Character Building from KidsDiscuss.com

3 Fun Baby Brain Games That Promote Your Infant's Learning

 

Fun Brain Activities Babies Love

Does developing your baby's brain through simple games, appeal to you? If so, Deborah McNelis is here to help. Deborah, our parenting expert and creator of programs and materials like Love Your Baby: Making Connections in the First Year knows how to promote your child's learning. Deborah will share the first activity and I'll add two more.

 

1. Look and Touch

Do you ever wait in line with packages under one arm and your baby in the other? If the line is long, why not set the packages on the floor and scoot them along with your foot. That leaves one arm free to point out new things to your baby. Name the objects with a happy voice. If it's safe, you might let your baby touch them too. "Being able to touch objects provides much more learning than just seeing alone," says Deborah. She suggests using this technique when waiting for appointments too.

2. Look and Touch at Home

Consider as part of your daily routine, carrying your baby around the room showing him objects while naming them. Let him touch them too. Watch his eyes almost pop out with interest.

3. Create an "Art Gallery" for Your Baby

When your child begins to crawl, tape an "art gallery" about 1 foot above the floor. Use old birthday, Christmas, and valentine cards for this activity. Observe her eyes and sense her joy as she moves toward them. Name the objects in the pictures. Let her touch them. This visual stimulation is great for her brain.

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Deborah's look and touch game, called Something New, is from her excellent card packet, Brain Insights, Love Your Baby: Making Connections in the First Year. What's so great about this packet and all of her brain development packets through age five are their beauty and simplicity. You don't have to be a brain scientist to figure out what to do. Each packet page has a fun activity with few words, ready for you use right away. The pictures are joyful and inviting.

Pick up Deborah McNelis's Love Your Baby: Making Connections in the First Year at her website:  You'll find all of her development packets there too.
http://www.braininsightsonline.com/

Also available on Amazon.com

Let's THANK Deborah for helping us increase our baby's brain development in such delightful ways.

Deborah McNelis

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With warm wishes,

Jean Tracy, MSS

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2 Parenting Solutions for Conquering Pressure

Don't Let Time and Pressure Separate You!

If you're a parent, do you feel pressure for time? Perhaps you compare yourself to other parents who seem perfect. Our parenting expert and author, Neil McNerney, is here to show us how to free ourselves from both parental peer and time pressure. He has some super solutions from his book, Homework: A Parent's Guide to Helping Out without Freaking Out. Keep reading!

1. Parental Solution for Peer Pressure

What do we tell our kids about peer pressure? "If your friend jumped off the house, would you do it too?" (And by the way, after looking at the number of YouTube videos jumping off houses, I'm afraid the answer to this question, from many kids, would be..."Yes!")

If we challenge our kids to not give in to peer pressure, it's important that we don't, either. It requires us to stay concentrated on "why" we are doing something and checking to make sure it is not related to showing others that we are a good parent.

Another excellent suggestion was a saying I heard recently: "I refuse to compare my insides to other parents' outsides."

I love this quote; it focuses on the fact that we are comparing ourselves to the part of other parents that we see. Most people only show the parts of themselves they feel good about, not the parts that are insecure, anxious, cranky, and mean. We all have those sides of us, even those who seem to be perfect parents.

2.  Parental Solution for Time Pressure

One of the really great ways me and my family keep track of our schedules is by using Google Calendar. We each have a separate color for each person, and we put in new activities as we schedule them. Work hours, practice times, parties, trips, graduations, etc., all get put into the calendar.

Both of our kids have access to the calendar as well. When they ask about an event, or what time the game is this weekend, we can just tell them to check the online calendar.

I recently reviewed a typical week and was stunned at how little white space is left. Even though we are vigilant about keeping our time commitments to a reasonable level, the pressure of time is always on us.

This recent Christmas, as I was working on finishing the manuscript for this book, I asked my daughter what she wanted for Christmas. "Time," was her answer. "Time to sit and watch movies together. Time to just spend as a family." In this day and age, when we assume that all that kids want is just more stuff, the biggest thing my daughter wanted from me was my time.

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I loved Neil McNerney's quote, "I refuse to compare my insides to other parents' outsides." Using the Google Calendar is a great idea. It's as close as our fingertips. If you want to read more tips from Neil on this subject, go to page 59 of Homework: A Parents Guide to Helping Out without Freaking Out.

Available on Amazon.com

Let's APPLAUD Neil McNerney for writing this book which shares his expertise as a teacher and school counselor.

        

Neil McNerney, M.Ed., LPC

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Jean Tracy, MSS

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Family Fun ~ Christmas Craft with Kids Takes 1 Hour

If you're a parent and you're looking for something fun to do with your kids, try this. It's from Disney's Family Fun website.

 

Family Fun with Beads and Wreath

Total Time Needed:

1 Hour

The wreath can symbolize the circle of friendship, which makes this decorative sun catcher just the gift for almost anyone on your family's list.

Materials

• 16- to 20-gauge silver-colored craft wire
• Wire cutters
• Translucent plastic beads (with center holes large enough to thread the wire through)

• Ribbon
• Fishing line or monofilament

Instructions

1. Cut the wire to a length that will form a loop the size of the wreath you plan to make plus 6 inches (16-gauge wire works best for larger wreaths).
2. Curl one end to keep the beads from sliding off, then thread on the beads from the opposite end.
3. Twist the wire ends together to close the circle and wrap the loose ends around the wire between the beads.
4. Tie on a ribbon and a loop of fishing line or monofilament for a hanger.

To get more family fun ideas go to:

http://familyfun.go.com/christmas/homemade-christmas-gifts/christmas-gifts-kids-can-make/bead-wreath-661813/

 

Parents, it's your turn to take the stage:

What are your opinions about this blog post or your suggestions for helping your kids have fun during the holidays? Please answer in the comment link below.

With warm wishes,

Jean Tracy, MSS

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