How to Handle Changing Moods

In a manic mood, children may exhibit distractibility, increased energy, grandiose thinking, rapid speech, and a strong goal orientation. Help them direct all that energy productively with hands-on projects and increased activity. The child will need help to set realistic goals. During lulls in the classroom, give the child an OT break, send the child on errands, or assign tasks involving motor activity, such as washing the board or moving items. Provide opportunities for the student to move around during class, work on computers, or use manipulatives and encourage him/her to get involved in other interactive activities. You might even set up games and intervention strategy that allow the children to become more conscious of and better able to control their need for movement. When children are sad or depressed, exhibiting low energy, shorten their assignments and check in frequently to help them stay on track. Sometimes, simply asking what is wrong and how you can help is enough to get the child back on track. Children in a depressed state can find it extremely hard to wake up in time for school, particularly at certain times of the year. They should not be penalized for tardiness that is biologically based. Any talk of suicide must be taken seriously and reported to the child’s parents. You might not be able to discern clearly defined episodesof mania or depression because children with bipolar disorder often experience both states at once, producing chronic agitation and irritability. Defiance and aggression are probably the most challenging moods to manage. The best strategy for addressing these behaviors is to not take it personally, keep your composure, and do not get involved in power struggles. Remain a positive model. Prompt children who are rude to rephrase statements politely and try again. Be firm and consistent, and give the child acceptable, positive choices. An ultimatum or threat can easily force the child to make poor choices. At times all students are more demanding or just need a lot of attention. Greet them when they enter the classroom, seat them near where you teach, give them opportunities to work with other students, use their names in spelling sentences, math problems, etc, and acknowledge them when they stay on task. Try to ignore inappropriate, attention-getting behaviors as much as possible. Use “bossiness” to everyone’s advantage by making the child a leader or teacher.

source : www.bpkids.org

Parenting is more about attitude than approach

As you read Parenting with an Attitude.....21 Questions Successful Parents Ask Themselves , you will find that this book takes a somewhat different approach to parenting than do many books that are on the market today. Most address goals and expectations for parenting that certainly do merit our consideration. And usually they are written to endorse a particular approach to accomplishing those goals and expectations.

The goal and purpose of what you read here, however, is not to suggest or endorse any particular approach we parents can employ in order to persuade, coerce, bribe-or if all else fails-force our kids to do and be what we want them to do and be. Certainly we want them to be respectful of others, to be responsible, polite, ambitious, helpful around the house, and much more.

Of course it is the desire and responsibility of any dedicated parent to help develop a healthy and well balanced self-esteem in their kids, and to encourage them to grow up to be adults who have a sane and reasonable view of what they have to offer. And to do all of this, having an approach that is effective is necessary.

But the purpose of what you will read here is to guide you as a parent to assess and evaluate what attitudes you have toward your kids, and to see how those attitudes are either helping you to be a successful parent, or interfering with your efforts.

As an author, therapist, and dad to two wonderful girls, I have found that it is only as we look closely at our own attitudes that we are then able to “design” great and healthy kids. So here you will be encouraged to look at yourself and your role as a parent to your kids. As you do, your self-assessment will likely help fine tune your attitudes, and in so doing, you will be more equipped to choose the most effective parenting approaches. To help you evaluate your parenting attitudes, the first section of Parenting with an Attitude.....21 Questions Successful Parents Ask Themselves suggests 21 questions for you to consider.

AVOIDING ANGER IN KIDS

A common and recurring characteristic I have found in my work with kids over the years is anger. Often, it is unresolved anger that lies behind the self-defeating symptoms that plague so many kids today. Anger in kids is often a natural outcome when we parents use punishment rather than discipline, and parental power rather than the all-important parental authority.

Most parents would agree that to avoid provoking their kids to anger is indeed an important goal. But most would also be quick to add that it is next to impossible to avoid anger altogether. As a responsible parent-so the explanation goes-they have rules, expectations, and standards to which they hold their kids accountable. Inevitably and regularly, they say, their kids become angry in response to their restrictions and expectations.

And I would agree. Not only is avoiding anger in our kids next to impossible, it might even be argued that to do so entirely would require our consistently giving in to them in order to avoid their anger. And even then, eventually they would become angry because we failed to keep them safe and responsible by limiting them. So, avoiding anger in our kids at all costs is not only an impossibility, it is not an option any responsible parent would consider.

source : raisinggreatkids.com

Want your child smart and creative?

Want your child smart and creative? Start to pass the days with the baby or your child with fun activities. This activity will provide stimulation for the child's brain.

Yes, the stimulation is referred to the efforts of parents or families to take children to play in an environment full of joy and affection. Summary atmosphere and love to play this important system in order to stimulate all senses, fine motor ability to train and rough, and the ability to communicate feelings and thoughts of the child.

As described experts , or stimulus since early stimulation is one of the external factors that are important in determining the child's intellect. In addition to stimulation, there are other external factors in the intellect of a child affect the nutritional quality of the Feed, the exact pattern of nurture and affection towards children.

Why stimulation has an important role to play? The expert stressed that the provocation or stimulation greatly determine the quality of the development of brain cells since even in the human fetus.

"The varied stimulus received the baby and five, the same complex structure or sinaps relationship of brain. The frequent and strong stimulus is received, the increasingly strong relationship of brain. The more complex and powerful sinaps, the higher the intellect, and also vary the child,"

Further he explains, cells form the human brain since the three-four months in the womb and will continue until the age of three-four years. It is not surprising this age range are often referred to as the golden years period. At this time, the number of brain cells can grow to billions, even though initially there is no relationship between cel.

While entering the age of the baby and five, the stimulation can be more diverse, such as bath time, diaper changing, breastfeeding, food, tote, roads, playing up to the bed.

Example of stimulation for babies from 0 to 3 months for example, take the feeling of comfortable, safe and fun, hug, tote, baby eyes stare, smile on, talking, the various alternate voice or music, and hang the light-colored object, object sounds, defeat baby to the right-left, prone, recumbent, stimulus to hold the toys.

It is important, stimulation should be done every day in the atmosphere and fun loving. Stimulation should also be adjusted varying age and ability of children and must be made by parents or family.

Want your child smart and creative?