Building Blocks To Raising Self Aware Children

 

Here at Babies and Baubles we like to honor the very fabric of our society by celebrating the family structure. I believe that that in order to have a well-functioning society, we as family units should begin to learn and implement the basics of healthy family foundations. Christian programs such as Parenting God’s Way provide tips, and articles that provide families the correct tools and scriptures on raising healthy children, as well as supports the promotion of healthy parents.

A few days ago I found myself listening to a broadcast on raising Christian children in a day and age where the world has its own way of teaching both parents and children what’s acceptable, and if you are like many other Christian parents, grandparents, caregivers and teachers you are aware that the world’s standards are vastly different from God’s way.

 

 

The Word Of The God says to “Train up a child in the way that should go, and when they are old they will not depart from it”. This scripture could apply to the importance of educating our children on on recognizing and establishing healthy boundaries, both physically, spiritually and emotionally. It is statistically accurate that the days of waiting until your children learn about sex education from the education system are long gone. Kids are being exposed to conversations and physical encounters every day. If unfamiliar with how to handle these situations things could  take a turn for the worse.

Experts say that you should begin to teach your kids about theses values way before you or society “deems” them  at the age of “maturity”. With that being said, what do you think is the appropriate age to begin teaching your kids about body awareness and how “the rules.” Don’t wait until the age that you think that they will be ready to learn about the importance of gender roles, the purpose of sex, and waiting until marriage to become intimate. Go ahead and prepare now.

Kids in today’s society are being exposed to alternative teachings, such as gender fluidity, homosexuality, masturbation, pre-marital sex, technically it’s never too early to get ahead of the learning curve, by introducing your children to Christian values, and how to meet God’s expectations of living righteously.

Outlets in the media; television, music, books, and even games and apps have exposed our kids to the too much, too soon syndrome. All of this covert programming is being received and filtered subconsciously through their senses and being processed in their minds, and if not taken care, absorbed and acted out. Think about how intently young kids can watch television or a movie intended for kids. They sit for thirty minutes shows back to back. We as Christian parents understand that the world’s way of influencing the masses is by programming certain agendas to be incorporated into mainstream media in order to slowly gain our acceptance. Our goal as parents of young, easily influenced children is to prevent that from happening.

One of the ways that you as a parent can actively become involved is by teaching them from the ages of one to three years old, is about being body conscious. This is something that young kids are taught at day care, but as a parent you can implement similar games with your children that will encourage them to take ownership over their bodies as well as educate them on the function of their bodies and it’s unique parts. To begin the, introduce a game where they physically identify their head, arms, legs and fingers and toes. Create a song or dance to go with it, or perhaps purchase a book that readily explains the functions. Also, visiting websites that are both kid and parent friendly alike such as Growing Hands On Kids and read their articles, one in particular 10 Body Awareness Activities For Kids provides activities that help your kids cultivate balance through movement and dancing to action songs. The kids will enjoy your participation, so do not hesitate to join them in play. Some parents will be hesitant about explaining anything beyond the basics of body awareness, but you don’t have to be. As a parent of a toddler it’s recommended that you begin to teach them about both their public parts (the parts you see everyday) and the private parts (the parts that you don’t see everyday). Our too much information…. This is something that children can grasp easily and if explained through honest communication that girls have specific parts and boys have specific parts, what they do and that these private parts are only relevant as their roles as parents….one day. It all makes sense when put into context. Explain to them that that after you become a mature woman you meet and marry a mature man. Women can then conceive and have babies. After young boys mature into men, they too meet and marry a woman and they produce babies that the woman, wife will carry. Your kids will be very interested in learning how they too will one day grow up, get married and have their own kids, because of course they have seen examples of healthy families roles in everyday life. They probably will have a few questions for you, and you should prepare to have mature answers for them as well.

In continuation, teaching your young children about body awareness, the next article will help you explain in depth how to maintain his or her purity as your child grows older, we all understand that we need to begin somewhere and then continue to have open communication as our children become older. So grab a few books and begin to reinforce the things that you have learned, as you begin to practice, your kids will be a little more prepared for the life they experience outside of your Christian home.

 

Stephaniemary Fagbeyiro-Post/Blogger and Business Owner

The Balancing Act – Raising Well Rounded Kids

Not too many people can deny the joy and peace that comes with raising children. However within the past 20 to 15 years, making sure that you as parents, keep your children nurtured protected and out of trouble has become increasingly harder to accomplish. Apart from adopting the ‘helicopter technique’ parenting style, in which you basically smother your child or children. In order to make sure that your children are their very best selves when out of your presence, you will need to implore some tactics.

Every parent desires to raise children that are physically and mentally healthy. It our goal to try our best in every situation to promote independence that will encourage even the shy ones to be more expressive an take on the world. The the thing is not all parents know just how to accomplish this without any further knowledge. The first step is to teach your children about healthy, normal awareness of self and others.

 

Teaching your kids, starting from a young age, just who they are as human beings, begins from inside the womb. I was encouraged with my first pregnancy to begin to communicate with my then baby, and it was difficult at first, but I begin to be encouraged, my son became more aware of who was around me and he would become more active in the womb when I spoke to him. The developmental stage of infancy is so rapid, www.wonderweeks.com, this state of awareness, develops both independence and reliability to them. Creating and establishing healthy boundaries is a follow up to self awareness, your child is establishing who they are in this world, or at least in their environment.

The five areas of human development, which are physical development, intellectual development, social development, emotional development and moral development, are used as a way to describe the stages that we learn while still children.

 

Normally, by the age of one and throughout the toddler stage, you can start implementing in-depth conversation with your kids, encouraging to problem solve, reading and having them ask questions are all ways to interact with your kids. Guiding a young adult at this stage gives them healthy boundaries as well as establishes rules, that serve to keep them on the right path. It’s very important to make them aware of who sets the rules of conduct.

 

The beautiful thing about parenting with positivity is that you are actively teaching your kids to value themselves and others, by creating structure as well as leading by example. By being a walking, talking reflection of what you would like to see in your child, you give them continual reference of what it is like to be a good person. How relatable are you with your children? As a parent, I enjoy spending time with my kids, as with most parents, I don’t think I do. Even if it’s spending time reading to them and allowing them to ask questions or watching the tv shows that they like, playing outside or doing active arts and craft projects with them, take an hour daily to entertain them.

I believe that one of the most important stages of development that we should want to place a high level of importance on is moral development. Teaching your your children how to have a Godly character is by far one the best ways to make sure that they will live a healthy, full productive life. Every other method of raising competent, considerate children that actually works, focuses on ‘self’. Christianity and Judaism especially teach that man has never been the focal point, especially of attaining self perfection. Just like infants, we are taught how to be righteous, honest, caring trustworthy, loving, as Christ is. When we apply that knowledge to preparing our young children for the world that begins in the home, they begin to recall on the lessons of Christianity and its teachings. Now when they are away from home and interacting with various people and or situations the morals and values that are continually being taught to them, actually provide the structure for establishing and maintaining a well rounded child into adulthood.

 

 

Stephaniemary Fagbeyiro/Blogger and Business Owner