One of things I DETESTED when my kids were young was the constant wrestling . . . especially between the brothers. Oh, those boys . . . How they LOVED to wrestle!
My two wonderful sons were forever climbing on top of each other, throwing each other over coaches, around corners and on anything stationary. They would hop, run and jump their way through the house making noise that made me think I was at one of those professional wrestling events.

It made me crazy!!!

My Unsuccessful Attempts

I was forever putting myself between my young sons, pleading with them to STOP! I’d banish them to opposite chairs and tell them in no uncertain terms that “Neither one of them could MOVE without the other’s permission.” What was I thinking? How could I forget, that fighting or wrestling is the MOST cooperative activity on the planet? What came next should not have come as a surprise to me, but it did. Within minutes they would look at each other, let the other one off the hook and get right back to what they were doing before I so RUDELY interrupted them.

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Disturbing News

I recently read an article in Reader’s Digest, titled Field of Screams, in Michael Crowley’s That’s Outrageous! column. Read the article — which is about the angry and sometimes even violent behavior displayed by parents at their kids’ sporting events — and you’ll see what’s so outrageous! This article touched me in a personal and individual way, and I wonder if it will do the same to you.

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Tips on Cooperation for 0- to 5-Year-Olds

Problem: You’re beginning to wonder if you’re the maid or the parent – from morning till night you’re either picking up or cleaning up after your children!

Goal: To quit your “job” and get your kids to cooperate with you and take care of themselves – after all, when they leave home at 18 they won’t be able to take you with them!

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Understanding Behavior

Now that you know there is ONE problem in the classroom, (kids want to belong), let’s begin this month by learning how the 99% of the students who feel they don’t belong in USEFUL ways, figure out how to belong in USELESS ways.

Here are the FOUR USELESS behaviors employed by students; more importantly the FEELINGS they evoke in teachers, (as well as every other adult.)

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Dinner Out? With the Kids? Training Part 1

Problem: Your two year old won’t sit at the table, your five year old opens all the sugar packets and pours them into her mouth, your seven year old eats rice with her fingers, and your ten year old wants the $47.00 lobster and fillet mignon, a.k.a., surf and turf. In other words, going out to dinner as a family has become a nightmare!

Goal: To dine out in a kid friendly, five star restaurant or eat at your friend’s house with your entire family without incident.

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Sidestepping the Tantrum: SAY YES!

Ever look forward to a walk with the kids and end up with a bloody nose, kids who barf all over the stroller, and run away dogs! All higher education degrees aside, this stuff is tough! No one teaches you how to handle a toddler’s tantrum while in the supermarket, bathroom stall or on a walk; never mind two kids at once.

On the Walk

It started out with a “Whhaaa” from my one year old and a few whiney requests to walk from my two year old. Without thinking I react and let the two year old walk! Once you let one out, you have to be FAIR and let the other out. That pricey college degree my parents paid for did not prepare me for the mayhem that ensued! I held my one year old in my arms and attempted to push the stroller while keeping the other child on the sidewalk. You guessed it, I said fair well to the dogs. I don’t even know how the bloody nose and double barf events happened. I can tell you they closed out this momentous walk. It could have been worse . . . at least it wasn’t raining!

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Do you believe that good parents praise their children?

When your child wins a game, draws a picture or comes home with an A on her report card, what do you say? What are you thinking?

Do you take a moment to think about WHAT you want to say and WHY you want to say it? Do you ever wonder what the impact of your words will have on your child?

Are you like so many other parents who are in the habit of responding with words like “good job”, “nice work” or “I am so proud of you”; without considering how these words will impact your child’s developing self esteem and self confidence?

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3 Secrets That Will Eradicate Boredom from Your Teens Life Forever (The secrets are as close as your kitchen cupboard)

From the time our kids were tots, one of our primary jobs was to keep them entertained. Instead of inviting them into the kitchen or garage where we were working and playing, we bought them plastic kitchens and plastic workbenches.

Instead of inviting them into the real world of cooking and construction, we played with plastic hot dogs we couldn’t eat and used plastic screwdrivers that didn’t work. We played pretend with our children for hours each day. We made it our business to entertain them, lest they get bored and try to sneak into the real kitchen or workshop and make a mess (which is where they wanted to be).

When we finally did invite the kids into our sacred spaces, usually between the ages of ten and twelve, our “invitation” sounded more like a demand or an order, and less like a sincere invitation to participate in life’s interesting and rewarding activities. What could have been a fun and exciting experience, turned into a distasteful and dissatisfying experience—we waited too long to invite—we were too busy entertaining. Read More . . .

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Boredom: the state of being weary and restless through lack of interest —Websters Dictionary

We can’t believe our ears.
The kids have been out of school a month and they are already claiming, ”I’m Bored. There’s nothing to do.”
When I was growing up, I lived on a street with lots of kids. Parents were always available to sit on the sidewalk as we rode our bikes, built forts, performed plays, set up lemonade stands, played kick ball in the street and a number of other activities. I can’t imagine one of us ever considering summer as a time of boredom. Summer meant freedom. Pure and simple. Freedom to explore, create, relax, day dream and play until we were plumb tuckered out. It seems that things have changed.

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