Character Building from KidsDiscuss.com

Parenting Tip ~ One Special Way to Bond with Your Child

Dear Parent,

Here's a parenting tip you can use today. It helps you connect and bond with your child. When you connect and bond with fun activities you influence your child's character. Let me know if you already do this:

Rub Your Child's Back for 15 Minutes:

Why? Your child loves it. It offers special time for your child to talk with you, to have simple discussions, and to giggle together.

Your child loves your affection and wants to be close to you. Rubbing his back prompts him to confide in you. You learn the things your child is worrying about. This is an opportunity to help your child. Your child will trust you too.

Don't forget to share jokes and funny stories too. Laughing together creates wonderful bonding time that strengthens your relationship.

Do you rub your child's back? If not, what do you do to spend fun time together? We'd like to share your ideas too. Write to:

Jean Tracy's Email or click the comment link below and leave your comment.

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

 

Parenting Skills ~ How Affirmations Increase Creativity in Kids

 

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

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

Do you like hearing, "You're an interesting person?" Do you go inside yourself, smile, and wonder what the person meant? Wouldn't you like to know? This parenting tip will show you how to make your child smile, know what you meant, and increase her creativity too.

Parenting Tip for Making Your Affirmation Specific:

Let's say your child just told you a story she created. Here are 3 separate ways you could compliment her:

1. You are an interesting person because you have a lively imagination.
2. You are an interesting person because you're a good story teller.
3. You are an interesting person because your face is so expressive when you tell stories.

Specific praise increases the chances that your child will:

1. Increase her desire to tell more stories.
2. Increase her lively imagination.
3. Increase her creativity while telling stories.
4. Increase her facial expressions too.

Being a good story teller will definitely attract friends to her. She'll earn good creative writing grades. Because of your specific praise, she could achieve many future rewards. The next time your child does something well, be sure to give her a specific compliment. Pay attention to the results. You'll be glad you did.

Become an expert parent. If you liked this tip, why not praise your children with 75 more affirmations from my:

Parent Affirmations Kit

I invite you to subscribe to my Free Parenting Newsletter and receive 80 fun activities to share with your kids at:

http://www.KidsDiscuss.com

What parenting questions would you like to ask? When I receive your question, I'll send you a parenting surprise. Just email me at:

Jean Tracy's Email

Best 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.

 

Building Character ~ Parenting Tips for Building Honesty in Kids

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

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

Does your child give good moral advice to her friends? Does she follow it herself? Inside you'll find a parenting tip to help your child build character with honest advice.

Parenting Tip for Building an Honest Character:

Internalizing good advice means taking to heart the good advice your child gives to others. This includes following that advice when she needs it herself. This is the inner honesty your child needs for building a solid character. Consider discussing this moral dilemma with your child

"Pretend your friend's mom told her to do homework instead of going to your house. You heard your friend scream at her mother yelling, 'You can't tell me what to do! I hate you!' They had a big fight."

5 Parenting Questions to Build Your Child's Honesty:

1. How would you feel about your friend for screaming at her mother?
2. What good advice would you like to give her?
3. How would you tell her?
4. If your mom told you to stay home and do your homework, how would you like to react?
5. Have you ever followed your own good advice even when you didn't feel like it? If so, when?

Discussing the advice your child would give to others is important for reflecting on that same advice when she needs it. Asking her if she would follow it develops her reasoning powers. It prepares her for handling future conflicts. It builds her inner honesty too.

Become an expert parent. Why not discuss and role-play this dilemma with your kids today? If you'd like 50 more dilemmas to discuss with your kids, check out my:

Dilemma Discussion Kit.

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

http://www.KidsDiscuss.com

What parenting questions would you like to ask? When I receive your question, I'll send you a parenting surprise. Just email me at:

Jean Tracy's Email

Best wishes for your parenting success,

Jean

Jean Tracy, MSS

Parenting Skills Blog ~ Parenting Tips for Building a Conscience in Kids

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

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

Do you wonder if your child is developing a conscience? Would you like some parenting advice? Inside you'll find a tip to help your child build character through self-reflection.

Parenting Tips for Building a Conscience through Self-Reflection:

Children with solid characters develop healthy consciences. That means helping them pay attention to that inner voice or feeling when they make moral decisions. Consider discussing and role-playing this dilemma.

"Pretend that you've been lying to get out of trouble. Your parents found out you were late because you played video games at your friend's house. You told them the coach helped you with your dribbling after basketball practice. Your parents are starting to distrust you."

5 Parenting Questions to Ask Your Kids:

1. Will you keep telling lies? Why or why not?
2. Have you ever told lies to get out of trouble?
3. If so, how did you feel about yourself?
4. Even if you get in trouble, how could telling the truth make you feel good?
5. You have an inner voice and feeling inside you. They nudge you to do the right thing. What can you do to pay attention to that inner voice or feeling?

Teaching your child to self-reflect by paying attention to that inner voice, helps your child build a healthy conscience. Use dilemma discussions. Role-play both the wrong thing and right thing to do. This will help your child self-reflect and become a person of character.

Become an expert parent. Discuss and role-play this dilemma with your kids today. If you'd like 50 more dilemmas to discuss with your kids, check out my:

Dilemma Discussion Kit.

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

http://www.KidsDiscuss.com

What parenting question would you like to ask? When I receive your question, I'll send you a parenting surprise. Just email me at:

Jean Tracy's Email

Best wishes for your parenting success,

Jean

Jean Tracy, MSS

Parenting Skills Blog ~ Parenting Tip for Increasing Social Awareness

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

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

This Parenting Tip is One of 50 dilemmas for parents and kids to discuss from my:

Dilemma Discussion Kit

Do you wonder how to help your child think beyond himself? Would you like him to understand what other people like and dislike? Inside you'll find a parenting tip to decrease self-centeredness and increase social awareness.

Parenting Tip for Increasing Social Awareness:

Increase Social Awareness: Social awareness is being aware of others' opinions, their needs, their likes and dislikes. Talk about this moral dilemma to increase social awareness in your kids.

"Pretend you enjoy tattling on your classmates when they're not doing their work. You aren't doing your work either."

1. What's wrong with this picture? Why?
2. What do most kids think about tattletales? Why?
3. Do teachers like tattletales?
4. What situations should you tell the teacher about? Why?
5. What should you ask yourself when you think about tattling? Why?

Parenting Tip Conclusion:

Teaching your child to become socially aware is critical to his success in life. People who think only of themselves have few friends. Being liked will help your child become a positive force in the world. He'll have more fun by being socially aware of others too.

You can create those teaching moments and build character too. Why not discuss and role-play this dilemma with your kids today? If you'd like more dilemmas to discuss with your kids, check out my

Dilemma Discussion Kit.

Receive 80 fun activities to share with your kids by subscribing to my Free Parenting Newsletter at:

http://www.KidsDiscuss.com

How do you teach your kids social awareness? Send me your tip and I'll send you a parenting surprise. Just email me at:

www.KidsDiscuss.com

Best 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.

 

 

 

Parenting Skills Blog ~ Parenting Tip for Role-Playing Moral Dilemmas

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

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

This Parenting Tip Gives Parents and Kids One of the Dilemma Discussions in My:

Dilemma Discussion Kit

Do you wonder how your child makes moral decisions when you aren't there to help? Would you like to prepare her to make good choices? Inside you'll find a fun parenting tip here to help your child make good moral decisions and build character too.

Parenting Tip for Dilemma Discussions:

Use Role-Playing ~ Role-playing moral dilemmas involves your child putting herself into the shoes of another kid. This helps your child understand where the other child is coming from. Consider discussing and role-playing this moral dilemma:

"Your best friend just gave you the toy you saw her steal."

5 Dilemma Discussion Questions:

1. Will you keep the toy?
2. Why or why not?
3. Why do you think she acted the way she did?"
4. What would you like to tell your friend?
5. If you do the right thing, how will you feel about yourself?

After you discuss the questions with your child, role-play the dilemma from beginning to end. This will help your child make moral decisions in the future when she's pressured to do the wrong thing.

Become an exceptional parent! Create teaching moments and build character too by picking up my:

Dilemma Discussion Kit

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

http://www.KidsDiscuss.com

How do you teach your kids your moral values? Let me know by emailing:

Jean Tracy

When I receive your tip, I'll send you a surprise and consider your tip as permission to post your comment too.

Best wishes for your parenting success,

Jean

Jean Tracy, MSS

 

 

 

Parenting Skills Blog ~ 3 Ways Family Meetings Teach Listening Skills to Kids

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

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

This Parenting Skill Fits with My Family Meeting Book:

Do your children pay attention to you? Do you find yourself repeating much of what you say? How can you get your kids to listen? Consider using the Family Meeting for teaching your children listening skills.

The Family Meeting Can Help Solve the Following Problems:

• Interrupting
• Hogging the Conversation
• Talking at the Same Time

Parenting Tip # 1:

When your child interrupts, he's not listening to what is being said. Instead, he's thinking only about the points he wants to make. If this is happening at your Family Meetings, consider having the interrupter repeat what the speaker said. If he can't, then he misses his turn to speak.

Parenting Tip #2:

When your child hogs the conversation, tell her, when you are alone with her, "You have two ears and one mouth. That means you need to listen twice as much as speak." At the meetings set a timer for each speaker. Limit each speaker to one minute.

Parenting Tip #3:

When your children speak at the same time, stop the conversation. Insist that only the appointed speaker can talk. Everyone else must listen.

Why not teach listening skills with Family Meetings? The skills you teach will transfer to other parts of your children's lives. You'll be teaching good manners, helping them communicate well, and you'll be building character too.

Become an exceptional parent! Pick up our Family Meeting Book .

Subscribe to my Free Parenting Newsletter at www.KidsDiscuss.com and receive 80 fun things to share with your kids.

What tip would you like to share for holding successful family meetings? Let me know by emailing me at Jean's Email . When I receive your tip, I'll send you a surprise.

Here's to your parenting success,

Jean

Jean Tracy, MSS

Parenting Skills Blog ~ How Family Meetings Make Your Better Family

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

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

This Parenting Skill Comes from my Family Meeting Book:

 

How Can Family Meetings Make Your Family Better?

Family Meetings bond the family together. Besides planning fun events and solving problems, family meetings help each member work together.

 

3 Ways Family Meetings Make the Family Better:

• Each member promises to do something positive and practical.
• The promise must help the family in some way.
• The promise must be written down and posted on the refrigerator as a reminder.

In our last blog each member promised to take one action to make the fishing trip and picnic happen. Each member posted what they would do on the refrigerator. The next step is to do what they promised. This is what it means to be a family team.

Why not hold Family Meetings at your house? They're fun, they're easy, and they build character too.

Promote family values in your house. Pick up our Family Meeting Book .

Subscribe to my Free Parenting Newsletter at www.KidsDiscuss.com and receive 80 fun things to share with your kids.

What tip would you like to share for holding family meetings? Let me know by emailing Jean . When I receive your tip, I'll send you a surprise.

Here's to your parenting success,        

Jean

Jean Tracy, MSS

 

Parenting Skills Blog ~ How Family Meetings Are Fun for Kids

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

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

This Parenting Skill Fits with My Family Meeting Book:

Does your family plan fun things together? Or does one person choose and dictate to the rest of the family? If you would like your family to plan pleasant events and be a close-knit team, check out this parenting tip:

Parenting Tips for Using the Family Meeting:

Some parents use the family meeting to lecture, nag, and struggle to get their kids to do their chores. The children in these families hate family meetings. There is a better way.

Family meetings can be fun. Inside the family meeting, families can plan fun vacations, weekends, or outings too. Let's say your kids want to plan a fishing outing. How do you do it so that everyone is involved?

Make planning this fun event the core of the meeting. Give every person a chance to speak. Make sure everyone listens to the speaker.

How the Family Meeting Create a Family Team:

• Sarah, age 10, says, "Let's go fishing on Saturday. Everyone discusses whether Saturday is a good time. It is.
• Dad says Lake Washington is near and the afternoon is best for him.
• John, age 12, asks if they can make it a picnic too. He says he'll make sandwiches.
• Mom says she'll get out the picnic things.
• Jessica, age 7, says she'll help John make lunch too.
• Dad says he'll get the fishing equipment ready.
• Sarah says she'll help dad.

Can you see how family meetings can be fun? Can you see how everyone is involved as a team? Can you feel the excitement?

Why not use family meetings to plan fun events? Include each member in the discussion and get each member to state what they will do to make it happen. If you do, you'll all have fun and you'll be building character too.

If you liked the above parenting tips, pick up our Family Meeting Book to create your own family team.

Subscribe to my Free Parenting Newsletter at www.KidsDiscuss.com and receive 80 fun things to share with your kids.

What tip would you like to share for holding successful family meetings? Let me know by emailing me at http://www.kidsdiscuss.com/contact.asp . When I receive your tip, I'll send you a surprise.

Here's to your parenting success,

Jean

Jean Tracy, MSS

 

 

Parenting Skills Blog ~ Teaching Investing to Your Child

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

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

This Parenting Skill Belongs with My FREE Parenting Tips – 21 of the Best at www.KidsDiscuss.com

My friend, Mary, sent in this parenting tip. Mary has a home business. She does accounting for many firms. Mary knows how to handle money. She teaches her daughter how to handle money too. Here is her tip:

"Our 10-year-old-daughter suggested investing in something she liked, Red Robin. After we taught her about financial statements, we bought shares of Red Robin. It made money too. Now she looks forward to financial statements. We know we are teaching her not to be afraid of investing in the future." - Mary Watts, Mother and Accountant

Teaching your child how to invest is a wonderful way to prepare her for the future right now. If you know about investing, why not get your child interested too? You'll be giving your child a head start in the business world and you'll be building character too.

If you liked the above tip, pick up my FREE Parenting Tips – 21 of the Best! You'll find them at the top of the page at www.KidsDiscuss.com While you're there subscribe to my FREE Parenting Newsletter too.

How do you teach your child about money? Let me know by emailing me at http://www.kidsdiscuss.com/contact.asp . When I receive your tip, I'll send you a parenting surprise.

Become an exceptional parent. Download our Creative Parenting Skills Kits Priceless advice at affordable prices!

Best wishes for your parenting success,

Jean

Jean Tracy, MSS