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Early Signs of Autism EVERY Parent Should Be Aware Of

It can be scary, as a parent, to think that your child has autism. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s a topic that can be avoided. As a parent, you need to know what to watch out for if you think there is a possibility that your child places on the autism spectrum.

Even if your child does not have autism, it’s important to be aware and acknowledge the same through compassionate actions and understanding.

There are a couple of things to note when considering the following early signs of autism. First, if you see these signs, you should consult your child’s pediatrician for a professional opinion. Additionally, if your child does place on the autism spectrum, you should make sure to learn everything you can to help them and know that your family isn’t alone.

When Would I Notice These Signs in My Child?

For this question, there is no single answer. Every child is different. While some children might show signs as early as six months, other children might not show any signs of autism until they are 3 years old.

6 Months

The absolute earliest you might notice your child showing signs of autism is at 6 months. Here, you will want to keep an eye out for a lack of engagement. Specifically, you might notice that your child doesn’t give you big grins like other or babies or don’t keep or only keep limited eye contact.

Between 6 and 18 months, you might also notice that your baby fixates on certain objects as well. It is important to note that babies having a “favorite toy” is different and to a lesser degree than a fixation.

9 Months

For most babies, around 9 months they aren’t talking yet but they probably are babbling. You might even make sounds back and forth with them or you might notice them babble back at you when you talk. For a child showing signs of autism around this time, though, you won’t see a back and forth with this exchange of babbling or responsive facial expressions.

 

16 to 24 Months

Between 16 and 24 months, most children are learning to talk. Closer to 16 months, you might notice single word phrases such as “mama” or “dada.” This is where babbling turns into words that your child relates to something. Closer to 24 months, most babies are using two-word phrases. A sign of autism is that your child is missing these milestones.

You will also notice as a sign of autism if your child’s physical gestures aren’t meaningful. For example, most children might point to their mother and say “mommy” or say the name of a toy and point to it as a sign that they are associating words and items. However, if a child shows signs of placing on the autism spectrum, they might not make meaningful gestures like this.


Further Signs of Autism

Past this point, there are some signs of autism that you should look for at any age.

As your child starts to interact with other children, you might notice a couple things as signs of autism. For instance, your child might draw away from other children and prefer to play by themselves. You might also notice that your child is confused when they are presented with other’s emotions.

Another similar sign you might notice is that your child isn’t responsive to stimuli. For example, if someone calls their name, they might not take notice. When they are talking or interacting with you or others, you also might notice limited or total lack of eye contact – just like we mentioned you might see at earlier stages.

Other signs might be more situational. If a child’s routine is disrupted or their normal environment is changed, they might show resistance. You might see this discomfort when your child starts school.

Signs such as repetitive motions and restricted interests are also things to watch out for. You should also take note if your child lags behind on developmental milestones similar to the delay of speech we mentioned for babies and toddlers.

Finally, you should make sure that you keep an eye out for any regression in your child. If you see any of their social, verbal, or physical skills undoing themselves, this is an important sign.

What Should I Do If I Notice These Signs?

As mentioned earlier, you should bring these signs up with your child’s doctor if you start to notice multiple instances of them. Remember, you should watch for the signs but a trained medical professional should make the final diagnosis.

Annabelle Carter Short is a freelance writer/editor and seamstress of more than 7 years. She also works with few organizations to provide families with the best resources for raising and educating a special needs child. When not working, she’s spending time with her family or putting pen to paper for her own personal pursuits. Annabelle likes to make DIY and crafty projects in her free time with her two kids: Elizabeth (age 6) and Michael (age 8).

Are Lohri, Makarsankranti and Pongal the same Indian Festival?

Are Lohri, Makarsankranti and Pongal the same Indian Festival?

It is the time the days are on the coldest and when first harvest of the year is done in most of the parts of India where the food grains are worshiped in different ways. Are the festivals of Lohri, Makarsankranti and Pongal basically the same? Celebrated on the January 13th and 14th respectively and for the same reason, different states of India celebrate these auspicious day in different ways. Rejoicing in the fruits of harvest.

How can you tell who is celebrating which one? Make sure to save this so you can reference back to it later.

Well, firstly different people call it by different names.

Lohri in Punjab

Celebrated by Punjabi Indians on the 13th of January, this day is marked by a bon fire, colorful clothes music and dancing. Popcorn, sesame, chikki are enjoyed.

You can find out more about this festival by reading the complete celebration here.

Makar Sankranthi 

Makar Sankranti is celebrated on 14 January every year.This particular festival is celebrated by many more states, in different ways. This day is marked differently by the element of traditional prayers and kite flying.

Delhi and Haryana – Churma of ghee, halwa and kheer are cooked specially on this day. One brother of every married woman visits her home with a gift of some warm clothing for her and her husband’s family. It is called “Sidha”. Women used to give a gift to their in-laws, and this rituals called “Manana”. The recipient will sit in a haweli (main palace where men sit together and share hookka). Women go to haweli to sing folk songs and give gifts.

Rajasthan and West Madhya Pradesh

“Makar Sankrati” or “Sankrat” in the Rajasthani language is one of the major festivals in the state of Rajasthan. The day is celebrated with special Rajasthani delicacies and sweets such as pheeni (either with sweet milk or sugar syrup dipped), til-paati, gajak, kheer, ghevar, pakodi, puwa, and til-laddoo.

Specially, the women of this region wear black as it absorbs heat the most and observe a ritual in which they give any type of object (related to household, make-up or food) to 13 married women. The first Sankranti experienced by a married woman is of significance as she is invited by her parents and brothers to their houses with her husband for a big feast. People invite friends and relatives (specially their sisters and daughters) to their home for special festival meals (called as “Sankrant Bhoj”). People give out many kind of small gifts such as til-gud (jaggery), fruits, dry khichadi, etc. to Brahmins or the needy ones.

Kite flying is traditionally observed as a part of this festival.On this occasion the sky in Jaipur and Hadoti regions is filled with kites, and youngsters engage in contests trying to cut each other’s strings.

Pongal

Celebrated in Tamil Nadu, this is a grand festival of four days. Day 1 marks Bhogi Pandigai, Day 2 is Thai Pongal, Day 3 Maattu Pongal and Kaanum Pongal is celebrated on day 4. The festival is celebrated four days from the last day of the Tamil month Maargazhi to the third day of the Tamil month Thai.

Here is a detailed description of the four days of celebration.

KHICHERI

Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand

This same festival is known as Kicheri in Uttar Pradesh and involves ritual bathing. There is a compulsion to bathe in the morning while fasting; first they bathe then they eat sweets such as til ladoo and gud laddo (known as tillava in Bhojpuri). At some places new clothes are worn on this day. It is said that if you do not bath on this day, you will fall upon bad luck the rest of the year. Khichi is prepared.  Kite flying  and (sesame seeds) and gud (jaggery) are found in the songs sung on this day.

West Bengal

In West Bengal, Sankranti, also known Poush Parbon (It falls on 14 January on the Western calendar.) All sections of society participate in a three-day begins on the day before Sankranti and ends on the day after. The freshly harvested paddy and the date palm syrup in the form of Khejurer Gur and Patali is used in the preparation of a variety of traditional Bengali sweets made with rice flour, coconut, milk and ‘khejurer gur’ (date palm jaggery) and known as ‘Pitha’ . The Goddess Lakshmi is usually worshipped on the day of Sankranti.

So you see, even though celebrated for the reason, the colorful states of India each celebrate this day in numerous different ways and on different days. Observing the celebrations is a great indicator of the heritage of a person and what part of India they belong to.

Did you know this about these festivals? Do you know any more differences? Feel free to share the same below

 

7 Reasons Why Your Child Should Get into Arts & Crafts

Engaging in arts and crafts projects could transform your home into a mess. Bear in mind however that your kids are learning very important skills that will help them in school and life. Although, arts and crafts could be messy for kids as it translates into a typhoon of paint, toll tubes, toilet papers, etc. It is actually a worthy cause.

If you resent the idea of engaging in arts and crafts with your kids, it might help to be aware that they can learn a wide range of skills. They get to improve on learning, build on their creativity, boost their confidence and you have some quality time together. This written piece will address the top seven reasons why your child should get involved:

1.       They learn Commitment

Being able to complete projects is a way to build commitment in kids. Commencing an art project no matter how small gives children the pride and satisfaction that comes with getting it completed. You have to start small with the kid and as the child grows, introduce technical and hard projects that will take more time.

Seeing as kids can get easily distracted, it helps to introduce a zero tolerance policy for abandoned projects. Doing this will teach them life-long lessons always to follow through with what they start.

Photo by Alex Jones on Unsplash

2.       They get to use their Imagination

Arts and crafts give a kid the chance to be creative. It allows them to use their imagination and come up with whatever they desire. By being creative, they get to express themselves and even personalize their craft project. While their creativity or personalization might look odd to you, it is their way of expressing themselves. Asides, allowing them to personalize, their arts and crafts projects give them the chance to come up with something “creative in their world.” There are many easy projects kids can make and later gift them.

3.       Improvement in School Work

One of the bright sides of arts and crafts is the importance it brings to the kid’s education. Kids get to see practical concepts that are tricky to grasp. With a little lateral thinking, they get to see this concept from another dimension which will make more sense to them.

Building a house from various day to day items, for instance, could help make the understanding of 3D shapes stick to memory.

Kids would prefer to see their favorite comic character painted with scraps of colored cloths. This will make reading fun and build their interest in discovering more.

4.       They Learn Social Skills and Team Work

Joint work with your kid on an art and craft project is a proven way to build their team spirit. Not only that, they build their social skills, communication skills and learn to cooperate and communicate among their peers to get a project to completion.

Building a team spirit into your kid early in life is a quality that will stay with them for life. This valuable skill will make them almost indispensable in all walks of life.

5.       Teaches Your Child to Follow Instructions

Crafts, arts are distinct activities that offer a unique learning opportunity for your child. According to Anna Reyner, an American art therapist, “While art is flexible or ‘unstructured’ activity, crafts are structured with specific direction.”

Hence with crafts, kids are made to learn to follow instructions. This is because they will have to go through a process to achieve the desired aim. Also, kids get to see the consequences of not following instructions. They see clearly what happens when instructions are ignored.

6.       Crafting Develops Fine Motor Skills

Simple activities in crafts and arts like cutting, sticking, gumming, coloring and following line pattern can help in building fine motor skill. It is also a way to improve hand to eye coordination in children. This task doesn’t have to be technical. It can be as simple as separating the triangles of a tissue paper and arranging them up in the right shape.

Kids learn to follow instructions to complete an activity and also build their motor skills through paper art crafts like these.

7.       Building their Problem Solving Skills

Kids who are a bit matured could be asked to recreate a piece of craft. These could be a photo which can be created with simple household items. With this, they learn to pay attention to things and get even more creative in the process – by looking for alternatives to things not available at home.

This will help them to use their imagination and creativity to think outside the box – a skill that will be helpful later in life.

Conclusion

There are many benefits that your child will benefit from going into arts and crafts. Thus, you just have to look past the mess and allow your kids to express themselves through arts. You will be surprised at how creative they can get!

What is your child’s favorite activity ?

  About the author: Annabelle Carter Short is a freelance writer/editor and seamstress of more than 7 years. She also works with few organizations to provide families with the best resources for raising and educating a special needs child. When not working, she’s spending time with her family or putting pen to paper for her own personal pursuits. Annabelle likes to make DIY and crafty projects in her free time with her two kids: Elizabeth (age 6) and Michael (age 8).

A Toast to You As We Bid Goodbye to 2018

A Toast to You As We Bid Goodbye to 2018

Thank you for staying with us 3 days a week, every week! We are grateful for your presence in our lives and words. We hope together we can take conversations forward in building a brighter, unified future.

May all our children grow a year stronger : wiser and kinder.

With all our hearts we wish you a magical 2019!

We will be bringing you FRESH perspectives in 2019 … Meanwhile for any questions or concerns email us contact@localhost

 

Empower and Encourage Through Stories of Friendship

Empower and Encourage Through Stories of Friendship

1. How did you come about your passion/profession?

      Blanca discovered her love of the world early on while listening to stories of exotic locals from her grandmothers. After going on to become a globe trotter herself, she settled into life in Southern California as a preschool teacher and daycare owner. She discovered her passion when she brought different cultures into her daycare in the form of multicultural foods, music, and art projects to share with the children she cared for. When she was ready to retire, she created Joy Sun Bear and teamed up with Shearin and John Lee to be able to continue sharing the world with kids. She is one of the co-authors and founder of Joy Sun Bear.
      John’s passion was always creating, either in the form of stories or art. Though his career led him through the military into the technical world of data analysis, art and fiction remained his steadfast companions. When the opportunity to join Joy Sun Bear came along, John was all in, excited to see what years of drawing and writing could become. As a passionate father and husband, John was pleased to find a chance to show his daughter that hard work and dedication can create amazing things. John is the co-author and illustrator for Joy Sun Bear.
      Shearin graduated with a degree in Public Relations from USC. Immediately after, however, she found herself in a new town with new priorities. Fast forward several years to her and John’s partnership with Blanca, and she now finds herself thrust into the world of social media management, networking, and brand development as the Creative Director for Joy Sun Bear, Inc. Though she never expected to find herself in this role, she’s found that learning the ins and outs of managing a young startup has brought more opportunity to learn and grow than she ever thought it would. In addition to building the JSB brand, Shearin’s other passion is being an involved Mom for her and John’s eight year old daughter. She loves volunteering at school and working with kids.

2. Tell us about your family.

      Blanca was born in New York, but moved back to Colombia and grew up there. She has visited fifteen countries across four continents. She has two kids who are all grown up and living on their own. She lives in Southern California with her husband after living on both coasts of the US and even across the pond in London, England.
      John has lived most of his life in California, with brief stays in other states – and a year long stay in South Korea – during his time in the U.S. Army. He now lives in Southern California with Shearin and their daughter.
    Shearin grew up in Utah, moved to Maryland and then to California. Though they have both spent the vast majority of their life in the U.S., Shearin’s parents were born in Iran, and she was raised with significant Persian cultural influence. For John and Shearin, merging their lives also meant learning how to blend two different cultures together. Both have found the process of learning what culture is and how it affects their lives enlightening and inspiring.
3. What do you think are three biggest struggles of parents today?
      1. Teaching your child empathy for not only others, but for themselves as well.
      2. Teaching children to respect rules and authority while teaching them to push beyond their limitations and the boundaries placed on them by others (emotionally or legally).
      3. Explaining some of the actions of world leaders and the fallout caused in ways that inspire them to make positive changes, rather than just using bleak summaries.

4. Please tell us about your vision for the world.

      Our vision for the world is one where children can feel free to be themselves without feeling fear or judgement. We wish for children to feel empowered from a young age to make positive changes around them, and motivated to continue to do so well into adulthood. We want children, and adults, to remain aware of themselves. Finally, we imagine a world where everyone makes daily decisions with consideration for the planet that we all share, its ecology and ability to support human life. We have created a philosophy called Our Three “E” Philosophy for our brand and products that expresses the following:

5.  Do you have anything exciting for our readers?

     We sure do! Our first book, The Adventures of Joy Sun Bear: The Blue Amber of Sumatra, is a wonderful bestselling chapter book out now on Amazon.com. Packed with diverse, entertaining and charming characters, your child will be sure to get absorbed by the story as the main character, Joy, set’s out on a magical quest. His story is filled with adventure, but also teaches about friendship, compassion, respect, empathy, and responsibility. The story also introduces some important global issues (deforestation and refugees) in a kid-friendly narrative to empower and inspire kids. We also include resources in the back of the book that share different ways children can help with these global issues starting with their own community, also promoting kindness and giving back. We want children, no matter how young or small, to feel that they can make a difference in the world, starting in their own backyard.
      We’re already working on book two, but also making time for digital and in-person school visits. Our book has already been read in classrooms across the globe and our website has been used in classrooms as far away as Australia! You can follow our journey on any of our social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube), and stay up to date on Joy’s adventures!
BOOK DESCRIPTION

Can one sun bear change the world?

Joy Sun Bear spends his days running through the rain forest, eating figs and honey, and teasing his sister. But everything changes when animals escaping the destruction of another forest arrive near his home.

If adjusting to new strangers wasn’t challenging enough, sacred figs go missing and chaos erupts when rumors of a curse begin to spread. To help restore peace in the rainforest, Joy sets out on an adventure filled with illusions, danger, and a mystical stone.

Can Joy discover his inner magic, help his new friends, and accept a mission that will alter his destiny forever?

Freebies for Readers:

      *Get our ebook with colored illustrations for $.99 when you purchase the paperback. Great for holidays to get your own copy and gift the other for someone you love!

*Free Character Coloring Sheets and Reading Comprehension Crossword Puzzle for Download: http://joysunbear.com/blue-amber/

*Learn more about Sumatra with Joy:  Joy shares his travel journal about Sumatra for kids to learn about his home. This includes information about Sumatra, geography, country facts, food, culture, animals and more with a craft, recipe and coloring activity for kids: http://joysunbear.com/explore-with-joy/west-sumatra/

 

AUTHOR BIOS

Blanca Carranza: Co-Author

Blanca Carranza is a former preschool teacher and globetrotter. Born in New York to Colombian parents, she spent her early life traveling around the world and listening to her grandmothers’ stories. She has visited fifteen countries across four continents. Her passion for exploring the world, combined with her study of child development, created a unique atmosphere in each of the daycares and preschools she has owned and operated.

From international music, to food, to art, she brought the world to the children she cared for. Before retiring from childcare, she was inspired to create Joy Sun Bear and his adventures so she could continue to help children be happier and learn more about the world. She has two kids of her own, both all grown up, and lives in Southern California with her husband.

John Lee: Co-Author/Illustrator

From driving tanks in the U.S. Army, to problem solving in the IT world, to writing and drawing cute and cuddly animals on magical adventures, John’s life has been fun and diverse.

Drawing and storytelling have always been important hobbies for John. Fueled by books, video games, and copious amounts of coffee, he is always excited to read, watch, or create some adventure-filled fiction.

John adores time with his wife and daughter, who provide a limitless supply of love, inspiration, and motivation. Together they live in sunny Southern California.

Shearin Lee: Creative Director
Shearin was born in the U.S.A and grew up in a multicultural environment with parents of Iranian descent. As a first-generation Iranian-American, Shearin can speak both Farsi and English and loves infusing both heritages into her family’s culture. She values giving back by helping charities raise money and volunteering at her daughter’s elementary school.

Her goal for Joy Sun Bear is to help kids feel comfortable with who they are, explore new friendships with others who are different, and help the world connect and create a sense of unity by learning about each other’s cultures.

      Visit the Website: www.joysunbear.com
Your Parenting Style Defines Your Child - Identify it Now!

Your Parenting Style Defines Your Child – Identify it Now!

Healthily raising children is an essential factor.  Every single parent faces various difficulties and using  parenting styles to raise their child. With the help of parenting styles, parents set rules for children and expect to conform their children to follow them.  There are four types of parenting styles such as authoritative parenting, neglectful parenting, permissive parenting, and authorization parenting style. Sometimes, parents are not aware form their parenting style which parenting style they are using.   With the variety of parenting styles impact the children differently.

Identify Your Parenting Style

Authoritative Parenting

Authoritative parenting is one of the best styles of parents and provides open communication style for children.  This parenting style is the most effective and beneficial parenting style for healthy children. This type of parenting creates a healthy environment around the children and supports their children at any situation. Authoritative parenting is easily recognized from their high expectation from their children and a deep understanding of children expectation. With authoritative parents, quickly make a healthy home without any conflicts and communication gap between children and parents.   There are some points to how to recognize Authoritative parenting style such as:

  •   If you have your child day structure such as planned for bedtime and understood household rules.
  •   If you know, the child expectation from their behavior and these expectations are reasonable.
  •   If you have a healthy and open communication line with your child.  In case, you child say anything with you without any fear and shyness.
  •   If your children easily share their experience with you without any negative thought and concern.

Neglectful Parenting:

This type of parenting style is the most severe parenting style.  Neglectful parents are responsible for their childish behavior and rarely fluctuate naturally.  If you can recognize yourself in neglectful parenting, then you need to improve relationships with children and backtrack on healthy and happy family relationship.

Some points can recognize neglectful parenting style such as:

  •    Do you care about your children such as emotional, physical and others?
  •    Do you can better understand what’s going on in your children life?
  •    Do you can provide safe space for a child and share with their experience and want to positive feedback as compare to negative or no feedback.
  •     Do you spend a long time away from home and leave a child alone at home.
  •     Often, can you find out some excuse for not being here for a child?
  •     Do you know about your childhood friends and teachers?

Permissive Parenting

Permissive parenting is also called indulgent parenting. The parenting type is another potentially harmful style of parenting.  The permissive parenting type of parents is responsive but not demanding. These parents tend to be lenient whereas trying to avoid confrontation.   The best benefit of this type of parents is very nurturing and loving. The permissive parents set few rules for their children and regulations are inconsistent. There are few points to how to recognize permissive parents such as:

  •   If you are no established rules and limits on your children, then you can easily compromise with your standards for your children mood.
  •    If you avoid your children conflicts.
  •     You have willingness to your children best friend rather than their parents.
  •     This type of parenting style gives freedom without any consequence.

Authorization Parenting:

Authorization parents are also called strict parents.  The authorization parenting parents who are demanding but not responsive.   Authorization parents allow for open to a conversation between child and parent.   And always expect from children to follow a set of rules and expectations. This type of parents usually relies on punishment to demand obedience and teach a lesson for children. There are some points to recognizing your authorization parent’s styles such as:

  •   Do you have strict rules for children and you believe be followed by children in any situation?
  •    Do you often find yourself not explain the states other than children wants to teach?
  •    In case, you can give a few choice and decisions to your child about their own life.
  •    If you are reserved in the amount of warmth and nurturing and show your child.
  •    If you find out yourself utilizing punishment as a means of getting your child to do what you ask?

The structure and rules of authorization parents are the best way for the healthy development of children.  With the authorization, parenting builds a better relationship between child and parents and open communication with children.   The children of authorization parents are prone to low self-esteem, fearful or shy, the obedience of love and possible to do misbehave when outside the parent care.   Every single parent wants to make a better and healthy relationship with the child and understand their expectation and requirements.

On the internet, there are various online scheduling apps free which offer the best way to set an appointment and reminders. With the use of appointment scheduling, people easily save their time and other expenses. This helps ease some of the stress of parenting.

 

He is the content developer and freelance writer. He writes a lot of article on his carrier. Last one year he is working with Appointment Care as a content developer and a writer. He has a expertise on writing an article on various types of online tutorial. He also wants to promote such kind of work to develop the skill.

 

 

 

Encouraging Your Child's Confident Entry into High School

Encouraging Your Child’s Confident Entry into High School

Being a teenager takes a toll on confidence. Whether it’s starting high school or going to their first school dance, teenagers face a lot of uncharted, oftentimes, scary territory. Instinctively, parents want to do everything they can to boost their child’s confidence and instill a powerful, can-do attitude without adding any arrogance or entitlement. While every teenager is different, there are a few things parents can do to help support their teen as they navigate the halls of high school and their formative teenage years.

Instill Good Study Habits

Transitioning from middle to high school can be overwhelming for teens. From trying to fit in among peers to the additional homework, organization and good study habits are a must.

As they get older, it’s natural for teenagers to want independence and to not be told what to do. However, with so many changes going on at one time, it’s easy for teens to get lost in a sea of homework and fall behind.

Creating an organized space where your teen can study without distraction does wonders to boost a feeling of independence and self-esteem. Encourage consistency when it comes to homework. Give them a window where they choose when they complete it but they still have a timeline in which is needs to be done. However, remember that grades aren’t everything. Helping them become a kind individual who loves life and maintains good mental health is more important than making an A-plus on everything. Encourage them to do their best but be there to support them even when they feel they fall short.

Look For Alternatives They Are Comfortable With

Remember when you were in high school and the only thing you wanted was to be part of the most popular clique? In high school, teens go through a slew of physical changes, and their physical appearance plays an enormous role in confidence levels. Even something as common as needing braces can cause an unnecessary amount of drama. If something makes your child uncomfortable, look into alternatives or compromises.

For example, if your teen needs braces but can’t face their peers with a mouth full of traditional metal braces, you can opt for a clear, Invisalign option. Virtually undetectable on their teeth, not having to worry about teasing at school will also do wonders for your child’s self-confidence. While you may know that things like braces are incredibly common and will probably not single out your child, investing in an alternative that your child feels comfortable with will help them feel more comfortable during this confusing time of change.

Let Them Know You Are There

Not quite an adult, yet not quite a child. So many teenagers feel this way but are afraid to say it. They want to explore their new horizons, but they also need the security that you are there. Stress the importance of feelings, not accomplishments. Sure, you want your teen to get good grades, but how they feel on a daily basis is even more important. Carve out time for just the two of you. Provide the opportunity for them to speak openly with you but also remember not to force it. When they’re comfortable and want to talk, they will.

Even with the best of intentions, there will be times when your teen questions themselves and lack the confidence they need. As a loving parent, just know that while you can guide them, they need to take the first step and understand that it’s all part of growing up. Remind them frequently of how proud you are of them. Even if they don’t shower you with hugs and kisses, it means more than you can imagine.

  Dixie Somers is a freelance writer who loves to write for business, health, home, and women’s interests. She lives in Arizona with her husband and three beautiful daughters.

 

Worldly Experiences From the Sahara

Worldly Experiences From the Sahara

  1. Tell us more about yourself?

I have a BS in zoology and animal behavior. I then received my MHS in International Health from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and currently direct a study looking at HIV and people who have a history of drug addiction. I am also a Certified Life Coach as well as a trained hospice volunteer. My life’s focus has been to learn about nature as well as people and their cultures. This inspired me to travel many places: Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Algeria, Morocco, Thailand, Peru, Mexico, Panama, Europe, the US to name a few. As I traveled, I also focused on learning about my own identity. This led to doing three vision quests, two of which were in the Sahara Desert. I published a novel based on my experiences in the Sahara called, The Rhythm of the Soul.

 

  1. How did you come to your passion/profession?

I have always been an observer. I was not only introverted growing up, but much younger than my three siblings. As I grew up, my observations fed my love of nature. I love to learn, so I read a lot and wanted to increase my knowledge about the world around me. Part of pursuing this passion was going to college to learn about animals (zoology and animal behavior) and graduate school to learn about people and health (international health). The other part of following my passion was when I made the decision that I had to travel to places in which I had keen interests. All of these external passions were fed by my yearning to not only understand the world around me, but to also understand myself. That is when I went back to nature through the practice of vision questing and other nature-based soul journeys.

 

  1. Tell us about your childhood and what led you to this thought process?

My love of animals began very young with our family cat who, when I was a toddler, would follow me around like a dog and always want to sit on my lap. I have always felt a connection with animals, both domestic and wild. I loved helping my father feed the squirrels and birds in our backyard. Along with my love of observing animals was my curiosity to observe people. These fed my interests to pursue my studies and travels.

  1. How many places have you lived? How has that affected your worldview?

I have only lived in two places – Baltimore, MD and when in my 20’s San Diego, California for two years. I have been back in Baltimore ever since. However, the travel bug bit me in my 20’s and it propelled me out into explorations far and wide, which I mostly did on my own. I travelled as a single woman from Europe, to Mexico, to Thailand, and more. I decided that if I waited until I found traveling companions, I would never get to see all the places that called to me. Going to different countries very different from my own gave me a deeper understanding of how we are all subject to the same human conditions, even though we have an amazing variety of ways we express ourselves culturally. I started to realize that, as rich and different as we may seem on the surface, we are more alike than not. The religious stories, myths, fairytales, etc. that we learn from the cultures we grow up in all have the same themes because really we are only human after all.

 

  1. What do you think are three biggest struggles most people experience traveling?

As exhilarating as travel can be, it can also be exhausting. I can say that is true when one travels solo. But the upside of traveling alone is how you connect with people to share experiences and stories. Another struggle may be language barriers. However I have found that even when I have no understanding of a language, there are ways to communicate and what can help is to listen deeply and be very expressive with gestures. Figuring out directions in an unfamiliar landscape is also challenging. When you first arrive in a place, there are no bearings to know where you are and how to navigate to where you need to go. But traveling alone gave me a great sense of direction for the times I got lost and all the practice I got learning how to get back on track.

  1. What were your unique impressions of the Tuareg nomads in the Sahara Desert?

I traveled with a Swiss organization that had already forged a deep connection with the Tuareg. Our group had the advantage of being with men who were used to guiding Westerners into their land. This allowed for all of us to share our stories and learn from each other over the weeks we were on our quest. I realized the deep wisdom the nomads have about a land that seems to offer so little sustenance. They are very intuitive and in tune with what is going on around them and with their camels. The connection they have with the earth and nature is still very strong. Their traditions have been passed down for generations, but modern times have placed many restrictions on nomadic living. They are feeling the harsh consequences and much unrest has been happening in the countries where they live – Algeria, Niger, Mali, Chad, and Libya. They are different in the ways that their environment, culture, history, and society shaped them, but when we shared stories about those differences, it gave us a chance to find laughter and empathy for how we all must deal with the conditions of life.

 

  1. What is a vision quest? How does it help people?

Vision questing is choosing to take time away from your familiar, every day life to completely unplug from all the tasks and technology that weigh you down and go into a nature setting in order to seek greater depth and clarity about your life purpose. It is based on indigenous rites of passage that mark significant life transitions. There are a variety of organizations that lead vision questing, so it is important to find seasoned guides to ensure you have a meaningful and safe experience. Your work with the guides and the gathering of other seekers who go into the wilderness or place of nature involves a lot of introspection and sharing through journalism, dream work, medicine walks, drumming, etc., all preparing you to sit solo – alone for up to four days and nights while fasting. Sitting solo in nature is the hallmark of a vision quest.

  1. What are three pieces of advice you would like to share with parents?

While I have never been a parent, I have been close with my sister and other single parents who were raising children. I can only provide advice from a vicarious perspective. First, as much as you don’t want to, inherent in raising children is wounding, which is necessary to help them grow and learn. Wounding may be as simple as taking your child to his first day of school and seeing him cry because it brings up fears of being abandoned. It is important to consistently reassure a child that you will always be there to provide love and guidance through the scary aspects of growing up. Second, there is no such thing as a “perfect” anything – parent, child, family, etc. There may be times when you feel proud and grateful and there will still be those times when parenting is hard and messy. Third, listen deeply to children because they have amazing wisdom. It may be hard to let go of being the knowledgeable voice of reason, but it’s important to allow children’s insights to be seen and heard.

 

  1. How, in your opinion should one be open with other cultures when conversing?

One way that can bring openness is to be curious about another person’s culture. Show interest by asking questions to find out more, rather than make assumptions. People love to talk about themselves, so give someone a chance to tell their stories. Another way to let a person know I am open is to share my travel experiences of being in their culture.

 

  1. Do you have anything to share with our readers?

My book, The Rhythm of the Soul, is a wonderful tale of a very brave young woman. One of my reviewers is a father of a daughter who writes, “There are so many gems of wisdom and moving quotes that cut to the core of what life is about… Being a father of an only daughter, I found it personally meaningful to have a story of a brave female protagonist finding herself in a world that too often teaches women to play small and deny their own hearts and truth. I highly recommend this book as a journey of self-discovery and a regaining of the dark, feminine wisdom that lies within our own hearts and helps us discover our full belonging in the great mystery of just being!” – Michael Brant DeMaria , PhD psychologist and author.

Grab Lisa’s amazing book here.

You can meet other world changers doing their part to bring a positive change into the world here.

Teaching Little Kids Big Lessons

Teaching Little Kids Big Lessons

Today, we meet Karishma Bathla, an author out to teach little kids life lessons through books about big people. People who have made a name for themselves by doing BIG things.

Tell us more about yourself?

I am a mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend, professional and most recently, a self-published author. My foray into writing children’s books is the first step towards fulfilling my dream to become a full-time writer. Currently, my full-time job and career is in Finance. When I am not working, I love to travel, cook new dishes, read (especially to my son), spend time with my family and write.

How did you come to your passion/profession?

My passion for writing children’s books stems from two things: my love for reading and my desire to teach my son important lessons in life.

Earlier this year, my husband and I were reading books about Jeff Bezos & Tony Hsieh. My son, who is 4, would ask us to read those books to him. But, given his young age, short attention span, and no pictures to look at, he would stop listening and go back to playing.

That’s when I thought “how can I teach my son and other kids about such inspirational people while teaching them important lessons.” And, that’s how my book series “Little Kids’ Big Lessons” was born.

Tell us about your family.

I currently live in Seattle, WA with my husband and 4-year-old son. Prior to Seattle, I’ve lived in Houston, Texas and Queens, New York. My son has a variety of interests but his favorite are reading, playing sports, building with Legos and playing with his toy cars. My husband & I love to travel to different countries, spend time with our son, and discuss business ideas.

How many places have you lived? How has that affected your world view?

I have lived in three states in the U.S. – I was born & raised in New York, lived in Texas after marriage, and currently live in Washington.

There are a few principles that I live by:

  • Find the good in people, irrespective of where they are from,
  • Don’t let a few bad apples cloud your judgement about one culture/region,
  • Respect others and learn from them,
  • Work hard and always do your best,
  • Think positive and positive things will happen to you, and
  • Give back to those in need.

 

What do you think are three biggest struggles most parents go through teaching kids about Indian personalities?

I think the three biggest struggles are: (1) there is limited awareness, (2) particularly for those living in the U.S, there is limited focus on world personalities outside the US in the education system and (3) of the few there are to learn about, we only focus on a portion of those personalities (i.e. Mahatma Gandhi.)

My book series is different in that it will be about people of modern times, not the past. And, they will be about people from different countries/cultures so children will learn that you can be from anyplace and accomplish anything.

 

 

How do you suggest parents encourage kids to imbibe qualities of people from the past? How have you?

Reading. I am a big believer that reading is a powerful method to teach kids anything. This habit can, and should be, developed from a young age. When they are younger, they have a big appetite for learning and are very curious. They also learn a lot through repetition and reading the same books about such people will help to solidify the positive qualities in their minds.

Please tell us about your vision to teaching kids about the world?

My vision is to help children establish a solid foundation built on important values that will help them throughout their life.

What are three pieces of advice you would like to share with parents?

I’ve only been a parent for 4 years now and based on this little time, I can share what has worked for me:

(1) be your children’s’ friend,

(2) help them understand the difference between right & wrong and

(3) recognize their abilities and encourage them to develop those and be the best they can be.

How does one raise multicultural kids today in an ever evolving world?

The key is to highlight the similarities among cultures while acknowledging and accepting differences.

Openly discuss with them about people of other cultures and answer any questions they may have. Encourage them to read about people from different parts of the world and highlight what they can learn from those people.

Do you have anything to share with our readers? 

I’ve started a book series called “Little Kids’ Big Lessons” that aims to teach young children values that will help them in life. Each book tells the story of a successful, inspirational person of today and how they have changed the world. Each book highlights a key value that has helped them become successful. The books are written in a simple, easy to read format with colorful illustrations. Both parents and children will enjoy.

My first book is called “A Curious Boy Named Jeff.” It tells the story of Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, and how curiosity helps him to learn new things every day and the world around him.

FREE Kalpana themed COLORING PAGES FOR ENTERING RAFFLE ! WIN WIN !!!

 

My second book is called “Reach For The Stars Like Kalpana.” It tells the story of Kalpana Chawla, the first Indian origin woman to go to space, and how determination helped her make her dreams come true.

I would encourage parents to get a copy of either (or both) books.

Download this FREE BOOKMARK!

 

At Raising World Children, we are on the constant look out for world changers. People who are trying in small or big ways to make the world a better place.

Find out more about Karishma here. Don’t forget to grab one of her amazing books for your kids.

Lola Basyang - Imparting Kids the Art of Storytelling

Lola Basyang – Imparting Kids the Art of Storytelling

Storytelling has existed since the beginning of time, even before and during the time of the Son of God. It is done to talk and buzz about social, cultural and natural things that transpire around us, especially extraordinary things. It usually takes place between two people, between two communities, and among countries, and it still happens in the history of the whole wide world.

In my paradise-like home country which is the Philippines, there was a famous icon in storytelling. She was called “Lola Basyang”, a grandmother who loves to narrate tales and other adventures, including history, sci-fiction, horror, and other cultural beliefs and traditions. By the way, “Lola” in Filipino means a “grandmother”. “Basyang” is a nickname for “Gervacia”.

Actually, Lola Basyang was only a writer’s name of Severino Reyes who was then the founder and editor of the once popular “Liwayway” magazine. Severino’s stories in that magazine have been adapted as books and have been televised and produced into films.

The well-liked Lola Basyang became a household name among the Filipinos for whoever would like to narrate and share a story. Nowadays, a Lola Basyang can be parents, not only grandparents; commonly school teachers act as one, and they are brilliant at emulating her. Well, even children can be Lola Basyang as long as they imitate her oldie and throaty voice and narrates or re-tells the story in gentle, relaxed and conversational ways.

In this connection, kids can be great in impersonating a Lola Basyang role. That can be really impressive and inspiring! However, kids can also be as natural as they are! No need to copy the styles of Lola Basyang. Just be sure they do the storytelling techniques comfortably and calmy.

No need to memorize the entire story because kids can do it by reading aloud the texts of the story they would love to share with their friends, classmates, and family. This is a definite and successful way to instill the love of reading, listening, speaking, and eventually writing their own stories. Just what I did!

To note, a Lola Basyang or a storyteller uses hand gestures, facial expressions and change their voice depending on the characters. They can sit, stand or move around. They can vary their movements. They can use costumes or props to attract attention. They have to use appropriate language and to teach vocabularies but not too much of them. Define the hard ones. There should be an active and creative interaction.

To be a Lola Basyang is engaging and fun. Try it, kids! Your parents would love to support you for sure in this delightful activity.

Written by Lucy Lobos. Author of Children’s Books and More !

Why I Let My Kids Play Fortnite

Why I Let My Kids Play Fortnite

One fine day, a boy was watching a YouTube video and his mom peeped. A dance competition among the family members caught her eyes. It looked so fun and such a great way to connect and bond among the family members that she asked her son what program  that was and eventually requested him to play the game in order to achieve the different dance steps.

What?!? A mom asking her son to play games?

I know you feel like throwing eggs and start judging how ignorant this mom is that mom is ME. Guess what game was that? It was Fortnite. Want to throw eggs at me, right? Well, before you do that. Let me tell you something.

I understand that many parents hate video games. The first thing that comes to your mind is of no learning values and there are many news about how those games can have negative effects on the children.

Parents fear that the children will get addicted and dropped everything else that they are supposed to do. Parents fear that they will have a problem managing their child.

I am a parent and I was a gamer too. I understand how addictive video gaming is and what kind of influence it may have on a person, which is why I allow my child to play. Many parents look at gaming as a bad influence but there is a good side of it as well and I’m making use of that good side to parent my gaming child.

I have already listed out the bad sides and I don’t think I need to list out more because I bet you can list out more than I do. I am going to show you the good side of it. You may think, “Hang on! Are you sure there are any good sides of it?” Well now, listen to me here before you start judging.

Do you ever play games?

If you do, then why are you stopping your child from playing it?

Do you know that games are not just plain playing?

They do need to find out strategies to get to next level. It requires them to do problem solving (critical thinking) and build their confidence and determination to reach to the next level or reach their goals.

On top of that it improves their motor-skills, creativity and is a form of stress-relief for them too.

Yes, some gaming scene can be rather violent and parents worried this can be detrimental to their development. But if you don’t expose them what violence is about, how would they know what it is.

Video gaming requires loads of parenting guidance to be frank. It requires a balancing work between the parent and the child.

How do I Manage the Balance ?

We have house rules set:

  1. We only to play during weekends and there is always time limit set for each game. Usually 1 hour per game. Extra time will be given if their conduct is good.
  2. They have to be responsible for their own time-table. During or near exam periods, they know that they have to cut down their game time and focus on their revision first.
  3. They know that whatever applies to the game is just for the game and not in real life. What I mean here is, the violence they see in the game, the vulgar language that they hear in the game is only for the game. They do not apply this in real life.
  4. Before any game, they need to make sure they have finished what they are supposed to do. E.g. Household chores, homework, revision, etc.

House rules should not be overlooked and is important when you allowing your child to do something and you need a limit to it. By the way, our weekends are not all spent on staying home and video gaming. We do head outdoors very often for nature walking or sports. We have loads of playdates and family gatherings as well where everyone will interact and play together not gather to sit at your own space and started looking at your own device. I know these happens to many people.

Balance is really the key and parenting guidance is important. Both my husband and I do discuss about the games together with our children and we play together with them as well.

All parents want the best of their children, so get alongside with them so that they feel that we are part of their world as well and they feel more welcomed then feeling that parents are always against them. This way, they are more open to you and you get to know them way much better than worrying too much about the “what-ifs” and struggling with the power of parenting.

  I am Lup Wai, a Parent Whisperer who helps families to transform their relationship with their children while injecting fun into it so that they can develop a nurturing, healthy and happy connection. Being a parent is so much more about just feeding and clothing a child. I help families to bring back the fun and build a long last relationship with your child which is crucial for a healthy and happy home. Your can follow me on Instagram here. 

Why I Let My Kids Play Fortnite | Parenting | Fortnite

 

Being Creative in Teaching Kids About Indian Culture

Being Creative in Teaching Kids About Indian Culture

At Raising World Children, we are on the constant look out for world changers. People who are trying in small or big ways to make the world a better place. Today, we meet Ajanta Chakraborty, a fascinating woman of wonder : choreographer, author, you tube content creator, teacher, mom and much much more !

1. What exactly do you do?

I am the co-founder of Culture Groove  and Bollywood Groove

  • Culture Groove publishes bestselling children’s books and has an educational kids YouTube channel.
  • Bollywood Groove teaches 30+ dance & fitness classes in Chicago to kids and adults.

2. How did you come about this passion/profession?

A techie by profession, I worked in Silicon Valley for 7 years before realizing that my true passion was to spread the joy of Indian culture! In 2011, I quit my job to pursue Bollywood Groove first and then Culture Groove and have never looked back.

3. Tell us about your family.

My husband, who is also the co-author of our Maya/Neel book series, and I live in Chicago with our 4-year-old son. Other than the usual trucks and light sabers, my son has developed a strong interest in our work. He is officially a YouTuber helping his mom teach about India! The funniest experience is watching him trying to sell our books at various events 😊

4. How many places have you lived? How has that affected your world view?

I was born and raised in the small city of Bhopal in India. Since then, I have lived in Vancouver, Canada for education, California for work and now in Chicago.

Living in multiple cities has given me the unique immigrant lens of learning, comparing and picking the best of two worlds. It also opened my mind to not only embrace diversity but also strive to make it a norm.

5. What do you think are three biggest struggles most parents go through teaching kids about Indian culture?

  • The lack of quality and fun content. A lot of the content is either superficial – they provide very little actual knowledge or they are too boring for kids to engage in.
  • The lack of non-religious content. Believe it or not, there are lot of families like ours. They want their kids to learn about the cultural aspects without religion.
  • We have to accept that kids of Indian origin around the world are growing up in a different environment than someone in India. No matter what we are trying to teach them about our culture, it has to be done in a relatable manner. The 100% immersion is not the right approach for every kid and it’s hard to find resources that adhere to that mindset.

6.  How do you suggest parents encourage kids to follow their passions?

Don’t impose your dreams on them. Let them navigate the world at their own pace and in their own way. We are supposed to give them wings and watch them fly. Teach them the importance of finding joy in their everyday life. My parents did precisely that I am incredibly grateful for that.

6. Please tell us about your vision to teaching kids about the world.

We have a 3-fold mission with our work:

  • Help raise multicultural kids irrespective of their ethnicity and background. This extends to adults as well!
  • Help kids connect to their roots.
  • Help kids of color to see themselves in literature and media.

This is exactly what has driven us to teach a unique combination of dance and culture classes to 200 kids every year; to write children’s books exploring festivals, places and cultural concepts of India; and finally to create a free learning resource via our YouTube channel.

8. What are your three top advice to parents?

  • Read, read, read to your kids! It is such a wonderful way to open up their minds.
  • Teach your kids that there are many ways to live in this world – try new foods, explore a different festival, do something that helps them experience the diversity in this world.
  • Constantly reinforce the message of standing up to discrimination, intolerance and bias because of who they are. Proactively help them gain pride of their origin, their orientation, and anything else that the society boxes them in.

9. How does one raise multicultural kids today in an ever evolving world?

I believe it is actually getting easier. With technology bringing the world closer together, we now have more opportunities to learn about each other. Even in places where there is an environment of intolerance, I see parents and educators working ever harder to ensure that the kids grow up with an outlook of acceptance.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT HER YOUTUBE CHANNEL

10. Do you have anything exciting for our readers?

We produced 8 books in 2 years so there is always something exciting 😊 Our latest book is about Delhi and Taj Mahal and it recently hit the Amazon bookshelves. But we are equally excited about our videos. We add one new video a week and there is so much more coming in the way of learning about Indian languages, festivals, food, clothes etc. We request parents and educators to help us spread the word about this free resource and to join us in our mission: CultureGroove.com/YouTube.

Let’s Raise Multicultural Kids!

Click here to join parents raising multicultural children on Facebook !

Click here to buy Ajanta’s Latest BestSelling Diwali Book right NOW! Makes a great Diwali gift. 

How Can You Be Creative in Teaching Kids about Any Culture. Meet Ajanta Chakraborty, woman of wonder.

 

Celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival with Kids

 

How Did the Dragon Boat Festival Originate?

The Tale of Qu Yuan

There are slight variations for the origins of the Dragon Boat Festival, but all tell more or less the same tale of Qu Yuan, one of China’s earliest poets.

Most legends agree that Qu Yuan (pronounced Chew Yewen) was a minister in one of China’s ancient kingdoms. Qu Yuan was lauded as a very intelligent and fair man, but his fellow ministers disapproved of his policies. They convinced the king to banish Qu Yuan from the kingdom. In exile for many decades, Qu Yuan wrote numerous poems about his love for his country (Stepanchuk and Wong; Simonds, Swartz, and the Children’s Museum, Boston).

One day, Qu Yuan heard that his beloved kingdom’s capital city had been destroyed in war (another version says that he one day realized that both escaping and returning to his kingdom were impossible while looking at his home from a dragon boat). Greatly saddened, Qu Yuan composed a  famous poem called the Lament on Encountering sorrow while walking along a river, and disappeared (some accounts list Qu Yuan as choosing to end his life by drowning) (Stepanchuk and Wong; Simonds, Swartz, and the Children’s Museum, Boston).

This is where the narrative diverges more significantly. One legend says that villagers where Qu Yuan was banished got into boats and looked for Qu Yuan in the river, with no success. They then threw rice into the river so that fish would eat the rice and leave Qu Yuan in peace.

Another account says that the villagers threw rice into the river for Qu Yuan’s soul to enjoy.

Yet another account says that one day, there was a fisherman who threw rice into the river to catch some fish (or for River God, depending on who is telling the story). The fisherman didn’t catch any fish but did hear someone call out that it was hungry.  The same thing happened for two days again. On the third day, the spirit of Qu Yuan appeared to the fisherman, telling him that the dragon who dwelt in the river was eating all of the rice. Qu Yuan asked that the fisherman send him rice wrapped in bamboo leaves and wrapped in black, green, red, yellow, and white strings (in order to scare away the dragon).  After obeying Qu Yuan’s orders, the fisherman always caught nets and nets of fish (Simonds, Swartz, and the Children’s Museum, Boston; Stepanchuk).

Make Zongzi

Arguably the most iconic aspect of the Dragon Boat Festival (after the dragon boats, of course)  is zongzi, a type of snack involving rice, bamboo leaves, and various fillings. The specific shape and filling for zongzi vary from region to region, but you’re most likely to see zongzi that are shaped like pyramids.

Zongzi can be filled with sweet bean paste, peanuts, meats, shrimp, mushrooms or any other number of delectable fillings. This center is enclosed by a healthy portion of glutinous rice, which is in turn wrapped in bamboo leaves and tied with twine (some people recommend colored twine, but I’ve seen many people use white butcher twine).

There are practically as many styles of zongzi as there are villages in China, so I would recommend checking out a few different zongzi recipes online to see which one sounds the most appetizing for you! As for my personal favorite, I’m rather partial to zongzi stuffed with red bean paste and sprinkled with sugar – so delicious!

Balance Eggs

According to folklore, those who can balance an egg at noon on the day of the Dragon Boat Festival will have good luck for the rest of the year.

It is believed that since this is the summer solstice (according to the Chinese lunar calendar), the egg may be able to stand upright due to special solar power.  As a fun cultural and scientific activity, why not trying balancing an egg to see who will have good luck this year.

You can celebrate Dragon Boat Festival by doing these activities.

Dragon Boat Races

There are several possible origins for the dragon boat races.

It believed that dragon boat races were held to commemorate the search  for Qu Yuan, who drowned in the river. They may also have been held to honor the Dragon God, who was in charge of rivers and rainfall, so as to ensure a bountiful harvest of rice.

Yet another possible origin is that the ceremony was used to mimic answers visiting and helping the rice harvest.

Boat rowers and dragon boat were believed to represent deceased ancestors and the mighty  water dragon, respectively. The rowers would row in the direction of the rice fields where the rice had recently been transplanted. These transplanted rice seedlings were placed in flooded fields, with the “drowned” rice seen as being in a similar state to those who had died by drowning, so its spirit would be summoned by the symbolic ancestors (the rowers). The dragon boat racing also represented one group trying to make sure that the ancestors of another group didn’t negatively impact the rice harvest.

Ancestors would  then take away misfortune to the land of the dead, and people would offer food for their journey home.

While most of us don’t have the training or physique to participate in full scale races, you may want to see if you areas is having races or try making your own dragon boats using any number of the templates online.

Celebrating Dragon Boat Festival With Kids

Some common traditions which would make great education crafts include:

Making a Five Colored Bracelet or Ribbon

It was once common practice for families to gift ribbons or bracelets made of five colored- thread or silk . But they weren’t any five colors; the colors were representative of the Five Elements, which represented the cycle of creation and were thought to keep bad spirits and luck at bay. The colors were black for water, blue for wood, red for fire, yellow for earth, white for metal.  Not only were zonzgi originally tied with threads of these colors, but also hair ribbons. For extra helping avoiding bad luck, why not wear clothing using these colors only?

Create a Bag of Fragrant Herbs For Good Luck

It was common tradition for people to wear small pockets of herbs and spices to keep away misfortune. It is believe that these sachets could also ward of sickness and keep ying and yang in balance. Some people would also hang herbs from their houses. Common herbs include garlic, mugwort, and sweet flag, with sweet flag and mugwort being popular because they look like swords and tigers, respectively

Decorate Your House with Protective Animals

The common name for these five animals is a bit of a misnomer. The “Five Poisons” include snakes, centipedes, scorpions, lizards, and toads and sometimes the spider. They were decorated on almost any surface imaginable, from clothing to desserts and more. It was believed that by decorating items (or oneself) with these animals, one could avoid bites from these dangerous animals or even use their combined power to combat other poisons that one may encounter.

Make Clackers

Clackers (similar to castanets) were used to add emphasis when singing songs or telling stories, make a simple pair of castanets (Simonds, Swartz, and the Children’s Museum, Boston).

How will you and your little ones celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival?

How To Celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival With Your Kids www.raisingworldchildren.com #dragonboatfestival #chinesefestivals #china
Works Cited

Swartz, Leslie, and The Children’s Museum, Boston. “The Dragon Boat Festival: The Fifth Day of the Fifth Moon.” Moonbeams, Dumplings, & Dragon Boats. By Nina Simonds. N.p.: Gulliver, 2002. 46-57. Print.

Stephanchuk, Carol. “Dragon Boat Festival.” Red Eggs & Dragon Boat: Celebrating Chinese Festivals. N.p.: Pacific View, 1994. 34-40. Print.

Wong, Charles. “The Dragon Boat Festival (5th Day, 5th Moon) Duanwu Jie.” Mooncakes and Hungry Ghosts. By Carol Stepanchuk. N.p.: China & Periodicals, 1992. 40-50. Print.

Taylor Barbieri is the founder of Little Linguini, a website that offers private one-on-one language coaching in Chinese to  children ages 5 to 17 and their families. After discovering her love for languages in high school (and studying more languages than she can remember!) Taylor made it her mission to share this passion with others.  In late 2017, Little Linguini will begin debuting courses about China’s culture and history as well.

 

5 Reasons Why Your Child Should Begin Gardening Now

5 Reasons Why Your Child Should Begin Gardening Now

Gardening is a habit that is typically associated with the elderly. We all know a grandmother or a grandfather who spends their time digging up weeds in their plot of land in the backyard, and making it bloom with wonderful colors.

We know that it is relaxing for them, and we know that it makes them happy. But did you know that gardening can also be practiced by children? In fact, it is recommended that you let your kids learn how to garden. Why? Here is how gardening benefits kids, and here are five reasons why your child should garden.

Appreciation for Greens and Vegetables

It is no secret that children will prefer never to eat fruits and vegetables if they can help it, and this is a pressing problem for many households all over the world.

While changing this tendency may not happen overnight, it can happen when you allow your children to learn about what it takes to plant and grow their own greens. Many parents of children who garden have found that kids will eat more fruits and vegetables when they have personally grown it themselves.

Adoption of a Lasting Life Skill

Gardening is not just about putting something in soil and waiting for it to bloom. It is a veritable lesson in hard work, patience, and caring – and these are things that any child should learn, at an early age.

Kids who garden can grow up to be mature, level-headed adults who understand the value of hard work, and who will always make sure that they do what they can to make good things happen. When you teach your child to garden, you set him or her up for a life of beautiful things.

Better Appreciation of Food and Less Wastefulness

Many children are wasteful, when it comes to food. They think of nothing about not finishing their meals and throwing away the scraps. If your child has this habit, you can help weed it out of him or her by letting him or learn explore how the food that they eat grows.

Parents of children who garden have noticed that when their child learned to garden, they were less likely to waste food, and they grew to appreciate it better, even those that they did not plant and grow.

 

A Life Free From the Influence of Gadgets

It is normal for children in this day and age to want to spend a portion of their day in front of a television, mobile, or computer screen, but it becomes a problem when children spend too much time in front of the screen. Gardening helps remind your child that there is a whole other world beyond the contents of their television sets and computers, and this is a lesson that you will want them to know, from the get-go.

This can help prevent future problems and even make sure that your child learns to navigate the world around him or her better than most of his or her peers would.

Bonding Time with the Family

Finally, letting your children learn to garden can be the new family bonding that you need. There is something very special about the collective work that you do, and you can learn to appreciate each other better through this shared pastime. Your children will also look forward to staying at home when they know that they can take part in an activity that they will enjoy, with the people that they love.

Getting Started with Gardening for Children

If you’re ready to take your kids out to see the joys of gardening, there are a couple of things to remember. Here are some of the most important of them.

Provide proper guidance and support. If you yourself garden, you can personally give hands-on training to your kids so that they learn about gardening, straight from you. If you don’t, you can opt to hire somebody to teach them, or you can make use of many resources so that you can guide them through the first few days.

However you choose to do it, just make sure that you are there to offer support. Be mindful of their questions and concerns, and get them the guidance that they need. Pretty soon, they will be able to stand on their own, and then you will have planted something that will grow into something magnificent in the future.

Provide proper incentives. It is also recommended that you make gardening as appealing as possible to your children. For instance, you can promise to prepare a delicious snack after their time in the garden. Similarly, you can build them a veritable paradise that is dedicated to fairy gardening in Australia or in other areas or in other areas, through decorative gardening accessories.

Encourage the habit. Finally, let your children know that they can turn to you for help and support, when and if they need it. Grow with them as they grow, enjoy with them as they enjoy, and be there to applaud every milestone that they achieve.

Shawn T. Thompson is a well-known blogger who has a wide variety of interests and specializes in doing in-depth research of garden. He is a Writer, Editor & Blogger. Love to gardening. He is currently a blogger for Earth Fairy in a genuine effort to provide the best quality content to her readers.

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How to Choose The Right Public School for Your Child

How to Choose The Right Public School for Your Child

When choosing the right public school, parents need to make sure that the public school they are selecting for their kid should not be just bound to academics only. The school should lay importance towards extra-curricular activities as well. Becoming a parent is the happiest feeling you can have while choosing the right school for your kids is no less than the Herculean task.

Deciding the right public school for your kids is the most important decision parents needs to take. Choosing a school means you are putting your kid on a lifelong path of learning thus the selected path should be chosen wisely. These days, as students are running after marks, it has become really very important to give equal attention to other creative activities as that of academics. These days, students are running in the rat race to get the highest marks lacking in creativity and social skills.

Here is a list of things which you need to look while choosing the right public school for your children.

  1. Faculty matters

The relationship between teachers and students is more important than that of any curriculum. Usually, parents trust blindly over the school as they think that their children will get continued attention and constant guidance from their teachers. Unfortunately, this is not the case in each and every school. In many schools, the hired faculty is not even educated enough to guide lessons to your kid as well as some of the teachers does not even bother whether the kids are gaining knowledge from a particular subject or not? Thus considering this scenario, you should always choose a public school where there is a good relationship between students and teachers, where the teachers are highly educated and excel in their own subject.

  1. Healthy environment

Various studies had proved that a stressful environment can lead to a decline in learning and understanding capabilities of the kids. Now, it is the responsibility of parents to choose a school with the healthy environment. If a school stuck at a noisy and overcrowded location then you should ignore such kind of school and institution.

You need to look at both the internal and external environment of a school. You can go with private or public school review for a particular name. The disciplined and the sincere students in a school will make your kid follow the same pattern. However also make share to know about the techniques they use to discipline kids. As a parent it’s your responsibility to see that whether the school is providing education and other skills in a healthy and stress-free manner or not. Students spend major amount of their time in a day at school, hence the place should be efficient, stress free and productive. Now you can see, you need to look for a school with a good environment internally as well as externally.

  1. Visit before choosing

When you find a school which fits your child’s needs than before finalizing it, you should visit at least once. Visiting before choosing allows you to get to know about the things which you will not find on the internet, by references or at anywhere else. Visit classrooms, meet faculty, staff, check the classrooms, playgrounds, etc.

Observe the relationship between students and teachers, observe the behavior of teachers with students, observe discipline and sincerity of students, observe the overall learning environment and talk to teachers and faculty members.  After observing all the things, make a decision whether the school is worth selecting or not. In current scenario getting a good education for the kid is not only important but also necessary.

  1. Modern tools and techniques

The days had gone when parents need to visit the school to get to know about your child’s status of learning and the academic detail of your child. In the modern era of technology, parents can get to know all about their kid while just sitting at home. Technology has grown by ten folds since the older time.

Look whether the school is trying to match up the pace of the modern technology or not. You should choose a school which has interactive websites and applications thus there will be better communication between teachers, students, and parents. There should be digital material uploaded on school websites and application thus students can access this study material when they want. Choose a school which encourages modernity and which gives access to modern tools and technologies.

how to choose the right public school for your child

  1. Extra-curricular activities

This is one of the most crucial things which you have to look while deciding a right school for your children. As you know that various researchers have shown the contribution of the extracurricular activities in developing the overall creative and social skills into a kid. Extracurricular activities add an extra edge in your child’s capability of learning and in intellectual skills. It grooms their personality in physical as well as mental level.

You should understand the fact that extra-curricular activities have emerged as more productive field for your kids thus you should choose a school with not only good academic records but as well as which offers extra-curricular activities in their curriculum. Students are important so as the overall development of the child. Hence choose the school which offers both.

  1. Trust your Gut/ Instinct feeling:

At last, if your instinct says that there is something wrong with the school then follow your gut feeling. Choosing a school will affect your kid’s life and career thus you should be 100 percent sure before taking a decision of the school. Instinct/ Gut Feeling/ Sixth Sense is something which comes because of observation skills. Hence it is more reliable.

In another case, you might get a good feeling from a school, teachers, and faculty, if your instinct says that it is the right school public school for your kid which makes a difference in your kid’s learning capabilities then you can take the decision of choosing the same school. Your instinct will never lie you, follow your gut feeling, you will get the best public school for your kid.

When it comes to taking the major decision of choosing the right career path for your child always refer to credible sources that give the most genuine and unbiased information on various educational institutions. You can refer to some online sources in a search of the best career path of your child but make sure they carry a good reputation. Look for public and private school review that are easily available and make the decision accordingly.