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How pets benefit child development. Caring for a pet really is a childhood rite of passage. The excitement of nurturing another being — which quickly becomes a best friend — is incomparable to anything else. The experience creates lifelong memories, and we always remember our first pet. But while it's obvious that having a pet is entertaining and gives kids the warm fuzzies, did you know it can also positively affect your child in a much more profound way? Experts say a child's physical, social, emotional and cognitive development can all be encouraged by interaction with the family pet.

More: 10 Cat Breeds That Have the Absolute Best Personalities Physical Having a pet helps kids improve their motor skills and also just increases overall activity. In fact, a 2010 study showed that kids in England who had a dog exercised on average 11 minutes more a day than other children who didn't have a dog. Social You know how the saying goes: "Dog is man's best friend" — which is true. Emotional Makes sense, right? Cognitive. Teaching Children to Handle Dogs | Pet Care Article. Let's face it, kids can be rough. Just look at the mangled and matted stuffed animals strewn across your child's bedroom.

Introducing a living, fragile, self-protective animal into this environment could be disastrous. So before you bring home a new pet, make sure your children know how to handle a furry family member properly. Safe Approach When your child meets a new dog, ask permission first. If the dog sniffs your child's outstretched hand and seems friendly, she's giving your little one permission to pet her gently. Tell your children never to pet a dog who's not part of your family without permission from both the dog's owner and the dog. Just the Right Touch Dogs are just so cute! Instead, explain to your child that dogs love to be stroked on the neck, scratched under the chin and around the ears, and patted on their sides. Hard to Hold Young children shouldn't carry puppies around. Hey, I'm Eating Here Stop Staring at Me Child's Play Don't Fence Me In Lifelong Friends. How pets benefit child development.

Fun Animal Facts for Kids - Crazy, Cool, Funny, Amazing, Interesting. Virtual Pet Games For your Kids. Virtual Neopets Games Neopets.com has tons of pet games, whether you're looking to dive into a world of adventure or just relax with some quick entertainment. You'll meet new Neopets in our games, along with their companions, Petpets, and of course the faeries of Neopia also make an appearance. There are plenty of action games for when you want to run around and test your arcade skills. Leap for doughnutfruits with adorable Petpets in Hasee Bounce or travel to outer space in Freaky Factory and control vats of goo to make plastic toys... but watch out for the thief, because he'll run off with your products!

On the other hand, try one of our puzzle games if you want more thinking and less crazy clicking. Acara Eyrie Gelert JubJub Kacheek Kougra Lupe Shoyru Uni Xweetok Popular Neopets Games. Fun Animal Facts for Kids - Crazy, Cool, Funny, Amazing, Interesting. 9 No Good, Very Bad Toddler Habits » Pint-sized Treasures. Virtual Pet Games For Animal Lovers. Teaching Boys to be Respectful. I never thought my son would speak to me the way he did. Whoever wrote that sticks and stones diddy was wrong because words wound deep. There have been times in this parenting journey that our boys exhibited the sweetest, most respectful behavior and other times when I shook my head in dismay, wondering what I was doing wrong. Especially as each of our sons entered the choppy waters of puberty and adolescence. I don’t write these thoughts as an expert mama but rather a mama who has been on her face before God, asking for help and receiving His love, grace and wisdom in the form of His peace.

Asking for suggestions was the right thing to do but that doesn’t mean that every suggestion was meant for your child. So, mama whose little ones are having trouble with respect, here are the things I have learned in my 17 years of parenting boys. Lead by example. Our family rules center on the theme of respect: Respect God, respect your parents, respect others, respect yourself and respect belongings. 7 Ways to Get Your Kid to Stop Whining. My daughter Abby has a tendency to – well, there’s no pleasant way to put this – WHINE. She’s a good kid and awfully mature for being just four years old. But when she wants something or feels wronged in some way, her voice veers into nasal territory. She wants to watch another movie, she wants to wear her tutu to bed, she wants to open the garage herself, she doesn’t need to go to the bathroom (although you can see or smell evidence to the contrary), you didn’t give her the right password to get out the door in the morning when you’re already running late – and she didn’t actually tell you what the right password is.

We’ve been working on it for a couple months now, and she’s getting better at catching herself. When the whining starts, I say: “I’m sorry, I can’t understand what you’re saying. Usually, she can right her tone on the first try, but on a tough day it takes two or three times to get her to stop whining. A Fresh Start Then I came across this poster on Pinterest: Her idea? Accomplishments of the Past Year | Easy Christmas Activity for Kids | JumpStart. 13 Life Hacks for Parents - Princess Pinky Girl. 24 Kids Toy Clean Up Tips. In “From the Mouths of Moms” I bring you kid-tested parenting tips for a specific parenting challenge “from the mouths of moms.” We’ve already shared lots of tips for dealing with picky eaters, getting kids to sleep better, ensuring stress-free play dates, cooking with kids, potty training success, promoting sibling bonding, teaching good touch bad touch, taming toddler aggression, dealing with an overly emotional child, and keeping kids safe while on the go.

Whew! Now here are direct quotes from a diverse group of moms (with kids of all ages and tons of ideas) on teaching kids to clean up and organize toys. Meet your new mommy friends… Alright, Mamas, how do you teach your child to clean up their toys? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. Are your kids good about toy clean up? Grow a Plant – Science Activity on Germination. 20 Parenting Tips Every Parent Needs to Know - Dirt and Boogers. How to Deal With Anger. Stop the Yelling! If you’d like to find way to deal with anger and stop yelling at your kids, these resources are for you. You are not alone – many of us struggle to deal with anger as we never learned healthy ways to handle this strong emotion.

I hope the books and links on this page help you find the tools you need to bring some more peace to your home. I will update this page as I learn more about how to deal with anger. Let me know if there is a resource you think belongs here. Creative With Kids works to provide a safe space to talk about anger and parenting. Joyful Parenting Newsletter – This is the email subscription to Creative With Kids Receive links to simple connection ideas and parenting inspiration. The Orange Rhino – Fantastic site all about a mom’s journey to stop yelling. Stop Yelling Webinars - Free hour long webinar that you watch on your tablet or computer and you can ask questions in the text chat.

TBD, Fall 2014 1pm EDT9pm EDT Register at this link to reserve a spot. 25 Alternatives to "Good Job" picklebums.com. Last week I shared some thoughts on praise and manipulation. In that post I shared some brutal truths about how I parent, and some ideas about how I would like to parent. I shared my goal to break the habit of hollow, unthinking praise, and the habit of manipulative praise, and turn it into something more worthwhile. But breaking a habit is not easy, so I’m falling back on my tried and true idea and arming myself with some ‘positive first responses‘. I’m hoping that if I’ve already thought about something better to say than “good job” then I will be more likely to remember it and use it when the time comes.

So I’ve put together a list of 25 alternatives to “good job” and given myself some ideas of when to use them. 25 Alternatives to “Good Job” Say thank you when you mean it – explain why you are grateful for your child’s actions. Make an observation based on facts – just say what you see without emotions or judgment. We did it together.Wow! How did you do that? Say nothing – just smile. Consequences and Privileges - How to Use Them Effectively. 5 Ways to Lavish Your Kids Without Spoiling Them | Parenting Tips. Today I am happy to introduce you to my friend Emily Wierenga. I first met Emily last October, and in the months since I have been so blessed and inspired by her writing about faith, parenting, and life after anorexia. Her brand new memoir, Atlas Girl, launches today, and I can’t say enough good things about it! It is a very moving look at Emily’s own experience in traveling the world in search of herself but finally finding home in the last place she thought to look.

I was deeply touched by her story and I’m sure you will be too. Get it in bookstores, starting today, or order it online. This is a guest post from Emily Wierenga. I grew up in a mushroom cut and second-hand clothes. And on the way home from church some Sundays we’d stop and get day-old donuts. But they didn’t fill the hole. The one carved deep in my chest, the one that ached to know I was worth purchasing something new for. When you’re only ever given other people’s garbage, you begin to feel like other people’s garbage. 1. 20 easy travel activities to keep kids happy on an airplane. I remember feeling REALLY scared the first time I took my daughter on a plane. She was about 11 months old at the time, and I had stupidly suggested we go and visit my parents for a week while my husband was away at a conference. It seemed like a great idea, but the week before we were due to fly, I almost cancelled the trip.

I just didn’t think I could do it. But then my mother reminded me that, when she was my age, she flew all over the world with my sister and me without any help from my dad, and that if she could get us through this horrible experience in a Malaysian public bathroom, I could handle a 4-hour flight to the US with an 11-month-old. Isn’t she sweet and sympathetic??! So I put on my big girl underpants and did the trip, and you know what? Unless they are throwing a temper tantrum at 30,000 feet.

That kind of sucks. Good luck! 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. Here comes a feeling you thought you'd forgotten. Encourage Your Children Printable - RachelWojo.com. Happy Monday, Friends! The 20 Things to Say to Encourage… posts have been a hit with readers. I’ve received several emails and messages essentially saying: “Thanks for helping me use my words wisely…” Today I’m providing the Encourage Your Children printable to accompany the 20 Things to Say to Encourage Your Children list.

My prayer is that we will all use these printables to choose words wisely and be a positive encouragement and reinforcement for our families. Click on the graphic or here to open the .PDF to print. This particular printable would be a great handout for: Mommy’s Day Out child pickupParenting ConferencesMother’s Day tea or banquetFather’s Day breakfastgift baskets for school professionalsTeacher conferencesand much more! I would love it if you would send a pic of how you use yours! We now have a printable for each article of the 20 Things to Say to Encourage series- husband, wife and children. Have a great day! Rachel. 5 Ways to Teach Your Children to Be Givers. As parents, we want to train our children to be lifelong givers. Not only will it impact many lives, but it will give them so much blessing and fulfillment in return. Here are five ways we’re seeking to teach our children to be givers: 1.

Model It More is caught than taught when we’re raising children. We can tell our kids how important giving is. Let your children see you giving generously — whether that’s opening your home up to those in need, serving in a local soup kitchen, going on a missions trip, giving to a charity near and dear to your heart, or sacrificing time and effort to help someone who is struggling.

We involve our children in much of our giving. 2. While modelling giving in front of your children is the highest priority, it’s also imperative to teach them why we give. We’ve sat our children down from a young age and explained to them the reasons behind why we’ve chosen to stay out of debt, to live simply, and to not use credit cards. 3. 4. 5. Six Communication Tricks That Will Get Your Kids to Cooperate. Money Management. Welcome to “Pump Day”, where one day a week we homeschool in heels and talk about all things girlie! I can feel it, the pressure building inside my head and my heart rate increasing ever faster. Should I or shouldn’t I? Would my husband really mind? After all, I wasn’t really looking for this item, it just fell in my path. So… would it be wise to buy this or am I being a little impulsive? I am the first to admit it; I like shopping. To avoid this dilemma, I have come up with a game plan. Do I Need It? Do I Already Own It? Will I Use It?

Do We Have the Funds For It? Can I Purchase This Later? If all of these things have been considered and I am still a little hesitant, here is what I do… I Take a Picture - Instead of impulsively throwing the item into my shopping cart, I pull out my iPod Touch and snap a picture of it. I Call My Man - If there is something which is really plaguing my mind, I call my husband. I Remember My List - Items which don’t come home with me, get researched. Adjusting to Life's Curveballs. Seriously? As I glanced at my alarm clock, I could tell this was going to be a fun day. I was already running two hours behind and the day hadn’t even started yet! In addition to our late start, the kids were already beginning to squabble at each other and I had a long list of things which needed to get done. Ah! I’m sure we’ve all had mornings like this one; no? Mornings, days, weeks, or months when things just don’t seem to gel. As home schoolers, this problem can cross over into all areas of our lives.

How do we maintain sanity while trying to keep life moving, especially when life comes at us from all angles? Not every morning (or week for that matter) is going to go according to plan. By having a bad attitude, I am preventing myself from enjoying the day and all the blessings it has to hold. On the other hand, when I choose to simply let it go, life is much more freeing.

I also need to evaluate the situation and see if there is a lesson hidden among the madness. Like this: