There are many ways parents and caregivers can help children cope with the pandemic and everything it has brought about. One of the simplest is just to ask. But those conversations can be difficult, particularly if theyâre new for your family or if your child isnât particularly talkative.
An Expert Guide To Help Build Your Child’s Resilience During COVID-19
09 Oct
Resilience is the process people go through when responding to difficult times. Everyone experiences disappointments, setbacks, failures and challenges â resilient people tend to thrive as a result of these. Each childâs experience of COVID-19 is different, as is their capacity to respond with resilience. Resilience is dynamic and will change depending on a childâs personal and environmental context. Itâs also relative â what might be a big deal for one child might be insignificant to another.
Why I Stopped Trying To Be My Kidsâ Teacher (Even Though I Am A Teacher)
06 Oct
Parents are no longer parents. They have become reading specialists, math support, school counselors, librarians and principals. They are being asked to extend themselves into new roles, and the pressure is building for everyone.
Why The Bedtime Ritual Is A Powerful Moment Of Connection With Your Kids
20 Sep
Most parents acknowledge that the quiet consistency of a bedtime routine is comforting and calming for their children, but parents rarely reflect on the effect the bedtime routine has on themselves. At least one research study suggests that regular routines buffer/decrease parenting stress, which in turn has a positive effect on children’s emotions, behavioral regulation and readiness to learn.
3 Strategies To Try When Work + Parenting Collide Under Quarantine
09 Sep
Creating space and time for both our parenting and professional roles has always been the big challenge for working parents. But nothing could have prepared us for the stress of these roles colliding under quarantine conditions. Now we aren’t just parents who work, we are balancing multiple full-time rolesâparent, employee, educator. Even if you’re fortunate enough to be able to work from home right now, the stakes have never felt higher. We aren’t just employees doing a job, we’re also shouldering the responsibility of managing entirely new ways of working and communicating with colleaguesâall under the shadow of intense fear of job loss.
Parenting Gracefully Through This Pandemic? Itâs Possible.
03 Sep
To be graceful is to move smoothly, both physically and emotionally, as well as to be gentle and kind. Parenting gracefully through this quarantine is no small feat, but I believe there are a couple of simple steps parents can take with their elementary-age kiddos.
Childrenâs Books Can Help Start A Conversation About Race. Parents Have To Continue It.
31 Aug
I began to realize that childrenâs books were a way into a conversation that our family had not been having. And it wasnât just that we werenât talking to our 3-year-old about differences in race and ethnicity. My wife and I had not been talking about it, either, at least not directly and not often, and this was despite our being a multiracial family.
When A Child’s Emotions Spike, How Can A Parent Find Their Best Self?
25 Aug
With families around the world spending unprecedented amounts of time in close quarters â and under varying degrees of stress â emotions can run high. In good times and in hard times, parents can take steps to help their children strengthen their emotional competence. Parents may not always feel up to this task â especially in challenging moments â and yet parenting can be an opportunity for adults to strengthen their own emotional intelligence.
10 Ways To Keep The Kids Quiet During Conference Calls
04 Aug
For work-from-home parents, one of the most challenging things to do is figuring out ways to keep the kids quiet during business calls, conference calls, and virtual meetings. No one said working from home would be a walk in the park, but it can sure be enjoyable even for the kids, especially when parents designate activities that allow them some quiet time and personal exploration.
Why Children Like Repetition, And How It Helps Them Learn
24 Jul
People often say that practice makes perfect. Research certainly supports this, especially in children. In fact, studies have shown that repetition can be critically important for learning in generalâespecially for memory and language learning. So while adults can easily pick up new information from a single exposure, when kids ask to watch the same movie theyâve already seen a hundred times or read the same book before bed for the 10th night in a row, it might just be their way of learning the storyline. And although it might be boring or even annoying to do the same thing over and over and over (and over and over) again, this extra practice might be just what children need to learn new things.