Summer is a great time to enjoy sports! Whether it’s going to a Bear’s pre-season game at Soldier field, a ball park, or even a sibling’s soccer game, sporting events come with a large variety of sensory experiences. This can be a great part of the event, or one that makes some children want to run for the hills. If your child has sensory processing difficulties, you may need to prepare your child (and be prepared!) for what’s ahead.
Here are some sensory tips for kiddos whose ideal Saturday may not be spent cheering in a roaring crowd at a sporting event:
For the child with auditory sensitivities:
Bring along noise canceling headphones or ear plugs to help drown out the loud sounds.
Tell your child when to expect a loud buzzer so they can cover their ears (e.g. watch the clock count down at the end of a quarter/half/period).
Give them “quiet breaks” where you take them to a quieter part of the stadium/arena, like the bathroom or concessions, to allow them to regulate.
For child who just can’t stop moving:
Give them movement breaks! Let them walk up and down the stairs and time them to see how fast they can do it; take them with you when you’re going to get food or to the restroom.
Give them a wiggly cushion seat that allows them to wiggle while still staying seated.
Make sure to incorporate a lot of movement activities before the event to help them be able to sit longer (e.g. animal walks, wall pushes, hokey pokey)
Let them stand. Some kids can pay attention better when they’re allowed to stand. Let them stand at their seat or find an area where they are allowed to watch while standing.
For a child who is sensitive to tactile input:
Let them be comfortable. If they insist on wearing a particular type of sock or their shirt inside out, this is not the time to say no (within reason). Allow them to be as comfortable as possible so there are no meltdowns in the middle of the 2nd
Let them sit in the middle of the family; some children are sensitive to light touch and may become upset if they are constantly being brushed by passers-by while sitting on an aisle.
Wear long sleeved lycra shirt: rushing through crowds bring along a lot of unwanted light touch. Wearing-sleeved shirts (i.e. Under Armour) can help lessen that aversive sensation.
For a child sensitive to visual input:
Bring sunglasses. Even if the event is indoors, the bright lighting may be overwhelming if they are exposed to it for long periods of time.
Bring a hat. A jacket with a hood also works and gives the option of blocking out bright lights and other distractions.
Reinforcement and punishment are common terms that most people have heard of and use on a daily basis, whether they realize it or not. Although the concepts seem easy to understand and implement, it can be easy to confuse the basic principles and/or implement them incorrectly. In order to understand the difference between reinforcement and punishment, it is important to understand the definitions of both terms.
Reinforcement is a consequence following a behavior that increases the probability that the behavior will increase in the future. The consequence can be either positive or negative.
Positive Reinforcement is something added to the consequence that will increase that particular behavior in the future.
Example: Your child cleans his room the first time you ask, so you give him a cookie as a reward. In the future he is more likely to clean his room the first time you ask.
Negative Reinforcement is something removed from the consequence that will increase that particular behavior in the future.
Example: Students do well on their math test so the teacher doesn’t give them homework over the weekend.
Negative reinforcement is often interpreted incorrectly and becomes confused with punishment. But from the above definition and example, you can see that negative reinforcement is used to increase desired behaviors, and is not punishing in any way.
Punishment
Punishment is a consequence following a behavior that decreases the probability that a particular behavior will occur in the future. As with reinforcement, the consequences can be positive or negative.
Positive Punishment: Something added to the consequence that will decrease a certain behavior in the future.
Example: Your child talks back to you, so you make them do extra chores.
Negative Punishment: When a consequence includes the removal of an item or privilege that will decrease the behavior in the future.
Example: Your child fails a test, so you take away their cell phone for a week.
Tips for using reinforcement
Always be sure to only reward behaviors that you would like to strengthen and see again in the future. It is easy to inadvertently reinforce negative behaviors without realizing it (Ex: You child is crying in the grocery store because you won’t buy them candy. You eventually give in and buy them candy, so the next time they want candy in the grocery store they are going to cry). In this example the behavior of crying was positively reinforced, so that behavior will continue in the future.
Vary the type of reinforcement used to avoid overindulgence of a particular item or activity (i.e., if you always reward your child with candy for good behavior, they are likely to get tired of the candy and may stop engaging in the desired behavior).
Before choosing a reinforcer, figure out what your child is currently motivated by and use that item. Some children can be motivated by the same item for longer periods of time, and others may change their motivation more frequently.
Be consistent with the delivery of reinforcement in order to maintain the desired behavior.
Tips for using punishment
Be sure to only punish behavior that you want to decrease. In addition to inadvertently reinforcing negative behavior, it is also possible to accidentally punish appropriate behaviors.
When punishing a behavior you want to decrease, always make sure you continue to reinforce appropriate behaviors.
If you find yourself using punishment and the behavior is not decreasing, re-evaluate the consequence and try another consequence. Also, what may be punishing to your child this week may not be punishing next week. Just as you always need to re-evaluate what reinforcers to use, you also need to re-evaluate what punishing consequences to use based on your child’s current motivation.
Be consistent with the delivery of consequences in order to decrease the undesired behavior.
https://www.nspt4kids.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/reinforcement_punishment.jpg748996Shannon Taurozzihttps://nspt4kids.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/nspt_2-color-logo_noclaims.pngShannon Taurozzi2014-12-16 07:00:202014-12-15 20:20:42How to Properly Use Reinforcement and Punishment
Homework time is one of the most difficult parts of a parent and child’s day, especially if your child has difficulty with the tasks requested of them. We are often asked how to give the help needed without “doing homework” for him/her. We understand, , that as a parent, you want your child to succeed in school; however, you don’t want to fight a battle every night watching your child struggle.
5 tips to make homework time a little easier:
Remove all distractions: turn off electronics, clear the desk/table of extraneous items and provide enough light. It might also be helpful to provide a snack and ask them to use to restroom shortly before starting homework to minimize disruptions.
Create a schedule: determine how much homework your child needs to complete that night. Allow your child to choose which activity he/she wishes to complete first, next and last. Choices are a great option to allow your child to retain some control during required activities. If a break is necessary mid-way through an activity, schedule that activity as well with a time allotment (e.g., “Okay, after your spelling words, you can have five minutes with your action figures before we start the math problems”). If your child would prefer a visual schedule, pictures can be utilized for the schedule instead of a written one.
Make it fun: the best part about kids is that, in their world, everything is funny. Try practicing spelling words in funny voices. Use goofy items to count math problems. Practice handwriting with homemade mad-libs. Make up jokes and creative plays to practice new lessons. Emotions are contagious – if your child sees you having fun, they will too.
Providing help: Children should never fail more than they succeed. In fact, they should succeed almost every time. If not, do what you can to make the task easier. Pick one aspect/goal for your child to focus on and you do the rest until they have mastered the task. For example, your child is required to write 10 sentences using new vocabulary words and both writing and sentence construction is very difficult for your child. Have him/her form ten sentences using a vocabulary word and have him/her say them aloud while YOU write them down. Once you have written the sentences, your child can copy your sentences by practicing their nice handwriting without the stress of making up a sentence. This will ultimately make homework time less stressful and boost a child’s sense of success and accomplishment, which are crucial to mental well-being.
Use resources: Schools and libraries often have resources to provide suggestions for completing homework.
Remember, homework is an important tool that allows your child to keep up with their peers in the classroom; it should not be so time-consuming and difficult that it ultimately impacts you or your child’s home life and anxiety levels. If you have any questions, concerns or desire suggestions, feel free to contact us.
https://nspt4kids.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/nspt_2-color-logo_noclaims.png00Kate Connollyhttps://nspt4kids.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/nspt_2-color-logo_noclaims.pngKate Connolly2013-02-21 21:22:052014-04-23 20:57:41How to Help with Homework
Announcer: From Chicago’s leading experts in pediatrics to a worldwide
audience, this is Pediatric Therapy TV, where we provide
experience and innovation to maximize your child’s
potential. Now your host, here’s Robyn.
Robyn: Hello, and welcome to Pediatric Therapy TV. I’m your host Robyn
Ackerman, and I’m here today with Leida Van Oss, a
Pediatric Physical Therapist. Leida, can you tell us a
couple tips on how to get a child to start sitting up
independently?
Leida: Sure. So the first stage of sitting should be done by four
months of age, and this is called prop sitting. This is
when they support themselves on their own. So you want to
put a toy down by their feet, and then tilt them forward so
that they put their hands on the ground, and then that
should encourage them to support themselves on their hands.
She’s older than four months, so she doesn’t want to do it.
But then the next stage is this kind of sitting, where they
want to bring up their hands, and sit by themselves
independently. So if they’re not quite wanting to do that
yet, you can take their toy – there we go – and lift it up
in front of them, so that they want to look up and raise
their arms up. This will activate the core and back
muscles, which will help bring up their head and do more of
an independent sitting.
You want to make sure that you keep a hand behind their
body, so that in case they topple backwards, you can catch
them really quickly. Then, the last mature stage of sitting
are things like rotating and reaching out if they need some
support. So, again, you can use toys to have them turn to
the side or reach up, or reach far [inaudible 00:01:37].
Those are all things that are going to help encourage more
mature sitting skills.
Robyn: All right. Well, thank you so much, and thank you to our
viewers, and remember, keep on blossoming.
Announcer: This has been Pediatric Therapy TV, where we bring peace of
mind to your family with the best in educational
programming. To subscribe to our broadcast, read our blogs,
or learn more, visit our website at learnmore.me. That’s
learnmore.me.
https://nspt4kids.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/nspt_2-color-logo_noclaims.png00Robynhttps://nspt4kids.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/nspt_2-color-logo_noclaims.pngRobyn2012-12-20 10:44:292014-06-16 18:59:30Ways to Encourage a Baby to Sit Up | Pediatric Therapy Tv
The first steps to take when helping a stressful teen
How to approach a stressful teen
Specific strategies to best help your teen overcome verbal or nonverbal stress
https://nspt4kids.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/nspt_2-color-logo_noclaims.png00Robynhttps://nspt4kids.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/nspt_2-color-logo_noclaims.pngRobyn2012-12-06 15:14:552014-04-26 12:31:163 Coping Strategies to Help your Stressful Teen | Pediatric Therapy Tv
Moving is already a stressful process without adding children into the equation.
Here is a list of life-saving tips that may help to ease both you and your children throughout the transition!
Before the move, start preparing the children by showing them books about moving to a new home. Show them pictures of the new city, the schools, the playground, the pool, etc. You should also discuss any feelings that the children may have regarding the move.
The day before the move, make sure the children have enough sleep. Tired children will make the moving experience much more difficult for the entire family.
During the day of the move, have a backpack ready for each child that includes music, books, activities and additional batteries to keep them busy throughout the day. Remember to pack snacks as well as the day will become quite busy. Hungry kids =cranky kids
Take a log of pictures of the entire experience, from packing and moving days to the first few weeks og living in the new house. Make the experience very exciting!
Once you arrive at your new home, remember the needs of your children. You are bound to encounter issues that will most likely exhaust you. Consider hiring a babysitter for the first few days of the transition. An extra adult to have around will be able to give your children the attention they need while you are packing and unpacking.
Plan to take a day off from everything once you are finished with the move. This will allow the family to reconnect and recharge.
If your child is in therapy, ask your therapists for home program information so that you may continue the therapy on a daily basis.
https://nspt4kids.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/nspt_2-color-logo_noclaims.png00Deborah Michaelhttps://nspt4kids.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/nspt_2-color-logo_noclaims.pngDeborah Michael2012-11-20 21:27:152014-04-26 15:28:54Up Up and Move Away with Kids!
Nobody likes hearing the word “no,” and that is especially true for children. With the word “no” can come tantrums, upset, and anger. It usually results in a power struggle and battle that no one really wants to have. Below are 6 tips that can help you avoid using the dreaded “no” word eliminating any battles that might follow, as well as, helping keep the peace between your child and you.
6 Alternatives to Saying “No”:
1. Offer Choices. Instead of just telling your child “no,” give them choices to pick from. If your child asks to have cake for a snack and you would prefer he have something healthy, tell him that for snack he can either have carrots or an apple. If he is not happy with those choices, let him know that he can either pick or you will choose for him. If he still has not made a choice, go ahead and pick one for him. Give your child the snack and ignore any tantrums or talk about not being happy with the snack.
2. Give an Explanation. If the answer is “no”, do not just say “no,” but supply an explanation for why we cannot do that or why it might not be a good idea. For example, if your child wants to watch a scary movie you can let them know that the movie may cause nightmares and is not appropriate for them, but they can pick a different movie to watch. Or if your child wants to play a game that is not at their age level, explain the reason they cannot play that now is because they are not old enough yet, but in a few years will be. Have them choose a different game to play.
3. Think Before You Talk. Rather than immediately blurting out “no,” think before you respond. Figure out why that is the answer and let your child know why what he/she wants/requests cannot happen at that time.
4. Offer it Later. There are times that your child might ask for something but unfortunately they cannot have it. For example, if your child asks for ice cream for breakfast, the appropriate response would be “no.” However, instead tell your child that we need to have something else for breakfast (provide choices: cereal, pancakes, eggs, etc.,) but after lunch we can have some ice cream.
5. Keep Track of Wants. If you have a child who is constantly asking for toys or other items, remind them of different holidays that may be approaching. Encourage your child to ask for those things for their birthday, Christmas, or other special occasions. This way you are not saying they can never have that, but helping them create a want/wish list.
6. Make a Deal. Provide opportunities for your child to earn the items they want. If you are in the store and your child asks for something, instead of saying “no,” make a deal with them. Tell your child that she can get the Barbie Doll if she helps load and empty the dishwasher for a week or your son can get the Nerf toy he wants if he keeps his room clean. Use these situations to help increase your child’s responsibility around the house or with schoolwork.
In the beginning, it might be hard to catch yourself from just blurting out “No!”. However, keeping these helpful tips in mind will aid in deescalating potential problems that usually occur from that response. And remember practice makes perfect!
https://nspt4kids.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/nspt_2-color-logo_noclaims.png00Katie Sadowskihttps://nspt4kids.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/nspt_2-color-logo_noclaims.pngKatie Sadowski2012-02-08 14:08:142014-04-27 14:52:206 Tips on How Not to Say No to Your Child
Pediatric Occupational Therapist gives our viewers the top 3 tips to help get children and students to sit quietly in class, circle time or even on the road!
In This Video You Will Learn:
What to do before your child sits down
Where to sit each child
How to keep your child still
Video Transcription:
Announcer: From Chicago’s leading experts in pediatrics to a worldwide audience, this is Pediatric Therapy TV, where we provide experience and innovation to maximize your child’s potential. Now your host, here’s Robyn.
Robyn: Hello and welcome to Pediatric Therapy TV. I am your host, Robyn Ackerman. Today I’m standing with pediatric occupational therapist Deborah Michael. Deborah, can you give us the three top tips to getting a child to sit quietly?
Deborah: Absolutely. First of all, you need your child regulated before they sit down. They need to be ready to sit down. If they just came in from recess or from playing outside, they may need to take a few deep breaths to calm themselves down before they sit down.
Secondly, you want to space the kids out correctly. When you’re sitting in circle time, you want to put Sarah in front and little Peter to the side and left so he doesn’t put his hands in her hair. If you are in a car, you don’t want to put the two siblings that fight the most right next to each other.
And third of all, provide fidgets and movement for children that need it. Maybe they can be squishing a ball or rocking in a rocking chair rather than sitting still and having the heebie-jeebies.
Robyn: Thank you very much, Deborah. Those are great tips. And thank you, also, to our viewers. And remember, keep on blossoming.
Announcer: This has been Pediatric Therapy TV, where we bring peace of mind to your family with the best in educational programming. To subscribe to our broadcast, read our blogs, or learn more, visit our website at LearnMore.me. That’s LearnMore.me.
https://nspt4kids.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/nspt_2-color-logo_noclaims.png00Robynhttps://nspt4kids.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/nspt_2-color-logo_noclaims.pngRobyn2011-12-08 10:20:132019-09-05 19:37:40Getting Children To Sit Quietly | Pediatric Therapy Tv
High-powered finance executive by day, devoted wife and mother of two by night. “I don’t know how she does it!” How does she balance her career path with her family life? The movie “I don’t know how she does it,” starring Sarah Jessica Parker, sets out to explore this age-old question. So how do you do it? How do you successfully balance your professional and personal life? Unfortunately, there are no easy answers, nor is there one answer that works for everyone.
Explore these questions to decide what fits for you and your life:
1. What are my priorities at this point in my life?
Priorities change over time. Your priorities may change based on your age, the age of your children, where you are in your career, and your relationships with partners, friends, relatives, and co-workers.
Exploring with yourself what your current priorities are can help you formulate a plan. If your priority is time spent with your children, for example, what will that look like when you have a deadline to meet? If your priority is advancement in your career, what will that look like when your family decides to go on vacation? Exploring these difficult questions beforehand can help you brainstorm possible ways to act based on your priorities.
Periodically asking yourself about your priorities is a helpful way to remind yourself that it is normal and okay for priorities to shift and for your answers to career/family balance questions to also change.
2. What are my boundaries?
Many parents discuss the importance of boundaries when it comes to their professional and personal lives. Setting boundaries is one way to maintain guidelines.
Questions of career/family balance occur often. Your boss asks you to stay late, but your child has a math test the next day. Your children want to spend time with you, but you have a presentation to work on. Having pre-set boundaries can give you something to fall back on.
Asserting and communicating your boundaries to your workplace and family is important so that everyone is informed and on the same page about the way you want to balance your professional and personal life.
3. How can I cope when things do not go the way I had planned or hoped?
Exploring your priorities and setting boundaries will not set answers in stone for you. Sometimes you make difficult choices in a way that you had not planned. Sometimes you cannot keep your boundaries. This is normal and okay—juggling a career with a family is extremely complicated and challenging, and no one does exactly what they planned or hoped to do every time.
Accept yourself as a human being that may have to make choices that you did not anticipate. Explore with yourself what can help you cope when this time comes. Do you write in a journal? Talk to a friend or spouse? Exercise? Take some alone time? What is it that works for you to feel hopeful, at peace, and confident in yourself as an employee and parent? How can you let go of possible guilty, sad, anxious, or hopeless feelings?
4. How can I gain support?
Balancing your career and family life is a constant process and journey, and as employees and parents, reaching out for help and support is vital for your well-being.
When do you need support? Recognizing when you need help is important so that you receive the support you deserve. What helps you feel supported? Take some time to think about what makes you feel refreshed, energized, calm, and happy. With busy schedules of maintaining the career/family balance, some parents may say they do not have time to engage in self-care activities. Taking time (even if it is just 5 minutes) to feel supported, however, can help you feel more energized throughout the day.
Exploring these questions about career/family life balance can help you to begin thinking about how YOU would answer the question of “How do you do it?” No two parents are exactly alike, and answering this challenging question in a way that fits with your unique beliefs, background, needs, wants, family, and career is important, rather than finding the “right” answer.
So, parents: How do you do it? Sharing your stories with each other can create connection, spark new ideas to try, and help you to see that every person balances their careers and family life differently.
Here is a list of how some of our very own North Shore Pediatric Therapy staff maintain the career/family balance:
CEO, Married, Father of 5:
“First, you can bring your kids to work once in awhile and let them experience your work world. You can also talk about issues that are age-appropriate with your children so they learn what you do and what you deal with so they become interested, learn, and grow from your work experience. This can also help them to work harder at school with their peers. Another suggestion is to ask your children if they feel they have enough time with you, and if not, ask them how would they like things to change for the better. Scheduling in one-on-one time with your children is a good way to help them feel important. Be interested in their work and what they do in school. It is important that you’re not just talking about your work but letting them know their work is also important—acknowledge their stresses and responsibilities.”
President/Founder, Married, Mother of 5:
“First, don’t forget your children at school! Oh boy, I have five and a few times when I was treating kids at NSPT late I got calls to work from the kids ‘Hi mom, I’m in the office, you forgot to pick me up!’ The best thing is that the kids knew I was working hard and loved it and they knew when I wasn’t working I was 100% all for them. Turn off all screens and concentrate on them when you are “off” and they will always be “on” for you! Second, kids actually don’t want SO MUCH attention from you. So, when they come home from wherever they are, just turn 100% attention to them. Tell them they have 20 minutes of YOU YOU YOU. You will see that after about 3-5 minutes of talking to you or hugging or whatever they need, they have other business to tend to like playing, eating, talking on the phone, homework, friends, pets, and will continue on their merry way! Third, work somewhere where you are happy. Happy mom equals happy family!”
Family-Child Advocate, Married, Mother of 3:
“We just celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary on the 11th and have 3 children. Our oldest son Bill just graduated from medical school in June, our daughter Caitlin was married in May and our youngest Matthew has moved back to complete college at UIC for pre-med. All three have had learning differences so in addition to always working full time we had to factor in therapy and tutoring etc. We found that good communication and ORGANIZATION were the keys to getting it all done. In our case it was not “I don’t know how she does it”, it was always “This is mandatory for success” so it took priority and a schedule. We have a large centralized calendar and we had family meetings once a month to go over the schedule and we gave responsibility to the kids when they were old enough! Another thing that is key to getting it all accomplished is a sense of humor! Things happen and the wheels fall off of the best laid plans, but it helps to laugh!”
Clinical Consultant, Married, Mother of 2:
“Make sure you leave work at work. When you come home and see your children for the first time, pay attention to them. Assign a time every night to hear about their day, talk about what they did and just spend valuable time with them. Save your work stories for your spouse after the kids go to bed. If you work from home it is especially important that your children know how long you will be on the computer for or on a conference call for. You can say to them “Mommy will be doing work for 45 minutes, but after I am done you get to choose an activity for us to do together”. You can even set a timer so they have a visual of when you will be able to bring your attention back to them. Leave weekends to family time. We call every Sunday “Sunday Funday Family Day” in our house. The children know that on that day they have our undivided attention!”
Neuropsychologist, Married, Father of 2:
“When I get home, my wife and I focus on our kids…getting them fed, going through routines, preparing for school the next day, spending time together…until they go to bed. Then, my wife and I have time together, where we process our days. Any work that I have to do, I do when everyone is asleep. So my time is spent first on my kids, then my wife, and then me.”
Occupational Therapist, Married, Mother of 2 toddlers:
“First, I love my career and my family. That helps everything. Second, I decided that the concept of balance, as it relates to career and family life, is unrealistic for me. So I have gone with the concept of seasons or synergy instead. Some weeks I’m going to come in to work early, stay late, and work on the weekends, some weeks the opposite will be true. If I expect that of my career and communicate that ahead of time to my family I don’t feel I’m disappointing them or myself during he hard weeks. Finally, I really value and prioritize my relationship with my husband – we are the ones running our crazy show together, so we need to be happy together for the most part.”
Speech Language Pathologist/Branch Director, Married, Mother of 1:
“As a mom of a 12 month old boy, I think the balance is all about finding a schedule and sticking to it. If you know what works, make sure to keep a routine that is predictable for you and your child. However, you also need to be flexible and able to change, so your schedule shouldn’t be too rigid. Most importantly, laugh! Keep a good sense of humor and go with the flow, even if things don’t turn out as planned. So what if the dishes aren’t washed and the laundry isn’t folded. At least my son went to bed happy and I have some quiet time to catch up with my husband and work!”
We would love to hear what you do, post a comment and tell us how you manage to balance work and family!
https://nspt4kids.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/nspt_2-color-logo_noclaims.png00Beth Chunghttps://nspt4kids.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/nspt_2-color-logo_noclaims.pngBeth Chung2011-09-16 15:50:102014-04-28 00:04:30“I Don’t Know How She Does It!”: How Do We Balance Our Careers With Our Family Life?
Teaching your child to care for others is an important role that each and every parent carries.
Often, people assume that compassion is a born instinct, but it can also be taught. Yes, all people are born with some level of a “caring gene”, just as Babe Ruth was born with a talent to play baseball. However, if Babe Ruth was never introduced to baseball, never taught the rules of the game, never tried to play, then what good would his natural talent have been? Everybody can be taught to feel for others; you just have to start teaching them while they are young and continue teaching them by example!
Here Are Some Tips to Help Your Child Learn To Be More Compassionate:
Start Young
Start teaching your child to care for others as soon as they are able to communicate.During play-time, role-play with your baby on dolls. Show them how to hold, hug and care for the doll. Even pretend the doll got hurt and show your baby how to comfort the doll. Playing with your child and a doctor’s kit is another great way to show your child to care for others and how one person makes another feel better.
It’s also important to teach your child in the moment. When at the playground or on a play-date and your toddler’s friend falls down or gets hurt, bring it to your toddler’s attention. You can say to your toddler: “Oh no, Joey got hurt, and is very sad. I think it would make him feel better if you gave him a hug”. This will ensure that when your child is in preschool, he or she will more likely be the kid who helps his or her friends instead of running past them when they get hurt.
Just as teaching your children to care for those who are hurt physically, it’s equally important to teach your child to be aware of those who get hurt emotionally. Let your child know that it is not okay to hurt other’s feelings. This will prove to be vital when your child is in grade school and Bullying begins.
Lead by Example
Parents are the first teacher a child ever has. Everything a parent does, their child is watching, taking notes and learning from. Show your child how to be compassionate. When you see a homeless person on the street, stop and give him/her some spare change. Afterward, explain to your child why you helped that person. How there are people out there less fortunate. Let your child know that there are children who may not have as many toys as your child. Ask your child how it would make them feel to not have all the things he/she has.
Often, people get frustrated when they have to pull over to let an ambulance or fire-truck pass by because it delays them to their destination. Instead of getting irritated, say out loud how you hope the ambulance or firemen get there in time to help those in trouble.
Find Local Places to Visit
Along with leading by example, you can help your child become caring and compassionate by actually working with those in need. Many nursing homes have programs where you can bring children to come and talk to residents.
You can also take your child to a soup kitchen to help serve people in need. Let your child feel good about helping others!
Have your child bring a bag of toys to a children’s home to give to less fortunate children. There are plenty of websites that offer information on places and ways you and your child can help. Below are a couple of examples:
So go ahead, turn off your T.V. and video games and go out with your child into the world to make a difference!
I welcome any comments on more opportunities for children to “care”!
https://nspt4kids.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/nspt_2-color-logo_noclaims.png00Robynhttps://nspt4kids.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/nspt_2-color-logo_noclaims.pngRobyn2011-09-15 10:24:182014-04-28 00:05:22Teaching Your Child To Care
ball park, or even a sibling’s soccer game, sporting events come with a large variety of sensory experiences. This can be a great part of the event, or one that makes some children want to run for the hills. If your child has sensory processing difficulties, you may need to prepare your child (and be prepared!) for what’s ahead.
If he is not happy with those choices, let him know that he can either pick or you will choose for him. If he still has not made a choice, go ahead and pick one for him. Give your child the snack and ignore any tantrums or talk about not being happy with the snack.
personal life? Unfortunately, there are no easy answers, nor is there one answer that works for everyone.
carries.