Child Care Stay Away To Care For Your Child

Writen by Michael Russell

What are we to make of the child care facilities provided for our children today? The dramatic rise in delinquency and severe problems with children indicate they're to be avoided.

The child care that we have set up for our children in the United States is nothing short of appalling. Mothers no longer see fit to stay at home to care for their children, where they may see their child develop and grow and train them up with the truth. No. We send our young babies off to "child care facilities" where we hand them over to complete strangers, who know nothing about them and do not really seem to care if they do or not, because they have too many other children to care for, including their own.

How is it that we feel that money is a greater necessity for our children than constant love and attention? We send off our children each day and focus on the constant demands of a dead end job while our beautiful children await our return. We know not whether they are receiving the attention they need. The bond between child and mother is lost due to the feeling of the constant need to have more, to make a name for ourselves. Children are one of the greatest gifts that we have here on earth. Why then, are we allowing those formative first few years of life slip by us with so little mother-child interaction? The child does not know his mother's scent; the mother does not see her child's first steps or hear his first words. Studies have shown that this causes great stress on the child as he grows. The child does not feel close to his mother, because of the lack of bonding as an infant.

While children are sitting and waiting in child care centers, the child grows further and further from his mother. The child becomes confused, because he is constantly being cared for by different people that are unfamiliar to him. He does not feel safe, due to the lack of consistency in his life. This leads to greater risks of severe behavior emotional problems, as the child grows up.

What are we to say to this growing number of the American population that puts their children in the care of caretakers that are paid way too little and care not nearly enough for our children? Married mothers need to make a way to be home with their children each day. The mother caring for her children, as they come home from school would decrease the amount of juvenile delinquency and would boost the level of emotional stability of America's youth. The family would feel a closer bond and would be more apt to be a functional family, due to the amount of care and concern they will be able to show to one another. In order to have the type of children we want to raise, we need to have mothers and fathers to be the type of parents the children need - ones that are there when they need them, parents that do what it takes to keep them out of childcare facilities and always under their own loving protection.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Child Care

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Back To School What Clothing Should My Child Wear To Kindergarten

Writen by Marianne Mullen

Congratulations! You have a child ready to enter Kindergarten. How exciting for both you and your child. Entering school is a special time for coming-of-age experiences and often a back to school wardrobe. But many parents wonder what type of clothes does a child really need for school?

When children enter school they will be participating in activities that require comfortable clothing. As a parent you should expect clothing worn to school to get dirty, lost, and possibly torn. Many children worry about getting their clothes dirty and disappointing their parents. You can ease your child's worries by dressing him in clothing that can get soiled. Of course, special days such as the first day of school and picture day, warrant a special outfit, but most days children should wear "everyday" clothing. Clothing for children should be:

• Comfortable. From swinging on swings to sitting cross legged on the floor, children's clothing should allow them to move comfortably inside and out.
• Independent-dressing: At school, children are expected to use the restrooms on their own. Children need to be able to dress and undress to make their experiences using the restroom successful. Many parents don't realize how difficult overalls or snap buttons can be for a young child at school. And most children don't like to ask their teacher for help dressing them after using the restroom.
• Appropriate: Children may love to wear pj's all day long at home or belly shirts, but at school there is an expectation that children will wear appropriate clothing. Check the school's dress code and ask the teacher if you have questions about specific items or outfits.
• Layered: Schools are widely known for having irregular heating and air conditioning which leave classroom environments unpredictable. By layering your child's clothing, your child will know that becoming warmer or cooler is as simple as adding or removing clothing.
• Seasonal: Dependant upon the climate in which you live, most clothing should be seasonal. Check the weather forecast every evening and dress your child for the forecast. Many schools will go outside for recess even in snow, so children should wear snow pants, boots, hats and mittens. For warmer climates, children should wear shorts and breathable fabrics.
• Easy care: After school is complete, children's clothes should be treated for stains and then tossed in the laundry basket. To make any parent's life easier, all school clothing should be machine washable.

In addition to clothing basics, your child will need a backpack, sneakers, and lunchbox or bag.

One final must for school clothes is to label each item of clothing with the child's initials. It's very easy for clothing to be misplaced or lost while at school and it's an important skill for children to learn their initials and to look in the lost and found for missing articles.

Marianne Mullen is Co-Owner of Polkadot Patch Boutique, a specialty boutique featuring unique children's clothes, colorful children's clothes, and handcrafted artisan products for children.

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Ten Ways To Help Your Child Make Friends

Writen by Judy H. Wright

Nothing touches the heartstrings of a parent or teacher more than the plaintive cry "nobody likes me" or"I don't have any friends." We wish there were something we could do to insure the child will be, if not the most popular, at least included in the games on the playground. Actually, there is something we can do to increase their acceptance by the group and become more approachable to others. We can teach them some skills and behaviors that will enhance their chances of being picked as a friend.

New research shows that all likeable children behave in certain ways. These skills are not in-born but can be taught by parents, teachers and other caring adults. There is a language of likeability that some children cannot pick up by osmosis, but must learn. It has been called"shorthand" to making friends.

Not only does fitting in and having friends feel good, it has numerous other advantages including better grades, healthier bodies, less stress, and more opportunities to learn social skills. Children who feel like they have friends tend to stay in school longer, make wiser decisions, and are generally happier and so it much more important than just having a play date.

Parents, teachers and other caring adults: Here are 10 secrets to assisting your child to be more likeable. Teach and model them on a daily basis and you will find your social circle enlarging.

1. Look for opportunities to assist others. Studies show that helpfulness correlates more strongly than any other attribute to being liked. Teach them to be aware of other people's needs and to offer assistance spontaneously, before they ask for it.

2. Find something that makes them feel special. Encourage your child to find an activity, hobby or interest that they really enjoy. They don't have to excel at it, just enjoy it. Do they enjoy drama, dance or railroads? Join a group of enthusiasts.

3. Say "hello" first, and smile. People who smile are perceived as nice and approachable. Friendly and optimistic people act as a magnet to others. Have you ever gotten mad at someone who smiled or said hi to you?

4. Be Pleasant to be around. It is simply too much work to try to figure out someone's "moods" and if your child tends to complain a lot or blame others, they will find associates distancing themselves. If your child is consistently negative, help them to see the positive and break the habit of pessimism. Explore the energy techniques of EFT for some simple ways to change thought patterns.

5. Treat others as you would like to be treated. If you are disrespectful to others or gossip about those who are not present, people tend to wary of how you will treat them. Don't blame other people for not living up to your expectations. It is important that you teach your child that he or she is loveable and that if they continue to behave in positive ways, a friend will come along.

6. Don't stand out from the crowd. Whether we like it or not, kids are judged by the way they look. Try to help them fit in socially.

7. Ask to join in the fun. When approaching a group that is already engaged, pick one person to look in the eye and ask if you can join them. If that person says no or seems hesitant, then smile and say, "Okay, maybe next time?" You will get much better response if you ask one person than if you address the group at large. If the one person accepts, then the others will go along with it. Be sure to say, "Thanks for letting me join you. It was fun."

8. Don't take it personally. Help your child understand that another person may just be having a bad day and may not be mad or dislike him or her. Teach them that people are really less concerned about us than we would like to think.

9. Watch your body language. Verbal communication is the language of information. Body language is the language of relationships. Appear open, friendly and eager to join in and make friends. Stand up straight and look people in the eye. Respect other people's space by not standing too close.

10. Recognize the difference between friendship and popularity. Friendship is more important and will last a lifetime. Popularity is fleeting and dependent on the group. You really only need one good friend.

One of the most effective tools I have found for change is to think about an incident that happened ether positive or negative and then say "next time……." It helps you to cement what went right and reflect on what didn't go so well, so you can make changes in behavior and attitude. It also reminds the child that we all get another chance to try again, and that somewhere there is a friend just waiting for them.

Judy H. Wright, Parent Educator

© 2005 www.ArtichokePress.com

This article has been written by Judy H. Wright, a parent educator and PBS consultant. You will find a full listing of books, tele-classes, and workshops listed at www.ArtichokePress.com. You have permission to use the article providing full credit is given to author. She may be contacted at 406-549-9813 or JudyWright@ArtichokePress.com

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