“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”  

– Benjamin Franklin         

     As we seemingly speed towards the holidays, the kids at the Children’s Center are learning and growing just as fast! We recently celebrated Fire Prevention Month and we would like to say a huge thank you to the Hilton Head Island Fire/Rescue Station 5 for coming and teaching us some fire safety tips! It truly does take all of us to give children what they need to succeed in life, and we are so thankful for the incredible community we have supporting Children’s Center kids! 

     October is also Diversity Awareness Month, and we have spent some time highlighting the beautiful cultures represented in our student body at the Children’s Center. So far, we have explored Egypt and Jamaica! If you would like to see more photos from like Fire Prevention and Diversity Awareness Month, follow us on Facebook and Instagram! 

     We are so grateful to Hilton Head Sunset Rotary and New Balance for providing new sneakers for Children’s Center kids! A parent who attended said, “Because of how organized and well put together this event was, my toddler was able to enjoy a very smooth transit atmosphere of being able to pick one pair of sneakers of his choice along with two pairs of cool colorful animated socks. It takes a village to raise a child. Thank you all for being a part of my village!”. We love our village! 

 

     We are looking forward to our annual Trunk or Treat event Friday, October 29th, 2021. Don’t forget to include a costume for your little one so they can join in on the fun! Children’s Book Week is also coming up November 8th to 14th! 

     We know all parents deal with behavioral issues with their children. Very Well Family released an article with common behavioral issues parents may face with their children and ways to solve them. Here are some helpful tips we hope assist parents in raising their little ones! 

Common Behavioral issues for Children and How to Handle Them 

Lying 

     Your child may be lying to get your attention, avoid getting in trouble for something, or to give themselves a boost of confidence. Asking the question “Is this what really happened or what you wish happened?” may help determine whether or not your child is telling the truth. Rewarding honesty consistently (even after a child lies) will help reinforce good behavior. If you’d like, you can reduce consequences (such as loss of a game or toy for a shorter amount of time) when your child is honest. 

      WebMD also encourages parents to remain calm when addressing deceit with a child. Responding with large emotions will not facilitate honesty and safe communication between you and your child. 

Defiance 

     While defiant behavior is frustrating, it is normal for children to push the limits. Not allowing your child to do something they enjoy until they have done what they were asked to do (I.e., “you cannot play outside until you have picked-up your toys) may be helpful. Whatever method you choose to use, remaining consistent is important for children. If your child knows you will not follow through on boundaries set for them, they will continue to defy you. 

Screen Time

     Having clear time limits with screen time and being consistent with those limits is crucial. Being a good example for the use of technology as well as scheduling family detoxes from technology can be helpful. 

     The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry offers the following guidelines for limiting screentime based on your child’s age: 

• Until 18 months of age limit screen use to video chatting along with an adult (for example, with a parent who is out of town). 
• Between 18- and 24-months screen time should be limited to watching educational programming with a caregiver.  
• For children 2-5, limit non-educational screen time to about 1 hour per weekday and 3 hours on the weekend days.  
• For ages 6 and older, encourage healthy habits and limit activities that include screens. 

Picky Eating     

     Teaching your children to view food as fuel for their body (rather than comfort) is important. Talking about how yummy and nutritious healthy foods are can help children view them as something good rather than something they have to eat. Modeling good eating habits is important as well. Children are watching you to learn what is or is not appropriate. 

     Healthline offers some great tips for picky eaters as well. You can check those out here. 

Disrespectful Behavior 

     Responding firmly and kindly to children is important when addressing disrespectful behavior. Sometimes children use this kind of behavior to get attention and showing that their behavior will not result in them getting their way will help train them to respond appropriately to various situations. Again, consistency is key here as well! 

Whining 

     Similar to disrespectful behavior, if children learn that whining gets them what they want they will continue to whine. Ignoring whining is a good first step as a parental response.  

     Teaching children to verbalize their emotions may aid in reducing whining as well. Asking a question like “What are you feeling right now?” and offering options (I.e., sad, frustrated, angry, etc.) and then talking through how to help them feel better will also teach emotional intelligence. 

Impulsive Tendencies 

     Praising children when they use their words before they act is helpful in teaching impulse control. Teaching children problem-solving skills can also be very helpful. When your child is frustrated, assist them in brainstorming several possible solutions to the problem.  

     Brain balance offers some ways you can assist your child in developing impulse control as well. Another factor to consider are symptoms of possible ADHD. Children suffering from ADHD often struggle with impulse control more than the average child. 

Bedtime Behavior Problems 

     You may be noticing a pattern here, but consistency is crucial when it comes to bedtimes. Children are more likely to go to bed with less fuss if they are used to going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day (even on weekends). Having a bedtime routine like reading a short story together or singing a song before falling asleep can also assist in creating a cue for your child’s brain that it is time to go to sleep. 

 

     Thank you for being a part of the Children’s Center family, and we will see you next month! 

 

Do you want to make a difference? We are looking for full-time and part-time employees! E-mail resumes to info@thechildrenscenter.org.