Kids and Teens Raising Journal Blog

Nine-year-old author Alec Greven offers tips on How to Talk to Girls!

Herb Brooks’ pre-game pep talk before the famous 1980 “Miracle” game against the Soviet Union. as performed by “Rizzo” (4 yrs old) VISIT AND “LIKE” JOSH SACCO (athlete) ON FACEBOOK!!!

JESSICA ALBA Interview with TWEEN REPORTER PIPER REESE! Thank you SO much for SUBSCRIBING! WEBSITE: www.PipersPicks.TV TWITTER www.twitter.com FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com 2nd CHANNEL: www.youtube.com HoLy PiPeRoNi! The Princess of the Press meets up with the one of the prettiest stars of the silver screen! YUP! JESSICA ALBA sits down with the one and only Tween Entertainment Reporter PIPER REESE to talk about SPY KIDS: ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD in 4D, playing pregnant vs. being pregnant, and the coolness factor of being invisible vs. being a spy! Check out the MeGa-PiPeRiFiC-PIPER REESE / JESSICA ALBA sit-down! A bunch of you have asked about Piper’s clothes! Piper’s outfit in this episode came from Izzy and Ash!
Video Rating: 5 / 5

The star of a children’s television show grapples with the meaning of fame. Steve Burns is best known for playing ‘Steve’ on Nickelodeon’s Blue’s Clues from 1996-2002. Since then, he has released a rock record for grown ups that received pretty good reviews, toured with The Flaming Lips, made an album of music for children, and appeared in strange plays, mostly in Brooklyn. The Moth is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the art of storytelling. To find out more about our live shows, podcast, The Moth Radio Hour, or how to support us, please visit themoth.org
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Very few people can say that they’ve written for shows that range from The Mickey Mouse Club to Futurama, Evan Gore can. Besides just being very funny, Evan started out as a performer at Second City in Chicago and told us about how that led to writing for all kinds of Kids TV, even though I interrupted him 100 times. He’s also performs, teaches Improv and helped me learn how to hold a gun in a scene; something every American should know. 0:00-0:30: Opening titles 0:30-5:48: Ed’s opening monologue. Ed talks about his fondest childhood memories. 5:48- 8:00: “The Nelsons” video 8:00-9:16: Ed starts his interview with Evan Gore, specifically his shirt. 9:16-11:11: Evan talks about his writing partner, his wife. 11:11-16:06: Evan talks about his first writing job, writing for the Disney Channel. Ed and Evan also accuse their water glasses of failing at their careers. Evan also talks about his experience teaching improv comedy. 16:06-19:01-: Evan gives Ed some of his best improv comedy tools, they talk about the best things one picks up from improv comedy. 19:01-23:10: Evan talks about writing for “The Mickey Mouse Club.” 23:10-26:13: Evan talks about his other jobs writing for children’s television, mostly for Nickelodeon. He also discusses the advantages and disadvantages. 26:13-27:31: Ed talks about his disappointing “Star Search” audition. 27:31-30:18: Evan talks about when he “made it” in LA, and his proudest moments as a writer. 30:18-:32:02 Evan talks about his family …

This one is for the moms & dads out there, try to be more interactive with the kids. Talk to them as you would a friend, because the computer will be tough at first because it is unknown to them so they will get a little combative. LOL I mean Alana caught the biggest attitude just because she didn’t understand. So I stuck it out, taught her basics & now she is reading simple words, using the mouse, & entering her OWN PASSWORDS! I will help you parents I was once a WIZ KID myself, you see I still have the glasses only im a sexy nerd, always was. @JennaMVPWG

SOUND OFF TEEN TALK SHOW SPECIAL EPISODE – TALKING WITH THE KIDS
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Star Wars According to a 3 Year Old.
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Jiajia and big brother talk about Bandung and Bakugan in this episode. Having more Singaporean tourists will surely support this city’s economy. But bear in mind most taxi drivers don’t speak English there so be sure to bring along someone who speaks bahasa.
Video Rating: 4 / 5

How Can You Plan Your Kid’s Room By Kid’s Furniture

Kid’s room is generally the smallest room of the house. That is why; it is needed to buy the best furniture for your kids that can make them comfortable. The ideal children’s furniture are the ones, which can give them adequate space for playing as well as can be useful for storing their clothes or toys. While planning your kid’s room, you should consider the following factors:

First of all, talk to your kids about what type of furniture they need for their room. It will allow them to get the chance of choosing furniture for their own room. Give them a chance to draw their ideas about what they actually want for their room. You should listen them carefully and also ask questions on what they exactly want. It will be good if you bring your kid with you while buying kids furniture.

Second thing that you should do is to make the list of all items that you want to purchase. Just like shopping for groceries, this is a good suggestion to get a list of items that you and your kid want for his/her room. It is important to make a list so that you will not leave anything out and thus you may prioritize the important children’s furniture, which you want to purchase. After making the list of the items that you want, design up a floor plan. Then try to draw the exact location on the plan where you need to put the kids furniture once you get them. This is the way that you can make the estimation of the area and the space where the children’s furniture will be placed.

Next thing is to set your budget. It is probably the most significant part at the time of going to shop for kids bedding. This way you might get the range of the rates of kid’s furniture, which you can buy. That’s how you can find out the perfect furniture and kids bedding at the rate, which you can afford.

Another important thing that you need to check out while shopping for your kid’s room is to check the furniture first. It is recommended to look and investigate the quality of furniture before buying them. Just because the rate is high, it doesn’t mean that they may last for a long period. Just ask yourself, if your child really requires this furniture? The main thing while purchasing the furniture or kids bedding is to think about its usage. It is not so difficult to buy the furniture for your kid’s room, as there are many baby or kids furniture stores available that can provide you what you actually want for your kid’s room.

Meet the surprising experts of true love. For more videos, visit Tiffany’s site dedicated to the art of true love: whatmakeslovetrue.com
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Jimmy Kimmel Live Game Night Special #1 – Jimmy Kimmel and the Kids

www.ted.com In this poignant, funny follow-up to his fabled 2006 talk, Sir Ken Robinson makes the case for a radical shift from standardized schools to personalized learning — creating conditions where kids’ natural talents can flourish.TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world’s leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, development and the arts. Closed captions and translated subtitles in a variety of languages are now available on TED.com, at http Follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com Checkout our Facebook page for TED exclusives www.facebook.com
Video Rating: 4 / 5

More videos like this on our official blog: www.WelcomeHomeBlog.com Disney’s Madison Pettis is surprised with a reunion with her brother, who was serving over in Iraq, during her interview with Bonnie Hunt on The Bonnie Hunt Show!

twin baby boys have a conversation part 2. find more of the boys’ adventures at my wife’s blog. visit www.twinmamarama.com
Video Rating: 4 / 5

25 WAYS TO TALK SO YOUR CHILDREN WILL LISTEN

25 WAYS TO TALK SO YOUR CHILDREN WILL LISTEN

We all do it at times nag, preach, go on and on  whilst getting tired of listening to our own voices, but there are lots of easier and more effective ways to communicate with our kids to get them listening, chatting and engaging with us more positively.

As you know a major part of discipline is learning how to talk with and to your children. The way you talk to your child teaches them how to talk to others.

Here are some simple but really effective talking tips to try out with your kids:

1. Connect before you direct

Before giving your child directions, squat down to your child’s eye level or look directly into your child’s eyes and engage your child in eye-to-eye contact to get their full attention. This helps them to know you are talking directly to them and helps to focus their attention on what you are telling them to do: “Nic, I need your eyes to look at me.” “Sophie, I need your ears to switch on so you can really hear me.”

Be aware of your body language and your tone of voice so your child knows you mean what you say – be clear – be firm – be calm and be specific.

2. Address your child clearly by using their name

This makes sure your child knows that you are actually talking to them and gets rid of any misunderstanding. Often children are really engrossed in what they are doing so using their name grabs their attention quickly and easily. So start your request with your child’s name, “Charlie, I want you to…”

3. Stay brief

Use the simple but effective one-sentence rule and put your main point in the opening sentence. The longer you ramble, the more likely your child is to become parent-deaf

Too much talking is a very common mistake parents make when talking with kids about an issue. It gives the child the feeling that you’re not quite sure what it is you want to say. If they can keep you talking they can get you sidetracked. Also it cuts to the chase and stops the whole situation turning into just a nagging session.

4. Stay simple

Use short sentences with one-syllable words. Listen to how kids communicate with each other and take note. When your child shows that glazed, disinterested look, you are no longer being understood or listened to.

5. Ask your child to repeat the request back to you

If they can’t, it’s too long or too complicated.

6. Make them an offer they can’t refuse

You can reason with a two or three-year-old up to a point if you keep it simple, especially to avoid power struggles. “Get dressed so you can go outside and play.”

Offer a reason for your request that is to the child’s advantage and one that is difficult to refuse. This gives them a reason to move out of their position of power and to do what you want them to do. But don’t bribe them with sweets or biscuits or too much TV as it sends out the wrong message.

7. Be positive

Always speak in the positive so instead of saying “no running,” try: “Walk around inside the house, but outside in the garden you can  run.”

8. Begin your instructions with “I want.”

Instead of “Get down,” say “I want you to get down.”

Instead of “Let Molly have a turn,” say “I want you to let Molly have a turn now.”

This works well with children who want to please but don’t like being ordered about. By saying “I want,” you give a reason for being obedient rather than just giving an order.

9. “When…then.”

“When you’ve washed your hands and face and brushed your teeth, then we’ll begin the story.

“When your homework is finished, then you can watch TV.”

“When,” implies that you expect obedience, and works better than “if,” which suggests that your child has a choice when you don’t mean to give them one.

10. Legs first, mouth second

Instead of shouting, “Turn off the TV, it’s time for dinner!” walk into the room where your child is watching TV, join in with your child’s interests for a few minutes, and then, during a commercial break, get your child to turn off the TV. Going to your child conveys you’re serious about your request; otherwise children interpret this as a mere preference.

11. Give limited choices

“Do you want to put your pyjamas on or brush your teeth first?”

“Stripy shirt or blue one?”

This gives your child the feeling of being independent and having some control of their lives but really you still have the situation under your control but it sounds less domineering and bossy and makes for a more harmonious atmosphere.

12. Be aware of your child’s maturity

The younger your child, the shorter and simpler your instructions should be. Think about your child’s level of understanding. For example, a common error parents make is asking a three-year- old, “Why did you do that?” Most adults can’t always answer that question about their behaviour! Try instead, “Let’s talk about what you did.” And this works just as effectively with teenagers too!

13. Keep your expectations high

Even a two-year-old can learn to say “please” and “thank you.” Expect your child to be polite. Children shouldn’t feel manners are optional. Speak to your children the way you want them to speak to you. The earlier you start the easier it will turn into a natural habit.

14. Be aware of the language you use

Threats and judgmental remarks put children of any age on the defensive.

“You” messages make a child clam up. “I” messages are non-accusing.

So instead of saying “You’d better do this…” or “You must…,” try “I would like….” or “I am so pleased when you…

Instead of “You need to clear the table,” say “I need you to clear the table.”

Don’t ask a leading question when a negative answer is not really an option. “Will you please pick up your coat?” Just say, “Pick up your coat, please.” It is more specific and children know where they are with clear instructions and will respond to what you want them to do faster.

15. Write it

Constant reminders can evolve into nagging so easily, especially for preteens who feel being told things puts them in the slave category!

Without saying a word you can communicate anything you need to say. Talk with a pen and paper for a new approach.

Leave humorous notes for your child to find.   I used this approach with my teenage son who had a mountain of drinking glasses by his bed and it really worked.  “I’ve heard the dishwasher is a really exciting experience just like going on Space Mountain – Love Your Glasses” Then sit back and watch what you want happen! Just don’t patronise – aim to be humorous and light hearted and see what happens.

16. Empathising with your child

The louder your child yells, the softer you respond. Let your child

catch their breath while you pop in empathetic and understanding comments: “I understand” or “How can I help?” “I can see you’re feeling really angry about this” Or just hold the space for them to vent without reacting negatively.

Sometimes just having a caring listener available will really calm your child down as they feel heard and understood and their anger or tantrum melts away. If you come in blaring too you have escalated the problem and you’ve got two tantrums to deal with. Be the adult for your child.

17. Settle and calm down the listener

Before giving your instructions, bring back a sense of calm and emotional equilibrium and balance, otherwise you are wasting your time. Nothing sinks in when a child is an emotional wreck.

18. Replay your message

Toddlers sometimes need to be told a thousand times in a patient tone of voice what you want them to do because children under two have difficulty internalising your instructions. Whereas by the age of three most children have begun to internalise your instructions so that what you ask begins to sink in. The key is to do less and less repeating as your child gets older. I think it’s helpful to remember that most preteens regard repetition as nagging!

19. Let your child complete and process their thoughts

Instead of “Don’t leave your mess piled up,” try: “Marc, think of where you want to keep all your football stuff so we don’t all fall over it all the time”

Letting your child fill in the blanks is more likely to create a lasting lesson.

20. Use rhyme rules.

This is a great strategy as it’s fun to play around with “If you hit, you must sit.” Get your child to repeat them and have fun making them up new rhymes and rules together.

21. Give pleasant alternatives

You can’t go by yourself to the park; but you can play in our next door neighbour’s garden with Ethan.”

22. Give advance notice

“We are leaving soon. Say bye to the toys and bye to all your friends before we go…”

23. Open up a closed child

Carefully chosen phrases and enquiring questions open up closed minds and mouths. Stick to topics that you know your child gets excited about and ask questions that require more than a yes or no answer. The secret is to stick to specifics. Instead of “Did you have a good day at school today?” try “What is the most fun thing you did today?”  Get creative and chose your moment.

24. Use “When you…I feel…because…”

This strategy works from toddlers to teens as it expresses how you feel but also explains why you feel the way you do and takes the blame from the situation.

“When you run away from me in the supermarket I feel worried because you might get lost.”

“When you don’t phone when you say you will I feel worried because something may have happened to you.”

25. Close the discussion

Sometimes you have to be the adult in the situation as you have your child’s best interest at heart and you are there to guide, nudge and teach them. If a matter is really closed to discussion, say so. “I’m not changing my mind about this. Sorry.”

You’ll save wear and tear on both of you so reserve your “I mean business” tone of voice for when you do and your child will know that’s it non negotiable and behave accordingly.

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