Teaching Math Concepts to Your Preschooler

April 16, 2013 By Diane Constantine Leave a Comment

Great Schools.com has a great article on what your child should be learning about math in preschool.

For this post I will just extract the things you, as a parent, can do at home to reinforce math learning in preschool. Have fun and teach at the same time!

Show how math relates to daily life. Involve them in measuring ingredients when you cook or in figuring out if a container is big enough to hold their toy cars and trucks.
Play board games using dice or play money. Help your child count out the spaces to move his piece on the board. Play simple card games like Go Fish.
Count things at home and on the street: cars, books, toys, silverware. Count objects in book illustrations.
Call attention to different patterns and shapes: plaids, polka dots, paisleys, and triangular and rectangular shapes in the sidewalk.
Use terms such as above, beneath, level, larger, smaller, and equal, and words such as horizontal, vertical, perpendicular, and parallel, to describe things you see. You might ask your child to bring you the smallest cookie or to find the book beneath the large table in the living room.
Take your child to the supermarket with you and involve her in comparing prices.
When you balance your checkbook or pay bills, explain to your child what you are doing.
Take your child to the bank with you and let him watch you count money from the ATM.
Weigh and measure your child and make a chart to record her growth.
Buy a set of hardwood blocks for your children to build with (look for a secondhand one if new ones are too pricey). The educational benefits of blocks are unlimited; they will be one of the best investments you make.

Read the entire article at: GreatSchools.com

Practicing Patience

April 13, 2013 By Diane Constantine Leave a Comment

I read this great article this morning and I don’t want to wait to pass it on to you. 🙂 Please click to see her great ideas for teaching patience to toddler through teens. Practicing Patience by Tammy Darling

One of my most popular sayings is “Honey, you’ll just have to wait.” But as you know, that’s not something any child wants to hear. Instant gratification has become a hallmark of our culture.

Do you give your kids practice waiting? Or do you serve them quickly to avoid a meltdown? We must understand that the more we appease our kids, the more impatient and rude they’ll be as adults.

Why Wait

Learning to wait is more important than we may realize. In a landmark Stanford University study, a group of 4-year-olds were each given a marshmallow. The kids were promised another one if they could wait for several minutes without eating the first one. Fourteen years later, as high school seniors, those who had quickly eaten the first marshmallow had lower self-esteem and were more prone to frustration, envy, and conflict. Those who had waited, were more socially competent, coped better with stress and frustration, and got better grades. In fact, those who waited scored an average of 210 points higher on their SATs.

The ability to wait teaches self-control and self-discipline. Kids who learn to wait are better able to think before they act and to understand the potential consequences of their actions. They learn respect and submission to authority. And learning to wait now will enable our children to “wait patiently for the Lord” as Scripture instructs in Psalm 27:14.

Prenatal Test for Autism: Would You Want to Know?

April 11, 2013 By Diane Constantine Leave a Comment

Right after Casey was diagnosed, I went to an autism convention. They brought up the fact that there were new genes being linked to autism all of the time. I got all excited. That would mean I wouldn’t have had to jump through all of those hoops to get him diagnosed! It would be like it is with Down syndrome; I could have just known in advance and been prepared.

Fast forward several years. I have a baby with Down syndrome. A baby I thought everyone would just think was beautiful, wonderful, etc., because that was the bubble I lived in. I thought anyone would want a baby with Down syndrome. I remember being so jealous of the kids with Down syndrome in Casey’s Early Intervention classes because they didn’t scream and kick every time they were dropped off. I knew somewhere in the back of my mind that some people aborted babies because they had Down syndrome, but I thought that was rare.

That bubble burst when I learned most of babies who are prenatally diagnosed with Down syndrome are aborted.

Please take a moment and read the rest of this article at Mamapedia

Autism Awareness and New Facts

April 6, 2013 By Diane Constantine Leave a Comment

For those of you who have not read much about autism, this is Autism Awareness Month. As such, I want to do my part to help make you aware of the condition and the progress being made to help children on the Autism Spectrum.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors. It appears to have its roots in very early brain development, however, the most obvious signs and symptoms tend to emerge between 2-3 years of age. ASD is associated with intellectual disability, difficulties in motor coordination and attention, sleep disruption and gastrointestinal disturbances. The incidence of autism in all its forms is approximately 1 in 88 children, affecting boys much more than girls. Currently, research has identified some rare gene changes associated with autism. But it appears to be caused by a combination of autism risk genes and environmental factors influencing early brain development.

This month I took a look at some research and want to give you some up-dated findings about Autism.
[Read more…]

When New Moms Can’t Stop Worrying

March 29, 2013 By Diane Constantine Leave a Comment

Amy Simpson wrote about her experience with Post Partum Depression, When New Moms Can’t Stop Worrying. You can read the entire article at: Christianity Today

“The night I brought my firstborn home from the hospital, I broke down and cried. In the hospital, I had been giddy with happiness. At home, I felt panicked. I realized that for all my preparation, I had no idea how to care for a baby. This wonderful, vulnerable person I had fallen so deeply in love with was now my responsibility. I was pretty sure that even if I managed to keep her alive, I’d probably ruin her life.

“After a few days at home and a growing confidence that I could, in fact, keep her alive, the tables turned, and I began to suspect she would be the one to ruin my life. I was unprepared for the emotional strain of the frequent feedings, little sleep, dramatic transition, and distance from our families. Though that initial panic passed, it was months before the clouds began lifting and tears weren’t always imminent.

“I now believe I had at least a mild case of postpartum depression, which I failed to recognize because, like many new moms, I didn’t know what caring for a new baby was supposed to feel like. I also refused to recognize it for several reasons: I lacked the courage to face what I perceived as my own weaknesses. I wanted to believe I was completely capable of handling motherhood, which I had longed for. I feared the stigma of mental-health treatment. And I was desperate to distance myself from my mother, who has schizophrenia. For many years, my worst nightmare had been inheriting her condition and being a mentally ill mother myself.”

. . .

“If you’re a new mom (or anyone, for that matter) and you find yourself overwhelmed by worries, behaviors, or feelings you can’t control, please seek help from a counselor. You can start with your doctor or obstetrician and request a referral to someone who can help you. God made us to care deeply about our children, and motherhood is not easy. But God does not call us to live imprisoned by fear and anxiety. He is a God whose love casts out fear (1 John 4:18), who longs to set us free (John 8:32), who replaces our anxiety with his incomprehensible peace (Phil. 4:6-8). He has created gifted, caring people who can assure you that you’re not alone, teach you to manage your fears in healthier ways, and help restore balance to the chemical chaos in your brain.”