Hopefully, as you begin to celebrate reading (see Part 1), those bookcases in your child's room will start to look less like strongholds of enemy armies to be conquered and more like vacation resorts where they can meet new people and have new adventures. You may keep the dust bunnies in their slumber even longer by cultivating a culture that values reading. Availability When school is out, do your kids have access to age-appropriate books? Of course, you may borrow them for …
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Even the most well-built, well-finished bookcases may readily become dust collectors - but this does not have to be the case. You already know that one of the most important abilities and disciplines which your child can acquire is reading. The idea is to empower them to proactively choose to read after they have learned to read. Enjoyment is a key component of a successful student or reader. People who enjoy reading and studying are not only more likely to continue doing so, but …
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When it comes to purchasing things for your children's everyday use, safety is a crucial factor to take into consideration. When it comes to significant purchases and items that your child will use alone during unsupervised hours, such as after going to bed, the importance of this is magnified. Purchasing well-designed furniture for your child's room is an excellent option in addition to "baby proofing" the room by covering electrical outlets and anchoring furniture to avoid tipp …
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Just when you concluded that a bunk bed was a boring, unsafe method to maximize your child's bedroom square footage, the  Maxtrix Children's Furniture System comes along and provides you with the best of everything: various bed configurations, ideal space savings, and safety-approved construction. Bunk Beds Offer Loads of Advantages Bunk beds are so well-known for their benefits that many parents are willing to forego safety and quality in order to enj …
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We all know that we can't create the perfect moment or experience for our children, but we can provide the raw essentials that are beneficial to their health and well-being, creating the ideal backdrop for the kind of childhood we long for, whether we cherish fond memories or yearn for what we could have had. A Safe Space Home. While that phrase conjures up a number of ideas in our heads, it is most likely associated with feelings of security, warmth, and belonging. That is some …
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Once you've helped your child learn some basic cartography skills and to identify land and water forms, you can begin to map your world starting with your own home. This doesn't have to be anything fancy, but if your child is artistic or tech-savvy, it can definitely take on your child's personal style. From watercolors to precisely measured charts, the aim is to represent your own neighborhood and the broader community in a way that reflects your child's own perspective. …
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Once you've helped your child create a map (and perhaps a blueprint) for his or her bedroom, it's time to start expanding those mapping skills! This doesn't have to involve anything complicated or intense; instead, it can naturally become part of your daily life and outings, helping your child connect real life with maps and geological features. In this post, I'll recommend a few options for introducing geography skills in a hands-on, play-based way. Introducing Basic Land and Water …
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Whatever formal educational option you choose for your child - public school, private school, or home school - you as the parent are still your child's first and primary teacher! And there are some things that very few curriculums will include. Geography books tend to focus on the exotic and far-away places most of us rarely if ever see with our own eyes. But those aren't the only places - or even the most significant ones - in your child's life. As a girl from Kansas once said, "There …
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As you and your child grow in your emotional intelligence, one aspect of this process that your entire family may enjoy is studying one another's "love languages." Featured in books by Dr. Gary Chapman, the concept behind The 5 Love Languages™ books is quite simple, and yet it can have a profound impact on our interpersonal relationships. With psychology at its root, the main idea behind Chapman's books is that people give and receive love in different ways, depending on their pe …
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In previous posts in this series, we walked through the foundational steps to building emotional intelligence, also referred to as EQ. Arguably more of a determining factor than intelligence quotient, or IQ, a person's EQ can be developed and heightened throughout that person's life. As parents model emotional intelligence for their children and guide them through developing a vocabulary and self-awareness and then express empathy, they'll equip their children to begin to develop appro …
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