Blog: Become a Healthier You by Evelyn on Bloggers

Blog: Become a Healthier You by Evelyn on Bloggers

Communicating in the Classroom

When communication is effective, both the student and the teacher benefit. Communication makes learning easier, helps students achieve goals, increases opportunities for expanded learning, strengthens the connection between student and teacher, and creates an overall positive experience.

Self Esteem

• In general, people want to be heard. If a teacher shows interest in a student's opinions, that student will feel that their thoughts or ideas are appreciated. This increases self esteem and confidence. A confident student is less likely to second guess his answers on tests, and a self-assured student is more likely to speak up in class. Class participation leads to increased learning for the entire class.
  

Class Performance

• Teachers who reward student communication and class participation will notice an improvement in overall class performance. A teacher can gauge the effectiveness of a lecture by student feedback. By asking questions, a teacher can determine if students were able to retain the imparted information. If there are a lack of responses from the class, it is likely that the students were unable to understand the lecture. This can lead to poor performance on exams.
  

Professional Growth

• A degree of communication is required in every profession, and communication skills are necessary at even the most preliminary stages of career growth. For example, an applicant must be able to communicate her skills and abilities during an interview in order to acquire a job.
  

Teachers Communication to families about assessment results

Conveying assessment results to families can be one of the most difficult jobs for a teacher. The results themselves can be difficult to understand. It may be hard to decipher whether the results are passing or failing just by looking at the numbers. There is also the question of what the results mean to the student and parents. Teachers need to use enhanced communication skills with families to convey the results without causing any misunderstandings.

 

Proactive   

• Teachers and schools want families to understand assessment testing and the results. Being proactive is a good way for teachers to reach out to families. Instead of waiting for the families to read the scores or to contact them to find out results, teachers should proactively schedule conferences to discuss the results. As soon as the results are issued, teachers should send home a letter to families setting a date for a conference to discuss the results. Any delay can cause families to worry, which can lead to miscommunication. 

   Personal  

• Communication between the teacher and families regarding assessment results should be personal. The best form of communication is a face-to-face conference. Emails or written form letters can sound cold and uncaring. They can also lead to miscommunication because the families may not understand the substance of the letter. Written communication is also not a good format for being able to ask questions. Assessment results bring up a lot of questions that need answers including what the results mean, what it specifically means for the student and what should be done next. 

Explain 

• Explanations for families about assessment results should be short and concise. The communication should be solely about the assessment testing and how the student performed. Communication works best when it is structured to the appropriate audience. In this case, it would be to specific families. If English is the family's second language, a translator may be needed. The teacher should also speak in words that the family understands and not speak over their heads.

Sample  

• Due to the complex nature of assessment results, it can be helpful for a teacher to communicate the results by using sample tests as examples. Visual aids can be better forms of communication than simply using words. Showing sample questions and answers can help a teacher explain why the student performed well on a test or performed below average. The teacher can also show simple mistakes that the student made to explain why the results were lower than the parents might have expected.

Effective Teacher Communication

Effective communication is the foundation on which teaching is built. It's the quality of communication in the classroom that helps the students understand new concepts and information and learn. Without effective communication in teaching, students and the educational system itself will suffer. Students will be confused and frustrated, parents will be dissatisfied, and teachers will be unfulfilled in their job. Ensuring the communication used by teachers is clear, concise and effective is essential to successful learning.

 
Significance

• The significance of effective teacher communication is that it is the medium that carries important messages intended to educate, inspire and teach each student. The educational system could not exist and be effective without teachers communicating successfully. Effective teach communication is the cornerstone of education.
  

Types

• Effective teacher communication comes in various types. Communication only is effective when the teacher is able to verbally or non-verbally translate information in such a way that the students fully understand. Different types of communication are more effective with different learning types. Visual aids, hands-on demonstrations, group discussion and lecturing are all various ways to communicate in the classroom. Using different types of teaching communication will ensure each student has the opportunity to grasp the information.

Misconceptions

• A common misconception is that effective teacher communication is simply lecturing in more detail. A teacher actually can talk the entire class period in great detail and still not have been effective in communicating the lesson. Effective teacher communication only is successful when each student has grasped the concepts and is able to internalize and apply the information independent of the teacher or a book. Another misconception is that test scores are a good way to measure a teacher's success in communicating effectively. Too many factors, including the student's choice to apply the information, are involved for test scores to evaluate a teacher's communication ability.

Benefits

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  Benefits of effective teacher communication include effective learning, students who are engaged and eager to learn, and pleased parents. A teacher who uses effective communication in teaching will have students who are excited to attend the class and learn. Learning is an adventure. If the majority of a class is unmotivated, it's typically because of the lack of effective communication in the classroom.

Considerations

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  Individual behavior influences applications of theories of communication. Communication involves complexities such as a person's life experiences, pre-determined assumptions and communication barriers. If a particular student is resistant or not performing well, other factors may be affecting her life, and her problems may not be reflective of classroom communication.

Communication skills needed for a teacher with parents

A teacher who has to deal with students' parents regularly needs excellent communication skills in talking, listening, writing and reading. Teachers need to be able to explain clearly, to reassure, to persuade and to motivate parents. Most of the time this will be in face-to-face situations, but teachers also need to communicate via the written word with letters and reports.

1. Talking

   • Teachers need good verbal communication skills in order to discuss children's progress with their parents. Sometimes the discussion will center on sensitive subjects, such as bullying or educational under-performance. In these situations, teachers will need to display empathy and explain personal failings or tricky circumstances directly but with sympathy. Sometimes teachers will need to communicate to large groups of parents so presentational skills are also important. Parent-teacher conferences are an ideal opportunity for teachers to communicate any concerns or praise about the child to his parents.
     

   Listening

   • Teachers often have to listen to parents' concerns about their children. These can range from food allergies to a marital break-up and its effect on the children. Teachers need to hold back from giving advice and jumping into the conversation and listen purposefully to understand what the parent is saying. Indeed, it might be what the parent is not saying that is important. Sometimes a parent will simply want to unburden her worries and the discussion might veer away from the child's educational performance. Listening is a vital skill that enables the teacher to gain a greater understanding of both the parents and children.
     

   Writing

   • Teachers need to communicate effectively and clearly in all their written dealings with parents. For example, if the class is going on a field trip or a day visit the teacher needs to get some critical messages across in a letter home, such as the time of pick-up and return, and what the parent needs to provide on the day. Teachers also need to write sensitively and accurately about children's performance and grades during their school experience. Parents tend to place a lot of value on teachers' written comments about their children, so teachers need to choose their words carefully in report cards and school-to-home notebooks. Newsletters are an effective communication tool as they can keep parents up to date with news and events.
     

   Reading

   • Teachers need to read any communication from parents, whether this is a letter, note or email message, with care. If a parent has been moved to write to a teacher, then the subject is obviously important. As in the more passive communication skill of listening, teachers need to read between the lines in a letter or note. The information in the letter might be significant enough to prompt a discussion with colleagues or the principal. Sometimes the teacher might need to set up a meeting with the parents as a result of the written communication. Attention to the words themselves, and any underlying meaning, is vital.
     

Good Teacher & Parent Communication Skills

Research regarding parent and teacher communications concludes that when parents and teachers communicate well, students do better in school.  Many parents and teachers agree with this philosophy and look for ways to improve lines of communication. There are numerous things you can do as a parent or a teacher to foster good parent and teacher communication skills. 

Partners

• For parents and teachers to develop good communication skills, both the parents and teacher must be willing to form a partnership. This partnership is designed to put the best interests of the child first and often requires the willingness of both the teacher and the parents.
  

Volunteer Work

• One way parents can improve communication lines with their child’s teacher is to volunteer in the classroom. At the beginning of the school year, many teachers post information about possible volunteer positions. If the teacher doesn't let you know, ask her. There are numerous options for volunteering including monitoring center time or small groups, attending field trips, working in a concession stand or as a lunchroom monitor. These are ideal ways to get involved in your child’s school. Other ways are to volunteer for the school’s parent teacher association or join a committee.
  

Hidden Talents

• Teachers enjoy scheduling classroom speakers and often find that parents have hidden talents. Teachers can send a letter home to ask the parents if any have unique talents to share with the class. This could include parents who are artists, musicians, magicians or others with a unique skill or talent.
  

Encourage Communication

• Many teachers have a policy that asks parents to notify them if they notice a problem with the child. Teachers should always encourage parents to call, email or write a letter to explain the problem. This also works the other way, requiring teachers to notify parents of any issues. Many times, either the parent or the teacher doesn't know about the problem. By bringing up the problem and discussing it, the parent and teacher can resolve it easier.
  

Weekly Letters

• Teachers often send home a note to parents each week explaining the activities and expectations for the following week. A weekly note often breaks down what the class will learn in each subject, assignments due and any additional information parents should know.
  

Children's Health

 Children are more susceptible to pollutants than adults because they are still growing and breathe in proportionately more air. This means indoor pollutants, such as certain chemicals, particles and allergens, can cause more severe health effects in children.

Facts You Should Know

• Children breathe in a greater volume of air than adults relative to their body size.

• Children's organs and respiratory, immune and neurological systems are still developing.

• Children are much closer to the ground, and as a result, breathe in more of the heavier airborne chemicals than do adults.

• Infants and young children breathe through their mouths, more so than do adults, which increases their risk of pulmonary exposure to particulates and fibers that would otherwise be filtered out in the nose.

Relationships Between Adult Children And Parents

The majority of parents and adult children experience some tension and aggravation with one another, but parents generally are more bothered by the tensions - and the older the child, the greater the bother.

"The parent-child relationship is one of the longest lasting social ties human beings establish, this tie is often highly positive and supportive but it also commonly includes feelings of irritation, tension and ambivalence."


In a research, the researchers asked about tensions related to a variety of topics, including personality differences, past relationship problems, children's finances, housekeeping habits, lifestyles, and how often they contacted each other.

Parents and adult children in the same families had different perceptions of tension intensity, with parents generally reporting more intense tensions than children did particularly regarding issues having to do with the children's lifestyle or behavior (finances, housekeeping). According to a father, tensions may be more upsetting to parents than to children because parents have more invested in the relationship. Parents are also concerned with launching their children into successful adulthood.

Both mothers and fathers reported more tension in their relationships with daughters than with sons. Daughters generally have closer relationships with parents that involve more contact which may provide more opportunities for tensions in the parent-daughter tie.

Both adult sons and adult daughters reported more tension with their mothers than with their fathers, particularly about personality differences and unsolicited advice. "It may be that children feel their mothers make more demands for closeness, or that they are generally more intrusive than fathers."

It is   found surprising that parental perceptions of tension increased with the adult children's age, particularly about topics having to do with how they interact (e.g., personality differences). "Middle-aged children may be less invested in the parent-child tie than young adult children because they're more likely to have formed their own families and experience multiple role demands”. And as parents age and come to want or need more from their relationship with adult children, adult children may pull away, creating greater relationship tensions. 

"Relationship problems like basic personality differences and parents providing unsolicited advice tend to cause more problems, It may be that these kinds of tensions are longer-term, and reflect deep-seated conflicts that you just can't escape, whereas conflicts about lifestyles, education or finances can sort of be put off to the side if you make an effort."

The strategies parents and adult children used to cope with relationship tensions .

 The good news is that both parents and children were most likely to deal with problems constructively by trying to accommodate each other's wishes when problems came up, working to find solutions to problems, and trying to accept and understand the other's point of view.

The more intense the tension level, though, the less likely parents and children were to use constructive strategies and the more likely they were to try avoiding the issues or use destructive strategies such as yelling or arguing. And, that is bad news. Avoidance and destructive strategies are associated with poorer quality relationships overall.

"The old adage, 'If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all,' isn't good advice for parents and adult children, Avoidance doesn't work as a strategy for dealing with conflicts. It appears to make things worse."

Back-to-School

Ten Tips for Back-to-School

1.  Easy Does It. Adjusting to new schedules, earlier morning alarms, and stricter meal times can be difficult for children. Take it easy and allow your family to adjust slowly by starting two weeks before the fall routine has to be followed. Start with moving bedtimes or wake times ten or 15 minutes at a time and adjusting meal times by 30 minutes or so. A longer—and slower—transition will help everyone involved.

2.  Three Things. The demands and expectations put on children, parents, and families today can be overwhelming. Many families spend all their time running from one place to another just to stay caught up with everyone else. Don’t let others decide how your family should spend its time, let your family decide. Have each member of your family write down the three things that are most important to him/her in the fall, then have a family meeting to find a way to make sure each person’s items have a time in the schedule.

3.  Everyone Chooses a Responsibility. Once you know what your new schedule will be like, let each member of the family decide what they want to take responsibility for. For example, decide who will make sure people are up on time, who will make the meals, who will drive to specific events, who will clean the kitchen and bathrooms, and who will take out the garbage. You might be surprised by some of your children’s choices, and you just might be amazed at how well they follow through with those choices. When someone chooses to do something on their own, they are much more likely to follow through than if someone else tells them to do it.

4.  Plan Time for You. Don’t forget to book yourself some time in that new schedule. You need time for you and your top three priorities just like your children do. Set a good example for your children by showing them a healthy way to take care of yourself. 

  

5.  Set Expectations Early. At least one week before school starts, sit down with the family and explain what the new schedule will be like, what activities will be occurring, and what to expect. Knowing what will be going on will make it easier for everyone to stay on track.

6.  Review Your Parenting Values. Now is the time to get yourself ready for being the parent you want to be in the fall – review your list of parenting values. If you don’t have a list of values, develop your list. Pick one value to focus on for the month and see how many ways you can bring that value into your everyday parenting during the month.

7.  Celebrate Vacation. Find a way to celebrate, remember, and/or commemorate the vacations you just had. Talk about trips you took, your favorite days, or things you want to remember; make scrapbook pages, a poster to hang on the wall, or a family memory book together. Don’t let the weeks of vacations slip by unnoticed; use them to round out the vacations.

8.  Family Time. Family time can be so scarce during the school year: find one last way to spend time together as a family before the fall rush starts. A few examples are sitting in your backyard, having a family game night, going camping, or making dinner together. Be together as a family, talk, share stories, smile, and laugh. 

9.  Watch the Sunset or Sunrise. Watching the day begin or end can be very grounding – find a quiet spot to watch the sun rise or set with your family. Make an effort to become connected to the earth, the day, and the cycle of life. Take a deep breath and remind yourself that schedules and hectic days aren’t always the most important things in life---find a way to ground yourself now so you won’t be pulled, pushed, and tugged by the less important things when fall hits.

10. Hug Your Children. Let your children know that they are important to you. Before  you send them off to school, activities, child care, sports, etc., let them know how much you love them, how much you enjoy being with them, and how much you enjoy watching them grow and learn. It’s a bit “sappy,” and many kids will brush it off with a drawn out “Mom” or “Dad”, but they’ll get the message and remember it.

Togetherness, Not Teaching

Kids love to feel a sense of power and mastery, so it's critical to let them take the lead when you play. "Your role is to be a facilitator or guide to help your child learn about, refine, and improve physical skills; This creates trust that carries over into other areas of your child's life." So allow your child to initiate the games you play together, whether it's crawling like a cat or kicking a soccer ball.

"Learn new skills cooperatively," Let your child practice a skill (such as swinging a bat) several times before you step in with suggestions for improvement. (This goes for big brothers and sisters too). Kids also enjoy the chance to give lessons. "My kids have been trying to teach me their new poem and I've been trying to teach them to jump rope. Neither of us have been very successful, but it's fun!"

The Bonding Benefits of Family Fitness

Sharing physical activities with your kids isn't just a good way to get your heart pumping and burn calories. It's also a great way to build family bonds. When you play tag, toss a Frisbee, or join in a party, you're creating memories your child will treasure someday—memories of times you spent laughing and simply enjoying each other's company.

"Play is a magical time for kids and parents, it’s a time when parents aren't thinking about other duties of the day, and can spend one-on-one time with the child."

Kids love to see Mom and Dad get silly. "We are big fans of chasing each other around the house. Recently, my husband ran after me with our three-year-old on his shoulders, threatening to 'get me' with her stinky feet. And often we rolled around on the room floor pretending to be cats."

These games provide important shared family time. "It's hard to get all of us interested in the same thing at the same time, and it's only going to get harder as the kids grow up,So we take our moments of togetherness where we can get them, even if it's in an unconventional way."

Quality Family Time

Quality Family Time: It's All In The Balance!

Juggling School, Work, and Activities Can Be A Challenge

 

To balance work, school, and activities, here are some quick tips for juggling the various schedules and spend some quality time together:

• Create a family night. The solution is simple and can create memories to last a lifetime. Whether it's movie night, take-out night (think pizza or Chinese, for example), game night, or a family walk night, the key is that a night each week is designated for together time. Relax...and talk with each other! You might be surprised the things you learn from your kids on your special night.

• Enjoy and interact with your child's friends. Yes, really! Letting kids "hang out" at your place gives you valuable insight into what interests and motivates your own child as well as understanding the "crowd" he or she is associating with. For younger kids, an hour or two with a friend can teach sharing, responsibility, taking turns, and other traits through actual learning and experiences. And don't forget that many child experts indicate that free time for play and social interaction can be better for a child's development than too many organized or structured activities.

• Let your child choose his/her interests, and not you. Too many well-meaning parents sign their kids up for activities they're truly not at all interested in or good at, then face conflicts and power struggles as a result. It's another issue all-together if your child constantly begs to sign up for activities and then wants to quit, but kids at even a young age develop certain interests and dreams that they want to pursue. And, they most likely won't be the same dreams you had either! Be careful to choose your battles and accommodate activity requests where practical.

• Consider the commitment when making decisions. More and more activities are emphasizing additional practices and time requirements in today's competitive world. You as the parent have to decide if a particular activity is appropriate for your child.

• Determine your child's commitment as well. If your kid says an activity "might" be fun, avoid committing to a full season or year. Not only could it present a problem for your child if he/she doesn't like it, but will infringe on the other players/members participating in the activity. Many teams rely on a certain number of players or kids to form a group, and a last-minute pull-out could cause an impact on everyone else. If you're not sure, consider signing your child up for a mini-camp or week-long or short session instead. If your kid loves it, then you can always seek something more in the future.

• Assign family responsibilities. If everyone in the family is participating in some type of activity, then general household chores may be harder to get accomplished due to lack of time. Have a family meeting and explain that in order to do these enrichment activities/sports/music, everyone will have to pitch in to make sure the clothes still get washes, dishes done, and table cleared. If you set expectations up front, any grumbling will be minimized. Even small kids can help set the table, clear dishes, or take out the trash cans to the curb.

• Watch for signs of being overextended and adjust schedules as needed. If your kid's grades starting plummeting or you get a note that says Your child often falls asleep after mid-morning snack, you may be asking too much of them. Keep in mind a child's age, personality, and true interest in making decisions.

• Encourage the "all for one and one for all" concept. A family who plays together, stays together is the message and encourage your kids to support each others activities and endeavors.

• Above all, keep family first! Keeping your priorities straight will ensure a happier, better-adjusted family.

Parents, the most important teachers

Absolutely!  All other teachers, good or bad will come and go.  Parents are there for the duration.  Parents who are committed to being involved in their child’s education on a daily basis have a profound impact on what the child learns and the child’s attitude towards education. There is no doubt parents can be the most important educators in their child's life.  Parents just need the commitment and a little bit of help to accomplish this goal.

 

While most parents realize this, it is quite a challenge to have meaningful educational interaction with your child or children every day.  Many parents really want to get actively involved but think:

 

“I don’t have the time.”

 

“I don’t know what to do.”

 

“My child just won’t sit down and do work with me.”

Others think...

 

“I really don’t enjoy doing this.”

 

“Isn’t this the teacher’s job?”

 

“I’ll get a tutor.”

 

“I would not even know where to begin.”

 

The list goes on and on!

This page is designed for you to have meaningful educational interaction with your child on a daily basis. Consider these points and start working on it to have the best results: 

• Focus on creating educational dialogue between you and your child. 

 

• Quickly assess what your child knows,and figure out you child needs to learn.

• Create the repetition your child needs to ensure success, complete it with opportunities for positive feedback.

 

• Create a variety of opportunities to challenge your child to think, problem solve and verbalize. 

 

• Learn more about what your child knows and how to add to the depth of knowledge.

 

• If your child pretty bright but not really excelling with school work?  In this situation, most children don't have the confidence necessary to achieve or they are bored. First assess what your child knows or needs to learn, then goes a step further by helping your child to create the repetition opportunities that are so important to make certain your child has mastered key concepts.  This repetition plus the positive feedback you provide will really increase confidence levels.  

 

• Most bright children love competition and being challenged.  These students get bored when they are not challenged, quite frankly.  How many smart and talented children have muddled their way through school only to accomplish great things later in life once they were really challenged?  Challenge your child in so many different ways. These challenges and the learning that comes will allow your child to really understand how talented they are, how much they can do, figure out or accomplish.  Your positive feedback only adds to this belief. 

 

• Talk about an increase in confidence! Everything changes for the student once the belief of "I can't" or "I'm bored," turns into "I can." 

 

• Is your child a challenged student?  create a positive and supportive learning atmosphere and all the repetition necessary to help your child move forward.  

 

                      In my professional career, I have been exposed to a wide variety of educational philosophies.  I have used my experience and learning to create this page.  While teaching school, I always wondered why more parents were not actively involved in helping their children learn and develop.  Once I became a parent, with all the responsibilities that go with it, I realized how difficult, time consuming and tough it is.  You need to be motivated daily or most every day and so does your child.  This knocks out most families right there.  If you are like me, you want to help your children be more prepared for school but sitting down for an hour or so each night with 1, 2 maybe 3 kids… well, this is a huge challenge.

 

Once you consider these points, you will be shocked at how simple, fun and rewarding it is to be so actively involved in your child’s education.  Your views on teaching and the role you can play in your child’s education will change forever.  You will see teaching opportunities everywhere you go and within many things you do each day. A ride in the car, a walk down the street, eating meals, these are all educational opportunities once you know how to take advantage.  You will be shocked how much you can accomplish in so little time.

Life is so busy and the demands on time for everyone are greater than ever.  Travel, one parent families, two income families are just a few of the issues challenging parents these days.  Children now are involved in so many activities, this can complicate learning as well.  In some families, the grandparents or a full-time care giver, handle many of the day to day responsibilities.  While all this is occurring, the demands placed on students in the classroom are also increasing.  If a family does not have a plan to spend time on education, the student will fall behind.  This places greater stress on all involved.

 Through your efforts, your child will be prepared for the challenges that will eventually come in school.  You will see the confidence level rise in your child.  This will occur because the repetition and challenges you create along with the positive feedback you provide will help your child to know he/she is prepared for most anything to come in school.

10 SIMPLE TIPS FOR ENHANCING THE BOND BETWEEN PARENT AND CHILD.

Just like with any relationship, building a positive relationship between parent and child is one that requires work and effort to make it strong and successful. Parenting is a tough job, and maintaining close relationships and open communications helps to ensure parents and their children stay connected through all ages of their upbringing. Here are 10 simple tips for enhancing the bond between parent and child.

1. Say I Love You

Tell your child you love him every day -- no matter his age. Even on trying days or after a parent-child disagreement, when you don't exactly "like your child" at that moment, it is more important than ever to express your love. A simple "I love you" goes a long way toward developing and then strengthening a relationship.

2. Teach Your Faith

 

Teach your child about your faith and beliefs. Tell him what you believe and why. Allow time for your child to ask questions and answer them honestly. Reinforce those teachings often.

3. Establish A Special Name Or Code Word

 

Create a special name for your child that is positive and special or a secret code word that you can use between each other. Use the name as a simple reinforcement of your love. The code word can be established to have special meaning between your child and you that only you two understand. This code word can even be used to extract a child from an uncomfortable situation  without causing undue embarrassment to the child.

4. Develop And Maintain A Special Bedtime Ritual

 

For younger children, reading a favorite bedtime book or telling stories is a ritual that will be remembered most likely throughout their life. Older children should not be neglected either. Once children start reading, have them read a page, chapter, or short book to you. Even most teenagers still enjoy the ritual of being told goodnight in a special way by a parent--even if they don't act like it!

5. Let Your Children Help You

 

Parents sometimes inadvertently miss out on opportunities to forge closer relationships by not allowing their child to help them with various tasks and chores. Unloading groceries after going to the store is a good example of something that children of most ages can and should assist with. Choosing which shoes look better with your dress lets a child know you value her opinion. Of course, if you ask, be prepared to accept and live with the choice made!

6. Play With Your Children

 

The key is to really play with your children. Play with dolls, ball,  sing songs, or whatever is fun and interesting. It doesn't matter what you play, just enjoy each other! Let kids see your silly side. Older kids enjoy cards, chess, computer games, while younger ones will have fun playing about anything...as long as it involves you!

7. Eat Meals As A Family

Eating together sets the stage for conversation and sharing. Turn the TV off, and don't rush through a meal. When schedules permit, really talk and enjoy one another. It can become a quality time most remembered by young and old alike.

8. Seek Out One-On-One Opportunities

Some parents have special nights or "standing dates" with their children to create that one-on-one opportunity. Whether it is a walk around the neighborhood, a special trip to a playground, or just a movie night with just the two of you, it is important to celebrate each child individually. Although it is more of a challenge the more children in a family, it is really achievable! Think creatively and the opportunities created will be ones that you remember in the future.

9. Respect Their Choices

 

You don't have to like their mismatched shirt and shorts or love how a child has placed pictures in his room. However, it is important to respect those choices. Children reach out for independence at a young age, and parents can help to foster those decision-making skills by being supportive and even looking the other way on occasion. After all, it really is okay if a child goes to daycare with a striped green shirt and pink shorts.

10. Make Them A Priority In Your Life

 

Your children need to know that you believe they are a priority in your life. Children can observe excessive stress and notice when they feel you are not paying them attention. Sometimes, part of being a parent is not worrying about the small stuff and enjoying your children. They grow up so fast, and every day is special. Take advantage of your precious time together while you have it!