Emotional competence is an important life skill. Children with a high level of emotional competence, tend to have more friends, do better at school, and are more likely to help others.

Emotional competence has three components: understanding, expression and regulation. And these are all things parents can help their children to master. One way children can learn about emotions is by talking about them with their parents. So here are six phrases that could help with your child’s emotional development.

1. It’s OK to feel what you are feeling

Children and adolescents worry about not being “normal”, a feeling that stems from a need to fit in. To begin with, young children mostly want to fit in with their family. Then, as they grow, the need to fit in with their peers grows stronger.

By telling them that it’s OK to feel whatever it is they are feeling, we are normalising  their emotions. We are telling them that there is nothing “weird” about them, and they fit in just fine.

2. How you feel right now won’t last forever

Emotions are not permanent, and children need to understand that feelings have a beginning and an end. Importantly, children should also learn that not only will an emotion pass, but that until that happens, its intensity will decrease.

By understanding this, children will be able to cope better with their emotions. This is especially important in the case of negative emotions, when the feeling of not being able to deal with them may lead to harmful behaviour.

3. Don’t let your feelings control you

Although we can’t totally control our emotions, we can to a large extent influence which emotions we have, when we experience them, and how we express them. This is called emotional regulation and is best achieved by changing the way we think about our feelings.

This is possible because the situations we face don’t automatically cause specific emotions. Instead, the emotions we feel depend on our evaluation of those situations. 

4. Let’s put a name to your feeling

Children are not always able to name the feelings they experience. But it is important that we help children put a label on their emotions because by doing so they tend to feel better. Studies  analysing adult brain activity show that by naming feelings of anger and sadness, the amygdala (the part of the brain that deals with emotions) becomes less active. This in turn reduces the intensity of our emotional responses and makes us feel better.

5. Why are you behaving this way? Let’s think about how you are feeling

Our behaviours stem from our emotions, so children need to understand the link between the two. By achieving this understanding, children are better able to predict and regulate their own behaviours and the behaviours of those around them.

6. No matter what you feel, I am here for you

This is perhaps the most important thing that we can tell our children to help them develop their emotional competence. Children experience many different emotions and some of them are accompanied by guilt or shame.

Generally speaking, anything that helps parents and their children to discuss emotions is a positive step. The more we talk to young people about feelings, the more they will develop their emotional competence. By doing this, we will also be telling our children that we value them, that we are interested in them, and that we love them. These are the best kind of messages we can give our children – and ones that will make them feel strong.

Reference : https://theconversation.com

The ability to communicate effectively is a key skill, and the better we are at it, the better our quality of life will be.

We begin communicating from the moment we are born; letting our mothers know we have arrived with our first cry. As a child develops, it is important we nurture their communication skills so they are capable of expressing themselves, clearly and confidently, in all aspects and areas of their life.

If we consider the stages of a child’s development: they communicate first with their parents, then with siblings and friends, and then with other adults such as their school teachers.

A child will learn to communicate by watching and listening to their parents, and then mimicking their words and actions; the more you communicate with your child, the earlier and quicker they will develop these skills.

Reading is a great activity to help improve your child’s communication proficiency; it develops their language acquisition and introduces them to range of vocabulary, helping them to communicate with ease and clarity. As they get older, reading together provides an excellent opportunity for discussion, creating an environment where a child can comfortably and confidently get used to articulating and sharing their ideas.

Through interaction and play with siblings and friends, a child will develop social skills and interpersonal skills alongside their communication skills. These skills will make them feel at greater comfort in social situations, where they will find it easier to strike up conversations with peers, and make new friends. Through these relationships, they will also hone their listening skills as well as their ability to empathize and interpret non-verbal communication cues.

When a child begins school, presentations, class discussions, dramatizations, and oral exams will become regular activities for them, all of which will call directly upon their verbal communication skills; likewise, they may, as part of the application process, have to go along to an interview when applying to a secondary school or sixth form. In these situations you will want a child to feel confident, not only speaking in front of a crowd or meeting a new acquaintance, but also assured in their own ability to converse fluently and make a good impression.

A child who is good at communicating verbally will find it easier to produce written communications, and thus will likely perform better in their school exams and written assignments.

Looking to their future, being able to communicate with employers is crucial, no matter what industry or career you are in. Good communication skills are listed amongst the most desirable skills on nearly every job specification, and will give you an advantage over your colleagues when competing for additional responsibilities.

Being able to deliver instructions, lead meetings, carry out presentations and liaise with clients, consumers, suppliers etc., are just some of the communication skills needed to successfully gain those bigger opportunities.

Like any skill, communication skills can be developed and refined with practice, but by helping develop good communication skills in a child from their youth, you are equipping them straight away with the skills to build a successful future.

Reference: https://www.kumon.co.uk/ 

As a parent, you actively support your child’s learning.  Today – more than ever before – we must help children develop an appreciation for mathematics.  In doing so, they are sure to master the subject.

Our world is becoming increasingly technological. As a result, it demands for a strong skill set in mathematics in both our personal and professional lives. As technological innovations continue to progress, these demands are expected to increase over the lifetimes of today’s kids.

As a parent, it is our job to ensure that our kids are equipped with the skills that are needed to succeed in school, in college, and in the workforce. We must become involved in their learning as early as possible. This will not only display a positive attitude towards mathematics, but, will aid in the development and reinforcement of their skills.

In this two-part series, we will present to you several simple strategies that will aid in improving your child’s math skills.

1)    Aid in the Development of the Understanding of Mathematical Concepts

The first strategy to helping your child improve their math skills is to aid in the development of the understanding of mathematical concepts. In elementary school, your child should start learning the most basic concepts in the subjects of measurements, geometry, logic, algebra, and statistics. The goal during this time should be to encourage the child to solve problems by applying the knowledge that they have acquired in math to new situations. Many schools, math coaches, and families encourage kids to think of themselves and refer to themselves as mathematicians. During this period, kids should develop the ability to reason in a mathematical fashion and to communicate math-based ideas through both talking and writing.

2)    Develop and Display a Positive Attitude towards Math

The next strategy for improving your child’s math skills is to develop and display a positive attitude towards math. If you project the attitude that math is an important element when it comes to life skills and job skills, your child will develop an appreciation for math.

If you see math as a useful, fun activity, your child will see it as useful and fun, too! Your attitude towards math will heavily influence your child’s attitude toward the subject, as well as how they approach learning about the subject. Remember, simply stay positive!

3)    Encourage Your Child to Become a Problem Solver

The third strategy for improving your child’s math skills is to encourage them to become a problem solver. When pushing for your kid to become a problem solver, be certain to make it fun and exciting. You could, for example, tell them that it is similar to becoming a detective.

Encourage your child to ask questions, investigates, and explores all possible solutions to problems. Encourage them to stick to a problem until a solution is discovered. Push for the child to apply math to everyday events and situations. Additionally, include your child in basic or routine activities that directly involve math and encourage them to take an active role in solving the problem at hand.

This concludes part one of this two-part series. By applying the strategies outlined in this guide, you will find that your child will start to excel at mathematics.

As a parent, you should aid in the development of your child’s understanding of math, develop and display a positive attitude towards math, and encourage your child to become a problem solver.

If you take these steps, both you and your child will grow in your appreciation for math.

Reference: https://miraclemathcoaching.com/

Painting with young children not only helps their creative development but it also stimulates their brain. Stimulating children’s brain can also help other areas of their development. When setting up a painting activity for young children, stop and think about what areas of children’s development it may be helping.

Most children enjoy a good messy painting experience, this will allow them to freely express themselves and develop their creativity. Young children will use their bodies to move around exploring as they go, whereas non mobile children will need further support in making sure they can access all the resources. Painting can provide children with vast amounts of learning, this may be developing their fine pincer grip or learning about color mixing. The opportunities are endless hence why painting should be accessible to children throughout the week.

Painting doesn’t just have to be about sitting at the table with a paintbrush and paint, be creative and offer it to children in different ways, large-scale painting is great for developing those social skills. Lay a large plastic sheet on the floor and place the painting resources on the floor. Children will freely enjoy rolling around on the paper making those all-important marks. Painting is very much a tactile sensory experience and for some children getting messy can be distressing, however, a high portion of children will love a good old messy session.

All of the above will give some fantastic results and is a great way of extending children learning opportunities.

Painting is a great way for children to communicate their thoughts either verbally or in the marks they make. Many opportunities can arise from a painting activity leading to exchanges in conversations, which is a way in for adults to listen and ask questions.  Children will often show their feelings through their marks instead of talking to adults, on these occasions, practitioners need to respect this and ask questions in a tactile way and not over question them.

It is important that childcare practitioners are confident in the experiences they are offering children. It is not about practitioners thinking they have to be great at painting it’s about offering children the tools and resources to allow them to develop the necessary skills and build on what they know. Practitioner’s role is to scaffold the children’s learning and help them reach their full potential.

Source: KELLY

Have you ever seen a child smooth cool finger paint over a sheet of paper with both hands, pulling her fingertips through the paint to make squiggles?

Are there children around you or in your home who are using the phone? And have you  studied how screen time can affect children? 

How does it affect a baby’s brain? 

According to the structure of the brain, our behavior, the brain deals with emotions. The brain  creates. In addition, language skills; balance; the brain controls all the senses of touch. 

Let’s see what this has to do with phones. 

The phone has a blue light. The light emitted by blue screens, such as TV screens and Phone  screens, can definitely damage the brain. 

Not in a day. 

It can happen if you use it every day for about 4 or 5 hours. All of this has been tested by  researchers. 

Therefore, do not use cell phones or screens to keep children quiet. For them, life can be  quiet.

If you think they need to use it for it, first, researchers have looked at children’s screen time.  Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your child’s age. 

Screen Time for Kids  

New recommendations: The longtime “no screen time before 2” rule is out. Here are the latest  recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics. 

[ https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Children-And-Watching-TV-054.aspx ]

• 18 months or younger 

No screens are still the best. 

Researchers said that children at this age should never look at a screen. But sometimes they  allow for video calls. For example, when they are having a conversation on the screen with a  parent or someone. The exception is live video chat with family and friends. 

• 18 months to 2 years 

Limit screen time and avoid solo use. At this age, we can only permit limited screen time but  it is important to avoid solo use. We can use education and knowledge videos for a limited  time. 

The important thing is that an adult should be around. You need to determine which programs  to watch and which ones to watch. Choose high-quality educational programming and watch  with kids to ensure understanding. 

• 2 to 5 years 

Limit screen time to an hour a day. 

Parents should watch as well to ensure understanding and application to their world.

• 6 or older 

Place consistent limits on the time spent and types of media. 

I think now you will be clear already why you control your children’s screen time?

Thank you!

When kids explore their talents and specialties, one area some may excel in is drawing. Even though drawing or painting may not be every child’s cup of tea. But it also has benefits that both you and your child can learn from together. So in this blog, we list some reasons to encourage your child to draw at home.

Fine Motor Skills

It’s important for your child to develop strong fine motor skills at a young age. Holding and manipulating writing implements represents one of the best ways to improve a child’s fine motor skills. Drawing creates immediate visual feedback that changes depending on the tool they use and how they use it.

Critical Thinking Skills

Art can help children learn and practice skills like patterning, cause & effect. They can also practice critical thinking skills by making a mental plan or picture of what they intend to create and following through o

Increased Individual Confidence

The simple act of drawing plays an important role in a child’s physical, emotional, and cognitive development. Like no other activity, drawing allows young children to express emotions, experience autonomy, and build confidence.

Imagination active

Drawing enables your child’s imagination to become more active. Each time they draw they access their imagination and make physical representations of what is in their mind. People’s imaginations have allowed them to create all the things we are using and all the things surrounding by every day.

Problem Solving

When he or she draws, your child must determine the best way to connect body parts, portray emotions, and depict specific textures.

Providing specific drawing tasks, such as creating a family portrait, talking about your child’s color, method, or special choices can help them develop stronger problem-solving skills.

To help your child feel motivated to draw and create, please use positive reinforcement. Display finished drawings in your child’s room or in other areas of your home, including personalized drawings in letters to family members, and praise your child for practice and specific achievements.

Encourage your little one to draw throughout his or her childhood to reap all the benefits listed above.

Every writer has a writing style. Writing styles are a way of saying the form or type of written work you are creating. The style reflects their personality, uniqueness, and the way writers approach their audience and readers.

Each writing style has a different purpose. Different characteristics are present when you are writing each type of work. From poetry to advertisements to scholarly journals, you’ll see how the different styles of writing interconnect. Knowing all four different types of styles and their usages is important for any writer.

Here are the categories and their definitions:

Expository

Expository writing is long on facts and short on storytelling and literary flourishes. It can inform or instruct readers about a subject, but in its purest form, it’s not out to change anyone’s mind.

Example of Expository writing:

• News articles
• Nonfiction books
• Textbooks
• Scientific and medical research
• Instruction manuals
• Cookbooks

Descriptive

Descriptive writing is descriptive, as it names. It may be rhythmic or simply poetic, often using metaphors, as well as adjectives, adverbs, and language that activates the reader’s senses. It also zooms in to appreciate minute details.

Example of Descriptive writing:

• Poetry
• Diary entries
• Nature writing
• Within a longer piece of writing

Narrative

The narrative style of writing is telling a story. Its hallmark is a plot with the beginning, middle, and end, like so: Romeo and Juliet’s families loathe each other. The two star-crossed lovers fall for each other anyway. Tragedy ensues.

Example of Narrative writing:

• Novels
• Creative nonfiction (e.g. magazine features)
• Screenplays
• Biographies
• Mythology

Persuasive

As the name implies, this writing style sets out to win its audience over to a certain point of view. It builds an argument by presenting evidence and justifications to back up an opinion. This may lead to call to action: Vote for this candidate, buy this product, support this cause, etc.

Example of Persuasive writing:

• Academic papers
• Opinion and editorial writing
• Advertising copy
• Product reviews
• Cover letters and letters of recommendation

Source:

https://www.grammarly.com/blog/writing-styles/

The global outbreak of COVID-19 has a large impact on many sectors, and the education sector faces a significant jolt because of it. According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics Data, 188 countries have now closed its operation which affects 1.543.446.152 learners or 89.5% of total enrolled learners by percentage worldwide.

The closure is significantly affecting the school calendar in several countries, not to mention the university entrance exams. In Spain, the Republic of Korea, and Vietnam, the school calendar is being adjusted to accommodate lost days of learning. Meanwhile, in the United States, all state tests have been canceled for the academic year 2019-2020.

Schools are hubs of social activity and human interaction. When it’s closed, we face another big issue, lack of social skills. Children are going to miss out on one of the most essential facts to learning and development, how to play in groups and doing team activities.

It is important to keep our young generation well protected during the global outbreak, but it’s also brought up another issue, how to keep them engaged and ensure they do productive activities.

Source : thedailystar.net

• Set Daily Goal

Set a target to accomplish each day. By setting a clear goal can help you to stay motivated and beat procrastination. Don’t forget to reward yourself every time your goals are

• Create a Dedicated Study Space

Having a dedicated space at home can make your learning more effective. Remove any distractions from the space. A clear distinction can help you to stay focus on what you were doing.

• Schedule Your Study Time

Check out on your calendar and choose a certain and decent time that you will be able to watch lectures and finish the assignments. It will help you set the priority on your to-do-list.

• Keep Yourself Accountable

Share your online course or learning experience on social media or blog, tell your friends about your achievement. Aside from the ability to stay connected to your social circle, your achievement might inspire many people out there.

• Actively Take Notes

Take some points from what you’ve learned. It can promote active thinking, boost comprehension, and extend your attention span. Using a notebook and jotting down the highlights of your learning really helps.

• Join the Discussion

Ask about the topic you learn, discuss with your team members and clear all doubts. It keeps the learning process going and also gives you a chance to be actively involved during the online class.

• Do One Thing at a Time

Multitasking is less productive. Keep the focus on one single task at a time, then you will absorb more information and complete the assignment with greater productivity, rather than gather many things at one go.

• Take Breaks

Remember that your brain needs to take a break after involved for a long period of learning process. Walk outside, do a simple workout, or talk to a friend who can re-boost your energy and possibly give you a new idea about how to solve a pending project or assignment.

Source: coursera.com