Parenting With Teacher Nancy

There is the old adage, "you can't give your child something you don't have yourself."  If we want grateful children, we'll have to model gratitude first.  "Gratitude is more than behavior-- it is an internal experience... of NOTICE-THINK-FEEL-DO."  Let's try to be mindful of this, for the sake of our children. What Parents Need to Understand About Gratitude On the flip side of gratitude is materialism. Understanding why kids want things and what to do about it is helpful. In this season of buy-buy-buy, consider alternatives to obtaining things by focusing on what matters in life. Why Kids Want Things 6 Ways to Squash Kids' Materialism This Holiday Enjoy this winter break with your family.  We'll see you in January! CLASS ANNOUNCEMENTS This week of December 16 is the last week of classes, the semester ends on December 22.  We will have a potluck celebration in class.  Bring food and good cheer to share.

Research tells us that toddlers' have the ability to be prosocial (" voluntary behavior intended to benefit another").  They have the innate ability to cooperate and help others.  The article states that " This prosocial orientation is fundamental to what makes us human."  So when your child snatches something out of another friend's hands, remember that often, it's just their way of socially interacting with others. Using your "news casting" to explicitly explain the situation and what action is helpful will guide your child.  Toddlers have yet to develop their impulse control. Stop Telling Your Toddler to Share The S Word-- Teaching Toddlers to Share CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT The semester ends on December 20.  Next week, the week of December 16, we will have our end of the semester celebration potluck.