December 5, 2011
Keeping Children Safe! by Jill Starishevsky
I am been doing teleclasses for parents and educators on how to keep children safe from predators. I am doing a live talk in NYC on 12/8 at the Museum of Motherhood. Please let your contacts know. They can register for the free event below.
Thanks in advance.
Jill Starishevsky
Prosecutor, Child Abuse/Sex Crimes
Author, My Body Belongs to Me
http://www.MyBodyBelongstoMe.com
646-262-7418
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/video/talking-kids-sexual-abuse-10255396 http://keepingchildrensafe-efbevent.eventbrite.com/
November 8, 2011
Young Little Screamers!
Screamers
To live with a screamer is an experience unto itself. At times, I wonder who this creature is screaming in my house, such a far cry from her kind, loving way of being. To listen can be the most difficult thing to bear which warrants removal of me or her from the room. I give myself timeouts so that I can sit in quiet for a moment and gather my thoughts before making my next strategic move to calm the little monster down (I say that in a loving way). Her recent reason for screaming was she was quite tired which facilitated an ordered bath; it did the trick for her. Sometimes, a conversation works, but one thing remains the same. I do not allow the drama to continue, otherwise she is reinforced and it just gets worse. So all I can say is if you have a screamer, you are not alone. And for those who don’t, count your blessings.
For those children who have been screamers since birth and recently are at a peak, I feel your pain. No they do not scream all of the time, but even a couple times a week makes life a little more difficult. When they were younger, it would help to say, “Use Your Words,” and now, they Scream their words… It has been a habit that is hard to change and walks along side the whining.
I recently purchased a sign for my house that says “No Whining Allowed …… Ever”. I was hoping it would assist me in laying down the law. This was my experiment to see if I could tone down the whining and screaming. So far, I have received several responses on the chalk board next to it, saying, Boo Hoo, No Way, Not Fair, but I continue to point to the sign when I hear the Whining, which often can turn into screaming when I say No! It is too soon to see if there is a difference yet.
There are so many reasons behind screaming, guilt, fatigue, boredom, and often for no good reason, but then sometimes, they scream because they need to sort something important out and do not understand how to communicate it. This is what makes it hard for us parents to discriminate. I believe the answer is in discussing with your child after he/she has calmed down. Very often they are very straight forward and will say to you, “I don’t want to go to school because…” Please take them at their word and support them in facing the issue and finding a healthy solution. Obviously, there is something there that he/she is struggling with that you can support he/she on. Oh Yeah, and for those of you who hear the screaming coming from my house, you should know I hear your children screaming too!
February 6, 2011
There’s a Crocodile in Our Pickle Jar
Children’s Story for the young ones…
Artie has written over 20 children’s stories, and that is just the tip of the iceberg. Although he has a passion for film and writing, he also has a different career in Human Resources by day… it is amazing how far your passion can take you. This story speaks to children’s eating habits. We laid it out here Artie’s 9th published story…
The Story
“Alex, your brother ate everything on his plate. Why don’t you be a good boy too and eat your dinner?”
“But I’m not hungry,” said Alex.
“Okay, I guess you won’t be hungry for sweets then,” said Alex’s Mom.
Alex’s Mom walked over to the countertop and brought over the most mouth-watering, tasty looking dessert you ever did see.
“Okay, who wants a piece of chocolate cake?”
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January 26, 2011
Homeschooling ~ Really? Beth Baldino is taking it On.
Advantages of Homeschooling
For the last five months, with the help of my partner and support of my ex-husband, we’ve been homeschooling our 8 and 10-year-old children and taking advantage of the many advantages of this approach. The kids were previously attending a very good private school with a devoted and hard-working staff, so it wasn’t as if we were dissatisfied with their efforts. I do feel, however, that I am able to give them more personalized attention tailored to their specific needs than a teacher who is managing a larger group and working within the constraints of a set curriculum. Being able to focus on the children’s specific needs within each subject and provide the individual coaching they require throughout the process allows them to progress at their own pace. As such, they don’t need to spend their “after-school” hours in tutoring for extra support or doing additional homework to ensure they master the skills. This allows the children more opportunity to pursue their own interests, and we still have enough time most days to prepare and enjoy homemade meals together, an activity that is important to me.
The Benefits of Managing your own Schedule
I really appreciate the flexibility this approach allows us. We can stay up late one night watching an educational DVD, engrossed in a compelling book, or enjoying a musical or theatre performance and know that we can adjust our schedule the next day to make up for the lost sleep. We can take advantage of opportunities to visit museums and various exhibits when they aren’t crowded and vacation when it is most affordable, convenient, and again, least crowded. And we’re able to take extended trips to places we visit because we can bring our work along and study wherever we are (as we’re currently doing in Florida, where my parents live).
The World is our School
I like being able to expose my children to real-life learning opportunities on a regular basis. When I need to take them along to the bank, for example, we end up talking about budgeting and managing money and how checking and saving accounts work. We inevitably have the most interesting conversations when the children’s interest is piqued by an experience that allows them to see the practical impact of how the world operates. It isn’t that we couldn’t talk about these things when they were in school, but there does seem to be much more time and energy for it now. As we run two businesses from our home, the children get intimate daily exposure to our working lives as well, which has prompted them to initiate projects that have turned into great educational opportunities. For example, when my partner, a professional photographer, was gearing up for holiday sales of his work last year, the children were inspired to set up a “store” for their own artwork. This activity led to numerous discussions about all aspects of the entrepreneurial process and resulted in my son selling one of his drawings to someone who attended one of our business events.
I don’t know how long we’ll continue homeschooling, because we will ultimately do what’s best for the children from year to year, but it’s truly been an education for all of us.
Beth has her Masters in Social work and is a Certified Holistic Counselor in addition to being a Mom. She is proactive in her community, environment and forward thinking in her parenting style. You can reach Beth at beth@consciouswellness.net or www.counsciouswellness.net.Feedback
Would you homeschool?
January 12, 2011
The Amazing Impact of Music on Growing Up
by Tricia Gruswitz
I am a parent, maybe like you, cherishing the moments that my kids are still young and obsessing over making the right decisions for them while I still have some say. Our plan is for them to become young adults who succeed at everything- math, language, science, arts, social skills, teamwork, emotional handling, self-esteem, discipline, drive, and on and on. How do we help make all that happen? Dare I say… music lessons!
Music and Life
I know from the hundreds of students I’ve watched grow and through my own personal experiences that studying music can dramatically affect the path a person chooses in all parts of life. A child taking music lessons develops self-discipline and drive with a practice regimen and short and long-term goals. Adding private lessons on top of school lessons turns your child’s favorite class into the place where they are the star student, encouraging confidence that spreads into everything they do. Hard work turns into acceptance in state and regional ensembles – an ideal way to spend after-school time. Plus, when my kids reach the age when their friends have a bigger influence than I do, I will be grateful that they are in the company of other music kids, stereotyped to have all the qualities I listed above. College acceptances and scholarships soon follow. A whopping 66% of music majors who apply to medical school are admitted – the highest percentage of any group – surpassing even pre-med and science. Musical kids frequently amaze us.
Most likely, you are the parent of a musical child. You already know all of the invaluable benefits of music. You are raising doctors, writers, scholars, composers, performers, and presidents, and music professionals like myself are grateful to take a meaningful part in this.
Tricia Gruswitz is the strings and piano teacher and owner of the Olive Tree Music Studio in Andover, Morristown, Montclair and Flemington, NJ. She has over ten years of experience in developing musician’s confidence, and challenging them to reach and achieve high goals in music and life. Trish and her network of music educators are happily accepting new students. Contact her at tricia@olivetreemusicstudio.com
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October 5, 2010
Emerson Speaks!
Emerson is getting the word out and folks are catching on. Check out this article on Marraige and Emerson’s family on CNN. Check out more discussions from Emerson on our blog.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/05/19/autism.divorce.rates/index.html?iref=allsearch
May 18, 2010
Sugar…. I like it… do you?
This whole Health Care Debate has me in a tizzy. The question becomes even when we have health care for all, are we looking at the fine print, and more importantly, what is the real issue here. Much of this issue is the state of our health in the nation. Juvenile diabetes is up, Up, UP!! Why you say,… well just take a walk into one of your weekly birthday celebrations. 
It is not enough for the children to run around and have little piece of cake. But now they must be provided with soda, juice, and goody bags full of sweets. No parent would ever deny a child more soda if they are thirsty, especially if it would make them look bad to other parents (do you know what is in a can of soda?)… and you know, these kids get thirsty. I guess water is hardly an option anymore unless the child specifically asks for it. Even at family celebrations, it is only polite to be serving cake, ice cream, and pastries for dessert. Dessert is taken to the next level and the snacks on the shelf in the grocery store qualify for the same category as desserts when I grew up. Parents profess to be aware, but when it comes to this celebration and that celebration we give in… it seems like every day!! I do not claim to be perfect… far from it. All I am saying is there is a lot of talk among parents agreeing on this but when it comes to focusing on your own children and family, it is hard to adjust. That is when the health of our children gets worse, and worse.
Get Informed -
Google It:
http://www.state.nj.us/health/fhs/shapingnj/partners.shtml
http://www.whale.to/v/sugar_q.html
http://www.facebook.com/SmartHabitsFans#!/SmartHabitsFans?v=wall
Get Cerebral:
http://www.techjackal.net/other/2010/04/22/sugar-is-not-so-sweet-for-your-health/
http://www.nature.com/oby/journal/v10/n6/full/oby200266a.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63J69U20100420
http://www.princeton.edu/pr/news/02/q2/0620-hoebel.htm
January 16, 2010
Things to do Before Your BABY Arrives
Select a Pediatrician
Choosing the right pediatrician is one of the most important decisions you make prior to your baby’s birth. Getting personal referrals from friends and family is one of the best ways to narrow down your options before you start searching for further information. Consider both the logistical and philosophical aspects of the practice and pediatrician. Make sure all of the doctors you’re considering are taking on new patients and will accept your health insurance. Take time to speak or meet with prospective doctors.
January 5, 2010
Tanisha Day
Interview with Tanisha Day on going back to the workforce.
[display_podcast]
Factors to consider before going back.
January 3, 2010
Convert the bane of a typical autistic behavior into therapy:
Every child’s autism is different and unique, however, there are also many common traits. One of the most frustrating and dangerous is what I call the deaf run. This is where the child will bolt from a parent’s hand for some desired object. Normal children do this as well, Read more
As seen on MommysFriendsOnline.com- Websites for "Girlie" AccessoriesI just had a baby girl and a friend shared with me some fun websites to order some special "girlie things." I especially love the large flower headbands! These sites offer the most precious accessories. Add some glam to your little one's wardobe...check out these websites www.Poshlittletutus.com www.pinkbowtique.com… […]
- Essex County Turtle Back ZooHave a wild adventure at Essex County Turtle Back Zoo! Essex County 8th Annual Open House Saturday, June 5th- 10am to 2pm- Free… […]
- Celebrate Mother's Day Weekend at Ventimigla VineyardsMother's Day Winetrail… […]
- Summer ReadingI'd like to suggest a New York Times Best Seller, "The Diary of a Wimpy Kid" for your 3rd or 4th grade readers. As a reading teacher, I highly recommend the book. Your child or student will not put it down! You can find the series at Barnes and Noble, but I think Amazon.com has the best prices. Make sure your child has their reading books read […]
- Family Day: Cherry Blossom FestivalSunday. April 18th: Bloomfest Enjoy a family day in the pink park! A packed schedule of events includes cultural demonstrations, children's activities, live music, a crafter's marketplace, food, and more. FREE ADMISSION. 11am to 5pm. Most activities take place around the Essex County Cherry Blossom Welcome Center in Essex County Branch Brook Park, […]
- Websites for "Girlie" Accessories
