Down the slide

A lot of kids want to climb up the slide.  This can be fine when your child is the only child at the playground.  This Mom is doing great coaching for learning to slide down the "right way" so that it is safe when lots of kids are around.

I didn't do it!

It is tough for any of us to admit  that we did something wrong.  Wanting to blame somebody else starts young.  This family doesn't get mad, but doesn't let her get away with it.

I am not sleepy, I am not crabby

As many of us learned during the holiday, family road trips can be tough for little kids. Often it seems that if we plan on them napping in the car,  they don't.  This Mom very patiently explains the situation to her daughter, but her overtired daughter is in no mood to understand what her mom is saying. Mom and the family then try humor, but that doesn't really go well for the little girl either.  Maybe with a little music or just quiet time, she will relax and go back to sleep?
 

Let them outside!

It doesn't have to be nice out and they don't need much in the way of something to play with.  Dress them well and let them out. for a while. You might have to go out too, if you want them to stay out of the mud.

Letting her take her time with a present

       This little girl takes her time opening her present.  She very carefully takes ALL the paper off before really looking at the toy.  Her parents do a great job of not rushing her or expecting her to be super excited. Dad asks her if she wants help opening the box. She seems to appreciate that.

Big enough to help

This Mom and Dad are teaching this little guy to help out.  It is hard work for him to lift the milk, but he can do it.  They show him where to put the milk, but don't help him.  They are very patient, as they could have done it themselves in half the time.  Their patience and coaching will pay off as the little guy learns to stick with his chores or a job.

Missing Mommy

This little girl misses her mommy.  Is mommy in the hospital because she just had a new baby?  Mom does a really nice job of letting the little girl know that her mom wants to be with her!  Mom helps the little girl change her focus from missing Mom to thinking about what she will bring to Mom.  This seems to really help her settle down.  Bet they were both really happy to see each other. 

"Playing" drums

This little girl is using things she found to "play" drums. She has a very good idea of how drums are really played.  Mom does a good job of watching and talking to her without telling her what else she might do or how to be a better drummer.

"want my helmet off"

This little guy isn't so wild about his bike helmet. Dad does a good job of simply telling him why he has to wear the helmet.  No arguing, no negotiating, just "so you stay safe".

Baseball- learning skills, words and ideas

 While this little guy seems to have been learning about how to hit a baseball, he is also learning words for ideas like "home run" and actions like "home run".  Mom is playing in a way that lets both she and the little guy have fun instead of pressuring him to do hit it exactly "right".

Water play-fun and safe

Wild play in the water, kids love it.  This mom shows a good way to make it exciting but keep it safe and at the level of the kid.  She tosses her daughter a little bit high, but never out of her reach.  Both Mom and the the girl are confident that Mom will always be there to catch her which makes it more fun.

Brother teaches little sister

These kids are playing hopscotch. He is teaching her the basics.  Little kids can learn a lot if the older kids don't expect the little ones to be perfect on the first try or more.  Older kids learn how to teach from the way that you teach them.  This brother has had a good teacher in Mom and Dad!
 

Is she really helping Mom?

This girl wants to help out by bringing in the garbage can from the street. There are times when this doesn't feel like "help" because it takes soooooo long to let them do the project. If we can wait while they "work", kids learn a lot about both "helping" and get a sense of accomplishment that makes them want to try again.

Stuck indoors w/ kids? 1 way to keep them busy

Weather have you stuck indoors with fussy kids? This Dad has found a good way to keep his kids busy. Both kids can play in their own way.

Learning to do dishes at 3

She's too small to be doing the family dishes any time soon, but this little girl sure gets the idea of how it's done. She has been taught how to be careful and keep the water in the sink. Mom stays close to make sure all is OK.

Riding her first bike

Emma rides her bike! Mom and Dad do a great job of watching out for her safety but letting her learn about riding. They help her when she can't get her bike going but don't make a big deal out of it. They seem to be having fun with Emma.