Parenting Tips - Growing Up in Santa Cruz

Developing an Attitude of Gratitude

Yesenia Gomez-Carrillo — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 07:23:41 +0000

Some days, I get so caught up in work, chores, and the busyness of everyday life that I forget to slow down and really notice the little things. Watching my daughter play, hearing her laugh at something silly, or seeing sunlight spill across the living room—these small moments often pass by before I even register them. Lately, I’ve been making an effort to pause more often: to feel the warmth of the sun on my face, savor a quiet cup of coffee, or simply take a deep breath. Doing this reminds me how much there is to be grateful for, and how much richer life feels when I slow down and truly take it in. This monthly column provides tips for anyone who is helping raise children or teens, based on the world-renowned Triple P — Positive Parenting Program, available to families in Santa Cruz County. If you have a question or idea for a future column, please email me at triplep@first5scc.org. Dear Yesenia, I have great kids (7 and 9) who are polite, get along with each other, and don’t have any behavior issues (yet). I’d like some ideas, though, about how to teach them to be grateful for what they have, instead of always wanting or feeling entitled to have more things. Do you have any tips for me? — Ernesto Dear Ernesto, What a great question! It’s common for children — and many adults — to behave in ways that appear self-centered, materialistic, or constantly dissatisfied. It might seem like these behaviors are part of human nature or our society that we have to accept, but they are actually learned behaviors that can be reduced or replaced with gratitude. In fact, research shows that having an attitude of gratitude changes the structure of the human brain, making people feel happier, healthier, and more peaceful. Here are some tips to try: Set a good example. Take time to notice the things you are grateful for, even if it’s something that seems trivial. Talk to your children about the peace, satisfaction, or happiness that you feel when you watch the sunset, smell your favorite food, read a good book, get their help with chores, or put on your sweatpants and slippers at the end of a long day. Avoid complaining or criticizing other people or things, especially in front of your children. Remember they are constantly watching, listening, and learning from you – even when it seems like they are ignoring you. Make gratitude a daily habit. Ask your children to identify one thing they are grateful or thankful for each day. Younger children might enjoy drawing pictures of the things that make them feel content and peaceful. Older children can also draw, write in a journal or take pictures. Have conversations about the things they appreciate during mealtimes, bedtime, or as you’re going about your daily activities. These simple steps can teach children to notice and find joy in the everyday moments of their lives. Give them responsibilities at home. Running a household and raising children is hard work! Give children age-appropriate chores and responsibilities to teach them that family life runs more smoothly when everyone pitches in. Give descriptive praise and positive attention to show your appreciation when they help with laundry, dishes, cleaning, feeding pets, or doing yardwork. This will encourage them to continue being helpful, as well as increase the likelihood that they’ll be grateful — instead of taking it for granted — when other people do things for them. Encourage children to help and care for others. Receiving gratitude from other people gives children the chance to feel good about being kind, helpful, and generous. Try to find an activity your whole family can help with — provide baked goods for a school fundraiser, serve meals at a shelter, pick up trash in your community, or visit seniors who live alone without family close by. Involve your children in picking the activity and talk about how it will be helpful. Acknowledge their helpfulness during the activity, then talk to them afterwards about how they felt. Encourage your children to continue helping others without expecting anything in return, so that they learn to receive gratitude throughout the year. Final Thoughts: Take a few moments each day to notice the people and experiences that make you happy, content and peaceful. Express your appreciation and gratitude, and teach your children to do the same. Make this a daily habit, and you’ll find that gratitude becomes contagious.

The post Developing an Attitude of Gratitude first appeared on Growing Up in Santa Cruz.

Black History Month 2022

growingupsc — Thu, 27 Jan 2022 19:23:37 +0000

Black Artists Aaron DouglasAaron Douglas was born in 1899 and made art during the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance was a frenzy of art and cultural expression that happened in Harlem, New York that produced new art, music and literature. While the explosion of all this new art took place in the 1920s, Harlem continues to be a center of African-American art and culture today. Alma Thomas Alma Thomas was an expressionist painter who was born in 1891. Her early work was representational, but she evolved into her signature of work on canvas that is characterized by shapes, color, rhythm and powerful emotions. Thomas was a black woman in a field dominated by men. Furthermore, she didn’t even begin to focus on her painting until she was in her 60s, after retiring as a school teacher. Elizabeth CatlettElizabeth Catlett was born in 1915 and spent her early years in Washington DC. Both of her grandparents were freed slaves and this narrative would come to play a very central role to her prints and sculptures. Her sculptures are known for their round, intuitive physicality and often depict mothers and their children. Her printmaking usually depicted what she called “ordinary people.” She has said that she wanted to make art for ordinary people to enjoy and discover. All of her artwork had a deeper message of justice, activism, and empowerment for these same ordinary people. Faith RinggoldYou probably know the artwork of Faith Ringgold because of her very popular book Tar Beach. Like Elizabeth Catlett, Faith Ringgold was a teacher and a lot of her work centers on social justice, fighting racism and telling the stories of African-American individuals, families, and communities. She has written almost 20 children’s books. Jacob LawrenceJacob Lawrence was born in 1917 and unlike Alma Thomas was a very young man when his painting career was at its height. He painted both historically significant moments of African American history as well as scenes from the daily life of ordinary people. His painting was representational and even narrative; some of his most famous work is images in a series such as the Great Migration, which tells the story of Black Americans moving from the south to the north after World War I. Source: weareteachers.com/african-american-artists-creativity/ Top Podcast Picks Historically BlackObjects hold history. They’re evocative of stories stamped in time. As part of The Washington Post’s coverage of the Smithsonian’s new National Museum of African American History and Culture, people submitted dozens of objects that make up their own lived experiences of black history, creating a “people’s museum” of personal objects, family photos and more. The Historically Black podcast brings those objects and their stories to life through interviews, archival sound and music. The Washington Post and APM Reports are proud to collaborate in presenting these rich personal histories, along with hosts Keegan-Michael Key, Roxane Gay, Issa Rae and Another Round hosts Heben Nigatu and Tracy Clayton. The NodThe Nod tells the stories of Black life that don’t get told anywhere else, from an explanation of how purple drink became associated with Black culture to the story of how an interracial drag troupe traveled the nation in the 1940s. We celebrate the genius, the innovation, and the resilience that is so particular to being Black — in America, and around the world. Code SwitchWhat’s Code Switch? It’s the fearless conversations about race that you’ve been waiting for. Hosted by journalists of color, our podcast tackles the subject of race with empathy and humor. We explore how race affects every part of society. From politics and pop culture to history, food and everything in between. This podcast makes all of us part of the conversation, because we’re all part of the story. Code Switch was named Apple Podcasts’ first-ever Show of the Year in 2020. The Black History BuffHeard in over 100 countries the Black History Buff podcast is a fun and thrilling journey through time. Covering the full historical tapestry of the African Diaspora, you’ll hear tales covering everything from African Samurai to pistol-wielding poets. More than just a podcast, the show is a bridge that links communities throughout the African diaspora and enlightens and empowers its friends. Black History Year by PushBlackLearning your history makes you – and your people – stronger. As Black people, we know we’re left out of the history books. That the media images are skewed. That we need access to experts, information and ideas so we can advance our people. Black History Year connects you to the history, thinkers, and activists that are left out of the mainstream conversations. You may not agree with everything you hear, but we’re always working toward one goal: uniting for the best interest of Black people worldwide. BHY is produced by PushBlack, the nation’s largest non-profit Black media company – hit us up at BlackHistoryYear.com. Black History for White PeopleOur goal is simple—educate white people on black history. #BHforWP is a multi-ethnic collective dedicated to loving black and brown people by educating, resourcing, and challenging white people to actively participate in racial justice. The highest calling of humanity is to love. Whether you know it or not, the racial disparities in our country hurt us. They train us to protect our advantages rather than love others, and that mentality reduces us. 1619In August of 1619, a ship carrying more than 20 enslaved Africans arrived in the English colony of Virginia. America was not yet America, but this was the moment it began. No aspect of the country that would be formed here has been untouched by the 250 years of slavery that followed. On the 400th anniversary of this fateful moment, it is time to tell the story. “1619” is a New York Times audio series hosted by Nikole Hannah-Jones. Five Books to Read for Kids Henry’s Freedom BoxA True Story from the Underground Railroadby Ellen LevineRecommended Ages 6 and Up The Other Sideby Jacqueline Woodson Recommended Ages 5 and Up Voice of Freedom: Fannie HamerThe Spirit of the Civil Rights Movementby Carole Boston Weatherford Who Was Rosa Parks?by Yona Zeldis McDonough What Color Is My World?The Lost History of African-American Inventorsby Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Raymond ObstfeldRecommended Ages 8 and up Five Books to Read for Adults To Be Frank and Ernestby David Meyers Passingby Nella Larson Born A Crimeby Trevor Noah Graceby Natashia Deon’ Angel of Harlemby Kuwana Haulsey

The post Black History Month 2022 first appeared on Growing Up in Santa Cruz.

Turn Off the Screens

growingupsc — Wed, 29 Apr 2020 20:21:43 +0000

How to Get Them Up from the Screens BY SUKI WESSLING In normal times, our kids are using screens way too much. These aren’t normal times. I love the Internet and all it has given us, but as a parent, one of the things I am concerned about is when activities on screens replace healthy, real-world activities. These activities are the antidote to screen use, and involve moving the body, changing eye focus between long and short distance, developing complex fine motor skills, and social interaction. In other words, all the things our kids do when they are in classes, playing with friends, being creative, and just out in the world. Maybe we can take some hints from OT. Occupational therapists treat children with deficits that result in learning or behavioral challenges. “We look at developmental areas that support higher learning and higher skill levels,” explains Keri Allen of the Pediatric Therapy Center. “If we see a child with delays in an occupation like writing or ball-playing, we might break that down and look at developmentally where they are struggling.” OTs come up with fun and stimulating “exercises” for kids with deficits, but those activities can easily be translated for kids who need a screen antidote. “These are areas that typically are developing as we learn through play and exploring the world,” Keri explains. She also points out that this isn’t just for younger kids. “I’m seeing it even more so with the teenagers—they’re having to be online for more time. Also, a lot of their movement comes from organized sports, where younger kids might be more used to having movement opportunities in education.” Gross motor movementKids need to move! OTs break this down into a number of areas, including bilateral coordination, crossing the midline, and upper body strength, but what parents need to know is that kids should be doing big, varied movements.Look for activities that feature varied movements, such as: Climbing Lifting Using hands and feet at the same time Cross-body movements Keri recommends car-washing, fort-building, and obstacle courses. Fine motor controlYour kids do get some fine motor control experience on computers. Typing and gaming both develop the brain for certain fine motor activities. But there are plenty of other fine motor skills that lie dormant as kids gaze at screens.Look for fun activities that your child enjoys that require small hand movements, such as: Using scissors Origami Coloring pages Separating and sorting small objects Hand-eye coordination At a time when our students are spending hours without shifting their focus, it’s especially important to move in intentional ways. Keri particularly recommends balloon play because it slows down the process and forces kids to move in an organized way. Get your kids involved in silly activities that require them to watch and move, such as: Balloon games Pool noodle games Throwing and catching Sensory processing Working on a computer is a uniquely sensory depriving activity. When our students attend online classes, they pause their interaction with the sensory world. OTs split sensory activities into a large number of subgroups, such as vestibular, proprioceptive, tactile, and auditory. Without being too worried about which category any particular activity falls into, consider offering up strong sensory activities such as: Clay, slime, sand, and other mushy, gritty, pliable substances Smelling and tasting Making music Self-help skills More than any generation of parents, we love to try to keep our kids from hardship. But the human organism thrives on being useful and productive. If you are all stuck at home together, take this time to ask your children to learn new skills—and improve their physical and mental health at the same time. Think of important life skills such as: Doing laundry Taking out the garbage Cooking Integrated activities The best activities are fun and integrative: your kids won’t even know that they’re learning. More complex activities integrate planning, movement, and sensation, but looks like simple family fun to the kids who are benefitting from it. Consider putting together integrated activities such as: Meal planning and cooking (let your kids run a restaurant!) Scavenger hunts complete with map-making and running around Making forts and battling it out with foam swords Remember that everything you do with your children affects them in a variety of ways, from their intellectual development to their mental health. “There’s so many components that support our learning, whether it’s keeping your arousal level up or activating your muscles or getting the fresh you need or keeping circulation going,” Keri points out. “Also, for your overall emotional health as well, if you’re sitting for long periods of time you don’t feel that great about yourself. I hear about my kids getting depression and feeling really down. You generally feel better after some movement or tactile experience to keep you more alert.” Teleschooling may currently be a necessity, but we can do a lot to create balance in our kids’ lives, one batch of slime at a time. Resources:The Pediatric Therapy Center offers activity ideas on their blog at ptc-sc.com/blogYouth Programs @ Home from Cabrillo College Extension offers culinary, creative arts, science & engineering, computers and technology, leadership & academic enrichment: cabrillo.edu/services/extension/youthreg.html The Santa Cruz Public Library is features storytime events online: santacruzpl.org/County of Santa Cruz Parks & Rec offers Craft of the Week: scparks.com/City of Santa Cruz Parks & Rec offers Virtual Recreation: cityofsantacruz.com/government/city-departments/parks-recreationSanta Cruz Arts Council Arts Learning at Home: artscouncilsantacruzcountyartsathome.weebly.com/Online volunteer opportunities from the Volunteer Center: scvolunteernow.org/athomevolunteerYvette of the Art Factory puts out videos on her Facebook page, telling stories and guiding kids in art projects: facebook.com/The-Art-Factory-112370182141009/West Performing Arts and All About Theatre have moved their classes online: westperformingarts.com/ and allabouttheatre.org/

The post Turn Off the Screens first appeared on Growing Up in Santa Cruz.

Reluctant Homeschooler

growingupsc — Wed, 29 Apr 2020 19:51:08 +0000

Reluctant Homeschooler? Join the Club! BY SUKI WESSLING It’s an odd time to be a homeschooler. You finally got used to being the weirdest family on the block, and then suddenly everyone is doing it. I’ve been writing about homeschooling and teaching homeschooled children for years, operating in an almost invisible subculture that mainstream parents and teachers only found out of desperation. As recently as January, a public school official expressed surprise to me that my job—online teacher of homeschooled students—even existed. Most of the teachers I met thought that homeschooling was perilously close to child abuse. So I and other veteran homeschoolers have been watching with a mixture of concern, elation, amusement, and consternation as the public school system has creaked and lurched into the 21st century, knocking on the door of the “weird kid” club.This treehouse is getting crowded! But seriously, as a homeschooler I welcome this chance to introduce the larger public to some of the wisdom we have gleaned over the years. As we watch families trying to shift to home learning, we homeschoolers see a lot that is familiar, even though homeschooling families are also homeschooling through quarantine for the first time. Following are a few pieces of wisdom that homeschoolers have always been willing to share with our schooling brethren. Teachers benefit more than they know from herd behaviorDuring my first pregnancy, my doctor said to me, “If you’re going to have one, I figure you should just keep going till you have 6. That’s a lot easier!”I laughed, but she wasn’t completely joking. It really is harder to wrangle two or three kids than it is a larger group. You might find it takes an hour to get one child’s shoes on, yet your teacher accomplishes that task with 20 students in five minutes.Give yourself—and your child—a break that they seem less willing and slower moving than they were at school. Time needed to focus on actual school work is lower than you might expectPretty much every homeschooling parent went to school. So overdoing it is one of the most common newbie mistakes. We think, “Students are at school for 6 or 7 hours a day. That means we have to ‘do school’ for that long.”Homeschoolers find that we get done with seatwork much more quickly and efficiently. If your teacher is asking for more focused time than your child needs, ask if there are other activities you can do. You don’t have to be sitting still to learn any of the academic subjects in school. And plenty of time spent in school is spent on socializing, creativity, and exercise, too. Busywork makes no sense at homeIt’s not uncommon for classroom teachers to have a stockpile of “busywork” for every unit they teach. In a classroom, it can be very handy to have tasks you can give to the students who finish first. It can also be helpful to stretch out the learning time so teachers can give individual attention.But at home, work that makes no sense to a child simply makes no sense. If your child could go play with a pet, do a baking project, or talk to friends online, why force them to do work that doesn’t promote further learning? If your student gets frustrated at their workload, consider which of the work promotes learning, and which just takes up more time. Ask your child’s teacher if you can prioritize the learning-heavy work. Your job as a parent takes precedence over your job as a teacher“How can I be both Mom and teacher?” is one of the standard questions that new homeschoolers ask. And the answer is: you can’t. No matter what, you were a parent first and you’ll be a parent last. When the roles conflict, the choice is clear.If your child is upset about schoolwork, you are presented with a conflict. Do you try to resolve the emotional issue, or do you try to push past it to get the work done?Homeschoolers will tell you that very little homeschooling tends to get done during times of great stress. If being stuck at home doesn’t qualify as great stress for a child, I don’t know what does. Think about what you want your child to look back on when they think of this time, and prioritize that. Family meetings are a mustFamilies can get by without a lot of communication, especially if they don’t spend a lot of time together. Homeschooling families? Let’s talk.You’re stuck at home together. You are all filling multiple roles in one environment. You don’t have friends to decompress with. If you aren’t doing family meetings yet, now is the time to start. There are some great family meeting guides out there. Find one that suits your style and call your meeting to order! Parents need their “me time” more than everHomeschooling is the ultramarathon of parenting. You’re always on, right?Nope: successful homeschoolers get time off. If you have been “on” since the schools were closed, it’s time to set some boundaries. Call a family meeting and explain that you need some space. If you are a single parent in a small apartment with a child or children, that space may end up being metaphorical. But you do need it.If you have a room to go to, make some rules. Make a sign! Get everyone to sign onto the plan. Your me-time might be doing work. It might be talking to a friend or relative on the phone. It might just be taking an afternoon nap. But you need it. Find a way to get it. Live a learning lifestyle!I hope that when your students return to the classroom, your family benefits from this experience. My children attended both school and homeschool, and there were benefits to both. When homeschoolers return to school, they can take a lot of new tools with them. They will have a new, hopefully more intimate, relationship with their families. They will have learned new technology. They will hopefully have learned what it is that they love most about the world outside their home.Living a learning lifestyle means that even when you’re not “doing school,” you’re looking at the world around you, wondering, coming up with questions, and trying to find answers. Homeschooling is a great way to introduce that spirit into your family, now and for the long term. Suki Wessling is a local writer and teacher, and the mother of two mostly grown homeschoolers. She teaches online courses for homeschoolers at Athena’s Advanced Academy, and keeps an active blog. Find more writing at SukiWessling.com or visit Suki’s Parenting and Education Facebook page.

The post Reluctant Homeschooler first appeared on Growing Up in Santa Cruz.

Skin Color

growingupsc — Wed, 29 Apr 2020 19:47:18 +0000

Skin Color BY AMANDA FIRTH This is part of a short series on foster parenting and adoption in Santa Cruz County. Proper names in the stories have been changed for the protection of the children and families involved. An old and dear friend was over at our apartment to meet “our babies.” One baby was really about to become our baby forever. We were about to adopt a beautiful Latino baby. He was in the midst of a playdate with one of our former foster babies, who was white. The two of them were crawling around the living room together.“It’s a shame you’re not adopting that one. That one looks more like you.”I shuddered inside at my friend’s words. I wish I’d said something very evolved such as, “There’s a lot to unpack about what you just said. How about a cup of tea and an honest conversation?” I hate to admit that instead, a part of me just gave up on her, then and there. We are a “mixed race” family. I wish people would never look at our family and wonder what the problem is. Assuming something is wrong comes from a deep place inside people. It doesn’t not come from us. It doesn’t come from my baby’s skin color that is different from mine. That place inside people is not their invention. It carries so many years of embedded misinformation, it’s thoughtless, like breathing. No one welcomes that control center inside their psyche that sends those thoughts. No one tries to look at my family and wonder what the story could be. But no one would wonder about anything if we were the same color. No one welcomes that part of themself. No one invites it in. But it is there. And it is each person’s problem, and theirs alone to overcome. It’s not my baby’s problem.The decision to keep my baby in our care was an arduous one on the part of CPS; he had distant older relatives who came out of hiding when he was ten months old. Handling orphans with “different ethnicity” goes through trends and waves, and sometimes the trend is to ensure children are with a family of their own color. These trends are usually backed by research, but the arc of the story of a child and a family is individual. Research on something that is never the same twice can’t be applied to every situation. My baby knows me, he knows my voice, sound, smell, breath, feel, arms. I am his mama and I have been for all his time that he remembers. The pain of moving a child away from his loving parents is pain that can only be told by one who has experienced it. This is a wound that shapes a life, a life that will be spent at least in part overcoming, rather than striding forward. I am a scientist, and I know that race and ethnicity, like gender, are social constructs. There is no genetic basis to separate us. Our country and its many complex financial systems were supported by social systems, and those relied upon creating the belief that skin color made humans fundamentally different in their abilities, desires, and dreams. Our country’s foundation depended upon the false story of white supremacy. That pestilent story is hidden deep within the statement below. “It’s a shame you’re not adopting that one. That one looks more like you.”OK, friend, but THIS one is my baby. This one loves art and music, and playing with a ball, and sings to my favorite songs, and is comforted by the sound of the waves and the wind blowing through the trees. This one loves the mountains and loves to travel, and loves to be out of the house. This one loves our cats, our walks, our friends, and our family dinners. This one’s spirit knew we were waiting when he set foot on his journey to touch the earth. He knows our voices, our smells, our touch, and has built his understanding of human interaction around how we react. How you react, friend, matters to him, and matters to us. No matter what you may be holding on to in your invisible bag full of misconceptions, you’ll have to react with nothing but love and acceptance if you want to visit my babies.

The post Skin Color first appeared on Growing Up in Santa Cruz.

Happy Healthy Kids: Eight Reasons to Embrace Outdoor Play

growingupsc — Wed, 01 Jan 2020 13:37:22 +0000

Happy Healthy Kids Eight Reasons to Embrace Outdoor Play By Jan Pierce Are you one of those parents who wonder if your child’s schedule is too crowded? Too stressful? Do you watch him play video games by the hour and get a little nervous about the long-term effects? Do you wish she had time to “just play” rather than run from school to lessons to team practices? If you can relate to the above situations, you’re in good company. It seems today’s busy lifestyles don’t allow much time for healthy, unstructured outdoor exploration and play. Schools that give more recess and breaks from classwork are finding attention improves during the day. As a culture, our children are paying the price in increased anxiety, poor sleep habits, and a higher degree of difficulty with attention and engagement in learning situations. Kids seem fidgety, easily bored, unable to focus. Take a deep breath. Remember how it used to be when children played freely without a lot of oversight and adult intervention. Can you recall the days when you scraped your knee and just got up and kept playing? When you could sit under a tree and inspect the intricacies of the natural world? When you could dig and build with natural objects? When it seemed there was all the time in the world to just be.? Today’s children need those same healthy, authentic play experiences. They need time to explore the out of doors, time to think and dream. Time to wonder and experiment. How to begin? It’s easier than you might think. Just unplug and send the kids outside. They won’t need an agenda or directions. Once they find themselves in the great outdoors, they’ll do the rest. Here are eight benefits of unstructured, outdoor play. And they’re important. 1. Authentic Play Today’s kids are steeped in a virtual world. They’re adept at computer use, coding, programming and the like, and that’s fine. They need to understand the technological world. But they also need authentic, hands-on experiences that can’t be had in a classroom or computer lab. They need to be grounded in the real world and able to engage in real-life experiences. They need to do real-time observation, exploration and interaction with the real world. They need the sensory experiences of watching a bird find a worm, of tracking the tiny veins and capillaries on a leaf, of squishing dirt and water together into mud. Kids need to play self-created games and make up their own rules apart from adult supervision. They need to learn how to try and fail and try again to make their play creations work. 2. Enhanced Decision-Making Children need to know how to listen and follow directions in the classroom and in other activities such as sports. But they also need the opportunity to play independent of adult oversight. They need to decide to create something or explore something and then make their own plan. They need to cooperate with others to follow the rules to their own kid-made games. They need the freedom to adapt rules to their current situation and then evaluate whether or not their plan worked. All of these skills are strengthened when kids are allowed to play outside independently. 3. Active vs. Sedentary Play We all know the statistics on the overall health of today’s kids. Too many are overweight and unfit. Too many are lethargic and uninspired. In short, many of our kids don’t move enough to be happy and healthy. But knowing isn’t the same as doing. Parents need to push through a bit of resistance and insist that our children go outside whether it’s for time in their own backyard or access to a larger natural environment. While parks can offer some of the necessary ingredients to healthier play, wilder natural environments such as hiking trails or woodlands are even better. Nothing inspires kids to build forts and create their own games more than an untouched-by-man setting. 4. Room for Wonder and Joy Watching spiders spin a web. Catching grasshoppers in a jar. Hearing birds sing in the trees and seeing them drop bits of food into the open beaks of their hatchlings. Wandering a beach, picking up beautiful shells or bits of driftwood, smelling the scent of grasses on a warm summer day. We all need opportunities to absorb the wonder of nature and to experience the joy of being part of the natural world. Give your kids the chance to do these simple things. They’ll benefit immensely. 5. Better Classroom Performance Some schools are experimenting with longer recesses and more frequent breaks in their school day and wonder of wonders, every one of them reports better behavior and engagement in the classroom. When kids are given enough time to move and play, they’re better able to focus their attention on classroom work. They feel better, they perform better. It’s not rocket science. In other studies, it’s reported that children who play more outside get a better night’s sleep. A well-rested child is better able to focus attention and “get into” lessons in class. Children who get enough chances for active play feel more content and happy. Happier kids have lower levels of stress which produces better classroom performance. 6. Self-reliance Through Exploration We like it when our children are able to follow directions—when they’re “coachable,” and that is an important skill. But it’s also important for kids to learn how to operate via their own internal rules and understandings. Children benefit when they’re able to manage their own behaviors based on their convictions, when they can make a plan and follow it through. When they can try and fail and try again to accomplish a task. All of these skills can only be practiced when kids have the chance to engage in unstructured play free of adult supervision and oversight. It may be hard to break the pattern of over-managing our kids’ lives, but it’s vital that we do so. 7. Improved Social Skills and Interaction If you’ve ever watched a group of kids play a game of softball you might see more arguing about the rules than actual play. But what you’re seeing is social skills in the making. Older kids will make the rules and try to enforce them. Quieter kids will be given chances to play (or not) and bossy kids will try to run the show. In the middle of the chaos, children will learn how the world of rules works and they’ll play a little ball too. When children are free of adult supervision, they build leadership skills and learn to work as a community. Is it pretty? Not always, but there are always lessons learned. In some of the school where increased free play has been introduced with fewer rules and the attitude of “safe enough,” the children earlier seen as bullies have emerged as leaders. Why? Because they’ve been successful in more active, hands-on play and have been given the chance to expend pent-up energy in all-out activity. 8. Improved Mental Health The rise in mental health problems amongst kids as young as pre-school is a testament to our over-managed, over-tested and earlier to learn environment. The skills that used to be taught in first grade must now be mastered in Kindergarten. The results are children with a too-hurried and too stressful world. There will always be expectations in the learning world, but for those children who enjoy more free time, more authentic outdoor fun and more opportunity to run and play, the better they’ll feel about themselves and their life. We give our children a great gift when we encourage and champion free play in the great out of doors. Jan Pierce, M.Ed., is a retired teacher and the author of Homegrown Readers and Homegrown Family Fun. Find Jan at www.janpierce.net. Resources Elkind, D., The Hurried Child: Growing Up Too Fast Too Soon, 3rd edition, Cambridge, MA, 2001. Erickson, R.J. Play Contributes to the Full Emotional Development of the Child, Education, 1985. Ginsburg, Kenneth R. MD, MSED, The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-child Bonds, AMA, 2006. Piaget, J. Play Dreams and Imitation in Childhood, Norton, New York, 1962. Vygotsky, L. Play and Its Role in the Mental Development of the Child, Social Psychology, 1967.

The post Happy Healthy Kids: Eight Reasons to Embrace Outdoor Play first appeared on Growing Up in Santa Cruz.

Happy and Successful Kids Life Skill 5: Critical Thinking

growingupsc — Fri, 01 Nov 2019 13:29:24 +0000

Happy and Successful Kids Life Skill 5: Critical Thinking By Jan Pierce Everyday life involves a lot of problem-solving. How do you encourage your children to get along with others? What’s the best way to help your child learn to manage their time and select appropriate activities? Should you let your kids play video games and which ones are off-limits? Without realizing it, you’re making logical decisions every day, and your kids need to learn how to make sound, logical decisions as well. Thinking logically helps kids get balance. Not just in their social and emotional lives, but in their reading, their writing, and their math and science explorations as well. In short, the child who knows how to think logically will be a better student who comprehends his or her reading at a higher level, is able to think creatively to solve math and science problems, can communicate clearly and may even score higher on IQ tests. Critical thinking is a complex skill learned over time. It involves being able to evaluate information for accuracy, interpret information, make predictions and inferences (conclusions based on evidence and reasoning), recognize fact vs. opinion and explain one’s thinking clearly. So…it’s kind of hard. But, there are simple ways to build these logical thinking skills and you can begin to teach them in easy and fun ways. Here are some skills to work on at home to ensure your child is a strong, clear and logical thinker. Analyze Analogies Analogies are comparisons between two different things. They show a relationship between two items. The skill involved requires your child to first identify the relationship and then select words demonstrating that relationship. The use of analogies increases understanding in virtually all areas of learning. For example: day is to light as night is to _____. To solve this analogy you first see that it is light in the daytime, then supply the opposite concept, dark, to night. Or, book is to read as song is to ____. One reads a book. What do we do with a song? We sing it. Analogies can demonstrate a number of relationships such as part to whole, opposites, cause and effect or degree of intensity (cool is to freezing as warm is to ___.) Kids enjoy solving these word puzzles and you might make a family game of solving them. www.learninggamesforkids.com (vocabulary games) Create Categories and Classify Items Sorting items for like attributes has always been fun for kids. For example you can sort buttons by color, size, number of holes, shape, etc. You can group animals into size, habitat, pets vs. wild, stripes and no stripes, or any other categories you create. And what kid wouldn’t want to sort M & M’s by color? You can go further and help children to graph their information in a simple bar graph or pie chart. Classifying items builds both math and language skills and leads the way to simple science explorations. www.mensaforkids.org (classifying animals) Identify Relevant Information In the process of problem-solving, it’s crucial to be able to pull out the information that matters. For example, consider the following sentence and the question to be answered: Tom has four quarters and three dimes. He also has a frog in his pocket. How much money does Tom have? Obviously the frog in the pocket is not important in determining the amount of money. But selecting only pertinent information can be very challenging. Go to www.study.com and search for relevant information in math. You’ll find videos followed by simple quizzes to practice this important skill. Test Hypotheses A hypothesis is an educated guess based on the current information known. Your child needs to be able to consider what is known and predict what might happen next, then test it out to see if the hypothesis was correct. This is an important skill in all of learning. When your child is reading ask: “What do you think will happen next?” Then after reading you can evaluate the accuracy of the prediction and determine why it was or wasn’t right. We can learn just as much from an inaccurate hypothesis as from an accurate one. In math and science it’s important to make logical hypotheses and then go on to test and evaluate them. Go to www.study.com and search for How do you Develop a Hypothesis? Distinguish Between Evidence and Interpretations of Evidence (fact vs. opinion) In this day of information overload and cries of “fake news” all around, children must know how to recognize facts from opinions of others. Facts are always true. Opinions are beliefs held by an individual and can vary from person to person. Help your children learn the difference. www.pbskids.org/arthur/games/factsopinions More Ways to Build Critical Thinking Skills: Observe your child’s efforts to understand the world. Support learning through discussion, stories and actions. Support your child’s natural curiosity. Allow exploration and then supply answers. Promote your child’s passions. If she wants to learn about bugs, give her all the books, field guides, and nature walks she can handle. Take advantage of true motivation. Be willing to “be the expert” and look up answers to your child’s questions. Point your child to trusted experts. Friends, family members, teachers, coaches, all can be mentors. Help your child evaluate information. “Do you think that was right?” “Was John telling the truth?” “Let’s look that up to see if we’re right.” Evaluate television programming, movies and other media. “What are they selling in that commercial?” “Our family doesn’t choose to watch shows that…” When problems arise, teach a method that builds critical thinking such as: What is the problem or issue? What is the goal? What are the possible solutions? Let’s choose one solution to try. Did that work? Kids benefit from opportunities to practice problem solving using critical thinking skills. And don’t forget that an old-fashioned conversation around the dinner table is a great time to pose questions that require clear, logical thinking. Jan Pierce, M.Ed., is a retired teacher and reading specialist. She focuses on education, family life and parenting issues. Find Jan at www.janpierce.net. *Ellen Galinsky is the author of Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs.

The post Happy and Successful Kids Life Skill 5: Critical Thinking first appeared on Growing Up in Santa Cruz.

The Birth of a Mother: Yoga Can Help Childbirth and Infant Rearing

growingupsc — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 11:27:15 +0000

The Birth of a Mother Yoga Can Help Childbirth and Infant Rearing By Hannah Muse The journey of pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum is undoubtedly one of the most incredible, life-enhancing, fulfilling experiences one can ever experience! And – whether it’s our first pregnancy or our fourth – it can also be a great challenge for our bodies, minds, and emotional life in ways we’ve never experienced; in ways that we don’t always feel ready and resourced to handle without additional support. Who needs goat yoga when you’ve got baby and prenatal yoga? And in Santa Cruz you can learn to be a prenatal yoga teacher. Photo: Expressivephotographics.com Luckily there is support waiting for you. Prenatal and Postnatal yoga classes are one of those invaluable support systems your community provides that resource mothers and their families in many beneficial ways. Research shows that Prenatal (during pregnancy) and Postnatal yoga (for mothers and their infants) can help to: reduce anxiety, decrease lower back pain, headaches, nausea and shortness of breath (to name just a few of the evidence-based physical benefits), improve sleep, and increase the inner resiliency the mother needs to cope with stress may arises along the journey. Countless women find a safe, supportive refuge when they attend these mother-focused yoga classes. After facilitating these classes for mothers for nearly a decade, one thing is certain: that although the path of motherhood is a unique journey for every woman, we can’t do it alone. Perhaps that’s why women often tell me and write to me that, in addition to helping with aches and pains, that they are often surprised to find that the most helpful and treasured aspects of these classes is the opportunity to be in a sacred circle of women who are also being initiated into motherhood – sharing their challenges and raw vulnerability, inspiring hope for each other, reaching out a hand or a Kleenex or a hug – all while we safely move our bodies and breathe together in a sanctuary of well-being and support. Childbirth is not only about birthing a child – it’s also the birth of a Mother. There are prenatal or postnatal yoga class in our area, including at the Pacific Cultural Center (www.pacificcultural.org) for $6 a class for new students. Prenatal classes are welcome to those in all trimesters, while postnatal classes are welcome to mothers and their infants up until crawling. There are also classes at Luma and Sutter. You can learn to assist these yoga classes too Dec. 4-8 for Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training – open to doulas, acupuncturists, healers and healthcare providers, and yoga teachers at the Mount Madonna Center alongside a faculty of specialists in childbirth, psychology, ayurveda, infant development and more. Hannah Muse is a Registered Prenatal & Postnatal Yoga Teacher, Doula, and Teacher of the Mount Madonna Prenatal & Postnatal Yoga Teacher Training.

The post The Birth of a Mother: Yoga Can Help Childbirth and Infant Rearing first appeared on Growing Up in Santa Cruz.

Sing to Your Baby: Music and Brain Development

growingupsc — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 10:04:57 +0000

Sing to Your Baby Music and Brain Development By Jan Pierce The sweet interaction between a mother and her baby when the mother sings to the infant is a universal behavior. And researchers now know that this simple, most natural activity is mutually beneficial to both mother and child. Singing provides the sensory stimulation that helps baby to focus attention enabling learning, and the mother feels empowered as she creates a positive bond with her baby. Music builds connection, both with words and the unconscious mathematics of creating a melody. Benefits of Musical Experiences But studies are showing that a broad array of musical experiences can build connections in the brains of young children aged 0-6 and that these connections are vitally important for later learning of all kinds. Incorporating music into the fabric of your daily family life can bring social and educational benefits to your children in surprising ways. Soft music can calm and soothe children from fussy babies to high-strung older children, serving as a stress-reducer. Music can help children focus attention, a necessary skill in any learning process. Hearing music and responding to it accelerates brain development, especially in language acquisition, reading and math skills. Music provides healthy ways to interact with others, both adults and peers. Moving to music builds motor skills and allows healthy self-expression. Music interactions build memory skills. Music provides a vehicle for the expression of many emotions, especially joy. Early Brain Development Neuroscientists now believe that crucial brain development takes place in the early years between ages 0-6. These years offer a window of opportunity to build connections in the brain that will serve the child throughout a lifetime. New connections are made in the brain based on what the child sees, hears and touches. Music is a key way to introduce new learning experiences to your child in both fun and productive ways. We now know that children who engage in musical activities from birth to age six have a head start on social competence, cognitive skills and emotional well-being. Besides, music is fun! Here are some games and activities to bring more music into the culture of your family life: Play music for babies and toddlers. Encourage them to sway, bounce, clap and otherwise respond to the rhythms. Make up songs as you go about your daily routines. They might relate to bath or nap times, meal times or play times. “It’s time for your bath, bath, bath,” to the tune of a favorite song. Sing familiar songs and insert silly words. “Mary had a little ____.” Play music and provide household items or simple rhythm instruments for your children to play. Learn songs to sing together as a family. These work wonders during commute times in the car. Sing “movement” songs to build simple dance routines. “Wiggle, hop and turn around.” Have fun with music because “In the first six years of life, a child’s brain develops more and faster than at any other time in life. The early experiences a child has—the things seen, heard and touched, stimulate the brain, forming connections. Healthy brain development establishes a child’s social competence, cognitive skills and positive emotional well-being.” (Quote from clinical psychologist Seema Hingorrany) Let music of all kinds form a backdrop to your daily family life. Have some musical fun with your kids and build their brainpower. Jan Pierce, M.Ed., is a freelance writer specializing in education, parenting and family life topics. She is the author of Homegrown Family Fun and Homegrown Readers. Find Jan at www.janpierce.net Want ten free tips on boosting your child’s reading skills? Go to www.janpierce.net. The download is free. Resources University of Miami, “Mother and Infants Connect Through Song, Science Daily, Feb. 17, 2017. Gold, Claudia M. M.D., Music, Children and Brain Development. How Music May Help Children with “Behavior Problems.” Author of The Developmental Science of Early Childhood.

The post Sing to Your Baby: Music and Brain Development first appeared on Growing Up in Santa Cruz.

Swimming Lessons Save Lives

growingupsc — Wed, 01 May 2019 23:30:44 +0000

Swimming Lessons Save Lives The sooner you get them educated the better By Tiffany Harmon The stark truth is this: drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children ages 1 – 4 and is the second leading cause for children 1 – 14 after motor vehicle crashes. Unfortunately, many children are at risk due to low, or no swimming ability, and the risk is even higher for minority children. These statistics, while frightening, are extremely relevant for us, as residents of the Monterey Bay Area. We are incredibly fortunate to live in an area that is home to amazing ocean views, wildlife, and opportunities for recreational activities like surfing, swimming, kayaking, boating, and much more. Whether or not you plan to head to the beach, water is all around us – in rivers, lakes, drainage ditches, bath tubs, and even large puddles. By providing your child with the lifesaving skill of swimming, you’ll be giving him/her access to the fun, fitness, and future employment opportunities water can provide! The good news is that studies have shown that swim lessons and water safety instruction saves lives. According to the USA Swimming Foundation, there is an 88% reduction in risk if a child takes swimming lessons. Swim Lessons Teach More Than Swimming Swim lessons aren’t just about learning the strokes – they serve as a way to introduce your child to the water, help them feel comfortable in the water, and teach them water survival skills and basic water safety – all essential aspects of staying safe in and around water. Did you know that children can take swim lesson before they can even walk? Parent and child swim lessons are a fun way to bond with your child while learning essential water safety skills. In fact, early exposure to swimming lessons and water safety are a terrific foundation for a lifetime of swimming for fun and fitness. Older swimmers – and non-swimming adults – benefit from water safety instruction too. It’s never too late to learn, and a caring instructor can help you overcome any negative experiences from the past. In addition, swimming is an incredible activity for children with special needs, be they behavioral or developmental. A good swim instructor will create a positive learning environment and safe place for each swimmer. Finding the Best Swim Instruction for Your Child One of the most effective ways of finding a good swim instructor is word of mouth. Ask fellow parents whom they recommend, but don’t stop there. Just as each child is different, each swim school is different. Visit local facilities to see how lessons are run, ask questions about teacher certification and experience, and gain an understanding about the provider’s philosophy about skills progression and short and long-term learning outcomes. All reputable swim schools should adhere to industry best practices such as: Following a nationally recognized learn-to-swim curriculum (e.g. Red Cross) or an independently developed learn-to-swim curriculum Using only trained/certified instructors and lifeguards holding current CPR and First Aid certifications Lessons with a maximum 6:1 student-to-instructor ratio Ready to Get in the Water? The USA Swimming Foundation created a national child-focused water safety initiative called Make a Splash. Local swim instructors offer free swim lessons and water safety education to local children and families. Seahorse Swim School is proud to be one of the foundation’s local swim partners and is offering free swim lessons during water safety awareness month Saturdays: May 4 and 18 from 1-2pm. Tiffany Harmon, owner of Seahorse Swim School holds a BA in Psychology from UCSC and holds a CA State Certified Teaching Credential in Health and Safety. Tiffany is an Instructor Trainer for the American Red Cross in Lifeguarding and Water Safety Instructor and has taught thousands of adults and children to swim since 1990.

The post Swimming Lessons Save Lives first appeared on Growing Up in Santa Cruz.