When a child is in a time-out, I absolutely guarantee you that they are not thinking about the wrongness of their behavior, what they can do to make amends, or how they can improve in the future. What they are thinking about is either how much they hate you and how they can get revenge, or how much they hate themselves and what a terrible, unworthy human being they are.
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From an imaginative set to expressive physical theatre; from catchy songs and dances to a nicely abbreviated plot, the musical ‘Underneath a Magical Moon’ is lovely for little kids, big kids, and grown-ups.
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A huge chunk of me is thrilled to bits with Fashionista® Barbies, and their diverse body shapes, skin tones, and hairstyles. A small chunk of me is irritated that it’s taken so long and that we’re still not quite there. But my girls, 6 and 13 years old respectively, are largely pleased. So there’s that.
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Would you ever consider driving your kids around without buckling them up in a seat belt? How about riding their bikes without a helmet? No, you wouldn’t. Why then are we allowing our kids to use the internet without any safety or security measures in place?
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The word discipline comes from the word disciple, which means to lead. Leading means being a good example of how things are done rather than telling people what to do. Leading does not involve hitting people or banishing them from your presence. Great leaders are generally patient because they can remember how it feels to not know what they do now and how to assist their disciples in going beyond their current state.
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Bulling isn’t an inevitable part of growing up. Research shows that whether your child is being bullied, being the bully, or watching their friend being bullied, they need help. It affects everyone (even you as parents) and often has a major impact on children’s developing sense of self, school performance and self-esteem (even into adulthood).
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It’s the start of the new school year and for many children it’s an exciting time. For some though the return to school may be riddled with anxiety and stress, possibly caused by bullying. A parent’s first reaction may be one of rage and anger, no parent wants their child to be the subject of bullying. I’ve come across a lovely book and CD by Alicia Thomas-Woolf that will help parents teach their kids to deal with bullying positively.
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It helps to remember that because children are still developing, they are more vulnerable to any big change (i.e. like starting ‘big’ school, moving homes, cities, the birth of a sibling). Big changes (especially if not prepared for) may easily show up in negative behaviours and/or affect their emotional security (foundation).
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Yikes. Travelling over the festive season is NOT for the faint-hearted. Here are some tips for safe car travels, and for taking your littlies along without wanting to murder someone en route.
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The festive season is notorious for break-ins, hold-ups and all sorts of attempts at ruining a perfectly good end to the year. Here are a few tips to bear in mind before you hit the road… or the malls.
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The main way that children learn consent is by getting to practice it themselves. They need opportunities to say “no” and also to have “no” said to them and to learn the appropriate responses. As adults, we violate this in so many subtle ways every day.
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I often say that spanking is lazy parenting, and the reason why I say this is often obscured in the barrage of ‘I was spanked and I’m fine’ or ‘The Bible tells me to spank my child’. The pro-spanking group often erroneously believes that non-spanking parents just ‘tell their children not to do something’. It’s not that simple. And this is where the hard work comes in.
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Hitting a child has always been a crime. However, our courts had generally accepted a defence from a parent that the hiding was reasonable and moderate. Last week, Judge Keightley found that this defence is invalid. A parent who hits a child can be charged with assault regardless of the circumstances.
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