Do you homeschool your kids or are you thinking about homeschooling? If so, you might want to check out one mom’s thoughts on the subject: Homeschooling has its Good and Bad Days. She talks about the ups and downs of teaching your own children from home.
Teaching your child a second language can be something that helps him or her get very far in life. Not only will it help them succeed professionally and personally, but it can help them better understand their own language, as well as stimulate intellectual growth. Luckily, there are ways to help teach languages at home that do not require sitting in a classroom or listening to a boring CD. Check out PBS’s Learning Spanish Through Every Day Activities.
Teaching your child to be financially responsible is something that will last them a lifetime. And they’re never too early to learn. From their first allowance to their first paycheck, money will play a role in the majority of your child’s life. Looking for some ways to teach your children about the value of a buck? Check out Real Simple’s 4 Tips for Teaching Kids About Money.
This book is fire safety week, and no matter what age your child is, they’re never too young to learn not to play with fire. With this in mind, Apples4theTeacher.com has come up with a list of fire safety picture books that your little one will love. They’ll help you teach something very important while holding your child’s interest.
Every parent loves the idea of teaching their children a foreign language, and in today’s growing world, it can be quite a useful tool to have when they grow up. But what’s the best way to do that without overwhelming your child? PBS Parents takes a look at ways to introduce your kids to foreign languages.
Where better to teach your child manners than when you’re making your weekly trip to buy groceries? At least, that’s what one mom says. According to Stephanie Romero at Families.com, grocery stores appear to be the place where common courtesy goes to die. So, instead of huffing and puffing and shouting obscenities to the lady in line in front of you who won’t move her cart out of the way, use it as a lesson in manners for your little ones. In other words, use other people to teach them what not to do.
by Zabrina Way
As a parent, you have to juggle numerous questions about what your child should be taught, and how. Add the trend of political correctness to the mix and it’s hard to know how to react when your child asks about a person with a disability.
Some parents brush off their children’s inquiries with a short, “Don’t stare, it’s rude,” or treat a person with a disability rudely, passing along cues to the children to follow suit. Instead, use this opportunity to teach your child about treating everyone with equal respect.
When your child points out a person with a disability, briefly and quietly tell them that the person has a disability that affects their vision, hearing, movement, or mind, but that person is “just like us” in every other way. Emphasize that your child should treat him or her just the same as anyone else, as it can be embarrassing and frustrating to be treated differently because of a disability.
Often, a curious child won’t even ask you, but will ask a person with a disability, “What’s wrong with you?” or something similar. When this happens, resist the urge to apologize and drag the child off. Curiosity is a part of childhood that should be encouraged. Instead, tell the child to be respectful and see how the person reacts.
Visit Personalized Storytime Book’s list of Young Children’s Books.
Many people with disabilities are actually very willing to tell a child what makes them “different”, and don’t like parents interfering with a chance to educate an impressionable segment of the population on disabilities. Children will remember the experience for a long time, and it will affect how they treat people with similar disabilities in the future. For a person with a disability, this is a great chance to connect with someone who sees nothing wrong with acknowledging and asking about the disability, when others sometimes shun or ignore them because they simply don’t know how to react.
If the person seems unwilling to speak, angry, or embarrassed, then quietly apologize and wait until you’re in a more private place before taking the opportunity to capitalize upon the experience. Let your child know that some people don’t like to acknowledge that they’re different, or are embarrassed to be called out on it in public, and then teach your child about that disability yourself.
Above all, children should be taught to respect people with disabilities and treat them like anyone else.
Sing along with Mickey, Minnie and Goofy
Party with the Wiggles
Sing along With Elmo and Friends
Veggie Tales Silly Songs
Sing along with Disney Princess Tea Party
Barney and Friends CD
Sing along with VeggieTales