Form and share an on-going partnership with your child’s caregiver(s). Here is the first of several tried and tested ways:

Send fun and positive notes every few days to your child’s teacher. When you send each note, put in an extra sheet for the teacher to send a positive and fun note back to you. To start place your note, a blank piece of paper, and a pen in a plastic bag. Give the bag to your child to be the important messenger between these two people who are especially near and dear to him/her.

More parent-teacher partnership tips will follow soon!

If you have any special ways that you connect with your child’s teacher, please be sure to share.

Dr. Sally

For parenting insight…

www.drsallyparenting.com

Join your child in play as much as possible.

* All your playful language expands your child’s vocabulary.

* All your playful ideas increase your child’s creativity.

* All your playful attention magnifies your child’s love.

Dr. Sally

For parenting insight…

www.drsallyparenting.com

Have the best parent-to-parent personal relationship you can possibly have with your spouse. That is the single most important influence on your child’s happiness. If you are a single parent, it is reflected in your own relationship with yourself and with others.

Dr. Sally

For Parenting Insight…

www.drsallyparenting.com

As you go about your daily activities, remember to

* Make time for yourself.

* Make time for each member of your family separately.

* Make time for your whole family together.

This kind of balance can add a lot of peace and harmony to your world.

Dr. Sally

For Parenting Insight…

www.drsallyparenting.com

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Include your child as much as possible in your life’s activities. All positive time works in your favor as a bonding technique.

Example:

You are getting ready to go to the grocery store. First you check your cupboards and your refrigerator. Then you write your list. After that you gather all that you need for your child. As you check the cupboards and refrigerator, write your list, and gather your necessary belongings, you can say things like:

“We seem to be low on cereal. Do you have a favorite kind?”

“What kind of fruit should I buy this week?

“Here is your chalkboard with chalk in case you want to use it in the car.”

Have fun as you share time together. You can talk about the day, sing favorite songs, and make up games as you think of them. All positive time together plays a major role in preventing negative behavior.

Use your sense of humor to handle as many situations as possible.

When you ask something like,

“Why did you unravel that whole roll of toilet paper?”

And you get an answer like,

“I wanted to see how the first piece is attached to the roll.”

It is definitely better to laugh than to get mad… better for everyone!

Enjoy this technique of inquiring about the motivation behind an unexpected behavior. It is amazing how childhood thinking often makes sense.

We all make mistakes and have difficulties. As you teach your child, show your understanding and support.

Example:

“It is hard to remember to take to school everything you need for the whole day. I sometimes go back home two or three times before I have each item I need for every meeting. I always do better when I get my work bag ready the night before.”

Discipline is positive because it is focused on teaching your child how not to make the same mistake again.