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Gardening is Great for Kids With Special Needs

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There are many things about gardening that can be beneficial to children who have special needs. Parents don’t necessarily need to have a “green thumb” in order to set up a small garden for their child. Working in a garden can help kids become calm, and to develop useful skills. Gardening is a peaceful activity, which is why so many people enjoy doing it. There can be a tremendous amount of work involved with gardening, especially if the garden is a large one. The work may be hard, but it has a purpose, which tends to make people happier about … Continue reading →

“Is Something Wrong with My Child?” Expert Advice from Dr. Ellenmorris Tiegerman

Readers: The following is an interview with Dr. Ellenmorris Tiegerman, Founder and Executive Director of the School for Language and Communication Development. She is an expert in the field of early childhood development, and her insight and wisdom is tremendously valuable. Hello, Dr. Tiegerman. Introduce yourself, and tell us a little about the school you founded. Hi, everyone. I am the Founder and Executive Director of the School for Language and Communication Development (SLCD) which provides educational services for children 18 months to 21 years with language and autism spectrum disorders. I started this program in 1985 when I was … Continue reading →

3 Parenting Mistakes to Avoid with Your Toddler

Despite the moniker “terrible twos”, that period of testing and searching for independence can come as early as 15 months and last up until three years old. Navigating this period of development successfully requires, patience, patience, a little more patience and then just a little more patience. However, setting boundaries during this time will set you up for a life time of positive interaction with your child. This is the age where you’re setting the ground work for authority in your home. It’s not a now or never deal, but parents who are not consistent and firm with their toddlers, … Continue reading →

Intervening with Grade School Problems

It may be clear to us as parents when we should step in and advocate for our child when they are younger, but as they get older it can be more challenging. Not only does it become tough for us to tell when we should intervene, but we also have the added pressure of often having a child who does NOT want us to get involved—it can be embarrassing and cause more problems for him with his peer group than it solves. It can feel like a minefield as a parent to know when to step in and intervene and … Continue reading →

Homeschooling Our Gifted Son: The Hunt for “Gifted Curriculum”

I have to first say that it’s not necessary to find curriculum specifically for gifted kids if you have a highly gifted child. But someone recently asked me a question about whether or not you should go deeper or wider when homeschooling a gifted child and what do you do about curriculum. (In other words, do you use ‘regular’ curriculum and just keep advancing grade levels. . .or do you take your time to explore grade level curriculum in depth with lots of investigation.) I think the answer depends on the family and the child, but I’ve offered some thoughts … Continue reading →

LDS Weeks in Review September 30-October 13

This week Tristi introduced a great new series that will answer common questions that those of other faiths may have about the church. She answers her first question in Gospel Questions: Are Mormons Christians? Tristi continues her insight into the scriptures with 1 Nephi 5:16-21, 1 Nephi 6 and thoughts about the war chapters, 1 Nephi 7:1-5, 1 Nephi 7:6-15, 1 Nephi 7:16-21, 1 Nephi 7:22, 8:1-11, 1 Nephi 8:12-18, 1 Nephi 8:19-25, 1 Nephi 8:26-34, and 1 Nephi 8:35-38. Miriam reviews several General Conference talks in “The Things of Which I Know,” “The Restoration of the Gospel,” “This Day,” … Continue reading →

Jump5 Video

With over one million records sold, the pop group called Jump5 has been involved with the development of some amazing music videos. Today, Jump5 has also released a new video game for children, which features tools to help them create personalized videos. This system helps with the video creation using Jump5’s music, stage effects, dance moves, and even clothing worn in live performances. As you can imagine, your child would have a blast being the creator and producer of his or her own video. With this game, everything needed to be successful is there. Best of all, the video game … Continue reading →

What Your First Grader Should Know: Language Arts

I must make a note about when you teach your child to read or when your child learns to read. Reading is as much developmental, as it is about teaching a child specific skills. There are children who read at age 4. There are also children who don’t read until age 9. Both are considered within the range of normal. If you happen to have one of those early readers you should not be too eager to pat yourself on the back as early reading is not necessarily a sign of superior intelligence. Likewise, if your child is a late … Continue reading →

Thanks for the MOTOR Memories

What on earth are “motor memories,” you ask? Motor memories are physical tasks that your brain has memorized by feel. For example, we’ve all heard that once you learn to ride a bike, you never forget how to do it. That’s because once you’ve become accustomed to balancing the wheels, sitting upright on the seat, adjusting the speed of the petals, etc., you have created a motor memory. The brain sort of “takes over” and you can ride a bike without having to think about it. Operating on Autopilot Even driving a car involves motor memory in some respects. Experienced … Continue reading →

Take Time for Training

Sometimes as parents we give our children tasks and responsibilities, then get annoyed when the job is done shoddily. “Does this look clean to you?” we ask, frustrated. Or, “These dishes aren’t done!” The problem lies in our differences in interpretation. Mom: “I asked you to clean your bedroom, and you didn’t do it.” Son: “Yes I did! It’s clean!” (Meaning: I picked up my dirty socks and put them on my bed. I threw away a few pieces of trash.) Mom: “No, this is not what I’d call clean.” (Meaning: I expected the bed to be made, walls washed, … Continue reading →