Your Child's Journey

wisdom for the big steps little children take

Tantrum Tamers

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This month I had some questions about temper tantrums or meltdowns. I found this article from Parenting Magazine, but couldn’t find a link for others to read it. It seemed to hit most of the points I’ve found in other places, so I’m going to quote it.

Overview of Tantrums
Little kids sure can create big scenes! No matter how sweet your child is or how good a parent you are, meltdowns are a fact of toddler life. So try to remember that your child’s tantrums aren’t a reflection of your parenting skills: They simply mean you’ve got a frustrated little kid on your hands. Here’s how to handle them without losing your cool.

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Have a New Kid by Friday Review

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Dr. Kevin Leman wrote a wonderful book to help parents with discipline called, Have a New Kid by Friday. I reviewed some of the major concepts of the book and some specific examples of how it works for Toddlers. You can see the series of articles one at a time here:

Part 1– Acceptance, Belonging, and Competence

Part 2– Attitudes

Part 3– Character

Part 4– Discipline

Part 5– Temper Tantrums and Bedtime Battles

Part 6– Let Reality Be the Teacher and B Doesn’t Happen Until A Is Completed

done

Give Your Baby Tummy Time

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Give your baby a few minutes a couple times each day to lie on her stomach unrestricted by blankets or clothing. Her arms and legs will begin to uncurl and exercise will begin to strengthen her neck and upper body. Many important skills develop while she plays on her tummy. For more information see: TummyTime

Dealing with Conflict in Marriage

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This month I’d like to explore some ways to look at areas of marital conflict. We have had several couples talk to us this month about difficult conflicts in their relationships, so I guess that has made this topic stand out.

When we have areas where we constantly clash or are offended, there is usually a deeper root. Since finding that deeper root involves opening up and being vulnerable, many couples never try. It is easier to grouse about the symptoms on one side. Or on the other hand, to bear the nagging of an annoyed mate rather than deal with the deeper issues.

Let’s peak in on one couple and see if we can discover some underlying causes and some possible adjustments that could make this marriage better.

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The Brain-growing Magic of Foreign Languages

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Some of you are already raising your kids in a multi-lingual home. Congratulations! Here’s some proof that it is worth the trouble. Some of you have your children in day care or preschool where a foreign language is spoken as well as English. Good job! If you haven’t considered exposing your children to a foreign language, read on. This article was published by GreatSchools.org

“I’m so atrocious at languages,” my Czech artist friend moans with her characteristic Slavic purr. “It vas always so harrrrd for me in school.”

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