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How to Handle a Difficult Child: 6 Helpful Tips for Parents

May 25, 2021 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

Raising a child is a difficult undertaking for any parent, but having a child who exhibits challenging behaviors can be downright exhausting. Whether your child is prone to tantrums, refuses to eat, or has public meltdowns, many parents know how tough it can be when a child acts out. 

A reality that parents face is that all kids can be a handful at one time or another, even in the best of circumstances. So, how do you handle a child who frequently exhibits difficult to manage behaviors? What is the best way to respond when your little one isn’t on his or her best behavior? With the right approach, handling a child with behavioral difficulties is an art you’ll eventually be able to master. Here are some tips you might find useful. 

Understand the root cause of the behavior

Children do not just misbehave because they want to be difficult. Oftentimes they are feeling frustrated, hungry, or overwhelmed, and they do not know how to express their feelings clearly or effectively. Remember that young kids are not innately skilled when it comes to communicating their needs or feelings and more often than not, they use tantrums to gain your attention. Your child might have a need that isn’t being met, and your job is to find out what that need is.  Be sure to assess the situation first before reacting or addressing the misbehavior. 

Establish boundaries 

Setting boundaries is an important way to ensure that children understand how they are expected to behave in certain situations. In order to set these boundaries, it’s also helpful to implement rules and consequences.  Be sure to clearly communicate what is expected of your child so that following your rules becomes manageable and realistic. It’s also important to ensure that your little one clearly understands what will and will not be tolerated. If your child isn’t able to adhere to these guidelines, there should be a corresponding consequence for his or her actions. 

Stay calm

It may be tempting to fall prey to your own emotions in times of stress and have an angry outburst when your child is misbehaving. However, staying calm is key.  Do your best to remain calm so that you can understand and address the situation. Take a step back, take a deep breath, and approach the situation with a calm demeanor. Remember that it is normal for all young kids to go through some difficult phases from time to time. Instead of trying to immediately change your child’s behavior, it is best to focus on your own response first.  It’s natural to feel frustrated, but it’s important that you know how to manage your anger as well. 

Make sure your child feels heard

Letting your child know that you hear his or her concerns or frustration is vital when facing difficult behavior. Your little one’s tantrum is often a cry for help or attention. Therefore, make sure children know that they are being heard any time they express anger, sadness, or frustration. The better you aim to understand their points of view, the easier it becomes to talk to them and resolve the issue at hand. 

Reward good behavior when possible 

Giving a reward to children who behave well can be a useful parenting technique that encourages positive changes in behavior while discouraging negative behaviors from recurring. The reward you choose doesn’t have to be anything extravagant. Just think of something your little one will love and enjoy. 

For example, if your child finishes all of their food during dinner without crying or having a tantrum, you may consider letting him or her enjoy an extra scoop of ice cream for dessert or an additional 30 minutes of playtime.  

Take time to explain

It’s also important to remember that young kids don’t have an immediate sense of what types of behavior are acceptable and unacceptable, so this is where your role as a parent comes in.  Take time to explain to your child why certain behaviors are discouraged or won’t be tolerated. Discuss why it’s not ok to snatch a toy away from another child and explain how his or her actions can affect others. The more you explain to your child how others may be impacted by his or her choices, the more your child can develop empathy and discontinue that type of behavior. 

Dealing with difficult behavior from children is no easy feat, but with some time and dedication, and these tips in your arsenal, you can successfully instill discipline and encourage better behavior with your little one. 

For more tips and resources on parenting, please visit Young Scholars Academy.

Filed Under: Family Tips

Family Fun Night

May 17, 2021 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

Recently, my family and I started celebrating Fridays with family fun night! This is a chance for all of us to spend time together doing something enjoyable at home! Life gets busy, so its nice to slow down and plan to have a night off together as a family. I wanted to share some of our ideas as it may be something neat to implement into your home in your own way.

First rule of family night, order the pizza! We like to try new pizzas around town and compare them! It’s actually a great way to start some entertaining conversations! My kids then like to pretend they are chefs and describe how that particular pizza was made. It’s a fun way for us to have a special dinner to look forward to each week. We have also had nights where we make our own pizzas! There are a ton of easy recipes on-line that we have tried and we also really like buying the Pillsbury pizza crust as an easy option. You then just add your sauce and toppings. This is such a fun activity to do with your child!

We then usually do a fun activity together or go get a special treat. Playing board games is always a big hit. Crafting or making something as a family together, even baking dessert together itself is an enjoyable time. Sometimes its just a simple bike ride/walk before the bedtime shenanigans. Playing with chalk outside is also a great activity. Our next big activity that we want to do is pretend we are all on Nailed It, Or Failed It and each make our own recreation just like on the show!! Just doing something that y’all love together.

Ms. Whitney
Curriculum Coordinator
Lead Pre-Kindergarten Teacher

Filed Under: Activities

Burnt Out Parents

May 17, 2021 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

To the parents that are all burnt out, this one’s for you!

You’re doing your best and often worried you’re still not cutting it…especially when you drop the ball on school events the day of!

We’ve all been there. Give yourself a break! You’re only one person raising another human or more than likely multiple humans; you’re outnumbered easily.

Here’s the secret though. You are the best! Why? Because you’re worried about this in the first place.

So here are 5 ways to show you’ve got your s*** together even when you secretly don’t…

#1 pick out everyone’s clothes for the week while putting away laundry. Pull out your handy dandy phone, peek at the week’s weather report and any emails reminding you of events to dress for.

#2 Set alarms on your phone and use that notepad app! It’ll be a lifesaver when you’re in the middle of the store wondering why you’re really there…pull out that phone. The “3am You” that remembers all will have a nice list waiting for you.

#3 Have that drink! Even if it is only Tuesday night. Celebrate the fact that you got everyone through the 1st two days, now slide through the rest like a champ.

#4 Stick to the bedtime schedule when you can, but when you can’t it’s fine. Life will continue to go on. Promise.

And #5 when it all becomes too much just let it go. That’s right, just let it go.

You’re doing great Mommys and Daddys! Give yourself the credit and a little more grace.

Ms. Brooke
Literacy Coordinator
Curriculum Coordinator
Lead Pre-Kindergarten Teacher

Filed Under: Activities

5 Parenting Mistakes You Should Avoid

April 26, 2021 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

Parenting is one of the toughest jobs out there. You have to be constantly on your toes, ready for anything. You need to have a natural instinct, an almost sixth sense, that tells you what your child needs at any given moment. With so many decisions to make and rules to follow, it’s not surprising that some mistakes are inevitably made along the way. While nobody can parent their kids without running into snafus and bumps along the way, there are some parenting mistakes that can have long-term negative consequences.

We all make mistakes from time to time. Luckily, many common parenting mistakes can be easily avoided. Read on and learn about which blunders you can steer clear of to be a more effective parent.

Trying to raise a perfect child

Instead of focusing on raising a healthy and happy child, some parents are too obsessed with their children being “perfect”. This is one of the most common mistakes many parents make.

This practice is unhealthy, as it often leads to rigid parenting. Expecting perfection from children can result in them feeling frustrated. It can also create feelings of inadequacy, as well as confusion about what constitutes “perfect.” Putting unrealistic expectations on our kids teaches them that they should continue to place the same amount of pressure on themselves when they get older. 

Instead, remember not to be too hard on your child. Avoid forcing kids to behave in a certain manner all the time. Not only does expecting perfection negatively impact a child’s self-image, but it will also weaken your bond with your little one.

Comparing your child with others

Making comparisons between your child and other children can be detrimental to your child. You may find yourself constantly comparing the accomplishments of your own child to those of other kids, but this is not good for children’s self-esteem or confidence. When kids are compared to others, it can cause them to view themselves in a harshly negative light because they believe they are expected to measure up in one area or another. Comparing your child’s performance with the rest of the kids in class won’t improve your child’s grades. If there’s a challenge that needs to be addressed, it’s more effective to sit with your child and discuss the problem. 

Overpraising

While it’s important that parents recognize kids’ good behavior, overdoing it is not so helpful. Showering your child with excessive praise can even be counterproductive in some cases, especially when rewards are offered each time your child does something good. Also, overpraising can make kids feel pressured to live up to unrealistic expectations.

For instance, if we constantly tell our kids, “You are so smart,” or, “You’re so clever,” they may grow up with a fear of making mistakes or falling short of expectations. 

The key here is to find a healthy balance between praising your kids and letting them know it isn’t always just about the results, but also the effort. 

Being overprotective

It’s natural for parents to be protective of their children. However, there’s also such a thing as being overprotective. When parents shield their children from everything in life, they deprive them of invaluable opportunities for growth and learning. To ensure that children learn important life skills, parents need to allow their children to make mistakes. It is only by making some poor choices and learning how to fix those errors at an early age that kids can grow into successful adults.

Using punishment as a means for imposing discipline

Part of our job as parents is making sure our kids are held accountable for their actions. However, punishments are not the best way to impose discipline. In fact, using punishment can do more harm than good.

Kids who are constantly punished will only comply with their parents’ instructions out of fear. Punishments also create a dent in the connection between you and your child, while leaving him or her feeling resentful. There are other and better ways to encourage positive behaviors from our kids than resorting to punishment. 

Ignoring your child’s feelings

Discounting your child’s emotions is actually considered to be a form of emotional neglect. One of the worst things parents can do is disregard or minimize their children’s feelings. Ignoring or downplaying your child’s anxieties now can lead to a lifetime of anxiety, according to new research. If your little one is upset about something, no matter how small it may seem to you, don’t dismiss your child. And more importantly, don’t belittle or insult your child for having these feelings or crying. Let children know you understand why they’re upset. Empathize with them and work with them to address the issue. 

There’s no such thing as a perfect parent, but by avoiding these common mistakes, we can avoid some of the negative and long-term consequences that can impact our children. 

For more parenting tips and resources, feel free to visit Young Scholars Academy. 

 

Filed Under: Activities

Earth Day Fun!

April 15, 2021 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

Celebrating Earth Day at YSA is always filled with so many learning opportunities that really grab the kiddos attention. We celebrate at YSA by centering a curriculum theme around Earth Day and what it means to take care of the planet. The children really love learning about Earth, recycling, and taking care of the planet. Here are a few things that you can do at home with your child during the month of April to raise even more interest about our awesome planet.

Preschoolers love to be in charge, am I right?! So, when we talk about how they can be in charge of keeping their planet safe, they are all for it! Like so much that my own preschooler will say in utter disgust “There is some litter again mom! Why do people not take care of the Earth! Its so sad, right?!” This is a constant conversation we have anytime he sees trash outside. When we can, we do try to pick up trash while using caution. This is such a great conversation to have with your preschooler. Make them take ownership of taking care of their planet. Talking with them on how to handle their own trash is so important. When you are at the park having lunch, make it a point to talk about keeping track of their trash so they do not litter, teach them how to tell people if they accidently drop trash, talk about recycling! Even some parks have separate trash cans for recycling. Giving them some control and purpose can really encourage them to leave places better than they found them.

A fun art project you can do with your preschooler is to use recyclables to create art masterpieces. Here is another opportunity to discuss recycling with your preschooler. After separating those materials out together, you can then have your child use some handy glue to assemble a recycled art sculpture. We are working on these throughout the building this month so I know some will be raving about how much fun they had doing this in class! Why not do it at home as well!

Another favorite preschooler art project is to make a coffee filter Earth. You take a dry, unused coffee filter and have your child use blue and green markers to color their very own Earth. After they have colored in the land and water, they then take a spray bottle filled with water and slowly soak the coffee filter. This allows for the blue and green colors to mold together, creating some really neat and colorful Earths. After allowing the work of art to dry, these are great to hang in a window!

Preschoolers with a passion can take over the world! Teaching them at home about taking care of the planet is important and can be done in such a fun way. They really do love learning about how Earth works, its properties, and how to keep it healthy! So, this year please take a minute to chat with your preschooler on how you as a family can take care of the planet and make a difference.

Ms. Whitney
Lead Pre-Kindergarten Teacher
Curriculum Coordinator

Filed Under: Activities

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