Social skills are integral to a child’s healthy and complete growth and development. Children need to be given ample opportunities to interact and socialize with their peers.  These skills are essential in order for children to learn how to form friendships and build healthy relationships throughout their lives. Parents play an important role in building your child’s social skills. Below are eight tips to help you enrich your little one’s social skills.

8 Tips for Building Social Skills in Kids

Encourage your child to get involved in extracurricular activities

Extracurricular activities provide excellent opportunities for kids to socialize with their peers. This is especially beneficial for children who may be shy or introverted, as these activities allow them to open up gradually as they become more comfortable around others. Activities like Scouts, drama club, or sports teams are all great choices that can help boost your child’s social skills.

Teach your child about the importance of empathy

Empathy is the ability to understand and identify with other people’s  feelings and experiences, and is an important skill that enables children to form meaningful relationships with others. You can help children develop empathy by encouraging them to think about how other people might feel in a variety of situations. Through empathy, children can learn how to express compassion and care for others.

For example, ask children to think about how they would feel if someone stole one of their belongings, and what they might do if they were in that person’s shoes.

Teach children how to initiate and maintain conversations

Engaging in conversation is a vital component of socializing with others. When we  have conversations, it helps us to get to know each other better, exchange ideas, and build relationships. As a parent, you can help your child develop this important skill by teaching them how to initiate and maintain conversations.

You can start by modeling appropriate conversation skills yourself, and then give your child plenty of opportunities to practice. Make sure to give kids feedback so you can help them learn what works and what doesn’t as they communicate with others.

Teach kids how to communicate effectively

Effective communication skills are essential in order to build healthy relationships with others. Teaching children the basics of communication, such as active listening, using respectful language, and negotiating resolutions, will go a long way in helping them enjoy positive interactions with others.

Encourage children to take on leadership roles

Kids who take on leadership roles tend to have stronger social skills than those who don’t. These experiences allow children to learn how to organize and manage tasks, work effectively with others, and communicate their ideas clearly. As parents, we can help children develop leadership skills by encouraging them to take on responsibilities at home or at school.

For example, invite your child to help out around your home with chores, lead a project team at school, or chair a meeting.

Set up playdates with other kids

Playdates are a great way for kids to socialize and have fun, and they allow children to interact with others in a relaxed and informal setting. They also help children discover and form new friendships. Consider setting up playdates with your child’s peers once or twice a week. You can also organize group activities with other kids’ parents so your little one has a chance to interact with other children and make new friends.

Plan family outings

Family outings are also great opportunities for your child to socialize with others in a safe and fun environment. When your family spends time together, it helps kids strengthen existing relationships while building trust and confidence in social settings. Plan at least one outing per month if possible, such as going out for a meal, or visiting the zoo, a museum, or park.

Take your child’s interests into account as you plan something fun.

Consider your child’s interests

If your child is passionate about a particular activity, allowing your little one to get involved is one of the best ways to enrich their social skills. For example, if children are interested in art or music, encourage them to take classes or lessons in that area. Participating in a beloved activity can help boost children’s confidence and help them feel more comfortable in their own skin. It will also allow them to meet other kids who have common interests.

Building social skills is an important part of every child’s development. When children have strong social skills, it will help them interact and communicate effectively with others, make friends, and build relationships. Follow these tips to help your child become a more confident and well-adjusted individual.

As a parent, you want to make sure your child gets the best start in education and Children Central can be your best choice. Come visit and see why families choose our center.

Would you agree that parenting can be one of the most difficult and rewarding jobs in the world? Being a new parent on this journey is no easy feat. When it comes to parenting, there is no official handbook to help you understand the “dos and don’ts.” Your new life brings with it many adjustments and changes in terms of how your household runs, your personal routine, and figuring out your own parenting style. While there’s no such thing as “perfect parenting”, below are a few helpful parenting tips for new parents to help make your transition easier.

1) Communicate with your partner regarding parenting rules.

One of the most crucial parenting tips for new parents is to communicate with your spouse or significant other, and try to be on the same page when it comes to your shared parenting goals. Having a plan in place will not only help you avoid disagreements down the road, but it will also help you avoid feeling overwhelmed with your various parenting duties.

It’s best to take time to discuss certain parenting-related topics with your partner, including your views on discipline, your child’s diet, and safety measures before these issues even present themselves. Your child’s well-being will depend on how effectively and consistently you handle situations together. Therefore, it’s important that both of you see parenting through the same lens and make plans as a team.

2) Don’t expect perfection.

It’s easy to fall into common parenting traps, such as expecting your child to follow every rule  without mistakes, being overly strict, or being too lenient. Parenting is a learning experience for you. Just as you wouldn’t expect yourself to know everything overnight, don’t expect it from your child either. It takes time for anyone to adjust to expectations. Being patient will allow you to find parenting methods that work best with your parenting style and personality.

3) Have patience.

One thing all new parents have in common is the desire for a good night’s sleep, but unfortunately, this is something over which we have no control. Keeping your expectations low will help reduce feelings of stress. It’s normal for your baby to wake up several times during the night, as sleeping through the night is a process that takes time. So try to take a breather and have patience, as this is another aspect of parenting that you can’t rush.

4) Start instilling expectations early.

When children are young, their brains are constantly developing. This means they tend to learn quickly and easily. It also means that incorporating parenting strategies, including setting expectations and enforcing discipline, should be established early on before habits become more difficult to break over time.

5) Balance parenting and self-care.

Parenting can be very draining, both physically and mentally. This is why it’s crucial that you make time to take care of yourself as well as your baby’s needs. This doesn’t mean neglecting your responsibilities, but rather carving out time when possible to de-stress, exercise, or do something you enjoy doing without feeling guilty. Addressing your needs will make parenting more rewarding in the long run. It is also beneficial to both you and your family, as well.

6) Make parenting fun.

Similarly important parenting tips for new parents are to incorporate fun and play into daily routines with your little one whenever possible. Playing with babies has many benefits, including enriching the development of their various emerging skills and language development. Be sure to set aside time to read books and play fun games with your baby each day.

7) Don’t be afraid to delegate.

Although co-parenting is meant to be a team effort when you have a partner, it’s okay to ask for help once in a while, especially when parenting duties start piling up and become overwhelming. While parenting should remain a joint venture between you and your partner, it’s also ok to share some tasks with other family members such as grandparents or babysitters. This helps to take some of the pressure off of both parents, allowing them more time to spend parenting together.

Remember that parenting is both an art and a science, so the best approach is one that involves trial and error, patience, and teamwork with your partner. Most importantly, don’t forget to enjoy the journey because, at the end of the day, it’s all about making parenting fun and worthwhile! Follow these parenting tips to help you navigate this new and exciting part of life.

Children Central believes that all children have the right to grow and learn in a warm, safe, and loving environment. If you’re looking for the best daycare for your little one, contact us for more information.

No matter how much you love your children, challenging behaviors can undoubtedly test your patience. Keep calm. You can be in control of these situations by learning positive discipline for toddlers.

You want your little one to be safe, practice good manners, and become a well-adjusted individual. We also need to remember that children don’t grow and develop important life skills overnight. It takes diligence, time, and patience for us to teach them appropriate behavior effectively. 

This post lists some practical and positive discipline examples, including effective ways to approach your child’s challenging behaviors.

Age-appropriate discipline

It’s not uncommon for toddlers to exhibit difficult behaviors. Satiating their curiosity is part of this stage of development. When something catches their eye, it is only natural for them to investigate. Since they are oblivious to dangers, the responsibility falls on the shoulders of the adults to keep them safe.

Around age two, it’s typical for toddlers to start testing how parents will respond to their actions. Reward good behavior with praise. But if they try something risky, intervention is necessary. Offer another activity to distract them.

Attention diversion

When young children are seemingly devoting all of their energy to naughty behavior, we need to redirect their attention to something else. Does your child want to tap your phone screen constantly? Perhaps you can give your little one his or her toy drum as a substitute tapping activity.

Using the redirection method will help to link this impulse to an acceptable action. Always choose a diversion of the exact nature. When done consistently, children will learn to make better choices. When the urge to tap arises, they’ll be more likely to reach for their toy drum instead of your phone.

Negative behavior prevention

You can nip your child’s misbehavior in the bud by preventing your child from embarking on negative behavior. You can promote more desirable behaviors in everyday life. 

• When all options are acceptable, allow your child to decide. This way, you are promoting independence. A good example is to present children with a menu of healthy meals for lunch and let them choose their food.
• Make rules that are simple and easy to understand. When you implement household rules, it helps children develop respect for others and good habits. It also ensures safety. Establish clear rules like, “Knock on the door before entering.”
• Keep tempting items out of reach. Children’s naturally curious natures can lead them to dangerous behaviors. Keep hazardous things such as knives, chemicals, and fragile items, and the like in cabinets that your little one can’t reach. Make your home childproof.
• Establish a routine. Young kids are more likely to misbehave when they experience sudden changes in their day or their world.

Deal with tantrums effectively

It’s normal for children to have meltdowns when they’re agitated. Even with your best efforts, some situations are inevitable as this is part of a child’s development. The key here is understanding your child.

• Determine the triggers. With their limited vocabulary, toddlers can get upset quickly because they can’t articulate what’s troubling them. They also lack the concept of which behaviors are more appropriate in private vs. public. Even when you’re outside, you can’t stop them from crying.
• Don’t spoil your child. In the real world, things don’t always happen the way we want them to. This reality is something you need to help your toddler understand. If your little one has a tantrum because he or she wants to keep watching TV when it’s time for bed, do not give in. Giving in to unreasonable requests teaches children that having tantrums will help them get their way.

Respond to disobedience

Committing mistakes is vital to learning. Mistakes are part of life, regardless of one’s age. When toddlers make a mistake, it gives you the chance to teach them an important lesson. 

• Make sure consequences are consistent. Each time your child doesn’t follow the rules, give a time-out. Enforce this rule regularly.
• Let natural consequences occur. If your child is trying something that isn’t inherently dangerous, allow the repercussions to happen. For example, if children won’t eat their food, allow them the inconvenience of getting hungry. Resist your impulse to fix every behavior. Let experience be the lesson.
• Use time-outs effectively. Ensure that your child is free from distractions or toys during time-outs. 

Discipline means guidance

Sometimes we confuse “discipline” with punishment. It’s important to recognize that that is not the case. Positive discipline for toddlers teaches essential lessons in preparing for the future. Through your actions, guidance, and support, you can teach your child how to behave appropriately. Explain the importance of following rules and adhering to your expectations. And finally, praise youngsters each time they make a good choice. 

Here at Children Central, we understand the importance of positive discipline. Contact us today for more information!

 

It’s no secret that being a parent is one of the most challenging roles in the world. Parenting is hard to do well, but it’s even harder to get it wrong. Parenting doesn’t come with a manual, and there aren’t any set guidelines for the “right” or  “wrong way” to be a parent. But if there’s one rule every parent should follow when it comes to raising happy and healthy kids, it is to make sure to establish a loving and healthy parent-child relationship.

People who experience strong and positive relationships with their parents are more likely to be happier, healthier, and be successful in work and love, according to new research by Dr. Paul Coleman of the University of South Australia’s (UniSA) School of Social Sciences. This important relationship contributes significantly to the holistic growth and development of a child.

So how can you create and strengthen a loving relationship with your child?

Tell your child “I love you” often

Our children may know that we love them, but it’s different when you make sure you say it every day. This is especially important on those difficult days when they misbehave or have trouble following rules. Instead of getting carried away by your anger, talk to your child calmly. Remind your little ones that you love them unconditionally, even when rules are broken.

Healthy relationships are founded on two things: trust and respect. If you make sure your child knows they are loved and cared for every day, you’ll create an atmosphere in which your little one is more likely to listen to what you say and make good choices.

Keep communication open

A strong relationship also depends on honest communication. Your child needs to know that it’s okay to come and talk to you about anything. Make sure your little one knows you’re always there to listen.

You can keep your communication with your kids open by making sure they feel comfortable talking to you when something is on their minds. Make time for your kids every day so that you can build a relationship based on trust. Be sure to let them know that what they have to say is important, no matter how simple or trivial it might seem. Acknowledge their feelings by giving verbal feedback such as, “Oh yeah? Tell me more…” when appropriate. Encourage them to share more by asking questions like, “So, what happened next?”

Play together

Play is vital for all children’s development and the growth of important life skills. Carve out time to play with your little one. If you only have a small chunk of time in the evening, make sure some of it is devoted to engaging in playtime with your child. Just enjoy your little one’s company and have fun together. Be sure to give your undivided attention. Let your child be in control of some things, such as choosing which movie to watch or which outfit to wear.

Show your love and affection

Aside from verbal affirmation, it’s important that your child feels your love during every stage of life. Babies thrive on physical contact and cuddling. Toddlers need plenty of hugs (and kisses, too) to feel loved. For older kids, showing your love through gestures is a wonderful way to show how much you care.

Make it a point to show your child how much you love them, even in little ways. Something as simple as a kiss on the cheek or warm embrace helps you connect with your child. Expressing your affection can go a long way.

Eat meals together

Sharing meals with your family provides an excellent venue for having conversations and bonding. Eating a meal together gives you a chance to share stories, talk about your day, and catch up. Turn off the television and put away electronic devices so you can spend quality time together at the table. Not only do meals provide an opportunity to bond, but they’re also a great time to teach your child about the importance of a healthy and balanced diet.

The most important relationship you can have with your child is the one that you build from infancy. Strengthen and nurture your parent-child relationship by following these tips!

For more tips and resources on parenting, please visit Children Central. 

 

Exhibiting positive character traits is vital when it comes to the healthy growth and development of our children. Kids who learn the importance of these virtues and develop them from an early age tend to have better success in their interpersonal relationships, both in and out of school. These children are more likely to be kinder, more compassionate, cooperative, and respectful toward others. 

As a parent, you play an important role in shaping your child’s character, and there is no better time than now to nurture these positive behaviors in your little one. Take a look at this list of positive character traits you can start teaching your little one today. 

Kindness

When it comes to important traits, kindness is one of the most important ones that an individual can possess. Kindness is about more than knowing how to say “Thank you” or “Please”. Kindness encompasses various acts of generosity, compassion, and making an effort to help others without expecting anything in return. 

Given children’s young age, putting other people’s needs above their own isn’t always something that comes naturally. So how can you teach your child how to be kind? By leading by example. When you display kindness to others, your child will learn by emulating your behavior.

Children are creatures of habit, so be sure to make kindness a part of their daily routine. Even when it’s something as simple as paying someone a compliment or sharing food with the needy, it’s important that we encourage kids to live life with kindness even in small and simple ways. 

Resilience

Even young kids can experience how overwhelming life can be at times. Just like adults, they also have their own fair share of struggles and challenges. This is where the value of resilience comes in. 

Kids who are resilient to life’s challenges are those who emerge stronger and wiser. Resilient children are able to cope with difficult situations. They can weather the storms that come their way and move forward.

While it’s natural for us as parents to try to want to shield our children from negative or challenging experiences, it’s important for them to learn how to manage life’s hurdles on their own. When kids are faced with a difficult situation, encourage them to figure out solutions instead of immediately providing it for them. This will help your child become more self-sufficient and resilient in the long run.

Honesty

It’s important for kids to learn that honesty is always valued, regardless of the situation. Encourage your child to be consistently truthful, even if it means admitting a mistake. Help children understand that lying is never the answer, even when they may have the best and noblest intentions. By being honest, it will enable children to build healthy relationships based on trust. 

You can instill the value of honesty in children by showing your appreciation each time they tell the truth, even if the truth has made you upset or angry. Praise kids’ bravery for being truthful when they could have lied or remained silent instead. Encourage openness in conversations, and be honest with your child about your own thoughts and feelings as well. Set a positive example so that your child will follow suit. 

Courage

Courage is about taking risks and having faith in oneself and one’s abilities to do something difficult. 

Children’s courage should be nurtured by modeling courageous acts with our own actions. This means we also need to do things that are hard but necessary when possible, such as listening closely when your kids need you, asking tough questions, and being there for them through thick and thin. Remember to celebrate children’s successes with them too, because this will help boost their confidence more than anything else! By providing an encouraging environment in which they feel safe enough to take chances, your child can become someone who has true grit. 

Empathy

Putting ourselves in someone else’s shoes is another character trait that doesn’t always come naturally in kids. However, you can teach your child the value of empathy by modeling what it means to empathize with others. Show your little one how to show compassion to others, including those who are different from themselves. 

Home is where the development of positive traits begins. Follow these guidelines so you can positively influence your child’s character development, and equip them with valuable lessons that will last a lifetime. 

For more tips and resources on parenting, please visit Children Central. 

 

Being a parent is a tricky role. As parents, we all want to do the best job we can, but we will inevitably make mistakes along the way at some point. Whether we inadvertently put our kids on an excessively strict schedule, or we don’t give them enough space and time for their own interests, it can be a challenge for parents to instinctively know how to handle every situation that comes our way. While there’s no such thing as a perfect parent, there are some blunders we can avoid and there are vital things we need to be aware of. The last thing we want is to let our parenting mistakes become detrimental to our children’s growth and well-being. 

There are plenty of common mistakes that most parents will make from time to time. The good news is that some of these mistakes can be avoided. In this blog post, we’ll look at six of the most common mistakes that we as parents should avoid so we can be the best possible parents for our kids.

Limiting opportunities for your child to explore

Kids are naturally curious creatures. They are constantly exploring and looking for ways to understand the world around them. As parents, it’s natural for us to feel the need to protect our children at all times. While we want to make sure our kids don’t get hurt, we shouldn’t limit their opportunities to learn or keep them from exploring the world around them. 

The best way for children to learn is by exploring their surroundings as they learn and absorb new information on their own. It’s ok to let your little one get the occasional little scrapes and bruises that come from learning new things or trying something difficult for the first time. 

Comparing your child with others

When we compare our kids with others, it can have a detrimental impact, especially when it’s an unfavorable comparison. This can cause their self-esteem to suffer and can also cause social problems that can affect them throughout their lives. Telling your little one that his or her classmate’s grades are better than those of your child will not bring about an improvement to your child’s grades. It will only make your little one feel that he or she will never be good enough and will always be inferior when it comes to academics. 

Trying to raise a perfect child

Many parents try to raise a “perfect child”. These parents are so focused on their kids being perfect that they become overbearing. Perfectionistic parents lay down excessively strict rules, push kids to behave according to unrealistic standards, and they never let their guard down for even a second. We need to remember that there’s no such thing as perfection. We are all flawed in different ways, and that’s okay. Children shouldn’t feel the need to be perfect in order to be worthy of love or to be accepted by their parents. Kids need to feel secure in their parents’ love despite their imperfections. 

Setting a negative example

Parents are the most influential adults in their children’s lives. Kids observe, learn, and imitate what they see. Therefore, be sure to practice what you preach. Your words will mean nothing if your actions don’t match what you say. For example, if your kids see you bingeing on junk food every night, telling them about the importance of eating nutritious foods will not compel them to make healthy food choices for themselves. Be sure to set an example for your kids to follow with your own actions, and practice what you preach. 

Having unrealistic expectations

Children develop at their own pace. Because their development pathways vary, parents need to match their expectations to what their kids can do. Some parents get frustrated when their children don’t develop or reach milestones exactly as expected or “on schedule”. It’s important to remember that every child develops in his or her own unique way, and should be treated accordingly. 

Not setting boundaries and limits

Rules and boundaries are essential when it comes to raising happy, confident, and well-behaved kids. They are not intended to restrict children from enjoying their childhood. Our rules and limits are intended to help our kids understand which types of behavior are acceptable and safe, and which ones are not. This will help children be better prepared for the real world. Without rules and limits, we’re setting your children up for failure, because they aren’t yet able to self-regulate their own behavior.

Parenting is not an easy task, but you can enhance your parenting skills and your relationship with your child by avoiding these common parenting mistakes.

For more tips and resources on parenting, or if you’re looking for the best child care center for your little one, feel free to visit Children Central for more information. 

 

Your child is refusing to get dressed, doesn’t want to get out of bed, or refuses to brush his or her teeth. These types of scenarios are all too familiar for many parents. In numerous homes, finding a workable school morning routine might be one of the most challenging aspects of parenting. On many days, you may find yourself scrambling to get your kids off to school on time. It’s a race against the clock with no end in sight! 

The morning routine can set the tone for the day. It’s easy to get frustrated when you’re rushing and trying to keep things as organized as possible as you get your child ready for school and get yourself ready for work. However, if you establish a morning routine with a few key things in mind, it will be much easier to start your day off in an organized manner and on a stress-free note.

Make sure everyone gets enough sleep

Having a peaceful, stress-free morning routine begins with making sure that everybody gets adequate sleep each night. Sleep is so important when it comes to our mental and physical well-being, especially when it comes to growing kids. Children need an average of ten hours of sleep each night in order to nurture healthy growth and development. Adequate sleep is also vital when it comes to our children’s behavior and attitudes. When kids get enough sleep, it becomes a lot easier for them to get out of bed each morning, thus making them more likely to cooperate.

It’s also important for parents to go to bed at a reasonable hour. Getting enough quality rest can help your mood and lead to a happier disposition the next morning. Remember that a well-rested parent is a happy parent. 

Prepare the night before

Another secret to better mornings at home is getting everything ready the night before. Mornings can be a chaotic time of the day. Preparing some items before bedtime is one way to cut down on morning stress, which will allow you more free time for other important tasks. Determine which tasks you can accomplish the night before. 

For example, perhaps you can pack your child’s school supplies in his or her backpack the night before. Consider taking out your child’s outfit and shoes for the next day. Or better yet, work with your child to plan outfits for the entire week, so he or she can easily grab each day’s outfit that morning. 

Wake up earlier than your kids

Do you wake up at the same time as your children? Maybe it’s time to make a little adjustment and wake up earlier than usual. 

Try to get up 10-15 minutes earlier than your little one, so you have more time to get a few things done uninterrupted before your child wakes up. For example, get up early so you can take a shower and prep breakfast. Once you’re done with these things, you can proceed to wake up your child and assist him or her with getting ready for school. 

Help kids get accustomed to waking up to an alarm clock

Are you in the habit of calling out to your child to wake him or her up each morning? How many times do you find yourself coming back to your sleeping child because he or she just won’t get out of bed? If this is the usual scenario in your home, try to break your family out of this habit by having your child start to use an alarm clock. Help your child learn how to wake up on time on his or her own, and without hitting the snooze button. Not only is this a good skill with which to equip your child early on, but it’s also an excellent way to help mornings go more smoothly and a little less stressful. 

Start the day on the right foot

Instead of waking up feeling grumpy and cranky, you can choose to make school mornings more cheerful. Try to start off your day by waking up in a good mood. Make sure your day is off to a good start for you and your child by beginning the day with some sweet parent-child moments. Give your child a hug, tell a joke, say “I love you”, or play some fun music to get you hyped up for the day. 

Everyone can benefit from a less stressful morning routine with their kids. Establishing a more peaceful morning routine for your family doesn’t have to be difficult or time-consuming. You can start with just a few small changes. Follow these tips to help you achieve a more peaceful and manageable school morning routine for you and your child. 

For more parenting tips, or if you’re looking for quality early childhood education for your little one, please feel free to visit Children Central. 

 

Teaching early obedience and setting boundaries is one of the most critical facets of parenting. As parents, we expect our kids to follow rules and respect our authority. Instilling obedience in young children means teaching them about respect and other important character traits. When children are respectful, it helps them understand that the parent is the adult, as it draws healthy boundaries and it promotes the good and welfare of everybody. The problem is that raising an obedient child isn’t always easy. 

In fact, what we don’t realize is that there are several ways in which we allow our children to challenge our expectations and rules. Child obedience training can certainly be tiring and frustrating at times, and it’s important that our children are not obeying our rules only because they’re scared to be punished or they’re trying to impress someone who’s watching. So, what are the effective ways to raise an obedient child?

Use a soft-spoken tone

As parents, we often find ourselves yelling or nagging our kids when they misbehave or disobey our expectations. However, this isn’t the most effective approach in order to raise a respectful child. Nothing positive will come of yelling or screaming. What you can do in order to earn respect from your child is to use a soft-spoken tone of voice. Stay calm and provide clear instructions for how you expect your child to obey.

For instance, if you want children to listen when you ask them to put their toys away, it’s helpful if they’re shown how it’s done. Hold your child’s hand and lead your little one as you place the toys inside their box, one by one. Also, don’t expect your child to get it right the first time. Following rules and expectations isn’t something that’s achieved overnight. It may require a series of follow-up steps, and that’s okay. 

Avoid repeating yourself

Following up and repeating your instructions to your child are two different things. You can follow up to ensure that your child is following your directions another time. But once you give instruction for your child to put away their toys the first time, it’s important that your directions are clear and understood. Avoid repeating your instructions for a second or third time. Otherwise, this may give your child the impression that he or she can put off your initial instructions and wait until you repeat your request before doing what you’ve asked. 

Tell them what you’d like them to do instead of what not to do

We tend to use the words “no” or “don’t” in order to keep our kids out of trouble or danger. We say, “No, don’t touch that”, or, “No, you can’t stay up too late.” While children may understand that there are things they are not allowed to do, sometimes the word “no” is not sufficient. 

Instead, try telling your child what he or she can do instead. Suggest alternate activities or behaviors instead of the things your child is not allowed to do. If you don’t want your child to stay up late watching his or her favorite cartoons, you can suggest other permissible bedtime activities instead. For example, you can invite your child to read a bedtime story or play with puzzles instead. This way, you can ensure that your child goes to bed on time, while adhering to your rules about limited screen time.

Be consistent with your rules

Child obedience training will not be effective if you’re not consistent with your rules and expectations. If you say “no” to something, be sure to stick to it consistently. If your child repeats the same misbehavior, couple disobedience with consequences instead of doing nothing. This will help ensure they follow your instructions when requested. 

Encourage your child to acknowledge your instructions

Did you know that it is still disobedience when your child delays following your instructions? Even if your child does what you requested, but does it ten minutes after you asked, this is disrespectful. Your child eventually complied with your request, that’s true. But in this case, your child has done so on his or her own terms. What’s the solution to this situation? It is suggested that you require your child to acknowledge your instructions by using statements such as, “Yes, mom,” or, “Okay mom, I’ll do it.”

Obeying your instructions and expectations doesn’t have to be difficult.  The most challenging aspect is helping children resist the temptations that cause them to disobey your wishes. Raising an obedient child may be tough but through consistent training, you can help your child build the habit of obedience. 

For more helpful resources to help you through your parenting journey, please visit Children Central.

 

Providing our kids with the best possible opportunities is one of our top priorities as parents. We strive to give our children the best, including a quality education. This is where the importance of choosing the right preschool comes in.

Selecting a quality preschool program is key to ensuring that your child’s education gets off to the right start. It’s one of the factors that will set your little one on the path to future academic success. Choosing the best preschool can be an overwhelming task when faced with a sea of options. Each choice has to be weighed carefully. So how do you know if you’re making the best decision for your child? Where does the selection process begin?

If you’re asking yourself some of these questions, don’t worry. Here’s a list of a few important tips that can help you choose the right preschool for your little one!

Determine your goals

As you start your preschool selection process, something important to consider is your goals for sending your child to preschool. What do you hope to achieve by enrolling your little one in preschool? What skills and knowledge do you wish for your child to acquire? Is it your goal to strengthen your child’s readiness for a more structured learning environment? Do you want to build a strong foundation for literacy and math skills during his or her early years? Or do you want to enrich your child’s social and emotional skills? 

By asking yourself these questions, it will be easier for you to prioritize which goals are most important in a preschool program, and find the one that best meets your goals.

Make a list of your priorities

The next step of choosing the right preschool is identifying your priorities. This is where you determine how the preschool will fit into your daily lives as a family. The items you include in your priority list may seem very basic, but they are the ones that are actually most important. 

For example, you will have to consider the location of the school. Do you need a preschool that is near your place of work, or do you prefer that it’s closer to home? What kind of scheduling flexibility do you need? Is it more convenient for your preschool to offer morning services, or will your child only attend school in the afternoon?

Ask for recommendations

Friends and family members who have preschool-aged children are an excellent resource when it comes to choosing a preschool. They can be a good source of valuable information, as they can share insights as well as experiences from their own children’s preschools. Ask for recommendations and feedback. Also, you may ask them about the key factors they’ve considered that helped them make their own preschool choices. Don’t hesitate to get specific when asking about each preschool’s program and curriculum,  reputation, teaching methods, policies, etc. 

Research

Another important step to remember doing your own research. In addition to referrals and feedback from your friends and family, you can gain additional helpful information when you do some of your own research. The internet, for instance, is an excellent resource that will help you learn more about various preschools. 

Visit each preschool’s website and try to find out more about each school’s programs and curriculum. Find out if each school’s vision and philosophy mirror the one you have for your child. Is the preschool going to be able to meet the developmental needs of your little one based on the information available online? Is it going to meet the learning goals you set for your child?

Furthermore, be mindful when it comes to highlighting any noteworthy items about a preschool. Take note of things such as red flags or negative online reviews and complaints. 

Visit each preschool

Don’t forget this crucial step before making your final decision. Take time to visit each preschool on your list to gain even more information on top of that which you’ve previously gathered. Besides learning about their curriculum, visiting a school in person gives you the opportunity to talk to the directors and staff, and ensure that the classrooms and the preschool environment are conducive to learning for your little one.

Here at Children Central, our goal is to provide every child the quality preschool education he or she deserves. Learn more about us. Visit our website, or call us for more information. 

 

The toddler stage can be both fun and challenging for most parents. During this stage of development, toddlers are starting to realize that they are separate individuals from their parents. This is the phase in which they start to exercise independence by asserting themselves, expressing their likes and dislikes, and communicating their thoughts. These are also the reasons why navigating challenging behaviors can be difficult for parents. And this is where the importance of establishing toddler rules comes in. 

Setting clear expectations and rules for your toddler is crucial for promoting and encouraging appropriate behavior with toddlers. Doing this goes beyond teaching what is right and wrong. When you establish clear expectations, it helps to set boundaries, which will make child-rearing easier and ensure your child’s safety and welfare. Putting rules in place also helps parents raise kids who have more self-control and are self-disciplined, more cooperative, and more responsible, which will help them flourish and succeed later in life. Learn how you can instill discipline in your toddler by creating rules in your home. 

Keep a realistic mindset

Managing your toddler’s behavior can be one of the most challenging phases of parenting. Very few parents are able to handle a sudden meltdown at a restaurant or toy store gracefully. When it comes to establishing rules for your toddler, it’s important to be realistic. Embrace the reality that toddlers can be unpredictable and challenging, and that’s okay. Kids between the ages of two and four years old are just beginning to learn how to identify and understand their individuality while trying to be understood. Try to appreciate each step of progress they make, no matter how big or small it may seem. 

Keep it simple

Toddlers may find it difficult to follow too many rules, especially if they’re complicated. Be sure to keep it simple and short when creating rules for your toddler. For example, instead of saying, “Don’t yell or shout when asking for food,” you can “No shouting.” Also, be sure not to overwhelm them with too many rules. They might have a hard time remembering them. 

Be consistent with your rules

Consistency is key when it comes to teaching young children how to behave appropriately. It won’t help if you impose a rule that can be broken later on. Additionally, it’s also important that all adults in the house implement the same rules for your toddler. If playing outside after dark isn’t allowed by mom, it shouldn’t be allowed by dad either. 

One of the reasons why young kids may have trouble adhering to limits and boundaries  is lack of consistency. Be sure to stay consistent in order to avoid any confusion and prevent kids from undermining your authority. 

Keep communication open

Toddlers need to understand the reasons behind why certain rules are established. This is why it’s important to maintain open communication. Take time to communicate the rules to your toddler clearly, and make sure he or she comprehends why these rules are important. Encourage your child to ask questions if something seems unclear. Remember that young children are naturally curious. They tend to seek clarity and logic in order to better understand the world around them. Don’t avoid their questions, but instead, take the time to discuss the rules with them to ensure their understanding. 

Use positive reinforcement

Positive reinforcement is known to be effective when it comes to encouraging positive behavior with kids. Instead of immediately resorting to punishment for misbehavior, try to find things that will help motivate your child to behave more appropriately in the future. Is your child willing to give up anything for a chance to ride his or her bike around the park? If so, you can use this as a reward the next time he or she behaves well during grocery shopping. Just be sure that you’re only using a rewards system to recognize positive behavior, and not as a  tool to calm your child if she or she has a tantrum. 

Provide appropriate consequences

It’s important for young children to learn and understand that negative actions will have corresponding consequences. The concept of consequences plays an important role in setting a baseline for positive and appropriate behavior. When children experience realistic consequences for their actions, it helps them learn what is expected of them in the future. Also, be sure to explain to your child why their actions have led to such consequences. This will help them understand that rules and consequences are put in place for their own good and welfare. 

Creating  consistent rules and expectations for your toddler is crucial when it comes to instilling positive discipline and teaching young kids how to behave appropriately. You can raise cooperative and self-disciplined toddlers with these tips!

For more parenting tips and resources, please visit Children Central.