Creating family traditions of your own
In my previous post I focused on the importance of family traditions for children’s development and here I thought we could look at some ways in which to start family traditions of your own. New family traditions aren’t only for young families – you can start a new tradition at any time, as long as […]
The importance of family traditions
It’s that time of the year again – retailers have been bombarding us with images of Christmas trees, Santa Clauses and brightly wrapped gifts for months now and in little over a week families all over the world will come together to experience the joy (and often chaos) of a traditional family Christmas celebration. It’s […]
10 Golden rules for parents of children with a learning difficulty
Having a child with a learning difficulty may be leave parents feeling frustrated, overwhelmed and uncertain about what to do or where to go looking for help. Implementing these golden rules below should help you, and your child, navigate through the difficult times: Take one day at a time. Remember that you do not have […]
Tips for shopping with children
I chatted to Voice of the Cape’s Aashia Hendricks last week about shopping with children, here are some of the things we discussed: What should you consider before you decide to go shopping with children? Try to plan your shopping trip to avoid the big crowds and make sure that you’ve all eaten so that you’re […]
Talking to children about death
Talking to children about death when a family member or pet has passed away will help them develop emotional coping skills for later on in life. Unpleasant as it may be death is an inescapable fact of life – and one that many children will be faced with at some time or another. When talking […]
Helping children with fear – advice from a Play Therapist
Helping Children with Fear – advice from a Play Therapist All children have fears at some point in their life and it is usually considered to be a normal part of development. These fears are only abnormal if they are persistent or interfere with the child’s normal activities. Toddlers normally have simple fears of separation, […]
Disciplining teenagers
Disciplining teenagers presents a rather unique challenge as there’s bound to be a slight power shift in the parent child relationship as children get older – parents need their children to understand that ultimately they are still in charge, yet at the same time need to guide their children in taking greater responsibility and becoming more […]
How to listen to your child
How to listen to your child “Listen earnestly to anything your children want to tell you…no matter what. If you don’t listen eagerly to the little stuff when they are little, they won’t tell you the big stuff when they are big. Because, to them, all of it has always been big stuff.” ~ Catherine. […]
Play therapy – 6 things parents shouldn’t do
6 things not to do when your child goes for play therapy There are quite a few articles out there with helpful hints on what to do when your child goes for play therapy, but what must you not do? Here are a few helpful tips or things to avoid when your child goes […]
Tips for feeding a picky toddler
“My child refuses to eat! Help!” This seems to be quite a common complaint for parents of toddlers, yet it can cause parents a lot of stress. The immediate reaction is to 1) punish the child and force him to eat, 2) give-in and give him what he wants because you’re afraid of him going […]