A child’s home should be both safe and allow freedom of movement. That can be tricky to arrange if the child has a physical disability that impairs their mobility. One way to ensure a child’s freedom of movement is to put the most important rooms, like their bedroom and bathroom, on the main floor, so they won’t have to try to navigate stairs. However, the bathroom is a small space to navigate for any child with physical disabilities. Here are a few ways you can upgrade your bathroom to make it less hazardous for them.
Size matters
In order to accommodate a wheelchair, the bathroom will need at least 30 by 48 inches of clear floor space. The toilet seat should be no higher than 19 inches, and the sink and countertop should be no taller than 34 inches. The latter should also have space for the wheelchair to roll under them. The faucets need to be designed so the child can turn them with only one hand and a force of no more than five pounds of pressure.
Support rails
There needs to be support or guard rails near the toilet and in the shower within easy reach. They will provide enough support so the child can get off the toilet or in or out of the bathtub with little trouble. Most support rails or grab bars can support a person who weighs up to 250 pounds. Sheltering arm grab bars are attached to the toilet on both sides; many also have legs that extend to the floor to provide extra support.
Showerhead
The showerhead should have pressure balancing or anti-scald valves to reduce the risk of being burned by hot water. A pull-out or hand-held showerhead will allow the child to wash themselves while seated. Some showerheads have slide bars that allow the user to adjust the height.
Gel mats
Gel mats will prevent the child from slipping on a wet floor. They should be placed in the tub, just outside it, and near the sink and toilet. While this may not be necessary for wheelchair-bound children, others with muscular or mental disabilities can benefit greatly both from the aid against slipping, and the somewhat padded landing surface in the case that they do.
Open shower
The traditional closed shower is located either in a bathtub or is surrounded by walls. The open shower, by contrast, has no enclosures. It opens up space in the bathroom and is much easier to navigate. It is similarly easy to put a water-proof chair under the showerhead. The installation of hydro construction products like floor drains and shower grates can help you achieve this, leaving no bath or shower curbs to hurdle for your child.
Some of these modifications can be expensive. Fortunately, there are grants that people can use to pay for modifications designed to help a person with a disability.
Each and every one of us has some talent that comes naturally to us. For me, it is Carnatic music, a form of Indian classical music. I always loved music even as a child. But, to be honest, shy as I was, I enjoyed singing in the privacy of my home, more than anywhere else. And then I was introduced to Carnatic music as my mom officially got me into a music class.
I was the only kid in the class, so I had no choice but to sing out loud enough for at least the teacher to be able to hear me. And that was the first time I knew that music was my natural talent. I quickly progressed through the lessons, and my teacher could go as fast or as slow, depending on the pace that I set. Those were some wonderful years that I spent and both my talent and confidence grew, day after day.
I started singing more in public. The shy little girl in me took a back seat, as I started performing more for the audience. I would learn a new lesson, and walk back home with the new song running in my head. I was aware of the people around me staring and I cared less and less about what impression I was making on people walking in the street. To say those were the best times of my life would be an under statement.
But life took over and I ended up stopping my music lessons. I wasn’t aware of it then, but I was making the biggest mistake of my life. I have often wondered how my life could have been different if I had not quit my music lessons. I remember how sad my mom had been and I always wished I hadn’t let life disrupt the most beautiful moments of my life.
Parent’s role
Every child has something that comes naturally to them. For some it may be music, while for others it may be art or they may be an excellent writer. While academics play a very important role in their lives, as parents we also need to find out every single talent that comes naturally to our child.
Identifying the hidden talent
The most obvious talents such as writing, drawing or playing a musical instrument are easy to accept. But talents don’t always come in a very specific pattern. Take the example of a child who has been termed as the class clown.
On the outside, it may seem as if he is wasting away his life just by being silly. But on deeper examination, a parent may find that the child has a natural ability to make others laugh. This child could grow up to be a stand up comedian. As parents, we need to learn to keep an open mind about our child’s abilities.
Nurturing our child’s talents
We are already doing the best that we can to raise our child to be a well rounded individuals. Once the child’s natural abilities have been identified, it is up to the parents to provide the child with opportunities in the form of formal lessons.
This usually involves juggling schedules and dropping and picking them up from different activities. And if there is more than one child in the house, schedules can get very tricky. But the most important thing that a parent needs to remember is giving the child adequate time and energy to practice his/her skill.
Letting the child lead
The biggest mistake that a parent can make is dominating the child’s passion. Children have their own way of following their heart. We often think that just because we are older, we are more knowledgeable.
In the process, we often hinder the child’s natural abilities to make a decision. While it is good to keep reminding children to practice their skill, it works even better when the children are themselves motivated to work on their skill. The parent’s role is to gently shift the responsibilities on their child’s shoulder, constantly reminding them that they are way more capable than they think.
When interests change.
Not every child finds and sticks to one passion. Just like grown ups have changing interests, children are allowed to change their minds too. There are some kids who like to try everything before they pick one ability that they would like to develop. We may be raising a Jack-of-all-trades, and that may not be the end of the world.
As I grew older, I moved on to so many different interests and passions. I found that I had a natural ability to express my emotions in words. I also learnt that I could convert my love for books into another hobby of writing book reviews. Music is still a big part of my life. Both my children have musical abilities.
My older daughter is experimenting with musical instruments such as guitar and actively participates in her school chorus. My son, on the other hand, loves Carnatic music just as much as I did as a child. And as I attempt to guide and supervise their natural talents, I find myself continuing to develop my own talents and passions.
I have come to accept that learning is a life-long process and it doesn’t have to stop at any particular age.
Find more tips on raising kids who accept themselves and grow with a confident mindset to achieve long term success in life.
Even though divorce is a heart-breaking experience, many people are finding love on the other side through remarriage and blended families. While this is a beautiful experience, it can be a challenging one with the children. If you’re in a position where you get to become a stepdad, you’ll want to make sure you have supportive people in your corner when things get tough. Consider the following ways you can get support.
Keep close contact with friends and family
Communication is key. When you have a close friend or family member that you can use a sounding board, you’ll be a blessed man. Furthermore, make sure that the person who serves as a sounding board can understand the importance of confidentiality.
Consult with healthcare professionals
When you’re dealing with growing children, there are a lot of nuances like hormones and puberty. You have to consider those factors when you’re dealing with them. It’s also important to factor in your own trauma and baggage that you bring to the relationships. Find a trusted doctor and counselor to take about issues like child-rearing and development.
Find online forums with other stepdads
Though the internet can be a treacherous space, the internet can also be a safe space within forums. If you find a forum of step-fathers who support one another and send each other encouraging stepdad quotes, you can maintain a sense of anonymity by creating an alias name. Use different names to protect the privacy of your family members. At the same time, offer wisdom and receive advice from those who seem to provide positive insight.
Keep open communication with your wife
Always maintain a strong connection with your wife. You two are the ones who are glued for the rest of your lives. The children will grow up and move out. It’s extremely wise for the two of you to maintain a united front. If you’re having issues with ways to deal with one of the children, get on one accord regarding how you two will handle the children together. When you two support one another, the children will have no choice but to fall in line.
It’s also important to remember that there will be days when you feel the need to throw in the towel. When those times, it’s okay to take a time-out to go for a walk, exercise, or do something to cool yourself down. Know how to handle yourself so that you don’t make a mistake you regret. After all, it’s an awesome responsibility. Focus on making a positive impact with every chance you get.
A first visit to the dentist can be challenging for any parent. If your child is on the autism spectrum, you may have unique fears about how your child will handle this kind of visit. Fortunately, there are things you can do to make your appointment with the dentist a little more successful.
Talk to Your Dentist
The first step in helping your child cope is to make those around him or her understand exactly how he or she might react to the dentist. Talk to your dentist and the office staff about your child and the concerns you might have. Your child is likely not the first on the spectrum to visit the office, and your dentist might be more than happy to discuss recommendations to make the process easier for your child.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Your next step is to normalize going to the dentist. Drive by the dentist in your area when you can, telling your child about what is done there. If your child enjoys television, watch developmentally-appropriate shows that feature dentists. If your child receives speech or occupational therapy, you may even want to let your child practice having his or her teeth touched. Normalization of the basic aspects of the dental visit can be quite helpful.
Provide a Comfort Item
It’s also a good idea to make sure that your child has access to items that help to calm him or her. Bringing along a stim toy can be a great idea, as can bringing along a weighted vest or blanket. Many pediatric offices also let children watch television or even play video games during their examination, so ensuring that your child has something soothing to watch and/or play can be incredibly helpful.
Minimize Waiting Time
Finally, make sure that you keep the process as short and sweet as possible. Talk to your dental staff about your child and let them know that you’ll be there as close to the start of the procedure as possible. Fill out all the paperwork ahead of time and consider having the office call you as soon as they are ready for you. This gives fewer chances for meltdowns in the waiting room and keeps things moving for everyone.
Going to the dentist is largely a process of adaptation. Talk with everyone involved and help calm your child when you can, then provide adaptive tools to help your child cope. The visit will be over faster than you think, and you and your child will know that you’ve conquered another challenge.
Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan
“Why has it been accepted as gospel for so long that homework is necessary? The answer, I think, lies not in the perceive virtues of homework but rather in the clear deficiencies of what happens in the classroom. Homework becomes necessary because not enough learning happens during the school day… The broadcast, one-pace-fits-all lecture… turns out to be a highly inefficient way to teach and learn.”
― Salman Khan, The One World Schoolhouse: Education Reimagined
Homework…. Whether you agree it is a useful tool for setting up good habits for your children’s future education and work ethics, or subscribe to the “afternoons should be for play” school of thought most of us end up with afternoon homework supervision of some sort or another. Reading books with kids… that is my favourite kind of homework, but I digress!
Now let us take this one-step further. What happens when the homework is in a language that you do not fully understand or your children are studying at a level you cannot yourself comprehend? This is regularly my dilemma.
Let the games begin! Literally! Our children attending bilingual school was pretty much a given because whilst we lived in Australia my husband’s entire overseas family speak only Arabic. When the first homework arrived home during our first week of our first year of school, identical sets in English and Arabic, I was so excited. We were learning:
[English: A a is for apple ] and 25 more letters [Arabic: أ (a) is forأسد (asad) which means lion] and 27 more letters We made extra cards and played games of match, fish, snap and anything else I could think of. We made a larger set to have an Arabic and English word wall. Everyone was having lots of fun /learning whilst laughing’. We decided that if “making it fun, got it done” then that is how we would approach our whole school journey.
Aim: Our children will speak to their grandmothers in their own language.
Six years on, we have changed sides of the globe and we now are in a majority language Arabic and minority language (second language at school) English situation. Catch, whilst we learnt Arabic for six years in Australia and studied determinedly… our academic vocabulary is limited and the set of words learnt from a textbook for Arabic speaking children in an English speaking country is very different from the set of words needed to survive in an academic environment.
To compound our issue, my older two children, grade 4 and 8, surpassed my knowledge in Arabic about two years ago and our youngest just started grade 1. Whilst I try very hard every day to be of assistance, I really struggle. Luckily, their dad is an Arabic/English teacher so it takes him very little time to keep us all on track.
But, how do you help your kids when you realize the academic vocabulary you carefully organized for them, and the study you insisted on every single day is actually a whole other vocabulary than used in an Arabic culture setting. Even the fruits and vegetables you eat have a different set of names. Add in dialect and hey, I am ready to throw in the towel some days.
I have learnt to insist my husband gives a very clear set of instructions by page number in study to be covered. We approach much of our learning as you would a university textbook:
Copy the introduction to the topic/summary into your notebook and translate (or write in own words)
Find the key words in the introduction and underline in the chapter.
Now with a better understanding of the work we are trying to complete…
Read the introduction and notes of ‘what is covered in the topic’.
Translate to English as required. (or change unknown words on the page to known words)
Read the conclusion (if there is one) and translate
Read the chapter questions and translate
Now we are ready to investigate the rest of the words in the chapter. (My children are able to read them and understand about half of the words but with careful preparation, much of the rest is comprehensible – with a bit of dictionary assistance.)
The children who have attention disorders should learn how to recycle at home and school in the same way as the other children. However, it can take more time to explain how to recycle items correctly, and you may need to find interesting teaching methods. Many children who have poor attention spans are able to learn more with hands-on training methods, so you should prepare ways to teach these children in a real-life format.
Take a Walk While Picking Up Trash
If your kid or kids tend to enjoy hands on activities, you can bring them outside to pick up the trash from your yard or a park. Make sure to supply gloves and trash bags, but you should watch carefully to make sure that your children don’t collect anything sharp, including broken glass or drug syringes. After collecting the paper items and soft drink cans, have the kids determine how much of the trash is recyclable. Make it into a game, and be understanding if they get distracted by other things.
Visit a Recycling Center
For children who enjoy heavy machinery or learn visually, you could teach them another way. Plan a field trip to a recycling center so that your children can see how the trash is sorted by type into glass, plastic, paper and other materials. The employees at the recycling center can discuss the importance of separating the types of materials along with making sure that the things are clean enough for the recycling process.
Create a Recycling Station
It is important to have easily recognizable recycling green bins at home. While there are many types of trash dumpsters, green is the color that tells children that the container is designed for recyclable items. With the noticeable green color, it is easier for children with poor attention spans to remember to place an item in the correct container. It also helps to have a dedicated recycling bin right next to the other garbage cans so your child doesn’t have to adjust their routine much to throw the right things away. Put a sign up that reminds them which item goes in which bin.
Learn How to Compost
Children with attention-deficit issues can also learn how to compost many types of trash so that there is rich soil for planting flowers or a vegetable garden. Create a composting pile for the proper types of garbage and trash, and also, you should allow your children to take turns stirring the rotting items to create the soil. After the trash decomposes into soil, use the dirt to plant flower or vegetable seeds. Hands on activities like gardening can be more interesting to children who have trouble connecting to activities that can otherwise feel disconnected from their daily lives.
Lifelong Learning
Work with your children come up with ways to remember to recycle and reuse. This can include organizing their room and giving them specific places to put objects, which can help them remember to put recycling in a specific place as well. Be gentle when reminding them, and work with them to set up a schedule for them to clean and throw things in the trash or recycling. A motivating reward system can help them tie their behavior to later benefits and make them get excited about recycling.
Even if your child has attention deficit issues, he or she can still begin to learn important principles on avoiding waste and reusing and recycling. Use these tips to teach your child to recycle and care for his or her planet.
Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan
The largest continent on the planet, Asia is full of centuries-old tradition and present-day trends. Several interesting facts about Asia remain untold, and learning them will undoubtedly leave you bewildered.
Here are 7 interesting facts about Asia:
1) Countries in Asia consume ninety percent of the rice produced in the world –
An essential food throughout the continent, rice makes for a staple for breakfast, lunch as well as dinner. Concerning food consumption, Asia differs from the rest of the world due to its high need for rice. So vital is rice for living here that many Asians use “rice” as a conversation starter.
Asians consume about ninety percent of the world’s rice yield with China, India, and Indonesia, partaking sixty percent of it alone. The latter half of the twentieth century saw the individual average rice consumption in Asia rising steadily from 85 kilograms annually to 103. This period also marked the start of the Green Revolution when farmers received over 1000 modernized rice varieties.
2) All Vietnamese people share the same birthday –
In Vietnam, people count their age based on the number of Vietnamese New Year they’ve celebrated, unlike the rest of the world, counting it from the day of their birth. So, in Vietnam, everybody turns another year older on “Tet Nguyen Dan” which means “Vietnamese New Year’s Day.”
Every year, Tet Nguyen Dan doesn’t fall on the same date because it is by the lunar (moon) cycle. The date falls in the latter half of the winter season, i.e., late January or the beginning of February, and the “Tet” lasts for many days. So, among several Tet traditions, the New Year also makes for a birthday celebration. A baby’s first Tet would make him officially one year old, even if his actual birth took place before the New Year’s Day.
3) One of Thailand’s markets lies right over train tracks – A genuinely unique Thai market and located near Bangkok, the Maeklong Railway Market lies right on a passing train’s tracks! This market has numerous stalls displaying local produce such as fruits and veggies, seafood and meats, sweet foods, clothing, and fresh flowers.
Several times throughout the day, as the warning bell rings loudly through the speaker, the vendors have to drawback their awnings. It’s because a train runs right in the middle of the buzzing market, sufficiently close for touch. This aspect certainly makes the Maeklong Railway Market stand out among Thailand’s several markets
The market remarkably adjusts itself and encloses the train while it rolls through. The vendors pull back the awnings just to the extent required and move the baskets of local produce just enough to keep them from being sliced by the train’s wheels.
Once the train passes, the vendors instantly restore the awnings where they were initially. Everyone resumes their normal activities as though nothing unbelievable did ever happen.
The train runs through the market eight times per day, including the trips in the return direction. So, one gets eight opportunities daily to watch the spectacular sight of the train rolling through the market just after the vendors have closed down their umbrellas.
4) The Spring Temple Buddha is the tallest sculpture worldwide – Towering at 420 feet, on top of a lotus-shaped pedestal as high as 66 feet, the Spring Temple Buddha located in the Chinese township of Zhaocun is the tallest sculpture in the world. If you’re seeking something fresh and thrilling, yet remarkably peaceful and quiet, you should be heading straight to visit the marvelous sculpture in China.
The sculpture features a famous statue representing the Vairocana Buddha. Built in the period from 1997 to 2008, the statue is made up of large quantities of gold, copper alloy, and steel occupying almost 11,000 square feet. The ornately layered copper gives the figure its brilliant appeal.
A diamond seat, holding 6,666 smaller statues of Buddha and lying beneath the Buddha, further enhances the sculpture’s beauty. It also contains the holy Buddhist monastery where people come seeking eternal peace.
5) Indonesia is the world’s largest island country – With 17,508 islands extending between the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean, and with 741,050 square miles of overall land area, Indonesia is the world’s largest archipelagic nation. This archipelago stretches across the equatorial line and covers almost an eighth of the circumference of the earth.
Several groups of islands make up the entire archipelago, namely, Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara, Timor, Maluku, and Papua New Guinea. Indonesians reside in about 6,000 islands, with 51% of the country’s total population living on Java island. The coastal area encompassing Indonesia has global significance, mainly for trading purposes.
6) The largest flower in the world grows in South-East Asia -he Rafflesia flower, named after Sir Raffles who founded Singapore and found the flower while on an expedition, grows in the tropical forests of South-East Asia, most abundantly in Indonesia. Rafflesia, the formal state flower of Indonesia, is a huge flower measuring a meter across, and its unique shape and size have earned it a symbolic status.
With twenty species of the flower existing in the world, a typical Rafflesia flower has five dull-red, leather-textured, spotted petals resembling the shape of a cabbage and a large, bowl-like center.
When the Rafflesia blooms, it emits an extremely unpleasant odor that attracts insects, thus helping pollination. Rare and beautifully exotic, the Rafflesia, weighing 22 pounds, is the most substantial flower worldwide. Rafflesia is a parasite growing on the hardy Tetrastigma vine only and blooms for not more than 3-5 days annually.
7) Rub’ al Khali desert is the largest desert worldwide with continuous sand – Spanning approximately 6,50,000 sq km and more than a quarter of Saudi Arabia’s complete area, Rub’ al Khali, meaning “Empty Quarter,” is the largest desert in the world with continuous sand. This desert region occupying the southern Arabian Peninsula constitutes the Arabian Desert’s most significant portion.
Featuring diverse topography, the western part of Rub’ al Khali desert is 2000 feet above mean sea level with thin and soft sand. While the desert’s eastern portion is only at 600 feet, consisting of dunes, sheets, and sabkhas, also called salt flats.
One of the world’s driest regions, the Rubʿ al Khali, is virtually empty, i.e., without inhabitants and contains ample petroleum reserves below its sands. The Al-Ghawār oil field, extending approximately 260 km in the eastern part of the country, includes several billions of oil barrels.
Conclusion
So, now you know some unusual facts about the Asian continent. If you’re already planning a trip for exploring these facts, don’t forget to carry a scratch-off world map along. Once you’re back home, carte a gratter will remind you of all the exciting facts that you explored.
With the popularity of the Disney movie Coco, Day of the Dead has become a pretty well-known holiday. Yet, even if you have seen the movie, you may still be wondering what it’s all about. Where did this tradition come from? What do all the flowers and skeletons mean? Here is everything you need to know about Day of the Dead.
What is Day of the Dead?
Day of the Dead, or Dia de Muertos, is a holiday celebrated throughout Latin America, but it originated in Mexico.
Instead of being a celebration of ghouls and goblins, Day of the Dead is a time to celebrate and honor loved ones who have passed away. Participants believe that on November 1st and 2nd, the dead awaken and their spirits come to visit their living family members. The living prepare a feast and receive the spirits as honored guests.
Where did Day of the Dead originate?
According to the History Channel, Day of the Dead originated around 3,000 years ago with the Nahua and Aztec people. They believed that life is cyclical and death is just a normal part of that cycle. Therefore, they created a celebration to honor this part of the cycle.
Originally, the Nahua celebrated the dead in August. However, when the Spanish invaded Mexico, they brought with them All Saints Day and All Souls Day, which is celebrated the first two days of November. As a part of these celebrations, the Spanish would decorate graves with flowers and candles to help the dead find their way back to their homes on earth. Therefore, the Day of the Dead celebrations we witness today is a mixture of these two cultural traditions.
What are the Day of the Dead Traditions?
In Mexico, November 1st is “Dia de los Inocentes” (Day of the Innocents) or “Dia de los Angelitos” (Day of the Little Angels), which is basically a day to celebrate the lives of young children who have passed. The celebration for adults is the following day, on November 2.
During these celebrations, family members go to the cemetery to clean and decorate the gravestones. Sometimes they place items that their family members loved in life on the gravestones. Other families just place these items on an altar for the deceased in their homes.
On the 1st and 2nd , the family gathers for a feast and celebration in remembrance of those who have passed away. The belief is that during these two days, the spirits of those who have passed away are present and celebrating alongside their living family members.
What is the meaning of the Day of the Dead decorations?
The altars are the focus of Day of the Dead celebration. Baby’s breath, which represents the purity of children, adorns the altars of children, alongside toys, candy, and food that children enjoy such as sweet tamales, and atole.
For adults, the altars are covered with marigolds, the iconic orange flower that represents Day of the Dead. In some areas, the flower petals are also used to make a path that leads the souls back home to the family. Instead of sweet tamales they have spicy ones and trade the atloe for that adult’s beverage of choice. The food symbolizes an offering to the souls to welcome them home.
In addition to the tamales and atole, each region also offers the dead “pan de muerto” or bread of the dead. This is a special type of bread made during the Day of the Dead celebrations.
Each altar also has a picture of the people who have passed away, which represents his or her presence. Candles line the altars to light the way back home for the souls. Some altars also have papel picado or cut/chiseled paper with images of saints, skulls, and skeletons and are used as a tablecloth to decorate the altar.
The candy skulls and people dressed as skeletons, or La Catrina, are symbols of the reality of death. They are not meant to be scary but instead normalize death as a part of the cycle of life.
Can I take part in a Day of the Dead celebration if I am not Mexican?
Of course, you can! However, if you are going to attend a public celebration or celebrate with another family, remember to be respectful. The point of the celebration is to take time to remember loved ones. That means it may not be the best place for selfies or Facebook lives. Instead, unplug and take the time to enjoy being with other people.
If you are in the US, you can check here to see if there will be a Day of the Dead celebration near you. If you are feeling super adventurous, hop on a plane and head to Mexico to witness Day of the Dead first hand.
If neither of those is an option, you could also consider having your own Day of the Dead celebration in your home.
If I want to go to Mexico during Day of the Dead, where should I go?
You could honestly go anywhere in Mexico to experience Day of the Dead alongside the locals but according to TripSavvy, you will find the most colorful festivities in the Southern Region of Mexico. Some popular destinations for Day of the Dead explorers are Oaxaca, Chiapas, Michoacán and Mexico City.
Won’t a Day of the Dead Celebration scare my child?
Remember, Day of the Dead is not Halloween. It is not mean to be scary. Day of the dead is a time of connection and remembrance. In fact, if your child fears death or if you have recently lost a loved one, it may be helpful for your family to take some time to address the reality of death and remember those in your family who are no longer with you.
If you’d like to learn more about how to have your own Day of the Dead celebration, download this free three day activity guide that will walk you through bringing culture, joy and connection into your family through your own Day of the Dead celebration this October 31st-November 2nd.
Bio: Vanessa Ruiz loves all things language, culture, and diversity. She is the mother of a bilingual, bicultural child and works full time supporting immigrant families. You can find her at Families Embracing Diversitywhere she guides families to learn to love their differences today to give their children a better tomorrow.
Your child is fast becoming addicted to mobile phone and it worries you. Sure, it’s only natural for a parent to get concerned about a child’s negative attitude. In addition to consistently exposing their retina to white light, mobile phone addiction can also distract kids from educational and other productive activities. So, what can you do to distract your kid from intense mobile phone usage?
Thankfully, it is possible to make your kid’s environment more interesting than mobile phone. But how? Keep reading to learn more.
First, Understand that Too Much Exposure to Screen Has Consequences
High screen-time or too much exposure to gadget or TV screen comes with certain consequences such as the following;
Poor academic performance due to distraction caused by mobile phone addiction
Possibility of being derailed by surfing websites that are not healthy or morally good
Exposure of the retina to streams of white light at all times can drastically impact a child’s vision
So, How Can You Curtail or Stop a Child’s Addiction to Mobile Phones and Other Screen Gadgets?
You should start by devising ways to make their environment more interesting than sticking to the phone all day long. Some helpful tips to achieve this include the following;
Tip #1: Take the Lead
Whether you accept it or not, children tend to learn by example rather than mere instructions. You may not succeed in distracting your kid from phone addiction when you are also a culprit and barely have time for your kids. So, what they see you do is what they will likely do. If you are too drawn to your smartphone, it’s time to be the example for your kid by spending less and less time on your phone. It’s just a question of time, your child will follow suit.
Tip #2: Encourage and Introduce Fun Activities
You should introduce other fun and useful activities to your child. For instance, you can introduce your child to archery. Choose an adjustable bow for your child with the help of an archery shop attendant.
Subsequently, you can engage your backyard (if it is allowed in your area) to start teaching the kid how to shoot bows. Usually, the first target for kids learning to shoot a bowl is balloons. Indeed, most kids would prefer to spend time learning to shoot a bow than staying glued to a phone. Indeed, archery is a fantastic hobby that any kid will love.
You should also make other essential resources accessible to your child. Typical examples of such resources include interesting/educative books, art supplies and board games such as scrabble.
Tip #3: Cut back Phone Usage Times
Abrupt withdrawal of a phone from a child may cause him or her to go into depression and other negative emotions, since the child is already addicted to the gadget.
To prevent this from happening, you should consider limiting phone usage time at first and fill those hours the child is not using phone with other fun and productive activities mentioned in Tip #2. This gradual and more strategic process will be more effective. You will be surprised that the child would eventually lose interest in phones and gadgets without much coercion.
Tip #4: Spend More time with Your Child
Often, kids tend to resort to smartphones or other negative things as succor, since their parents rarely have time for them. So, learn to spend time with your kids. Find out what’s going on with them in school and elsewhere, and play with them as often as you can.
The truth is, kids really yearn for the attention of their parents who are rather busy doing other things that can never be equated with the emotional wellbeing of their kids. In fact, some parents are even the ones encouraging their kids to spend time with mobile phones since they do not get involved in these kids’ lives.
But the truth is, for a child to be well-rounded and groomed, you cannot take out those detailed and intimate moments spent with a child — which is what proper parenting requires.
Tip #5: Get Your Kids involved in House Chores
When a child has extensive idle time, he or she will definitely look for other things to be occupied on. If all your child does is to do home work, eat and play, and do not help out in anyway, he or she will definitely get attracted to mobile phone to stay busy.
So, start early to involve your kids in house chores and other meaningful activities. When you cook in the kitchen, get them to help handle smaller tasks such as washing vegetables, measuring out ingredients, and cleaning up after cooking. Also, your kids should be involved in keeping the house tidy, watering the plants in the garden and so on.
Finally, you need to understand that there’s no idle time for a kid, they must always have something to do. So, get them involved in meaningful activities to distract them from mobile phone.
One of the most wonderful things about children is that they’re natural curious about the world around them. There’s a lot going on, and most want to know more. If you feel like your child’s mostly focused inward, though, you may want to take steps to encourage that natural curiosity. Below are four activities that can really make a difference.
Go to Nature
Getting out in the natural world is a great way to get a child’s mind moving. Leave behind the technology and the distractions and spend a few hours out in the woods—or even a few days camping. Let your child discover the vast beauty of nature in a safe what that will make him or her really want to learn more about why the world works as it does.
Visit a Museum of Play
There are many excellent childrens’ museums out there, and the best of them put a strong focus on play. While children might think that they’re just getting a chance to play around, what they’re really doing is engaging with the world in a hands-on manner. Playing around in a stream table or building a fortress out of blocks may not seem like it’s constructive, but it’s teaching your child incredibly important lessons.
Check Out a Planetarium
Sometimes it takes spending a moment contemplating the vastness of the universe to really unlock a sense of wonder. There are spectacular planetarium shows in cities across the world, many of which are geared towards children. Giving your child a chance to look out at the vastness of space and to wonder what’s out there can be a good way to help him or her start to think about the world in a more engaging manner.
Visit a Historical Site
Sometimes a look at the past can really help a child to start asking “why”. Checking out a battlefield, an old building, or even a monument is a great way to talk to your child about the world as it was before he or she was born. Just getting exposed to the idea that things were not always as they are now can be a major turning point for some children, and this can lead them to really start interrogating their own worlds.
Getting your child to use his or her natural curiosity is really a matter of providing the right stimuli. Visit museums, planetariums, and historic sites to provide new points of view, and don’t forget to get out into nature to let your child explore. With the right stimuli, your child’s imagination will soar.
Moving to a new home is a difficult experience for everyone, but it is particularly tough for children. They are leaving behind more than just a familiar house. They’re also saying goodbye to friends, a neighborhood, a school, and maybe more. Here are some simple tips for helping your kids adjust to life at a new address.
Remember Their Transition
As we adults struggle to activate utilities, sell real estate, and adjust to a new job, we can easily forget about the kids. For them to come through the move as seamlessly as possible, it is essential that you help them adjust as well. Take them to explore their new school at the first opportunity. Check out the restaurants, stores, parks, and entertainment areas that will interest them. Talk to local groups about sports, orchestra, theater, or whatever hobbies they may have.
Get Them Involved
We often think that packing, hauling, and unpacking is adults’ work, and it is. However, kids need to help a little too. Take care of their furniture, clothes, and “boring” things for them, and then set aside time to work them through the process of packing treasured toys or other belongings. Let them mark the boxes and use all the fun bubble wrap and tape they want.
Keep Some Simple Reminders
If this is the first move for your children, the adjustment is really big. Figure out a way for them to maintain some physical reminders of the old place. It could be a paver from the sidewalk or a plant transferred to the new home. It could even be the door frame where you’ve measured their heights. Whatever you manage to find, bring it along to keep the memories of the old home fresh while they build more memories in the new home.
Just Listen
This may be uncharted territory for your kids. They may feel guilty about being excited to make new friends after leaving their old ones behind. They may be anxious about a totally new school. They may even be almost manic with excitement at the possibilities. Their feelings will run the gamut, and the only thing you can do is listen and support them. In time, you’ll hear the conversations turn more towards the new life and less toward the strain of leaving the old life. Even kids who are generally upbeat will have down times. Just listen.
A move is a major change. When there are kids involved, you can make their transition more seamless by simply keeping their feelings and reactions in mind at all times.
Lizzie Weakley is a freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors and walks in the park with her three-year-old husky, Snowball.
This book is such a wonderful look as your join Joey LeGoat on his journey of self discovery. My son read the book in one sitting and then read it twice in the same day!
His words, ” This book deserves 5 stars! It is such a good book about how to stand up to bullies and how it is wonderful to be you. I can’t wait to read it again.” He even read it to his sister.
In today’s world we need to use EVERY conversation, book, resource to teach our kids the ideals of empathy, connection, empowerment and self love. October is National Bullying Prevention Month and this book is a wonderful resource. With beautiful illustrations and using strong imagery this book is a great book to read a few pages daily or for kids who are ready to read chapter books. With two chapters and clearly outlined sections, this book is a pleasure to read.
We are so glad Tom Nochera chose to send us this book and have us host a giveaway.
To grab a chance to win this book for free, click here and get the book. Winner will be announced in two weeks.
Inside the Book
Joey LeGoat lives with his brother Billy and their family on the Isle of Oat. When Gilbert, the leader of the geese, finds out that Joey is not called a billy goat, there’s trouble. Gilbert is the island’s head bully, and Joey LeGoat becomes his innocent prey. Against his father’s advice, Joey decides to hide in his barn. However, his own spirit eventually emerges, and he realizes he has to go outside, face his bullies, and create his own destiny. Once Joey LeGoat prevails against his bullies, he challenges all creatures to follow the Golden Rule, and treat others the way they wish to be treated.
The first of a two-book series, A Goat Named Joey is a tool that parents, educators and children can use to boost self-confidence and spread compassion to help stop the scourge of bullying.
About Author
Before Tom Nochera began writing stories for children, he wrote technical manuals for start-up companies, but he found that as much fun as eating bark off a tree. So, he started writing poems for kids. His first book of poems was A Place That’s Fun, written under the pen name Ichabod Ablegoose. He currently works in catering in Washington, D.C., while continuing to grow his writing career with the help of his biggest inspiration, his children. A Goat Named Joey is his second book. A bullied child himself, Tom wrote this book to help all children escape the hate of bullying.
“A Goat Named Joey is an impactful children’s book that teaches our kids about the harmful and lasting effects of bullying. I highly recommend this wonderful work!” —Kirk Smalley, President of Stand for the Silent, a nonprofit organization dedicated to stopping bullying
One of the great pleasures of traveling to other parts of the United States is in visiting the wide variety of art museums that house great artworks from every age of human history. America is blessed with a population that not only understands the value of art, but also creates beautiful environments in which to enjoy these works. Here are four US cities that offer art museums worth your vacation investment.
New York City, New York
As one of the largest and most renowned cities in the country, New York City also earned its title as one of the centers for art. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), the Guggenheim, and the Frick museums should be at the top of your list, but there are a number of smaller institutions that are also worth adding to your itinerary for art viewing in NYC.
Chicago, Illinois
This large midwestern city offers art lovers a broad range of visual experiences, from its public art to its smaller, specialized museums. The Art Institute offers a permanent collection of work that is world renowned, with a number of periodic, traveling exhibits that both residents and visitors to the city enjoy on a regular basis.
Washington, DC
Washington, DC offers many interesting attractions for group travel tours, and it also provides art lovers with many opportunities. The Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Gallery of Art are the top favorites, but a number of other museums, such as the Hirshhorn Museum and Freer and Sackler Galleries are also worthwhile stops for extraordinary art viewing.
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles has a large population of art lovers and their commitment to preserving extraordinary works is evident at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, fondly referred to as “LACMA.” Marked at the front with its iconic collection of streetlights, a million visitors come to enjoy its collections of art from around the world and various periods in history. The Getty Museum is another institution that houses a wide range of artworks for the public to enjoy, making L.A. a must-see stop on any traveler’s tour of U.S. museums.
The United States is rich in artistic treasures that are available to everyone who wants to see them. If you and your family are interested in travel and art, you have a wide range of opportunities to see works of all kinds. These four cities offer some of the best art viewing in the country, to suit every taste.
Anica is a professional content and copywriter who graduated from the University of San Francisco. She loves dogs, the ocean, and anything outdoor-related. You can connect with Anica on Twitter @AnicaOaks.
Chemical sensitivity is a difficult condition to diagnose. With all of the same hallmarks of allergies, such as rashes and irritated skin, but no common allergen to blame, it can be difficult to see it as more than just ‘sensitive’ skin. However, many suffer from this condition where their body reacts to harsh chemicals and heavy metals with an allergic or even auto-immune type response. While it may feel that your child is allergic to the world, there are steps you can take to make your home a safe haven for them. In addition to learning what the worst irritants are and carefully reading labels to avoid the culprits, here are ways to help your child’s skin problems.
Avoid Harsh Cleaners
Irritating preservatives prevent microbial growth but unfortunately can cause irritation to the skin. Preservatives are known to be the second most common cause of allergic contact dermatitis. Dyes tint products to match skin colors, disguise an undesirable ingredient color, or to tint a product to appeal more to the consumer. Formaldehyde releasers, parabens, and others preserve a product against mold, bacteria, and fungus contamination but also can cause irritation. Surfactants are known for their cleaning or detergent use and for foaming action, but some are skin irritants and sensitizers.
Install a Home Water Filter
Many people install kitchen water filters to counteract the effects of hard water for drinking, but children with particularly sensitive skin may find themselves with dry, itchy skin after every encounter with hard water at every home faucet. In this case, it is simpler to install a whole-home water filtration system to cover all of the water in your home, including showers and bathroom faucets. It filters any sediment, the chlorine odor and taste, and other undesirable elements that may be causing your child discomfort when washing their hands or bodies. Any residential plumbing service will be able to install these, and as the filters rinse and clean themselves, it is a fairly straightforward addition to your home’s plumbing.
Keep Surfaces Wiped Clean
Washing and disinfecting your kitchen surfaces and hands regularly is an important step to help your family’s health. FoodSafety.gov advises taking steps to clean surfaces, utensils, dishes, and hands with hot soapy water before, during and after preparing and eating each food item. Wiping should never be in a circular motion as that causes a dirty wipe to be passed over an area which has just been cleaned. The best technique is to wipe in straight horizontal lines overlapping the previous one and should be done from back to front, from top to bottom, and from cleanest to dirtiest.
Avoid Body Soaps and Shampoos With Artificial Scents
Fragrance may be used to cover up undesirable odors in some of the ingredients in chemical shampoos. Use a natural shampoo that will give clean hair and is free of offending chemicals. A natural shampoo combines essences, essential oils, botanical products, super-hydrating herbal extracts, and nourishing vitamins and minerals that not only moisturize and clean the scalp and hair but also maintain pH balance. The fewer products, the better in terms of caring for your child’s sensitive skin.
Protecting the surface of the skin from inflammation and irritants and providing calming and gentle formulas for skin and hair care will go a long way towards giving your child welcome solutions to everyday necessary chores.
An environment that induces motivation and energy, as well as exudes an aura of professionalism properly infused with appropriate levels of comfort, is significant to enhance the process of learning in students. In this particular stage of life, when kids soak up everything around them, every minute detail should be monitored and carefully implanted into their surroundings, especially in a learning environment like a classroom. An aura that harmoniously incorporates all the significant aspects required for a student to be inclined to learn, develop and think out of the box is one of the best methods to help the entire process of grasping and understanding knowledge.
In the list below, you’ll find 6, briefly explained ideas to help you choose, decide and develop the kind of environment you want to nurture the kids in as per the needs and requirements of their personalities. From posters, charts and quick notes to wall decor and 2D diagrams or 3D structures, the bar is set to explore, to play with and to be leveraged to your aims and goals. So, brainstorm, choose and decide, the future of the nation rests on these decisions.
Posters :
Visual effects have drastic effects on the psychology of the child. As compared to hours and hours of long lectures, an aesthetic poster that conveys the information creatively proves to be comparatively very effective and efficient. Therefore, choosing to decorate the room with posters will benefit in the learning process exponentially, as well as, at the same time, enhance the environment by shifting it from bland and clinical to a bit more friendly and inviting.
However, you must have a clear perspective of the environment you want to create, based on which the posters to be put up will be chosen. Thus, choose wisely.
Student Work Display:
Throughout the academic year, students are handed a lot of projects and assignments about the respective subjects. The works submitted by them thus can be chosen to be carefully decorated on a wall that is specific for student work display only. This method proves to kill two birds with one stone. How? You may wonder, well, it’s simple; displaying their hard work gives them a sense of ownership and on top, gives them the motivation to give their best. This technique instigates a sense and environment of healthy competition necessary for growth and learning.
Class Community Wall:
The importance of this particular method is like no other. The seeds from community learning, such as in a class are, can only be reaped when the bond between the group is strong and healthy as well. This is where the ‘Class Community Wall’ idea comes in.
Decorating a wall with inspiring photographs and messages from one to another will tend to develop a nurturing environment. This wall, however, needs to be carefully monitored and maneuvered since the tiniest of misconduct can lead to unwanted troubles and misunderstandings.
World Map Posters :
World maps can prove to be extremely informative as well as decorative for walls. A world map scratch poster, for example, can prove to be one of the best ways to use up space on your classroom walls to decorate in an aesthetic yet very informative way. Scratching off the gold foil while learning something about a new place altogether and then to reveal colorful states and lands below, can be a very creative way to grasp hold on geography
Start with a World Map Scratch Poster, the kids will enjoy scratching it while learning about places.
3 D Structures:
As stated before, visual aids have a huge impact on the mind. 3 D structures, therefore, take the concept of posters and diagrams to a whole new level. The understanding of a visual intensifies when you make the children inhale the concept through 3-dimensional diagrams. The bar of imagination becomes extraordinarily magnified through this particular technique. Be it a 3-dimensional structure of the human DNA, a skeleton or the solar system, the creativity level states the sky as the limit. Furthermore, the structures help elevate the learning vibe and aura of the classroom to yield a more practical mindset and approaches.
Wall Art and Murals
Wall Art and murals help bring a change of scenery to the very ‘set and systematic’ environment of the classroom. This change of scenery can act as a breath of fresh air in many cases and thus help uplift the level of energy in the surroundings. This can further aid in making the kids more receptive to what is being taught in the lectures as well. These murals can range from being mere decorative paintings of ecosystems and nature to messages related to diversity and love, depending on the incentive.
The environment of the classroom, besides the teacher and the techniques used to teach, influences the learning of the children studying in it exponentially. Thus, it becomes imperative to choose and make wise decisions and take significant towards enhancing the rooms and yield extremely productive results accordingly.
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Before Tom Nochera began writing stories for children, he wrote technical manuals for start-up companies, but he found that as much fun as eating bark off a tree. So, he started writing poems for kids. His first book of poems was A Place That’s Fun, written under the pen name Ichabod Ablegoose. He currently works in catering in Washington, D.C., while continuing to grow his writing career with the help of his biggest inspiration, his children. A Goat Named Joey is his second book. A bullied child himself, Tom wrote this book to help all children escape the hate of bullying.
