, put some soft relaxing music. Sometimes, what I do is, I ask my child to sing to me the songs he learned from school… it calms him down and makes him more sleepy.
As for me…I have 2 nights left to help him out of the bad sleeping habits… wish me luck, this can be a rough first week of school for me and luigi.
Talk to you soon.
Mommy J
A Deeper Look in a Montessori Set-up
If you have not seen the first part click here.
Preschool education is important in the education system. It is the foundation of what your child would be in the future. To have a good foundation you need to have the right information in one of the best choices there is in providing education for your child.
Montessori education is not quite popular in the Philippines, but once you take a deeper look in this kind of education, you are going to really enroll your child in such.
Critical age of learning
Typically, Montessori schooling starts between 2 up to 6 years old. This is a critical age because children are exploring and learning the things around them. This is also the age when a child develops certain characteristics that is vital once they grow up – confidence and discipline. But there are those who use this method to 6-12 year olds.
Repetition is the key
Because of the natural way of learning (read more about this on part 1) children are not prohibited to do things that they like. It may seem that they are just playing but the truth is that they are learning in their own phase. Repetition, in a Montessori system is encouraged because there are things that we may not see that the child sees differently whenever he does a material. Nobody is discouraged to do such, as always, encouragement is the keyword in a Montessori.
Dr. Montessori noted that children want to do things their way that sometimes adults don’t understand and tries to answer it through their (the adults) way.
Space Matters
In this set-up, space plays a very big part. Each child is allotted with 3 square meters, for a child needs his own space to explore his environment, the reason why classrooms are spacious. Even though there is a bigger space, children are limited to only a maximum of 24 per class.
They must adhere to the 1:12 ratio of directress to children. In a room, there are two directresses, one roaming teacher that helps whenever a directress is absent and a class aid who assists children during snacks or whenever they want to go to the toilet.
So there are 3 permanent personnel per room and one roaming teacher to help.
In his own pace
Learning is not imposed in the child, as the original idea of the system, children learn in his own pace through his environment. The natural way of learning seems that a child is left alone. Spoon feeding or giving him everything he needs is not evident in this set-up. The Montessori school believes that children can reach their full potential when they are left on their own, in a way.
Enhancing a child’s potential is also another factor in this type of set-up. Instead of pushing, again they encourage a child when they see something special to him. They believe that when a child discovers his own talent, the more he would like to exhibit it. Confidence boosting is done regularly. They want the child to be confident in his talent and in himself as well.
Suited to…
Montessori is not only for those who have special needs; it is also well suited for those who have potential and even those who are ordinary kids. You can never conclude that a child is not suited in this kind of system as this depends on the child’s personality too.
So have you decided to enroll your preschooler in a Montessori? Well, you still have time before the next school year starts, so ponder on these things and make a decision.
* Information provided by Ms. Lennie S. MIlitante, Head Directress/Principal of Holistic Education Montessori Center
* Photos courtesy of HE Montessori
Traditional School vs. Montessori Set-up
As parents, we always want to give the best of everything that we could posssibly provide to our children. Your child is ready to go to school and you can see the interest in him. He always asks you when he will go to school, even has his own bag.
You also know that he has potential in him waiting to be developed and enhanced. Here in the Philippines, most of us were schooled using the traditional method and setting. But there are things that you don’t want for your child that possibly he might experience once he is also enrolled in such set-up.
Don’t lose hope; there is a set-up where your child can develop his full potential.
The Montessori system has been around for many years. It was developed by Dr. Maria Montessori during the early 19800’s. We have this notion that this type of school are only for those who are specially gifted or those who have special needs. Well, basically, this system was originally intended for kids with special needs. But since it became effective to them, Dr. Montessori decided that it can be also be applied to normal kids as a means of educating them.
This system calls for the natural learning of a child, wherein nobody is pushed or forced to do something he does not have any interest in. This may sound weird but actually children have the tendency to learn more when they are doing it naturally. They learn in their own phasepace. Learning through their environment is one of the top most priorities of the Montessori.
Unlike in a traditional school where children are taught to do a specific task, in a Montessori children are only guided by a directress on how to perform a certain material. A teacher is called a directress because its main role is to direct and guide a child. Children are only shown how to do a material and then left on their own.
Variation of “tasks” is also another thing that sets a Montessori from a traditional school, because there are no constant time when to do or perform a “task”. Children are free to choose the material they want only guided by the directress. Sometimes a child may repeat a certain material but he is not prohibited to do so. There is something in repetition that helps a child to learn and have the sense of accomplishment once he finished it.
Discipline and confidence are the other things that a Montessori type of education boosts in a child. In this kind of set-up, children who are seen to have talents are encouraged and not forced to perform in programs. Actually, daily boosting of self confidence is done in this set-up. Those who have talents are encouraged as compared to the traditional that the teachers choose who are going to perform. They want children to have confidence in them and not insecurities.
Books, grades, quizzes and tests are part of a traditional school which is often dreaded by children but in a Montessori these are not evident, instead they have materials, and progress reports to make up for those. There are no reward systems too, because they do not want to instill in a child that studying or learning means rewards for them. The grading system is not numerical, instead they are graded like this: excellent, satisfactory and needs encouragement. Though it may seem like a grade, there is no comparison in terms of numbers with what they get in a certain area.
For the next issue we’ll dig deeper on the world of the Montessori system. So those who are interested in enrolling their children in such environment, stay tuned for the next.
To get a deeper look on the Montessori setup click here.
Classic Easter at Whitespace
Heartwarming Traditions and Wholesome Fun!
In our hectic days of juggling between work and home, we sometimes forget the essence of family time. Take a breather during the holiday weekend and bring your whole family to a classic Easter fair.
On Sunday, April 4, 9:00am-2:00pm, take part in The Big Easter Egg Hunt at Whitespace. Located at 2314 Chino Roces Avenue Extension (formerly Pasong Tamo Extension) in Makati, Whitespace will transform into a captivating Easter wonderland replete with a delightful Easter Brunch by Cibo d’M, an interactive storytelling musicale “Stories from a Suitcase” by Clowning Around, and not one but two Amazing Easter Egg Hunts.
Kids will take part in Egg-and-Spoon Races and vie for the treasure chest of gold chocolate coins in the Egg Painting Competition. At Enchanted Kingdom’s Easter Playground, everyone can snuggle up with the lovable Wizard and Princess Victoria. More fascinating activities and photo opportunities await kids at Jollibee’s interactive Jollitown.
Daddies who wish to take it easy will cozy up with doughnuts and coffee at the Krispy Kreme Lounge, while Mommies will delight with their fabulous finds at the Kiddie Bazaar Lane. There will be loads of goodies to please every type of foody. And for the dynamic guests, there will be awesome Mini Coopers to test drive. Even dog-lovers will enjoy chilling-out with their pets at the Urban Doggies’ Spa and Lounge.
Kids will surely head home with plump goody bags and heaps of memorable experiences. The Big Easter Egg Hunt is presented by Whitespace and GBA Events Asia in partnership with Enchanted Kingdom, Jollibee Foods Corporation, Mini Philippines, and Cibo d’M Signature Caterer for the benefit of the Sa Aklat Sisikat Foundation.
Tickets now on sale at PhP 350.00 / kid inclusive of egg hunt, goody bag, treat and raffle, and PhP 200 / adult inclusive of raffle at Whitespace and GBA Events Asia: Penthouse Unit 7 Manila Bank Building 6772 Ayala Avenue Makati City. Call 556 0774, 556 0533, 0920 211 3878 for free ticket deliveries within Makati City.
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If you’d like more information about this topic, please contact Ms Kassy Pajarillo,
Event Coordinator, at 556 0774, 556 0533, 0915 316 2252, mktpajarillo@gbaeventsasia.com
How to Raise a Happy Preschooler
They say that when you have a happy childhood you would probably have a happy adult life, true? Yes, very much. But how can we make our toddlers happy?Is it by giving them gifts every now and then, taking them to places they want to go, or by following everything that they want and like?
Among the answers, none of them will help you to give your child a happy childhood. It’s more on the psychology side than the easy side of things.
The following tips were gathered from different sources to help you ensure that your toddlers will have a happy childhood. It might sound quite tricky but it is a sure bet that your child will have the happiest years of his life.
- Let them release their emotions. Children are sensitive much more sensitive than adults. So when you see that your child is angry, depressed or happy let him release it. Bottled feelings and emotions are not very good because they might explode in one point in time.
- Be a role model. Always have this in mind. Children imitate the things adult do. So when you are angry, sad, depressed or happy show it to them. This way they’ll know that these emotions are just natural. But be careful on doing this, when you are angry tell them why and say to them that it will eventually pass and everything will be alright. Let them see that there is always a positive side on things.
- Don’t praise them ever so often. Saying praises is a good thing but don’t praise every single thing that your child does. Like when he draws a nice picture don’t say “oh, you’re going to be a famous painter” or when he had a good grade “you’re the next summa cum laude”. What if he doesn’t become such? Children are great absorbers and most of the time when you praise them often they become accustomed to it and thinks that he needs to be this always so that he’ll be praised and love. Praise the effort and not the outcome to avoid making your child insecure of himself.
- Don’t solve the problem for them. Too good parents are guilty of this. Because they don’t want the child to suffer with the problem, they solve the problem themselves without them knowing that they are making their child dependent on someone when something goes wrong. When you make them solve their own problems they will have a taste of the reality of life.
- Accept your child for who they are. Just like us, children want to be accepted for who they are. If you see that your child is the shy type, don’t push him to do things he is not willing to do, instead have a heart to heart talk with them to see what’s bothering them. They may not know it but it will help them release the bad feelings they have. Whoever your child is, accept them; first and foremost you are the first person who needs to accept him for who really he is.
- Let them experience their childhood. Let them be a child. A child that does everything according to his phase. Let him play and experience the world he lives in. Don’t make everything child friendly, this may sound weird but when you do this often, your child would believe that this world just gives good things and not the bad ones. Give them the right to experience everything in the world. Just be their guide and not the fairy godmother.
- Read to your child. Picture books are great because you can even play a game of pointing and naming objects.
- Use simple language. When you talk to them, use simple language that they can understand. Don’t use unfamiliar words to them.
- Ask a lot of questions. When you are talking to him, ask a lot of questions so that he will be encouraged to talk. This way, he won’t be shy to be talkative.
- Narrate out loud the things you are doing. This will familiarize them with the things around. And saying it out loud will make them feel fine that talking is good.
- Respond positively. When your child start talking or does talk, respond in a positive manner, not in a sarcastic way. Encourage him that he did great.
- Repeat and expand. When your child said a single word or a very short phrase, repeat it and expand it to a longer sentence. This will help him to say more words and talk more.
- Be patient. Don’t ever give up on him. Forgive him if he commits some errors in his speech. Don’t rush him, give him time. Speech delay cannot be cured overnight.
- Don’t force him to talk. He is still a child. Don’t punish him when he just points out on things instead of saying it. When he points for something, like milk say “Do you want milk?” and then give it to him. When you force him to talk or persistently tell him to use words, he’ll just end up stressed and frustrated.
- Teach them the basic: DUCK, COVER and HOLD. These are the basic things that your kids need to know. To bow low, to take cover and stay still. They say that going under the table or a doorway is the safest places to be. But according to research, those materials that creates a void because chance of survival is far bigger. Furniture like the sofa and bed creates a void that will be safer for you and your kids.
- Inside your house, tell them where the safest room would be when an earthquake occurs. They need to know this so that they will not panic when such an event happens.
- Make sure that your toddlers have your updated basic information (name, address, mobile number, and work phone numbers). This will help especially when an earthquake occurs and you are at work and your children are at home or in school. You never know when a calamity will occur so see to it that your children always have this with them.
- Children must not turn off gas valves but teach them what gas smell likes. Children should not be the one to turn off any valves but teaching them what gas smell like will help you because they can tell if there are any gas leaks. Gas leaks are possible especially during an earthquake and very dangerous.
- Have your children prepare his emergency kit. Kits like this are not only for earthquake but for other calamities as well. Include water, non-perishable foods, first aid kit, a special toy (to distract them from the tragedy), a family photograph (for quick identification when they got separated from you) and a note from you.
Making your child happy is not by just providing him with the things he want to have. Because most of the time, those children who have everything that they wanted grow to be the unsatisfied ones. Let your child experience the realities of the world and you being just their guide and not the answer to everything. Let them have the experiences that they could think and laugh at when they grow up and reminisce things. Happiness is not measured with material things.
Speech Delay – What To Do?
The moment you knew that you were going to have a baby, you jumped for joy. When they were born, you can’t wait to cuddle them. And now that they are growing, you want to hear their first word; would it be mama or dada? But what if your child talks later than the child of his age? What would you do?
Let us first differentiate what is speech and language. Speech is the verbal expression of language while language is much broader and concerns expressing and receiving information in a meaningful way or how you are understood and understanding.
Usually, children show the first sign of speech as early as 3 to 6 months of age. They are imitating sound at this age. And usually they can babble few words like mama and dada at around 6 to 12 months. Between 1 to 2 years they can already speak words clearly. But there are children who seem to be late in this development.
As parents, we usually say to ourselves that he just needs a little more time and he’ll be able to do it. But when you see him together with other children of his age already speaking, you become somewhat sorry and insecure for your child. What are you going to do when you are caught in this situation? You need to have your child checked to find out what is wrong or you can do these tips to help your child.
These are just some tips on how you can amend speech delay in your child. If you have done everything and your child isn’t still “talkative”, now is the time to take him to an audiologist to know whether he is suffering from any hearing problems. There are many reputable audiologists and ear diagnostic clinics in the country. Early detection and treatment will help your child to be able to communicate with you and to the whole world.
How to Make Your Kids Ready for Earthquakes
Last January 12, 2010 Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world experienced a very traumatic tragedy. A magnitude 7.0 earthquake crushed the city of Port-au-Prince almost into ashes.
With a natural calamity like this, no one is safe – young and adult, rich and poor. Calamities seem to act as an equalizer to all. With this recent calamity, we as parents must teach our children especially the young ones what to do when Mother Nature makes such tragedy.
Before, during and after an earthquake these are the things that your toddlers must know in order to protect themselves.
These are only the basic things that you must teach your children whenever a calamity like earthquake happens. Our country (Philippines) is more typhoon prone than earthquake but we still need to be prepared in whatever calamities may fall upon us.
Another thing, prayers helps in this time of tragedy, so pray a lot!
For more information regarding earthquakes call the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) at 426-1468 to 79 or fax them at 927-4524/926-2611
