A first visit to the dentist can be challenging for any parent. If your child is on the autism spectrum, you may have unique fears about how your child will handle this kind of visit. Fortunately, there are things you can do to make your appointment with the dentist a little more successful.
Talk to Your Dentist
The first step in helping your child cope is to make those around him or her understand exactly how he or she might react to the dentist. Talk to your dentist and the office staff about your child and the concerns you might have. Your child is likely not the first on the spectrum to visit the office, and your dentist might be more than happy to discuss recommendations to make the process easier for your child.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Your next step is to normalize going to the dentist. Drive by the dentist in your area when you can, telling your child about what is done there. If your child enjoys television, watch developmentally-appropriate shows that feature dentists. If your child receives speech or occupational therapy, you may even want to let your child practice having his or her teeth touched. Normalization of the basic aspects of the dental visit can be quite helpful.
Provide a Comfort Item
It’s also a good idea to make sure that your child has access to items that help to calm him or her. Bringing along a stim toy can be a great idea, as can bringing along a weighted vest or blanket. Many pediatric offices also let children watch television or even play video games during their examination, so ensuring that your child has something soothing to watch and/or play can be incredibly helpful.
Minimize Waiting Time
Finally, make sure that you keep the process as short and sweet as possible. Talk to your dental staff about your child and let them know that you’ll be there as close to the start of the procedure as possible. Fill out all the paperwork ahead of time and consider having the office call you as soon as they are ready for you. This gives fewer chances for meltdowns in the waiting room and keeps things moving for everyone.
Going to the dentist is largely a process of adaptation. Talk with everyone involved and help calm your child when you can, then provide adaptive tools to help your child cope. The visit will be over faster than you think, and you and your child will know that you’ve conquered another challenge.
Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan
The children who have attention disorders should learn how to recycle at home and school in the same way as the other children. However, it can take more time to explain how to recycle items correctly, and you may need to find interesting teaching methods. Many children who have poor attention spans are able to learn more with hands-on training methods, so you should prepare ways to teach these children in a real-life format.
Take a Walk While Picking Up Trash
If your kid or kids tend to enjoy hands on activities, you can bring them outside to pick up the trash from your yard or a park. Make sure to supply gloves and trash bags, but you should watch carefully to make sure that your children don’t collect anything sharp, including broken glass or drug syringes. After collecting the paper items and soft drink cans, have the kids determine how much of the trash is recyclable. Make it into a game, and be understanding if they get distracted by other things.
Visit a Recycling Center
For children who enjoy heavy machinery or learn visually, you could teach them another way. Plan a field trip to a recycling center so that your children can see how the trash is sorted by type into glass, plastic, paper and other materials. The employees at the recycling center can discuss the importance of separating the types of materials along with making sure that the things are clean enough for the recycling process.
Create a Recycling Station
It is important to have easily recognizable recycling green bins at home. While there are many types of trash dumpsters, green is the color that tells children that the container is designed for recyclable items. With the noticeable green color, it is easier for children with poor attention spans to remember to place an item in the correct container. It also helps to have a dedicated recycling bin right next to the other garbage cans so your child doesn’t have to adjust their routine much to throw the right things away. Put a sign up that reminds them which item goes in which bin.
Learn How to Compost
Children with attention-deficit issues can also learn how to compost many types of trash so that there is rich soil for planting flowers or a vegetable garden. Create a composting pile for the proper types of garbage and trash, and also, you should allow your children to take turns stirring the rotting items to create the soil. After the trash decomposes into soil, use the dirt to plant flower or vegetable seeds. Hands on activities like gardening can be more interesting to children who have trouble connecting to activities that can otherwise feel disconnected from their daily lives.
Lifelong Learning
Work with your children come up with ways to remember to recycle and reuse. This can include organizing their room and giving them specific places to put objects, which can help them remember to put recycling in a specific place as well. Be gentle when reminding them, and work with them to set up a schedule for them to clean and throw things in the trash or recycling. A motivating reward system can help them tie their behavior to later benefits and make them get excited about recycling.
Even if your child has attention deficit issues, he or she can still begin to learn important principles on avoiding waste and reusing and recycling. Use these tips to teach your child to recycle and care for his or her planet.
Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan
The largest continent on the planet, Asia is full of centuries-old tradition and present-day trends. Several interesting facts about Asia remain untold, and learning them will undoubtedly leave you bewildered.
Here are 7 interesting facts about Asia:
1) Countries in Asia consume ninety percent of the rice produced in the world –
An essential food throughout the continent, rice makes for a staple for breakfast, lunch as well as dinner. Concerning food consumption, Asia differs from the rest of the world due to its high need for rice. So vital is rice for living here that many Asians use “rice” as a conversation starter.
Asians consume about ninety percent of the world’s rice yield with China, India, and Indonesia, partaking sixty percent of it alone. The latter half of the twentieth century saw the individual average rice consumption in Asia rising steadily from 85 kilograms annually to 103. This period also marked the start of the Green Revolution when farmers received over 1000 modernized rice varieties.
2) All Vietnamese people share the same birthday –
In Vietnam, people count their age based on the number of Vietnamese New Year they’ve celebrated, unlike the rest of the world, counting it from the day of their birth. So, in Vietnam, everybody turns another year older on “Tet Nguyen Dan” which means “Vietnamese New Year’s Day.”
Every year, Tet Nguyen Dan doesn’t fall on the same date because it is by the lunar (moon) cycle. The date falls in the latter half of the winter season, i.e., late January or the beginning of February, and the “Tet” lasts for many days. So, among several Tet traditions, the New Year also makes for a birthday celebration. A baby’s first Tet would make him officially one year old, even if his actual birth took place before the New Year’s Day.
3) One of Thailand’s markets lies right over train tracks – A genuinely unique Thai market and located near Bangkok, the Maeklong Railway Market lies right on a passing train’s tracks! This market has numerous stalls displaying local produce such as fruits and veggies, seafood and meats, sweet foods, clothing, and fresh flowers.
Several times throughout the day, as the warning bell rings loudly through the speaker, the vendors have to drawback their awnings. It’s because a train runs right in the middle of the buzzing market, sufficiently close for touch. This aspect certainly makes the Maeklong Railway Market stand out among Thailand’s several markets
The market remarkably adjusts itself and encloses the train while it rolls through. The vendors pull back the awnings just to the extent required and move the baskets of local produce just enough to keep them from being sliced by the train’s wheels.
Once the train passes, the vendors instantly restore the awnings where they were initially. Everyone resumes their normal activities as though nothing unbelievable did ever happen.
The train runs through the market eight times per day, including the trips in the return direction. So, one gets eight opportunities daily to watch the spectacular sight of the train rolling through the market just after the vendors have closed down their umbrellas.
4) The Spring Temple Buddha is the tallest sculpture worldwide – Towering at 420 feet, on top of a lotus-shaped pedestal as high as 66 feet, the Spring Temple Buddha located in the Chinese township of Zhaocun is the tallest sculpture in the world. If you’re seeking something fresh and thrilling, yet remarkably peaceful and quiet, you should be heading straight to visit the marvelous sculpture in China.
The sculpture features a famous statue representing the Vairocana Buddha. Built in the period from 1997 to 2008, the statue is made up of large quantities of gold, copper alloy, and steel occupying almost 11,000 square feet. The ornately layered copper gives the figure its brilliant appeal.
A diamond seat, holding 6,666 smaller statues of Buddha and lying beneath the Buddha, further enhances the sculpture’s beauty. It also contains the holy Buddhist monastery where people come seeking eternal peace.
5) Indonesia is the world’s largest island country – With 17,508 islands extending between the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean, and with 741,050 square miles of overall land area, Indonesia is the world’s largest archipelagic nation. This archipelago stretches across the equatorial line and covers almost an eighth of the circumference of the earth.
Several groups of islands make up the entire archipelago, namely, Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara, Timor, Maluku, and Papua New Guinea. Indonesians reside in about 6,000 islands, with 51% of the country’s total population living on Java island. The coastal area encompassing Indonesia has global significance, mainly for trading purposes.
6) The largest flower in the world grows in South-East Asia -he Rafflesia flower, named after Sir Raffles who founded Singapore and found the flower while on an expedition, grows in the tropical forests of South-East Asia, most abundantly in Indonesia. Rafflesia, the formal state flower of Indonesia, is a huge flower measuring a meter across, and its unique shape and size have earned it a symbolic status.
With twenty species of the flower existing in the world, a typical Rafflesia flower has five dull-red, leather-textured, spotted petals resembling the shape of a cabbage and a large, bowl-like center.
When the Rafflesia blooms, it emits an extremely unpleasant odor that attracts insects, thus helping pollination. Rare and beautifully exotic, the Rafflesia, weighing 22 pounds, is the most substantial flower worldwide. Rafflesia is a parasite growing on the hardy Tetrastigma vine only and blooms for not more than 3-5 days annually.
7) Rub’ al Khali desert is the largest desert worldwide with continuous sand – Spanning approximately 6,50,000 sq km and more than a quarter of Saudi Arabia’s complete area, Rub’ al Khali, meaning “Empty Quarter,” is the largest desert in the world with continuous sand. This desert region occupying the southern Arabian Peninsula constitutes the Arabian Desert’s most significant portion.
Featuring diverse topography, the western part of Rub’ al Khali desert is 2000 feet above mean sea level with thin and soft sand. While the desert’s eastern portion is only at 600 feet, consisting of dunes, sheets, and sabkhas, also called salt flats.
One of the world’s driest regions, the Rubʿ al Khali, is virtually empty, i.e., without inhabitants and contains ample petroleum reserves below its sands. The Al-Ghawār oil field, extending approximately 260 km in the eastern part of the country, includes several billions of oil barrels.
Conclusion
So, now you know some unusual facts about the Asian continent. If you’re already planning a trip for exploring these facts, don’t forget to carry a scratch-off world map along. Once you’re back home, carte a gratter will remind you of all the exciting facts that you explored.
With the popularity of the Disney movie Coco, Day of the Dead has become a pretty well-known holiday. Yet, even if you have seen the movie, you may still be wondering what it’s all about. Where did this tradition come from? What do all the flowers and skeletons mean? Here is everything you need to know about Day of the Dead.
What is Day of the Dead?
Day of the Dead, or Dia de Muertos, is a holiday celebrated throughout Latin America, but it originated in Mexico.
Instead of being a celebration of ghouls and goblins, Day of the Dead is a time to celebrate and honor loved ones who have passed away. Participants believe that on November 1st and 2nd, the dead awaken and their spirits come to visit their living family members. The living prepare a feast and receive the spirits as honored guests.
Where did Day of the Dead originate?
According to the History Channel, Day of the Dead originated around 3,000 years ago with the Nahua and Aztec people. They believed that life is cyclical and death is just a normal part of that cycle. Therefore, they created a celebration to honor this part of the cycle.
Originally, the Nahua celebrated the dead in August. However, when the Spanish invaded Mexico, they brought with them All Saints Day and All Souls Day, which is celebrated the first two days of November. As a part of these celebrations, the Spanish would decorate graves with flowers and candles to help the dead find their way back to their homes on earth. Therefore, the Day of the Dead celebrations we witness today is a mixture of these two cultural traditions.
What are the Day of the Dead Traditions?
In Mexico, November 1st is “Dia de los Inocentes” (Day of the Innocents) or “Dia de los Angelitos” (Day of the Little Angels), which is basically a day to celebrate the lives of young children who have passed. The celebration for adults is the following day, on November 2.
During these celebrations, family members go to the cemetery to clean and decorate the gravestones. Sometimes they place items that their family members loved in life on the gravestones. Other families just place these items on an altar for the deceased in their homes.
On the 1st and 2nd , the family gathers for a feast and celebration in remembrance of those who have passed away. The belief is that during these two days, the spirits of those who have passed away are present and celebrating alongside their living family members.
What is the meaning of the Day of the Dead decorations?
The altars are the focus of Day of the Dead celebration. Baby’s breath, which represents the purity of children, adorns the altars of children, alongside toys, candy, and food that children enjoy such as sweet tamales, and atole.
For adults, the altars are covered with marigolds, the iconic orange flower that represents Day of the Dead. In some areas, the flower petals are also used to make a path that leads the souls back home to the family. Instead of sweet tamales they have spicy ones and trade the atloe for that adult’s beverage of choice. The food symbolizes an offering to the souls to welcome them home.
In addition to the tamales and atole, each region also offers the dead “pan de muerto” or bread of the dead. This is a special type of bread made during the Day of the Dead celebrations.
Each altar also has a picture of the people who have passed away, which represents his or her presence. Candles line the altars to light the way back home for the souls. Some altars also have papel picado or cut/chiseled paper with images of saints, skulls, and skeletons and are used as a tablecloth to decorate the altar.
The candy skulls and people dressed as skeletons, or La Catrina, are symbols of the reality of death. They are not meant to be scary but instead normalize death as a part of the cycle of life.
Can I take part in a Day of the Dead celebration if I am not Mexican?
Of course, you can! However, if you are going to attend a public celebration or celebrate with another family, remember to be respectful. The point of the celebration is to take time to remember loved ones. That means it may not be the best place for selfies or Facebook lives. Instead, unplug and take the time to enjoy being with other people.
If you are in the US, you can check here to see if there will be a Day of the Dead celebration near you. If you are feeling super adventurous, hop on a plane and head to Mexico to witness Day of the Dead first hand.
If neither of those is an option, you could also consider having your own Day of the Dead celebration in your home.
If I want to go to Mexico during Day of the Dead, where should I go?
You could honestly go anywhere in Mexico to experience Day of the Dead alongside the locals but according to TripSavvy, you will find the most colorful festivities in the Southern Region of Mexico. Some popular destinations for Day of the Dead explorers are Oaxaca, Chiapas, Michoacán and Mexico City.
Won’t a Day of the Dead Celebration scare my child?
Remember, Day of the Dead is not Halloween. It is not mean to be scary. Day of the dead is a time of connection and remembrance. In fact, if your child fears death or if you have recently lost a loved one, it may be helpful for your family to take some time to address the reality of death and remember those in your family who are no longer with you.
If you’d like to learn more about how to have your own Day of the Dead celebration, download this free three day activity guide that will walk you through bringing culture, joy and connection into your family through your own Day of the Dead celebration this October 31st-November 2nd.
Bio: Vanessa Ruiz loves all things language, culture, and diversity. She is the mother of a bilingual, bicultural child and works full time supporting immigrant families. You can find her at Families Embracing Diversitywhere she guides families to learn to love their differences today to give their children a better tomorrow.
Your child is fast becoming addicted to mobile phone and it worries you. Sure, it’s only natural for a parent to get concerned about a child’s negative attitude. In addition to consistently exposing their retina to white light, mobile phone addiction can also distract kids from educational and other productive activities. So, what can you do to distract your kid from intense mobile phone usage?
Thankfully, it is possible to make your kid’s environment more interesting than mobile phone. But how? Keep reading to learn more.
First, Understand that Too Much Exposure to Screen Has Consequences
High screen-time or too much exposure to gadget or TV screen comes with certain consequences such as the following;
Poor academic performance due to distraction caused by mobile phone addiction
Possibility of being derailed by surfing websites that are not healthy or morally good
Exposure of the retina to streams of white light at all times can drastically impact a child’s vision
So, How Can You Curtail or Stop a Child’s Addiction to Mobile Phones and Other Screen Gadgets?
You should start by devising ways to make their environment more interesting than sticking to the phone all day long. Some helpful tips to achieve this include the following;
Tip #1: Take the Lead
Whether you accept it or not, children tend to learn by example rather than mere instructions. You may not succeed in distracting your kid from phone addiction when you are also a culprit and barely have time for your kids. So, what they see you do is what they will likely do. If you are too drawn to your smartphone, it’s time to be the example for your kid by spending less and less time on your phone. It’s just a question of time, your child will follow suit.
Tip #2: Encourage and Introduce Fun Activities
You should introduce other fun and useful activities to your child. For instance, you can introduce your child to archery. Choose an adjustable bow for your child with the help of an archery shop attendant.
Subsequently, you can engage your backyard (if it is allowed in your area) to start teaching the kid how to shoot bows. Usually, the first target for kids learning to shoot a bowl is balloons. Indeed, most kids would prefer to spend time learning to shoot a bow than staying glued to a phone. Indeed, archery is a fantastic hobby that any kid will love.
You should also make other essential resources accessible to your child. Typical examples of such resources include interesting/educative books, art supplies and board games such as scrabble.
Tip #3: Cut back Phone Usage Times
Abrupt withdrawal of a phone from a child may cause him or her to go into depression and other negative emotions, since the child is already addicted to the gadget.
To prevent this from happening, you should consider limiting phone usage time at first and fill those hours the child is not using phone with other fun and productive activities mentioned in Tip #2. This gradual and more strategic process will be more effective. You will be surprised that the child would eventually lose interest in phones and gadgets without much coercion.
Tip #4: Spend More time with Your Child
Often, kids tend to resort to smartphones or other negative things as succor, since their parents rarely have time for them. So, learn to spend time with your kids. Find out what’s going on with them in school and elsewhere, and play with them as often as you can.
The truth is, kids really yearn for the attention of their parents who are rather busy doing other things that can never be equated with the emotional wellbeing of their kids. In fact, some parents are even the ones encouraging their kids to spend time with mobile phones since they do not get involved in these kids’ lives.
But the truth is, for a child to be well-rounded and groomed, you cannot take out those detailed and intimate moments spent with a child — which is what proper parenting requires.
Tip #5: Get Your Kids involved in House Chores
When a child has extensive idle time, he or she will definitely look for other things to be occupied on. If all your child does is to do home work, eat and play, and do not help out in anyway, he or she will definitely get attracted to mobile phone to stay busy.
So, start early to involve your kids in house chores and other meaningful activities. When you cook in the kitchen, get them to help handle smaller tasks such as washing vegetables, measuring out ingredients, and cleaning up after cooking. Also, your kids should be involved in keeping the house tidy, watering the plants in the garden and so on.
Finally, you need to understand that there’s no idle time for a kid, they must always have something to do. So, get them involved in meaningful activities to distract them from mobile phone.
One of the most wonderful things about children is that they’re natural curious about the world around them. There’s a lot going on, and most want to know more. If you feel like your child’s mostly focused inward, though, you may want to take steps to encourage that natural curiosity. Below are four activities that can really make a difference.
Go to Nature
Getting out in the natural world is a great way to get a child’s mind moving. Leave behind the technology and the distractions and spend a few hours out in the woods—or even a few days camping. Let your child discover the vast beauty of nature in a safe what that will make him or her really want to learn more about why the world works as it does.
Visit a Museum of Play
There are many excellent childrens’ museums out there, and the best of them put a strong focus on play. While children might think that they’re just getting a chance to play around, what they’re really doing is engaging with the world in a hands-on manner. Playing around in a stream table or building a fortress out of blocks may not seem like it’s constructive, but it’s teaching your child incredibly important lessons.
Check Out a Planetarium
Sometimes it takes spending a moment contemplating the vastness of the universe to really unlock a sense of wonder. There are spectacular planetarium shows in cities across the world, many of which are geared towards children. Giving your child a chance to look out at the vastness of space and to wonder what’s out there can be a good way to help him or her start to think about the world in a more engaging manner.
Visit a Historical Site
Sometimes a look at the past can really help a child to start asking “why”. Checking out a battlefield, an old building, or even a monument is a great way to talk to your child about the world as it was before he or she was born. Just getting exposed to the idea that things were not always as they are now can be a major turning point for some children, and this can lead them to really start interrogating their own worlds.
Getting your child to use his or her natural curiosity is really a matter of providing the right stimuli. Visit museums, planetariums, and historic sites to provide new points of view, and don’t forget to get out into nature to let your child explore. With the right stimuli, your child’s imagination will soar.
Moving to a new home is a difficult experience for everyone, but it is particularly tough for children. They are leaving behind more than just a familiar house. They’re also saying goodbye to friends, a neighborhood, a school, and maybe more. Here are some simple tips for helping your kids adjust to life at a new address.
Remember Their Transition
As we adults struggle to activate utilities, sell real estate, and adjust to a new job, we can easily forget about the kids. For them to come through the move as seamlessly as possible, it is essential that you help them adjust as well. Take them to explore their new school at the first opportunity. Check out the restaurants, stores, parks, and entertainment areas that will interest them. Talk to local groups about sports, orchestra, theater, or whatever hobbies they may have.
Get Them Involved
We often think that packing, hauling, and unpacking is adults’ work, and it is. However, kids need to help a little too. Take care of their furniture, clothes, and “boring” things for them, and then set aside time to work them through the process of packing treasured toys or other belongings. Let them mark the boxes and use all the fun bubble wrap and tape they want.
Keep Some Simple Reminders
If this is the first move for your children, the adjustment is really big. Figure out a way for them to maintain some physical reminders of the old place. It could be a paver from the sidewalk or a plant transferred to the new home. It could even be the door frame where you’ve measured their heights. Whatever you manage to find, bring it along to keep the memories of the old home fresh while they build more memories in the new home.
Just Listen
This may be uncharted territory for your kids. They may feel guilty about being excited to make new friends after leaving their old ones behind. They may be anxious about a totally new school. They may even be almost manic with excitement at the possibilities. Their feelings will run the gamut, and the only thing you can do is listen and support them. In time, you’ll hear the conversations turn more towards the new life and less toward the strain of leaving the old life. Even kids who are generally upbeat will have down times. Just listen.
A move is a major change. When there are kids involved, you can make their transition more seamless by simply keeping their feelings and reactions in mind at all times.
Lizzie Weakley is a freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors and walks in the park with her three-year-old husky, Snowball.
This book is such a wonderful look as your join Joey LeGoat on his journey of self discovery. My son read the book in one sitting and then read it twice in the same day!
His words, ” This book deserves 5 stars! It is such a good book about how to stand up to bullies and how it is wonderful to be you. I can’t wait to read it again.” He even read it to his sister.
In today’s world we need to use EVERY conversation, book, resource to teach our kids the ideals of empathy, connection, empowerment and self love. October is National Bullying Prevention Month and this book is a wonderful resource. With beautiful illustrations and using strong imagery this book is a great book to read a few pages daily or for kids who are ready to read chapter books. With two chapters and clearly outlined sections, this book is a pleasure to read.
We are so glad Tom Nochera chose to send us this book and have us host a giveaway.
To grab a chance to win this book for free, click here and get the book. Winner will be announced in two weeks.
Inside the Book
Joey LeGoat lives with his brother Billy and their family on the Isle of Oat. When Gilbert, the leader of the geese, finds out that Joey is not called a billy goat, there’s trouble. Gilbert is the island’s head bully, and Joey LeGoat becomes his innocent prey. Against his father’s advice, Joey decides to hide in his barn. However, his own spirit eventually emerges, and he realizes he has to go outside, face his bullies, and create his own destiny. Once Joey LeGoat prevails against his bullies, he challenges all creatures to follow the Golden Rule, and treat others the way they wish to be treated.
The first of a two-book series, A Goat Named Joey is a tool that parents, educators and children can use to boost self-confidence and spread compassion to help stop the scourge of bullying.
About Author
Before Tom Nochera began writing stories for children, he wrote technical manuals for start-up companies, but he found that as much fun as eating bark off a tree. So, he started writing poems for kids. His first book of poems was A Place That’s Fun, written under the pen name Ichabod Ablegoose. He currently works in catering in Washington, D.C., while continuing to grow his writing career with the help of his biggest inspiration, his children. A Goat Named Joey is his second book. A bullied child himself, Tom wrote this book to help all children escape the hate of bullying.
“A Goat Named Joey is an impactful children’s book that teaches our kids about the harmful and lasting effects of bullying. I highly recommend this wonderful work!” —Kirk Smalley, President of Stand for the Silent, a nonprofit organization dedicated to stopping bullying
One of the great pleasures of traveling to other parts of the United States is in visiting the wide variety of art museums that house great artworks from every age of human history. America is blessed with a population that not only understands the value of art, but also creates beautiful environments in which to enjoy these works. Here are four US cities that offer art museums worth your vacation investment.
New York City, New York
As one of the largest and most renowned cities in the country, New York City also earned its title as one of the centers for art. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), the Guggenheim, and the Frick museums should be at the top of your list, but there are a number of smaller institutions that are also worth adding to your itinerary for art viewing in NYC.
Chicago, Illinois
This large midwestern city offers art lovers a broad range of visual experiences, from its public art to its smaller, specialized museums. The Art Institute offers a permanent collection of work that is world renowned, with a number of periodic, traveling exhibits that both residents and visitors to the city enjoy on a regular basis.
Washington, DC
Washington, DC offers many interesting attractions for group travel tours, and it also provides art lovers with many opportunities. The Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Gallery of Art are the top favorites, but a number of other museums, such as the Hirshhorn Museum and Freer and Sackler Galleries are also worthwhile stops for extraordinary art viewing.
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles has a large population of art lovers and their commitment to preserving extraordinary works is evident at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, fondly referred to as “LACMA.” Marked at the front with its iconic collection of streetlights, a million visitors come to enjoy its collections of art from around the world and various periods in history. The Getty Museum is another institution that houses a wide range of artworks for the public to enjoy, making L.A. a must-see stop on any traveler’s tour of U.S. museums.
The United States is rich in artistic treasures that are available to everyone who wants to see them. If you and your family are interested in travel and art, you have a wide range of opportunities to see works of all kinds. These four cities offer some of the best art viewing in the country, to suit every taste.
Anica is a professional content and copywriter who graduated from the University of San Francisco. She loves dogs, the ocean, and anything outdoor-related. You can connect with Anica on Twitter @AnicaOaks.
An environment that induces motivation and energy, as well as exudes an aura of professionalism properly infused with appropriate levels of comfort, is significant to enhance the process of learning in students. In this particular stage of life, when kids soak up everything around them, every minute detail should be monitored and carefully implanted into their surroundings, especially in a learning environment like a classroom. An aura that harmoniously incorporates all the significant aspects required for a student to be inclined to learn, develop and think out of the box is one of the best methods to help the entire process of grasping and understanding knowledge.
In the list below, you’ll find 6, briefly explained ideas to help you choose, decide and develop the kind of environment you want to nurture the kids in as per the needs and requirements of their personalities. From posters, charts and quick notes to wall decor and 2D diagrams or 3D structures, the bar is set to explore, to play with and to be leveraged to your aims and goals. So, brainstorm, choose and decide, the future of the nation rests on these decisions.
Posters :
Visual effects have drastic effects on the psychology of the child. As compared to hours and hours of long lectures, an aesthetic poster that conveys the information creatively proves to be comparatively very effective and efficient. Therefore, choosing to decorate the room with posters will benefit in the learning process exponentially, as well as, at the same time, enhance the environment by shifting it from bland and clinical to a bit more friendly and inviting.
However, you must have a clear perspective of the environment you want to create, based on which the posters to be put up will be chosen. Thus, choose wisely.
Student Work Display:
Throughout the academic year, students are handed a lot of projects and assignments about the respective subjects. The works submitted by them thus can be chosen to be carefully decorated on a wall that is specific for student work display only. This method proves to kill two birds with one stone. How? You may wonder, well, it’s simple; displaying their hard work gives them a sense of ownership and on top, gives them the motivation to give their best. This technique instigates a sense and environment of healthy competition necessary for growth and learning.
Class Community Wall:
The importance of this particular method is like no other. The seeds from community learning, such as in a class are, can only be reaped when the bond between the group is strong and healthy as well. This is where the ‘Class Community Wall’ idea comes in.
Decorating a wall with inspiring photographs and messages from one to another will tend to develop a nurturing environment. This wall, however, needs to be carefully monitored and maneuvered since the tiniest of misconduct can lead to unwanted troubles and misunderstandings.
World Map Posters :
World maps can prove to be extremely informative as well as decorative for walls. A world map scratch poster, for example, can prove to be one of the best ways to use up space on your classroom walls to decorate in an aesthetic yet very informative way. Scratching off the gold foil while learning something about a new place altogether and then to reveal colorful states and lands below, can be a very creative way to grasp hold on geography
Start with a World Map Scratch Poster, the kids will enjoy scratching it while learning about places.
3 D Structures:
As stated before, visual aids have a huge impact on the mind. 3 D structures, therefore, take the concept of posters and diagrams to a whole new level. The understanding of a visual intensifies when you make the children inhale the concept through 3-dimensional diagrams. The bar of imagination becomes extraordinarily magnified through this particular technique. Be it a 3-dimensional structure of the human DNA, a skeleton or the solar system, the creativity level states the sky as the limit. Furthermore, the structures help elevate the learning vibe and aura of the classroom to yield a more practical mindset and approaches.
Wall Art and Murals
Wall Art and murals help bring a change of scenery to the very ‘set and systematic’ environment of the classroom. This change of scenery can act as a breath of fresh air in many cases and thus help uplift the level of energy in the surroundings. This can further aid in making the kids more receptive to what is being taught in the lectures as well. These murals can range from being mere decorative paintings of ecosystems and nature to messages related to diversity and love, depending on the incentive.
The environment of the classroom, besides the teacher and the techniques used to teach, influences the learning of the children studying in it exponentially. Thus, it becomes imperative to choose and make wise decisions and take significant towards enhancing the rooms and yield extremely productive results accordingly.
Divorce is often hardest on children, who may feel a lack of control over what happens in their life. After living with both parents for years, it can be devastating to suddenly watch as your home is split into two. Younger children may be confused regarding what divorce even means, and older children may become resentful about the changes that occur in their life. Being aware of your child’s emotional response to the divorce helps you to enact these four strategies that help them process what is happening in positive ways.
Keep Communication Open
Once a divorce is inevitable, most parents sit their child down to have an honest discussion about the future. This is a great way to start off your child’s awareness of the divorce, but it is also important to make it clear that this is not the only and final conversation. During this talk, let your child know that you and the other parent are open to hearing about how the child feels as things progress. Let him or her know that no question is too silly or small to ask, and try your best to respond to each one with understanding. Allowing your child to vent emotions and ask questions helps you stay on top of any new issues that arise.
Seek Help from a Therapist
In some cases, you may not be able to work through this process on your own. Your child may need to talk to another trusted adult, and collaborative therapy provides children with a safe outlet for figuring out how to process their emotions. You can participate in this type of therapy as a family, or your child can attend individual sessions. Either way, giving your child a professional therapist to work with adds new coping strategies to his or her tool kit that helps him or her make it through the transition to having two parents living in different houses.
Be Honest About What Will Happen
You need to establish trust right now, and that means being honest. Your child will naturally have questions about the future such as where he or she will live, how overnight visits will work, and if he or she will have to change schools. If you already know the answers for sure, then tell your child the truth. It is also okay to tell your child that certain things are not decided yet as long as you are willing to communicate once they are decided.
Continue to Check in with Your Child
Your child still needs your support as he or she continues to work through the process of accepting the divorce. Be sure to ask your child how he or she is doing from time to time. Since some children may not reach out, you also need to watch for signs that he or she may be struggling, such as having trouble in school or having a sudden change in friends.
As you help your family navigate their way through this challenging time, remember that things can change rapidly regarding your child’s mindset. Be willing to reach out to your support system if you find that you or your child is struggling. By being proactive, you can make sure that your child emerges from the divorce stronger and with the knowledge that he or she has your support.
Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. She recommends for businesses to look into IT consultant companies near them. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan
You go to a party and witness kids sitting together, each playing on their own device.
What do you do to curb this ?
One simple rule – When you are at a party, no matter how bored you are, no devices. When you are with your friends on a play date , no TV or gadget use..if you want to watch TV, no need to go on play dates or have friends over….Might as well stay at home and do the same by yourself.
PLAY together. inter Act!
(The only time I Do allow my kids is if it’s late in the night at a party and I know they are tired and it will be another 15 mins before we can leave … )
It is just sad to see kids sitting together and busy on devices in stead of interacting and building off each other’s creativity.
Options you can give them, instead of devices are –
Create Art
Make videos
Put up a play
Play a board game
Charades
Pictionary
Dance Party
Read books together
Ice breaking games
Encourage other adults who come to your home to help you in enforcing this rule. Yes, it’s awkward but trust me they will thank you when they see the beauty that comes from the kids play … Last month the kids go bored together and ended up making a play … Other times they play chess … Still others they just sit around and talk while doing their own thing. And learn to talk !
Also, your kids will pester you. Oh! Yes they will!
Stand strong on this. Specially if they see other kids whose parents let them play on devices at a party. Tell your kids that if you want to play on phone, let’s just go home, else find a way to keep Yourself busy. OR sit with us adults and listen to conversation (for kids 7 and older ) OR take a book to draw in or read in a small bag as a boredom buster.
In my book I have talked in depth about balancing technology and gadget use for kids and teaching kids moderation …
Please let’s raise a generation of kids who interact and are not just using phone for substituting human interaction.
No one has energy like a kid. However, in today’s world, they have to be taught to be physical thanks to the magnet that is the internet. If not, your kids may become unhealthy adults. The four physical activities to teach your kids listed below will come in handy when it’s time to get your children on their feet.
Swim Lessons
Teaching your kids to swim will not only keep them physically fit, but it will also keep them safe whenever they are around deep water. Once they know how to swim, then have them swim regularly and with some type of routine. For example, if you go to the pool with your kids for an hour once a week, you can have them do laps for the first 15 or 20 minutes and let them play the rest.
Hiking
When you take kids hiking early enough in their lives, most of them will develop a lifelong appreciation for nature and the environment; they’ll also get healthier because fresh air and winding hiking trails make for a healthier child. When they’re older, they’ll naturally want to get out into nature and will want to teach their kids the same.
Bicycle Riding
It’s a magic moment when a kid manages to ride a bike for the first time without training wheels. What’s even more magic is when that child develops a healthy habit of bike riding. You want to see your kids on their bikes because bicycles require a fair amount of physical exertion. Taking regular rides with your little ones is a great way to keep them fit. You can also encourage them to join a bicycle club if they really like riding.
Games
You may remember some of the games you played when you were younger like duck-duck-goose and tag. If you do, then you’ll probably also recall how much running around you did and for how long. Games have to power to capture children’s imaginations and suspend them in time while they play. It’s a form of magic if you ask some parents. If your rug rats aren’t already out playing dodge ball, then show them the way to the diamond.
With a little bit of guidance, your kids will be out and about all the time because physical activity is fun, especially when you’re young. However, today, kids have to learn this because the world gives them things to do that don’t require much movement at all.
Make sure to grab our book to help kids build confidence and acceptance early.
Cancer is a disease that impacts millions of individuals and families alike across the world each year. Whether you or a loved one has recently been diagnosed with cancer, knowing how to face the challenges ahead and make a plan of action is essential. Learn how to care for cancer.
Get Educated
Learning about various types of cancer, stages, and treatment options can go a long way when you or a loved one is diagnosed. When you feel knowledgeable discussing the topic of cancer, facing cancer head-on can feel less tedious, stressful, and daunting. The more educated you become about cancer treatments today and their overall effectiveness, the easier it is to face the obstacles and challenges that cancer poses without feeling defeated.
Discuss Treatment Options
Discuss all of the treatment options that are available for the cancer you or your loved one is trying to overcome. Because not all cancers affect the body in the same way, it is important to research all of your options and various treatments that may be best for you or your loved one, based on your current health and any other conditions you have. Specialized cancer clinics, such as a prostate cancer clinic, can help you find the specific needs for the relevant form of cancer.
Respect Your Loved One’s Decisions
Always respect your loved one’s decisions after they have received a diagnosis of cancer. While it is not always easy to accept that a loved one may not want to seek treatment for late-stage cancers, it is important to remain respectful of their choices and decisions throughout the journey. If you are the one struggling with a cancer diagnosis, you will likely request that your friends and loved ones respect your decisions.
The Importance of Support
Building a support group is one of the most important steps to take when you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer. Mental, emotional, and moral support can drastically improve the healing process and the process of facing cancer treatments such as chemotherapy directly. Always strive to build a support group for yourself or any loved one you know who is undergoing cancer treatments. With a powerful support group, improve your mood and your ability to remain optimistic while fighting your cancer diagnosis at any stage and regardless of your choice of treatment.
Understanding the significance of a cancer diagnosis is imperative whether you or a loved one has recently been diagnosed. Once you have a clear understanding of the cancer you are dealing with, treatment options, and medications available, you can then move forward with taking the necessary actions to help treat it.
A car accident is an extremely stressful situation. Having a child with autism can make the situation harder on everyone, but remember that it is always more stressful for your child than you. Here are some of the techniques that you can use in order to help your child cope with the aftermath of an accident.
Keep Your Cool
It can be hard to remain calm following an accident. Becoming stressed yourself is going to make the accident more traumatic for your child. This means that you need to keep your cool throughout the process. If you need to vent about the situation, be mindful about doing so when your child isn’t around. If he or she sees that you’re losing it, he or she is more likely to have a meltdown as well. Keep a level and even tone so that you can reduce the amount of stress that your child experiences. If your child is injured, make sure to explain to the emergency responders and the police that your child has autism, how he or she expresses pain or fear, and whether he or she will be able to respond to questions.
De-Escalate
Determine the best way to communicate with your child so that you can alleviate his or her fears. It’s good to have set up systems beforehand so your child knows how to safely express feelings to you, such as tapping your hand instead of hugging or kissing. Your child may have been attached to the car, and if he or she has been injured in the accident, he or she could be having extremely complicated feelings even if these feelings are not expressed in a way you are familiar with. Furthermore, flashing lights, loud noises and other triggers that accompany accidents can be extremely stressful for a child with autism. Employ coping strategies with your child so that he or she can process what occurred and deal with it appropriately.
Use Your Resources
The most inconvenient thing following an accident is having to deal with repairing or replacing your vehicle. This adds stress to an already emotionally charged situation. Also, your child may have difficulty adjusting to a change in vehicle or schedule, so it may be important to you to get your old car back in service quickly. You may want to look into collision repair shops that have a quick turnaround time and certified repairs so that you can get things back to normal. Ask your child if he or she would like to come with you to see the car while it’s in the shop, as this can help your child process the changes in transportation and schedule that could be happening because of the accident. Letting your child have a “sneak peek” of an old or new car will help them prepare for having it reintegrated into his or her daily routine.
Maintain Routine
Stick with your routine so that your child can cope with the trauma of the accident. Your child is more likely to stabilize when things aren’t constantly changing in his or her life. This can be difficult because things are still up in the air in regards to handling the incidentals that go along with a car accident. Try to maintain your normal routine as much as possible. This will help your child to feel more secure with life and more open to discuss emotions.
All children experience trauma at some point in their lives. Use these strategies so that you can reduce the long-term impact that go can along with being involved in a car accident. Remember, however, that your child may not want to talk about or discuss feelings with you, and this is also okay.
Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan
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Before Tom Nochera began writing stories for children, he wrote technical manuals for start-up companies, but he found that as much fun as eating bark off a tree. So, he started writing poems for kids. His first book of poems was A Place That’s Fun, written under the pen name Ichabod Ablegoose. He currently works in catering in Washington, D.C., while continuing to grow his writing career with the help of his biggest inspiration, his children. A Goat Named Joey is his second book. A bullied child himself, Tom wrote this book to help all children escape the hate of bullying.
