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Parent Newsletters - Issue 11

No Limits Learning
kids goals Ezine

Issue 11, JUNE 17, /06

IN THIS PARENT NEWSLETTER

1. A WORD FROM THE EDITORS

2. THE FAMILY PET
3. TEACHING YOUR CHILDREN MANNERS
4. KIDS CORNER COOKING AND CRAFTS
5. TICKLE YOUR FUNNYBONE (JOKES FOR KIDS BY KIDS)
6. WORDS OF INSPIRATION
7. SPONSORS

1. A WORD FROM THE EDITORS

Welcome to the next issue of the kidsgoals.com Newsletter.

We have all heard of the health benefits that come from having a pet for the elderly, including preventing heart disease, lowering high blood pressure and combating depression. Caring for a beloved pet can also prevent isolation and loneliness for elderly people. Children also get great benefits from owning a pet. Studies suggest that children who have pets have stronger immune systems and are less likely to miss school because of sickness. In this issue you will find information on the benefits of owning a pet as well as tips on how to choose the appropriate pet for your child.

Of course owning a pet also helps a child learn how to be more responsible, which can help them in many ways, including their relationships with others. On this note, our other feature article this time addresses the issue of politeness and good manners for children. Many people agree that a lack of manners is a growing problem in our society. Cassie and I hope you will find the article on manners for your children informative and help you with some suggestions on how to make learning good manners fun in your family.

Please note. Cassie and I have started a blog which you can click on from the menu in the main http://www.kidsgoals.com website. We will be posting tips, information and anecdotes from time to time and would love to hear from all our subscribers (just click on the “comment” link under the blog post). What’s on your mind??? If there is someone you think will benefit from this free ezine please invite him or her to join our growing list of subscribers. The More the Merrier.

Monicka

2. THE FAMILY PET

One of the best ways for a child to learn responsibility is to let them care for a pet. By showing your children what it takes to be responsible for a living creature’s survival they are actually learning important social skills. A child who learns to care for a pet and treat it kindly and with patience will learn to treat people the same way.

In order to make owning a family pet a positive experience the parent or caregiver must discuss with the child what it will take to keep the newest member of the family happy and healthy.

How to choose the right pet - It is very important to choose a pet that is right for your home and your lifestyle and one that your child can easily care for. It must also be age appropriate. Exotic animals such as an iguana or tarantula spider may be difficult to care for and should be considered carefully. What is most important is that the whole family discusses which choice is best.

• Make a list of the types of pets everyone likes
• Take into consideration how much time and energy your family is willing to devote to pet care
• How much money are you willing to spend - take into consideration vet costs, a healthy diet and proper equipment
• If you are thinking about a dog, do you have a fenced in yard or live near a green space?
• Take into consideration how long the pet will live and how big he will grow
• Special issues - Are you or any family members allergic to certain pets, are pets permitted if you are renting, who will care for your pet when you are away?
• Think about your child’s physical ability, temperament and age - please note that children under the age of five should never be left alone with a pet, the risk of injury to your child or the pet is too great

There are many pets to choose from; if you take all the above into consideration you should be able to find a good match for your family.

As well as the above-mentioned, having a pet can also help your child prepare for life situations such as going to the physician because they are familiar with their pet going to the vet for routine check-ups, or easing the transition of suddenly having to share their parent’s attention when a new sibling arrives. A pet can demonstrate to a child how much fun a new playmate can be.

When choosing a pet, keep into consideration that both your children and the new pet need parenting. They will both need supervision and limits need to be set. Unquestionably the responsibility of the pet belongs to the adult and not the child. Your child will learn to treat animals well by watching how you treat your pet. They will observe as you feed, exercise and give your pet attention.

Learning to care for a pet can make a child feel capable and give them a feeling of accomplishment. Make sure to choose tasks that are age appropriate for your child. Filling the pet’s food and water dish or helping to select a new toy or assisting with grooming can involve even really young children.

Following these tips, I hope you will find that you, your family and your new pet will have many happy times together!

By Monicka

3. MANNERS FOR CHILDREN

Manners for children are a great gift. By teaching your child manners you are enabling him to interact positively with those around him. Teaching a child good manners will help him be liked and respected by adults as well as his peers, which will give him more confidence, setting up a positive spiral.

Children should learn that good manners means more than just following protocols like which cutlery to use, and more even than using the right words. “Please” and “thank you” mean so much more when they are said with genuine feeling.

Here are some ideas to help you help your child practice good manners.

Table manners – set a good example, because your children will for the most part unconsciously pick up table manners from their parents. For extra fun – and polish! - schedule special dinners for the whole family where everyone dresses up and practices his or her best manners. It’s just a game – but as we know the best learning takes place when children are enjoying themselves.

Thank you notes - have a special drawer with notelets, writing paper, nice pens and envelopes to make it easy for your child to write prompt thank you notes after receiving a gift or when someone has done something nice for them. Even in this age of electronic communication, everyone loves getting a personal, thoughtful hand written note.

The tone of voice we use is just as important as which words we say. To get this idea across, you could ask your child to say the same sentence in various tones of voice. For example, you could ask him to say, “I want some juice,” in a demanding tone, a bossy tone, a pleasant tone and a whining tone. If you record this into a tape recorder, and play it back to him, it will help him learn how to speak pleasantly without whining or sounds bossy. Again – make it a game, and take part yourself too – so that the learning takes place in a fun environment.

Remember to be polite TO your child. If we forget to say Please and Thank you when we want our children to do something for us, how can we expect them to remember when they want something?

Phone manners – once your child is getting close to the age of being old enough to answer the phone, why not play games that help her understand how to talk politely on the phone? Simple phrases like “Who would you like to talk to?” and “Just a minute please,” will make the caller feel comfortable – not to mention impressed with your polite child!

The influence of TV and movies – It can be a real shock to hear our child repeat something rude, especially if we know we don’t use that word in our household. We need to be aware that if they are allowed to watch TV and movies, children will pick up new vocabulary. To minimize the damage to our children’s manners, it’s a good idea to have a simple discussion about the fact that movies are for entertainment and don’t represent real life. Once this is repeated a few times, the child should be able to appreciate that just because he’s heard something on TV it is not necessarily OK to use it at home. You may have to remind him of this fairly often, but it is well worth the effort. Always remember to scold the behavior and not the child! Never tell your child he has been rude, but say that the word or behavior was rude.

Finally, as with any other behavior we want to encourage in our children, we must remember to praise as often as possible! To encourage good manners for your child, tell her how proud you are of her when she is polite and helpful, tell her repeatedly how much you appreciate her good manners, and she will want to be that way more and more often.

By Cassie

4. KIDS CORNER COOKING AND CRAFTS

Home made Napkin Rings

For those special family dinners when everyone is practicing their best manners!

What you need:

• Craft paper
• Scissors
• Crayons or glue and glitter for decoration

Print off the template we have uploaded for you at Napkin Ring Craft Template and use it to cut out however many napkin rings you need for all the family.

Cut the slit where it is marked.

Dab some glue in the middle of the arrow shape, which has the slit.

Push the point of the other arrow shape through the slit from underneath, not all the way but far enough to make a star shape. Press the ring together until the glue dries.

Now decorate your napkin ring as desired! You might want to personalize it so each family member has their own ring with their name, or their initials.

LIVER COOKIES FOR YOUR DOG

Warning: This recipe is rather smelly!

Ingredients:

• 500g raw liver (any kind is fine, you can just ask your butcher for some cheap liver for your dog)
• 125g plain flour
• 1 large egg
• Teaspoon of mustard or garlic (for extra tasty cookies, use both!)

Put all the ingredients into a blender and blend until you have a smooth, thick mixture. It should be a pourable consistency.

Line a large shallow baking tray with baking paper and pour the mixture on. Spread it out to about ¼ or ½ inch thickness.

Bake in a medium to hot oven for about 20 minutes or until a knife stuck in the cookies comes out clean.

Turn out, let cool then cut into small squares with a pizza cutter. Now you have some great tasting treats to help train your dog with!

5. TICKLE YOUR FUNNYBONE

A dog goes into a hardware store and says: "I'd like a job please."
The hardware store owner says: "We don't hire dogs, why don't you go join the circus?"
The dog replies: "What would the circus want with a plumber!?"

They crossed a Collie and a Lhasa Apso.
The new breed is a Collapso, a dog that folds up for easy transport.

They crossed a Spitz and a Chow-Chow.
The new breed is a Spitz-Chow, a dog that throws up a lot.

Q. What is more amazing than a talking dog?
A. A spelling bee

6. WORDS OF INSPIRATION

"A boy can learn a lot from a dog: obedience, loyalty, and the importance of turning around three times before lying down." --Robert Benchley

"Children are natural mimics who act like their parents despite every effort to teach them good manners." --Author unknown

"A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of." --Ogden Nash

"Dachshunds are ideal dogs for small children, as they are already stretched and pulled to such a length that the child cannot do much harm one way or the other." --Robert Benchley

"The hardest job kids face today is learning good manners without seeing any." --Fred Astaire

7. SPONSORS

If you can suggest any organizations or websites that might want to sponsor this newsletter, or reprint our articles, please email Cassie or Monicka at kidsgoals.com.

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