Parent involvement in the early childhood education. Today parents are more aware and involved than they’ve ever been with their children’s development.
Why is it very important that parent stay involved in their child’s Early Childhood Education?
Except for when it comes to preschool.
Many parents just stay involved in dropping their preschooler off to school in the morning while the teachers take over, and then pick them up at the end of the day. To get the true benefits from early childhood education, parents can include some practices at home.
The Benefits of Parent Involvement in Early Childhood education
Preschool years are the most important years of a child’s development. Most important cognitive development happens during these preschool years. Parents can help their child to grow to their full potential, by getting involved actively in the early childhood education process,
Parent involvement helps extend teaching outside the classroom.
Their involvement creates a more positive experience for children.
Involvement helps children perform better when they are in school.
Involvement of parent is essential in learning what is happening in the preschool setup, as
Parents support is essential in the learning that happens in preschool settings at home as well.
Parents involved in happening of their child’s preschool classroom or child care facility can establish better connection between what is learned at school and what takes place in the home.
This connection is a key component of a child’s development and supporting further learning.
How does it affect a child?
Not only does family or parental involvement help extend teaching outside the classroom; it creates a more positive experience for children and helps children perform better when they are in school.
Some parents who are in search of preschools for their child, do researches before selecting a school, these researches commonly involve questions like:
Golden Rules: To brief up the different ways of disciplining your baby, parents can use these Golden rules.
Love works: the first and most powerful way to discipline a child is always through love. Try to assure him why he is asked to follow some rules. Also hug him so that he feels loved and respected.
Understand your child: before you start to make conclusions about the situation you are dealing with, try to understand your children’s point of view. You might surely find some reason for his behaviour.
Consistency is key: parents need to present a united front in their approach.
Stop tagging your children: children can have a poor level of controlling their emotions. But this doesn’t mean one should be tagged for doing a certain kind of behaviour for a few days. She is naughty, nervous, shy, adamant etc. are some tags that are given to our kids. Listening to this every day makes them also believe that the kids themselves behave this way.
Establish some rules: it is important to have some firm rules for children.If Children are allowed to do everything without boundary they will have to face some problems and their consequences. So it is suggested that children should have few set of rules to be followed even at home.
Physical punishment is not necessary. There are many alternative ways to discipline your child.
Distraction works wonder for this age. If you think your child is showing tantrums try to take his attention to other things, which might have potential for your child to calm down.
Share your calm: you will not be able to make any constractive comunication with your child when he is upset, crying, angry or into any other emotional outburst. Let them calm down before you start teaching them something of their benefit.
Disobedience – How to handle a Toddler who is showing Deliberate Disobedience?
Do you often get frustrated when your child doesn’t listen to you on purpose? This happens to most of the parents at home or at social gatherings when toddlers do not stay disciplined even after being told or reminded several times.
The room was full of toys, all scattered. I was surprised by this as this was not the usual habit of my toddler. I asked her to put things in their respective places. This went unheard. She was still playing with some toys in a different room.
Some tips which commonly work and are helpful when toddlers are acting deliberately disobedient.
“It’s time to put the toys away,” I tried again, my patience waning. “That means you have to stop and put those cars back in the box.”
I raised my tone of voice a little with a hope that it would lend some weight to it’s importance, but instead she stayed rooted in her place, playing with the cars. Not only that, a smile spread through her face, as if the whole thing was part of a big joke.
Even for the most patient mom, dealing with a toddler who is not listening to what is being asked to him to do is challenging. This is the point when you get the kind of anger, which you never knew you possess. And this is the time when you want to do anything to make your child listen to you. Things get hotter in your brain when no matter how angry you get or the threats you make, nothing seems to get him to cooperate.
Then a realization strikes and you feel terrible about how petty the initial “argument” had been: talking past his bedtime, not cleaning his mess after reminders, not coming to room when you asked him to.
Deliberate Disobedience:How to handle a Toddler? Disciplining a toddler who doesn’t listen
When after nagging, repeating and losing your temper, you are still not able to discipline your child. You need to change something in the approach.
Most people punish their children at this point, to control their behaviour or follow a time out method as an alternative.
There are some other ways that can be adapted to discipline your child, which will change both your and your toddler’s behaviour.I then learned an important lesson in what discipline really means that changed my whole outlook and my toddler’s behavior.
Discipline is actually something different from punishments and time outs. Discipline is teaching. We’re teaching children how to behave and helping them understand and express their emotions.
“Do not train a child to learn by force or harshness; but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each.”
― Plato
Here are some tips which commonly work and are helpful when toddlers are acting deliberately disobedient.
Deliberate Disobedience:How to handle a Toddler?
1. Make an eye contact: you need to get down to your toddler’s level
It is always good to look at the situation from your toddler’s point of view, and I mean it literally. The simplest way to better communicate with children is to get down to their eye level when we speak to them. Three benefits of doing this are:
Chances of your being taken seriously increases. Children of this age take everything as a part of play or fun. Your getting down to his level will most likely convey to your child that you’re trying to be serious with your child. Get down to his level so you’re making eye contact and phrase your instructions in a calm but firm tone.
You’re being more respectful. When we’re speaking to them from high above children feel “talked down to”. Kneeling to your toddler’s level forces you to speak and address his needs more respectfully.
You avoid power struggles. Eye to eye contact makes your toddler feel heard. He gets less defensive and more likely to oblige. Try this and you’ll see his body relax as he becomes more willing to comply.
Point to remember: Kneeling down to your child’s level will help him take you seriously and feel respected.
Deliberate Disobedience:How to handle a Toddler?
2. Find out about his side of the story,find your toddler’s intentions for such behavior.
Defiance seems to be everywhere. And it surfaces when your child refuses to come to the table to eat. Or when he refuses to stop jumping in the sand pit (especially after you’ve asked him not to do many times before).
Kids usually don’t misbehave to make us angry. Find your toddler’s intentions and you might see your child was trying to arrange a puzzle right when you asked him to come to the table to eat. Jumping on the sandpit was not to show rebellion, but it was the excitement which he was unaware or unable to contain.
Point to remember: Pause before reacting to your child’s behavior. Be curious to know about why he’s behaving the way he is. Doing so will make him feel that you are on his side and you are ready to listen to his view.
Always try to acknowledge and show empathy with how your child feels and why he’s not listening before laying out consequences.
Maybe he is feeling tired from a long day and needs your company but unaware of his feelings. Looking for the reason behind your child’s action will make him feel understood, not attacked or scolded.
Deliberate Disobedience:How to handle a Toddler?
3. Keeping your word: give and follow through with consequences
“You behave properly or else [fill in the blank]?”
Have you ever said so? And then didn’t follow through that [fill in the blank]. False threats are ineffective and rarely implemented
Consequences that tie to your toddler’s behavior are learning experiences, as long as you follow through. Not following through the consequences establishes limits that your child needs.
Point to remember: Keeping your word strengthens the trust your toddler places on you. While you may not win short-term favor, you’re gaining your child’s trust when you follow through consistently. Otherwise, your child learns they can continue to misbehave because the consequences will never be happening.
Deliberate Disobedience:How to handle a Toddler?
4. Wisely pick the important things to focus on.
There are times when parents just watch their children like a hawk and point at every little thing that is not as per expectation. Spending time correcting your child is draining and that too when every interaction leads to fight.
Sometimes we need to choose our battles wisely and decide which behavior is critical to correct, and which ones aren’t as important.
There is no set pattern for perfect behaviour. While best behaviour is desired, allow some room for the nuances of life.
Ask and evaluate if what you’re arguing about truly matters, especially in the long run.
Point to remember: When you’re willing to pick your battles and keep your tone lighthearted and you stay calm instead of being bossy and mean, your toddler will be less likely to drag his misbehavior and sour mood even further.
Deliberate Disobedience:How to handle a Toddler?
5. Encourage your toddler to listen by giving your toddler a choice
Offering choices can curb a potential meltdown and encourage your toddler to listen.
Offering choices leads to self satisfaction as otherwise toddlers are always under the rule of adult decisions. This also allows him to voice his decisions. Children feel that we care for them and respect their decisions. This develops critical thinking skills. He will stay responsible for the consequences of his decisions.
Sometimes offering choices can backfire. So put the choices wisely. Don’t always give choice, limit this option.
Point to remember: Always stay alert to offer a choice between two parent-approved options, either of which you’d be okay with.
If you are going to market, and your child is unwilling to get ready, give choices like, “which dress you want to wear to the market?” Don’t say, “Do you want to go to the market or stay here at home?” especially if you don’t plan to have him stay.
Deliberate Disobedience:How to handle a Toddler?
6. Explain why they should, what you want them to do.
children are more motivated to comply knowing why they should follow the rules, and what are the consequences when not.
Next time say “Don’t play with the knife or you might hurt yourself.”
Point to remember: Knowing a reason takes the parent out of the equation and focuses on the task that needs to be done. Children will understand the reason for your concern.
Deliberate Disobedience:How to handle a Toddler?
7. Praise your toddler when he follows the rules
Point out and praise the good behaviour done by the child. Children thrive on attention. Attention could be of any nature good or bad.
Love, praise, cuddling, playing or working on an activity are good attention, arguments, yelling, and scolding are types of bad attention. They take both as attention.
Parents are expected to judge the nature of the attention.
The best way to counter misbehavior is to praise your toddler and give him attention when he is behaving.
Point to remember: Basically kids want to please their parents. They want our approval and are crushed when we’re disappointed or angry with them. Use that to your advantage and praise your toddler when he behaves well.
Deliberate Disobedience:How to handle a Toddler?
8. Have some weight in you instruction
There are times when parents give the instruction but follow it halfway, this is when the whole effort shreds away.
When you have asked them to come to bed, don’t let them keep playing for a long time. Your instructions could be crisp and clear. It is time for bed, let’s sleep.
Point to remember:Avoid negotiation when you can’t.
Deliberate Disobedience:How to handle a Toddler?
9. Use positive language
Use positive language when you speak to your kids. This means phrasing your words in something your child can do, not something he can’t.
Point to remember: Kids respond better to positive language because no one likes being told what not to do.
Deliberate Disobedience:How to handle a Toddler?
10. Talking will work only after the tantrum storm is over.
Children don’t listen when they are in a tarturm. Talking will not work.
Allow the tantrum to subside, stay there for your child, give a hug and allow your child to settle down.
Point to remember: Once she’s calm, only then can you talk with the expectation of being heard.
Deliberate Disobedience:How to handle a Toddler?
11. Attend them
Listen to your children. Listen to what they have to stay. Their stories might not make sense, still try not to give the empty “ hmm hmm hmmm” response.
It is important to stick to some form of discipline consistently for your child. Parents also need to stick to those rules and consequences, if they don’t, their kids aren’t likely to either.
How To Discipline Your Child At Different Ages. It is important to stick to some form of consistently for your child. Parents also need to stick to those rules and consequences.
You will find some ideas about how to vary your approach to discipline your child to best fit your family.
Discipline Without Physical Punishment One is not permitted to hit one’s spouse or a stranger. Why in the world should one be permitted to hit a smaller and even more vulnerable child? Studies show that children who are hit identify with the aggressor and are more likely to become hitters themselves, i.e., bullies and future abusers of their children and spouses. They tend to learn to use violent behavior as a way to deal with disputes.
It is important to stick to some form of discipline consistently for your child. Parents also need to stick to those rules and consequences, if they don’t, their kids aren’t likely to either.
Discipline Your 13 yrs and above Child. You will find some ideas about how to vary your approach to discipline your child to best fit your family.
You will find some ideas about how to vary your approach to discipline your child to best fit your family.
Become friends with your child. At this age forcing rules will not work. Talk to your child about natural consequences of their behaviour. By now you’ve laid the groundwork. Your child knows what’s expected and that you mean what you say about the penalties for bad behavior.
What can be done:
Discipline is just as important for teens as it is for younger kids. But the approach needs to be changed. Just as with;the 3-year-old who needs you to set a bedtime and enforce it, your teen needs boundaries, too.
Sit and Set rules. Set up rules regarding homework, visits by friends, curfews, and dating. Discuss the rules beforehand with your teenager so there will be no misunderstandings. Your teen will probably complain from time to time, but also will realize that you’re in control. It might sound hard but teens still want and need you to set limits and enforce order in their lives, even as you grant them greater freedom and responsibility.
Privileges are privileges. When your teen does break a rule, taking away privileges may seem the best plan of action. For example, while it’s fine to take away the car for a week,it is also important to tell them why it was done.
Be sure to discuss why coming home an hour past curfew is unacceptable and worrisome.
Don’t control your child through and through. Remember to give a teenager some control over things. Not only will this limit the number of power struggles you have, it will help your teen respect the decisions that you do need to make. For example, allow your younger teen to make decisions concerning clothes, hair styles, or even the condition of his or her room. As your teen gets older, that realm of control might be extended to include an occasional relaxed curfew.
Have your teen earn a later curfew by demonstrating positive behavior instead of setting an earlier curfew as punishment for irresponsible behavior.
Rule you should remember:
It’s important to focus on the positives. Include your child in discussions in the family and allow them to put their views.
It is important to stick to some form of discipline consistently for your child. Parents also need to stick to those rules and consequences, if they don’t, their kids aren’t likely to either.
Discipline Your 9 to 12 yrs Old Child. You will find some ideas about how to vary your approach to discipline your child to best fit your family.
You will find some ideas about how to vary your approach to discipline your child to best fit your family.
Just as with all ages, kids in this age group mature and request more independence and responsibility.They can be disciplined with natural consequences.
What can be done:
Life Lessons are more valuable. Teaching them how to deal with the consequences of their behavior is an effective and appropriate method of discipline. For example, if your fifth grader’s homework isn’t done before bedtime, should you make him or her stay up to do it or even lend a hand yourself? Probably not — you’ll miss an opportunity to teach a key life lesson. If homework is incomplete, your child will go to school the next day without it and suffer the resulting bad grade. Don’t worry, some bad grades are OK, if they are giving life lessons to your child.
Mistakes do favor your child. It’s natural for parents to want to rescue kids from mistakes. Let your child make some mistakes and learn from them. Kids see what behaving improperly can mean and probably won’t make those mistakes again.
Take away privileges. If your child does not seem to be learning from natural consequences, set up some of your own to help change the behavior. Removing privileges such as electronics can be an effective consequence for this age group.
Rule you should remember:
Become friends with your child. At this age forcing rules will not work. Talk to your child about natural consequences of their behaviour.
It is important to stick to some form of discipline consistently for your child. Parents also need to stick to those rules and consequences, if they don’t, their kids aren’t likely to either.
Discipline Your 6 to 8 yrs Old Child. You will find some ideas about how to vary your approach to discipline your child to best fit your family.
You will find some ideas about how to vary your approach to discipline your child to best fit your family.
Some effective discipline strategies for this age group.
What can be done:
Timeouts: Timeouts can be effective discipline for toddlers. For example, if a child has been hitting, biting, or throwing food, should be told why the behavior is unacceptable and taken to a designated timeout area. A timeout can be a place like a kitchen chair or bottom stair.
Consequences: Before you punish your child for their behavior, explain to them what you expect. For example, when your child uses crayons, she will use it on the walls. Don’t scold. Discuss why that’s not allowed. Tell them the consequences that what will happen if your child does it again (for instance, your child will have to help clean the wall and will not be able to use the crayons for the rest of the day).
Consistency is crucial, as is follow-through. Follow your promises of discipline or else you risk undermining your authority. Kids have to believe that you mean what you say. You can give second chances or allow a certain margin of error, but for the most part, you should act on what you say.
Make realistic threats of consequences. Be careful not to make unrealistic threats like “You’ll never watch TV again!” in anger, since not following through could weaken all your threats. If you threaten to turn the car around and go home if the squabbling in the backseat doesn’t stop, make sure you do exactly that. The credibility you’ll gain with your kids is much more valuable than a lost outing.
Too much will not work. Huge punishments may take away your power as a parent. For example: If you ground your son or daughter for a month, your child may not feel motivated to change behaviors because everything has already been taken away.
Rule you should remember:
Set small goals. It may help to set some goals that kids can meet to earn back privileges that were taken away for misbehavior.
It is important to stick to some form of discipline consistently for your child. Parents also need to stick to those rules and consequences, if they don’t, their kids aren’t likely to either.
You will find some ideas about how to vary your approach to discipline your child to best fit your family.
Discipline Your 3 to 5 yrs Old Child. You will find some ideas about how to vary your approach to discipline your child to best fit your family.
Now as your child is grown. He begins to understand the connection between actions and consequences. So start communicating the rules of your family’s home to him in simple ways.
What can be done:
Before you punish your child for their behavior, explain to them what you expect. For example, when your child uses crayons, she will use it on the walls. Don’t scold. Discuss why that’s not allowed. Tell them the consequences that what will happen if your child does it again (for instance, your child will have to help clean the wall and will not be able to use the crayons for the rest of the day).
You can also give them a particular area to do her artwork. Just paste some self stick Vinyl wallpaper. Ask your child to limit herself to that portion. And let her do the cleaning also. Or otherwise if you want her to stay limited to paper if the wall gets decorated again, issue a reminder that crayons are for paper only. And then enforce the consequences.
Consistency is the key to effective discipline. It’s sometimes easier for parents to ignore occasional bad behavior or not follow through on consequences, this sets a bad precedent. This way kids will test limits. It’s important for parents to decide (together, if you are not a single parent) what are the rules of the house and then uphold them.
Discipline is not just about punishment, it’s also about recognizing good behavior. While you become clear on what behaviors will not be accepted, don’t forget to reward good behaviors. Never undermine the positive effect that your praise can have on your child. Like saying “I’m proud of you for sharing your toys at playgroup” works better than punishing a child who didn’t share.
Be specific when giving praise rather than just saying “Good job!” You want to make it clear which behaviors you liked. Being specific makes these behaviours more likely to happen in the future.
Rule you should remember:
The more attention we give to a behavior, the more likely it is to continue.
If your child continues an unacceptable behavior no matter what you do,then try
Making a behaviour chart with a box for each day of the week. Decide with your child how many times your child can misbehave before a consequence kicks in or how long the proper behavior must be seen before it is rewarded. Make entries in the chart and then track the good and unacceptable behaviors every day. This will give your child (and you) a concrete look at how it’s going. Once this begins to work, praise your child for learning to control misbehavior (especially for overcoming any stubborn problem).
For kids at this age timeouts also can work well. Pick a suitable timeout place that’s free of distractions, such as a chair or bottom step. Be alert on selecting a timeout place. “Getting sent to your room” isn’t effective if a computer, TV, or games are there. Also, remember a timeout is time away from any type of reinforcement. So your child shouldn’t get any attention from you while in a timeout which includes talking, eye contact, etc.
Considering proper length of time for timeout is important. Be sure to consider what works best for your child.
Experts say rule you should remember:
1 minute for each year of age or timeout until the child is calmed down (to teach self-regulation).
What can be done:
It’s important to make sure that if a timeout happens because your child didn’t follow directions, you follow through with the direction after the timeout.
It’s important to tell kids what the right thing to do is not just to say what the wrong thing is. For example, instead of saying “Don’t jump on the couch,” try “Please sit on the furniture and put your feet on the floor.”
Don’t confuse your child. Be sure to give clear, direct commands. Instead of “Could you please put your shoes on?” say “Please put your shoes on.” This leaves no room for confusion and does not imply that following directions is a choice.
It is important to stick to some form of discipline consistently for your child. Parents also need to stick to those rules and consequences, if they don’t, their kids aren’t likely to either.
You will find some ideas about how to vary your approach to discipline your child to best fit your family.
How To Discipline Your Child At Different Ages. It is important to stick to some form of discipline consistently for your child. Parents also need to stick to those rules and consequences.
From ages 0 to 2 yrs
Babies and toddlers are naturally curious. Whatever comes to their hand reach their mouth too. It’s wise to eliminate temptations from their reach. These temptations and no-nos could be anything like stationery, kitchen articles, TVs and video equipment, stereos, jewelry, and especially toxic cleaning supplies and medicines.
When your crawling baby or toddler goes toward dangerous or unacceptable play object, calmly say “No”.
Avoid giving physical punishment to a child of any age. So, let’s see what are the other ways to discipline your child.
Rule you should remember:
Take your child away from that object or area which is the cause of inappropriate behaviour and distract him or her with some other activity.
What can be done:
Timeouts can be effective discipline for toddlers. For example, if a child has been hitting, biting, or throwing food, should be told why the behavior is unacceptable and taken to a designated timeout area. A timeout can be a place like a kitchen chair or bottom stair.
Just keep in mind timeout for toddlers are effective only when it is just a short time like for a minute or two to calm him down.Babies and toddlers cannot connect the relation between their behavior and physical punishment. They will just feel the pain.
It is also important to remember that kids learn a lot by watching their elders.So it will be better to make a much stronger impression by doing things you expect your child to follow. For example, by putting your own belongings away rather than just ordering your child to pick up toys while your stuff is all around the place.
Healthy Eating during Exams, with exams approaching, healthy snacking is the last thing a student thinks of. It’s easy to get into the habit of quick coffee and take-way pizza, because you don’t want to waste time on dining in detail. But, actually, good nutrition should be part of a students study plan because it’s going to help him ace those tests.
Remember the rule:
The better the fuel your brain gets, the better you’ll study.
Healthy Eating during Exams, with exams approaching, healthy snacking is the last thing a student thinks of. But, actually, good nutrition should be part of a students study plan because it’s going to help him ace those tests. Photo by Giftpundits.com from Pexels
Whether you are a student or mother of a student preparing for his exams, these tips will help you build healthy eating habits during exams.
Here are 10 tips for eating right during exams:
Meeting daily vitamin and mineral requirements will make doing your best much easier. Iron and Vitamin B are especially important to maintaining the physical and mental energy necessary to study well. Iron-containing foods : red meat, cereals and spinach. Some foods that contain B vitamins are: whole-grains, wheat germ, eggs and nuts. Some other foods that provide nutrients to the brain are Fish and soy.
Food is always a better choice than Dietary supplements. So try to replace Vitamin C tablet with an orange. An orange contains not only Vitamin C, but also fiber, beta carotene and other minerals. Fruit ranks high among the best foods you can eat for your brain. The natural sugars in fruit offer clean energy, so you don’t experience the crash that follows consumption of refined sugar. Blueberries (which can be bought frozen in bags) get a lot of attention because they contain powerful antioxidants and other nutrients. When you’re heading for the library or to your room, pack whole-food items like apples, bananas, carrot sticks or a handful of dry fruits.
Eating regular mealshelps keep nutrients and energy levels more stable. It reduces the temptation of empty-calorie snacks in the vending machine. Eat at regular intervals.
Consider taking 5 or 6 well-balanced, smaller meals. Big meal stays in your stomach. Eating the standard three-big-meals-a-day slows you down mentally and physically. A sandwich or some fruits could do the magic. Fresh fruits, fruit smoothies, dry fruits, honey-coated nuts, soups, interesting salads etc are good options.
Meet for breakfasts. Meet your study buddies during morning hours. If you feel like having a snack break, breakfast is a good time. Oats, Muesli, Upma, Khichdi, Idli etc are great options with a low glycemic index which provide a constant and steady supply of glucose.
Hydration is the main thing to care for. When you sit in the comfort of your room and probably with your AC on, you do not feel thirsty and hence end up drinking less fluids. When dehydrated, the body and mind are dazed, restless. It is hard to concentrate on studies.Choose your beverages well. Reduce caffeine, sugar intake. Since too much caffeine can make you jittery, try to drink moderate amounts: 400 to 450 mg per day, the equivalent of 2/2.5 cups, (16 to 20 ounces or 500 to 625 ml). Better choices include water, fruit juice, milk, antioxidant rich green tea, milkshakes, fresh soups, lemonade, lassi and coconut water. Avoid aerated beverages. Have at least 8-10 glasses of water per day.
Choose power packed vegetables. Not all vegetables are created equal. Use the hint – the darker the color, the higher the concentration of nutrients. Spinach has more nutrients for mind and body than lettuce.
Snack smartly while studying and you may find that you retain more. Try to get two food groups into your snacks to balance the nutrients and keep your blood-sugar level stable. Eat healthy snacks in between meals like protein bars, fresh fruits, peanuts, makhana and roasted chana etc. specially when you are studying till late at night.
It’s easy to feed the brain well. Gather simple recipes for nourishing foods. Brain boosting foods include foods that improve memory and concentration like almond walnuts, fish, flax seeds, banana, chickpeas, spinach, broccoli, etc.
Avoid junk food. Foods like chocolate, cookies etc can cause a sudden spike in sugar levels in the blood. After a while, when the stomach feels empty it could lead to craving for more such junk food.
Healthy Eating during Exams!
Thank you for staying till the 10th tip. Extra 6 important suggestions for you to make your exam time less stressful.
Feed yourself with good eight hours of sleep. Sleep is important. Good sleep is as good for your brain as food for the body. Lesser sleep can interfere with learning ability, causes mood swings and compromise your immune system.
Keep yourself away from electronic devices.Take out an hour everyday for some recreational activity to keep yourself happy and motivated.
Make sure you get your stress-buster foods. During stressful times like exams, the body’s requirement for certain water-soluble vitamins like Vitamin B complex and C, minerals like zinc goes up. These help in the synthesis and functioning of adrenal hormones that are basically our stress-fighting hormones. Brown rice, nuts, eggs, fresh veggies and fruits can help.
Give yourself foods to increase efficiency of the brain: Antioxidants like Vitamins A, C and E reduce damage to brain cells due to increased stress by fighting the free radicals. Eggs, fish, carrots, pumpkins, green leafy veggies, fresh fruits can help meet this requirement. They also help increase the body’s immunity and help reduce chances of the child falling sick during exams.
Don’t miss out on memory enhancer foods. Omega 3 fatty acids found mainly in fish are required to enhance brain function and memory. It is recommended that you have at least two servings of Salmon (rawas fish), herring (bhing) or mackerel (bangda) per week. For restricting calories, they are best eaten grilled, shallow fried with very little oil or baked. If you do not eat fish or do not have access to good fish, add ground flax seeds (alsi), pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds (til), soya bean oil, canola oil to your diet. Omega 3 fatty acid supplements are also available.
Avoid eating outside food during exams. Exams being times for high-stress and low-immunity, children are highly prone for infections. So, avoid eating outside food as much as possible.
Healthy Eating during Exams!
Examples of some healthy options for healthy eating during Exams and preparations for competitive exams.
red meat, cereals and spinach, whole-grains, wheat germ, eggs and nuts, Fish and soy, Brown rice, nuts, eggs, fresh veggies and fruits, carrots, pumpkins, ground flax seeds (alsi), pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds (til), soya bean oil, canola oil, milk and milk products, sprouts, tofu, chicken, healthy nuts in combination with healthy cereals like dalia, oats, quinoa, and whole wheat products.
Snacks
apples, bananas, carrot sticks or a handful of dry fruits, Fresh fruits, fruit smoothies, dry fruits, honey-coated nuts, soups, interesting salads,protein bars, fresh fruits, peanuts, makhana and roasted chana, milk and milk products, sprouts, tofu, eggs, chicken, fish, healthy nuts in combination with healthy cereals like dalia, oats, quinoa, and whole wheat products.
For hydration
water, fruit juice, milk, antioxidant rich green tea, milkshakes, fresh soups, lemonade, lassi and coconut water.
Food that you can avoid
chocolate, cookies, aerated drinks, fast food, heavy and oily meals
Examples of some healthy options for healthy eating during Exams and preparations.
Eating healthy, adequate rest and proper sleep are the key for fresh and healthy mind which makes retaining the knowledge easier.
Physical punishment involves the use of physical force with the intention of causing a child to experience bodily pain or discomfort so as to correct or punish the child’s behavior. This includes spanking, hitting, pinching, paddling, whipping, slapping, and so on.
Is Physical Punishment OK?
Is hitting a Child Ever OK? It is a big question for every parent. I wrote this question as a poll in different social sights and I found that thankfully a views are not much towards spanking. Views vary sharply, with very little common ground. No one wants to scold or hit their child for fun. This question rises when it comes to child discipline, and just about everyone has a strong and often emotional opinion.
While most people deny the use of physical punishment as a form of child discipline, more people do spank their kids than they let on.
Most define spanking as any physical contact that involves striking a child for the purpose of stopping a behavior or action or getting their attention.
Views of physical punishment opposers:
Most child psychologists, pediatricians, so-called parenting experts, educators and middle-class parents oppose physical punishment as according to them:
Spanking can cause life-long emotional damage to a child.
Sometimes it can cause physical damage as well.
Hitting a child teaches them to become violent adults.
Plus, spanking opponents argue, there are plenty of other ways to discipline a child who is acting inappropriately.
Views of supporters of physical punishment:
Supporters of spanking are often the ones who think that if they as children have been disciplined through spanking, it is OK to do the same with their children too.
Supporters say that spanking, when used appropriately, creates a better sense of discipline and doing the right thing in children.
Proponents also argue that occasionally spanking a child who is acting unsafely or terribly does not make them child abusers or parents with anger problems.
They also point to how well-behaved their child is, especially compared with out-of-control, disrespectful and tantrum-prone youngsters whose parents keep threatening them with “time-outs” or “going to bed early” without changing the behavior.
Who Uses Physical Punishment as a Form of Child Discipline Today?
It’s hard to know exactly what percentage of parents or caregivers (like grandparents) actually spank a child, because many who do, don’t admit to it.
But essentially, people who spank, at least occasionally, include:
Caregivers from older generations, who were spanked as children and believe that they turned out to be absolutely fine.
Grandparents and even older parents whose parents spanked them appropriately indicate they remember the experience, and as a result, effectively learned to not repeat the same inappropriate child action again.
Parents of multiple young children, who spank but usually refer to it as an occasional “smack” or “slap” rather than spanking. These parents indicate that they only correct their children this way only when it involves an inherent danger to a child (themselves or others. An example of this is a parent who smacks a child’s hand who is about to touch a hot stove.
Caregivers (parents or any adults) may also spank a child when, after being disciplined using another method, deliberately repeat the same behavior, as if to antagonize the parent. An example is a child who runs through a store (yes, it happens) and pulls things down from shelves, after being told not too repeatedly.
Why Is This Such an Emotional Issue?
Child Protective Services or even the police have been called to investigate situations where an adult spanks a child in public. Well-meaning adults may intervene when the situation may or may not call for it. There is a fine line and considerable judgment involved when a spanking becomes abuse.
Parental rage, brought on by an out-of-control child, can result in horrible and tragic results. At the same time, a swat on the backside to stop a really bad behavior isn’t abuse, although some may still insist it is.
Is Physical Punishment OK?
Until the last 10 to 20 years (depending on the school), corporal punishment was routinely used in the classroom to put an immediate halt to inappropriate behaviors.
Now, most, if not all, schools ban the use of corporal punishment and even designate their stance opposing it in their informational handbooks.
Whether or not you strongly oppose any type of physical punishment, support it in very limited cases, or like many parents, publicly decline its use but privately have used it at least once on a defiant or out-of-control child, the controversy surrounding it isn’t likely to end for generations to come.
If you have a strong opinion about physical punishment of any type and under any circumstances with a child, be sure to convey that to your child’s caregivers (family providers, nannies, babysitters, or friends). At the same time, be prepared to indicate what alternative measures you permit.
Too many previously successful child care arrangements have ended because of a lack of communication about allowable child care discipline strategies. And, if your parents spanked you on occasion but you adamantly oppose it with your child, don’t just assume the child’s grandparents will just know your position. Get it out in the open before they take on child care duties.
If hitting a child is not wrong, then nothing is wrong.
Discipline Alternatives to physical punishment. Physical punishment is a major public health problem in this country. Approximately 60 percent of adults still approve of physical punishment, despite compelling evidence that it does not work, it makes things worse, and there are effective alternatives.
Spanking is a euphemism for hitting. One is not permitted to hit one’s spouse or a stranger. Why in the world should one be permitted to hit a smaller and even more vulnerable child?
Studies show that children who are hit identify with the aggressor and are more likely to become hitters themselves, i.e., bullies and future abusers of their children and spouses. They tend to learn to use violent behavior as a way to deal with disputes.
Hitting is one of the most widely debated and sensitive parenting topics. While most pediatricians and parenting experts don’t recommend spanking. But still majority of parents around the world admit to spanking their kids. We can include spanking, hitting, pinching, paddling, whipping, slapping, swats, smacks, the popping of the hands on head as different forms of physical punishment.
Discipline Alternatives
It is a big question for every parent. This question rises when it comes to child discipline, and just about everyone has a strong and often emotional opinion.
For many parents, slapping can feel like the fastest and most effective way to change a child’s behavior. And it often works in the short-term. But, studies show corporal punishment has long-term consequences for kids.
8 Discipline Alternatives
If you’re looking for alternative ways to Physical Punishment, these are eight ways to discipline your child without slapping.
1. It’s Time-Out
There are lots of ways to discipline children without spanking them.
Hitting kids for misbehavior (especially aggression) sends a mixed message. Your child will wonder why it’s OK for you to hit your child but not OK for your child to hit her sister.
Time-out can be used as a better alternative. But in order for time-out to be effective, kids need to have plenty of positive time-in with their parents. Then, when they’re removed from the situation, the lack of attention will be uncomfortable and that discomfort could remind them to behave better in the future.
If it is done properly the child will learn to calm himself down, which is a useful life skill.
2. Ignore Mild Misbehavior
You can ignore attention-seeking behavior. Selective ignoring can actually be more effective than spanking.This doesn’t mean you should look the other way if your child is doing something dangerous or inappropriate.
It just means don’t pay attention to their activities. When your child tries to get attention by whining or complaining, don’t give it to him. Look the other way, pretend you can’t hear him, and don’t respond.
Then, when he asks nicely or he behaves, return your attention to him. Over time, he’ll learn that polite behavior is the best way to get your attention.
8 Discipline Alternatives
3. Take Away Privileges
Although hitting hurts for a minute or two, taking away a privilege hurts longer. Take away the TV, video games, his favorite toy or a fun activity for the day and he’ll have a reminder not to repeat that mistake.
Make it clear when the privileges can be earned back. Usually, 24 hours is long enough to teach your child to learn from his mistake.
So you might say, “You’ve lost your time to play with your favorite toy for the rest of the day but you can earn it back tomorrow by picking up your toys the first time I ask.”
4. Teach New Skills
One of the main problems with spanking is that it doesn’t teach your child how to behave better. Spanking your child because he threw a temper tantrum, won’t teach him how to calm himself down the next time he’s upset.
Kids benefit from learning how to problem-solve, manage their emotions and compromise. When parents teach these skills it can greatly reduce behavior problems. Use discipline that is aimed at teaching, not punishing.
8 Discipline Alternatives
5. Provide Logical Consequences
Logical consequences are a great way to help kids who are struggling with specific behavior problems. Logical consequences are specifically tied to the misbehavior.
For example, if your child doesn’t eat his dinner, don’t let him have a bedtime snack. Or if he refuses to pick up his trucks, don’t allow him to play with them for the rest of the day.
Linking the consequence directly to the behavior problem helps kids see that their choices have direct consequences.
6. Allow for Natural Consequences
Natural consequences allow children to learn from their own mistakes. For example, if your child says he’s not going to wear a jacket, let him go outside and get cold—as long as it’s safe to do so.
Use natural consequences when you think your child will learn from his own mistakes. Monitor the situation to ensure that your child won’t experience any real danger.
8 Discipline Alternatives
7. Reward Good Behavior
Instead of spanking a child for misbehavior, reward him for good behavior. For example, if your child fights with his siblings often, set up a reward system to motivate him to get along better with them.
Providing an incentive to behave can turn around misbehavior fast. Rewards help kids to focus on what they need to do to earn privileges, rather than emphasize the bad behavior they’re supposed to avoid.
8. Praise Good Behavior
Prevent behavior problems by catching your child being good. For example, when he’s playing nicely with his siblings, point it out. Say, “You are doing such a good job sharing and taking turns today.”
When there are several children in the room, give the most attention and praise to the children who are following the rules and behaving well. Then, when the other child begins to behave, give him praise and attention as well.
