Parenting - School Age   

Beat the Heat - Head Over to Your Local Library

Take a trip to the library this summer! Not only is it a good way to beat the heat, but you can be actively involved in your child's learning. Set the stage for your family's continued engagement in literacy over the summer months. With a nice visit with us, you'll be modeling the value of reading. We all have busy schedules, but with a little time set aside for a library trip you can contribute to your child's success in the fall (reading 4 or 5 books over the summer helps to hone reading skills).

 Leisure reading is powerful. It's fun but it's also a vocabulary-rich activity. The fun part means having kids learn something in a relaxed manner. The best part is their having an adventure and they don't even know that they're learning!That's what summer reading is all about. It's casual and it's educational. It's like a stealth operation. Your child can have vocabulary gains just by doing some daily reading - just 15 minutes will do. It can be quality time you will enjoy together.  We can help. Norfolk Public Library is open all summer and you will be able to find JUST THE RIGHT BOOK to take home for every member of your family. Let's all keep those skills razor sharp. Just between you and me, I wouldn't mention that vocabulary thing.

Submitted by Terri Raymond, Norfolk Public Library.
Visit the Mary Pretlow Branch in Ocean View - or the Norfolk Public Library's website for a listing of all the branches. 

 Libraries across Hampton Roads can be found in the KidsPriorityOne database.

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LISTEN WITH YOUR HEART

Think back to when you were growing up, and all the times you felt self-doubt, confusion, and frustration. Its tough growing up! You can help your children get through the bumps and bruises of life by simply being there for them. Children need to know that the  when the whole world feels likes its crashing down around them, they have one safe, secure place to go, and one bottomless source of unconditional love.

~Listening is as much a skill as giving a speech is a skill. It's not just a matter of picking up sounds: active listening involves an array of behaviors that express your attention, empathy, and respect. Listening to your children in this way will go far toward convincing them of your unconditional love. Keep these guidelines when your child has something important to say to you.

~Put down the paper or shut the TV off. Maintain eye contact with your child. Make body contact, such as hand to shoulder.  Often when children are trying to express a problem, parents say they are listening, but there attention is somewhere else. You can't con a child this way. A few minutes of sincere listening go a long way.

~Don't jump in to give solutions or lectures. Often, children just need a sounding board. Solving your child's problem may give you the relief of ending his discomfort; but, in the long term, its worth far more to them to get the support they need to formulate solutions on their own.

~Demonstrate you are listening by  asking appropriate questions and making "listening" sounds such as "Hmm", "Oh", "Really?", and "Wow"!

~Validate your child's fears and feelings, instead of minimizing them. Its tempting to say, "Don't worry about it, or "There's nothing to be afraid of". By brushing them off, you can give your child the message that his feelings aren't important. Try to reword your statement to validate them such as, "That must be frustrating", or "It can hurt to feel left out".

~Help your child focus on solutions. Help your child use forward thinking phrases like," I bet you wish...", or "Wouldn't it be nice", or "what do you think you'll do now?'

Excerpted with permission from Elizabeth Pantley from Kid Cooperation (New Harbinger 1996)

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