Soraya Diase Coffelt's Blog, page 18
July 13, 2020
Helping Your Children Understand Disabilities
Picture from friendshipcircle.org
Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 1 Peter 3:8 ESV
It is of utmost importance that we raise children who are compassionate, empathetic, and loving to others. One of the ways to do that is teaching them at a young age about persons with disabilities and how to treat them. Many of us have persons with disabilities in our families and there may be children with disabilities at your children’s school. As Christians, we are especially called to show our love and be tenderhearted. 1 Peter 3:8.
Children are naturally inquisitive and will ask questions. Here are some suggestions to assist your children:
It is acceptable to notice a person who has a disability. Do not ignore the situation but offer an explanation that is not emotional. Author Lindsay Hutton in her online article Six Tips to Talk to Your Children About Disabilities, suggests the following:
A short and matter-of-fact description will answer your child's questions while showing her that the person has nothing to be ashamed of.
For example, if you see a child with muscular dystrophy in a wheelchair, you can say to your child, ‘I see you looking at that little girl in the wheelchair, and you might be wondering why she needs it. Some people's muscles work a little differently, and her wheelchair helps her move around, just like your legs help you.’
Words are important, so be respectful and not hurtful. Ms. Hutton recommends the appropriate words to use: “Avoid using derogatory terms like ‘cripple’, ‘retarded’, or ‘midget’, and instead, use terms and phrases like ‘wheelchair user,’ ‘little person’, and ‘he has a learning disability’.’’
Point out similarities between all children and adults. Persons with disabilities are human beings who have feelings, love their families, and enjoy music as well as playing sports. By emphasizing the similarities, you will help your children to understand that persons with disabilities are people too.
Children love to ask questions. If you do not know the answers and the child’s parent is present, consider asking the parent. Many parents of children with disabilities welcome questions and spend time answering them.
Ask your children to think about a scenario where they have a particular disability. How would they like to be treated? For example, if there is a child in your children’s school who has a hearing disability and wears a hearing device, ask your children how they would feel if they could not hear well. How would they want to be treated?
There are many children’s books to familiarize your children with disabilities. Visit the links below for some suggestions.
For more helpful information, please visit the following:
Explaining Disability to Children
July 6, 2020
Keeping Your Children Active during the Summer COVID-19 Shutdowns
It’s the middle of the summer and most places do not have summer camps or other activities available for children. Many areas have closed parks, playgrounds and sports fields. Despite all these restrictions, it is very important to keep your children active as shutdowns have already led to the exacerbation of childhood obesity rates.
Scientists were concerned from the beginning of the lockdowns that children would be negatively affected. Their reasons included children not being able to participate in organized school activities or eat subsidized school lunches as well as being exposed to more snack food at home all day long.
Researchers recently found that compared to one year ago, “children ate an additional meal a day; slept an additional half hour per day; and spent more than 5 hours per day in front of a phone, computer or television screen” during the lockdown. Those are shocking findings indeed!
The World Health Organization recommends that children be physically active at least 60 minutes a day. In confined spaces, there are many activities in which children can participate. Consider online videos with activities. So much is available on YouTube that it just takes a bit of your time to search them out and select the ones your children will enjoy. Your children can even assist you in choosing those videos. Also, try old tried-but-true fun such as building indoor forts, playing hide and seek, dancing to music and jumping rope.
Experts recommend keeping a journal of activities and even rewarding children afterwards. The key is to reinforce positive behavior and build good habits.
For more information, please visit the following:
Coronavirus Lockdown Found to Worsen Childhood Obesity
Coronavirus Child Obesity Exercise
How to Keep Your Children Active and Healthy While in Isolation
June 29, 2020
Be Sure to Schedule Time for Free Play for Your Children
Just what is free play for children? We adults often think that children regularly play, so what is the significance of free play? Free play is unstructured play that children direct on their own. It is play that helps develop a child’s creativity and well-being and is essential to a child’s growth.
There is an excellent online article at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education’s website about free play Summertime, Playtime by Leah Shaffer. Ms. Shaffer lists 3 types of play: social play, when children play with others; independent play, when children play by themselves, such as with stuffed animals and building blocks; and guided play, when children play according to what adults have set up.
Playing has many benefits such as:
Intellectual development – “Play builds executive function skills, content knowledge, and creative thinking. When children build with blocks or draw, they are counting, classifying, and creating and examining patterns. When children engage in dramatic play, they are practicing telling stories in a sensible order, using rich vocabulary, and writing.”
Social development – Children learn how to interact with others and listen.
Emotional development – Children learn about their emotions and how to regulate them.
Physical development – Children play using their bodies, often through sports or other physical activity, and try new things, such as swimming underwater.
How can you help your children have free play? First, have plenty of the right kinds of “toys” available. Some recommendations are building blocks, Lego, crayons and paper, stuffed animals, and stickers. Keep a few empty cardboard boxes around too. Second, plan ahead and set aside the time. For example, take your children to a park to just run around and play. Invite some of their friends over to play. And, make sure that there are no devices with screens involved! Third, don’t give in to your children’s cries of “I’m bored!” Encourage them to create ways to play and have fun.
To read the entire article and another helpful article, please visit:
June 22, 2020
Start a Family Movie Night as a Regular Family Activity
What is a special family activity that can become a regular event? Try a family movie night! Since it is a night for movies for kids of all ages, be sure to find appropriate ones for all tastes. Here are some helpful tips.
Research what movies would be good for all age groups. There are many websites that list family friendly movies so review the selections. I have links to some of those websites below.
Negotiate with your family members what movie will be seen on a specific day. Since sibling rivalries are almost certain to happen, prepare a method of selecting a movie that will be fair to all. Also, because children are watching, adults erroneously believe that only kiddy or cartoon type movies would be appropriate (and often boring). However, there are many types of movies that would be acceptable to both adults and children. Take the time to read up about them.
Be sensitive about the themes of the movies and the impact on a child. For example, I never enjoyed “scary” movies as a child (and still don’t).
Make it feel more authentic by having some theater-type snacks for movie night. Popcorn, of course, is a ubiquitous treat, but there are many others such as nachos and hot dogs. Perhaps add candy bars. The selections are up to you.
Talk with your children about the movie after it ends. What were their favorite characters and why? What did they think about the way the movie ended? There are many questions that you can ask to stir their imagination and help them express their thoughts.
For more information, please visit:
Beliefnet - 6 Must-Watch Christian Family Films
June 15, 2020
Celebrate with Your Children African American Freedom from Enslavement on June 19th During Juneteenth
Even though it has not been recognized as a national federal holiday yet, Juneteenth is widely celebrated all over the United States. Its prominence, especially among African Americans, is based on their freedoms and achievements since June 19, 1865.
On that day, Major General Gordon Granger landed on the coast at Galveston, Texas and announced General Order #3 that the enslaved were free. Juneteenth was born, with the name derived from combining the month of June and the 19th day. It is reported that Texas had about 250,000 slaves at the time, since many slave owners from Confederate states had moved there. The Civil War had already ended but masters were still reluctant to free the enslaved.
In her essay Juneteenth: Emancipation and Memory, writer Elizabeth Hayes Turner describes what one heir to the Juneteenth celebration said:
The way it was explained to me, the 19th of June wasn’t the exact day the Negro was freed. But that’s the day they told them that they was free … And my daddy told me that they whooped and hollered and bored holes in trees with augers and stopped it up with [gun] powder and light and that would be their blast for the celebration.
Historian Henry Louis Gates, Jr. wrote a very informative article entitled What is Juneteenth? which is available at PBS’s website. The celebration started off slowly, declined, and then resurged during the Civil Rights movement. It has gained momentum over many years. 42 states and the District of Columbia now celebrate that day as a holiday and celebrations are held all over the world as well.
At the website, Juneteenth.com, founder Clifford Robinson states:
Juneteenth today, celebrates African American freedom and achievement, while encouraging continuous self-development and respect for all cultures. As it takes on a more national, symbolic and even global perspective, the events of 1865 in Texas are not forgotten, for all of the roots tie back to this fertile soil from which a national day of pride is growing.
There are many children’s books about Juneteenth and famous people in our history. Encourage your children to learn more about this important day.
Please visit the following links for more information:
June 8, 2020
Why is World Oceans Day Important to You & Your Family?
In December 2008, the United Nations designated June 8 as World Oceans Day “to remind everyone of the major role the oceans have in everyday life”. I live on St. Thomas, U. S. Virgin Islands located in the beautiful Caribbean Sea, with the Atlantic Ocean to the north of us. I have come to love and respect the importance of our oceans and hope that you and your children will too.
The UN’s goal to encourage people and governments all over the world to protect and preserve this major resource is set forth on its website:
The world’s oceans – their temperature, chemistry, currents and life – drive global systems that make the Earth habitable for humankind. Our rainwater, drinking water, weather, climate, coastlines, much of our food, and even the oxygen in the air we breathe, are all ultimately provided and regulated by the sea. Throughout history, oceans and seas have been vital conduits for trade and transportation.
Careful management of this essential global resource is a key feature of a sustainable future. However, at the current time, there is a continuous deterioration of coastal waters owing to pollution and ocean acidification, which has an adversarial effect on the functioning of ecosystems and biodiversity. This is also negatively impacting small scale fisheries.
The theme for this year is “Innovation for a Sustainable Ocean”. Much information is provided on its website, including a virtual celebration event and other events that are scheduled all week long, and links are provided below. Some interesting facts included in a “Did You Know” section are:
Oceans serve as the world’s largest source of protein, with more than 3 billion people depending on the oceans as their primary source of protein.
Over three billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihoods.
Oceans absorb about 30% of carbon dioxide produced by humans, buffering the impacts of global warming.
This is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about our oceans individually and as a family. Please don’t miss this opportunity.
To learn more, please visit:
June 1, 2020
Be Sure to Include the Children in Family Virtual Meetings
I think that one of the best things that has happened during the COVID19 pandemic is families using virtual meetings to stay in touch with each other. My family started to do that with our extended family every two weeks and it has been a source of joy, bringing us closer together. Planning a virtual meeting is very helpful to make sure you have topics to stir conversations and always remember to include the children.
I view these family virtual meetings as similar to when all the family members get together to share a meal. During those mealtimes, children are all around us, enjoying the meal and often listening to the conversations too and joining in the laughter.
Sometimes, it is challenging to get your children to talk about what is going on in their lives. How do we get them to participate? One of the ways I recommend is to plan ahead of time as to what topics will be discussed. Tell your children about those topics and ask them to think about what they will say. Be sure to ask them to share their thoughts during the virtual meeting.
Since children love to laugh, you can plan on a joke fest. Have each person select and tell a joke about something during the pandemic. Laughter is the best medicine!
It is important that all children feel acknowledged and respected. Siblings can be condemning to each other so establish ground rules ahead of time that put downs and criticisms will not be tolerated. If you see another family member’s child at the virtual meeting but not talking, you can try asking that child a specific question.
The topics to talk about during the virtual meetings are innumerable. Let’s make sure to actively include children in our discussions.
May 25, 2020
Celebrating Memorial Day with Children
Photo from Houston Family Magazine
Memorial Day is an annual holiday set aside to honor those in the military who have fallen, particularly during military service. Many people confuse it with Veteran’s Day which is day to recognize and honor all veterans. Typically, we celebrate Memorial Day with parades and visits to cemeteries and war monuments. However, due to the quarantine restrictions, we will have to be very selective as to what activities we participate in. And, of course, children should be included in all your plans!
The links below provide you with a lot of information you can use as teaching tools about Memorial Day as well as activities for children. These activities range from games to baking special patriotic deserts to coloring and, of course, reading. Importantly, please do not have your children mindlessly playing computer games or video games all day. Keep their bodies and minds active by planning ahead of time what you will do as a family to honor our fallen heroes.
For more information, please visit these links:
May 18, 2020
Rescue Dogs can be Good Companions for Children
I love dogs! During my adult life, most of my dogs were rescued and adopted. May 20 is recognized as National Dog Rescue Day, a day set aside to highlight the plight of dogs that are awaiting adoption. And, as you can see, I put the photo of an adorable puppy on today’s blog to underscore the plight of so many rescued dogs.
Pets are wonderful additions to families and I have written before about their profound impact on children. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), approximately 3.3 million dogs enter shelters each year with approximately 670,000 of them having to be euthanized. Those are shocking statistics!
Children’s author Lisa Wiehebrink established Tails That Teach, Inc. to teach about the importance of rescuing dogs. She has a series of books regarding how to love and take care of a dog. She stresses that dogs can teach children compassion, empathy and kindness. Her books are wonderful teaching tools for your children and would make great gifts. The link to her website is provided below.
On a more personal note, my youngest son James just adopted a rescue dog from the island of Puerto Rico. That island has suffered greatly from hurricanes and recent earthquakes. A rescue center there partnered with one in the Washington, DC area and brought several dogs to be adopted. James had been looking for a compatible dog for many months and immediately fell in love with Leyla! He is a single young man and Leyla has provided him with affectionate companionship during the quarantine.
To learn more, please visit:
May 11, 2020
Celebrating the Importance of Families on International Family Day on May 15
The importance of the family unit is celebrated all over the world. In fact, the United Nations passed a resolution in 1993 establishing the International Day of Families as an annual recognition of the paramount importance of families. The resolution provided, in part, the following:
“This annual observance reflects the importance which the international community attaches to families as basic units of society as well as its concern regarding their situation around the world. The International Day of Families provides an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families as well as to promote appropriate action. The Day can become a powerful mobilizing factor on behalf of families in all countries, which avail themselves of this opportunity and demonstrate support of family issues appropriate to each society.”
For Christians, the family unit plays a vital role both physically and spiritually. We have a physical, earthly family with parents and siblings and other members. And, when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we become members of the spiritual family of God our Father as we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. (Romans 8:15; Galatians 3:26-29). From the Old Testament to the New Testament, God’s Word expresses the importance of family, from children honoring and obeying their parents and parents not provoking their children; the sanctity of marriage; the prohibition against adultery; and the disdain of divorce.
The links below have some activities for families for this day. Note that they are secular web pages but some of the ideas are worthwhile to do, especially after the COVID-19 quarantines are over.
For more information, please visit:
National Today - International Family Day
International Event Day - Family Day
Celebrate with As the Stars of the SkyWe would love to celebrate this day with your family! Our top reads or suggestions can be found below:
