We’re not often doing product reviews on this blog. However, this particular toy cat has been the love of my life (and my daughter’s) for two years now, so that when I came across this article on them, I thought to publish it. It’s one of the few toys that I don’t mind giving nor getting. In fact, last year, our daughter’s Fur Real cat pet got a kitten…

“Fur Real Friends Cat, So Real We Can’t Tell the Difference
By Amanda Isbitt

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Fur Real Friends are incredible, sweet and lifelike toys that behave just in the same way that real animals do. The Fur Real Friends cat is a real sweetie, sitting up and lying down just like a real cat would! She responds to being touched and petted by purring and moving much in the same way that a regular pet cat would.

She is capable of moving both her head and neck in all directions, up, down, left and right. Her ears can also move, and her eyes and mouth are capable of opening and closing.

Just like a real cat, she has facial expressions and swishes her tail to convey the emotions that a cat would convey. When you pick her up, she moves her legs in a lifelike way as well.

The Fur Real Friends cat is so real, it’s hard to tell the difference! She’s just the right size to be your perfect companion pet, and loves to play with you and respond to your touches when you pet her. Be careful not to pull her tail, however, as she will hiss at you just like a normal pet cat would!

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You have to take care of her just like a real live pet cat, making sure to treat her right and give her plenty of love. The Fur Real Friends Cat has sensors in her head that are capable of detecting light, and sensors on her back, stomach and in her tail that detect petting, stroking and tail pulling.

Fur Real Friends Cats are designed to be magical companions and friends that literally spring into life in your arms. These Fur Real Friends are designed to mimic the appearance, demeanor and actions of a real live cat. They feature legs, head, neck and ears that are fully animated.

Eyes and mouth are both capable of opening and closing just like a real cat. Your Fur Real Friends Cat will respond to stroking and petting, changes in the light, and even sounds.

Your Fur Real Friend has lifelike eyes and makes lifelike sounds that closely mimic the experiences you would have with a real pet cat. However, requiring only 3 C batteries, which come included with your Fur Real Friend means owning this kitty is a lot easier on the budget, never mind that it does not have to be cleaned up after!

Are you looking for the perfect gift this holiday season? The Fur Real Pets Friends Cat is recommended for children aged 4 and up.

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Because the Fur Real Friends Cat includes small and moving parts, older children can typically get more out of the Fur Real Friends Cats than those that are younger. Insert three included C cell batteries and your brand new companion kitty will literally spring to life, offering truly lifelike motions, sounds and responses to your attentions.

These Fur Real Friends make excellent gifts, especially for children experimenting with the idea of taking care of a real live pet sometime in the future. Before you bring home a real kitten or puppy, give your child a shot at caring for their very own Fur Real Friends Cat, which is as close as you can get to the real thing without requiring a litter box!

For More Information Fur Real Pets

Copyright 2007 by RaiseYourChild.org. All Rights Reserved.

I think GPS systems are the greatest. (Global Position System) I know a few people who definitely need them. A few years ago we had guests driving from California to our home in Utah to stay over night. It was about a ten hour drive. I gave what I thought was excellent instructions and directions so they would not get lost. The night (early morning) my guests were to arrive I woke up at 3:00 a.m. with a start as Maggie hadn’t arrived. (She didn’t follow my directions, instead made up her own). From our place they were driving back to Washington D.C.. Her sister said she was afraid to take a nap because she was afraid she would wake up in Mexico. A GPS in her car will save her hours of frustration and time.

With the holidays arriving GPS is a great idea for all of us to have. The GPS I am talking about is: Great Planning System. By planning ahead we can have a happy stress free, joyous holiday season. Christmas can be one of the most stressful holidays. But with forethought and organization it can be fun and a holiday to look forward to instead of dreading.

First of all we need to decide what it is we want to get from the holidays. Do we want to have big dinners, entertain friends, and attend every function we are invited to, decorate, bake, spend time with family, send out Christmas cards, exchange neighbor gifts, establish traditions, give to charity or do something unique this year?

Once we have our goals in mind then we can move forward.

•Take some time and decide what is important for you to do this year for the holiday. Then write it down, map it out.

•Establish a time frame to accomplish each task. If it isn’t accomplished in the time we thought it would be, no beating up on ourselves or negative self talk. And if it doesn’t get done ask yourself what is the worst that can happen?

•Cook food ahead of time and freeze it. Some pies freeze well as do cookies. Check your recipes to see what else you can make and freeze.

•Plan on delegating. Who can put up the outdoor lights? Who can do the food shopping? Who can help decorate? Get a crew together to share in the fun.

•Plan a specific time to decorate, another to bake, another to deliver gifts—whatever you plan break it up into little jobs, a little at a time.

•If you send out Christmas cards, organize a basket with the cards, addresses and stamps, and then while watching a T.V. show address the envelopes on the commercials. Do cards in November to save time in December. OR Instead of sending cards, call your friends to wish them a Merry Christmas. Long distance calls have become so reasonable it may cost less than sending a card.

•Keep a notebook with the names of those you are giving gifts to. Check off the gift as it is purchased and make a note when it is wrapped and sent. You could do this on a spread sheet if you use the computer.

•If your family will let you mix up your traditions, try a new one, customize to your own personal preference.

Through all the planning remember this is to be a joyous season; don’t get sucked into thinking you have to do it all. Actually you don’t have to do any of it so have fun with what you decide you really want to do.

About The Author
Marilyn Bohn is a creative organizer who has been organizing for over 20 years. She is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers.She holds a bachelors degree in Social Work. She has reared five daughters and currently lives in Utah.

Go to her website http://www.marilynbohn.com where you can find free organizing tips and interesting blogs and helpful articles on organizing.

Copyright 2007 by RaiseYourChild.org. All Rights Reserved.

This article certainly gives a more comprehensive and soulful meaning to Halloween. It offers interesting stories and good values for you to relay to your children. ((A notch up from orange candy without going organic :-))

Below is the first part of the story…

“At its core, Samhain is about the night when the old God dies and the crone Goddess mourns him deeply for the next six weeks. The popular image of her as the old Halloween hag stirring her cauldron comes from the Celtic belief that all dead souls return to her cauldron of life, death and rebirth to await reincarnation.”
…. more ~ read the whole story here

Copyright 2007 by RaiseYourChild.org. All Rights Reserved.

The Parents magazine cover kid photo contest ends June 24, 2008, so moms and dads need to enter their pictures of kids very soon. The editors of Parents are looking for the cutest kid in America between six months and six years old to be the cover kid of the magazine’s November 2008 issue. Entries are being accepted at http://www.parents.com/app/sharemy/category.jsp?categoryId=cat15400001.

Visitors to the Contest website have been invited to make one recommendation per day during the Contest period for the entry the visitor feels should be featured on the cover of Parents magazine. While visitor recommendations will not be used as criteria in the judging of entries in any round, the editors of Parents want to thank all those who visited the site and made recommendations.

“We especially want to thank all the mommy bloggers who not only entered the Parents magazine cover kid photo contest themselves but also encouraged other moms and dads to enter pictures of kids as well,” says Judy Goldberg, Senior Editor of Parents magazine. “We’ve created a Web badge for these members of the parenting community to post on their mom blogs and dad blogs.”

The Parents magazine judges will review all of the entries and choose 20 semifinalists based on the criteria set forth in the Official Rules. Semifinalists will be asked to provide more pictures for consideration, and then five finalists will be selected to fly to New York City for a professional photo shoot from August 18-23, 2008. One of the photos from that shoot will be selected as the November cover shot.

To enter Parents magazine’s online baby photo contest, just upload a picture of your child to most gorgeous child of all will appear on the November 2008 cover of Parents.

Parents magazine has been America’s number one family magazine for more than 80 years. Since its inception in 1926, it has been a trusted source by every generation of parents. Currently, the magazine is a powerful community of 15.6 million readers devoted to supporting the efforts of parents, educators and other citizens who strive to make the world a better place for our children. Parents can be found online at http://www.parents.com/.

Copyright 2007 by RaiseYourChild.org. All Rights Reserved.

By the time your teen is in high school, you probably aren’t taking as many pictures of them as you used to. I have to keep reminding myself that I only have a couple of years left and no time to waste trying to capture fleeing teenage memories.

You might be thinking that I’m really organized to be already working on scrapbooking my daughter’s high school memories. To be honest, I have a shoe box full of pictures of my daughter waiting for me to get to someday.

But if I wait until “someday” to continue taking pictures because I already have so many pictures I haven’t done anything with, then my daughter’s teenage years will come and go while I try to catch up.

I don’t want to chronicle every detail of my daughter’s life (nor would she want me to!), but I was trying to think of some memories that she might want to laugh about and maybe even treasure someday. So how do you do that without ending up with pages and pages of memories?

I decided to do two large (12×12) pages (facing each other in the album) for each year of high school. I will challenge myself to use this space creatively to tell the story of each year. When I started thinking of all the the possibilities, it really inspired me to start getting organized and collecting some great memories. And don’t limit yourself to just photographs, your scrapbook pages can really be accentuated by other types of memories. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Photograph Ideas:

• High School Dances

• First Date/Boyfriend

• School Building

• Church Events/Retreats

• Braces (the day they’re removed)

• Hair Styles

• Clothing Fads

• Learning to Drive

• First Job

• First Car

• Best Friends

• School Plays/Concerts

• Family Vacations

• Favorite Family Pets

• Babysitting

• Sports/Band/Cheerleading

• Musical Instrument Practice

Other:

• CD Covers (scanned)

• Favorite Song Lyrics

• Drivers’ Permit

• First Pay Stub

• Programs from Play/Concerts

• College Brochures

• School Newspapers

• ASB Card

• Awards/Certificates

• Ticket Stubs (concert, movie, sporting events)

• Report Cards

You can be creative when you’re arranging your layouts. Don’t be afraid to cut pictures down or cut out portions of play programs or school newspapers. Just cut out enough to accentuate the other items on the page. You will create the overall effect from the entire page, not necessarily from an individual item.

Have fun and don’t worry if you don’t get it done all at one time. I figure if I can do one every summer for the previous school year, by the time she finishes high school (she’s a freshman this year), all of her high school memories will be recorded in the family archives.

About The Author

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom of four. For more
inspirational articles and tips for everyday living, visit her
web sites at http://www.creativehomemaking.com and
http://www.crafty-moms.com

Copyright 2007 by RaiseYourChild.org. All Rights Reserved.

Remember, this craft for toddlers needs to be done under adult supervision and the little ones will need help with some of the steps.

This is what you will need for this mother’s day craft:

• A small piece of white poster paper
• A decorative pair of craft scissors (called zigzag scissors by some)
• 4 Colors of thin watercolors (you can find watercolors powder to make these at any crafts store)
• A medicine dropper
• Thin ribbon in a color of your choice
• A punch to make a hole for the ribbon

Method for this mother’s day craft:

1. With your decorative scissors cut a piece of your poster paper to the required size for a bookmark. (Bookmarks do not always have to be the well known size, I have a very pretty one that my granddaughter made that is quite big and it is beautiful. A bigger bookmark also gives you more space to work with.)
2. Now you have to splatter a little bit of clean water on your bookmark. (Not too much because we do not want the bookmark to become too soggy!)
3. Draw one of the colors, of your paint, up into the medicine dropper and drip the paint on different places on the bookmark.
4. Wash the medicine dropper and repeat the procedure with the other the other three colors.
5. You will notice that the colors will flow a little and where they mix the colors will change depending on the colors you used. For the little ones it may be a good idea to use the primary colors.
6. Keep an eye on the kids so that they do not get over exited and use too much water and paint, as the bookmark will then become very soggy and the end result will not be satisfactory.
7. Let your bookmark dry completely.
8. Punch a hole in the bottom of the bookmark and thread the ribbon through the hole.
9. Make a not in the ribbon to keep it in place.

Kids really love doing crafts that can be used in some way. With this mother’s day craft for toddlers they make a gift for mom that she will be able to use for many, many years to come. I hope you and your toddler will enjoy this easy mother’s day craft for toddlers.

By Magriet Du Plessis

Get more fun and easy mother’s day crafts at Magriet’s site Fun Kids Crafts at http://www.kidscrafts.topknacks.com/documents/mothersdaykidscrafts.html There is a fun one at Magriet Recommends http://www.our-crazy-world.com/documents/easycraftsforkids.html If you are looking for fun and easy Bible crafts you can visit http://www.squidoo.com/biblecraftsforkids

Copyright 2007 by RaiseYourChild.org. All Rights Reserved.

Some kids have no problem. They start school and instantly have a gang - a best friend, birthday party invitations, play dates, sleep-overs. For other children, the social aspects of school can be difficult. Sometimes this is because the child has a diagnosis of Asperger’s Disorder, Autism, or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and sometimes the child is just shy. As a therapist with years of experience working in schools, I’ve seen how tough the school day can be if a child has not figured out how to make and keep friends. I know there are simple steps that you as a parent can take to help make friendship easier for your child.

1. Talk about it

The first step is to talk to your child and make sure there really is a problem. Some kids are more introverted than others and they need a lot of alone time. Not every child wants to be the class president or most popular student. But every kid needs to learn how to get along with peers, work in a group and have satisfying social interactions. Try to discuss friendship with your child and set a realistic goal, such as a couple of friends, an occasional play date or someone to eat lunch with.

2. Get to know the other parents

Other parents are your best resource. A friendly parent can help pave the way for your own child, introducing him to the gang, inviting her for play dates. Also, parents may not be comfortable extending or accepting invitations to kids when they don’t know the parents. Usually, parents of small children will be waiting together at school as it gets out. For even the most introverted parent, this can be a low key, easy place to meet people and a great opportunity to allow a little after school free play. Try to show up a bit early, smile and be sociable, and let your child have some free time with classmates. For older kids, see if you can volunteer at the school and meet the other parents there.

3. Try to join groups

Find a group that your child can be a part of, whether it’s scouts, drama, an after school class, or a sports team. This new setting may allow your child’s special skills to shine in a way they don’t in the classroom. It’s also a new opportunity for you to meet other parents. A bonus is that often the entire team is invited to a pizza party or a camping trip. Of course, if the family is invited, you should make every attempt to attend also, even if your own introverted nature makes this tough.

4. Work on social skills

This brings us to the next point, social skills. When your child is playing after school or at the pizza party, you have the perfect opportunity to watch her interact. Is your child being bossy, clingy, whiny or difficult in other ways? Public places are not ideal for discussing the problems you see. Wait until you get home and then talk to your child, pulling in the friendship goals you’ve already set. If you see major problems with social skills, you may want to address this further in a social skills group.

5. Pay attention to appearance

Your child may care nothing about his appearance, and maybe you admire his independent spirit. Unfortunately the other kids may not be as open-minded. If friendships are being impacted, some degree of conformity may be a compromise you’re willing to make. Take a look at the other kids at school. Does your child stand out from the rest of the class? You don’t have to bow to fashion and buy the most stylish and expensive clothes, but maybe a simple move away from the too-short-pants and bright over-sized sweatshirt will help your child be one of the gang. Pay attention to hygiene and personal habits too. Behavior that’s OK in kindergarten can be a social death knell in middle school.

6. Beware of being too different

Your child may be brilliant, unique and know everything about comets, and you can see how delightful he is, but the truth is, the other kids may just think he’s weird. Don’t think your child has to give up his special interests and talents. Aim instead to supplement these areas with something more universally accepted. Sit down as a family and watch the popular TV shows or go to a blockbuster movie. School is similar to your office, where everyone is discussing the Super Bowl or the presidential primary. At school, your child will have an easier time if she has been to the school carnival or seen the latest episode of Hannah Montana.

7. Take the plunge - Invite someone over

For more reserved parents, the idea of a child’s play-dates can be a bit daunting. But, it’s an important step, because it helps move the friendship outside of the realm of just “school friends.” If your child has not had play-dates before, relax. You don’t need to structure activities or entertain the children. Discuss in advance what activities your child might enjoy doing with a friend and then try to step out of the picture. As a backup, set up a few simple projects in case things are not running smoothly, such as an easy craft project or a movie to watch on TV. You might want to set up a private signal to use with your child if you need to correct your child’s behavior.

8. One special friend

Sometimes, all it takes is one special friend. If your child can make just one friend, that eases the way throughout the school day. He’ll have a partner for projects and someone to eat lunch with. Bullies will usually choose a solo target rather than a pair. For many kids, one friend is enough.

9. Encourage more than one friend

That said, one friend can be a problem. Depending on the situation, your child may be demanding too much from his solitary friend. Watch for signals that the best friend is feeling overwhelmed. This may take the form of complaints from your child that the best friend invited someone else for a sleep-over, or would not eat lunch together as usual. This should not mean the end of the friendship. It just signals to your child that he should move out a bit and socialize with a few other kids.

10. If all else fails

If these simple steps are not helping, don’t despair! There are many other options. The teacher may be able to step in and assist your child. Many teachers will deliberately set up table and work groups to help shyer kids socialize. Find a social skills group by talking to the principal, or searching online. Therapists and other mental health professionals can work on the basics with you and your child.

Finally, progress takes time. Your child does not have to get there all at once and things may get easier as your child matures. The group dynamics of every class will be different. Middle school may provide more kids to choose from, so your child can find a group where he fits. Just keep making an effort and trying new things.

Patricia Robinson, MA, MFT is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice in California. She has offices in Danville and San Ramon, CA and works with children and families. Patricia focuses on kids with Asperger’s Disorder, High Functioning Autism, Nonverbal Learning Disorder and other Pervasive Developmental Disorders. She has an MA in Counseling Psychology from Santa Clara University as well as Engineering degrees from MIT. Please visit her at http://www.patriciarobinsonmft.com

Copyright 2007 by RaiseYourChild.org. All Rights Reserved.

Yoga is “preventative medicine” for children and adults. Yet the world does not embrace preventative action. Just look at hunger, global warming, health care, and poverty. Now you see that some people do take action, but many do not.

Educating the public about the many benefits, which children experience from Yoga practice, is a full-time job for some Yoga teachers. Although most of the public thinks of Yoga postures as a “mild” form of exercise; there are many more different aspects to Yoga practice.

Yoga is a complete holistic approach to health. Yoga teaches proper breathing, dieting, exercise, meditation, relaxation techniques, and many more natural solutions to health problems.

Yoga and Ayurvedic medicine have dieting practices based upon a person’s constitution or dosha. This same classification can be made for exercise routines. An Ayurvedic doctor will, most likely, recommend specific exercises based upon a patient’s dosha.

The entire approach of Yoga and Ayurveda is based upon preventative measures. There are also solutions for “damage control,” when a person has an existing ailment, but any doctor can agree that many of today’s health problems are preventable.

Let’s look at global obesity. The public is very tired of hearing about obesity. Your spam filters are working overtime to pull all of the “Instant weight loss” methods out of your Email box. If you read through the spam, you will notice that spammers want to sell you pills, not permanent solutions to obesity. The spammer’s approach is to make quick money off the public.

When the majority of our population refuses to exercise, the easy money is in selling pills, instant weight loss, and “snake oil.” There is a solution, but most of us will not like it. Yogic diets are full of fruit, vegetables, and natural food. Even in India, it can be observed that diabetes is on the rise, when people eat “junk food.”

As the Indian economy has improved, so has the “middle class appetite” for processed food. This runs parallel to western social and economic patterns.

What does this have to do with Yoga for kids? Yoga is a lifestyle and the earlier you expose children to good health habits, the better your child’s health will be.

As parents, we have many choices, but establishing good health habits, within our children, is an obligation. We also have to eat properly, and exercise, with our children. If you cannot go to a Yoga class, you can always take your child out for a walk. Parents are role models, and any child will copy the image, which you create for him or her.

Yoga classes for children are a parent’s gift of good health. Yoga gives kids a better chance to develop good habits, handle stress, find natural solutions to good health, and live a quality life.

© Copyright 2006 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

About the Author

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. http://www.riyoga.com He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. To receive a Free e-Book: “Yoga in Practice,” and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

NOTE FROM ‘RAISEYOURCHILD.ORG’: check with your physician if Yoga is appropriate for your child.

Copyright 2007 by RaiseYourChild.org. All Rights Reserved.

One of the most popular party favors is a framed picture of the party guest taken at your kids party. He or she could be showing off a silly hat or party costume, performing an outrageous party game stunt, or wearing a face full of frosting and ice cream.

Having party guests create their own make-and-take frame to display this memorable photo makes it an even greater treasure for the memory box.

Start with a plain square of cardboard with an opening the size of your picture. When the decorating is done, simply glue picture to the back of the frame.

Here’s a brainstorm of frame ideas and decorating materials kids can use:

*Cut your photo into a circle and glue to the center of a nice shiny CD. Decorate with star stickers.

*Cut frames from different colored craft foam. Layer the foam squares for a unique effect. Decorative foam pieces in many unique shapes and themes are available at your craft store.

*Make a simple craft stick frame and decorate it with faux gems, sequins, sparkles, or stickers.

*Fashion a frame with craft clay.

*Use faux craft fur to make a really “wild” looking frame. Great for a jungle themed party.

*Tie one end of a long length of colorful yarn to your cardboard square. Wrap the yarn around and around the square until it is completely covered.

*Glue tiny Barbie doll accessories such as combs, brushes, sunglasses, and purses. Ideal for a Barbie party or little girl’s dress up party.

*Brush a square of cardboard with white craft glue. Sprinkle craft sand onto the glue in different colors and patterns. Shake excess sand onto newspapers and let dry.

*Use outdoor treasures such as tiny pine cones, leaves, and small stones to make a nature frame. Perfect for a garden party or bug party.

*Colorful buttons in various sizes and shapes can be laid out in an interesting design.

*Apply geometrical shapes of felt in a creative pattern.

*Cover your frame with pretty fabric.

*Apply colored clay shapes to your cardboard square.

*Hard edible sugar decorations for cakes come in a variety of themes. These can be used to decorate your frame.

*Different shapes of macaroni make interesting frame decorations. Try elbows, wheels, bowties, and fusilli.

*Tiny colored pompoms make a cute soft frame. Apply complementary colors in rows.

*Tear off one inch pieces of multi-colored tissue paper. Pinch between fingers, dip in glue and apply to your frame.

*Small dried beans or peas laid out in intricate patterns make a unique frame.

Kids will love the hands-on party activity and parents will enjoy their child’s picture displayed in their own uniquely creative frame.

Copyright 2005 Kids Party Paradise All Rights Reserved

Patricia B. Jensen is a mother of three and kids party enthusiast. She is the webmaster and owner of href="http://www.kids-party-paradise.com">Kids-Party-Paradise.com - a complete resource for kids party ideas including invitations, cakes, decorations, games, costumes, favors, and food.

For all the latest party news, read her Kids Party Blog.

Copyright 2007 by RaiseYourChild.org. All Rights Reserved.

1. Talk and listen.Have you ever explored an idea with a trusted friend? Your conversation probably helped you figure out what you thought or felt. Talking out loud does not just express your thinking; it actually helps you to think.

Researchers have been observing the power of talk in the classroom for decades. They’ve noticed that kids are natural thinkers and problem-solvers, provided they get the chance to think out loud. At home, think and wonder out loud yourself and build on your child’s observations.

2. Embrace problems.Employers and guidance counsellors have said it for years: problem-solvers will rule the century. If you’ve ever hired a problem-solver, you know what I mean. Problem-solvers say, “Ok, here’s what we could do.” People who can’t problem-solve stare at you blankly and say, “Janice isn’t back until Tuesday.” Always involve your child in problem-solving and invite her solutions to the problem.

3. Argue.From the classroom to the boardroom, the ability to argue well is a hot thinking skill. Arguing means making a claim and backing it up with evidence, or reasons. A claim sounds like this: Recycling should be the law. A reason sounds like this: because the world is running out of space for all the garbage. Dream up some claims with your child and argue them together. They can be silly or serious. You can take one side and she can take the other. Praise good reasons even if you don’t agree with them, and plant the seed for civil discourse.

4. Become obsessed with cause and effect.Seize every opportunity to talk about the way stuff works and how one thing leads to another. This develops your child’s ability to recognize and use causal reasoning. Your examples can be everyday–why the dust disappears when you suck it up with a vacuum cleaner; why you pay to get on the bus; what happens when you put the pot of water on the stove. These conversations will feed your child’s natural curiosity and encourage him to learn more. If you’re unsure about how something works, visit the How Stuff Works website to brush up.

5. Say when you don’t get it.When you say you don’t get it, two things happen: 1. Your child sees you as a person who instinctively evaluates the information she receives; 2. You send a message that being smart doesn’t mean you understand everything.

Only confident people say that don’t get it because they feel entitled to understand. This should be every child’s entitlement–and yours–at home and school. When your child doesn’t understand a concept, never blame him. Encourage him to explain his current understanding so that you can help him move forward. Never let him think he should keep quiet to avoid looking stupid. Smart people always speak up.

6. Ask for the executive summary.Heck, it saves time and it makes your child think–hard. Summarizing is filtering thinking: it means isolating the key ideas and omitting unnecessary detail. think of the last time you tried to summarize your thoughts in front of a friend or boss and failed. Did your brain feel like spaghetti? That’s how mine feels when I haven’t come prepared to summarize.

Ask your child to summarize often. It can be anything–a movie, a school day, a birthday party. When your child masters how to summarize, her brain will start to autocruise for key ideas all the time. A recent article in the Journal of Business Communication characterized the ability to summarize as “key to business survival” but noted that few people could do it well.

7. Offer choices.Choices, rather than directives, force your child to think. You don’t have to offer a complete smorgasbord of options–just a range. Lunch ideas, movie rentals, things to do on the weekend, lessons, hobbies, and extra-curricular activities are some areas where your child benefits from exercising choice within a controlled range. Once your child lives with her choices for awhile, she will start to think more deeply about the implications of them.

8. Watch TV.That’s right–TV. Television increases your child’s general knowledge; exposes him to narrative and all its devices, including characterization, conflict, and chronology; and often offers up a feast of vocabulary.

Start listening to television with your child and talk about what you see and hear. Why was a character funny? Why was a situation unfair? What does quasar mean, anyway? Share with your child the storylines and characters that intrigue you or make you laugh.

9. Dig advertising.Advertisements need not be empty lures; they can be an education in media literacy. If an ad pushes your buttons, don’t get disgusted–get even by talking about the ad with your child. As an adult consumer, you already know the basics of advertising manipulation–from catchy slogan to eye-catching graphics. If you and your child want to know more, visit the Ad Detective at Don’t Buy It! (a PBS website for kids). It’s one of the best sites out there.

By Jessica Pegis

Jessica Pegis is an author and consultant specializing in learning resources kids. She is the mother of 10-year-old Simone, her sternest critic and loudest cheerleader. Sign up today for KidSmart, her FREE e-zine, by going to http://www.talkplaythink.com ! Tips, games, and other fun (and brainy) stuff to do with kids.

Copyright 2007 by RaiseYourChild.org. All Rights Reserved.