KidFit Online

Plant a Tree

Materials

• Tree seedling

Directions

Plant a tree in your yard, watch it grow and change, sit by it and talk about your problems, nurture and love it! Here’s how you do it.

1. Dig a hole bigger than the seedlings roots.
2. Pour water into the hole to give your tree an extra drink on its first day.
3. Set the tree in the hole and cover its roots with soil, filling the hole and packing the dirt around it as you go.
4. Put wood chips, bark, and leaves around the base of the tree, but not right next to the trunk. The leaves and bark will break down and provide food for the tree. This is called mulching.
5. Water the tree regularly the first few weeks.

Nature Hunt

Materials

• One paper bag per player
• One list of natural objects to collect per player

Directions

1. Give each player a paper bag and a list of natural objects (a bird’s feather, a leaf, a smooth rock, a pine cone, a wildflower, and so on) to collect.
2. You can give the same list to all the players or have each player look for a different group of objects.
3. Challenge the players to find all the objects on their lists. Set a time limit: perhaps twenty minutes to find ten objects.
4. The first player to find all the items on his list is the winner.
5. A child may play this game alone or with others. For a group of children, pair up nonreaders with readers.

Breakfast in the Park

Our family often has picnic lunches and dinners at the beach, but I hadn’t thought of having breakfast in the park until a friend suggested it. What a great idea for early risers-and you’ll definitely beat the crowds!

Materials

• Breakfast foods
• Blanket or tablecloth
• Sweatshirts
• Hot cocoa

Directions

1. The night before your outing, pack up everything you’ll need.
2. Your meal may be as simple as cereal, milk, and juice or may include pancakes or bacon and eggs.
3. Bring a plastic tablecloth if you plan to sit at a picnic table or a blanket if you’ll be sitting on the ground.
4. Mornings are often cool, so don’t forget to bring sweatshirts and hot cocoa, too.

Read more on FamilyEducation

Why Kids Need Nature

Whether you grew up in a suburb, on a farm, or in a big city, you probably spent a lot of time playing outside, getting dirty, and coming home happy. Maybe you watched ants making anthills in your backyard, climbed trees in the park, or simply lay in the grass contemplating the drifting clouds. Unfortunately, young children today do not have as many direct experiences with nature, and it’s taking a toll.

Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, maintains that this disconnect from the natural world is producing ill effects in both mind and body. But, he’s optimistic that well-meaning, forward-thinking parents and educators can close the kid-nature gap. “We should not think of a child’s experience in nature as an extracurricular activity,” says Louv. “It should be thought of as vital to children’s health and development.” The editors of Scholastic’s Parent & Child talked with Louv about his book.

Parent & Child: Why do children need a meaningful relationship with nature?
Richard Louv: Research suggests that a connection to nature is biologically innate; as humans, we have an affinity for the natural world. When children spend most of their time indoors, they miss out. Problems associated with alienation from nature include familiar maladies: depression, obesity, and attention deficit disorder. Kids who have direct access to nature are better learners. Exposure to nature has been shown to reduce stress and increase attention spans.
 
When a child is out in nature, all the senses get activated. He or she is immersed in something bigger than himself, rather than focusing narrowly on one thing, such as a computer screen. He or she is seeing, hearing, touching, even tasting. Out in nature, a child’s brain has the chance to rejuvenate, so the next time he has to focus and pay attention, perhaps in school, he’ll do better.
 
Parent & Child: What can parents do to help their children get the safe outdoor experiences they need?
Louv: You would think it would be ideal to let kids run loose and come back dirty and happy at end of the day, but in reality this is not likely to happen anymore. We have to come up with new ways for kids to have direct contact with nature. This probably means parents have to get out there with their kids, and explore with them. Schools, too, including preschools, can incorporate natural surroundings.

 A lot of parents are already doing the right thing, almost instinctively. Perhaps they remember how they used to play, and strive to provide the same thing for their kids. While they may not let their kids roam free in the neighborhood, they do take their children hiking or let them run around in the local park.
 
P&C: What are some easy ways to experience nature with preschool-age children?
Louv: The best thing you can do is to be enthusiastic about nature yourself. Go out in your backyard. Instead of a manicured lawn or garden, leave some spots untamed so kids can dig in the dirt and find rocks or interesting weeds. If you have a vegetable garden, have your child help you plant seeds or pick tomatoes. Even walking to your local park can be a nature walk to a preschooler — he or she can collect leaves, you can point out trees and bushes and show him the bugs crawling along the curb. Let your kids get down in the dirt so they can see at eye level the whole universe there. Nature is good for everyone’s mental health. Nature isn’t the problem; it’s the solution.

Read more about the benefits of nature here.

Sibling rivalry is one of humanity’s oldest problems. Sibling rivalry is competition between siblings for the love, affection, and attention of one or both parents or for other recognition or gain. Sibling rivalry is universal, but more importantly sibling rivalry is normal. In fact, some experts even suggest that to some degree or another, sibling rivalry is a necessary and sometimes beneficial part of a family’s growing experience. It is part of a complex process of learning. Sibling rivalry is a routine part of growing up, but when that fighting turns into constant arguments, fights, and the creation of some potentially dangerous situations, it should be dealt with.

Sibling rivalry seems to depend in part upon how parents balance the sometimes-competitive needs of their children. Sibling rivalry is also affected by the presence in the family of a special needs child, divorce or other family trauma. According to child psychologist Sylvia Rimm, sibling rivalry is particularly intense when children are very close in age and of the same gender, or where one child is intellectually gifted. Perhaps sibling rivalry is sometimes more intense between a girl and boy because it seems they have less in common with each other.

Parents should remember to treat each of your children as individuals. One way to prevent sibling rivalry is to spend quality time with each individual child. Parents should spend time with each child individually doing an activity that each child likes, in order to make each child feel secure of their place within the family. While family time is important, resentment and hostility can be increased when parents insist that all children in the family do the same activities all the time, always include each other in their play and friendships, and put older children in charge of younger ones for long periods on a regular basis.

Parents can reduce the opportunity for rivalry by refusing to compare or typecast their children, teaching their children positive ways to get attention from each other and from their parents, planning fun family activities together, and making sure each child has enough time and space of their own.

Try to make each child feel special by stressing each child’s unique traits and individuality and acknowledging their individual accomplishments. As exciting as a soccer match may be for one child, try to make as much of a fuss over a dance performance or the completion of a school project. Be careful not to use praise as a way of comparing children.

Show children acceptable alternatives to fighting, such as walking away, compromising, and negotiating. Encourage the expression of feelings in positive ways. Make sure your children know that they can come to you if and when they decide to talk.

Punishing the older sibling whenever their is a squabble between children simply makes him or her develop ways to hurt, bother, and irritate the younger sibling that the parents won’t be able to detect. Punishing might make the situation worse.

Remember that you, as parents, are your kids’ role models and guides, and the way you treat each other or other people will have an impact on how they behave towards others. Bottom line: Most siblings experience some degree of jealousy or competition, but it’s the parents who play a major role in making children feel secure.

Contributed by Master Solomon Brenner head instructor of Action Karate. Author Black belt Parenting “the art of raising your child for success” Any comments or questions Please call 215.355.5003

For a lot of families, Sunday afternoons are a time to be together at the movies or the mall. As enjoyable as those outings may be, start thinking about spending some of that family time doing physical activities that all of you like.

Some children are so averse to exercising that the first step in the right direction needs to be taken with their families. They may feel much more comfortable being active with their parents and siblings than with their peers, at least to start with. So why not play catch in the backyard, or dust off the tennis rackets in the closet and spend an hour hitting a tennis ball at the neighborhood courts?

Rather than going to the movies, take a family hike in the hills near your home. When the whole family is involved, your child is more likely to join in. Once he gets more accustomed to moving his body, he may be more willing to step out and join a swimming program at the YMCA or take karate lessons at the local martial arts studio.

Spend a few moments thinking of other activities that your entire family can do together. Remember, the activity should be fun. If you need some suggestions, why not consider the following?

• Go to the park and throw the football back and forth.
• Play tag in the front yard.
• Go to the community pool for a family swim.
• Buy a kite, put it together as a family activity, and fly it in the park. While you hold onto the kite string, let your child run with the kite until the wind catches it and sends it aloft.
• Take a family bike ride.
• Go horseback riding.
• Wax the car as a family activity.
•  Go to the mall—not only to shop, and certainly not to spend time at the food court, but to walk from one end of the mall to the other.

When you join in, your child will see that you believe physical activity is important, and you’ll become his most important role model.

Read more at HealthyChildren.org

Many children have dreams of being a famous actor on stage, a rock star, athlete, or doctor. But along the way many times those dreams are squelched by the realities of life. Yet if we didn’t have children who dream we would never have anyone who achieved. As parents it is important that we help our children achieve their dreams to the best of our ability.

Recognize and encourage individual talents and interests
As our children grow they will start expressing interest or talent in certain areas. It is our job as parents to recognize and encourage our children to develop their interest and talents. A child who is interested in bugs should be allowed to collect and examine bugs. She may grow up to be an entomologist (bug scientist) doing what she loves. The child who is always taking on roles and making people laugh should be encouraged and told that he has talent.

Realize that your child will not always have an interest in what you want them to. My sister and her husband wanted their son to play sports. Their son doesn’t mind playing sports but would much rather be drawing, something he is really good at. Let your child chose the activity that they participate in. Don’t ignore their opinions and desires, just because you think as a parent you know best. Chances are that they will be much better at something that they chose themselves. By succeeding at the activity their self-confidence will increase. And who knows they may end up using the activity in a future career.

Expose your child to a variety of hobbies and vocations. There are many different hobbies that children can have. Most people think of hobbies like athletics, dance, or collecting rocks. But hobbies can be so much more. Maybe your child enjoys climbing so try mountain climbing. Or languages fascinate your child. Encourage her to learn as many as she can. You might have a budding gardener who loves to see how things grow. The more opportunities your child has to talk to other people about their hobbies or be exposed to new things the more likely it is that your child will find a hobby or two that they love. Encourage your child to talk to others about the jobs that they do and the things that interest them.
Many children do not realize the variety of vocations that are available to them. Their minds are limited to the standard doctor, teacher, grocery store clerk that they meet in their everyday lives. The more you expose your child to different options the more likely they are to find a career that is in align with their dreams. Every time you take your child somewhere talk about the jobs that different people do. At the museum there are museum curators or the people who have collected the objects from archeologists to paleontologists, forest rangers in the mountains, artists at art exhibits, and a variety of jobs from scenery to costumes and actors at the theatre.

Create an environment of success, Try not to push your child instead nurture them. Allow them to choose their life’s path. When you push a child eventually they will push back. But if you help your child to achieve their own goals they will only reach higher. Create an atmosphere that will allow your child to aim high. Let him know that you are confident he will succeed. Attend the events she is in and brag often about her success to others.

Don’t scoff at your child’s dreams or remind them how few people succeed. Instead help provide needed training. Encourage them to reach for the stars. If at some point the success they dreamed of in not achieved then at least your child will know that they tried. If your daughter wants to become a singer encourage her to try. Even if she doesn’t become a famous singer she could still use her voice by singing commercial jingles or doing radio ads.

Children may need help to balance their hobbies, studies, and friends. Being involved in extra-curricular activities means giving up something else. Just remind your child that their studies are not something that can be given up. If they want to pursue other areas then they must maintain their grades as well.

For more information visit:  The Cute Kid

One of the most important skills for your child to develop is good communication, which is vital to their ability to make friends, excel in school and problem solve. A shy child may have particular trouble with communication not because they don’t know what they want to say, but because they lack the confidence to say it.

Set the example of good communication by maintaining an open dialogue with your child. Ask questions that encourage them to talk to you about their concerns, achievements, and hopes, and sincerely listen to what they tell you. Knowing that they can talk to you openly will increase their confidence.

When you ask them how their day was, don’t just accept “fine” as an answer. Ask specific questions that invite them to share with you. Instead of “How was your day?” ask them “What did you read in class today?” or “What happened at recess?” By asking specific questions you show your child that you really care what is going on in their lives, even when you’re not there.

Once you start this dialogue, it will be easier for your kids to come to you with something that is bothering them without having to ask them about it first. This is an important part of communication because there are some problems all of us—not just our children—need help solving. They can’t be afraid to go to you to ask for help.

The same goes for school. If you teach your children that teachers are people they should look up to, they will have more respect for them. As a result of that respect they will forge better relationships with their teachers, and then won’t be afraid to ask for help if something goes over their head.

A child that lacks the confidence to ask questions is at great risk of falling behind in class. If they don’t ask questions and participate, not only will this affect their grades but also their ability to grasp the material being taught. Everyone learns at a different pace, but with good communication skills your child won’t be afraid to ask for help when he needs it.

Outside of the classroom, good communication is important to how your child makes friends. If he is too shy to talk to others, he is going to have a hard time meeting new people. If you teach your child communication through the environment you create at home, they can carry those skills with them to the schoolyard.

Good communication, for children especially, is all about being comfortable. They are not going to put themselves forward in a situation where they feel awkward or embarrassed. Creating a comfortable environment helps your child feel more at ease and enables him to overcome his shyness. Your child may find this environment in a sport, activity, or hobby that he enjoys. Isabel Zaleski-Linde has noticed an improvement in her daughter Meadow’s communication level since Meadow began karate class.

“Meadow’s level of shyness has decreased. She’s no longer afraid to be in a crowd and she opens up to me a lot more,” Isabel said. “She has much more confidence in herself and seems to be a lot more outgoing.”

Joining karate class has given Meadow a comfortable environment where she can build her confidence. She is treated with respect, she is learning about confidence, persistence, and self-control, she is surrounded by her fellow classmates, and—most importantly of all—she is having fun. Finding something that your child enjoys doing will help him gain confidence and overcome his shyness, thus increasing his communication skills.

Contributed by Solomon Brenner author of Black belt Parenting “the art of raising your child for success” This week we are inviting your family for a free focus and concentration seminar.  call to reserve your limited spot 215-355-5003

Not every child is a “joiner.” Some would prefer to do things on their own or play with a few other children to joining a sports team or other activity. While there is nothing wrong with that kind of independence, it is important for your child to try new things. He could unlock some hidden potential and discover something that he really loves to do.

Jeff Contino has noticed a big difference in his children because of their involvement in karate class.

“Since Luke and Jenna started at karate, they have shown an increased willingness to do activities that they have never attempted before. This includes participating in sports and other group activities,” he said. “They have also displayed an increased confidence in all aspects of their lives, such as playing together at home, involvement in school and playing with other kids.”

Your child may be too shy to try something new. Joining a new activity with another child he knows from school or the neighborhood could help ease him into it. Once he has found something he likes, he will have an increased confidence that will help him overcome his fear of trying new things and meeting new people.

Contributed by Solomon Brenner Master instructor of Action Karate for question or Holiday specials call 1888-99 Shark Check out his Blog at http://mastersolomonbrenner.tumblr.com/

When your child is having trouble in school, it’s never right to assume it’s from lack of trying. There are a number of reasons why your child may not be doing as well as he could. Maybe he lacks the motivation he needs to keep going when assignments and tests get difficult. He could be embarrassed to participate in class for fear of getting an answer wrong. It could even be that he has trouble maintaining his focus in class.

To help keep your child motivated in school he has to take an active part in his education. This means participating in class, completing assignments and asking questions. This may seem frightening to some children who would rather sit quietly than risk making a mistake in front of their classmates, but it’s the only way for them to reach their full potential.

Help motivate your child in school by teaching him how to set goals. Focus on small goals before going for the big picture. For example, instead of setting a goal to get an A in math on his next report card, your child should set a goal to get an A on the next test, or even more specifically than that, to practice his math problems every night. Focusing on small tasks as a means to reach a big goal make the goal seem more attainable.

You should always celebrate with your child when he reaches a goal. This can even be added incentive to make him work his hardest. You could tell him you will take him bowling or to his favorite restaurant when he gets that A in math. After the celebration comes another important step: set the next goal.

Your child may need help with class participation. It takes confidence to raise your hand to answer a question, write your answers on the blackboard or volunteer to help in class; however, this type of participation is necessary for your child to get the most out of his education. So how do you make your child more confident?

Start by finding something he loves to do, whether it is baseball, ballet, painting, or any other activity your child is enthusiastic about. Chances are if they enjoy doing something they will be more apt to take an active role in it. This proactive approach means they will be building their skills, something that definitely increases confidence.

Mary Barrett saw a big difference in her son Christopher’s confidence in only a short time after he started doing karate. “He has shown a great improvement in his school work,” she said. “His teachers have also seen the difference in him; he participates more in class and shows more self-control.”

The start of a new school year is the perfect opportunity to find new ways to jumpstart your child’s education. All he may need is a little bit of confidence and dedication to reach his full scholastic potential. Karate is an activity that can give him what he needs to succeed, whether that is more focus, the courage to stand up to peer pressure, or increased confidence. Whatever method you choose for helping your child improve in school, let him know that as long as he puts forth his best effort, you will be proud of him.

Contributed by Solomon Brenner Master instructor of Action Karate and Author of Black Belt Parenting. New classes are forming now ages 2 & up Call to reserve you spot 215-355-5003

Solomon Brenner
Master Instructor Action Karate
Author Black Belt Parenting “the art of raising your child for success”

Pre-framing is developing a pattern for success as a prerequisite to achieving it. Every step of a child’s development—from their first step to college—is pre-framing for the next stage of their life. You lay the framework for the next step. You take advantage of the present to ensure that your child has a successful future.

Pre-framing your children makes practicing a habit, whether it is martial arts, a musical instrument, a sport or an academic subject.  Constant practice can only improve your child’s skill. You can’t expect your child to be good at something the first time they do it, nor can they be made to expect that of themselves. You can’t wait for success to fall into your lap. You have to earn tomorrow’s success today.

Jill Morris and her son Frankie know the value of practice as pre-framing for success. When Frankie didn’t want to go to class, Jill would ask why he doesn’t quit. She said, “His answer was always the same: ‘Mom, I can’t quit. I made a promise.’ He applies this to every challenge he faces and follows through until he succeeds.”

Reminding the child of the goal at every stage of the game is pre-framing and helps keep him or her stay motivated. Motivate your children to do the right things now so that their vision of the future becomes a reality. The more preparation, the smoother the sailing when future challenges show up.

Contributed by Solomon Brenner master instructor Action Karate and Author Black Belt Parenting “the art of raising your child for success”.  Summer classes are forming now for info please call:

215-355-5003

Solomon Brenner
Master Instructor Action Karate
Author Black Belt Parenting “the art of raising your child for success”

Successful people work through their fears and hesitations. Even when they don’t feel like giving 100 percent to a project, they do it anyway. Just because you’ve failed once does not mean you will never succeed. On the contrary, these little failures help guide us to our final success, but the only way to get there is by constant determination and persistence.

There will be times in any person’s life where they just want to throw in the towel. When it comes to your children, they need to learn that copping out is not an option in the real world. Just because something is hard doesn’t mean you should give up. In fact, often times the most difficult things are the most rewarding.

Persistence takes a lot of patience. For example if your child is struggling with math, throwing the pencil and claiming that he or she “can’t” do it is not going to make the problems any easier. If you teach your children to struggle through little trials like this at an early stage in life, the bigger hurdles will seem less intimidating.

The biggest mistake you can make is letting your children believe they “can’t” do something. This often means that they are simply too frustrated to continue trying. Frustration is normal when we are tackling something we find difficult, so help them work through their frustration. Maybe take part in an activity that releases pent-up aggression or practice breathing exercises that help calm their nerves. If you work through the frustration with them it will make the task ahead a lot less daunting. The only way your children will succeed in life is if they take the challenges head on and persevere even when they think they can’t go on anymore. This ability to persist is what will make the difference between achieving their goals and not achieving their goals.

One way to motivate your children is to track their progress on whatever challenge it is they are trying to overcome. In the example of the math problem, you could mark on a calendar how many problems your child got right on his or her homework each day. Seeing their improvement on paper will only make them want to get even better.

I see students struggle with persistence all the time at my martial arts studio. Persistence is something that we try to teach all of our students. Learning new techniques, kicks, or punches can be really frustrating, but our students know that this frustration is something they have to work through if they want to reach their goal of black belt. Susan Anderson said that martial arts training has given her daughter, Brooke, “a great deal of confidence in everything she does in school as well as at home. She does not give up when confronted with something difficult. She is very focused on what she wants to accomplish.”

Letting them give up on their goals because they get too difficult is cheating your children out of reaching their full potential. You may know how it feels to think “what if” after you have given up on a goal. “What if I had tried to make it to the Olympics?” “What if I had tried to keep my grades up to get into a good college?” We want our children to be able to live with as few regrets as possible and the only way they will be able to do that is by giving their all into everything they do. Persistence through even the hardest of times will yield a sense of accomplishment that makes it all worth the struggle.

Contributed by Solomon Brenner Author of Black Belt Parenting “the art of raising your child for success” and Master instructor of Action Karate for question write to actionkarate@comcast.net

Solomon Brenner

Master Instructor Action Karate

Author Black Belt Parenting “the art of raising your child for success”