Students Of Success

Memorizing math facts is a necessary part of elementary school. Flash cards and repetitive chanting have their place, but, for my children, were pure drudgery. Frustrated by their lack of interest in practicing their math facts, I have searched for ways to make memorizing math facts more fun.

Our favorite math web site, Aplusmath is an easy to use site offering a worksheet generator, online flashcards and games including Matho, Concentration and Hidden Pictures. Matho combines both bingo and math facts in an exciting timed game. Or, match the math problem to the answer in concentration. Discover beautiful photographs by solving math problems in the hidden pictures game.

Both of my children enjoy music, so tapes and CD’s are perfect for us. Rock ‘n Learn makes fun audio programs featuring “cool music that teaches”. The math facts programs come in rap, rock and country versions to satisfy a variety of musical tastes. My son happily reviews multiplication facts to a funky rap beat.

A favorite educational “toy” is Leap Frog’s Twist & Shout. Children twist and shout their way to learning facts. It’s fun, it’s lively and the learning is done to a toe-tapping musical beat. Kids move and groove their way through four games, each with a “teach” and a “quiz” mode. Then they twist the number dial to solve the equation and hit it to select an answer. Answers are heard and seen on the LCD screen.

We have also made good use of the Hot Dots flash cards. Hot Dots flashcards can be used like regular flash cards, or add the Hot Dots Power Pen and children can drill independently with instant reinforcement! Kids simply touch the pen to a dot and it responds instantly signaling a correct or incorrect answer.

If traditional flashcards aren’t enough to inspire your kids to practice math facts, try these fun alternatives. Helping your child learn math facts now will make more advanced math so much easier. Have fun!

Caren Bugay has lots of tips and resources to enhance your child’s education. Find more great ideas at http://www.helpyourkidslearn.blogspot.com

Beepppppppppppp…

My turn, as I fumble out of bed and into the room heading to the door and down the hallway. I reach her room and look at the numbers, all red and 0’s. Looking into the Porta-lung I see the probe has come off her finger again. Shutting off the ventilator and the pulse oximeter I prepare to open the chamber up and reattach the probe to her finger. I re-close the chamber and turn the machines back on and wait for the numbers to come back up to normal. I head back to my room and glance at the clock, 3:35am.

Back in my room I sit listening to the “gurr-lunk” and “wheeze” of the “iron lung” in my daughter’s room on the monitor. I wonder if the alarms are going to go off and wake us up on this night again. I wonder how many other parents have to deal every night with one of these machines. I know there is not many in this area that are in use, as almost everyone in the hospital had not ever seen one. I climb back into bed to try to sleep.

What does a parent say to a 15 year old child that does not want to go to sleep at night because she doesn’t want to go into the “machine”. She has known the freedom of sleeping in a real bed most of her life. She hates the lung, I don’t blame her as she can not at present get into or out from with out help. She only needs the machine at night when she sleeps. But without it, over a period of time, her system holds too much carbon dioxide which is not good for her.

I want to be able to say to her that every thing will be OK but I honestly can’t. I would like to tell her to go play like other children but she can’t. She has to carry the external oxygen pack on her back in school. She tells me that she is almost getting used to the stares that she gets from other people.

But now I guess I am getting ahead of myself. She was told that she has Scoliosis at the age of 12. and by the time that we were able to get her rods placed

in her back it was at a 78 degree curve. They tell me that a 40 degree is considered acute 80 is life threating. When she was in the hospital getting the rods put in we almost lost her in the surgery. Now they tell us that her breathing is not right at night and that she forgets to breath for periods of time at night. We tried many methods to have her sleep with at night but the Porta-lung was the only method that kept her carbon levels down and allowed all of us to sleep most of the night.

Trying to redesign this lung to allow her to be able to get in and out of by herself is almost out of the question due to the fact that it is not ours. The insurance co. rents the machine and due to that I cannot redesign it for this purpose. Being that she is 15 years old and goes to high school on a daily basis this leads one to wonder how she is going to spend the rest of her life using this iron lung as she needs some one to see to it that she is properly set up in it at night to be able to sleep.

Vacations and weekend trips to my dad’s are now out of the question for her due to the Porta-lung unless I go to the expense of buying a mobile camper of some sort that I could put the lung into for the duration. But as of now I have no such means to transport the Porta-lung………..

**********

It has been almost 5 months since I wrote the notes above and several things have changed. We have taken an over night trip to Dad’s house but with out the lung as she can go for short times without it, however that proved to her that she needs the iron lung and has since resolved to the fact that it is a fact of life now to use it.

We have also limited the number of “monitors” that we use at night now due to the fact that when she is in the lung she has to breath as the lung is working so we have limited the monitors to those that make sure the machine is working and the monitor in case she wants to say anything to us. After that we can now sleep

much better most nights unless the lung quits or needs looked after in the middle of the night for what ever reason

We have been told that we can “take the lung” on vacation if we ever go on one now, but how is the question now as it is the size of a single bed.

Maybe some day I be able to “finish” this on a “Happily Ever After” note but for now this will just have to do.

So I” tell her, Good night… the bed bugs can’t bite… they can’t get in.

Herbert Benjamin site manager of http://www.robertbenjamin.com/scoliosis.htm

Baby Soap

Aren’t all soap the same, especially baby soap? Do you really need to look at which baby soap you use with your new born baby? Bath time can be worrisome enough for new parents with a new baby. Is the water too hot or too cold? How do I hold the baby specially when they are all wet and slippery? Am I doing things right? With all these things to worry about, we should be completely sure that the baby soap we use is completely safe and gentle for your baby’s skin.

Finding the Right Baby Soap

Keeping your baby’s skin clean is one of the most important things you can do to help your baby stay healthy, and baby soap plays a very important role in keeping your baby’s skin clean. So we need to make sure that we are using:

• baby soap that is gentle
• baby soap that is hypoallergenic
• baby soap that is non-toxic
• baby soap that sls free

You need to make sure that your baby soap is gentle because otherwise it could be irritating your baby’s skin during or after bath time, and this would actually be opposite to what bath time is supposed to do. The baby soap that you use should be hypoallergenic since you do not know what your baby may be allergic to, and they are more susceptible at this very young age. Baby soap also needs be non-toxic since young babies like to put their hands in their mouth, and you want to know that if your baby swallows some of the baby soap, they will be safe. Finally, your baby soap should be Sodium Laurel Sulfate (SLS) free. SLS is a harsh chemical that is used as the chief foaming agent in soaps, including some baby soaps. The Journal of the American College of Toxicology said, “SLS can damage the immune system, causing separation of skin layers and inflamation of skin.” Is this something you would like to expose your baby’s skin to by using harsh baby soap?

Consider using natural baby soap that is made from only natural ingredients insuring that it is safe and gentle on your baby’s skin. Many times natural baby soap even helps protect and soothe your baby’s skin.

During the first few weeks and months of your babies life, your baby’s skin will develop spots, rashes, and some dots. This is normal. They will come and go naturally, but if you are concerned, then do not hesitate to contact your doctor or pediatrician. Even though your baby’s skin will go through a few rough times, if you are using the right baby soap, then you know that you are caring for your baby’s skin as best as you can.

Erwin Venegas is a father who runs an e-commerce site for Natural Baby Products with his wife.

Babies learn about the environment surrounding them through five
senses: vision, hearing, touching, smelling and tasting. Of those five
senses, vision is the least developed sense a baby has at birth.

Therefore, it is important for parents to help their babies to ‘perfect’ their
vision during the first few months of their baby’s life.

Babies who do not receive adequate visual stimulation may never get good vision. Or
they may develop it slowly. In contrast, babies who are stimulated
develop good vision faster. Having a good vision early is important since this will put the baby in a
competitive edge. Why ? Because vision provides the baseline of
other area of development. It enhances curiosity, attentiveness, concentration and most importantly, cements bonding between parents and the baby.

So, what can a parent do to help perfect their baby’s vision?
Parents can accelerate and optimize the development of their babies’ vision
by providing a variety of visual input. When a baby receives visual stimulation, the vision-related nerve
cells , which initially are not well connected, start
to form a lot of connection with other nerve cells. This will finally make the baby’s eyes
to thrive, enabling the baby to see better.

Newborn baby.

First, let’s see what the research says. Research has found that
newborn’s eyes register contrasting color such as white, black and red the best. So the best way to
stimulate your baby’s eyes is by exposing your baby to as much dark and
light as possible.

Try these following activities:

• Show your baby light and dark contrasting toys including the ones attached to the baby mobiles, wrist rattles and other educational baby toys.
  
• Show books with pictures which have contrasting colors.
  
• And if you don’t mind to go a bit overboard, surround your baby with objects which have contrasting colors. These may include: bedding, play area and even yourself. Yes, you can actually wear shirts with stripes when tending your baby.

But wait, research has also shown that newborn can only focus their eyes on objects between 8-12 inches away from them. Therefore, try to stay within that boundary when you interact with your baby.

Beyond newborn.

Around 2 months, your baby will be able to move from highly contrasting colors to bright bold colors. Your baby will also enjoy faces and is ready to see a moving object in addition to the stationary one.

Here are some activities to try:

• Activity with the play gym or baby mobiles: place your baby on her back and put the play gym or baby mobile on her. Move the toys like a pendulum.
  
• Activity with rattle or other objects: move the baby rattle from left to right, or up and down.
  
• Mirror: show your baby her face. Enhance this activity by pointing her facial features and talk about them.

When your baby’s around 5 months, train your baby’s eyes to focus even more.

These following exercises will assist your baby to develop concentration and enhance the curiousity .

• Play the peekaboo with your baby.
  
• Play with a yo yo and encourage your baby to see the yo yo movement.
  
• Dribble or throw a ball. Encourage your baby to follow the ball’s movement. .
  
• Follow-a-spool activity: roll a spool of thread towards your baby and then move it to the opposite direction (i.e. farther from her). Let your baby’s eyes follow the movement.
  
• Put a little ball or marble inside a big bowl. Tilt the bowl and move it around, so that the ball moves around the bowl. Show this to your baby and let your baby’s eyes follow the movement.
  
• Play a simple hide and seek game with your baby.

If your baby has been properly visually stimulated, by 8 months, your baby should have completed her visual development and has a good vision.

Dian Dewi is a mom and webmaster of Best Child Toys , a website which provides guidance on how to choose toys which are fun, safe and educational. This website also contains tips on how to use toys to maximize child’s development. The baby section of this website provides information on choosing educational baby toys and how to use them effectively.

One of my first memories of childhood is that of my mother reading Dr. Seuss books to me in a big brown recliner in our living room. That memory brings with it sounds and smells and a general feeling of safety and comfort that never fades, even after all these years. Naturally, one of the first memories I have of my own first born child is sitting in a big chair and reading Little Golden Books to him.

Sharing books and reading with my children is as natural as giving them baths and making their breakfast. It’s just something I do everyday, and it’s one of the most pleasurable moments of my day. I love to hold my two year old in my lap while we snuggle up and look through his ever growing library of books. His favorite books change weekly as his interests broaden. Books open up the world to him and his imagination is bubbling over with new ideas every day.

More than just telling a story, books help children better understand their own ideas and feelings and often calm an upset toddler when nothing else will work. They see and hear about other kids like them and others from around the world who are different. We’ve all seen little kids acting out the stories they hear. As a child I spent many afternoons pretending to be the characters from my favorite books. Just recently my son was playing ‘Dr.Dan. The Bandage Man’, a current favorite Little Golden Book.

Although reading with children is so very rewarding for both adult and child, little kids need time to look at books alone. This allows them the opportunity to look at the pictures and develop the habit of ‘reading’ even though they can’t yet read. In my Family Child Care, I have different ‘libraries’ available in different rooms in my home. The kids have labeled these areas ‘libraries’ themselves, and will often rotate the books from room to room and act out ‘going to the library’ daily. Imagine my surprise when I first witnessed a three year old taking the younger kids ‘to the library.’

Because books are a very user-friendly activity and require no prep or cleanup other than returning them to the ‘library’, parents can and should use any opportunity to share books with their young children. Long car or plane trips, waiting rooms, in shopping carts, you name it, you can hand a child a book and make just about any transition or otherwise boring activity exciting. Books and reading can be both a group or individual activity, and many children who are normally shy in a group setting will sit in the reading circle and share story-time while making new friends.

By sharing books with your young child, you are planting a precious memory that will last a lifetime for both parent and child. They in turn will continue the tradition with their own children and remember those special times. A world of experiences and ideas are waiting for you to introduce to them.

About the Author: Sherry Frewerd publishes ‘Family Play and Learn’ familyplayandlearn.com a toddler and preschool play and learning activity website.

Now the party is over it is time to give in return a small token expressing thanks to all those who attended the baby shower gathering
The giving of baby party shower favors is warmly welcomed by all, thus making this a common habit at baby celebrations. Gifts do not have to be expensive. Should your guest list be as long as your arm then do not fret as favors can be bought in bulk therefore helping to cut costs?

Keep the baby theme in mind when choosing what it is you want to give. If it be a fairy tale character, baby toys or animals then it would be nice to implement this onto the token. Jewelry pieces can be given, budget permitting of course. Believe me, if presented with a piece of gold or silver this will be one baby shower party your guests will never forget. Give little mini versions of the Disney or cartoon character behind the theme of your event, this is another nice way of expressing your gratitude

Home made cookies and chocolates go down well as well as being simple to bake. Pick up a recipe book and put your self to the test by baking your own special little goodies, not only will this save you time but also very cost effective. Gifts in edible form are pleasing and tasty, hence a guarantee of guest satisfaction.

Try being creative in the bakery department and experiment by personalizing those appetizing incredible edibles by pipe creaming them to add colour. Why not have a go at moulding your pastry into teddy bear shapes or gingerbread men. Remember this is your baby party shower gift favor so it is up to you how they will look and taste.

More fabulous ideas away from the kitchen are bathroom novelties. Give soap bars with a fragrance or even sweet scented candles. Decorative packaging like gift bags or little presentation boxes to spruce up the favour will put the finishing touches to your thank you present. Candle making kit instructions are very easy and simple to follow so it is worth considering making your own in shades of pink and blue. This is a safe bet if the baby gender is unknown.

Small guilt edged photo frames containing a momentous photo of the day can be given and then replaced at a later date with a picture of baby when he/she are born. The options are endless. Whatever you choose to give as party baby gift favors is entirely up to you, the way you give it is another thing. Hand it over with a smile and in return your guest will do the same.

A fabulous site for all baby shower essentials http://www.little-babyonline.com Babies need nurturing from an early age in learning for themselves. Proven results for all ages at http://www.allaboutonlineeducation.com

What do you do when your child begins talking to some unseen entity? How do you determine if it’s a psychic event, an imaginary playmate, or some sign of a mental health issue? You want to handle things in a way that is best for your child and of course in a way that isn’t going to harm them in any way. You also want to make sure that you speak from a spiritual belief system that you can believe in. Your child will know if you are uncomfortable with the topic or if you don’t believe in what you are saying. They’ll also be able to tell if you are scared or threatened by the subject matter. You will want to fully research the concepts and choices before saying something that you might later regret. The first response should probably be no response. After all, it may just be a fabrication to gain attention. Kids do that.

The first thing to look into is imaginary playmates. There is a lot of research and information to be found on the topic. You can ask your child some questions about their little friend and find out pretty clearly if the child is creating an imaginary playmate or not. The research will show you some of the common reasons and scenarios that cause some children to create these friends. Study the topic for yourself and make up your own mind if that’s what is happening with your child.

If you determine that your child does not fit into the imaginary playmate profile, then you have to decide if they’re actually talking to guardian angels, spirit guides, Jesus, or some deceased relative. As I understand it, imaginary playmates are not named after spiritual entities or relatives. They have their own unique names. If your child is specifically mentioning Jesus, or great grandpa Joe who died last month, then you have to evaluate the chances that they’re either suffering a bit of an emotional problem or they really are talking to spirits. I would also look at your own words and see if the child might be trying to win your favor by pretending to channel your favorite spiritual figure. Also, are you giving them subtle messages that maybe you want them to be magical children that talk to angels and spirits? They may be faking it in order to please you. Kids do that.

It might not hurt to find a therapist who believes that psychic events can and do happen. They would be able to give you some professional insight, guidance, and reassurances if needed. If you see a therapist who simply doesn’t believe in such things, then you and your child may be deemed nuts! On the other hand, there are experts who are so hungry to find real live cases of psychic children, that they may overlook signs that your child is faking it or struggling with other issues. You really need to choose the therapist carefully and one with good amount of common sense as well as an open mind. They will be able to help you find out if your child is really channeling someone from the other side or if they’re suffering from some sort of a psychological issue that needs attention. They can also help you to learn how to speak to your child about the events. If it’s determined that your child is psychic, expand your research to include information about psychic children. The fact that it’s Jesus or Joe that your child is talking to may be comforting, but that’s not really the issue. The fact that they can possibly ‘hear’ and ’see’ a dead person means that you have three basic choices before you.

* Make your child stop so they’ll be ‘normal’ and fit in with everyone else. This is typically done by ridicule, punishment, or logically telling them that what they are experiencing is not real. Telling them it’s not real and isn’t happening is a polite form of ridicule.

* Make the child into your personal miracle. Have them show off for everyone you know by channeling grandpa Joe for you, your friends, and family. This will make them feel like a side show freak. This approach could quite possibly backfire on you by making your child quit talking with angels altogether. It can also make them embrace a sense of self who is freakish, causing the child to become a really weird and spooky personality type who doesn’t fit in with anyone anywhere.

* Behave as if it’s perfectly normal to talk with those who have passed over to the other side and act as though it’s simply another form of communication and/or prayer. Explain to them that there’s nothing wrong with them.

However, you should probably warn them, as they get older that there are frightened uneducated people who will not like it. They will need to learn when is the proper (safe) time and place to discuss such things and with whom. By not making a huge big deal of it, you help them to feel like it’s simply a natural part of life. I personally would not want to deny my child such a direct link to the heavens.

My overall recommendation is to research psychic children and imaginary playmates. You can find support groups of other parents and professionals who are addressing this topic. They would have more concrete research and data for you. Whether your child has created an imaginary playmate to entertain themselves, is really psychic, is just trying to get some attention, or is having emotional problems, they were given to you to care for. No matter what your belief system, it’s your job to protect your child and make sure they grow up as balanced and sacred as possible. The most important thing is that you both continue being honest and loving towards each other. Be kind and most things will turn out for the best.

Copyright 2004, Skye Thomas, Tomorrow’s Edge

About The Author

Skye Thomas began writing books and articles with an everyday practical approach to life in 1999 after twenty years of studying spirituality, metaphysics, astrology, personal growth, motivation, and parenting. After years of high heels and business clothes, she is currently enjoying working from home in her pajamas. Go to www.TomorrowsEdge.net to read more of her articles and to get a free preview of one of her books.

Skye@TomorrowsEdge.net

For many years it was believed that once a woman became pregnant she should just lounge on the couch and rest for hours on end, each and every day. After numerous clinical studies it was found that most women should do quite the opposite.

In most cases, women should continue with their daily routines, and if they are not doing so already, they should begin a regular daily fitness regimen.

It has been found that exercising during pregnancy has numerous beneficial effects. Exercising will give you more energy and stamina, increase your confidence, and give you the extra strength you need for delivering your newborn.

A daily fitness regimen performed by the mother-to-be during pregnancy has also been found to produce a healthier and stronger baby.

An added bonus for those of you dreading those long hours of child labor is that regular exercise during pregnancy has been known to reduce the time frame for this process by about a third. This in itself is a great motivating factor,
since every hour spent in labor can seem like a much longer period of time.

While exercise will undoubtedly help you obtain all these wonderful benefits, there are some guidelines you should follow:

Always consult our physician before beginning any diet and/or exercise regimen. This is to ensure you will be able to do this without causing harm to yourself and your recovering body.

Always start out slowly. Try several activities and do not attempt to perform very strenuous exercises or spend too much time at the gym. Find some exercises or activities you like and enjoy and do them regularly, but try not to exceed more than 30 minutes at a time. If you begin to feel exerted or worn out, stop exercising immediately and rest for a while. The whole purpose of exercising is to help maintain good health and self esteem, not injure or endanger yourself or your unborn.

Avoid high altitudes, extreme humidity, or especially warm temperatures when exercising. Getting overheated is not beneficial to you or our baby, and it could actually cause harm. Be sure you drink plenty of water and keep yourself
hydrated.

Monitor your heart rate, your breathing, and your pulse. This will allow you to observe your progress and notice any limitations you may need to be aware of. Knowing this information and making a note of it while exercising could assist your physician in diagnosing any problems or potential hazards you may face.

While you are in your final trimester, try to avoid any bouncing, jumping, or running. These activities can potentially cause injury to you or your unborn child.

Pregnancy causes many changes for any woman, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Be sure you communicate openly with your partner and your doctor. Keep all of your limitations in mind and never try to exercise more than is reasonable for your stage of pregnancy.

Tina Titas is a columnist for www.FunExerciseVideos.com . For the latest in pregnancy fitness, visit www.FunExerciseVideos.com/pregnancy-exercise.php — where you’ll find exercise videos at a great price.

It is exciting times to be involved in student leadership training!

Many schools around the workld are beginning to rethink both the way they train their student leaders and also how they harness the tremendous leadership potential of their students.

Recently, I have been involved in two very innovative training programs that are worth noting.

First, a secondary school and four of its feeder schools conducted a training program together over two days at the end of 2004 for one hundred of their student leaders. The program focused on developing essential elements such as presentations skills and teamwork skills, as well as helping students clarify their roles. Classroom teachers conducted the sessions and the local secondary school was used as a base. A further training day took place at the start of the year to give the students an opportunity to develop their roles even further.

This training model has a number of benefits. Not only does it provide terrific professional development opportunities for teachers, but also it helps ease the transition to secondary school for many students.

Another good training program was organised by the Heads of Independent Coeducational Schools in Australia. Over two hundred and twenty elected student leaders gathered for a day of leadership workshops conducted by their teachers. Working in groups the students had the opportunity to expand their horizons when they mixed with leaders from over twenty different schools. As well as honing their skills needed for their particular roles this group began to look at ways to take their leadership to another level by developing self-initiated projects.

The use of self-initiated projects is a great way to develop the leadership potential of motivated, community-minded students, which fits the profile of the majority of student leaders.

Some examples of self-initiated projects that some primary schools have developed:

1. A student-lead fund-raiser for the Tsunami disaster.

2. An awareness-raising debate about the environmental effects of pine trees following storms that resulted in many houses damaged by falling pine trees.

3. A monthly Tea, Tots n Talk session to enable parents of toddlers to meet and discuss parenting issues. Child minding and refreshments were organised by the leadership team.

4. A High Fly Club established where students organise a range of speakers to visit the school and speak to students during lunchtime.

Such projects require supervision and a level of teacher assistance if they are to be conducted well, however the feedback I am getting from schools is that students are proving themselves to be extremely capable project and people managers when given the chance.

For schools looking to extend the activities of their student leaders beyond simply fulfilling their roles, by taking on extra projects, the following tips may be useful:

1. Form a leadership team. It is essential for student leaders see themselves as part of a team rather than as just a house captain or SRC representative.

2. Challenge them to devise a project with a set timeframe. The best projects come from the students themselves however they may need some ideas. (For a list of 77 ideas for projects go to downloads on www.youngleadersprogram.com.au)

3. Alternatively, they can conduct a series of smaller projects in small teams. Some schools find breaking the leadership group into smaller teams is far more manageable.

4. Brainstorm activities then make up an action plan for students to follow. A sequenced action plan is essential to help them carry out the activities necessary to get their project happening.

5. Evaluate the effectiveness during the project and at the conclusion. Asking “what is working?” and “what do we need to improve upon?” are important questions for any project manager.

As schools look for new ways to develop student leadership potential the use of self-initiated projects is one way to make learning come alive for this capable, self-motivated cohort.

Michael Grose is the creator of the Young Leaders Program that is used extensively in Australia and Asia to train student leaders. To find out more about this program or how Michael can work with your school or district to promote student leadership visit http://www.youngleadersprogram.com.au

Reading is the most efficient and economical way to help anyone
to acquire information, knowledge, skills and improve on one
self. And it is most wonderful to help your child to be a
great reader as young as possible.

The best way to help a child or any one to learn a skill and be
good at it is to create a Supportive and Conducive Environment
to make it easy for her to learn. Here are some suggestions
that you may find helpful:

1. Have lots of good books in the home at all times. You can
either buy them or borrow them from the library. The National
Library has tons of excellent books suitable for children of
all ages - story books and information books (you can find
books on all kinds of topic, e.g. books on animals, seasons,
famous artists and people, human body, interesting places,
occupations). For our family, we make it a routine to visit the
library every week if not every fortnight. It is a great family outing
for all of us.

2. At your home, have the reading materials and books easily
accessible to your child so that she can get hold of them at
her convenience. The best way is to have an open book shelf
that is of the right height for your child. Providing her a
proper place to keep her books and stuffs is also a good way to
teach your child about responsibility - teach her to care for
her things by getting her to put them back in the right place
after use.

3. Adults at home (especially parents) must set good examples
by reading books regularly. Children learn by observing what
their parents do. Be a good reader yourself. I’d recommend
non-fiction books - e.g. books on parenting, self-enrichment
and improvement etc. (By the way, newspapers are not considered
because there is simply too much negative news and sensational
but non-useful information in each publication - they are not
good to our brain and personal growth.)

4. Read to your child daily. Make it a routine, like before
bed time. The best persons to read to the child is her parents
and that is you. Reading together with your child is also one
of the best ways for bonding with your child.

5. Carry books with you when you bring your child out so that
you can read to her when an opportunity arises, e.g. while
waiting for someone, at the petrol station, on the MRT/ subway.

6. Give lots of encouragement and praise when the child make
the effort to read by herself. Encouragement helps to boost
your child’s self-esteem and help her want to do even better.

7. Make learning fun and enjoyable. Discuss with your child
about the things she has read and has fun with her by acting
out some of the scenes in the books. This will help to fill
your home with lots of laughter and love.

Article by Alvin Poh, founder of The Parenting Network For The Achievement of Human Potential. To learn how you help your children to develop and excel in their natural potential, go to: http://www.alvinkh.per.sg/parentingnetwork