Archive for May, 2009

Learn the Secrets to Encouraging Your Child’s Special Talents

Friday, May 15th, 2009

For a parent, nothing is more exciting than recognizing that your child has a special talent. Perhaps you heard your child playing away on the piano and realized that he or she actually has a great ear for music, or maybe your son or daughter wrote a short story that was so creative, it put many published authors to shame. Whatever the case may be, when you finally realize that your child has a special talent, you’ll need to encourage it to grow as much as possible so that your child can bloom to their full potential.

But what if you don’t know the first thing about helping your child to cultivate and develop their exceptional talent? You don’t have to be a childcare expert in order to encourage your child to reach his or her full potential; just follow these tips and your child will be able to fully realize his or her special talent!

1. Find a mentor in the community with the same talent that your son or daughter is displaying. For example, if your daughter is exceptional at volleyball, find a coach or athlete nearby who will be able to play role model to your child. Apart from parents, role models have a profound influence on the development of a special talent, and will be able to best encourage your child’s talent or skill to flourish.

2. Depending on your child’s special talent, enroll him or her in a program specifically designed for that talent. For example, if your son is academically gifted, ask his school if there is a designated program for gifted students. If your school doesn’t have this kind of program, not to worry: there are plenty of learning centers and tutors who are available to academically challenge your child in order to keep his or her mind sharp.

3. Additionally, if your child displays a creative talent, get him or her enrolled in community programs that will help that talent to flourish and grow. There are lots of after-school and community programs which teach art, creative writing, dance, theater, etc. to children for free of charge. Let your child’s creativity roam free in these programs, and you’ll see his or her talent blossom.

4. Make sure to get your child’s teacher actively involved in encouraging your child’s special talent. For example, if your son or daughter displays an exceptional ability to write, set aside private time with his or her teacher and ask if special assignments can be created for your child. That way, your child will be able to further hone his or her skills without being enrolled in a gifted program.

5. Create a supportive environment at home where your child can feel free to display his or her talent. For example, if your child is academically gifted, create a quiet study space to encourage maximum productivity; if your child is artistically or athletically inclined, encourage activities after school that will allow him or her to practice their talent. Your child will feel love and appreciation when you’re 100% supportive of their talent, no matter how messy or noisy it may be!

Above all of these tips, be sure to praise and compliment your child for his or her special ability. For example, if your child paints you a fantastic picture or writes a song, praise his or her creative thinking and imagination. Praise is essential for producing the kind of confidence that encourages the blossoming of talent – so get ready to encourage your little Picasso or Dickens so that he or she will be able to realize the full extent of his or her special ability!

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Discipline and Punishment – The Key Differences Between These Two Terms

Monday, May 4th, 2009

The words discipline and punishment are often used to mean the same thing. However, they are very different from each other. Discipline is the technique of helping a child to learn self-control and how to behave in a way that is socially acceptable to others. Discipline should always focus on the positive reinforcement and self esteem of the child. The purpose of discipline is to help a child learn how to control their behavior and emotions and should be further reinforced with firm reminders. Punishment is a style of discipline. There are several forms of physical punishment including ******** or hitting. And, there are psychological punishments such as taking away privileges or sending a child to their room. The purpose of punishment is control the unacceptable behavior.

Discipline and punishment techniques both attempt to correct behavior. Punishment removes the accountability for the misbehavior from the child. Children need to learn that they need to take accountability for their own actions to be able to exercise self-control so that they can be successful as well respected adults. The objective of punishment is to stop a child from misbehaving. However, punishment usually only stops the behavior at the time the punishment is given. Punishment does not teach a child how to not repeat the behavior in the future. Severe punishments can cause physical and emotional damage that could last throughout a child’s life. Severe punishments can also lead to abuse.

Another difference between discipline and punishment is that punishment only works in the present. If a child is punished by being ******* or screamed at, they will learn not to misbehave when someone can see what they are doing and they are not learning how to not misbehave in the future. Discipline is designed to teach a child how to exercise self-control and how to not repeat the misbehavior in the future.

Discipline and punishment are different in that discipline is a continuous development process that allows parents to teach their child self-control and the importance of acceptable behavior. Parents have a responsibility to clearly communicate their expectations to their child including what is acceptable behavior and what is not acceptable behavior. There are many discipline choices, and punishment is one of them. Punishment can work in the moment, but to truly change behaviors in a child, a parent needs to commit to a discipline process that is ongoing throughout their child’s development.

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