Family

When A Child’s Emotions Spike, How Can A Parent Find Their Best Self?

With families around the world spending unprecedented amounts of time in close quarters – and under varying degrees of stress – 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 – especially in challenging moments – and yet parenting can be an opportunity for adults to strengthen their own emotional intelligence.

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COVID-19, Family

10 Ways To Keep The Kids Quiet During Conference Calls

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.

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Family

Why Children Like Repetition, And How It Helps Them Learn

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 general—especially 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 they’ve 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.

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Family

It’s ‘Potty Superhero’ To The Rescue! Share Some Toilet Training Inspiration On Your Next Caribu Video-Call

Potty training can be one of a parent’s hardest jobs! While some kids catch on quickly, others might take months. Investing the hours needed for toilet training requires patience, kindness, and encouragement. Once your family decides to practice the potty, it’s important to have some positive motivation! To help inspire your little one, take a look at two new books in the Caribu app: Potty Superhero: Get Ready For Big Boy Pants! and Potty Superhero: Get Ready For Big Girl Pants! by Mabel Forsythe.

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Camp Caribu, Family

7 Superhero Activities For Summer That You Can Enjoy With Your Family From Home

Looking for ways to keep your little ones active, engaged, and smiling this summer? Take some time to celebrate their superhero selves with homemade costumes, activities, and adventures. With most theme parks closed, festivals cancelled, and Comic-Con moving online, you can use these ideas to spark fun summer days for the superhero kids in your family. Here are seven superhero activities to try from your home.

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Family

Why Ages 2-7 Matter So Much For Brain Development

Young children need to enjoy the process of learning instead of focusing on performance. Educators and parents can emphasize the joys of trying new activities and learning something novel. We need to help children understand that mistakes are a welcome, normal part of learning. This period is also the time to establish a growth mindset—the belief that talents and abilities are developed through effort instead of being innately fixed. Educators should avoid labeling children or making universal statements about their ability. Even compliments such as “You’re so smart” are counterproductive. Instead, emphasize persistence and create safe spaces for learning. Children will learn to love learning if we show enthusiasm over the process rather than fixating on results.

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COVID-19, Family

When This Is Over, My Baby

When this is over, we’ll go to your favorite playground, my baby. We’ll stay until the sun sets and I’ll push you on your favorite swing. Or I’ll teach you how to pump your legs like you were learning before this pandemic started and I’ll watch as your face lights up with joy and excitement as you swing yourself through the air. Delighted at how high you’re flying.

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COVID-19, Family

We Can’t Let Parents And Teachers Be Pitted Against Each Other In Debate Over School Reopenings

Plans for “reopening the economy” are plowing ahead even as new cases of the coronavirus — and our national death toll — continue their steady climb upwards. More bars, restaurants, bookstores, hair salons and all kinds of undeniably non-essential businesses are opening each day. But the discussion of if and how to open in-person schools this fall remains one of the most fraught.

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COVID-19, Family

Quarantine Made Me Realize Just How Important Mom Friends Are

To be honest, it was the first time I had allowed myself to yield to the emotions bubbling beneath the surface these past few months as the world came to a screeching halt due to the coronavirus. I never cried when my daughter’s high school prom or graduation was canceled; I didn’t weep when all of our family vacation plans for the summer evaporated. I never shed a tear when I couldn’t celebrate with my 83-year-old mom on Mother’s Day for fear of making her ill. Nothing got to me—it was as if I had somehow hit the pause button on my heart, keeping it on hold from any harm. I would weather this global health crisis stoically; I wouldn’t crumble or cave or show a single sign of weakness. After all, I’m a mom—wasn’t it my job to be strong?

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