Ready to Learn Mom

“Don’t talk back to me!” Thus scolded in irate and ignorant mother to her young son. The boy was attemping to make her understand his view of the matter. Her words to the boy simply said to him: “I don’t want to hear your side.” Many parents tyrannize over their children in this manner. The superior strength or official authority of the older person is used to shut off, in advance, all argument from the child. He is forced to accept in silence what he conceives to be a false statement of a case.

The child feels that he is being unjustly treated. He feels that he is entitled to a hearing. When he does not receive this, a spirit of resentment and rebellion is kindled in his mind. His whole disposition and temper is affected by it. To demand a mechanical and unreasoned obedience from a child, where a reason can be given, is little short of a crime against the child. Those who hold that children should not be reasoned with, but should be made to obey orders without question or hesitation would make good slave drivers but poor parents and educators.

This section is from the “The Hygienic Care of Children” book, by Herbert M. Shelton. Also available from Amazon: Hygienic Care of Children

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I have kept a journal of my experiences with my children. Sam and I had a difficult time staying on task with his NACD program today and I went back to reread an entry that helps me to keep things in perspective for days such as these.

The Walk

Today was a beautiful spring day, but someone forgot to tell Sam that news. He woke up in his usual fashion, happy and more than willing to give a morning hug and kiss with an enthusiastic, “Goooood Morrrrning, Mommy”. He even drank his juice (which for Sam consists of vitamins, coconut milk kefir and distilled water) which was requested beautifully with a “Mommy, I want juice please”….but that is where the happiness ended. He didn’t want to get dressed which resulted in a full blown sobbing jag along with throwing his clothes across the room. When he finally got dressed his pants were on backwards and after some subtle prompting and complaining they finally got turned around. He didn’t want to start up his daily NACD program…his vocabulary seemed to only consist of a single word “NNNOOOOO”. I tried to give him choices which he was more than happy to scatter across the table. I tried to reason with him which just made the ever present “NO” even louder. I tried to move our program elements outside for more intensity, Sam instead ran off happily waving “Bye Bye”. I tried to turn his running into a learning game, he quickly figured it out and promptly told me to “Go Away”. I brought out his book and began reading it to myself hoping to lure him in…he simply ignored me. I began to pray…because I know when the morning begins this way I quickly lose my intensity and the negative aspects of raising a child with special needs hit me smack in the face. I asked him what was wrong…as if I expected him to simply tell me what was bothering him. I continued to spiral to that place that no special needs parent likes to go.

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1. Empower the kids to be involved in packing, planning and a part of the trip!
2. Purchase those small travel size dry erase boards and plan some activities using them such as: 
   • The Draw Game:  draw a cow, draw an octagon, draw a car, draw the number 48, etc.
   • The True or False Game:  Have the kids put a T for True or an F for False to a series of family questions such as:  Grandma Martha use to drive a motorcycle; Aunt Beth is adopted; You have 4 first cousins; etc.
   • The Person, Place or Thing with 10 clues Game.  Select a category between, person, place or thing and write down the answer and have the kids ask clues to figure out the answer.  For example – for a person, the kids might ask, do I personally know this person or is it someone famous?
   • The Yes or No game:  Ask questions and the kids will write yes or no – Do you like pizza?; Would you like to scuba dive someday?; Might you be a teacher?; Sail the ocean?; Travel to the North Pole?
   • Perfect for Tic-tac-toe and hang man games!
3. Bring books for quiet time reading for the kids to enjoy.  Set the timer and tell the kids it is quiet time to either take a nap or read! I would be happy to send you my books for kid fun or playing school or teacher in the car:  Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten!, the Spanish/English of iA Prepararse Para Kindergarten! or Let’s Get Ready For First Grade!
4. Bring travel size colors and a coloring book with a tray to do activities!
5. Purchase blank books in the dollar bin and create travel journals documenting the trip.  Purchase some vacation themed stickers and allow the kids to either use the camera to take some pictures or get them cheap disposable cameras that they are in charge of using!
6. Print off the computer start and stop maps to where you are going and let them draw points of interest that they have seen along the journey!
7. Bring electronic devises, if they already use and a DVD for movie time!
8. Bring prepacked healthy snacks ready to go to keep the kids happy!
9. Crank up the radio and sign along together to your family favorites!
10. Share family stories about how they will be seeing on the trip or about how mom and dad met, some of the things Grandma and Grandpa use to do and stories when Mom and Dad were kids!
11. Pack travel size cold water for the kids, put them in pull-ups to avoid accidents in the car seat or plane, bring wipes for quick clean ups and toilet paper for emergency stops!
12.  Have an extra change of clothing with easy access as well as favorite stuffed animals and blankets to encourage sleep time.
13. Count to 25 by finding 25 white cars; 25 red cars, trucks, cows, etc.
14. Before you leave home guess the number of VW Bugs you will see along the way or Smart Cars or Windmills or flags and start counting.
15. Play I spy something red, something red, white and blue or something moving, etc.

Smiles – Stacey

Stacey Kannenberg
“Ready To Learn Mom”

Put bedtime bugaboos — and your kids — to rest with these expert solutions.

Evening rituals help teach children when it’s time to go to sleep.

Problem: Your child gets up repeatedly after you’ve put him to bed, calling, “Mom, I need a glass of water.”

Why it happens: Kids make bedtime curtain calls for many reasons. Preschoolers may be asserting their independence: “You can’t make me stay in bed!” Or they stall because they’re afraid of the dark. The most common reason, though, is that you’ve slipped from a consistent routine you had when they were babies.

How to rest easy: Before-bed routines are important for children of all ages, says Lynn D’Andrea, M.D., director of the Pediatric Sleep Disorders Center at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, in Wauwatosa. “Kids start to think, I’ve done my routine — now it’s bedtime,” she says. The evening ritual could be as simple as reading your child a story and wishing him a good night. Another tool is a bedtime pass, a card your child can turn in for one nighttime request. Preschoolers also benefit from rewards (like extra playground time) for staying put.

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It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day routine without thinking too much about where time goes. So, before you find yourself saying, “She grew up so fast!” get in some quality bonding time with your kiddos today.

Challenge 1: Build relationships with your kids

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Smiles – Stacey

Stacey Kannenberg
“Ready To Learn Mom”