Genius Kids Club

Helping your baby to sleep!!

Crawling is one of the first milestones. So, at what age do babies start crawling? Lets know this..... Ready, set, crawl!!

fp-pm-ready-set-crawl We know that watching your baby crawl for the first time is an unforgettable milestone. Click here to discover our top tips and toys for crawling babies.

Kids develop reading skills at their own pace. And some kids learn earlier and more quickly than others. Here’s what reading typically looks like at different ages:

By age 2, kids often start to recite the words to their favorite books. They also start to answer questions about what they see in books.
In preschool, kids typically start to recognize about half the letters of the alphabet. They also start to notice words that rhyme.
In kindergarten, kids often start matching letters to sounds. They also start to recognize some words by sight without having to sound them out.
By second grade, most kids can sound out and recognize words and can read and understand sentences. Most people consider this as having learned to read.
Keep in mind that every child is different. Not all kids develop reading skills at the same rate. Taking longer doesn’t mean they’re not on track to become good readers.

Why kids might have trouble learning to read
Learning how to read can be challenging for some kids. But that doesn’t mean they’re not smart. They just may need extra time and support to become full-fledged readers.

There are many reasons why kids have trouble learning to read. Some have a hard time understanding how language works. For example, they may struggle with recognizing sounds in words or matching sounds to letters.

What helps kids learn to read
Practicing at home can help kids improve reading skills. Here are some ideas parents and caregivers can try and teachers can suggest:

Make reading a habit. Kids learn from what they observe. Try reading a book together every night before bedtime.
Play reading games. While running errands, have kids read the road signs out loud. Or play rhyming games together.
Have conversations. Talk about things you’re seeing or feeling and ask questions so kids can do the same. This helps build the language skills

Harvard Psychologists Reveal: Parents Who Raise ‘Kind’ Kids Do These 5 Things…

Parents are saddled with the difficult task of raising tiny humans. These tiny humans learn all kinds of things from their parents. Most importantly, though, children learn how to treat other people. Raising a child who is considered “kind” may seem easy, but many parents can tell you that it’s not always the case.

“Grades and athletic/artistic accomplishments matter, but most of us would agree raising kind kids matters more. If we spend our days drilling math facts and chauffeuring our kids to “enrichment activities,” it begs the question: What are we prioritizing most—and why,” adds Dr. Robin Berman.

Thankfully, Harvard psychologists have pinpointed the best ways to raise your child to be “kind”, and to retain that kindness throughout their lives.

HERE ARE 5 THINGS PARENTS WHO RAISE KIND KIDS DO

1. BE THEIR ROLE MODEL
Nobody is perfect, and everyone makes mistakes. However, being a parent means that your child is going to soak up information from you like a sponge. Especially during their formative years, children are going to be looking to you as a role model. To raise a child that is kind, it’s especially important to know how to be “kind” yourself.

According to a study by Harvard University, “Being a role model doesn’t mean that we need to be perfect or have all the answers. It means grappling with our flaws, acknowledging our mistakes, listening to our children and students, and connecting our values to their ways of understanding the world.”

Being honest with your child, especially when it comes to difficult emotions, is one of the best ways to be a good role model. Children will learn their values and how they interact with the world from their parents.

2. TEACH YOUR CHILDREN USING EMPATHY
When you’re teaching your child how to interact with the world, it can be hard for you to imagine how they see things. Children have all the same kind of emotions and feelings that adults have. However, they’re not fully prepared to express them yet. When you teach your child by using empathy, you can show them how to care for other people.

Kind children know how to connect with other people on a personal level. That connection involves being able to feel what other people feel. Show them how by empathizing with them first. “Unfortunately, selfie culture is not helping our children grow their highest or happiest selves. Studies show that the more we connect to others, the happier we are. So we need to make sure we are spending more time looking out, rather than looking at our own selfies,” says Dr. Berman.

3. MAKE CARING FOR OTHERS IMPORTANT
As humans, we often make caring for ourselves the most important thing. And sometimes, that’s what we need to do to get through life. However, making caring for others an important part of their life will teach your children how to reach out to other people.

With guidance from adults and practice, young people can also develop the skills and courage to know when and how to intervene in situations when they and others are imperiled. They can become effective “upstanders” or “first responders.”,” states the study from Harvard University.

Show your children that caring for others is important to you, and it will also become important to them. You will no doubt raise a child that thinks of others before themselves and works hard to make sure that they’re being their best and kindest every day.

4. HELP THEM PROCESS THEIR EMOTIONS
Not all emotions are fun. Some emotions, like anger and frustration, can be difficult for children to understand. When children become upset, they need to be taught how to deal with those feelings. Children who aren’t taught tend to lash out physically – hitting, kicking, screaming. That kind of behavior doesn’t make for a “kind” child at all. Instead, Harvard psychologists say to focus on dealing with and processing emotions in a healthy manner.

“We need to teach children that all feelings are ok, but some ways of dealing with them are not helpful. Children need our help learning to cope with these feelings in productive ways,” add Harvard psychologists. Children need to learn that it’s okay to feel unpleasant emotions, but also how to handle them and let them go.

5. PRAISE ONE ANOTHER CONSISTENTLY
“The power of mindful words can’t be overstated. Words can inflame or inspire. The diplomacy you teach will allow your kids to be heard in the future. It also feeds a gentler narrative in their head.” – Dr. Robin Berman

Praise and consistency are key to raising a child who is emotionally well-rounded. It’s also key to raising a child who is kind. Kindness comes from practice, and all practice requires consistency. When your child does something kind, make sure you recognize and acknowledge it. Praise them for their kindness, so that they know that they’re on the right track. Don’t just do it with your children, either!

Parents should praise one another for kindness, because your tiny humans are always listening. Get the rest of the adults in your child’s life to get on board, too. The more they see adults being kind, recognizing it, and reinforcing it with praise and thanks, the more they’ll learn.

Final thoughts

Kindness is something that children have to learn – like manners, please and thank you, right and wrong, and empathy. Learning kindness becomes way easier when their parents are on board and know the right ways to instill kindness into their children. If you’re worried about how to bring your child up in a way that helps them be “kind”, here are the ways other parents did it. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, though! Just know how to correct them – because your child is always learning.

THE BEST PARENTING ADVICE 15
Respect parenting differences:
Support your spouse's basic approach to raising kids -- unless it's way out of line. Criticizing or arguing with your partner will do more harm to your marriage and your child's sense of security than if you accept standards that are different from your own.

TEACHING KIDS ABOUT KINDNESS

Applying the Kindness Counts study in your home, classroom, or after-school program is easy. The goal is to help kids become more aware of doing acts of kindness and of their feelings of gratitude when they experience pleasant activities.

Follow these four steps to help enable children to be givers of kindness. Your efforts will be greatly rewarded!

1. Understand the Importance of Kindness

Learn about the benefits of giving for children and adults. Check the web for resources for home and classroom, like The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation.

2. Create a Kindness Project

Devise an activity where your family or classroom records ONE act of kindness or ONE pleasant activity per day. You might call it your “Kindness Project” or “Happiness Diary.” These activities could include helping with dishes, letting someone else go first, taking care of an animal, going out of way the for a friend, hugging someone to make them feel better, etc. Or they might include visits to places and experiences that make us feel good, like visiting a favorite park or a grandparent’s house.

3. Take Time to Share

On a regular weekly basis, take time to share as a family or classroom. Rather than sharing everything in your diary, share the highlights of your week. Share enough so that everyone learns from each other’s acts of kindness and begins to understand the types of experiences that bring gratitude to life. Sharing encourages self-reflection and helps bring meaning to our actions.

4. Practice, Practice, Practice

It may not be practical to keep up a routine where you are sharing from a diary on a regular basis. Reinforcement of the kindness habit comes with practice. But once children get into the habit, it’s easy to share from time to time.

Whether it’s planting a peace garden, making a get-well card for a sick friend, or simply inviting someone new to sit at your school lunch table, there are many free and easy ways kids can help create a more peaceful world.

THE BEST PARENTING AADVICE 15
Kiss and hug your spouse in front of the kids. Your marriage is the only example your child has of what an intimate relationship looks, feels, and sounds like. So it's your job to set a great standard.

THE BEST PARENTING ADVICE 14
Tell the Truth:
Always tell the truth. It's how you want your child to behave.

THE BEST PARENTING ADVICE 13
Live a Little Greener
Show your kids how easy it is to care for the environment. Waste less, recycle, reuse, and conserve each day. Spend an afternoon picking up trash around the neighborhood.

THE BEST PARENTING ADVICE 12
Fess up when you blow it:
This is the best way to show your children how and when they should apologiz.