| |
| |
|
Parenting Information |
|
|
|
Are Your Kids Driving You Crazy? How Character Building Charts Keep You Sane
Who lives in your house? Are they driving you "crazy?" Do you have a Winnie the Whiner, a Sammy the Slacker, or a Bubba the Bully? Perhaps you've yelled, you've lectured, and you've even spanked to get your Winnie to stop whining, your Sammy to do his chores, and your Bubba to stop hurting his little brother. How can you get your Peter the Cheater to play fair, your Larry the Liar to tell the truth or your Tilly the Tattle to mind her own business? Our greatest task as parents is to raise children with strong healthy characters. Let's find out how Character-Building Charts helped one mother and how they can help you too. I remember counseling a young boy who was a 'Sammy the Slacker.' One day his teacher confided, "When I tell my class, 'Children, please take out your readers,' Sammy leans back in his chair, his arms hanging over its back, and calls out, 'I can't find my book!' Sure enough, a little girl scrambles over, looks his messy desk, and finds it for him." Sammy irritated his teacher, lost the respect of his classmates, and had no friends. These are not the consequences most parents want for their children. To help Sammy, I worked with his parents, especially his mother. I found out that her mother and grandmother believed it was their duty to be servants to their families. They were to pick up after everyone, do all the housework, and be happy too. Sammy's mom finally understood that she was spoiling her child, making him weak, dependent, and distasteful to others. She decided to turn off the internal voices of her mother and grandmother. Sammy's mother did three things: 1. Wrote out age-appropriate chores for Sammy 2. Created a chart to help build his character 3. Worked with Sammy to choose a goal for his chart Sammy's mother learned that goals must be clear, simple, and positive. At the top of Sammy's chart he wrote, "My goal is to do my own work and then help others." Sammy's mom strengthed her bond with Sammy by: 1. Offering stickers for his chart 2. Creating a cost-free bonding activity list 3. Offering Sammy the choice of a bonding activity to do together when he earned a certain number of stickers Once the chart was created, they posted it on the refrigerator. Sammy's mom knew she had to encourage his improvements by: 1. Being consistent in rewarding Sammy. 2. Offering his stickers soon after he completed a task 3. Scheduling his bonding activity soon after he earned enough stickers Because Sammy's mom was positive and consistent in rewarding him, he went from being Sammy the Slacker to becoming Sammy the Helper. His teacher sent home reports of improvement and, slowly but surely, Sammy made friends. Whether you have a Billy the Blamer, a Gretta the Greedy, or a child with some other problem behavior, consider using CHARACTER-BUILDING CHARTS. You'll be teaching your child responsibility, self-discipline, and teamwork. You'll even enjoy finding out who lives in your house. You'll be saner and happier and you'll be building character too. Character Building Charts and a Bonding Activities List have been created for your convenience. About the Author: Jean Tracy, Edmonds, WA, USA Jean Tracy,MSS, invites you to build character in young hearts and growing minds. To raise awesome kids with solid characters, sign up for her FREE Parenting Newsletter. Download her FREE bonding activities, parenting tips, and parenting articles at, http://www.KidsDiscuss.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Parenting - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The Cost of Competition on Kids The subject of competition is one that provokes some pretty strong feelings in the United States. In fact, even hinting that competition might not be such a great thing can cause one to be labeled un-American. Who Are Your Kids Talking To Online? Studies have shown that:1 out of 4 children were sent pictures of people who werenaked or having sex?1 out of 5 children were solicited for sex on the Internet50% of people have made phone calls with someone thechatted with online.Do you know what strangers are saying to your kids?What can you do to protect your children from unscrupulouspeople in the Internet?Today's children, and specially teens, spend more time onthe computer. Pieces of Time and Pivotal Moments Life is comprised of pieces of time sprinkled with pivotal moments. Sometimes these moments have immediate impact. Parents Demand Dumbed-down Tests:An Unintended Bad Consequence of the No Child Left Behind Act The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is making the problem of cheating, low academic standards, and public schools lying to parents, even worse. Under this Act, the Department of Education now requires students to pass standardized tests. From Go Fast Kids to Calm Kids How excited do kids get with the start of school approaching? Getting kids to go from the freedom of school holidays to move to that place of being settled and ready for school can be a challenge for some parents. Many children now days are identified as being ADD and ADHD I call these kids "go fasts" and the transition from holidays to school can be a bit more of a challenge for these kids. 10 Points on Children for the New Parent I remember when my daughter was born, later my son. According to many well meaning individuals, I should've done this, should've done that and maybe improved in some areas. Consistent Boundaries Makes Discipline Easier Homes should be run by parents, not children. So many times, however, either the children are in charge or the parents are so eager to be liked, that whatever rules and standards are talked about, few are enforced, especially on a consistent basis. Raise Awesome Kids! This 4-Point Plan Gets Results Are your children truthful, kind, and helpful? If so, read no further. If not, please listen to Colby and his mom. What Julia Roberts has to Say about Motherhood Julia Roberts recently gave birth to twins: Hazel and Phinnaeus. At 37, America's Pretty Woman couldn't be happier in her new role of motherhood. Is it ADHD or Bi-Polar Disorder? Bi-Polar Disorder, or Manic Depression, is characterized by mood swings, sometimes extreme, ranging from depressed to normal moods, or from depressed to manic episodes. Manic behaviors are often very similar to "hyperactive" behaviors, including motor restlessness, irritability, temper outbursts, sleeping less, or having higher levels of energy. Responding to Criticism Without Being Defensive In an actual war, to be attacked means to have our survival threatened. Thus, we might chose between surrender, withdrawal, or counterattack. Childhood Friendships Childhood friendships are as special as they are a necessary part of growing up. While some of our children will maintain these friendships into adulthood, many will not. Let's Google and Yahoo Our Kids' Education I love Google and Yahoo. With Google and Yahoo I can search the Internet on any subject that interests me, at any time day or night, in the comfort of my home. Learning Responsibility is a Lifelong Process Learning responsibility is an ever widening and lifelongprocess.As thinking, acting human beings we have the ability to choose our responseto events, people and circumstances. Send Your Child to College FREE! College is one of the largest expenses through the course of your childâ??s life. It is also one of the main causes of debt in America. How to Raise Creative Kids "Where did he come up with that?" Kids often amaze us with their imaginative ideas, and we should give ourselves a pat on the back for playing a role in this development. Innovative thinking is essential for success in school and in life, and it's our job as parents to nurture our kids' innate desire to be creative. Create a Story Book with Your Child A fun way to build your child's imaginationWriting is still one of our major forms of communication as well as a great way to express ourselves. Creating a storybook with your child is a fun way to introduce him or her to creative writing. Positive Parenting of Teenagers: Helping Your Teen Understand What I Cant Afford It Means Because most teens have not had the experience of getting to the end of the money before the end of the month, the words, ``I can't afford it,'' have little or no meaning.Here's what can happen in lots of homes:``Mom, can I get a new (fill in the blank)?''``No, honey, I'm sorry, but we can't afford it. How to Help Your Children to Blossom I am writing this from the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina in the southeastern region of the United States.It is gorgeous here in April, with trees covered in white or pink blossoms, masses of yellow forsythia in bloom and flowers of many colors bursting forth in gardens and along the roadsides. Guerilla Parenting Techniques: What Are They? When you hear the phrase, 'guerrilla parenting techniques', what images come to mind? I see a big, broad shouldered soldier, dressed in green fatigues, with brown paint on his face. His chest is crisscrossed with ammunition for the guns strapped on his legs.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
