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Supercool Toys Newsletter: September 2010
Coping Strategies for Kids
Laugh About It
"Help your child see the lighter or funny side of a situation. Humour is a great coping strategy. Encourage your kids to stand back and find a funny side to the situation they may be in. I am not suggesting that we trivialise situations, rather develop the ability to find some humour and hope in adversity. Humour is a powerful tool for resilience as it heightens feelings of control. It helps kids reframe a situation and gain some perspective."
Don't let it Spoil Everything
"Help your child to park his or her bad thoughts somewhere. The ability to compartmentalise bad events and keep them from affecting all areas of their life is a powerful coping skill. Kids can be encouraged to park their bad thoughts for a time so that they can function normally and then revisit them when it suits. For instance, if something negative happens at recess at school they need to make sure that it doesn't spoil their whole day. They need to think about something else when they are in class and revisit their issue later on."
Information sourced from Michael Grose, www.parentingideas.com.au
Supercool Toys Newsletter: August 2010
Confident Kids are Competent Kids
Make sure kids help at home ..... without getting paid
Past experience teaches children that they can be successful. One way to help develop a sense of competency is to give them opportunities to help out at home. Don't overburden them, just a sensible allocation of chores which are age appropriate and consider their study requirements and interests. They will develop the skills of independent living and the notion they are capable. Expect children to help without the expectation of money, keep pocket money separate to chores, as this can develop a notion of "what is in it for me?", a self centered view of life.
Ideas to encourage your child to help at home: Keep it Real - make sure the job makes a real contribution to your family Balance Personal Chores with Family Chores - give a balance of chores which directly benefit the child, such as tidying their room and chores which benefit the whole family, such as setting the table. Place Difficult Chores on a Roster - rotate the unpleasant tasks frequently so that everyone gets a turn Use Grandma's Principle - make sure jobs are finished before something pleasant, such as watching TV or playing outside Avoid Doing Jobs for Children - when children understand that no one will do their jobs for them they will be more likely to help out Show your Appreciation - Make a fuss when they help so they know that their contribution to the family is valued Keep your Standards High - insist a job is done properly, not half heartedly, as a job done properly is valued in the work force Rebrand the term 'chore' for 'help' - help is a more accurate term for what you are asking the child to do, and a positive expression
Car Safety
Is your Child Safe in the Car?
Kid Spot recently included an interesting article about safety for kids in cars, it is worth the read; providing some fascinating statistics and information about the new National Laws which came into effct 1 July. Hopefully now that we have national laws it won't be so confusing for parents to research. Some frightening statistics .....
"A third of children were using the wrong sort of restraint for their size and a third of children were using the restraint incorrectly and another 20% of children were doing both", vehicle expert Dr Julie Brown of Neuroscience Research Australia told ABC radio. "We also found that less than half were using the restraints as they were designed to be used, for example the harness was too loose or twisted or was not adjusted properly as their child grew".
For more information check out Kid Spot.
Supercool Toys Newsletter: June 2010
Helping Kids Deal with Rejection
A bit of rejection and disappointment is good for kids, as long as they learn how to cope with it .....
One of the keys to functioning socially and emotionally is the ability to deal with disappointment and rejection. Most children experience some type of rejection from their peers throughout childhood. Paradoxically, children's experience of rejection and disappointment at school is good for them, as long as it is balanced with successful experiences too. They learn that they can cope and solve problems in their own way and that bad experiences don't last forever. They also learn that sadness and disappointment can be managed, which is an important lesson for the ups and downs in life.
Most children recover from rejection, but some take rejection personally, blaming themselves. Encourage children to understand that rejection may happen for a number of reasons and encourage them to look for new friendship opportunities. Children grow stronger when they overcome difficulties. The challenge for parents is to build and maintain children's confidence levels to help them get through the rough times.
Supporting kids to handle life's hurdles helps them to develop a lasting sense of resilience, which is essential for good mental and emotional health. Following are four strategies to help children handle rejection and disappointment:
Information sourced from Michael Grose. www.parentingideas.com.au
Supercool Toys Newsletter: May 2010
Educational Web Sites for Kids
There are many educational web sites designed to assist children with learning in a fun and motivational way. I have seen great benefits to my children in using a few of these sites; they not only find them fun but gain a sense of achievement from completing levels and printing certificates. If you can recommend another great educational site for kids please drop us a line, or alternatively, send us a message on Facebook to let others know how your children have benefited from using the web sites.
Reading Eggs - This Australian site has taught my 4 year old to read, so it is a personal favourite. Fantastic graphics, games, phonics & fun critters! Mathletics - Another favourite, having helped my 7 year old do mental calculations more quickly by competing with others throughout the world with Live Mathletics. Assists kids to enjoy maths and become motivated to improve. Spelling City - Great site to assist your child with their weekly spelling words through tests and heaps of fun games. Writing Fun - A great site to help your child practise their writing skills for story writing, letters, invitations, emails, poetry, book reports and more. Intrepica - Develops great literacy skills for pre-reading, phonics, spelling, vocabulary, reading fluency, grammar and comprehension. Excel Test Zone - Online tests to prepare your child for national testing such as NAPLAN, selective school and scholarship tests. Google for Kids - A safe search engine for kids. ZuiTube - YouTube for kids. Kideos - Online videos for kids.
Supercool Toys Newsletter: April 2010
An Inspirational 7 Year Old
Supercool Toys would like to acknowledge one of our inspirational customers. Chloe (pictured left) has been awarded Australia Zoo's Wildlife Warrior for 2010, alongside The Veronica's. She was the highest individual fundraiser, of almost $20,000, for Steve Irwin Day both in 2008 and 2009. Did I mention that Chloe is only 7 years old? WOW!
Chloe is continuing to organise fundraising events in 2010 and is a huge inspiration to children and adults alike. Congratulations Chloe!
Chloe says; "I am really excited about being part of the Joey Ambassador Program. I will be able to keep letting my friends and family know about how we can help injured and endangered wildlife! And how all the little things that we can do to help wildlife conservation, will end up really being a big thing when we all help together".
Supercool Toys Newsletter: March 2010
The Head, Heart, Hands approach to Confidence Building by Michael Grose
Self-doubt and lack of confidence hold more kids back than any other factor. Real confidence-building is the most important skill you can develop as a parent. Children with healthy self-esteem and self-confidence learn more, achieve more, have more friends and are generally happier than those with low levels of confidence. You need to tackle children's lack of confidence on a number of different fronts - that is, what they think, how they feel and what they do.
The Head, Heart and Hands approach show parents how to tackle confidence-building on three different levels. Head - foster positive mindsets in kids and a real sense of optimism. Heart - help your child overcome their fears and anxieties, so they can take more risks socially and academically. Hands - develop a lasting sense of independence and self-sufficiency so they can really start achieving.
(Information sourced from Michael Grose - Parenting Ideas - Confidence, Is you child acheiving their full potential?)
Supercool Toys Newsletter: September 2009
Child Restraint Laws
Did you know: "something like 56% of children are graduating out of appropriate restraints too early and to adult seat belts" and "of children using child restraints, around 50% of them are using them inappropriately"
In May 2007 the National Transport Commission (NTC) drafted new laws for the safer restraint of children in cars; to date these laws have been taken up by NSW and will be introduced in VIC in November 2009. Experts are calling for other States to follow to ensure uniform laws on child restraints in cars. In brief, the NTC proposes that children up to 6 months be restrained in a rearward facing infant capsule; then a forward facing child seat until the age of 4; and a booster seat from 4 - 7 years old. (A provision has been drafted for size and weight of children).
The VIC government are also introducing some new laws for where children can sit in vehicles:
if a car has 2 or more rows of seats, then children under 4 years must not travel in the front seat
if all seats, other than the front seats, are being used by children under 7 years, children aged 4 - 6 may travel in the front seat, provided they use an approved restraint or booster seat
For a great table helping you to choose the correct child restraint for your child, depending on weight and height, visit VIC Roads "choose the right restraint" information.
Did you know: "Children up to 7 years are at least four times more likely to sustain a head injury in a crash when sitting in an adult seatbelt only" and "Research shows seating children aged 4 - 7 years old in an appropriate booster seat reduces their risk of injury in a crash by almost 60%, compared to if they were sitting in an adult seatbelt without a booster seat."
We recommend that you become familiar with the proposed laws and the current laws of the State you live in, and that you visit a professional child restraint fitter for advice and fitting.
Final point to ponder: "Where is the offical advertising campaign that advertises to parents who want to do the right thing?"
(Information sourced from the National Transport Commission, ABC News and VIC Roads.)
Supercool Toys Newsletter: July 2009
1-2-3 Magic
I am a huge supporter of a program devised by Dr Thomas W. Phelan called 1-2-3 Magic. The simple program is devised to control obnoxious behaviour, encourage good behaviour and strengthen relationships. It worked for me with my 2 boys and the biggest difference I noticed was that the whole household was a calmer environment. I hope that you might find it just as useful. To save some money simply borrow the books and/or DVD's from your local library.
Supercool Toys Newsletter: June 2009
Teaching your Children Values by Michael Grose
"It is a truism that children learn what they live. Children, in their early years, pick up the essential values that govern their environment. The view of the world the parents present is usually mirrored by children. Adolescents will generally question their parents' values and may even challenge them. Children will also pick up the values of their peer group. A mark of maturity is shown when children reject values that some of their peers project".
Here are 5 basic values that Michael Grose believes are important to develop in children if they are to achieve their best, fit in with others and learn to stand on their own two feet:
Respect: When children respect themselves, other people and the environment they have a basic value that will help them achieve and also get on with others.
Independence: When independence of thought and spirit are valued children develop a set of problem-solving skills that help them be autonomous.
Perserverance: By linking success with effort children learn that hanging in there or working tough pays off.
Responsibility: Taking responsibility for behaviour rather than making excuses or shifting blame is the mark of personal leadership.
Self-discipline: Those children who practise impulse control and learn that they can't always do, say or get what they want generally achieve more in the long run.
Teaching your Children Values by Michael Grose. Please click here for a full copy of Michael Grose's article. www.parentingideas.com.au
Supercool Toys Newsletter: May 2009
Building High Self-esteem in your Child by Michael Grose
Children's self-esteem influences their social behaviour and learning ...... if children have a healthy level of self-esteem and feel good about themselves they are more likely to make friends and succeed at pre-school and at school.
Self-esteem refers to the image or picture of ourselves that each of us carries around in our heads. The way we interact with children on a daily basis influences the positive picture they construct of themselves. Let them know through our language and our behaviour that they are capable and worthwhile and they will begin to believe it.
Children with a healthy level of self-esteem generally; feel worthwhile (and loveable), believe that they are capable and extend themselves as learners. Following are a few ideas that Michael suggests adults can use to promote self-esteem in children:
Build on children's strengths
Give kids realistic responsibility
Develop the courage to be imperfect ..... mistakes are part of learning
Develop a strong language of encouragement that focuses on effort, improvement, their contribution and displays your confidence in their ability to succeed
Help them to succeed in an area such as public speaking or drama
Look for small victories or achievements and celebrate them
Help kids accept responsibility for their own actions and their own fate
Compare them only to themsleves
Extract from Building high self-esteen in your child by Michael Grose. Please click here for a full copy of Michael's article. www.parentingideas.com.au
Supercool Toys Newsletter: April 2009
Childen's Fine Motor Skills
The development of children's fine motor skills is an important foundation for the attainment of other important skills in the future such as writing, drawing, independent dressing, computers, musical instruments and art. Children who have difficulty with fine motor activities may experience frustration and poor self-esteem because they are unable to perform everyday tasks such as drawing or cutting. There are many ways to promote children's fine motor skills:
dramatic play - dress up with buttons etc., taking orders in a shop, pegs on a clothes line
sand play - utensils (tongs, spoons), different size vehicles, natural materials (bark & pebbles)
playdough activities - utensils, marbles, small figures, rice for texture
manipulative activities - tongs, magnets, construction (Mobilo, Lego), boxes & sticky tape, clay
music & movement - finger plays & rhymes, include fine motor skills in gross motor obstacle courses
Extract from Putting Children First, the magazine of the National Childcare Accreditation Council (NCAC). Issue 28 December 2008. Please click here for a full copy of the extract.
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