Your child manages to complete a particularly difficult task and you applaud her with “Good Job”!
Your toddler shares her snack with her friends and you want to positively reinforce this good behavior so you toss out a “Good Job”!
We read plenty of books that warn us against using punishments and spankings to model behavior so we instantly rely on a “Good Job” for positively reinforcing any example of good behavior or accomplishing a worthy task. Seems easy enough, right?
There are articles and researches abound on the topic of being a playful parent and how it helps the baby in long term. In this article we aim to provide a bird’s eye view to this theory and demonstrate ways of being a more playful parent to your baby right from infancy!
Join the infants in their world of wonder
Get down on the floor (or the bed) with your infant and join them in their world of discovery. Infants learn through their senses of sight, touch, hearing and smell. Every little thing that we take for granted is a magical discovery for them. Join them in their world for as much time of the day as you can spare and marvel at the little things that your baby finds interesting.
Many of us look at Parent Teacher Meetings (PTM) as a window into our child’s academic life. There is your chance to understand your child’s strong areas and developmental areas, from the teachers. But if you want, with a little bit of planning, it could be much more rewarding for you and your child.
We put together a checklist for you that will make PTMs more fruitful for you and your child.
Your child is no longer a baby or toddler; they are now on their way to learning self-discipline. This is an important part of your child’s life. Because your four year old has begun the journey to self-discipline, you are going to have to set some limits. When your child is four or near four they are at a stage of development where they are going to want their own independence. They are still wanting to be the baby but also wanting to be the big boy or girl. When creating limits with them, you will want to try to be creative. Remember to be firm so they know who the boss is but give them a little independence too.
When you say “no” to your child, stand your grounds. Keep the answer as no even if they beg. Be firm in your decisions. Remind them of the rules and correct behavior. Keep your rules reasonable. You will find your child will be much more likely to honor your rules if they are fair. Try not to always use the word no. Try to use a variety of words like don’t or please stop. You might also want to use the words no and don’t when you want to say no to whatever they are doing, permanently.
Having problems asking your child to do certain tasks? When you want your child to do something try to be simple in your requests. When they ask why, don’t go into a long explanation on why. You will want to be straight forward and simple with them. Your children will need you to be clear when giving them directions. A long explanation might just confuse them and make it harder for them to understand. You will also want to reward your child for good behavior. As your child grows older, give them more responsibilities. Let them know and feel trusted and give them genuine and generous doses of praise to help them feel loved and appreciated.
Image Source: [freedigitalphotos.net]