Question:
In "Bottom Line", vol. 20 no. 12, I read an article on parenting tips that had some ideas I had not seen before [at least that I *recall* seeing them before!]. I thought some of you all would find some interesting, helpful, or even cute. I hope I am not violating any copy write laws or anything to paraphrase the article by Mimi Greenwood Knight…. She says that she grew up in a family of 12 and that she admired her mother’s apparent ability to keep cool under all circumstances. Then she lists some suggestions for different problems. She says to sing requests instead of shouting them. Kids are used to parents telling what to do and may well ignore you, but will often stop and listen when you do something relatively novel. She gives the example to sign "Stop teasing your sister" to Pop Goes the Weasel. When putting things away she suggests that each child involved select a number of things they will put away and then do so. If this leaves more things to put away then everyone selects a new number and another bunch of stuff gets put away until everything is done. Color coding of kids possessions so each kid has things that are a different color. Things like one kid has blue towels, another has green, etc. That avoids arguments about who’s something is…. To help kids get going on cleaning she suggests making a contest out of it by having things like cleaning contests between two or more kids [or maybe you and your kids!] to see who gets done first. Or maybe write the chores on slips of paper and everyone pulls from the hat. On sibling rivalry she says that encouraging the older kids to realize that the younger kids look up and admire them and that they should therefore be a good role model for them and to tell the littler ones that their older sibs . are trying to be good examples is helpful. Also, praising diplomatically, without comparing kids to each other. And, most important, always be positive, no matter how hard it feels today. I have pretty much paraphrased and interpreted her article because I am really not sure about copyright laws. I thought it was really neat. Bottom Line can be obtained at Box 58446, Boulder, CO 80322 and they have a web site at 222.boardroom.com/email where you can get their weekly email letter. [I am *not* trying to advertise for them.] -Aula, always looking for good resources in this parenting adventure.
Response:
excellent common sense advice. Thanks for the reminder. — kids ‘n cats…., ya GOTTA love ‘em! says hunnybunnyfunnybunny (come visit us @ http://millennium.fortunecity.com/treearbor/834
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> In "Bottom Line", vol. 20 no. 12, I read an article on parenting tips that > had some ideas I had not seen before [at least that I *recall* seeing them > before!]. I thought some of you all would find some interesting, helpful, > or even cute. I hope I am not violating any copy write laws or anything to > paraphrase the article by Mimi Greenwood Knight…. > She says that she grew up in a family of 12 and that she admired her > mother’s apparent ability to keep cool under all circumstances. Then she > lists some suggestions for different problems. > She says to sing requests instead of shouting them. Kids are used to > parents telling what to do and may well ignore you, but will often stop and > listen when you do something relatively novel. She gives the example to > sign "Stop teasing your sister" to Pop Goes the Weasel. > When putting things away she suggests that each child involved select a > number of things they will put away and then do so. If this leaves more > things to put away then everyone selects a new number and another bunch of > stuff gets put away until everything is done. > Color coding of kids possessions so each kid has things that are a different > color. Things like one kid has blue towels, another has green, etc. That > avoids arguments about who’s something is…. > To help kids get going on cleaning she suggests making a contest out of it > by having things like cleaning contests between two or more kids [or maybe > you and your kids!] to see who gets done first. Or maybe write the chores > on slips of paper and everyone pulls from the hat. > On sibling rivalry she says that encouraging the older kids to realize that > the younger kids look up and admire them and that they should therefore be a > good role model for them and to tell the littler ones that their older sibs > . are trying to be good examples is helpful. Also, praising diplomatically, > without comparing kids to each other. > And, most important, always be positive, no matter how hard it feels today. > I have pretty much paraphrased and interpreted her article because I am > really not sure about copyright laws. I thought it was really neat. Bottom > Line can be obtained at Box 58446, Boulder, CO 80322 and they have a web > site at 222.boardroom.com/email where you can get their weekly email letter. > [I am *not* trying to advertise for them.] > -Aula, always looking for good resources in this parenting adventure.
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