Search Results for: blog the importance of playing with your child

The Importance of Not Sharing

It’s one of life’s most important lessons and it doesn’t come easy. Sharing is a challenging concept for many adults to master, so imagine the toll it takes on preschoolers. Most preschool curriculums incorporate a slew of opportunities for four year olds to learn the fine art of sharing.  They are taught to be generous with their possessions so their peers don’t feel left out.  However, is sharing really caring?  Does it really matter if kids share and share alike? Some educators don’t think so. In fact, a growing number of preschools are putting the kibosh on forced sharing in … Continue reading →

Teaching Your Sons to Be Better Men

In a world where playing video games is more appealing than providing for a family or going to college it is especially important to teach our sons the value of working hard and growing up. While I intend to keep my son little forever, eventually the universe is going to combine against me and make him grow up. For some men, this doesn’t mean much. They are grown up but living in a child’s world. Believe it or not the number of men playing video games between the ages of 18 and 34 surpasses those between the ages of 13 … Continue reading →

Living through Our Children

Do you know a parent who tries to live through their children?  Maybe you are that parent.  Can I give you some advice?  Stop. One of the most detrimental things we can do is attempt to mold them into the person we wished we had been.  These expectations put a tremendous amount of pressure on them, leaving them no room to be who they were meant to be. This was a lesson we learned as parents early on.  My husband has always been athletic, so when we found out our first child was going to be a son; he had … Continue reading →

Playing it Safe During Spring Break

This morning the Today show ran a piece on college co-eds prepping to go crazy on Spring Break in Cancun, Mexico. The report focused on an American student who was brutally attacked while he lounged poolside at his Mexican hotel. Basically, it raised the issue of spring break, foreign travel and safety. Personally, Mexico is not exactly at the top of my family’s spring break destination list. You know, drug cartels and all. Of course, if you are not careful you can get hurt visiting your local children’s museum, though I doubt the injuries would be caused by masked men … Continue reading →

The importance of imaginary play for preschoolers

Like most kids her age, my daughter is engrossed in imaginary play. She loves to invent characters and act out scenarios in her dollhouse and her Lego blocks. The current characters have rather creative names like Tuna and Alukia. I’m rather partial to Tuna. We’ve talked about why down time is important for preschoolers. Having some time to relax and reflect is good for all of us. Yes, preschoolers are a busy bunch, and even if you schedule down time, they won’t generally go and sit on the couch. If you give them the option (and turn off the television), … Continue reading →

The Value of Playing Games

Have architects and house designers had a negative impact on family life? Yesterday Mick and I went out for the day to look at some exhibition homes in a display village. Not that we have any plans to up and move from where we are, but often it is away to pick up decorating ideas and we did come home with one or two. However the thing that struck me most and saddened me was the idea of parent’s bedrooms often with large parents retreats where they can sit and relax are well away from children’s bedrooms, being at opposite … Continue reading →

Would You Send Your Son to a Spa?

I know quite a few young boys who could really benefit from a good manicure and pedicure, but I don’t know many who would actually request spa treatments for their birthdays. Yet, studies show they’re out there, and their numbers have been increasing over the last decade. According to the International Spa Association, the number of teenage boys receiving spa services such as hair removal and massages has nearly doubled since the early 1990s. These days some spas even advertise their services specifically to young boys, highlighting the benefits of facials (a good way to get rid of blackheads) and … Continue reading →

Simple Toys, Simple Joys: Playing with Balls

We have plenty of toys that make noise at our house, have numerous buttons, light up at a toddler’s touch, quiz you on the alphabet and sing songs. But, I am often reminded by my own kids that the simple toys are the ones that really make memories. Although the weather outside is still cold here in pennsylvania, the sun is bright today. It filled our living room turned playroom into a bright cheerful space. These are the best days to get down on the floor and explore the toy box (or should I say boxes, since in our house … Continue reading →

Baby Blog Month in Review: July 2008

Two of my three children are summer babies. That is, they were born in the summer and had their first months surrounded by sunshine streaming in the windows, the sound of birds chirping, and days spent wearing nothing but a diaper and a “onsie.” I made sure that they had Fourth of July outfits ready, even though one of them arrived a week after the holiday. I guess he just wasn’t interested in the parade. Do you have a summer baby, too? We had a lot of new information to share this past month, such as recall notices and new … Continue reading →

Things Your Preschooler Learns While Playing Part 2

Are you concerned that your preschooler is too busy playing to learn anything? It seems to be a constant theme for homeschooling moms who want to see some measurable progress in their child. Well, do not worry, your child really is learning. In part 1 of things your preschooler learns while playing. I wrote about the importance of playing with Lego’s and driving toy cars, among other things. Here is Part 2 of things your preschooler learns while playing. Playing with dolls: Roll playing with dolls can teach preschoolers many important life skills. The natural lesson for many children is … Continue reading →