Tuesday 19 May 2015

4 Fun Ideas for Sibling Games to Try this Summer


Siblings are the most important component of any family and to make sure that the family stays well-bonded, it’s important that you introduce kids to fun oriented games. In this post, we will discuss the 5 most fun games that you can let your children try to strengthen their sibling bond.

The "Detective" Game

There are numerous sibling games that can allow children to have a better bond with each other. The Detective game is one such game. In this game, you become the detective or let any of the kids become the detective. You can prepare a list of questions that you can ask the kids that are being interrogated. If one of the kids becomes the detective, gently answer any question that they might have. This can be much more fun than a school playground equipment and other similar structures. However, this does not mean that you should eliminate the playground fun from your children’s life and completely push them into family based games. Find a balance between activities and stick to it.


The "Kids vs. Adults" Game


Another game that you can engage with your kids is the "Kids vs. Adults" Game. Usually, parents do not like the idea of teaming up against their kids, but in a game things can be totally different. The beauty of this game is that it can be applied to any family game you wish to play. For example, you can create teams (grownups and kids) while playing basketball, volleyball, table tennis, football and cards. When children play on the same team, they learn the power of association and teamwork. This can significantly reduce the everyday sibling fights that disrupt the good environment of the house.


Build Mud Castles

You don’t always need an outdoor playground equipment to engage your kids. If you have a patch of ground with ample mud, you have a perfect opportunity to engage your kids in an interesting outdoor activity. For this activity, all you need is children garden tools and the mud. Siblings can build can build mud castles, mud boats and mud houses together. To make things more interesting, you can set up a competition and see who builds the finest castles. Add rewards for the contest to add even more spice to the play.


Play the Good-Old Fashioned “Charades” 

 

 Can’t think of a game that you can play as a family? No worries, there are a plenty of games that you can engage in to have a great family time without stepping out of the house or using any commercial playground equipment. Charades are one of the most commonly known family game that offers both recreation and edification to the players. But that’s not the only thing that the charades can offer; this can be a great chance for you to let the children’s mingle together and forget their small differences.
Try the above-mentioned fun games this summer and rekindle the family bond for great values. Do you have anything to add to the above list? Share with us in our comment section below.

Friday 8 May 2015

Did you Catch Your Child Lying? How to Deal with the Sneaky Behavior

Sneaky behavior in children can be the most troublesome things for parents to handle. Dishonesty is one of the most important virtues and if your child chooses to lie over and over again, it is an indication that you have failed as a parent. However, all is not lost; there is always something that can be done about the sneaky attitude. This article will explore how you can detect when your child is lying and take proper measures to eliminate the behavior.


Understand Why Children Lie

The first and the most important thing for parents are to understand where the sneaky behavior comes from. Refrain from grounding your child or sentencing him for a week of punishment before understanding why he did what he did. Childhood is a messed up age when hormones and the environment do not exactly resound well with each other. Children can use lying as a way to get out of a circumstance that they believe is out of their control. In most serious situations, children use lying as a way to avoid repercussion or punishment.
Research shows that children who have a friendlier bond with their parents seldom portray a sly attitude as compared to children who usually feel pressured by their parents. If your child is afraid to share something with you, there is a pretty good chance that he will keep the important details to himself. Therefore, understand what’s making your child engage in such a behavior and then try to fix it.


Let the Time Heal


You are probably aware of the common saying “time heals.” It really does. As mentioned above, childhood can be a messed up stage for children; most of the time children are not sure how they want to handle a certain situation and they seek refuge in lying. This kind of behavior can usually be observed in toddlers who are exposed to negative peer groups at school. However, over the time, children can learn the consequences of lying and eliminate the behavior on their own. So, let the time heal before you take any serious action.


Have “The Talk”


If you think that your child is not going to shed the sneaky behavior, then it’s time for you to have the talk. Parent to child conversations are a great way to talk to your child about his behavior. A good way to do this is to engage your child with his favorite outdoor playground equipment and try to have the conversation. Avoid confronting your child; always approach the situation in a friendly manner so your child does not feel like he’s being judged for what he did. Try explaining to your child the consequences of lying and why it is moral for people to engage in devious behavior.

A growing body of research suggests that active children who regularly participate in Preschool playground equipment activities usually have stronger character than those who pursue a sedentary approach towards life. If the above-mentioned ways fail to work, analyze your relationship with your child and see what’s causing the problem.