Rebecca Eanes's Blog, page 19

Gifts to Inspire and Encourage! Holiday Gift Guide #3 from CreativeChild

It's time for holiday shopping, and these gift guides from CreativeChild Magazine offer up the perfect gift ideas to encourage and inspire your little one!

Here are some of my favorites from issue #3!


The Maze Mover has 3 mazes in 1! This can be used standing, sitting, alone, or with friends. Promotes balance!
















Meet NEA, CAZI, SAM and LACI. These Magnificent Sprinkles are each blessed with a special power that helps children to be brave and strong. So whether your room makes strange noises at night, or you sometimes feel lonely, Grandma Leah has just the Sprinkle for you! Sprinkles have soft rainbow hair, a silky power band, and huggable bodies perfect for a cozy cuddle. They even come in a miniature size so you can carry them with you at all times!

With a spin and a song, the Magnificent Sprinkles bring comfort and joy to you!

Snapo blocks, the only building blocks that connect on all sides with a snap, that rotate and slide too for extra fun.

The standard assortment has more than 275 blocks that come in multiple shapes and colors.

They include wheels, propellers, roof pieces, ball-connectors and many more.

All you need to build whatever your imagination can dream of: cars, houses, animals, airplanes....

They come in 4 color combinations. Check them out!







Stomp on the StompRocket launch pad and watch the rocket soar up to 200 ft in the air!









Children loved learning to recognize letter characters with the Meet the Letters DVD. Now with Meet the Letter Sounds, children will learn the different sounds that letters make. Children will love letter characters both new and old. Meet the Letter Sounds is part of the three part Meet the Phonics Series; that teaches Letter Sounds, Digraphs and Blends. You will be amazed at how easily your little one can learn their letter sounds.™ Meet the Letter sounds features many new letter characters and also brings back old favorites from Meet the Letters.



Featuring a full color illustration of animals from around the world. i-Mat: My Animal World serves as a visual fun playland with dozens of cute animals that babies will enjoy looking at and exploring.
Features3 Languages in English, Spanish, and ChineseBasic and Advanced GamesReal Animal Sounds and MusicTeaches Vocabulary and ComprehensionPlaymat dimensions (individual): 24.5″ x 24.5″ x 3/8″Playmat dimensions (assembled): 48″ x 48″ x 3/8″
There is so much more in this guide!

View the full guide here!



Also check out the babyMaternity gift guide for expecting and new parents!

Connection-Based Discipline

In my previous article, Why Connection is the Parenting Key, I discussed the separate roles of the upstairs and downstairs brain. We know now that children learn best when they feel calm and connected. We understand that upset, out of control children have little to no access to the part of their brain that houses logic, reasoning, and sequential thought. They simply cannot “think about what they did wrong” when they're locked in their downstairs brain. Therefore, shaming, isolating, punishing, spanking, and yelling only serve to keep them locked downstairs. To help them learn the lessons we want to teach, we must first engage the upstairs brain, and we do that through connection. This simply means we meet them where they are and let them know that we hear their frustration and understand their feelings.

But won't this reward the misbehavior? The answer is no, and here's why. If your child has a tantrum over a cookie, and you empathize with her feelings and then give her the cookie, the cookie is the reward. If your child has a tantrum over a cookie and you empathize with her feelings but don't give her the cookie, she learns boundaries yet feels understood and valued. Spoiling occurs when there are no boundaries. I love what the book No-Drama Discipline says about this. “Connection is about walking through the hard times with our children and being there for them when they're emotionally suffering, just like we would if they scraped their knee and were physically suffering,”

Connecting has nothing to do with indulging, coddling, or spoiling children. Connection doesn't give in. Connection understands. Connection doesn't coddle. Connection listens. The boundary still stands. Here are some steps to discipline with connection in mind.

...continue reading at CreativeChild

Why Connection is the Parenting Key

To understand why connection is the parenting key, we must first understand a bit about the brain. For a simple explanation, let's talk in terms of the downstairs brain and the upstairs brain. The downstairs brain, fully functioning at birth, is the primitive part of the brain. This controls the body's vital functions such as breathing, temperature, heart rate, and balance. This is where our survival center is, where fear and overwhelm send us to fight, flight, freeze, or faint. When we are out of control, our downstairs brain takes over.

The upstairs brain is the thinking brain. This is where logic and reasoning occur. This is also where empathy and compassion reside. This part of the brain is very underdeveloped at birth, and we parents actually have a major role at how the upstairs brain develops. The more calm and connected we are, the better the neural wiring in their upstairs brain.

Here's how it works: When your child is really upset, the downstairs brain has control and she can't access her upstairs brain. She's being reactive, not receptive. Being receptive, taking in the lessons she's  being taught and internalizing them, involves logic and reasoning. That isn't happening when she's stressed out, only when she's calm. This is why making children feel ashamed, rejected, or furious when we discipline has the opposite effect we're hoping for. We literally hijack their ability to reflect on their actions and think through to a solution because they're in their downstairs brain.

When we meet their turbulence with calmness (which requires us to be accessing our own upstairs brains!) we can help them reflect and make better choices. The best way to calm her down is to connect with her.

...continue reading at CreativeChild

Holiday Gift Guide #2 from CreativeChild!

CreativeChild has done it again! The gift guide for the book lover and the CD, DVD, and film fanatics is here (and the future robotics engineer!), chock full of educational gifts for the wee ones on your holiday lists.

Here are a few of my favorites from the guide:

Can you believe the cuteness of this designer piggy bank?

 Perfect gift for the child with an unusual name! 
Lovable big designer Piggy Bank that YOU personalize with Wikki Stix.

Wikki Stix adhere to the Piggy Bank with just light fingertip pressure, so kids can have fun being creative.

Dimensions roughly 9” nose to tail and about 8.75” in girth.

Includes 72 Wikki Stix!






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How about recycled, eco-friendly building toys?! Yes, please.

Let’s get back to basics, give our kids the tools to be creative, and get out of their way.
We need to be as resourceful as our kids. Seventeen billion cardboard tubes are discarded every year. These could all be made into flying robot monsters instead. And just like we want kids to create from everyday materials around them, we source our recycled materials about 20 miles from our workshop in St. Paul.
Let’s be eco-awesome, people. Our paper comes from certified sustainable sources, our cardboard is made from post-consumer waste. And everything is recyclable.

What is YOXO?YOXO (yock-so) is a creative construction kit that inspires kids of all ages to invent their own toys.  Our durable, eco-friendly chipboard connectors come in Y, O, and X shapes and connect in thousands of ways to build anything you can imagine.  Made in the USA, YOXO kits come complete with everything needed to build a YOXO hero and are compatible with paper towel rolls, toilet paper tubes, cereal boxes, and other maker stuff around your house.

There are several builders to choose from. My boys would love this robot!

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The Smart Playbook!

[image error] Written in a relatable style and chock full of games, This engaging activity book will lead you and your child in a collaborative effort to bring manners to a new generation. Five SMART topics to help your child succeed in life! Social Skill Basics, Mealtime Manners, Art of Conversation, Restaurant Behavior, Technology Talk. Your child will gain confidence, character, integrity and empathy in face-to-face situations and technology usage. 













What a precious book - One Voice

In this compelling sequel to the award-winning One Smile, a young boy’s wish for a more peaceful world ignites a chain reaction of goodwill and cooperation that spreads throughout his community. After Jacob gives a teacher his seat on the bus, his simple act of kindness is passed on to a neighbor, a mailman, a lonely young girl, a basketball player, and a dentist’s daughter before finally coming full circle to bless him and his special project.

As Cindy McKinley’s heartwarming story unfolds, we see how even the smallest act of kindness can make a big difference. Inspired by Mary Gregg Byrne’s vibrant illustrations, readers of all ages will discover the unlimited power of One Voice.

View all of the great gift ideas here!



Are you expecting or have a new precious one? There's a gift guide just for you from babyMaternity!
Butterfly Breastfeeding Pillow

Innovative Organic Cotton Breastfeeding PillowThe Butterfly Breastfeeding pillow from Moonlight Slumber offers the ultimate in nursing support. Designed with innovative 'wings' on either end, the Butterfly pillow offers the unparalleled adjustment and comfort. Sized to fit nearly everyone, each Butterfly wing can be folded under to offer extra support for proper latching. The Butterfly comes with an organic cotton cover that zips off for washing, and is filled with our exclusive hygienic synthetic down, Fusion™ Fiberfill. They are hypoallergenic and stay hygienically clean and free of dust-mite allergens by placing them in your washer and dryer when needed. Launder the cover alone, or the entire pillow because the Butterfly is guaranteed not to clump. A great lumbar support during pregnancy or post-pregnancy, or a positioning pillow to help with neck support, the Butterfly has a life beyond the time you plan to nurse. Pillow can also be used for supervised floor time for baby. A great shower gift and essential new mother tool, the Butterfly Breastfeeding pillow is made in the USA and guaranteed against manufacturer defects. To maintain the synthetic down, simply fluff up or shake your pillow daily to achieve that like new feeling any time.  [image error] I wish I'd have thought of this! An infant play necklace! 
100% cotton. Black large pattern/black small pattern/black stripe. Padded neck strap with three adjustable snaps in white. Three elastic play snaps with detachable shape accessories (square, triangle, circle).
Machine washable -- delicate cycle, dry flat.

Product meets CPSC standards.

View the full babyMaternity Gift Guide here!

Quarter of a Million Fans Celebration!

People!

We are nearly a quarter of a million parents strong! That is truly amazing, and to show my gratitude, I'm giving away a LOT of stuff! Stay tuned to Positive Parenting: Toddlers and Beyond, because when we reach the 250,000 likes milestone, there will be a blitz of giveaways on the Facebook page!


Here's what I'm giving away:

1 copy of Hands Free Mama from The Hands Free Revolution


Hands Free Mama is the digital society’s answer to finding balance in a media-saturated, perfection-obsessed world. It doesn’t mean giving up all technology forever. It doesn’t mean forgoing our jobs and responsibilities. What it does mean is seizing the little moments that life offers us to engage in real and meaningful interaction. It means looking our loved ones in the eye and giving them the gift of our undivided attention, leaving the laundry till later to dance with our kids in the rain, and living a present, authentic, and intentional life despite a world full of distractions.

Value $9.57


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1 Live Hands Free leather bracelet from The Hands Free Revolution
Value $20








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2 copies of the TRU Calm Parent Relaxation and Renewal Series from TRU Parenting


"The TRU Calm Parent relaxation and Self Renewal Series is a series of 8 audio tracks that teach you the ins and outs of using relaxation and meditation to finally get the kind of personal calm you need and want with your kids. These relaxation and meditation techniques have helped parents and clients for years to calm personal anxiety, frustration and anger and become more mindful in their responses toward their children and others. TRU Calm will help you Teach and discipline more effectively, build a stronger Relationship with your child and Upgrade yourself, your own emotional intelligence and ability to decrease daily stress, feel more relaxed and model healthy self-regulation skills to your children. Ultimately "TRU Calm" will give you the tools you need to destroy daily stress, gain greater control of yourself and more powerful influence with your child."
Value $15 each
(International)

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1 copy of If I Have to Tell You One More Time from Amy Miller McCready of Positive Parenting Solutions

Why does it feel sometimes as if our children have special powers that enable them to tune us out completely? You ask your child to do her homework, get ready for school or bedtime. You think she heard you but . . . no response. You’ve tried everything—time-outs, nagging, counting to three—and nothing seems to work. In this invaluable book, Amy McCready, founder of the popular online parenting course Positive Parenting Solutions, presents a nag-and-scream-free program for compassionately yet effectively, correcting your children’s bad behavior.
McCready draws on Adlerian psychology and Positive Discipline, which focuses on the central idea that every human being has a basic need to feel connected and empowered—children being no exception to the rule. According to McCready, when this need isn’t met in positive ways, kids resort to negative methods. In this book she provides parents with a virtual toolbox of strategies they can use to give their children the attention and power they crave—and do away with the misbehaving that adults dread.
Value $11.49
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1 ebook and 1 paperback copy of Twelve Alternatives to Time Out by Ariadne Brill of Positive Parenting Connection
The twelve alternatives to time out presented in this book focus on problem solving and cooperative learning to give parents and children a chance to address behavior while maintaining a positive, respectful and connected relationship. Encouraging better behavior without time out is not only possible, it is, according to the latest research on child development and parenting practices, more effective. While children tend to repeat misbehaviors shortly after time out, connected parenting tools help children really learn to make better choices. This guidance based approach to parenting and discipline is not only effective, it will work from toddlerhood and well into the teen years. A connected approach to discipline helps children learn the skills they need to be successful, resilient, happy, empathetic, cooperative and well-adjusted for life. Discover why what children do is not manipulation, learn how to tackle “misbehaviors” and teach your child the value of cooperation and respect. Read stories from real parents that have used connected discipline tools to positively transform whining, screaming, defiance, back talk, tantrums, dawdling, sibling fights and many other every day parenting challenges. Children are quite creative when it comes to solving problems, this book will help you foster that ability and also help you teach your child to calm down instead of melt down. This book gives you twelve concrete parenting tools, based on real families plus the latest parenting and child development research so you can choose how to best incorporate them into your own parenting practices.
Value $7.95 paperback and $5.99 ebook
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1 copy of Honey, I Wrecked the Kids by Alyson Schafer

More life-saving parenting advice from the bestselling author of Breaking the Good Mom Myth.
Bringing the same perceptive and actionable advice that made Breaking the Good Mom Myth an international bestseller, TV host and psychotherapist Alyson Schafer again comes to the rescue of desperate parents everywhere. For those who've tried just about everything to discipline their kids, Honey, I Wrecked the Kids explains why children today really are resistant to traditional parenting methods and how only a new model for winning cooperation really works. Full of real-life examples, the book gives parents a deeper understanding of misbehavior and their role in it, shies away from traditional behavioral models of parenting, and offers humane, good-humored advice that will make parenting a manageable and, finally, rewarding task.

Value $8.89

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1 copy of Ain't Misbehavin ' by Alyson Schafer

Bestselling author, psychotherapist, and leading parenting expert on tackling any child's worst behavior.
Following her phenomenally successful, Honey, I Wrecked the Kids, parenting guru Alyson Schaefer addresses every parent's secret fear: their child is the one no parenting book can possibly help. In her newest book, she conquers, one by one, all those behavioral bugaboos that can make a child seem, at times, impossible-and a parent's life hell. With explicit, life-saving tips on the perfect thing to say or do when things get out of control, Ain't Misbehavin' offers parents a sensible, democratic solution to meeting even the toughest discipline challenges.

Includes first-person accounts of literally hundreds of parenting conundrums-with practical insights on what exactly to doFull of detailed "how to do it" advice for a multitude of situations parents inevitably face
While acknowledging the daily reality that parents face, Schaefer's humor and experience make this book a must for parents who want to preserve the peace and also the joy of raising a child.

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1 copy of Breaking the Good Mom Myth by Alyson Schafer


As a psychotherapist, parent educator and parent coach, Alyson Schfer has worked with a great many mothers who, in the quest to be a "good mother" have ended up on the door step of despair. Alyson is a forty-something, suburbanite, working-mother of two and can speak to these issues both personally and professionally.
This book explains the psycho-social phenomena of how each person creates their own unique "good mother myth" and then examines why these myths are not only faulty, but could in fact lead to poor parenting, marital disaster and individual crisis. Her years of educating parents around these concepts afford Alyson the skill to take complex ideas and explain them to a lay audience in a compelling and easy to understand way.
Capitalizing on the need to present parents with information in an easy to digest format, the book is presented as a series of personal stories, each highlighting a common parenting myth. This format will appeal to tired parents who have little time and energy for "academia". Instead, readers learn by taking a voyeuristic peek into the private family lives of the book's characters. Readers can identify with the fictitious parents and coaching clients in the stories and see first hand how the characters life experiences shaped their unique "good mother myths" and how these myths create conflict in their lives.
The author offers up ideas for how the character can reject her current thinking and adopt a more useful outlook to improve her situation. The story arc allows readers to identify and then project how their parenting may be unknowingly going off the rails.
The goal of this book is to provide parents with some basic education and a means of self-discovery. Readers uncover their own good mother myths and are given an eye-opening glimpse into potential issues to challenge their thinking. A great sense of empowerment is restored as mothers become better able to resist the pulls of their personal and cultural myths, and instead begin parenting with greater intention and in ways that are more suitable to proper child guidance.

Value $8.89

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1 signed copy of Two Thousand Kisses a Day by L.R.Knost - Little Hearts/Gentle Parenting Resources


Gentle Parenting is about guiding instead of controlling, connecting instead of punishing, encouraging instead of demanding. It's about listening, understanding, responding, and communicating. Written by children's book and parenting author, L.R.Knost, 'Two Thousand Kisses a Day: Gentle Parenting Through the Ages and Stages' is an introduction to the ideas behind gentle parenting and to its application in each of the developmental stages of childhood.

Value $8.99



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1 signed copy of The Whole-Brain Child by Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D. and Dr. Dan Siegel.

In this pioneering, practical book, Daniel J. Siegel, neuropsychiatrist and author of the bestselling Mindsight, and parenting expert Tina Payne Bryson offer a revolutionary approach to child rearing with twelve key strategies that foster healthy brain development, leading to calmer, happier children. The authors explain—and make accessible—the new science of how a child’s brain is wired and how it matures. The “upstairs brain,” which makes decisions and balances emotions, is under construction until the mid-twenties. And especially in young children, the right brain and its emotions tend to rule over the logic of the left brain. No wonder kids throw tantrums, fight, or sulk in silence. By applying these discoveries to everyday parenting, you can turn any outburst, argument, or fear into a chance to integrate your child’s brain and foster vital growth.            

Complete with age-appropriate strategies for dealing with day-to-day struggles and illustrations that will help you explain these concepts to your child, The Whole-Brain Child shows you how to cultivate healthy emotional and intellectual development so that your children can lead balanced, meaningful, and connected lives.

Value $10.38

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1 signed copy of No-Drama Discipline by Dr. Dan Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D.

The pioneering experts behind The Whole-Brain Child—Tina Payne Bryson and Daniel J. Siegel, the author of Brainstorm—now explore the ultimate child-raising challenge: discipline. Highlighting the fascinating link between a child’s neurological development and the way a parent reacts to misbehavior, No-Drama Discipline provides an effective, compassionate road map for dealing with tantrums, tensions, and tears—without causing a scene.

Defining the true meaning of the “d” word (to instruct, not to shout or reprimand), the authors explain how to reach your child, redirect emotions, and turn a meltdown into an opportunity for growth. By doing so, the cycle of negative behavior (and punishment) is essentially brought to a halt, as problem solving becomes a win/win situation. Inside this sanity-saving guide you’ll discover

• strategies that help parents identify their own discipline philosophy—and master the best methods to communicate the lessons they are trying to impart
• facts on child brain development—and what kind of discipline is most appropriate and constructive at all ages and stages
• the way to calmly and lovingly connect with a child—no matter how extreme the behavior—while still setting clear and consistent limits
• tips for navigating your children through a tantrum to achieve insight, empathy, and repair
• twenty discipline mistakes even the best parents make—and how to stay focused on the principles of whole-brain parenting and discipline techniques

Complete with candid stories and playful illustrations that bring the authors’ suggestions to life, No-Drama Discipline shows you how to work with your child’s developing mind, peacefully resolve conflicts, and inspire happiness and strengthen resilience in everyone in the family.

Value $18.62

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1 print and 1 ebook copy of Little Things Long Remembered: Making Your Children Feel Special Every Day   by Susan Newman, Ph.D.

Little Things Long Remembered: Making Your Children Feel Special Every Day offers today's time-strapped families 500+ ways to create treasured childhood memories. Every single day offers fertile ground for creating positive recollections. Chapters are divided into convenient time frames: Gestures to strengthen family ties that take seconds, activities when you have five minutes, half an hour, or the entire weekend. Plus special circumstance suggestions for  for birthdays, major and minor holidays and more. A set of 10 Cardinal Rules  insure whatever you do is fun, builds character and celebrates your family. 
Small parcels of time well spent shape long-lasting memories that are the backbone of family unity...and the glue that holds families together. Dig in to find "little things" that will inspire loving remembrances of growing up...and of you.
Value $10.03

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1 copy of The Case for the Only Child by Susan Newman, Ph.D.


The Case for the Only Child: Your Essential Guide explains the rapid rise in the number of only children and provides a roadmap to help couples make the right family size decision for them. It answers the highly debated question: Does a child need a sibling?

Whether it's by choice or fate, having a single child presents unique considerations, opportunities, and advantages—all of which are explained. Written to help parents withstand and respond to the pressure to have another, the book also confronts (and shatters) age-old only-child stereotypes and guides parents in building family networks and other support systems for the future. The in-depth coverage of the critical issues for raising an only child gives parents insightful and useful parenting tips for raising their one and only.
Value $11.19

Social psychologist Susan Newman, Ph.D is the author of 15 books about family issues; she  writes about parenting for Psychology Today Magazine. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

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1 signed copy of The Newbie's Guide to Positive Parenting by Rebecca Eanes 

Do you want to create a more positive and peaceful home? Are you tired of parenting formulas and techniques that just don't work and leave you feeling at odds with your child? Learn the 5 principles of positive parenting and discover how to bring connection and peace back into your relationship with your child. You'll learn a new way in which to relate to your child, one which fosters connection rather than disconnection, respect rather than rebellion, and cultivates a healthy relationship which you can enjoy throughout the years.






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1 copy of Petey's Listening Ears by L.R. Knost with a signed sketch from the illustrator.

In this first release in L.R.Knost's Wisdom For Little Hearts children's picture book series, lovable little Petey and his furry friend, Beans, are having a difficult day until Petey’s mommy and daddy step in with some gentle guidance and help him remember to turn his ‘Listening Ears’ on, turning his very bad day into a very good one! The Wisdom For Little Hearts series is designed as a tool for parents, teachers, and caregivers to use in implementing Gentle Parenting techniques in their homes and schools. Concrete imagery and positive discipline techniques woven into humorous, engaging stories make the Wisdom For Little Hearts series ideal for children ages two to six.



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1 $50 Gift Certificate to Mabel's Labels courtesy of Julie Cole

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Thank you to everyone who has offered their books/products for this giveaway! I appreciate that I have such a supportive positive parenting community. <3

With love and gratitude,
Rebecca Eanes

Builders of Self-Worth - Speak Kindly About Your Children

The following is an excerpt from my new book, Lasting Bonds: Building Connected Families Through Positive Parenting, due out in Feb. 2015


“I can't wait for school to start back,” she said. “He has driven me crazy all summer!” Her son stood beside her, looking down at the floor. What do you think it felt like to be that child?
“Is yours a good baby? Gosh, mine's not! He's a whiny baby,” said the mother of a toddler in the pediatrician's waiting room. He climbs on the table and she hurries over to grab him. “Ugh! You are so wild!” She gives him a firm tap on the behind and sets him down. What do you think it felt like to be that child?
“If you don't come on right now, all of your friends are going to see you get a spanking!” She was tired and ready to go, but the child was having fun playing with her friends. What do you think it felt like to be that child?
“I told you to not hit people” said a frustrated mother as she whacked the child's leg hard with each word. What do you think it felt like to be that child?
Why do we find it acceptable to speak so terribly about our children in their presence? Do we think they don't understand? If we believe they don't understand our cutting words, why do we think they should understand commands like “pick up your toys?” Surely if they understand one, they understand the other? Do we think our harsh words about them will motivate them to be better children?
Just because they aren't quite articulate enough to verbally express their feelings of deep shame and hurt doesn't mean they aren't feeling it. It is being cataloged somewhere in their minds, and it will impact the way they see themselves. Let's not reduce children to nothing more than behavior.

Children are more than their ability to sleep through the night. They are more than their willingness to instantly obey. They are more than a grade. They are more than a mood. They are more than they display at any given moment, more than what we see on the surface. They are human beings. Messy and beautiful, wild and compassionate, and worth getting to know, not just getting to mind.

Let's look a little deeper today at what it means to be a child, not just at what it takes to raise one. 

When children see themselves in a positive way, their behavior will be positive. Human beings behave in accordance with our self-concepts. Whatever we believe ourselves to be is what we continually strive to be. So, the child who is constantly told what a nuisance he is? If he hears it enough, he believe himself to be a nuisance, and then he'll continue to behave as one because, well, that's what he is in his mind. Ah, but the child who is constantly told she is valued and good and honest and capable? She wouldn't want to undermine her own good self-concept.
Psychologist Carl Rogers believed that childhood experiences is one of the two primary sources that influence our self-concepts, the other one being evaluation by others. According to Rogers, we want to feel and behave in ways that are consistent with our self-image. Rogers viewed the child as having 2 basic needs – positive regard from other people and self-worth.
A child with high self-worth faces challenges well, accepts failure and unhappiness at times, and is open with people whereas, in Roger's view, the child with low self-worth avoids challenges, cannot accept that life will be painful sometimes, and will be defensive and guarded with people, and he believed that the self-worth is first formed from the interactions the child has with his mother and father.
Rogers also believed that we need to be positively regarded by others. We need to feel valued, respected, shown affection, and loved. He made the distinction between unconditional positive regard and conditional positive regard. Unconditional positive regard is unconditional love. This is where the parents fully accept the child for who she is and positive regard is not withdrawn if the child does something wrong or makes a mistake .
Conditional positive regard is where the child receives approval only when he is performing to the parents' expectations of behavior. Approval is withdrawn when the child makes a mistake. Therefore, the child is not loved for who he is but on condition that he behaves in a way that makes the parents happy.

For a child to reach his fullest potential, he must have a positive self-concept. He must feel valued, respected, and loved without condition by his parents. Before he can see himself as a good person, we must see it first. Before we can see it, we must confront our negative attitudes toward children and their behavior and look at them through a positive lens. We are builders of self-worth, and we should always be mindful of that fact. 
Copyright © 2014 by Rebecca Eanes. All rights reserved.
Reference: McLeod, Saul. "Carl Rogers." n. page. Print. <http://www.simplypsychology.org/carl-rogers.html>.

Give the Gift of Gentle Parenting and the Gift of Life

Many of you have asked about donating to help positive parenting author and speaker, L.R.Knost, in her battle against a rare neuroendocrine cancer (you can read her story here, and most of you probably know by now about her reluctance to ask her readers to participate in any kind of a fundraiser to help with her medical expenses. But now her passion for her positive parenting work has opened the door to a combined fundraiser that she's very excited about: For every dollar raised, half will go to help with her cancer battle and half will go into a fund to supply gentle parenting books and resources to various venues such as hospitals for new parent bags, crisis family centers, and pregnancy centers. So when you give the gift of life to L.R.Knost, you'll also be giving the gift of gentle parenting!

Give now through Giveforward

L.R. Knost is an international best-selling author. Her award-winning books have touched the hearts of parents across the globe. Her website offers gentle wisdom, and her Facebook community inspires me and thousands of other parents every single day.

Thank you for your support. <3 

Making the Decision to Homeschool

Are you thinking about homeschooling your child? If so, I know that making the decision to homeschool can feel overwhelming and even alarming. I asked a group of homeschooling parents what they, in hindsight, would have liked to know when making this decision, and now I'm going to share with you what we all wish we'd have known from the beginning.

The first and most important step is to find homeschooling families near you. You will need their knowledge and support in the decision-making as well as in your homeschooling journey. I live in a small, rural town, and I assumed that I'd be doing this alone, and that was a frightening thought. I was shocked to find at least 4 local homeschooling groups in my area. Reach out via social media, look on your library bulletins, and talk with friends to locate a group near you.

Each state has it's own set of homeschooling laws. You'll need to look up the laws in the state you live in and familiarize yourself with them. Don't let this intimidate you, however. Often, the legal jargon makes it sound much more complicated than it really is. The best way to understand your state's laws is to talk with parents who are homeschooling in your state.

When researching homeschooling, you'll come across a lot of philosophies you may not be familiar with, such as the Charlotte Mason method or the classical education method. You will also discover a plethora of curricula options, and all of this new information can feel overwhelming. It's a good idea to do an overview of the philosophies and styles to discover what might be a good fit for your child, but you don't have to stick with one certain method, and as you educate your children, you'll naturally discover what they need. In regard to curricula, if you can visit a homeschool convention, this would be of great help to you. There, you can look through various curricula as well as attend lectures and classes for new homeschoolers. If you can't get to a convention, ask other homeschoolers what their choices are. There are also curriculum review websites that offer an abundance of information.

If you're concerned about socialization, don't be.
Continue reading at CreativeChild

Holiday Gift Guide #1 from CreativeChild

'Tis the season! This gift guide is the first of 6 helpful guides coming your way thanks to CreativeChild.


Not your typical gift guide filled with Elmo and Barbie, this features unique gifts that educate and inspire! 


For example, how awesome is this Tubby Table? 
Children and parents love this innovative and educational play surface that suctions in the middle of the tub, giving kids a sturdy & safe place surface while keeping water and toys inside the tub!
Based on the notion that kids learn through play, the Tubby Table includes 5 colored, shaped, & numbered cups to develop both cognitive and fine motor skills. Children keep coming back to the Tubby Table for endless enjoyment with the included toys as well as their favorite bath time toys. Whether its a tea party with your princess dolls or a battle of the action figures, The Tubby Table keeps water play in the tub and off the bathroom floor. No more wet floors means parents can sit back and relax while kids enjoy their bath time.



Or what about this Mini Micro Kickboard? Love it!
The Mini Micro Kickboard is the highest rated scooter for young children. Its award-winning Swiss design is ideal for children ages 3-5. The Mini Micro's 3 wheels, low-to-the-ground deck and gentle steering all contribute to the stability that makes the Mini perfect for pre-schoolers and kindergartners. What makes the Mini unique and fun is the lean-and-steer design; kids their body weight to curve right and left, intuitively learning to ‘surf the sidewalk’, while developing the balance and coordination used in many sports. All parts are replaceable, so your Mini Micro will last, virtually forever. Safety certified by the CPSC. The Mini Micro is recommended for children up to 44lbs.







And the Get Out Kit looks like a blast!
3 in 1 Outdoor Active Play Kit

Includes:
• Flyer (hacky sack meets badminton)
• Moon ball (bounces out of this world!)
• Waboba Surf (bounces on water)
• Playbook with 21 ways to play

Get Out contains Waboba’s most popular sport innovations to encourage kids to unplug, go outside, and be active - all the while having fun! With each item covering a different playing environment, there are plenty ways for kids to get out and play until the sun goes down.


There is so much more! View the entire guide here!

Be sure to check out Creative Child's website where I regularly contribute articles, and hook up with them on their Facebook page as well.
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Are you expecting? Do you have a precious new bundle? Here's a special Holiday Guide for you from babyMaternity!

Holiday Gift Guide #1 from Creative Child Magazine

'Tis the season! This gift guide is the first of 6 helpful guides coming your way thanks to Creative Child Magazine.

Not your typical gift guide filled with Elmo and Barbie, this features unique gifts that educate and inspire! 


For example, how awesome is this Tubby Table? 
Children and parents love this innovative and educational play surface that suctions in the middle of the tub, giving kids a sturdy & safe place surface while keeping water and toys inside the tub!
Based on the notion that kids learn through play, the Tubby Table includes 5 colored, shaped, & numbered cups to develop both cognitive and fine motor skills. Children keep coming back to the Tubby Table for endless enjoyment with the included toys as well as their favorite bath time toys. Whether its a tea party with your princess dolls or a battle of the action figures, The Tubby Table keeps water play in the tub and off the bathroom floor. No more wet floors means parents can sit back and relax while kids enjoy their bath time.



Or what about this Mini Micro Kickboard? Love it!
The Mini Micro Kickboard is the highest rated scooter for young children. Its award-winning Swiss design is ideal for children ages 3-5. The Mini Micro's 3 wheels, low-to-the-ground deck and gentle steering all contribute to the stability that makes the Mini perfect for pre-schoolers and kindergartners. What makes the Mini unique and fun is the lean-and-steer design; kids their body weight to curve right and left, intuitively learning to ‘surf the sidewalk’, while developing the balance and coordination used in many sports. All parts are replaceable, so your Mini Micro will last, virtually forever. Safety certified by the CPSC. The Mini Micro is recommended for children up to 44lbs.







And the Get Out Kit looks like a blast!
3 in 1 Outdoor Active Play Kit

Includes:
• Flyer (hacky sack meets badminton)
• Moon ball (bounces out of this world!)
• Waboba Surf (bounces on water)
• Playbook with 21 ways to play

Get Out contains Waboba’s most popular sport innovations to encourage kids to unplug, go outside, and be active - all the while having fun! With each item covering a different playing environment, there are plenty ways for kids to get out and play until the sun goes down.


There is so much more! View the entire guide here!

Be sure to check out Creative Child's website where I regularly contribute articles, and hook up with them on their Facebook page as well.