Is Your Child Familiar with Yes?

Do you ever feel like you are constantly saying "no" to everything?  Are you worried that your parenting style may be creating a negative family environment?

You can turn your "no" into "yes" and create a more harmonious, positive household without letting your kids walk all over you!  It requires you to re-think the way you phrase your words and with practice it becomes easier and fosters more positive results in the end.

An example of this would be instead of saying, "No, you can't play video games until your homework is done", you can turn it around by saying, "Yes, you can play video games as soon as your home work is done."

Instead of yelling "No running!", simply re-phrase it, "Walking feet please".  It sounds more respectful and describes the desired behavior.
 
Take time to review your usual "no" scenarios and create a "yes" for future use so you are ready when the time arrives.  In time, with regular use, the words become second nature.

Giving your child choices is another great way to create a positive learning environment, by giving them control of non-essential choices designed to meet the desired outcome regardless of which choice they choose.

You can get immediate results using this technique if you change how you respond to potential battles by giving your child the power to make some decisions.  When dealing with a rather headstrong two-year old at bedtime, stay calm, and give choices like: Do you want to have milk before you go to bed, or juice?  The focus becomes her choice of drink instead of the battle on whether or not she is going to bed.

Because young kids are easily overwhelmed, help narrow down their choices, so that they have finite options for decision making.  An example of this is:  Your daughter likes to dress herself in the morning and you're not going anywhere today, so it doesn't really matter what she wears.  However, if you give her free reign, she'll unload her entire closet and change six times before breakfast.

Child:  I want to pick my clothes!
Mom:  Sure, here's your pink shirt and your purple shirt.  Which one would you like?
Child:  The pink shirt!

The child was given the freedom to choose the pink shirt from the finite options.  The choice has empowered her and helped build her self-confidence.   It also provides a trusting and positive environment while teaching some positive habits.

You can embrace the fact that testing the limits is a natural and healthy way for young children to learn, these techniques can help to facilitate and not discourage that type of learning, and yet still teach the right behavior.

At Precious Treasures, we encourage the use of "yes" and work to provide the most positive environment for learning and growth.

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Discipline Strategies for All Ages

Many books have been written about discipline and there are many viewpoints and techniques that have been advocated throughout the years. The most effective method for some parents and children may not be effective for others. Try the methods that seem right for you and if you like the result, incorporate it into your discipline style. Keep in mind, we are parents first, friends second.  This is a very basic outline for building a foundation of discipline that can be used as a starting point.

It's important to begin by "Laying the Foundation" which entails:

1. Mutual Respect. An important thing for parents to remember, is that the children that learn respect, are those that are also being treated respectfully. Children learn what they live. The adults in the family should use the same manners that they expect of their children.

2. Set Expectations & Consequences.  Be firm and clear.  Talk with your child about what will happen if they behave improperly.  Give them examples of a consequence such as "You will be grounded to your room for one hour".  Should it be necessary to implement a consequence then it should be immediate, on the same day.

3. Be Consistent. Follow through with the consequence when needed.  Giving-in communicates to the child that they can get their way by misbehaving.  Reward good behavior with hugs, kisses, stickers and small prizes.  Be sure to let them know you still love them.

The goal of effective discipline is to teach the child how to behave, not to make the child suffer.

When children (ages 2 yrs & up) do not cooperate:

• Get down to their level and make eye contact.
• In a firm and calm voice ask them for their cooperation (i.e. turn the TV off).  Don’t yell from the other           end of the house.
• Give them five seconds to get themselves ready without any further comment.
• Make the same request again and explain the consequence – don’t raise your voice, use the same firm and calm voice.
• If they cooperate, acknowledge this.
• If they do not cooperate, then in a calm voice enforce the consequence.
• Other consequences are quiet time and/or time-out.

When children under 2 years old misbehave, the best technique to resolve the situation is to use redirection.  Infants and toddlers can be easily distracted by providing them with an interesting alternative. For example, a child’s attention can be diverted from playing with your watch to playing with some toy keys. You can distract a child from pulling hair by shaking a rattle.

Another way to divert or redirect a child is simply to take the child’s hand. Guide the child, either away from the misbehavior or toward what you want the child to do.  For redirection to work, there must be choices.  Parents must have an acceptable alternative activity to offer the child.
Redirecting behavior is one of the very best guidance techniques because it turns bad behavior into good behavior.

At Precious Treasures, we like to provide our parents with the support they need to raise healthy, happy children.  We want to be a resource for you, so please come to us if you have any questions about techniques for discipline that might work best for your child and/or circumstances.

Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/ptchildcare or look us up on Facebook at facebook.com/ptchildcare

Spreading Love, Post Valentines Day

We really appreciate everyone who follows Precious Treasures.  To show our appreciation we want to give one of our followers an awesome gift.  We have two options to choose from and wanted to get your initial thoughts.  Which gift would you like?

Free ticket to the EntreLeadership in Arizona!
EntreLeadership is a simulcast hosted by Dave Ramsey and is a premier leadership training program where he personally teaches individuals, teams, and businesses how to grow.  We think this would be an awesome treat for some of our parents and followers.

$25 iTunes Gift Certificate 
Hey its ok, you don't have to want leadership training.  You may just want to jam out to some tunes with your precious ones.  What better way buy some new tunes than on iTunes.

This will start March. 1st and run until March 10th.  Stay tuned on how to participate.  This is our way of just saying thanks!

Any questions or suggestions? Leave us a comment or talk to us on Twitter and Facebook!

8-Tips and Habits That Will Keep Your Kids Germ-Free

Our kids are so precious, and I am sure you will find the highest wish on the list for most parents is for their kids to have health and happiness.  To ensure your little treasures maintain the health part of the wish, we need to give them the ammunition to keep themselves germ-free. Here is a list of eight things that will protect your kids from sniffles. We know your focus is your child, however some of the tips will also help protect the other kids at school or in childcare .

Feel free to chime in down in our comments section with any additional tips or remedies. Enjoy!

Wash, Wash, Wash your hands! 

This is a no brainer for most kids, but they often don't wash their hands correctly. Even though you won't be able to supervise their every handwash, it is best that they follow these steps:

3 Ideas to Involve Your Kids in Family New Year’s Goals

Well, it’s already Feburary and the joke is; fitness clubs start their attendance decline after an awesome January. Even though we experience the ups and downs of sticking to our goals it is still better to set goals than not to set goals. 

So how about your Precious Treasures? Are you helping your kids in setting their goals? 

We think we have 3 great tips to help you start your kids setting goals early. The theory here is that they will be better at executing their goals as they get older because you helped them establish the practice at an early age. While we don't want to put 100lb bags of pressure on them at an early age, we still think it’s healthy for them to build the habit. 

1) Reflection. Examine opportunities to better oneself. 
Sounds too deep for kids. It is, but that’s why you are reading this and not them : ) 

Support High-Quality Child Care

Happy Today. Please "Pay It Forward" & join us and COMMIT to wear something ORANGE every Monday. To Support Precious Treasures' Goal of providing High-Quality Child Care World-Wide for our Children; The Future Leaders & Our Decision-Makers of Tomorrow! Thank you for helping make a difference. Gigantic Smile.

Kay Woods

Happy Families 24/7

Good morning & Happy Today. We are soooo excited to receive, the overwhelming volume of amazing support for 24/7 child care as well as the need for Adult "FREE" Time, from all of you dedicated parents & passionate entrepreneurs. (Smile)

We are more than just child care, we are a parent resource center too. (Bigger Smile) We invite you to come and experience our atmosphere and have a 1 on 1 session with us to select one of our many tuition plans specifically designed to meet your families needs. Also, for the passionate child care entrepreneur’s please email me at kwoods@precioustreasures.org with your contact information and please share with me your “Why”.

Thank you all loads & Have a better than wonderful rest of the week. (Huge Smile)

Kay