Parenting
by gleefulblogger

5 Ideas to Engage Kids in Short School Breaks

July 20, 2018
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5 Best ideas to Keep Kids Engaged during Short School Breaks!

The onset of the second half academic year brings lots of short school breaks. Especially if you are based in Maharashtra, these small breaks can be extended for five days to a week long. Ganpati festival holidays, long weekends, Krishna Jayanti, Diwali vacation. Commencing from August till October end, festivities and short breaks keep children homebound. Children at school have the disciplined time frame for activities and sports. During shorts as their energy and time does not get utilized, they get restless. Making it difficult for us to manage them! Here are few ideas to actively engage kids during short school breaks.

Take them on a Movie Date –

Children love going for movie dates with parents or friends. Watching a movie on the big screen and a bucket of popcorn is something we all love. Especially when you take them to a 3D or IMAX theater for ‘their favorite flick’. I recently took my kid out for the latest sci-fi movie ‘The Antman and The Wasp‘ at IMAX Inox. She thoroughly enjoyed the movie and experienced never like before IMAX screen at INOX theaters, Inorbit Mall, Malad. The large screen and sharp focus, Atmos surround sound, comfortable seating, are few of the features that made our movie watching experience amazing.

Her favorite was shrinking and enlarging of Antman in the movie. Taking kids to age-based movies is advisable, as it teaches them newer things. Like in this movie she picked up some science terminologies and wanted to know further details. Make sure you pick the right theater and prior book the tickets to make it a happy experience.

Engage kids activities

Engage Kids Activities like Treasure Hunt aka Cupboard Cleaning

There is nothing good as delegating the task to kids, they get super involved and complete it as a challenge. Yes, and please don’t judge me here 😉 This is a fun activity and keeps children engaged for some time. Their active engagement in keeping stuff well placed is commendable. But you as a parent have to be patient if getting this work done by them. DO not call it – clean your cupboard task, instead use fancy terms like ‘pirates coup’ or ‘treasure hunt’ etc.

Gardening – Teach them ‘Love for Nature’

Let them play/ act green warrior for a while. Children enjoy spending time with nature, give them a water container and gardening toy shovel. Explain to them how to take care of plants and delegate it the task in school holidays. I have seen my daughter sitting beside plants and talking with them many times. They get responsible towards the plants and imbibe good habit of preserving nature. It will help them in better and sustainable living in the future.

You can also utilize this activity by explaining, ‘How plants make their food, and water cultivation, rainwater harvesting etc.’

Get Crafty – engage kids in creative activities

Engaging kids in activities kids movie date

Bring crafty kits or DIY kits at home. Let them bring their creative side out and get wild with imagination. There are many ways to engage kids in creative ideas; like drawing, coloring, portraits, and crafts. Encourage them to do it all on themselves, bring in a theme based learning. For example – if you explained to them about marine life, ask them to draw underwater or color marine.

Craft kits are fun, and you too can join the fun and create something exciting with them.

Activity Boxes

engaging activities for kids - firstcry intellikit box

The best way to keep kids occupied for hours – give them activity boxes. Activity boxes bring challenges for kids to understand and ‘solve it yourself’ stuff. There are a lot of options to pick from when it comes to activity boxes for kids. All you as a parent need to check is age criteria and usage advantage. Keeping kids involved in creative and engaging activities is necessary, as they tend to get bored sans school.

There are many easier options to keep them occupied, like Television or gadgets. But as a mother, I have permitted only a limited screen time to her. Board games, indoor activities, swimming session at the pool or going out on a short trip these things bring change and as well fill them with fresh energy.

With growing children, it’s important to engage them in mindful activities. It serves two purposes – One kill the time and secondly drain the excess energy. So, next time when you foresee an extended holiday or school breaks – pull up your socks and get creative.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE –

@Dipika Singh Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Dipika Singh (Gleefulblogger) with right and specific direction to the original content.

DISCLAIMER –

The content is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

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mental health of children during Covid19

Mental Health in Children during Covid-19

June 7, 2020
29

Mental Health in children and young people during the troubled times with everyone locked inside their homes for more than 60 days now, and no clear remedy of coronavirus on the view. When we read, hear, or share news about COVID-19, it only adds up to anxiety in children who are looking forward to a breakthrough.

Social media, news channels, conversations with family and relatives is only ridden with coronavirus outbreak and it’s ill effects on the economy worldwide. We are all living in the constant fear of an invisible enemy, in physical form and mentally. The lockdown extensions have higher threats to our subconscious minds, in easy words – our mental health.

mental well-being of children during Covid19

Easy tips to work on the Mental Health in Children during Covid-19

1. Have reassuring conversation with Kids:

Talk and reassure young minds everything will be okay and this is just a phase. Positive affirmations work wonders, follow the daily ritual of keeping the home’s environment happy and suitable for everyone.

Ask their worries, give them a shoulder to share what’s worrying them. Listen before you speak, spend time together, build the bond of sharing freely. Utilize this time by creating memories and breaking barriers, as it is quite tricky to discuss mental health with children directly.

2. Reduce on frequent news updates:

Checking on coronavirus updates frequently probably add up to the stress and anxiety. Keep is realistic, the statistical updates will not do any good but build duress. Check out the stress cues by a child’s behavior, especially in growing kids.

Don’t unnecessarily talk about the ill effects of the pandemic on the world or how long it will take to completely normalize. Talk about the positive news, humane side of being together, this is a new normal and it is okay if you cannot venture outside for a few days.

3. Keeping up with the physical activities routine:

Let them not become a couch potato, just because they are to stay indoors during the lock-down period. Assign some easy daily tasks, chores if possible which helps in burning some energy. Enroll in virtual fitness classes or physical activity sessions like dance, aerobics, Zumba, yoga, etc. Let them burn some calories to earn appreciation.

Learn a happy hobby that will help you bring positivity in life. Such as Yoga, this International Yoga Day 2020, pledge to make Yoga an integral part of your life by registering here.

4. Handle social distancing consciously:

Social distancing is the need of the hour and must be inculcated as a habit. Don’t force forward your rule but explain the reasoning behind it, as this is one of the easiest ways to keep the virus at bay.

At the same time, utilize the technology and let them be in constant contact if their buddies/friends. Plan group activities or challenges online which bring positive competitiveness in children. Such activities are great to boost positive mental health in children.

5. Engage kids creatively to avoid screen-time:

These are testing times and a major challenge for all parents across the globe. Keeping children engaged is a gigantic task today, especially when all other options have been exhausted already. Let the creative juices flow and don’t try to contain the mess if they go out of the box.

DIY activities, recycle, or refurbished art is fun let them explore with thoughts and nifty. Indulge in family board games, like monopoly or snakes and ladder. Convert this time into ‘family time’ a constructive habit to break barriers and bring all together.

In the end, all that matters is happiness and healthy mental health in children and everyone. The situation and time are such that we have to bring positivism instead of the coping mechanism.

Copyright

©Dipika Singh. This article is the property of the site’s author. Any unauthorized use or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Dipika Singh (Gleefulblogger). With the right and specific direction to the original content.

Disclaimer

The content is not for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

discipline children

Disciplining Children – Make it a Covert Operation

April 4, 2018
20


Top post on IndiBlogger, the biggest community of Indian Bloggers

Discipline – A Covert Operation

Have you ever wondered what life would have been without discipline? We know the reasons and need of discipline in life, don’t we? Discipline is one such crucial aspect of life which keep us sorted, design the blue print of life, bring utilization and make us social. But when it comes to discipling children, we often get derelict from the goal. Imbibing discipline in children doesn’t mean being strict or give punishments. It typically means – setting up rules or guidelines to channelize their energy and focus on target.

A disciplined mind leads to happiness, and an undisciplined mind lead to sufferings.’– H.H. Dalai Lama

Is it essential to Discipline children?

Not just children, discipline is essential for everyone. If we go by the dictionary meaning of discipline, it states – “practice of making people obey rules and follow standard behavior”. Punishment is used only if someone disobeys, but we can leave it for later part of this article. Yes, is is essential to discipline children because it creates an environment to follow a behavioral pattern.

It could be as simple as brushing teeth twice daily for oral hygiene. This is vital for dental health, and hence a child has to follow the pattern.

Wash your hands before eating, this is a basic hygiene rule and hence following it is mandatory from health’s point of view. Following such rules from early childhood makes a life-long healthy habit.

‘Early to bed and early to rise, makes a kid healthy and wise’, setting bedtime and morning times for kids is to create a healthy habit. Following such pattern make them efficient to manage their day and time well.

These are few rudimentary examples of why discipline is required for children. Now this doesn’t mean, we get harsh on them for not following such patterns. A child’s mind understands rules from ‘happy’ or ‘unhappy points. Let them learn the consequences – What if you will not get-up in morning on time? What if you eat food with dirty hands? What if and Why?

Be consistent with the Discipline

child behavior

For parents if easy to get overwhelmed with emotions. This is our weakest point, but for creating a healthy habit of ‘discipline’ we must reinforce it to fullest. Maintain consistency and any dilution could lead up to absolute devolve. Exceptions from a parent could be confusing for children, and in return they may turn back to you seeking omissions. Breaking rules must have consequence, however its our discretion how we take it forward. Usually a cause-and-effect relationship helps in such situation.

For instance – For leftover food in child’s plate regularly, parent can explain consequences of hunger. We explained the food left in her plate is equal to a mouthful of a hungry child who is starving out, with some googled images. This visual-aid impact made her realise value of taking as per need and resolved the issue.

Are you following Discipline yourself?

As I have been writing all along the series, there is nothing that our children cannot achieve if we work with them in truest form. Its not only wrong to PREACH that we do not practice, but also unethical. Like, if we teach kids to throw litter in bins, it is out duty to practise the same. When we dilute the rule by breaking it once or twice, we are setting very wrong examples for them.

One of the biggest challenge parents face is creating a balance in school life and social life. Kids follow different pattern and behaviour, and we as parents should understand and make realistic goals for them to achieve. Tempting them to follow discipline is not advisable, as it co-relates act and reward with following instructions.

Punishments or Explanations

Every thing has a cause-and-effect relationship, so as in the case of discipline. When a child breaks rule or get edgy, even physical punishment will not address the issue beyond a point. Discipline is about self-control, appreciate the well-marked points and reprimand for consequences. Warning signals are easier way to advise children that they are at wrong side.

An early start is advisable and help gaining self-control among kids easily. Scolding and physical punishments will lead to wrong precedents for future. However, at times strict warnings and strong messages are needed to show the seriousness. Hence, choose consequences which will leave a lasting impact.

Please remember discipline is to create self-control and emotions in balance, every child is different and we have to do various trials-and-errors before settling in for one strategy.

This post is written for #BlogchatterA2Z series, and my theme for this challenge is Gleeful Parenting. Previously from the series –

A for Acceptance.

B for Be an Active Listener Parent.

C for Comparison.

 

COPY-WRITE NOTICE –
@Dipika Singh Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Dipika Singh (Gleefulblogger) with right and specific direction to the original content.
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