7 Reasons Why Kids Need Recess (Even the Kids Who Misbehave)

7 Reasons Why Kids Need Recess (Even the Kids Who Misbehave)

Four times in the past month, I’ve heard from parents or teachers who are upset by school policies that allow teachers or administrators to withhold recess as a form of punishment. The children’s infractions range from tardiness to failure to complete homework to acting out in class – which covers a wide range of behaviors and ensures any number of children will go without recess on any given day.



The research, however, is clear: Children need recess, the benefits of which range across developmental domains. Following are just seven reasons why, if we want children to achieve optimal intellectual, social/emotional, and physical success, they should not be denied recess.



1. Everyone benefits from a break. As far back as 1885 and 1901 the research is quite clear on this: Both children and adults learn better and more quickly when their efforts are distributed (breaks are included) than when concentrated (work is conducted in longer periods). More recently, the novelty-arousal theory has suggested that people function better when they have a change of pace. Because young children don’t process most information as effectively as older children (due to the immaturity of their nervous systems and their lack of experience), they can especially benefit from breaks.
2. Recess increases on-task time. Dr. Olga Jarrett and her colleagues approached an urban school district with a policy against recess. They received permission for two fourth-grade classes to have recess once a week so they could determine the impact on the children’s behavior on recess and non-recess days. The result was that the 43 children became more on-task and less fidgety on days when they had recess. Sixty percent of the children, including the five suffering from attention deficit disorder, worked more and/or fidgeted less on recess days. Dr. Jarrett’s research demonstrated that a 15-minute recess resulted in the children’s being 5 percent more on-task and 9 percent less fidgety, which translated into 20 minutes saved during the day.
3. Children need outside light. The outside light stimulates the pineal gland, which is the part of the brain that helps regulate our biological clock, is vital to the immune system, and simply makes us feel better. Outside light triggers the synthesis of vitamin D. And a number of studies have demonstrated that it increases academic learning and productivity.
4. Unstructured physical play reduces stress. The National Association for the Education of Young Children recommends unstructured physical play as a developmentally appropriate means of reducing stress in children’s lives – and studies show that stress has a negative impact on learning as well as on health. For many children, especially those who are hyperactive or potentially so, recess is an opportunity to blow off steam. Outdoors, children can engage in behaviors (loud, messy, and boisterous) considered unacceptable and annoying indoors. And because recess is a break from structure and expectations, children have an opportunity to take control of their world, which is a rarity in their lives.
5. Children need to learn to be social creatures. Recess may be the only time during the day when children have an opportunity to experience socialization and real communication. Neighborhoods are not what they used to be, so once the school day ends, there may be little chance for social interaction. And, of course, while in school children are generally not allowed to interact during class, while lining up, or when moving from one area of the school to another. Some school policies even prevent children from talking to one another during lunch. How can children with so few opportunities to socialize and communicate be expected to live and work together in harmony as adults? When and where will they have learned how?
6. Our children’s health is at risk. We’re all aware that many of our children are suffering from overweight and obesity, but even children who have no weight issues require physical activity to sustain optimal health. The outdoors is the best place for children to practice emerging physical skills, to experience the pure joy of movement, and to burn the most calories. Research has even shown that children who are physically active in school are more likely to be physically active at home. Moreover, children who don’t have the opportunity to be active during the school day don’t usually compensate during after-school hours.
7. Physical activity feeds the brain. Thanks to advances in brain research, we now know that most of the brain is activated during physical activity – much more so than when doing seatwork. Movement increases the capacity of blood vessels (and possibly even their number), allowing for the delivery of oxygen, water, and glucose (“brain food”) to the brain. This optimizes the brain’s performance! Furthermore, numerous studies have shown that students who are physically active have improved academic performance, achieve higher test scores, and demonstrate a better attitude toward school.



There is one more reason why recess should not be withheld from children as punishment: It doesn’t work. Experimental studies and anecdotal evidence indicate that the same children tend to miss all or part of recess every day, which means that the threat of missing recess is ineffective. And, as Eric Jensen, author of several books on brain-based learning, tells us, “sitting for more than 10 minutes at a stretch reduces our awareness of physical and emotional sensations and increases fatigue,” the result of which is reduced concentration and discipline problems. The rationale for demanding children sit more, therefore, is counterintuitive both to what the research shows and to what we know about children.

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What Is the Best Way to Teach a Child How to Ride a Bike?

What Is the Best Way to Teach a Child How to Ride a Bike?


Question: What Is the Best Way to Teach a Child How to Ride a Bike?
Answer:

You might be surprised at the passionate opinions out there on the topic of how to ride a bike. There are articles and web sites devoted to bashing training wheels, calling them "worthless" and even "evil." There are also millions of kids who have used training wheels (also called "stabilizers") to learn how to ride a bike successfully.

What's best depends on your child's interest and confidence level, her physical ability, and the environment where she'll be learning. Consider these popular methods for teaching a child how to ride a bike:
Riding a Bike with Training Wheels

Most starter bikes for kids come equipped with training wheels, which fit onto the bicycle's back wheel and help the rider balance. With this method, the child learns how to pedal and steer first, without having to worry about keeping the bike upright. Once he has mastered pedaling and steering, you can gradually raise the training wheels higher off the ground so that the bike is a little more unstable.

As your child gains confidence on this less balanced bike, eventually he will be ready to have the stabilizers removed all together. Sometimes it helps to have him practice on a grassy area, instead of pavement, so falls are less painful. And of course, your child should always wear a bike helmet, whether he is on a tricycle or a two-wheeler.
Riding an Undersized Bicycle

This method takes the opposite tack, teaching the child to balance before she learns to pedal or steer. You need a bicycle small enough (or with the seat lowered far enough) that your child's feet can easily touch the ground. In this manner, she'll be able to control her own balance by putting her feet down when she feels unsteady. It's even better if you remove the pedals, to keep the focus exclusively on balance at first. Start your lessons on a slight downhill, so your child gets the feeling of moving forward while balancing.

After your child is comfortable with coasting downhill, you can reattach the pedals and have her try putting her feet on them while she rolls. Eventually, she will master turning the pedals with her feet; then you can try having her ride on a flat (not downhill) surface. After a few practice sessions on flat ground, she may be ready for her seat to be raised to a more comfortable pedaling height, or to move up to a larger bike.
Riding While a Parent Pushes the Bike

If your child resists riding an undersized bike, or you don't have one available, you can try this old standby. Settle your child onto his bicycle, without training wheels, and hold him by the shoulders. Don't use the handlebars or seat; if you do, it subtly influences the child's balance and prevents him from learning the skill on his own.

As with the training-wheel method, use this strategy to help your child learn pedaling and steering without having to focus just yet on balance. Eventually, you can begin to work on letting go and allowing your child to balance on his own.

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Fitness for School-Aged Kids

Fitness for School-Aged Kids



Does your child run, play, and move for at least 60 minutes a day? That's how much moderate to vigorous physical activity school-aged kids and adolescents need to stay fit and healthy. Short bursts of 10 to 15 minutes count toward this daily tally, so make sure your child has lots of opportunities to get moving.
At School

Academics are important, but so is finding time for fitness. When kids have the chance to run and play at recess, they focus more (and fidget less) during class. Physical education (PE) provides another opportunity to move during the school day. It also exposes kids to new sports and games, and introduces important health habits.

But not every child gets enough recess and PE time:

* Only 8% of elementary schools provide daily physical education.
* In 12-17% of public elementary schools, kids don't have recess every day.

The National Association for Sport and Physical Education, among other groups, recommends at least 150 minutes of PE a week for elementary schoolers—that means an average of 30 minutes a day. The association also urges schools to schedule at least one 20-minute recess period every day. If your child's school doesn't meet these goals, ask the principal or school board to consider changes—and look for ways to help your child stay active outside of school hours.
At the Park, Playing Field, or Pool

By early elementary school—age 6 or 7—most kids have the physical coordination and attention span, plus the ability to grasp rules, which they need to play organized sports. A few years later—between ages 10 and 12—most can handle the added pressure of competitive team sports.

Look for classes and recreational leagues that stress fitness, skill-building, fair play, and most of all, fun. Ask your child what sports he's interested in, and give him the opportunity to try many different activities. You both might be surprised at what he's good at and loves to do!

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What to say to a child who resists phys ed class

Probably for as long as schools have had physical education classes, kids have complained about them. Is yours one of them? Try to change his tune; gym classes can be an important way for children to meet their daily needs for physical activity. If your child claims to hate gym, try these steps to help adjust his attitude.



1. Empathize. If you start by saying "Well, even if you hate gym, you have to go," you've already lost your audience, says Tamar Chansky, Ph.D., a clinical child psychologist in Philadelphia and the author of Freeing Your Child from Negative Thinking: Powerful, Practical Strategies to Build a Lifetime of Resilience, Flexibility and Happiness. A better approach, says Dr. Chansky, is to start with phrases like "I hear you, it's not your thing" or "I don't think you're the only one feels that way."

2. Tease out a reason. Try to find out what is behind your child's "I hate gym!" declaration. What, specifically, bothers her about PE class? Dr. Chansky suggests asking, "What's the worst thing for you about gym class?" Your child might answer that she never gets picked for teams, or that everyone else is better at sports than she is. Don't guess or assume—you might be wrong.

3. Problem-solve together. The goal here is to have your child come up with his own solutions. Ask leading questions, like "Is improving your performance in PE important? How do you think you'd do that?" Be ready to offer suggestions, but try framing them as questions: "So you want to try shooting baskets on the weekends—would you like me or Dad to play with you? Or maybe Alex, or Donny?"

"Hate" is a strong word and provokes strong responses from parents (that's why kids use it!). "When a child says they hate something, we see a huge mountain in front of us," says Dr. Chansky. "We don't see how we will convince them to climb up that mountain. It helps if we can see our job as walking with them, instead." And just maybe, your child will walk into her next gym class without dragging her feet.

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A Kid's Space of Their Own - Kids Tables and Chair Sets!

Everybody needs a space of their own, but right now I would like to talk about a space for small children who are able to call a space entirely their own. A space where they can live in their own little world in which they may do whatever their desire compels them to do at any given moment.

What do they do in this space? Small children love to paint or draw; there is a picture of mom, another one of dad or of brothers and sisters or even of their favorite Kindergarten teacher. How proud they are of their creation when they are all displayed on the fridge door. This space of their own is a very important component in a child's life. It is a space where they can play, read, imagine and where they can escape into their own world. Most of all they can be creative!

So, let's call this space a creative station. It is important to have a kids table and chair set as these are very important furniture pieces in a child's life. A kids taable and chair set means a friend can be invited to engage with some specially designed arts and crafts for kids and where the imagination takes the upper hand. Don't forget that there could be some intriguing kids jigsaw puzzles, which could capture their minds.

Small children love to do creative things and with it discover the surroundings of their world. Design your child's room accordingly, by having them in mind. Most of all consider that your child is much smaller in size than you are, therefore create spaces within the room that the child is able to relate too. Build a child house more like a tree house in the room where the child can play inside the structure and let their imagination fly. Hang pictures much lower for the child to be able to see them at their eye-level. Try to bring the room to their level, to their size.

Commonly, today small children already have a computer it is therefore imperative that the computer station is set up ergonomically for your child. Ergonomic set ups are critical to prevent carpal tunnel disorders. Parents should be aware of these possible incurred injuries to their child's hands.

Another important space in a child's life is the floor. As small kids spend a lot of time on it, make sure you have an easy-to-clean floor installed, hardwood is ideal. Hardwood is a natural product and if treated with non-toxic materials the child has a wonderful environment. Laminated hardwood is the next best thing to solid hardwood. As there are so many varieties of laminated flooring, research how the floorboards are treated to avoid toxic applications. If possible an air purifier is always an advisable room addition.

A child's room is an extension of who they are and it is imperative to provide the amenities for the child to grow in mind and spirit in order to develop the senses to lead a happy life.

Tina Nyary advises that a child's space or room is an extension of who they are and it is imperative to provide the amenities for the child to grow in mind and spirit in order to develop the senses to lead a happy adult life.

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Children Behavior Problems

What is the normal behavior and abnormal behavior in a kid can be determined by the age, personality, and physical, mental and emotional development of the kid. When a child is behaving abnormally, one needs to take in account what in the surroundings, is culturally and socially acceptable or unacceptable by him or her. Also, behavior problems in a kid can be said to be a relative term. This is because, what is considered normal behavior by a set a people may be regarded as abnormal from a different group of people. Usually the disruptive behaviors in kids and their unusual behaviors even upon reaching a certain age are described as behavior problems.

Problems

There are certain things which are naturally expected of a child of an average age. But if the child acts in different way than what is normally expected, then it becomes a matter of concern. For example, if a kid stays aloof and does not make enough friends or mingle with others naturally, hardly talks, day dreams, performs poor in the exams and takes least interest in activities, can be called a case of behavior problem. But then again, behavior problems are not uncommon in children. Parents and teachers can play a big role in shaping up the personality of a child and improving his or her behavior.

Guidance

Children are always influenced by the behavior of the people they come across or see at their home, school or society. They observe other people and try to adopt that behavior. Thus it is very important to see what company the children fall into. Proper guidance by parents and teachers, polite yet firm behavior and ensuring that they are in good company of friends are some of the factors which help in making a child build up a positive attitude, good manners, discipline and acceptable behavior. Again, for children who still display unacceptable behavior, professional counseling can be beneficial for their positive development.

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Sand and Water Tables - Providing Sensory OpportunitiesSand and Water Tables - Providing Sensory Opportunities

Sitting in a classroom for traditional instruction is necessary and an important part of the educational process, but just as important is providing sensory opportunities for students. Touching, feeling, sculpting, and getting dirty are interactive ways to help students learn. Sand and water tables provide great sensory opportunities for students and provide a versatile teaching aspect to the classroom. Here are some of the benefits.

Hold a Variety of Materials

Sand and water tables are not just for sand and water. Though these are two of the most popular materials to use when providing sensory interaction for children, other materials work just as well. Exposing kids to a variety of materials opens up a whole new world of touch and pretend play. Teachers can fill the table with plastic beads, rice or shaving cream, for example, for a new and fun sensory experience.

With any of these materials you can add canisters, measuring cups, spoons, or scoops. These tools give students a way to express themselves and give them a break from written work or seated learning. With a variety of materials to work with teachers can surprise their students and using the sand and water table will never become boring. Each time they open it a new surprise awaits!

Variety of Styles

Sand and water tables come in many different varieties. There are outdoor and indoor models that will fit in your educational surrounding. One of my favorites is the Frog Pond Sand and Water Table because it comes with canals which allow students to create currents and engage in free play. Another big hit is the Construction Zone Sand Play Table. This one is brightly colored like a construction sign and allows students to dig and play in a compact area. Traditional rectangular tables also give students the same sensory opportunities.

Easy to Maintain

Some people may think having sand and water tables is not worth the mess, but actually modern design makes the tables easy to maintain. Most tables come with a hole in the bottom which makes it easy to drain, rinse, and clean the tables. Some models even have removable tubs for simple clean up and refills. Most sand and water tables come with lids for easy storage. One option is to choose a table that is on coasters. These types of tables can be moved for clean-up or storage.

Encourage Cooperative Play

Sharing may not come easily to some children, but an important aspect of classroom play is learning to share and interact with other students. Sand and water tables are ideal for 2-4 students. This provides many opportunities for group play. Sharing shovels, pails, and toys or working together on a sand sculpture can help students interact and develop friendships. Teachers can also use the tables as an opportunity to reinforce lessons. For example, a teacher could ask a group of students to work together to build a certain animal or shape. These teaching moments are enhanced by sensory play. Sand and water tables are a great way to provide sensory opportunities for children. They are a wonderful addition to any classroom that both teachers and students will enjoy.

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Exciting Job Ideas For Young Teens

It is never easy being at an age between 13 and 15. Your parents sometimes have a hard time deciding on whether to continue treating you as a child or as an adult because you're in the stage when you are not even sure yourself. Getting a job towards earning your first paycheck might just do the trick in convincing them that you are responsible enough to be trusted more and be allowed to venture out in the world on your own.

There are a number of potential job opportunities for young teens like you. You may want to pick one that does not take much of your time, pays reasonably, and fits your personality.

First, consider your strengths. Ask yourself what you like doing and what you are good at? If you are born with special talents like drawing, singing, painting, or writing, you may make use of this to offer freelance services.

Start with the people you know, professionals who may want to require your services. Ask your friends who are part of local organizations if they need someone to make or design a poster, sing at an event, and so on. If you naturally love to talk, you could offer to host your neighbors' parties.

If you are good with children, try applying part-time in a day care or as a tutor. You could teach children, fellow teens, and even fellow adults if you have some knowledge in music, science, match, or any foreign language.

As young as you are, you may start a small business of your own if you think you have what it takes. You could sell a product around the neighborhood like custom-made shirt and others. Be creative, opportunities are limitless.

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Summer Ideas For Kids

When summer arrives each year, many schools around the country are out for a summer holiday. This means a lot of students are taken out of their regular routine and left to develop a new summer schedule. It's a parent's job to make sure this transition goes smoothly and that your children have something to do all summer.

Here are a few summer ideas for kids you can consider:

• Join or start a summer book club/ reading club
• Enroll your child in a summer camp
• Start a collection together- then learn more about what you're collecting
• Visit the zoo- be sure to exlpore and talk about what you see there
• Visit museums- art museums, science museums, history museums
• Go biking- make a day of it and pack water and go together
• Go fishing
• Visit the park
• Go to the public library- they usually have summer programs going on as well
• Create a play or skit with your child and neighborhood kids
• Do community service/ volunteer
• Start or keep a summer journal together- write about all the things you do and learn
• Clean the house, garage or specific room of the house together
• Play games together
• Write letters to friends and family

Now that you have these great summer fun ideas, you can start planning summer for your own children. Your family might even find that you create traditions that stay with you year after year. These special memories will help shape and develop who your children grow up to be.

Lisa Mason is a freelance writer with a specialty in Internet content and SEO articles. She has written thousands of articles, hundreds of ebooks and thousands of website pages and related content. She has also authored her own books and works as a consultant to other writers, Internet marketers and Internet businesses.

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Taking a Look at Summer Camps For Every Interest

Kids and teens attend summer camps for the opportunity to experience enriching and rewarding activities. They also go because they can gain knowledge in a specific field of interest. There are summer camp programs on college campuses available in large U.S. cities, like New York City, Los Angeles, Boston and Philadelphia as well as other countries, like England. Today's teen can choose a program in which he or she can combine multiple activities, like learning a language while in a community service program in Venezuela or another exotic locale.

Community service also teaches your child the value of giving back. A summer camp with this in mind helps your teenager complete high school community service requirements while he or she assists in the construction of new classrooms, works with orphans, on hurricane reconstruction on the Gulf Coast or by teaching a sport to underprivileged kids in an urban setting.

There are also summer camps for "tweens", or those kids who are between ten and twelve. Teen program directors have realized that middle school aged kids are looking for new and exciting programs as well. Now tweens have a wide variety of options open to them. There are unique language programs, marine science and sailing programs and adventure travel programs; all tailored to maturity level and educational experience.

Although learning a foreign language is not a new idea, combining it with other interests is a new occurrence. There are many language programs overseas that incorporate a home stay, where a student is matched with a host family. This can enrich the student's experience in the form of a cultural exchange and community service. There are many activities to go along with language studies. Teens can study photography, painting or cooking while learning a language. They can study architecture while learning French. There are even programs available for teens that offer the chance to learn rare languages, like Arabic or Modern Greek here in the U.S.

For more exotic and intensive travel, now your child can live with a host family in a rural village, hike to ancient ruins and help build a school for kids, all in a four week trip. With the latest trends moving towards the more exotic, you can find teen summer camps for travel to Thailand, Senegal, Bolivia or any number of exotic and remote locations. While these programs previously were about visiting busy tourist attractions, some have transformed into study and knowledge centers. Creating a more authentic and enriching cultural experience is what their new objective is. Visit these sites for more information; Swopnet and Tweenparent.

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What Are Your Choices in Summer Camps?

Finding the right summer camp that incorporates your needs as a parent and the desires of your child is important. Most summer camps can accommodate many specific interests, but you still need to consult with your child to understand what their expectations are. You both should be on the same page regarding what you expect to gain from the experience. Before you both decide though, it is important that you determine if your child has any physical, intellectual or social limitations.

When considering any summer camp program, the first thing you will need to learn about is the specific focus of the camp. There are so many specialized camps for kids so finding one that matches your child's interests is important and should be relatively easy. As well, you will want to know if the structural environment is desirable, what type of social interaction will occur and how much independence the children will be allowed. And will they allow your child to go at his or her own pace?

There are many different types of camps available, such as co-ed, all girls' and all boys' camps, as well as camps for siblings. Each of these types of camps can be further sub-categorized as general, academic, travel, sport camps and special needs. Summer camp programs provide boarding, daily and evening activity programs and food. They can last for short to long periods of time; from one week to three months.

The cost of a summer camp program is another thing to consider. Keep in mind that there may be costs in addition to the basic camp fees that can include traveling to the site, extra entertainment costs and any additional, personal camp supplies that may be needed. For a parent who works, a summer one can be a great alternative to babysitters or a nanny, considering that your child will not be attending school at this time.

As for location of the camp, it is up to you how far away you will feel comfortable letting your child go. There are advantages in choosing a camp located in your state; the reasons being costs, accessibility and simply distance. Out-of-state summer camps may offer certain specialized programs and benefits that you cannot find locally.

There are summer camps that are academic in nature and are dedicated to specific areas of learning, as well as special needs camps for those who need special considerations. Those types of camps are specially designed to accommodate kids who are disabled, need special food or have diet requirements, have learning disabilities and more. Just keep in mind that a great summer camp experience can be a long-term investment that will affect many other areas of your child's life in a positive way.

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How to Connect (or Reconnect) With Your Teen - Part 2

Have you tried the basic connection tips from Part 1? If so, have you found communication easier when you know how to get the first gear going? I've loved seeing how much smoother my relationships are because I know this basic, but largely unknown, communication tip.

This article takes connecting with your teens to an entirely different level. Part of the challenge with teen parenting is that we don't spend enough time together connecting while having fun. Many parents have troubles finding fun activities to do with their teens. So where to start?

Do you and your teen have activities you used to love to do together, even if you haven't done them for years? Ask your teen what he or she wants to do with you. I realize that this can involve doing things we don't initially want to do. I recently went with my kids on a hike that I wasn't very excited about. I wanted another adult to be involved, and my husband was away. We had a blast and in the end I was glad to have the time alone with the kids.

One of the advantages adults have is we often have the means of transportation and the money to do some things that our teens and their friends don't have. Take advantage of that fact! Stretch yourself into trying some new fun activity like white water rafting or biking or going to a play if those are activities that your teen likes to do. When our kids were young many of us had the joy of rediscovering hobbies we did as a child. Let your teen introduce you to new activities and help you to stay young!

The other advantage of taking the time to find new activities that you both enjoy is that after your teen moves out, you can still continue to connect through your new found hobbies. Many young adults want to be active and don't want to just visit with parents at home. Many families have discovered a love of hiking or golf or canoeing that has kept them connecting for decades to come. Can you picture vacations centered around running, chess, visiting museums or some other activity? Over the decades the activities you try now with your teens could become a lifelong shared passion.

Do you want to have an active, exciting life? Are you concerned about issues that can come with aging such as weight-gain or senility? Many adults find life getting less and less exciting,and more and more draining as their hobbies and activities shrink. Being active with your teenagers could be the best thing that happens to you! One major characteristic of youth is a willingness to try new things. By stretching to do something with your kids you are keeping yourself more youthful. Who knows, you may even discover a hobby that sustains you throughout your life, even into your senior years.

If you begin with trusting that you can connect, and you focus on the basics of connecting, as well as plan for the connection, the teenage years will go a lot more smoothly. Teenagers need us way more than they think they do, and way more than many parents think as well. Take the time to be there for them, to hear their views on the world and to give them the gift of your time and attention. You will be paid back thousands of times over.

For the knowledge of how to connect with kids, and other key parenting tips, I am indebted to Dr. Gordon Neufeld, developmental psychologist and best-selling author of Hold on to Your Kids. Like so many parents nowadays, my initial instincts upon becoming a parent, were skewed and unlikely to meet with success! My passion is teaching other parents about his ground-breaking work, and helping you to be the great parent that you can be.

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Signs of Bullying at School

Children, but especially boys, may not come to their parents and say that a person or a group of people is bullying them at school. The reasons for this can be many and a few of them are, they do not think that their parents can do anything about it, or they believe that their parents may make things worst. Additionally, they do not want to appear "weak" in front of their parents. Nevertheless, without a child saying a word about it, they can display evidence of this happening to them.

Lack of Money

If you are giving your children money to last them for a period of time and without giving you a reasonable explanation as to what they have done with it, the money is all gone, perhaps it was taken away from them.

School Work Performance

Most often than not, when a child is troubled, it may reflect in their academic performance. However, they may still be attaining passing grades, but it will not be their usual passing grades. So keeping an eye on their regular scores and not just the overall results is important.

No School

Sometime, children just do not want to go to school and this is understandable, because at times, even adults, do not feel like going out to work. However, if you find that your child is consistently asking to stay at home, do not ignore it, perhaps they are trying to avoid a particular person or persons.

Also, bear in mind that due to the possibility of deadly retaliation by victims, many schools have taken and are acting against bullying in school, so encouraging a child at home to speak up, if they are taken advantages of, will be worth it.

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Five Reasons Your Child Needs a Backyard Swing Set

Children benefit emotionally and physically when you enhance your backyard with a swing set. To ensure your child never becomes bored of the swing set, look for sets that provide a varied selection of activities. Children willingly go outside to play if there are appealing items. A simple swing and slide rarely suffice. Children will be back inside behind their video game system and TV before you know it.

Don't be afraid to customize a backyard swing set to meet your growing child's needs. Many companies allow you to enhance their base sets with a variety of options and equipment. You can create a set that meets your child's needs. Learn the five reasons why backyard swing sets benefit a growing child.

1. Children who spend time climbing ropes and ladders develop physical strength. Ask a child to get out and exercise and they respond with groans. However, if a child has a backyard swing set loaded with activities, they will spend hours every day exercising without even knowing it. Ropes, monkey bars and ladders improve upper body strength. Swings condition the leg muscles and abs. Rings and trapezes help strengthen the back muscles.

2. Outdoor sets help a child develop coordination. Monkey bars excel at developing coordination. Children must process the act of letting go of one bar while swinging and grabbing the next bar in one fluid motion. Swings also help build coordination. Children must learn the proper timing for pumping their legs and propelling themselves forward.

3. Growing children learn balance when they have features like a slide, teeter totter and rope ladders. Because rope ladders shift easily, children must learn to shift their weight as a counterbalance. Slides require balance while transitioning from the ladder to the top of the slide. Teeter totters require balance and leg muscle as children push up while remaining on the narrow seat.

4. While playing on a backyard set or in a sandbox, children tap into their imagination. The age old playground game of "Shark" requires a child to imagine the area under the swing set it shark infested water and if they fall off the swing set, the shark will get them. This game requires imagination and builds endurance. In a swing set fort or sandbox, children use their imagination to create scenarios like being pirates or being construction workers using trucks to move sand for the castle they are building.

5. One of the hardest things children must learn is cooperation. Taking turns and sharing are huge hurdles for a young child. When you add a slide to a backyard swing set, children must cooperate and learn to take turns. It is imperative for a child to learn that slide safety requires one child to go down at a time. This is a great feature to help children learn that sharing is fun.

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Triangular Crayons - An Easy Tool to Better Writing

A common reason for referral to occupational therapy is to assist with writing. One of the first factors an occupational therapist will look at is how does the child hold his or her pencil, pencil crayon or crayon when writing and drawing.

The type of grip used is important both for speed of writing and to protect the hand. The type of pencil grip that is most conducive to neat handwriting, carried out at a good pace, with appropriate pressure is the tripod grip, with the writing implement held between the thumb and first fingers and balanced on the middle finger, as seen in the image below.

There are many factors that affect a child's ability to write correctly, including muscle tone, fine motor skills, co-ordination and muscle strength of the small muscles in the hand, co-ordination of hand - eye and more.

If your child is having difficulty, an evaluation by a qualified occupational therapist would be beneficial. In the meantime, an easy way to help your child is to purchase triangular shaped crayons and pencils. This helps the child to hold the pencil or crayon correctly until such time as they can do so independently.

Some children love the triangular shape, others want to switch to the regular round crayons or even to try and persuade their parents to let them use markers. If your child is experiencing difficulty with writing and drawing, you as a parent need to help your child. A good way to do so is by using only the triangular shaped crayons, pencil crayons and pencils and no markers. Put aside the round ones until your child is able to hold the writing implements correctly. Markers in general should be avoided until a child has mastered his/her basic writing and drawing skills.

In addition to triangular shaped crayons you can purchase pencils with a triangular shape. It might take a little perseverance, but by using the appropriate writing implements, your child will learn the correct position of his or her fingers for writing.

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Youth Groups - Does DeMolay Allow Teenage Men to Find Knighthood While Having Fun?

Modern youth groups today have slightly differing themes for their organizations. For example, scouting relies heavily on outdoor camping and survival skills among others. Church groups focus on the religion, spirituality, and high-level fellowship. Another group, DeMolay, focuses on brotherhood, social skills, civic awareness, and teamwork. Here is a brief review of that group.

What is it?

DeMolay is a fraternal group for young men aged 12 to 21.

What does it do?

DeMolay tries to prepare young men for happy productive living, civic awareness, personal development and responsibility, socializing, teamwork and leadership skills. It allows young men to hold their own business meetings and conduct memory and ritual work, mistakes and all. They can also hold joint dinners, picnics, pizza parties, dances, and social activities with their counterpart female groups. Members can also participate in sports and relative amounts of charity work.

Who can join?

Any young male between the age of 12-21. Applicants need to provide the names of three friends or references who have known them for a year or so.

History.

DeMolay was founded by a Kansas City businessman who saw a need for a group or organization that helped fatherless boys. It started with nine boys in 1919.

Leadership and sponsors.

The local chapters are the central points of the organization. New applicants generally will join a chapter near where they live. Each chapter is led by councilors, who are elected by their memberships from line-officer nominations. The organization also has divisions at the area, state, jurisdictional, and regional levels under the international one. Although DeMolay is not directly connected to Freemasonry, its meetings often are held in Masonic buildings.

Leadership is also provided by the sponsoring adults at all levels. One important leadership role beyond its own councilors is the adult advisor in each chapter. These adult leaders are called Dads. Of course, numerous mothers are also involved in the chapters. Much of the adult leadership comes from the parents of its members, who are willing to learn, train, and carry out these working roles.

Dress.

Most of the dress in the organization is modern casual. Yet, certain ceremonies and events are formal, which require at least casual-business attire, and the occasional wearing of a cape-like robe with the DeMolay emblem on the right chest. Generally, this cape is a solid color lined with a different one, e.g., outer black lined with red, and with gold-colored braids on one shoulder. This robe is worn when the members perform in special events, like, when they form the Arch of Sabers at certain installation ceremonies.

Knighthood.

One highpoint of DeMolay is when its members are knighted at the age of 17. This knighthood allows members to plan more educational and social events with emphasis on career planning and coed activities. The existence of this older group could have something to do with its members now having drivers licenses.

Annual conclave.

Another highpoint is the annual conclave, which is a combined business meeting and competitions between the individuals and chapters of select areas or regions. Aside from the memory and ritual competitions, some of the sporting games could include basketball, football, tennis, free throws, softball, bowling, volleyball, several track events, swimming, and others not-so-athletic events, depending on the facilities available at the time. All of the attendees will return from this annual get-together with certificates, ribbons, medals, trophies, or awards.

In conclusion, this organization does indeed allow young men to find their so-called knighthood while have teenage fun. Members also gain other things from the organization by aspiring to virtuous living and by how much they put into their active memberships.

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Can You Tell a Story Through a Puppet?

A marionette is a type of puppet that is controlled by the use of strings. Other types of puppetry are finger, glove, rod and shadow puppetry. For more info on marionettes go to Wikipedia.

My three year old has had great experiences with puppets and marionettes. He has experienced marionettes at the Pittsburgh Children's Museum and hand puppets at Longwood Gardens. Both times he loved the experience and his belly laugh was priceless. Even at home we have puppets and I always get the belly laugh from him when I have a doggy puppet on my hand who is trying to bite him. It is always fun making up stories together and using goofy voices for the puppets. Lately, I have been using a frog puppet who lurks in the lake and jumps out and swallows my sons Thomas trains. He doesn't like anyone messing with his trains and lets the frog and my hand know it - it really is so funny - I can't help but laugh as he yells "bad frog". He gets his trains back and the frog disappears for another day.

It is easy to play with kids with puppets, to get them to interact with you, to get them to share thoughts and feelings they might not have otherwise. Puppets have been used at hospitals to help kids who are having trouble coping with their diagnosis and treatments.

With marionettes and puppets, you can tell a story to your child - they are multi-sensory. You can reach and teach your child with important messages, fun stories and let your and their imaginations run free!

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Please Let Your Children Them Work!

It has only been summer for a few weeks and they are already bored! I, like many parents, am frantically trying to figure out how to work and keep my children in a positive, productive environment while they are out of school. Now, I recognize that I am one of the lucky ones-able to juggle my schedule to make sure the kids get back from camp-but instead of being shuffled around, imagine if they could work and contribute to the family economy (and to the frequent stops of the ice cream truck)! Can they do it? Despite society's overwhelmingly negative view toward children working, I'm willing to find out.

I understand how the pendulum may have swung this way over history in regard to children working. In the early 1900's people took advantage of child labor, putting our precious little ones to work in the factories, on the streets, and in the fields. Kids were kept home from school to work and to financially support the family or to care for younger siblings. There was a different view of child labor then; today, however, most people I know hardly want to risk their children in the mines.

When I was a child, I had many opportunities to work at a young age, and so did many of the kids I knew. I got my start stuffing envelopes for political campaigns and doing office work; my husband worked in an orchard and sorted dirt clods out of filbert processing equipment-by the time he was in middle school he worked in a machine shop and painted houses. Our friends picked beans and berries which left us waiting for them to come home each day so that we could play. Their red-stained hands were proof of a long morning in the field.

So, why can't young people get jobs today? It seems that there are cultural beliefs that kids can't legally work, that they don't have the attention span, or, perhaps even the desire to earn. We've got our kids so tightly scheduled or supervised they have busier schedules than we have! When would they find the time to earn?

I have a general belief that people want to work-to be a contributor to their own success and society. There is a pride in earning and we care for things we earn. Kids who work build character, find purpose, and learn to spend only what they have. They may even come to a hands-on knowledge of the benefits of staying in school-some jobs can make the classroom look pretty good come fall.

As for the legalities, I looked up the Oregon minor laws on the Bureau of Labor & Industries website (http://www.oregon.gov/BOLI) and found that young people can work as early as 14 years of age. Fourteen and 15 year-olds can work 3 hours per day during school (8 hours on non-school days), 18 hours per week maximum and up to 40 hours when school is not in session. By the time kids are 16 or 17, they can work up to 44 hours per week.

Now, there are restrictions on the types of jobs kids can have and there are special rules for agricultural work, so make sure to check with the Bureau. Jobs like newspaper carriers/vendors and minors performing domestic work or work in private homes generally do not apply. The standard laws of minimum wage, overtime, working conditions, etcetera will still apply.

The only question that remains is can your teen actually get hired? In reality, kids are now competing for jobs with many more experienced workers. Without getting too political, who would hire an inexperienced young worker a full minimum wage? However, I see huge benefits to learning how the work-force operates at an early age, and while I know my kids are still too young to work for a regular paycheck, I'd like to see them give earning a try-at least then they could satisfy their own ice cream indulgences.

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How Do Fun Kids' Games Affect Kids' Development?

As adults most of us see games as just that, a game, perhaps a fun way to pass the time. When in reality fun kids games play a very important role in the intellectual development of children.

Games are the avenue young children use to learn about and explore the world. Think of games as their text book of sorts. Through fun games young children learn the concept of cause and effect. If they push a button the toy makes a noise. Games have a positive effect on physical development beginning at a very young age.

As children grow they begin exploring roll play and developing their imagination. Dressing up and playing with props become avenues to explore social behaviors that reinforce morals and values.

Once kids become school age they are able to participate in knowledge based games. They begin developing strategies, and understand the value of teamwork. Cooperation and collaboration become important skills to master.

Fun kids games are a way to stimulate creativity within a safe environment where children won't be judged according to right and wrong. If the kids perceive the activity as fun they will enjoy it and eagerly participate without realizing the educational benefits hidden within.

We need to remember too that it is important to encourage games that are active. Children need exercise. Through active fun games kids develop large motor skills that they will benefit from the rest of their lives.

Although kids will view games as fun we mustn't forget the importance games play in their development. Both physical and intellectual development is affected by games. We as adults must encourage kids to play as much as possible instead of sitting in front of the TV or computer.

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Teaching Teens to Manage Money in the Modern World

Times are changing and sometime we struggle to keep up. When I grew up my parents provided me with pocket money. Their aim was to introduce me to the financial world and to equip me with financial discipline. The process was simple I received money in hard currency and had to decide myself how I want to spend the cash. I had to make sure that I had to pace my expenditure to ensure that the money lasted until the next "pay check" or rather allowance.

For me at least it was a simple process. Budgeting did not really exist in my world. I was able to feel the volume and weight of the cash which gave me a pretty good idea of how fast my money flowed from my pocket. On occasions I did loose control of my expenditure and did spend money out of control. Most of the times when it happened I really felt bad about it. I hated that physically feeling of loss as the volume and weight of my money got less. The loss was real and tangible. Following such an event it made me think twice before I spend my "hard earned" cash.

Since those days many things changed. For instance physical cash is slowly disappearing from our personal financial worlds. Firstly there were checks. I remembered a time that it was almost unthinkable not to have a check account. Personal check accounts are still around but are quickly disappearing. I have given up my check account a long time ago. These days most of my transactions are is done through the virtual world of money, it is quick and convenient and operates with the click of a button.

My kids are growing up and are becoming teens. I still use the same process introduced by my parents to teach my kids financial discipline. They receive an allowance and will have to budget there expenditure until the next allowance. As parents we realised that providing the kids with cash alone will not be sufficient for them to gain the financial discipline they need as it does not give them the skills necessary to function in the digital world. The virtual financial world is not tangible and presents itself as meaningless set of numbers. The tangible loss felt when a wrong decision was made has been lost. By removing this tangible component from the learning process the process of teaching our teen's financial disciple has become more complex.

To bridge the gap moving a world of cash to the digital financial world we have to introduce an alternative teaching tool. This tool presents itself as a plastic card. The though of giving your teen a credit card is scary to say the least of it. I know that I will never do it - the recklessness of youth and credit does not mix. Fortunately there are still debit cards. At least with a debit card your teen can not surprise you with a huge debt bill as debit cards prevent you from spending more money than what you have.

Debit cards do have a down side. My parents had some control over my day to day expenditure as my mum kept my money within a safe and I had to ask her open the safe so that I could gain access my cash. She always knew how much money I had in my "savings account". This level of control does not exist with a debit card as it is easy to swipe your card and gone is the money. Fortunate Discover Financial Services have launched a debit card with parental control. Parents can now monitor day to day expenditure and set limits on your kid's expenditures. In my mind this product is a must have for all teens. It presents itself as the perfect tool for parents to teach teen's financial discipline within the virtual world of money.

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