Character Building from KidsDiscuss.com

5 Parenting Tips for Building Character with a Homework Checklist

Would Parenting Tips about homework be helpful? Use the Homework Checklist below to set the scene for doing homework.

Homework takes self-discipline. Self-discipline builds character in kids. Use this Homework Checklist to get your child started.

Homework Checklist:

Make Sure Your Child Has:

• A quiet place to work with good light.
• A regular time for homework.
• Basic supplies, such as paper, pencils, pens, markers, and ruler.
• Aids to good organization, such as an assignment calendar, book bag, and folders.
• No television, loud music, and lots of interruptions.

When your child studies in a quiet place, it will help him focus. Focusing on his homework increases his self-discipline. Self-discipline builds character.

Do you use a homework checklist for your child? How is it working? Leave a comment and let me know.

If you'd like to chart your child's homework progress, consider picking up my Character Building Kit It will help decrease whining about homework too.

Become an exceptional parent. Subscribe to my Free Parenting Newsletter and receive 80 fun activities to share with your kids at:

http://www.KidsDiscuss.com

 With warm wishes for your parenting success,

Jean

Jean Tracy, MSS

 

5 Parenting Tips that Build Character with Art

Dear Parents,

If you'd like parenting tips for building character with art, look inside. You'll have fun with your child, teach love for art, and help your child become creative too.

For beginning artists (K-5th grade)

Discuss the project with your child. Let your child take the lead in finding the materials and arranging them.

Some artists create art from old junk, things they have found on the beach, in the woods, or along the roadside.

• Go on a treasure hunt outside to find things that could be used in a collage, a picture where shapes and colors are pasted on a piece of paper or cardboard: sticks and leaves, flowers to be pressed, feathers, berries to be crushed to use as paint, pebbles, shells, pieces of blunt-edged metal.
• Go on a treasure hunt inside to find other things such as scraps of paper, buttons, pieces of cloth, ribbon.
• Look for some heavy cardboard or wood to use as a backing.
• Have your child lay out the materials in a design on the backing. Have your child move things around until the design is what s/he wants.
• Use heavy duty glue. Have your child glue the items on the backing.

How is this for building the creative side of character?

Let me know how your art project turned out. Was it fun?

Jean Tracy's Email

Become an exceptional parent. Subscribe to my Free Parenting Newsletter and receive 80 fun activities to share with your kids at:

http://www.KidsDiscuss.com

 With warm wishes for your parenting success,

Jean

Jean Tracy, MSS

Building Character with Logical Child Discipline

Dear Parent,

Would you like to build character in your kids when you discipline them? Are you afraid you're too harsh or too easy? Would you like to discipline with logic? Inside you'll find 3 common problems and 3 logical ways to handle them.

Discipline Problem and Its Solution # 1 ~ your children fight over which TV program to watch.

Consider turning off the TV for a day. Your children will need to find something else to do. Hopefully, it won't be computer games.

Discipline Problem and Its Solution #2 ~ your child waves sharp scissors around recklessly.

Consider taking the sharp scissors away and handing your child blunt tipped scissors young children use. This can be a good alternative when your child needs scissors for homework projects.

Discipline Problem and Its Solution # 3 ~ your child ignores your commands to "get off the phone."

Consider taking phone privileges away for 1 or 2 days. This might be difficult if you work outside the home and the phone is available when you're not there. In that case, take the phone privileges away when you are home.

Building Character with Logical Consequences Conclusion:

Perhaps you noticed each problem had a logical consequence. Each problem had a direct solution connected to the misbehavior. It wouldn't be logical if your child didn't get off the phone when you asked and you told your child to walk the dog as a punishment. Walking the dog has no direct consequence to your child hanging up the phone.

I know it isn't easy to always find a logical consequence when disciplining your child. You'll need to stop and think before you speak. Ask yourself, "What consequence fits this misbehavior?" You'll almost always come up with a good solution.

Become an exceptional parent. Subscribe to my Free Parenting Newsletter and receive 80 fun activities to share with your kids at:

http://www.KidsDiscuss.com

If you liked the above tips, and want to raise your child with a positive character, discover the Parenting Skills Kit. It has parenting skills and encouragement for you when handling your kids. There's a "discipline stick" inside it too. It helps parents worldwide teach family values. Pick it up at:

Parenting Skills Kit

 Send me your parenting questions and I'll send you a parenting surprise. Just email your question to:

Jean Tracy's Email

 With warm wishes for your parenting success,

Jean

Jean Tracy, MSS

Character Building – This Chore Teaches Your Kids to Be Responsible

"Building Character Starts with Getting Your Kids To Talk."

Do you have second, third, or fourth grade child? Could he use a little character building? Would you like to teach him a chore he could use for life? How about teaching him to sweep the kitchen? Perhaps you'll want him to sweep after dinner, before company comes, or as part of his Saturday work. He's old enough to handle a broom, sweep out the corners, and create a pile to pick up with the dust pan. Teach your child to become competent at sweeping. He'll be able to sweep bathrooms, front door entrances, and steps too.

First, take the time to show him how. You may have to help him with the first few tries. Don't' forget to check his work. Praise him for what he does well. If he overlooked something in the corner, ask him about the dust bunny he left behind. Don't criticize. Let him pick it up.

Wouldn't it be nice to let your child do the sweeping? Wouldn't you like help with this chore? All it takes in the beginning is your time, patience, and praise.

One more thing, he'll become competent at a chore he can use throughout his life. He'll become more responsible and build character too. Try it and let me know the results.

If you liked this tip, consider picking up my kit with age-appropriate chores and a chore chart. . You'll find it exclusively at:

The Chore Chart Kit

Receive 80 fun activities to share with your kids by subscribing to my newsletter at:

http://www.KidsDiscuss.com

Send me a parenting question and I'll send you a parenting surprise. Just email me your question to:

Jean Tracy's Email

Best wishes for your parenting success,

Jean

Jean Tracy, MSS

Building Character ~ 3 Rules and One Example for Discussing Dilemmas with Kids

"Building Character Starts with Getting Your Kids To Talk."

Parenting Tips by Jean Tracy, MSS, for grades K-6:

Dear Parent,

When you have good relationships, with your children, they confide in you. When they confide in you, you become their confidant. This offers you the ability to influence their lives when they need your influence most. That's why I developed the Dilemma Discussion Kit with its 51 dilemmas to discuss with your kids. The dilemmas don't accuse your child about anything. In fact, the problems are about a make believe child. Use them and find out how discussions with your kids can be real eye-openers.

When you share the make believe problems in the kit with your child, you give them the opportunity to share their moral thinking too. You'll learn if your family values are getting through to your child. Here are 3 rules for you:

• Listen without criticism
• Compliment their good thinking.
• Get advice to say later, if you need it, from trusted adults.

An Example to Ask and Discuss with Your Child:

"Pretend your friend's mother told you she is sick of her son's whining. When he whines, you notice that she gives him everything he wants. What advice would you like to give his mother?"

See how non-threatening an example like this can be? Make sure the problems you discuss are not directly related to your child's behavior or he'll shut down. Treasure what you learn. Don't condone immoral thinking. Take time to think things through that you consider wrong before you comment. It could take you a couple of days for you to think about the best approach before you respond.

Consider This Approach for Returning to the Discussion:

"Remember when we discussed the problem with the whining boy and you said his mother should spank him every time he whines? Spanking might not be the best approach. Can you think of something that might fit the boys whining behavior?" If he can't, this is where you might offer suggestions to discuss.

Keep things simple. You'll be a great confidant if you do.

Be an exceptional parent. Subscribe to my Free Parenting Newsletter and receive 80 fun activities to share with your kids at:

http://www.KidsDiscuss.com

 

If you liked the above tips, and want to raise kids with character, consider dilemma discussions. Let my kit help you. Pick it up at:

Dilemma Discussion Kit

 

Send me your parenting questions and I'll send you a parenting surprise. Just email your question to:

Jean Tracy's Email

 

With warm wishes for your parenting success,

Jean

Jean Tracy, MSS

 

 

 

 

Building Character ~ 3 Affirmations Kids Can Give to Parents

 

"Building Character Starts with Getting Your Kids To Talk."

Parenting Tips by Jean Tracy, MSS, for grades K-6:

Dear Parent,

You give affirmations to build self-esteem in your children, right? Your children can build self-esteem in you too. Affirmations can be a two-way street. You and your kids can say kind specific words to each other. When you do your family will blossom. Here's how it works:

Sit down with your kids, perhaps at a family meeting, and teach your children how to give you affirmations. Here are some ground rules to tell your kids:

 

• Make sure the kind words are what you really think and feel about me and dad.
• Make sure the affirmation is about dad's or my specific behavior.
• Make it short.
• Discuss why you think and feel those kind words about us.

If your child doesn't know what you mean, discuss these examples:

1. "Mom, I like how you hug me when I come home from school."
2. "Dad, I like when you laugh at my jokes."
3. "Mom, I like when you hold my hand."

To get your children to discuss their affirmations ask or say:

• Tell me more
• Why do you think that?
• Do you want me to do more of that? Why?

Could I be a fly on the wall when you teach your children how to give affirmations? Better yet, tell me the results in the comment section below.

If you liked these tips, consider using my family meeting book. It's designed with 52 ready-to use-family meetings. Pick it up at:

The Family Meeting Diary

Subscribe to my Free Parenting Newsletter and receive 80 fun activities to share with your kids at:

http://www.KidsDiscuss.com

Become a better parent. Send me a parenting question and I'll send you a parenting surprise. Just email your question to:

Jean Tracy's Email

With warm wishes for your parenting success,

 

Jean

Jean Tracy, MSS

 

Subscribe to our Free Parenting Newsletter at

http://www.KidsDiscuss.com and receive

80 fun activities to share with your kids.