Each year, distracted and overwrought parents leave their unattended kids in cars, subjecting them to danger of several types. On days where the temperatures are warm, the danger of being left in a locked car with the windows up can be extreme, high temperatures inside the car can cause injury or even death in a shorter time than most parents realize. The topic of car safety for children is one that is very much in the public focus due to several cases where children were left in their car seats, quietly asleep as parents inadvertently forgot about them.

Something as simple as just a visual reminder on the window of the car could have prevented this from happening. A colorful and eye catching graphic that helps the distracted and hurried parent remember to always, one hundred percent of the time, check their back seat and make sure that there is nothing they are overlooking.

These same reminders that work for the sleeping and quiet child in the car can be used to enhance the safety of dogs in cars. The leaving of a dog in the car for any length of time on a warm day or even a sunny winter day, can be dangerous for the dog. It is wise to be always conscious of the fact that we are busy and lost in our own thoughts and that checking our cars inside completely before walking away from them every time can be a life saving habit, reinforced by the reminders we have on our windows.

The goal of better car safety for kids is prompted by the tragic and near tragic experiences of other parents who have seen how just a few moments of being extra conscientious can make a huge difference. It is always better to be safe than sorry and this simple habit can give peace of mind to your entire day and prevent a terrible mistake from impacting your life forever.

Be aware and be consistent, form the habit of making sure your car interior is empty and safe before you lock the car and walk away. There is nothing wrong with double checking your back seat for a sleeping child or pet.

That simple glance behind you could end up saving a life and keeping yours on track. The guilt that some parents feel when they lose a child or pet is horrible. Be safe, and aware to avoid this happening to you.

All to often car safety for children and leaving dogs in cars on hot summer days is over-looked. Emma’s Inspirations helps remind parents of these dangers with simple window cling stickers that can be placed on any car… And Save a Life! Find out more at EmmasinspIrations.com.

One of the delights of Clinical Hypnosis work is introducing a simple breathing technique to children – and adults – adapted from Joyce C. Mill’s work, which she calls “The Magic Happy Breath”. In these days of color codes for security, not just for ozone levels, rising stress levels, etc., remembering how to enjoy the breath we take in seems vital.

I first ask children to show me how they take a deep breath. Invariably, they adorably screw their foreheads in concentration, tighten assorted muscle groups, breathe in noisily through their mouths and lift their shoulders up during their intake breath. I explain that their lungs aren’t located in their shoulders, but in their back, where they wings would be. The children usually laugh. I demonstrate taking a hearty breath – closed mouth intake; loud and silly long outtake of breath. I hold my diaphragm area and show the child how I push out with my intake breath, filling and emptying my lungs as if inflating and deflating a balloon.

I ask the children to think of what they would like to feel when breathing in – and then whether that feeling (i.e., “good”, “peaceful”, “happy”, etc) has a color (e.g., I ask “what does that feeling look like?”), texture (e.g., asking “is it velvety, bubbly, smooth, fizzy?”), temperature (e.g., asking “does it feel warm or cool?”), flavor (e.g., “strawberry, peach-mango, etc.?), smell, etc. Then I do the same thing with a more “uncomfortable or “upset” feeling they might want to “breathe out”. I help children associate the comfortable and uncomfortable feelings, colors, textures, smells, etc with breathing in and out.

I emphasize to the children that they need to breathe out longer than they breathe in – by dramatically exaggerating my outtake breath. I explain that people can’t feel relaxed and upset at the same time, using the child’s own words. I invite the children to explore this way of breathing and to enjoy doing so whenever they can, even in school or public places. While they breathe in, I do as well. While they exhale, I point out that for their next breath out, they make sure that whatever specific uncomfortable feeling they are breathing out is still “coloring” the tips of their ears, eyelashes, fingers and toes. In this way, I can teach the child to quickly scan for any residual tension or discomfort and deepen their breathing and sense of connection to feeling more comfortable. Please feel free to enjoy this experience, whatever age you are, as often and with much gusto!

Dr. Heiko Training offers newly minted therapists as well as seasoned mental health professionals opportunities for training in Sandplay™ certification, ASCH Clinical Hypnosis certification, practice consultation and supervision for psychologists requiring a NC license.

When it comes to toddler clothing, the most important things for many active, little children is comfort. Toddlers want to be able to move around and play in their clothes and always be comfortable as they do so. Toddlers are often not as concerned with style as adults are when it comes to their clothing which is why getting the right clothing options for your toddler is so important. This is precisely why so many toddlers love wearing denim jeans. Jeans can look nice enough or formal enough to wear in public and to other events, yet jeans are often loose and comfortable enough for any toddler to run, move around and enjoy themselves.

While your toddler may want, or need new toddler jeans, many parents often look for ways to spend less money when buying children’s clothing. Saving money in today’s tough economic times is important for many parents who feel as though they are spending too much on their children’s clothing. Fortunately, there are ways for parents to still get their toddlers quality denim clothing without having to spend too much to do so. If parents want to get their children affordable denim options that will still be of high quality, then there are a few ways they can do so.

Many times, finding affordable denim is easier than most parents think. Many times it is all about doing small things to help you save money, so you can still get quality, denim products that you know will last at a fraction of the cost. One of the best things that any parent can do is to sign up for a company’s newsletter or rewards program. Most clothing stores, especially those that sell children’s clothing will have some type of newsletter that you can sign up for and receive special offers with. They often even invite you to private sales for extra savings. This is a great way to start saving money. You can also sign up for different online coupon sites to find more ways to save.

If you have a favorite toddler jeans retailer or brand you may also want to try shopping for your toddler jeans online. Since toddler jeans come in fairly basic sizes, unlike adult clothing, many parents aren’t as worried about exact fit with their toddler jeans. When you shop online, many companies will offer lower prices and may not even charge as much sales tax, meaning more savings for you. Also many stores offer special savings specifically for online shoppers.

When it comes to buying affordable denim, many times the key for parents is to shop around. Many parents are eventually able to find a retailer that will provide quality denim at great prices. With a little time and research and looking into different stores, coupons, and sales many parents are able to find great deals on toddler jeans without sacrificing quality. This will help any parent save as they give their toddlers the fun, comfortable denim that they want.

This article is written by S.E. Seoh, a children’s clothing connoisseur. For more information regarding toddler jeans please visit http://www.carters.com/Denim-Shop/oshkosh-denim-shop,default,sc.html.

One of the delights of Clinical Hypnosis work is introducing a simple breathing technique to children – and adults – adapted from Joyce C. Mill’s work, which she calls “The Magic Happy Breath”. In these days of color codes for security, not just for ozone levels, rising stress levels, etc., remembering how to enjoy the breath we take in seems vital.

I first ask children to show me how they take a deep breath. Invariably, they adorably screw their foreheads in concentration, tighten assorted muscle groups, breathe in noisily through their mouths and lift their shoulders up during their intake breath. I explain that their lungs aren’t located in their shoulders, but in their back, where they wings would be. The children usually laugh. I demonstrate taking a hearty breath – closed mouth intake; loud and silly long outtake of breath. I hold my diaphragm area and show the child how I push out with my intake breath, filling and emptying my lungs as if inflating and deflating a balloon.

I ask the children to think of what they would like to feel when breathing in – and then whether that feeling (i.e., “good”, “peaceful”, “happy”, etc) has a color (e.g., I ask “what does that feeling look like?”), texture (e.g., asking “is it velvety, bubbly, smooth, fizzy?”), temperature (e.g., asking “does it feel warm or cool?”), flavor (e.g., “strawberry, peach-mango, etc.?), smell, etc. Then I do the same thing with a more “uncomfortable or “upset” feeling they might want to “breathe out”. I help children associate the comfortable and uncomfortable feelings, colors, textures, smells, etc with breathing in and out.

I emphasize to the children that they need to breathe out longer than they breathe in – by dramatically exaggerating my outtake breath. I explain that people can’t feel relaxed and upset at the same time, using the child’s own words. I invite the children to explore this way of breathing and to enjoy doing so whenever they can, even in school or public places. While they breathe in, I do as well. While they exhale, I point out that for their next breath out, they make sure that whatever specific uncomfortable feeling they are breathing out is still “coloring” the tips of their ears, eyelashes, fingers and toes. In this way, I can teach the child to quickly scan for any residual tension or discomfort and deepen their breathing and sense of connection to feeling more comfortable. Please feel free to enjoy this experience, whatever age you are, as often and with much gusto!

Dr. Heiko Training offers newly minted therapists as well as seasoned mental health professionals opportunities for training in Sandplay™ certification, ASCH Clinical Hypnosis certification, practice consultation and supervision for psychologists requiring a NC license.

Every year millions of children and teenagers from around the world descend upon the multiple of children’s summer camps at their disposal. These kids camps are perfect for confidence boosting as well as providing a good physical work out for your child. The first thing you need to decide is what type of camp to send them too.

There are two types of camp; Day Camps and Residential Camps. If this will be your child’s first time away at a camp then I suggest choosing a day camp to test the waters so to speak. If you are willing to let go for a longer time period then opt for a residential summer camp, these are the type of camps where the real fun can be had.

The next thing to do is decide exactly what you want your children to be doing during their camp experience. Of course involve your child in this decision process as much as possible.

Many people tend to opt for more traditional kids summer camps where the child will take part in a wide variety of activities ranging from hiking to swimming with a hefty dose of confidence building activities such as drama thrown in for good measure. This is the type of camp I suggest if you want the best all round experience.

The next type of kids summer camps which I wish to discuss are Sports Camps. As the name suggest these camps focus on certain types of sport. Your child will be getting an absolutely fantastic work out whilst on these camps. There is a whole range of different sports available from skateboarding to fishing to motocross as well as the usual suspects of football, hockey and basketball.

If your child loves education then I suggest sending them away to an academic camp. Each camp will be geared towards learning about a subject in a fun way. Camps include Marine Sciences and Robotics. Send your child here if you are looking to further their interest in a specific subject.

If your child loves a bit of adventure then send them away to an adventure camp where they will learn things such as fending for themselves in the wild as well as taking part in thrilling activities such as rock climbing and abseiling.

Special Interest camps are similar to academic camps but there is a lot less focus on the education. The diverse ranges of camps here include Aviation, Chess and Weight Loss Camps.

If your child has a religious background then you may consider sending them to a religious camp. Check with your child first whether this is what they want to do as the activities will be a lot more different to other camps.

If your child has a disability then I suggest sending them to a special needs camp. Here they will get the support that they need in an environment properly equipped to deal with them.

There are also many kids summer camps available in overseas locations. I suggest looking into these if you wish to provide your child with an experience that they would never normally get the chance to take part in.

I hope this article has helped you learn more about kids summer camps and the type of adventures that your child will be able to take part in. Trust me, send your child away to summer camp and they will come back a whole new person. It’s these experiences that really help shape a child’s life.

http://www.parties4kidz.ca/

Kids have a quantity of choices when it is time to select a bed. Just like adults they need to get comfort for the duration of their rest. The beds should be comfortable and practical. This could enable them use the bed for a quantity of years. This is important considering that small children grow fast and may possibly force the mothers and fathers to change their beds quite constantly. The age of the little one can also be relative when it comes to selecting a location for sleeping.

Kids mid sleeper comes in various sizes and patterns. Young children enjoy the height once they sleep and enjoy getting fun through having to climb ladders even once they go to sleep. Some of these beds also include slides or stairs instead ladders. Children’s mid sleeper gives parents, who have minimal space, the opportunity to become inventive and use the available area for their kid’s other necessities. These beds are either made of metal or wood and come in a variety of attractive designs. Price of these sleepers vary significantly from store to store and, therefore, are within the reach of most mothers and fathers.

Mid sleeper beds are usually used by any school going children of 4 years and over as they offer optimum support through the available rails. It is really impossible to your kid to slip and fall through their sleep as they come with support on the sides. These beds are perfect for a kid’s room and might fit into any room comfortably.

There are three kinds of mid sleeper beds:

A Standard Raised Bed

This is a raised bed with generous storage area underneath that may be great for a play area or other kids furniture items. Some of these beds can come already with colourful tents or curtains. They create playful environment that assists your child keep existing and encouraged. The under bed tents or curtains usually have little cut-out holes or windows and the place under bed becomes like a den. Your little one will have entertaining playtime and additional place in the room with the simple mid sleeper bed.

Mid Sleeper Cabin Bed

It is an excellent area saving option as has storage beneath it. Some of those beds come with shelves, drawers or cupboards which assist teach small children organisation at a tender age. They will likely be looking forward to getting their own area within their sleeping quarters and learning to keep it tidy. Mid sleeper cabin bed is ideally suited for holding all your kid’s goods in a single place – underneath the bed and having additional free place for actively playing.

Mid Sleeper Bed with Desk

Mothers and fathers are able to create a kid personality by purchasing them some of this amazing mid sleeper with table designs. It will give them a possibility to feel independent through having their own space in which they are able to read, do their homework and above-all rest. It can also save even more area picking out this type of bed with pull-out table. It lies underneath the bed frame and is quickly available when required.

If you have purchased only a raised bed frame, you can easily transform your child’s bedroom with mid sleeper tent. It is possible to select from Disney Princess, Disney Pixar Cars or Hello Kitty themes. This item will suddenly build a great feature that additionally offers your little one with hours of creative play. Kids should not be left out when shopping for his or her beds.

Here is a wide choice of children’s mid sleeper beds and mid sleeper tents in our on-line store. Compare and pick out the ideal one for your little one.

A typical day in a classroom encompasses the needs of a particular cohort of students. However each member of the cohort brings different home life experience, different learning experiences their own strengths/weaknesses and likes/dislikes to the classroom environment. While teachers are compelled to program their learning in a way that meets the needs of all students in their care, it is unrealistic to believe this can be accomplished for all students. This is where tutoring begins to bridge the gap between home and school.

A good tutor assesses the student’s most pressing needs and focuses their teaching plan in that area. Programs that attempt to cover a broad amount of material, defeat the benefits of one on one tutoring. However, an intuitive tutor, who has determined the ability level of the student, will be able to target specific areas of learning until the student shows progress. For example a student might be able to use interesting vocabulary and demonstrate mastery with spelling, but may have no idea how to use grammar correctly. A tutor can assist a student to improve their own writing by instructing them how to proof read and edit for punctuation in a written composition. Thus, the intensity of focus between tutor and student allows for a high level of progress and improvement of grades.

A child who is struggling with phonemic awareness will experience substantial improvement with one on one tutoring. Here, the tutor is able to target the sounds and blends a student has not acquired in previous learning. The opportunity for such specific and explicit teaching is self directed by the student’s needs. It allows the tutor to encourage the student in their learning as they very quickly begin to read using the sounds and blends that had not been retained previously.

This type of work is an intensive focus on the needs of one student rather than a larger group. It allows the student to take risks they would otherwise be embarrassed to in a larger group. Very quickly a shift in confidence is evident as the student begins to conquer previously difficult concepts.

Similarly with Mathematics, a student may find difficulty with particular strands or concepts. A tutor can hone in on these problems and provide intensive one on one support for an extended lesson. The opportunity to model these concepts directly to the student’s needs and ability level, is a powerful way to encourage confidence and independence as students learn each new topic more thoroughly at their own pace. Difficulties can be discerned by the tutor, who in turn assesses when the student is ready to take the next step. The problem with the formal school setting is that students often need to move on before they have understood the previous lessons on the topic. This is where gaps occur and where tutors can support the aims of the student’s formal teacher.

A “switched on” tutor would also focus on building a trust relationship with the student. This allows the student to share the challenges and difficulties they are experiencing at school with their tutor. This type of dialogue allows the tutor to best understand the unique learning styles and preferences of the student and to therefore plan accordingly. It also allows for a relationship of trust to develop which assists the students level of engagement in their learning.

My experience as a one on one tutor in the United Kingdom proved the power of one on one tutoring to me. Students who didn’t know basic sounds, were unable to read simple consonant/vowel/consonant words and had difficulty writing legibly, demonstrated significant improvement in a four week, one hour a day program.

In conclusion, while the formal school provides a stimulating environment for students to learn, there is a very important place for one on one tutoring. A child’s learning is like a jigsaw puzzle. If there are pieces missing, the end product will be incomplete and gaps in their learning will be evident. The benefits of one on one tutoring are many. A good tutor will diagnose the gaps in learning, fill them in with one on one explicit teaching and assist the student to work confidently and independently.

http://www.nepeantutoring.com.au

As an elementary school principal it amazes me how different what we offer at my school is from other schools, even in the same district. Also amazing is that parents sometimes are clueless as to how their children’s school days are being spent. If you are parent, arm yourself with these questions to ask your child’s teacher today!

1. Do you work with a teacher assistant? What training and experience does she have? How often is she alone with the students? Younger grade students may spend a significant part of the day with a paraprofessional such as a teacher assistant. This person often is just as important in your child’s life as the teacher. See if you can get a feel for how well the teacher assistant works with the teacher.

2. What home work do you have, and how does it enhance my child’s learning? How is it graded? Regardless of the school’s policy for homework, philosophies differ greatly among teachers. Some teachers don’t value homework at all, and they believe that children should have some time off after school. Other teachers depend on the child getting extra reinforcement at home.

3. Will my child be taking field trips? How do they fit into the curriculum? How much will they cost? Who will supervise them? Who approves field trips? What percentage of the class will go on the trips? Field trips are important, because they add valuable context to what your child will be learning. Your first priority is to make sure children are properly supervised when off campus. Your second priority is to make sure field trips appropriately enhance what your child is learning in the classroom.

4. How often will my child participate in phonics instruction compared to whole language instruction? A great divide exists among teachers when it comes to how much phonics instruction should be available to students. If the teacher looks at you like a dear in the headlights, assume she relies mostly in while language instruction, since phonetics takes quite a bit of expertise.

5. What is your philosophy on classroom discipline and management? Are students rewarded for good behavior? Are they punished? What kinds of incidents warrant office referrals to the principal?

6. How are children recognized for their academics? How a teacher recognizes children might provide you with insight on what to focus on at home. The fact that students are rewarded with points for reading library books, for example, but not even given a grade for most writing assignments gives you important information about what is valued at the school.

7. What math manipulatives will my child be working with? How often are students working with real world math problems? Math should always be put into context for children. Otherwise it won’t mean anything. Likewise student should often be using small props, called manipulatives, so that they can learn math concepts by physically precipitating the concepts.

8. What summer enrichment activities do you recommend to prepare for your grade level and for the next grade level?

9. In what grade levels and schools have you taught previously? A kindergarten teacher who has also taught first or second grade probably has insight on how to prepare your child for the years ahead. A third grade teacher who has taught only kindergarten in the past may struggle with the change,

10. How will my child be assessed? What kinds of reports will I have access to? What resources are available to helping me understand the reports?

11. How much time will my child have in each subject area, especially science and social studies? Reading and math subject areas get the most emphasis in elementary school. This is partly because they are foundation courses and partly because they are tested. Even so, science, social studies, and the arts are important and should have a regular presence in the school week.

12. How much nonfiction will my child be exposed to? Traditionally, the emphasis in reading was on fiction. Teachers love to teach short stories in the elementary grades. However, the federal government’s Common Core curriculum emphasizes informational sources. After all, adult readers are more likely to be reading instruction manuals, recipes, lists, magazine articles, and instructional websites, and students should be familiar with this kind of reading in addition to fiction. Be sure that your child’s teacher has made the switch!

13. How many books can my child check out from the media center? How do you monitor the reading of library books? How do you know the books are on the appropriate reading level?

14. How do you communicate with parents? What information can I expect to see on your web page?

15. What technology is available to my child? Is there an interactive white board in the classroom? Do students get to use it? Are the textbooks online? Are there free online resources we can use at home? Are quarterly benchmarks online? Is the school participating in a one to one computer initiative or planning to?

In conclusion, the more a parent knows about his or her child’s school day activities, the more the child can be supported at home. Schools are able to offer many, many resources, but it takes knowing the right questions to ask to take advantage of these resources.

Jane Thursday is a freelance writer, a mother of two young children, and an elementary school principal. She holds a doctorate in educational leadership, a master’s degree in school administration, and 6-12 English Language Arts teaching licensure. She has studied public education in the United States, South Africa, the Philippines, and England.

Read more articles like this one at http://www.janethursday.com