Make Your Kid A Genius!
How to Awaken Your Child's Innate Intelligence
| August 2002 |
Issue
#8
|
Irene Helen Zundel, Editor, artwhiz@greenepa.net
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IN THIS ISSUE
SPECIAL BACK TO SCHOOL ISSUE
Preparing your Toddler for Preschool
Is your Child Kindergarten Ready?
Helping your Child Cope with Teasing
Preparing your Toddler for Preschool
by Irene Helen Zundel
While preschool is generally a new and exciting experience for children, it can sometimes create anxiety. The environment and daily routines will differ from home, and there will be many kinds of children to get along with.
Here are a few things you can practice at home to help your toddler have a smoother transition from home to school:
Teach cooperative effort. Have your child share a daily chore with you. (I'll put the plates on the table, you put the silverware.)
Share simple chores. Teach your child to put away a toy or book after using it, or have them take out some trash.
Play the name game. While your child won't be able to read, teach them to recognize their own name in written form. At school they will likely have a cubby hole with their name on it to store objects, or will have their belongings labeled. Make name tag's at home and use them on your child's bedroom door and personal belongings. Write their name on artwork you put on the refrigerator door. Get a T-shirt or backpack with their name on it.
Give directions for your child to follow. Make a game out of it. For example, tell your child, "pick up that book, hop on one foot, and put it on your shelf." It will help them learn to follow directions given by the teacher at school.
Let your child make simple decisions, so they will be able to do the same in preschool. Give them choices like "Do you want an apple or orange?" or "Shall we put on your shoes first, or your hat?"
Provide a little structure to their day. Teach them that some activities occur in a certain order. "First we have lunch, then we take a nap. Bath, then story, then bedtime." It will help them adjust to the scheduled routines of school.
Accelerate opportunities to socialize. Organize a few play dates before your child begins school. Let your toddler play in small groups of children. It will help them adapt to one on one and group interactions in a school setting.
Practice preschool routines. If your child will be having nap time, let them practice unfolding and folding their sleeping mat. If they will be bringing a lunch, buy a fun lunchbox, and teach them how to pack and unpack it, use the thermos, and what to do with leftovers and trash. In colder weather, teach them how to get in and out of their coats and boots, and how to hang up jackets and scarves.
Get them used to carrying a book bag or backpack. Give them practice in packing and unpacking it and remembering to bring routine items.
Talk about going to school in a positive manner. Be a cheerleader and encourage your toddler to go to school and have a great time. Be enthusiastic about the things you buy for school supplies. It will boost your child's confidence about tackling their new environment.
Is your Child Kindergarten Ready?
by Irene Helen Zundel
The first day of kindergarten. It is usually an exciting time for children and their parents, a happy milestone in the development of a son or daughter. Sometimes, however, it can be a time of anxiety for parents. They wonder if their child is capable of handling the demands of school. Are they ready to learn the beginning skills of reading, writing, and arithmetic? Will they get along with other children?
Here are some simple guidelines to help you evaluate if your child is ready physically, intellectually, and socially to start school:
Physical abilities:
Can dress with little assistance
Able to catch a bounced ball, and throw a ball overhead
Uses a knife and fork well
Able to use scissors and cut on a straight line
Goes down steps easily without using a handrail
Can skip well and run on tiptoe
Able to balance one foot and then the other for five to ten seconds Rides a tricycle skillfully, may express interest in having a bike with training wheels
Can run, tumble, gallop and dance
May be able to tie their own shoes
Intellectual abilities:
Understands about 13,000 words and can make sentences using five to eight words
Able to memorize and repeat name, address and phone number
Knows the basic colors
Understands that stories have a beginning, middle and end, can tell a story of their own, and can remember stories they like
Counts up to ten
Can recognize some letters of the alphabet and a few numbers
Recognizes categories of objects
Can use comparative words such as big, bigger, biggest and can place objects in order
Likes to trace and copy letters
Can draw simple pictures of people, objects, and animals
Social Skills:
Can play well in small groups
Can understand that games have rules
Able to complete small chores
Begins to understand the feelings of others
Is developing a sense of humor, and is able to enjoy jokes, riddles and silly songs
Has a beginning understanding of words like right and wrong, good and bad, and knows what adults approve or disapprove of
Enjoys "taking care of" and playing with younger children
Can pretend and engage in dramatic play
Able to play without constant supervision
Shares and takes turns
To learn more about child development and kindergarten readiness, look for the following books and software, and visit these recommended websites:
Helpful resources:
What Your Kindergartner Needs to Know : Preparing Your Child for a Lifetime of Learning
(Core Knowledge Series)
E.D. Hirsch, Editor, Delta Books, 1997
Ready for Kindergarten: An Award Winning Teacher's Plan to Prepare Your Child for School
Sharon Wilkins, Zondervan Publishing,1996
Jump Start Kindergarten Deluxe
2 CD-Rom Software set
Published by JumpStart Software
Websites:
Chateau Meddybumps
KinderStart
ParentPals
Helping your Child Cope with Teasing
by Irene Helen Zundel
Teasing and bullying are an all too common part of childhood. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, it is the biggest school problem for kids ages 8-15, surpassing even alcohol, drugs, racism, and pre-marital sex.
Having to endure these hurtful behaviors can make children anxious and fearful, and interfere with learning and socialization. If ignored, prolonged victimization can leave a child psychologically scarred.
What exactly is teasing and bullying? How can children cope if they are being victimized?
Teasing is:
Using name calling, put-downs, ridicule and annoying actions to the degree that the person being teased feels sad, angry, upset, or helpless.
Tormenting and harassing are a hostile form of teasing, and may later escalate to bullying.
Bullying is frequent, intentional and prolonged verbal taunting, name-calling, threats, stealing, and acts of physical aggression.
Children are generally teased in ten areas:
appearance, behavior, family circumstances, feelings, friends, identity (race, religion, culture or gender), names, opinions, physical and mental abilities, and possessions.
Here are ten strategies you can teach your child that really help:
1. SELF-TALK
Don't react with anger or tears. Mentally assure yourself you can handle it. Recall something good or special about yourself, or an accomplishment that you feel proud of. Remember that your opinion of yourself is what is important, not the opinion of the teaser.
2. IGNORING IT
Make no eye contact or verbal response. Act as though the teaser is invisible. If possible, walk away.
3. SENDING AN "I" MESSAGE
Make eye contact, speak clearly and politely. Say "I don't like when you call me four-eyes and make fun of my glasses. Please stop it." (This works best in situations when an adult is present and can lend support. Using this strategy on the playground may cause more teasing.)
4. VISUALIZING
Create a mental picture that the words are "bouncing off" you without causing any harm, or that you are protected by an invisible shield. See the hurtful comments as disappearing into thin air, or create any other image that helps you feel unaffected by the teasing.
5. REFRAMING THE COMMENT
Treat the remark as something positive. Say, "Thanks for noticing my new glasses." Or "Thanks for your opinion."
6. AGREEING
Admit that what they are saying is right, in a manner that shows you are unaffected. "You're right. I don't see that well. But the glasses really do help."
7. SAYING "SO?"
It sends the message of "so what?" or "who cares?" Acting like what a teaser says just doesn't matter and that it doesn't disturb you often causes the teasing to stop. It is no fun for the teaser if they don't get a reaction to their efforts.
8. RESPONDING WITH A COMPLIMENT
"I wish I could see as well as you."
9. USING HUMOR
Laughing or smiling takes the sting out of the mean comments.
10. ASKING FOR HELP
Tell a parent, caregiver, or teacher your problem. Often times they can get the teasing to stop by talking to the bully about their behavior.
For more information, visit this website:
http://www.easingtheteasing.com
To learn about Easing the Teasing workshops for parents and teachers, write or e mail:
Judy S. Freedman, M.S.W., L.C.S.W.
P.O. Box 471
Glencoe, IL 60022
To read some articles on the Internet about teasing in schools, visit this link:
http://fyi.cnn.com/2001/fyi/teachers.ednews/ 07/25/bullies.ap/index.html
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Irene Helen Zundel
Freelance Writer
©2002 Irene Helen Zündel