Manners & Etiquette
Question:
Recently
our 3 children have started to call each other names such as idiot!
My husband says this is harmless, but I am offended.
Is this acceptable behavior as long as it stays at home?
*Miss
Lori suggests:
Name – calling that is
hurtful is never acceptable, no matter where it takes place. There are
times that name - calling between siblings is nothing more than kids being
silly.
A
good way to deal with name-calling is to set some ground rules. Talk about
the difference between hurtful words and harmless joking. If the name
makes the other child feel bad by zeroing in on a sensitive subject-looks
or intelligence, for instance-its off limits. This is a good time to teach
your kids to deal with anger in appropriate ways.
When someone says something upsetting, your child can say, “That
made me mad, please do not do it anymore!” Rather than lashing out with
mean words or name calling.
Importance of Play
Messy Fun!
It is normal, even healthy for
preschoolers to make messes. Not only is it exciting it is also enriching.
Two and Three years-olds gather information by seeing, smelling, tasting,
and touching things.
By simply describing an object to a child with words, their brain will not
retain half as much as if they were holding the object.
Give your child plenty of
opportunities to use their senses in every way.
Give them an area inside and outside where it is okay to explore
and make a mess.
Set up an art table inside and load it with crayons, finger paints, play
dough. Don’t forget the
coloring books, cookie cutters, and a rolling pin.
Designate a place outdoors and stock it with bubbles, pails, paintbrushes,
chalk and water toys.
Be creative and add new ideas to the
areas. Such as using pudding
for finger painting or having them paint the sidewalk with water and a
paintbrush.
Don’t
forget the importance of teaching them to clean up after they play.
Give them jobs that are age appropriate, such as putting the play
dough back in the containers, while you place the tops on to make sure
they are air tight.
By encouraging clean up, you’ll help build her confidence and
bring playtime to a neat time.Craft
Idea:
Creative Outdoor Activity.
On a nice sunny day, get an old sheet and hang it on
the clothesline or the fence. Fill
spray bottles with colored water! Give
the bottles to the children and ask them to decorate for you.
It can always be used as a sheet for their bed or as a tablecloth.
Summer Hint 
Don’t forget to pack baby powder when going to the
beach or the lake! Sprinkle powder all over your child and yourself and
brush the sand off like magic.
Summer Activity 
Bring
excitement to a rainy day, go outside and play in the rain!
Make mud pies & jump in puddles for a big splash!
Quite messy, but very fun for a young child.
Clean up is easy, take wet clothes off in the garage, wrap up in a
towel and take a shower.
Parenting
10 tips
on being a better parent
- Praise
you child’s random acts of kindness.
- Stop
arguing with a screaming child.
- Read
bedtime stories as often as possible.
- Drop
one event per week. Make time for your child.
- Get
physical with your child, hold hands, give hugs, tousle the hair, and
scratch their back.
- Imagine
the best not the worst.
- See
the world through your child’s eyes.
- Let
go a little. Delegate.
- Sometimes
just hang out together
- Smile
More
Some
words from Miss Lori:
Hope you have enjoyed Sqedunk's newsletter. Please e-mail me your comments, suggestions, or questions. I
love to hear from you!
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Have
you ordered your copy of Finger
Plays with Miss Lori yet?
*Please
understand that these are just suggestions and ideas from Miss Lori's many
years of education and experience in early childhood.
Miss Lori does not claim to be an expert, just full of ideas!
Sqedunk Suggestions
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