Creating a Vision for our Future

Positive Attitude and your Child

2010-04-07T14:16:00.000-04:00

In a world of constant change, many distractions and disappointments, many of our children may find it difficult to maintain a positive attitude. Having a positive attitude is believed to be one of the core characteristics of happy successful people. What is this thing called a positive attitude? Why is it important for our children to possess it in order to remain focused? Having a positive attitude means that regardless of the obstacles, challenges, or circumstance viewed as negative there is an optimistic view on life and one’s ability to succeed.

Positive attitude is not innate. It is an attitude that is learned and acquired over time. There are many ways we can encourage our children to have a positive attitude.

• Teach your children not to make negative statements about themselves such as “I can’t,” “I am dumb.” Negative statements lower their self esteem.

• Teach them that their thoughts shape their mood and destiny. Our thoughts have power. If our children focus on negative thoughts they will experience negative emotions. You should also explain that our thoughts become our words which are turned to action. Actions become habits while habits influence character and character determines destiny.

• Having a positive attitude is a choice. We can assist our children in understanding that they have the power to decide whether they are happy or sad irrespective of the circumstance.

• Encourage laughter. It is acceptable for our children to laugh at themselves from time-to-time. Laughter not only boosts attitude it also reduces stress, anxiety, tension and releases pent up energy. It enhances resilience and helps our children to be better able to handle unexpected events.

• Encourage your children to listen to music that teaches them how to deal with adversities.

• For young children it is important to read and discuss stories which teach them how to overcome adversities and maintain a positive attitude.

• Be a role model. The best people to teach children how to have a positive attitude are their parent.

When our children have a positive attitude they are:
• Happier
• More energetic
• Better able to motivate themselves
• Better able to achieve their goals faster
• Better able to have and maintain a good relationship with family and friends and
• They have a better self image. When they love and appreciate who they are and what they have they feel better about themselves

10 Ways our Children can Handle Exam Stress

2010-04-05T09:34:00.000-04:00

We are fast approaching the end of another academic year and many of our children are preparing for end of term examinations. This is a period where many of them experience exam stress. Exam stress is a psychological condition in which a child experiences distress before, during or after an exam. Exam stress in moderation is not detrimental. It is an indication that the child is doing well. Exam stress can however become harmful when it affects the normal functioning of the child. When this occurs it can result in poor performance or cause the child to learn less.
There are several techniques our child can use to reduce or eliminate exam stress.
· Avoid procrastination- your child should not leave school work for last minute. Anxiety that is experienced during last minute preparation can lead to illness or headaches

· Create a study schedule for your child and stick to it. This gives your child a realistic idea of how much revision is required for each subject

· Make sure your child gets adequate sleep. Studying for hours without rest increases the chances of forgetting materials as the brain is too tired to retrieve memory effectively

· Eat balance meals. Your child should avoid food high in sugar and caffeine content while studying or before an exam. These foods can contribute to agitation and anxiety. Make sure your child eats meals with lots of fruits and vegetables as these help to keep the blood sugar stable.

· Switch subjects when studying. Do not study similar subjects back-to-back. Studying the same subject or similar subject consistently for hours reduces your child’s memory. Studies have shown that similar information is more difficult to recall when memorised consecutively. To improve recollection it is best to study dissimilar subjects back-to-back. For example, after studying history study chemistry not social studies

· Study in blocks. Do not study for long periods without taking a break. Long sessions of studying reduce attention span which leads to a decrease in information memorised. Study for 20-30 minutes at a time then take a 10-15 minute break at the end of each session. This study technique helps your child to stay fresh and energised

· Paraphrasing and summarising is one of the best ways to review subjects. This approach forces your child to think and ask themselves questions about the information they are studying

· Encourage your child to exercise. Regular exercise helps to reduce stress, boost energy and clear the mind

· Teach relaxation skills such as deep breathing. This helps to regulate the heart-rate and decrease the level of anxiety which is essential during an exam

· Maintain a positive attitude. Encourage your child to believe that they will do well on the exam. A positive attitude boosts self-confidence which reduces your child’s stress level. You can also tell your child you are proud of their efforts and you know they will do well.

· After a study session encourage the child to do something special for themselves such as watching a movie. This helps to reduce the stress level

How to develop your child's listening skills

2009-02-14T21:23:00.000-05:00

Listening refers to a child’s ability to pay attention to and separate both environmental and speech sounds from one another. When children have good listening skills they are better able to select, remember and process information which has a significant impact on their academic success.

Listening is one of the most important skills a child will need to master to reach their full potential as a child and an adult.

Good listening skills are essential for a child’s development as they lay the foundation for other critical skills such as;

* Sound recognition
* Building spoken language
* Following instructions
* Developing social relationships
* Building and improving communications skills

Many of our children lack the opportunity to develop this crucial skill as many of them are surrounded by the constant glare of television, computers, play-stations and other video games.

Video and computer games may sit well as a good babysitter for many parents but when they are overly used they can have harmful effects on our children. Due to the high pace and instant entertainment pleasure children get from these games their patience and attention span significantly decrease which in turn affects their listening skills.

Parenting is a lot of work and it can be time consuming but when done correctly can reap many rewards. It is therefore important for parents to find the time to nurture and develop their children’s listening skills.

There are several activities parents can use when interacting with their child to ensure that their child develops good listening skills. These activities include but are not limited to the following.

* Regularly reading to your Child - when parents read to their child it forces him to sit and listen to what is being read. In reading to the child the parent should frequently ask questions about the story and ask the child to give a summary of what she understood about the story. When this is done it grooms the child to listen attentively and also develops his attention span, focus level and knowledge

* Play audio stories in the car or at home- for this activity to be rewarding the parent need to question the child about the story to ensure she is understanding and following the story line

* If you say something to your child ask him to repeat it- your child should not be required to repeat the message word for word but should be able to accurately repeat the message in her own words. This activity ensures that your child is listening attentively and understands the message

* Maintain eye contact when communicating- when speaking with your child parents should aim to look your child directly in the eye. It teaches him to remain focused and to listen to what is being communicated. It even will eventually build her self-esteem.

* Repeat Nursery Rhymes- for your toddler/preschooler parents can play a game of saying rhymes and leaving a word out to ensure the child is listening to the rhyme.

* Listen to your child attentively - it is important that the parent be a living example to the child of good listening skills. This entails not showing boredom, being impatient or interrupting the child before he is finished speaking.

A child who has good listening skills will be successful academically, in his relationships and eventually in his career. These skills are needed for a child’s survival therefore parents should make the every effort to develop these skills on a daily basis.

How to build your child's self-confidence

2009-02-09T20:56:00.000-05:00

As parents we want the best for our children. It is our desire to see them achieve all their dreams and become competent human beings. As such, we are constantly searching for techniques and practices which we can implement to ensure that they become the best they can be.

One quality children must possess to become the best they can be is high self-confidence. This is belief that they can cope with failures, achieve goals and handle themselves well in various situations. In essence, it is the belief in their abilities.

Through our love and guidance in everyday activities our children can become self-confident. Here are a few suggestions to aid the process.

Give your children the independence to make decisions- depending on their age you can allow your children to make decisions about activities such as where to eat or what to wear. In the decision-making process the children should be given at least two options. Also allow your children to play games that encourage decision-making such as board games.

Never criticize your children – Instead, criticize their behaviour- we are often guilty of saying negative comments to our children such as “You are rude or bad”. Such comments cause them to not value themselves. As the parent you have to separate children from their behaviour. When correcting your children’s bad behaviour you should criticize the behaviour and explain the reason it is bad.

Ask your children their opinion- similar to adults, children have an opinion on what goes on in their environment. When you ask children for their opinion they learn to express their views, which develop their communication skills and shows that you value them as a human being.

Never allow your children to criticize themselves- ensure that your children criticise their behaviour and not who they are. When children criticise themselves they eventually begin to criticise themselves in every action. This leads to children who have low self-worth, making it difficult for them to believe in their abilities to overcome challenges.

Repeat positive statements- for a child to be self-confident they need to believe in themselves. This means that they need to have thoughts that build self-confidence. To develop this you can ask your children to tell you one or two positive things about themselves each day. For example, “I am a success”, “I am beautiful”, “I am a leader”, “I am full of grace and integrity”, “I am strong”, “I am creative” or “I am bold”. Repeating such statements resonates deep within the core of your children helping them shine in their actions and words.

Parenting is a challenging and joyous process. With dedication to this process we can raise children who are not only successful but who are also self-confident.

The story behind my first book "Raising the next Barack Obama"

2009-02-03T15:04:00.000-05:00

Stimulating the need for and taking actions toward change in families that will improve the lives of our children and empower young parents, my community and my country, has been a passion, commitment and vision for my personal life and the business of Preston Childcare Services. This vision became more of a reality through the publication of my first book “Raising the Next Barack Obama: A Guide to Developing Core Principles for Success in Your Child.”

This book is a guide to parents who are searching for support to introduce these fundamental principles as a part of their children’s lives. In the book, Barack Obama’s life is used as a point of reference to emphasize these principles. In addition, everyday activities are recommended that parents can implement. These activities are easy and relaxing and are an opportunity for parents to unwind while bonding with their young ones. They will generate lasting and positive results.

This book emerged out of two published articles I contributed to the local newspaper the Gleaner Company shortly after the elections in the United States. While watching Obama’s historical victory walk on November 4, 2008 I found myself reflecting on how he achieved such great success. It became obvious to me that he had a vision which he took the initiative to develop and the persistence to nurture it along with several other principles until it to become a reality. This inspired me as it is critical information to share with parents who are constantly searching for ways to assist their children to succeed.

Vital Voices Global Partnership through its initiatives played an important role in the development of this book. This organization’s mandate of empowering emerging women leaders through training and mentorship is not only mentioned in their mission but is a principle and practice seen through their interactions with women they meet. During the conference in Buenos Aires in 2008 I met one of the organization’s facilitators Dr. Karen Otazo. We built a relationship after the conference through sharing our written articles and work. It is through this interaction that Dr. Otazo encouraged and motivated me to strive towards my optimal potential. In reading one of the articles on Obama she suggested that the information be expanded into a book for parents.

Initially, I experienced a plethora of emotions about whether I was able to meet the challenge. Through her coaching, encouraging words and suggestions I realized that I could in fact write this book. In writing the book my objective was to provide realistic suggestions that would not be limited by monetary or socio-economic constraints. Thereby anyone can guide their children to success. Using this strategy was important to me as it has been assumed that children from high socio-economic strata were mainly successful due to the financial opportunities provided to them by their parents. Many parents from low income backgrounds have raised successful adults regardless of their apparent lack of material assets. Their children succeeded because of many of the principles highlighted in this book. All that is needed is for parents to become aware and expose their young ones to the required principles.

It is my intention that this book will profoundly impact the way all parents view the relationship they have with their children and their role as their children’s primary guide and coach.

The reality of this book further proves that Vital Voices and its dedicated facilitators are a priceless gift to many young women throughout the world. My relationship with Vital Voices has empowered me to expand my vision of service tailored towards the development of women in my community, country and the world.

Special recognition is due to the Bureau of Women’s Affairs and the United States Embassy in Jamaica. It is their initiative to select me for the opportunity to participate in the Vital Voices conference that started the journey of this book and the many more to come.

Together these organizations are a powerful force for the development of the nations of the world. They are effectively networking leaders across the globe and contributing to the successful development of leadership among women.

It is my sincere wish that my successful encounter with these entities will be a catalyst for change in the direction of success for our children across the world.