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.

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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.

Parents Raising World Children

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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.

Why I Turned To Home Remedies for My Newborn

Why I Turned To Home Remedies for My Newborn

Deciding To Not Listen To The Village

It takes a village to raise a child. It is a belief still followed a little too strongly in India. Even before the little one is born, a mother’s mother, mother-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, aunts will have numerous suggestions about various home remedies to take care the baby.

My situation was no different, from the moment we shared the happy news with the family, I was instructed on what to eat, what to avoid, how to sit, how to sleep etc. Overwhelmed,I firmly decided that when my baby comes, the only person I am going to listen to is the pediatricians. After all, things have changed since my “mothers” had their children and I don’t want to follow any DIY remedies!

So there I was all set to welcome my little bundle of joy, armed with knowledge I gathered from the internet. I was all geared up and thought I could handle anything. The D-day finally arrived and soon I was holding my little angel.

There were a few hiccups in the beginning w.r.t. feeding and I realized that I had to supplement with infant formula from the start. I was a little disappointed but tried not to dwell on that.

My Pride Takes a Fall into Home Remedies

I am sure all moms here know that baby’s poop and gastric troubles one of our strange obsessions.  My daughter faced multiple issues on that front. She would get terrible gas, so much so that she would huddle up and claw at her face in pain.

It hurt my heart to see her that way and I felt helpless. My Mother in law told me to give her a tea brewed with Dill seeds, Fennel seeds & Jaggery (for taste). I scoffed at the idea stating that the doctor has strictly told me not to give the baby anything apart from milk till she is at least 4 months old. She kept on insisting and I kept on ignoring her.

Then, at one of the visits to our doctor, we were given colic aid drops. I was happy to have some “official medication” to aid us. When I read the ingredients of the medication,  lo and behold! What was it composed of?

Fennel seed oil and Dill seed oil!

So I decided to swallow my pride and make the tea. If we are giving the same stuff might as well go all natural right? Because of the Jaggery, my daughter lapped it up in no time and it worked like a charm! I could see a visible difference in my daughter in 2 days. I didn’t have to hold her up for too long to get her to burp and she no longer used her face as a scratching post.

[bctt tweet=”I realized home remedies have their own place #parenting #india” username=”contactrwc”]

The Second Lesson

My second challenge came with her bowel movement. Since she was on formula since day 1, it took her body some time to get used to the heavy food. This resulted in constipation. She would go for days without passing stools and when she would, it was a chore for her.

And what do you know, my grandmother had a remedy ready for this too !

She told me about an Ayurvedic wonder called “Bal Ghutti”. Ghutti is a paste made by rubbing some herbs such as Dry Dates, Almonds, Liqourice, Dry Ginger, Winter Cherry etc. on a stone slab. This paste can be made with either water or milk and is given to the baby to swallow. The quantity is very small to start with and is increased every month.

This wondrous thing can be given to babies for various basic ailments like constipation, indigestion, cough, fever, allergies. The ingredients differ for each problem of course. My grandmother brought a packet of all these herbs for me, along with handbook to understand how to administer the Ghutti for each issue. And of course as you can guess, my baby has had a very happy stomach since then knock on wood.

Raising World Children Home Remedies
My Support System, My Village

Lesson Learnt

The incidences above not only humbled me, they also taught me the value of experience. Yes, it’s been a long time since my “mothers” have looked after kids, but they have grown up in joint families and have had a huge repertoire of wisdom passed onto them from their own elders. Besides their own experiences. They may not always know the logic or the science behind how something works, but they do know what is to be done!

That being said, it doesn’t mean that I will stop following the modern medicine, but now I don’t dismiss DIY suggestions either. Yes, they are going to overwhelm me with suggestions which still gets annoying. But I am also aware that they have nothing but love and concern for my baby in their hearts.

So yes, I will still ask my Doc’s opinion. I will still scour the Internet. But I will also ensure that when it comes to making a decision, the voice of my village is also heard! What are some home remedies that worked for you? 

Raising World Children - Reluctantly Turning To Home Remedies For Newborn #newborns #homeremedies #oldwivestales #modermedicine

Raising World Children Shuchita

Shuchita Kumar is a new mom. She is trying to learn the ropes of motherhood with the help of knowledge passed on by the elders combined with modern thinking. Currently, residing in Bangalore, India. She spent her early childhood years in the heart of India that is Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. She then lived in Goa (heaven!) and Pune. A software engineer by profession, she loves dancing, bird watching and just spending time with her husband visiting various jungles. She also enjoys pampering her friends and families with delicious food and pastries!

One Plate at a Time – Incorporating Multicultural Food

Multicultural Food Journey

My Heritage

Throughout all cultures, love of good food is one of those threads that ties us all together. I grew up in the South, surrounded by amazing Southern cooks. Sunday dinners at my grandparents’ house were a ritual, filled with family and laughter and no shortage of biscuits, fried chicken and fresh veggies from the garden. We lived for those dinners! It was a way to fill our stomachs and our souls. 

In addition to being a Southern girl, I also have a strong Mexican heritage. My biological grandfather was from Mexico, and although he died when my mother was very young, we remained in close contact with our other relatives.

When my Tia Lupita and Tio Julio would come visit, they would bring an entire suitcase full of food they made for the family. Tamales, salsa, churros- all delicious and comforting and soulful.   My husband was an Army brat and his family moved all over the place when he was a child.

His favorite childhood memories are from the years they lived in Germany. The pretzels, the bratwurst, the chocolates…he speaks of them with a dreamy look in his eyes. Since his parents traveled so much, they cooked food from all around the world. Everything from Thai food to Southwestern American cuisines were staples for the family.

Incorporating Multicultural Food - One Plate At A time www.raisingworldchildren.com #multiculturalfood #cultures #food #family #pickyeaters

[bctt tweet=”Everything from Thai food to Southwestern American cuisines were staples for the family. Multicultural Food is amazing.” username=”contactrwc”]

Incorporating My Heritage into Kids’ Meals

Multuicultural Food
© Chastity Hines

Since we both love to cook at home and dine out in equal measure, our children have been exposed to varied cuisines since birth. They have been helping us make homemade pizza, baking lemon ricotta cookies and rolling out pretzel dough since they were able to stand on a stool in the kitchen.

We have also taken them out to good restaurants since they were infants with the idea of teaching them not only how to behave in those restaurants, but how to each different types of food.

We love to explore Richmond’s food scene and our children stopped ordering from the kid’s menu long ago. My 9 year old daughter is the most adventurous of the two. Among her favorites are sushi and steamed mussels. She has eaten and loved sardines, kalamata olives, escargot and fried rockfish collar. She loves to try new foods and has taken a couple of International Cooking classes to learn about dishes from around the world.

My son is the more cautious of the two. While he doesn’t like stereotypical kid food like mac & cheese, french fries or peanut butter, he is very selective with trying new foods. He has a great pallet and loves things like calamari, salami and manchego cheese- but it would be nice if he would branch out a little bit more in the veggie department.

Multicultural Food
© Chastity Hise

Regardless, we keep taking them to new restaurants and exposing them to new foods. He has recently added fried oysters as well as cheesecake to his approved food items, so the exposure must be working.   While we have hit many stumbling blocks along the way, and sometimes our children just refuse to try something that seems weird to them, overall our hopes of expanding their food horizons has been successful.

We are about to travel to Spain with them for the first time and they are both excited to experience a new culture and new food on this journey. I know my son will be in heaven with all of the amazing meats and cheeses and my daughter will love all of the fresh seafood.

 We all want to eat what the locals eat and learn what they have to teach us.   Our family knows that food tells a story: where it is from, who grew it, what it means to a culture. I can’t imagine a better way to learn.

Chasitity HinesChastity Hise is the mother of two, happily married to the man of her dreams. She is one of the owners of Smoke and Mirrors Salon and has been a stylist for 11 years. She has her Bachelors and Masters degrees in Clinical Psychology and was a psychologist for two years. Along the way she also became a certified Birth Doula and is passionate about birth issues. Her hobbies include cooking, baking, reading and running. She is a new contributor to the Richmond Mom’s Blog and will have her first writing piece published in an anthology called Life in 10 Minutes this Spring. Chastity loves traveling and new shades of nail polish and lipstick. You can follow her blog Domestic as Hell on Blogspot,  her foodie Instagram @donttalkwithyourmouthfull and her hairstyling work @chashisehair and @smokeandmirrorsrva

 

Unstructured Play : Let Kids Unwind Organically

Unstructured Play : Let Kids Unwind Organically

School until 3:00pm.  Soccer at 3:30 pm.  Dance at 6:30 pm.  Quick dinner and homework until 9:30 pm.  Bedtime. Repeat.  Over and over again.  Check with almost any parent today, and they can recite a litany of their child’s structured activities, all designed to enrich the childhood experience.  And it does.  But there’s something else to consider.  Time to play.  Not just any play.

Unstructured-use-your-imagination-play.

Being a kid is now hard work, with long hours put in everyday.

Raising World Children Hard Work

Come with me for a moment, and take a look at something I don’t see as much as I once did.  Kids playing outside.  Not in the community soccer club.  Not at a t-ball game.  Not at a swim meet.  Just playing outside, on the sidewalk, with other neighborhood children.

Small communities where everyone knows everyone have an advantage here.  It’s highly likely if your child is doing something amazing, one of the neighborhood parents will be there to cheer her on.  It’s also likely if your child is about to try something dangerous, that same parent is probably there to add a word of caution.

Unstructured play has a name now, but it used to be an everyday occurrence.  

[bctt tweet=”Being a kid is now hard work, with long hours put in everyday. Allow them to unwind organically.” username=”contactrwc”]

Letting Go is Hard But Important

Raise your hand if you remember your mom telling you to “just go out and play.”  It wasn’t something anyone planned, or managed.  It just was.  And it still can be.

As parents, our job is to provide a safe, welcoming space.

The hard part is stepping back and allowing the kids to entertain themselves, to be bored sometimes, to use their imaginations to create something we never would consider.

Although my son had plenty of traditional toys when he was younger, his toy of choice was an old boat rope.  Long enough to throw up over a tree branch, he could hold both ends and swing over imaginary dangers.  Arranged on the driveway, he could create a course for his bike.  With two friends, they could limbo underneath it.  They could tie it to a bucket and pull snacks up to the tree house.

The possibilities were endless.

Raising World Children Park

The local town park is a happening place.  At first glance, there appear to be two brightly colored plastic and metal swinging, climbing, hiding structures.  Not so, if you’re of a certain age.  One is a castle, defending against a pirate ship.  All hands are on deck.  A princess calls from the castle ramparts, requesting help to save her home.

Perspective is an essential part of unstructured play.

Buckets of sidewalk chalk sit by many of the front doors in a small town.  At one house, the neighbors have used chalk to craft a “welcome home” mural.  There’s a hopscotch board drawn in the street.  All the basketball hoops face out, next to driveways, inviting any and all to play.

Ears perk up when someone yells, “Car!”  Everyone scatters to the curb and waves the car through, greeting the driver and smiling before the play resumes.

Unstructured play, by its definition, doesn’t have a to-do list.  It’s a time to unplug, allow the mind to wander and think, “what if…” and then try it.  If you can provide an environment and stop yourself from providing suggestions, you’ll be on the right track.  If you can make it through the sighs and grumblings of “there’s nothing to do,” you’re golden.

And then, the magic begins.  Go out and see for yourself.  Send your kids out to play.

Unstructured Play - Let Kids Unwind Organically www.raisingworldchildren.com #kids #play #cultures #studies #school #holidays​

Deborah Fingerlow is a writer, traveler and explorer seeking adventures both large and small. Parent to one daughter in college and one teenage son in cyber-school. Food allergies play a significant role in day to day life decisions, as does the support network of a small town in south central Pennsylvania. Neighbors are known by their first names and a walking district encourages community engagement. Business to business communications and the development of authentic connections are Deborah Fingerlow’s superpowers. You can find her at the local farmer’s market, therapy dogs in tow, camera in hand. You can find her on twitter @debfingerlow and on facebook @connect.converse.write

 

Reykjavik

A Glimpse of Reykjavik, Iceland

Back in February 2016 I followed my heart and relocated to Reykjavik to join my Viking. A new city, a new adventure, so I decided to keep a video diary, recording and uploading a new vlog to my Youtube channel each week. In the last year I have made Reykjavik my home and consider myself very lucky to be surrounded by such dramatic and picturesque landscapes. So today I share a little of this city with you in my highlights and recommendations.

Reykjavik

Walking Tour

There are a few free walking tours in Reykjavik you can do, or you can just go off and do your own. Start at The Sun Voyager and walk along the coast to Harpa, then head towards the Parliament and its public square. If you’re hungry, why not try the local hot dog stand, Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur for a yummy hot dog, maybe a bowl of lobster soup at Sægreifinn or one of the trendy spots such as The Laundromat Cafe. Continue walking towards the pond lined with cute Icelandic houses, the very Scandinavian church Fríkirkjan í Reykjavík and the modern City Hall.

From here, cross Fríkirkjuvegur and walk up the side street (taking in the street art) until you arrive at the magnificent Hallgrímskirkja church, inspired by flowing lava. You can buy a ticket to gain access to the top of the spire for a view across the city or drive up to the city’s water towers at Perlan for a free view. Walking around, you might spot some small statues and toy soldiers on top of street signs, so keep an eye out for them. Finally walk down the main street of Skólavörðustígur which joins the main shopping street of Laugavegur before you get back to Harpa.

Botanical Gardens

The botanical gardens are a wonderful space near where we live. If the weather allows, you can spend a morning wandering the paths and heading towards the allotment where you’ll find a fantastic cafe where you can sip a coffee and nibble on a homemade treat in the beautiful greenhouse. You can also head to the nearby swimming pool at Laugardalslaug and experience the different hot pools here, including a salt water pool which has heated sea water.

Grótta lighthouse and hot pool

Ever fancied a stroll along a black sand beach? Ice cream in hand and feet in a natural hot tub – or all bundled up with the reward of a hot chocolate after?! Head to Grótta, an easy 10 minute drive along the coast from Reykjaviks Harbour and take in the view across to Esjan. If it’s sunny, why not grab an ice cream from Valdis in Grandi on your way there.

Viðey Island

A short ferry ride from Reykjavik harbour is the island of Viðey (summer ferries leave daily from Skarfabakki, Harpa, and Aegisgardur pier and in winter ferry from Skarfabakki weekends only). The island was where the ‘father of Reykjavík’ Skuli Magnusson constructed his home and a church in the 12th Century and has archaeological remains from the early 10th Century. On this island is the ‘Imagine Peace’ tower, a beam of light which shines high into the nights sky from a wishing well bearing the words “imagine peace” in 24 languages. Designed by Yoko Ono, widow of John Lennon, it is lit annually between his birthday and his death: 9th Oct – 8th Dec.

Iceland has a little piece of my heart and in return she has given me dark, magical and snowy winters filled with breathtaking Northern Lights, and long, light summers with plenty of hours to explore. And we can’t forget about my Viking and our own Saga as we prepare to marry this summer.

Sonia Nicolson is a British chartered Architect and Senior Academic who runs the website layoutlines.com supporting, educating and inspiring students, young designs and creative entrepreneurs. Relocating to Reykjavik in Iceland last February, Sonia joined her Icelandic fiancé and shares weekly ‘Living in Iceland’ vlogs on her YouTube channel. You can follow her on Twitter @layoutlines
Haley's Friendship Challenge: Interview with Author Louie Lawent

Haley’s Friendship Challenge: Interview with Author Louie Lawent

Topaz Publishing has just released a new  children’s book. “Haley’s Friendship Challenge” is a beautifully illustrated story about a girl who moves to a new town. Unfortunately, she isn’t fitting in and she misses her old friends. For her birthday, Haley receives a much-coveted surprise that she shares with no one. However, her feelings change when she feels empathy for a neighborhood dog that has also lost her pals. After weeks of loneliness, Haley realizes that things are not getting better for either of them; it’s time to make new friends.

Interestingly, a few weeks ago before I found out about this book, I had contacted Dr. Marcie to ask her questions about how to help me six-year-old boy make friends. You can find that interview here

Coming back to the book, I had the opportunity to interview the author of this book,  Louie Lawent which I wanted to share with you below.

 Tell us more about why you picked this subject? Was it a real-life influence?
Ideas frequently pop into my head as I take long walks.  I talk to myself when walking because the walk would be too boring if I didn’t.  I get ideas from songs, films, observations and talking to myself because thoughts lead to other thoughts. When I was in elementary school I made friends easily.  One night my parents had a party. One of my classmate’s mom thanked me in a private conversation for inviting her son to my birthday party. He was very shy and I don’t think he had many friends so this showed me the importance of inclusion. How a simple thing like being invited to a party can mean so much.
 What was the hardest part about writing this book? 
I say this in a dark humor way, but getting it published was the hardest.  Now, that’s not answering the question but writing the story was a smooth flow.
 What kind of research did you do while writing this book?
The challenge of the new kid in town making new friends is easily understood by just being a person who observes so I didn’t need to do research for this particular book.  I used my imagination by injecting a neighborhood dog into the story so the girl in the story who has been reluctant to make friends can see how a dog she adores reacts when the dog also has lost friends. Will the dog and Haley make new friends?  That’s what the reader will find out.
What influenced you to become a children’s book author?
I wanted to write children’s stories ever since a friend and I wrote funny stories in 3rd grade. In 4th grade I created a story about “Gerty the Pig” which years later became an illustrated children’s book which is in schools across the U.S. in the National Accelerated Readers Program.  I would like it to become a series. I’ve written 5 more Gerty stories.  They’re hilarious.  I need a publisher for those.
What is most rewarding about for being an author?
The most rewarding moments are when children tell me how much they like it.
Haley's Friendship Challenge
What are your top 3 favorite books of all times? What are your top 3 favorite children’s books of all times?
My favorites are  1. Case Closed   by Gerald Posner
2.  How To Read The Bible by James Kugel. 3. Abuse of Power: The New Nixon Tapes by Stanley Kutler
When I was in elementary school I enjoyed reading books about Ben Franklin and Martin Luther King Jr.  I also enjoyed the Nancy Drew Mysteries.  I liked  “Benny’s Flag” by Phyllis Krasilovsky so much that I printed out the whole book in long hand.  A more recent favorite is “Henry The Blowfish” bu Howard Morlan.
 Do you have any words of wisdom for young parents of the children of the world?
  Let your children follow their passions.  A person will never be fulfilled if they settle.
 Please tell us more about some of your upcoming projects. 

I am also a lyricist so I’ll keep writing and be collaborating with composers.  But right now my prime objective is trying to make “Haley’s Friendship Challenge” a success. Hopefully, your readers will order a copy, enjoy it with the young people in their lives and let others know so they will want it to be in their homes too!

About the Author of Haley’s Friendship Challenge

Louie Lawent is the author of the children’s picture book “Gerty the Pig” which is in school systems across the U.S. The book is in the National Accelerated Readers program. His co-written song “Strangely Beautiful” was featured in the TV show “Famous In Love” and my co-write  “Angels Of The New Millennium” was licensed to the TV show “Full Circle.” Ten of his co-writers were on Steve Goodie’s kid’s album “Refrigerator Art” CD. His co-write “One More Father’s Son” which is about a homeless veteran is on Grammy winner DL Byron’s “Satori” CD. “Slippery Forces” is on Boz Boorer’s CD “Some Of The Parts.” There’s a really cool video of “Slippery Forces” on youtube.  He has numerous other song co-writes. He is an excellent ping-pong player and love to play beach volleyball. He is also a big time fan of the Green Bay Packers.

 
Sneha J is a mom of two boys and a true multi-passionate at heart. She is a Certified Neuro-Transformational Results Coach, a Master Reiki Practitioner, Tarot Enthusiast and a Mom Blogger. She has a Masters Degree in Manufacturing Systems Engineering from North Carolina State University. She is also a Mindfulness Enthusiast. Being brought up in an Indian culture, spirituality and meditations were part of growing up. After working in a very masculine manufacturing environment for 10+ years, she decided to change paths and explore her true passion. She is deeply inspired to use public platforms to spread the message of conscious connections and less stress in the world. To learn more about her visit stresslesswithsnehaj.com

 

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