Parent Newsletters - Issue 4

No Limits Learning
kids goals Ezine

Issue 4/ March, 11/06

IN THIS PARENT NEWSLETTER

1. A WORD FROM THE EDITORS
2. SLOW DOWN AND SMELL THE FLOWERS
3. PUSHING THE ENVELOPE
4. KIDS CORNER COOKING AND CRAFTS
5 TICKLE YOUR FUNNYBONE (JOKES FOR KIDS BY KIDS)
6. WORDS OF INSPIRATION
7 SPONSORS

1. A WORD FROM THE EDITORS

Welcome to the next issue of kidgoals.com Newsletter

Cassie and I would like to thank all our subscribers and to tell you what a joy it has been bringing this newsletter and website to you. It is without a doubt a labour of love. We had discussed the concept of it many times in the past but it never seemed to be a right time. Just after Christmas we came to realization that the time was now!! All it took to bring it to fruition was a little determination and more importantly a lot of imagination. Which brings me to our first article. We hope you will enjoy "Slow down and smell the flowers". In it you will find tips on how to allow your child time to explore their imagination and creativity and just be a kid for a while. There is plenty of time for the "real world". In contrast we hope you will enjoy the article on "Pushing the Envelope" teaching kids to try new and challenging things and push past their fears from time to time.

Please help us by emailing Cassie or Monicka at kidsgoals.com with your questions, comments and suggestions for future issues.

2. SLOW DOWN AND SMELL THE FLOWERS

Do you find yourself rushing with your children – hurrying to get them ready for school, finding time short when you are ferrying them to the next social engagement or extra-curricular activity? You're not alone! In these competitive days we often feel like we have to work 10 hour days just to keep up … and sometimes we feel our kids have to study equally hard – or learn the piano – or practice a sport – or learn an extra language – or all of these - to compete with their peers. Sometimes it's hard to escape the belief that if we don't push our kids hard, "encourage" them with 101 structured activities, then we are "letting them down" … that it will be all our fault if they fail to achieve their full potential.

But what about unstructured time? What about the value of a child taking things slow and having the space to think about what they are learning as they go through their day? How do children really learn? Is incessantly providing new stimulation and new learning experiences truly the best thing we can do for them, or do they need time off – time to assimilate what they have learned, ponder the world around them and draw their own conclusions about life by unhurried observation before launching into the next activity?

Regular rest periods and plenty of unstructured time are essential for the proper growth of a child's mind and body. Children naturally learn through play rather than through lectures and note taking! In our hurried society children commonly develop disorders normally associated with stressed adults – insomnia, chronic head and stomachaches, eating disorders and depression. Sleep deprivation is common in even small children, with a whole raft of consequences (watch out for our article, coming soon, on helping your child get a good nights' sleep).

Too much TV is another culprit that takes away rest and relaxation from our kids. It teaches them that free time should be spent sitting passively in front of a screen and being entertained without using their brain. Kids who watch too much TV usually have trouble with creative thinking and enjoying their own company – playing on their own for instance. It's just that they are out of practice.

Why not limit TV so that your kids watch it when there is something really special on that interests them – rather than it being a default nanny as soon as school or ballet or music class or sport is over. If they complain that they are "bored" without it, you could reply, "That's great! You have some 'me' time to spend with just you. I'm sure you'll find something really nice to do!" Maybe it's time to put aside our "wasting time" mentality and consider for a moment whether there is value for your child in staring out of the window at the clouds … daydreaming on his bed … playing quietly in her room with nothing but a doll and her imagination … doodling abstractly with a crayon … or creating mud pies in the back yard.

Why not give it a try? Give your children more free time and see what happens. Chances are you will find a more relaxed, rounded and happier kid on your hands.

"Leisure" by W. H. Davies
What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

3. PUSHING THE ENVELOPE

(GETTING OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE)

One of my New Year's resolutions was to be more diligent and consistent with my workouts. In the past I would do well for a few weeks and then take a few days off and then find it was really hard to get back in a routine. With my 44th birthday looming, I vowed that this would be the year I would finally "get in shape" I decided that no matter what, I would get on my treadmill for a minimum of 30 minutes, five times a week.

The great thing about a treadmill is that once you get on you have no choice but to keep going. You can set it at a certain speed and a certain incline, put on your favourite music and voila you are off to the races. I found that if I stayed at about a 4 % incline and remained at a steady pace of about 3.5 miles an hour I could get through my workout without too much trouble. I thought the most important thing was to be consistent as if the workout was too hard I would just end up saying to heck with it. I stuck with the same routine for a few weeks and soon found I was able to get through the 30 minutes without breaking a sweat. I thought to myself fantastic… I must be really getting in shape. What I did not realize was by remaining static in my routine I was preventing myself from getting stronger and fitter, subsequently I would plateau and wonder why I was not seeing any results. After a bit of research I discovered that our bodies will adjust to any exercise program over time, so you need to fool your body into continuing to progress by changing your program every two weeks or so. Think about this concept for a moment and how you can use the same principle to expand your mind or develop a skill you never realized you had. Don't allow yourself to get stagnant.

In order to grow we must leave our comfort zone from time to time. We must try new things even though it may be a bit scary. Fear is a natural feeling but it should never keep us from accomplishing something we really want. It is OK for things to be a bit uncomfortable at times for that is a sure sign that we are making progress. Challenging our fears doesn't have to be painful. Change your fear to excitement, push yourself just a little bit from time to time and teach this to your children Explain to your children that it is impossible to do something perfectly the very first time they try it but if they persevere even though it may mean a little hard work, they will be amazed at what they can accomplish.

Here are some ways to help your children grow

When reading stories to your children and you come across a word he/she may not understand don't change the word to something familiar. Instead read the word and then give the definition of what the word means. In this way you help to expand your child's vocabulary.

Play games once in awhile that challenge your child such as trivia games or other thinking games that will expand your child's intellect.

Suggest that your child try a new activity such as a new sport they have never tried before of join a club he or she may be interested in.

Get your children to try new foods, tell them they don't have to eat it all just have a taste, you never know if you like something until you try it.

Encourage your child to try drama or public speaking or even standing up in front of the class to make a presentation. For the younger children a good way to begin would be show and tell.

4 KIDS CORNER

WACKY CAKE (not quite sure where the name came from, maybe because it is so, so simple to make) ages 10 and up

1 1/2 cup cake or pastry flour
1 C. sugar
3 T. cocoa (unsweetened like Hershey's)
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
6 T. applesauce
1 T. white vinegar
1 t. vanilla
1 C. cold water

If you aren't fussy, you can make this as a "snack cake", mixing, baking and serving from the same pan. No need to oil the pan.

Sift dry ingredients into pan. Add liquids, covering with water. Mix thoroughly.

Bake at 350 degrees (moderate oven) for 25 to 30 minutes.

Makes one very moist chocolate cake. Frost as desired or dust on confectioner's sugar.

For any recipes if you need help with the conversions for your specific country please email us and we will be more than glad to email you the conversions!

NO COOK PLAY CLAY (ages 4-8 with adult supervision)

1-cup all-purpose flour
1/2-cup salt
1/2 cup very warm tap water
Food coloring (optional)

Mix flour and salt, then pour in water and stir well. Knead for 5 minutes, adding in color as desired.

Stored in a sealed container, it keeps up to one week.

Air dry, or small or thin pieces can be baked at 200 degrees for 2 hours.

5. TICKLE YOUR FUNNYBONE

Q: What did the big chimney say to the little chimney?
A: You're too young to smoke

Q: Why are frogs so happy?
A: They eat whatever bugs them

6 WORDS OF INSPIRATION

"Rapidity does not always mean progress, and hurry is akin to waste. The old fable of the hare and the tortoise is just as good now, and just as true, as when it was first written."
--Charles A. Stoddard

"Consider the postage stamp, my son. It secures success through its ability to stick to one thing till it gets there."
--Josh Billings

"The best way to make children good is to make them happy."
--Oscar Wilde

7 SPONSORS

If you can suggest any organizations or websites that might want to either sponsor this newsletter, or exchange links with KidsGoals.com, please email Cassie or myself.

Thank you, from Cassie and Monicka
*****

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