We may hear the term “self-regulation” used by psychologists, educators, and parents , and with good reason. Self-regulation skills lay the foundation for healthy relationships, academic achievement, and future success. The ability to effectively manage one’s emotions and actions is an essential facet of one’s overall emotional intelligence, and is crucial for children as well as adults. This is why it’s so important for us to help our children develop self-regulation skills.

Kids who can regulate their emotions and behavior are more likely to have an easier time making friends, succeeding in school, and managing stress. It can be difficult for parents to know how to help kids when they’re struggling with strong emotions and behavior management. Helping our kids learn how to self-regulate is a process that takes time, patience, and practice. By following these seven tips, you can get started on the right track with your child!

Strive for balance

Most kids tend to cope with stress in one of three ways – avoidance, approach, or aggression. Kids who shy away from difficult situations are self-regulating through avoidance. In contrast, those who engage in risky behavior or lash out at others are self-regulating through aggression. Finally, kids who cope with stressful situations by addressing their circumstances in a positive manner self-regulate through approach.

As a parent, it’s important not to focus all your efforts on one type of self-regulation strategy. Most children will display each of the above-mentioned coping mechanisms at different times, so try not to label your child as just one. Instead of labeling children’s coping mechanisms, try to identify which style works best for your child in different situations.

Identify triggers

Kids who can self-regulate effectively are typically able to identify their stress triggers. This means they can quickly move from feeling stressed or upset into healthy self-regulated behavior. As parents, it’s vital to help children become self-aware by helping them pinpoint the event or situation that is bothering them and how they might handle the situation differently next time.

For example, your child might be upset because he didn’t get the role he wanted in a play at school. Instead of having a tantrum or lashing out at his friends, it’s beneficial for him to learn how to identify what is making him so upset. We need to help children understand how they are feeling, and in this case, what it is about not getting the role makes them sad. This will help your child move forward and perhaps find a different activity that can bring joy.

Practice self-talk

Self-regulation skills begin with self-awareness and self-monitoring. Help children identify the messages they are giving themselves (or “self-talk”) and recognize when their self-talk tends to be positive or negative. When self-talk is primarily negative, encourage kids to change their self-talk from “I can’t do this” or “I’m going to fail” to “I think I can handle this, and if I can’t, I know someone who can help me.” The more they practice engaging in positive self-talk, the more effectively they’ll be able to cope with stressful situations in the future.

Label emotions

When children self-regulate through avoidance, they probably struggle to label what they’re feeling at any given moment. If this is the case, try teaching them how to identify their emotions. This will help them become more comfortable recognizing a variety of feelings, and learning which ones may push them towards different behaviors and responses.

For example, you might tell your child, “You seem really upset right now!” and then wait for a response. Does your child walk away, or articulate the cause of anger? Do this enough times, and your child will learn to self-regulate through self-labeling.

Cultivate a warm and loving relationship

Another important strategy to help children develop healthy self-regulation skills is by cultivating a warm and loving relationship with them. Effective self-regulation skills tend to emerge in children who have self-confidence and feel loved and supported at home. These kids usually cope more effectively in times of stress because they feel secure enough to practice new skills and learn from their mistakes.

Allow children to take their time

Regulating emotions isn’t an ability that is present at birth. Give your children adequate time to process their feelings. When children are upset, remind them to take deep breaths and give them time to calm down before discussing the situation. Self-awareness and self-regulation are skills that require patience and practice.

Healthy self-regulation skills are important for kids to develop in order to succeed and find happiness in life. You can help your child develop self-regulation skills by following these helpful strategies.

At Young Scholars Academy, our philosophy is to be a vital extension of your family. We provide a nurturing and loving environment for children as we work together to build a foundation for their happiness and success. Visit our website to learn more.

 

A parent’s most important role is to teach their children a few basic social skills, which are essential for mental health, success, and happiness. Children who can interact and relate to others positively will be better able to establish and enjoy meaningful relationships with peers and others. In addition, they will find academic success and career fulfillment.

Through play dates, group activities, and other ways to interact with other kids, you can introduce your child to some essential basic social skills. While it is important not to force these experiences on our children, it is important for them to be exposed to them in order to practice and develop their social skills.

Here are five basic social skills that every preschooler should learn:

Sharing

Children’s willingness to share can go a long way when it comes to forming relationships and making friends. Sharing a snack or a toy is important for kids to learn as early as possible. At first, it’s not always easy because young children are often reluctant to share things that are important to them.

By presenting your child with opportunities when possible, you can instill this basic social skill. It is also possible to make it a game, such as, “Let’s see who can share their toys the best,” or, “How many things can you share?” When children see you value sharing, it is more likely to become a habit, and can even improve their confidence.

Taking turns

Children need to learn how to take turns as another basic social skill. It teaches children to listen, wait for their turn, and be courteous to others. Waiting for a turn while playing a game or speaking can be practiced.

Taking turns can be learned by playing games at home, drawing on a chalkboard, and even cooking.

Asking and answering questions

Children need to learn how to ask questions. It gives children confidence to initiate conversations and get to know others when they are able to ask questions effectively. Asking questions also motivates kids to pay attention and explore their surroundings.

Try encouraging your preschooler by asking open-ended questions such as, “What do you think about that story?” or “How does that make you feel?”. Consistently respond enthusiastically to children’s questions so they know their curiosity is valued. 

Apologizing

All of us make mistakes. Learning to apologize for our mistakes is a basic social skill. By saying sorry, we demonstrate humility and acknowledge that we made a mistake. Apologizing motivates children to improve certain behaviors and prevent repeating them in the future.

You can teach apology by example. When you apologize, this is a good opportunity to teach your child how to apologize in a sincere and appropriate way. Use a spilled cup of juice as a chance for your child to observe as you apologize and clean up the mess you made. 

Listening

Listening is more than just being quiet while someone else speaks. Listening means paying attention to what someone else is saying, and it’s the key to healthy two-way communication. Make eye contact, don’t interrupt or fidget, and give your full attention to the speaker.

Children who are able to listen well show others that they are interested and respect their opinion. You can teach your child the value of listening to others. Listen carefully to children when they speak. After they finish talking, repeat what you heard them say to show you are attentive.

Social skills are integral to children’s emotional and social development. Children can be taught these basic social skills and become well-adjusted, confident individuals with your help.

At Young Scholars Academy, we understand the importance of nurturing the development of children’s social skills. We offer activities that promote friendship and social interactions. Just like our preschool classrooms, we invite you to come and get a first-hand look at the classroom, meet our teachers, and observe our nationally-accredited program!

 

Mathematics can be a tricky subject for many kids. Some kids even dread the thought of learning math. Fear of math isn’t uncommon among children, but there are ways to help combat fear. As a parent, you can help make learning math a more positive experience for your child. Here are seven tips for teaching mathematics at home!

Kids learn best when they’re having fun

While this tip may seem obvious, there are some parents who forget the importance of incorporating fun into the process of learning. Even math can be fun sometimes! Think about the various creative tools you can use when teaching your child math. For example, you may inject your little one’s favorite cartoon characters into a math problem, and the solution will come more easily than before! Or, if you are teaching your child the concept of addition, you may use some of your child’s favorite toys (such as Legos or colorful blocks) to represent numbers. Kids tend to be more engaged when fun materials are involved, as opposed to traditional paper and pencil.

Start with the basics, like counting

Counting is the foundation of all mathematical concepts. When children reach age two, that is usually a good time to introduce the concept of counting. Start by using small sets of objects. For example, you can show your child different sized cups or spoons, and ask which cup has one spoon inside it, and which one has two.

Incorporate everyday objects

You can use an array of household items as teaching tools when teaching kids about math. Make use of any things you have at home, such as pennies, cups, popsicle sticks, books, and anything else! For example, if you want to teach your child about addition, place two or more pennies on top of each other on a flat surface. Ask your child how many pennies there are. Then, show your child a larger amount of pennies and ask for the total amount again. Repeat this process until children learn how to solve this type of problem independently.

Practice practice practice!

The more opportunities children have to practice new math skills,, the sooner they will be able to master these concepts. As time goes by, you can start to introduce larger numbers and harder equations. Just be sure to give your little one adequate time to process each math problem or concept before moving on to the next level.

Play math games

There are so many board games and card games that can enrich the process of teaching math to kids. Some fun ones include checkers, chess, Monopoly, Uno, Bingo, Super Why! (online game), and even some apps (like Math Evolve.) You can also play games like Chutes and Ladders to help teach children how to count in different increments like twos, fives, and tens.

In addition to math games, there are also other ways to make learning numbers more fun and exciting. You can create a math scavenger hunt with your kids around the house. Hide various items of different values or quantities, and have your child count and collect these. For example, give kids a set of coins to place in a space on their board. This is a great way to teach them how to solve subtraction problems (like “10 – 8 =”)

Read math-themed books together

Reading math books is another great way to help you teach mathematics at home with zero effort! Reading exposes children to a variety of mathematical concepts in a way that can make it easier for them to understand. The best time to do this is when you are teaching your child how to read. You can also buy teaching books at bookstores or borrow them from the library. There are plenty of teaching materials for math, so go ahead and have fun!

Incorporate math into your daily activities

Math is a regular part of our daily lives. Teaching kids some basic math concepts can be made easier when they are able to understand how math shows up all around them every day.

For example, if you’re baking cookies together, show your child how to measure flour using cups and spoons. You can also use grocery shopping together as an opportunity to demonstrate how you use subtraction or division to check the price of items.

Mathematics can be overwhelming for some kids, but it doesn’t have to be. Use these tips to help you teach mathematics and foster the math wiz in your child!

At Young Scholars Academy, we provide developmental emphasis through hands-on discovery experiences. You can see in each area of curriculum, those areas being; science & sensory, math, and language & literacy.

Starting school is one of the significant milestones in a child’s life. As a parent, you want to make sure your little one is prepared for this significant transition and has an enriching experience. So how can you ensure that your little one is ready for school? What types of things can you do to adequately prepare children for this new, exciting journey?

School readiness is about more than just one’s academic skills. It also encompasses a child’s social and emotional readiness for this transition. It’s important that we help children develop other critical skills that will help them be successful in school and beyond. You can help your child develop the skills needed to be ready for school with these helpful tips!

Read and tell stories

It’s important to incorporate reading into your child’s daily routine. Carve out time to read together. You can make it fun by engaging children in the story and stimulating their imaginations. You can also encourage your little one to take on different parts of the story. Invite your child to share comments and ask questions about the characters and what might happen next. This activity helps build vocabulary and comprehension skills that will help your child learn to read independently later on.

Set up playdates

You can start by scheduling playdates for your child with friends or your neighbors’ kids. It’s essential that children have opportunities to practice and sharpen their social skills. These opportunities will help them build friendships both in and out of school.

Be sure to provide your kids with ample opportunities for social interactions. In addition to playdates, you might also consider enrolling your child in after-school programs, sports, or art classes, as these can help them connect with other kids who share similar interests.

Master the ABCs

Helping your child learn the alphabet goes beyond just teaching your child letters. It’s also about learning how to write letters and recognize words, phrases, and sentences, even if children don’t know how to read yet. You can start by printing some easy puzzles or showing kids flashcards of common words, objects, and mnemonics (like the days of the week or months of the year.) Other helpful items include school supplies like magnetic letters your little one can play with on a cookie sheet or school books and magazines around your home.

Build healthy habits

You’ve probably already started teaching your child about the importance of eating healthy and choosing fruits and veggies over junk food or soda pop. Promoting school readiness also includes school-appropriate nutrition. If your child’s school serves food, encourage your little one to eat what is served at school. By doing so, children’s proper nutritional needs will be met. Make an effort to keep sugary treats out of reach in order to prevent unnecessary temptation (and cavities!)

Map out your child’s day

Another important component of preparing your child for school is becoming familiar with the layout of the school. Take your child to the school and find out if you can walk through the building together. It will help ease any worries or anxiety if you’re able to point out the location of your child’s classroom, where kids go for recess, and other important spots in the building. You may also be able to take pictures of these places so that your child can study these maps at home too.

Review the daily routine

You can help your child develop an increased sense of security by discussing the routines at school. It’s beneficial for kids to become familiar with how things work in the classroom, and what will happen at specific times of the day (such as lunch

Talk about school

Many children are excited for school to start and looking forward to playing with their friends all day long! Take time to discuss what a typical school day will look like to help prevent  surprises. Engage your child in conversations about how school works, and encourage questions about school rules and classroom expectations.

Read books about school

Knowledge is power! Reading books to  young children about school will help them become familiar with what to expect before the first day arrives. Kids can get an idea of what a classroom looks like, how a teacher might behave on the first day, what kinds of activities and projects they might do each day. You can also read school-themed books to help your child learn some basic school-related terms and what some typical school situations might be.

Starting school is one of the most exciting events of your child’s life. These activities will help prepare your child for this transition, and make school a happy and fun experience!

At Young Scholars Academy, we connect with our families on a deeper level than most corporate child care centers are able to. We aim to understand the needs that are most important to your family, and the developmental goals you have for your little one each day. Contact us to learn more about our center today!