Sibling Rivalry and Prayers for Those Impacted by the Waldo Canyon Fire

Posted on June 29, 2012 by viviankirkfield

Two Sisters (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“Mommeeeeee….Rachel pushed me!” “Mommeeeee…Brandon took that toy and I had it first!”

If you grew up with brothers and/or sisters, the above scenarios probably sound familiar.

If you have more than one child now, you have probably heard similar complaints in your own home.

Sibling rivalry seems to be inevitable, but is it ALL bad?

And what, if anything, can parents do to ease the tension and reduce the conflicts between their kids?

Last year, the University of Cambridge did a study that showed that siblings can have a positive effect on a child’s early development of social understanding (the awareness of others thoughts and feelings) even when there is some discord such as arguing or teasing. The communication between siblings helps them learn to express their feelings and emotions. It is important for parents with only children to make sure they are providing their child with many opportunities for conversation about thoughts and feelings.

Sustained or continuous sibling rivalry, however, can result in behavioral problems and relationship building issues later in life.

With summer here and kids at home, here are some simple steps parents can take to create a more peaceful and positive atmosphere:

Plan family activities that are fun for everyone.
Make sure each child has his or her own space.
Encourage cooperation, not competition…when picking up toys; have the children race the clock, not each other.
Teach conflict resolution.
Don’t play favorites or compare siblings.
Make sure your kids are not hungry or tired or bored.
Plan family time such as eating meals together.
Teach positive ways to get attention from each other and from parents.
Set aside along time with each child.
Don’t take sides.
Teach kids to compromise and respect one another.
Encourage children to express their feeling and find words for them.
Be a good role model.

Picture books are a wonderful tool to use as well. If you are looking for a great picture book that addresses this problem, there are several to choose from:

Queen of the World by Thomas Yezerski

I Love You Purplest by Barbara Joosees

Sheila Rae’s Peppermint Stick by Kevin Henkes

And one of my favorites:

The Day No One Played Together by Donalisa Helsley.

The Day No One Played Together: A Lesson About Compromise, is a beautifully illustrated (by the talented Sarah Harkey) story of two sisters who want to play together. However, each wants the other to play HER game. When the sisters come to a stalemate, their mom steps in with a suggestion: COMPROMISE. The girls begin to brainstorm many ideas of how they can incorporate what each wants to do so that they can play together. They happily solve their problem and the book ends with the sisters spending the rest of the day playing with each other. Parents…read this story with your children…help them apply the concept of compromise next time there is an argument…and enjoy the peace and harmony.

On the last page of the book, Ms. Helsley provides a simple definition of some of the words in the story that young children might be hearing for the first time. I love this feature of the book…we should always encourage children to understand what they are reading or hearing…this helps build their vocabulary…one of the most important components of literacy.

You can find out more about this great children’s author by visiting her website: www.wildaboutreading.net She has a new book out, I Love You Better Than Chocolate Chip Cookies.

To contact her: wildaboutreading@ymail.com

The book is available for purchase on Amazon, B&N.com, Goodreads and the author’s website.

Take advantage of the more laid back pace of summer and provide your children with fun-filled moments they will remember forever. Spend time reading with them and doing other activities. If you are looking for great book suggestions and quick and easy activities, please check out my book, Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking.

Life has been turned upside down, here in Colorado Springs. The past week has brought devastation and terror to many residents as the Waldo Canyon Fire raged…fueled by record heat and an exceptionally dry winter and spring. Over 300 homes were destroyed on Tuesday night…consumed by the hungry flames before our eyes as we watched television coverage in shock and horror. The fires are still burning…and the impact will be felt for years to come. Please join me in praying for the brave firefighters and others who are still battling the fire…and for those who have lost their homes and livelihoods.

Toddlers at War: Sibling Rivalry (attachmentparenting.org)
How to avoid sibling rivalry (psychologymum.wordpress.com)
Sibling Rivalry: What to do, What to do?! (sparklingstepmom.com)
What causes sibling rivalry? (georgesecko.wordpress.com)

Sunday Post: Sunrise…A New Beginning For Everyone

Posted on June 3, 2012 by viviankirkfield

Jake at Time after Time has a Sunday Post Challenge and every week he provides a theme…this week’s theme is SUNRISE.

In the summer of 1969, my husband and I packed up our 1967 Pontiac Catalina and left the east coast with a sign that said, “California or Bust”. We were teachers at the time and had the summer off…and we spent the next six weeks traveling across the country. I still have the journal we kept that tells what cities we stayed in and how much we spent for everything. The entire trip, including gas, motels, food, keepsakes (we still have a bunch of oil on velvet paintings that we bought in Ensenada, Mexico) cost us $1200. Amazing!

Sunrise is also a perfect theme because Wednesday is World Environment Day…if we want the sunrise to greet our grandchildren and their grandchildren, we need to be thoughtful about preserving and caring for our planet by reusing and recycling wherever we can.

We knew we wanted to experience the sunrise over the Grand Canyon and drove all night from Las Vegas through Zion National Park, finally arriving at the Grand Canyon at 5am. We made our way along the trail…which was no easy task in the dark. Fortunately, we met another tourist who offered to take our picture. I apologize for the poor job of editing these photos…my scanner was not cooperating and my editing program decided to join the strike.

Less than a minute later, he snapped the picture below.We will never forget that moment!

For me, every sunrise is a new beginning. No matter what your situation, every day is the first day of the rest of your life. We have a fresh opportunity each day to be kind to someone…to help another person…to encourage a child…to follow our dream. What will you do when the sun rises tomorrow?

Want more information about Jake’s Sunday Post?

http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/

And here are some other bloggers who are doing Jake’s Sunday Post:

http://aliciapics.wordpress.com/2012/06/02/sunday-post-sunrise/

http://jobryantnz.wordpress.com/2012/06/03/sunday-post-sunrise/

http://motherwifestudentworker.wordpress.com/2012/06/02/weekly-sunday-post-sunrise/

http://lucidgypsy.wordpress.com/2012/06/02/the-sunday-post-sunrise/

SUNDAY POST : Sunrise (jakesprinters.wordpress.com)
Sunday Post: Stairway to Self-Esteem (viviankirkfield.wordpress.com)
Sunday Post: Door (bringingeuropehome.com)
Judge Chuckles on SUNDAY POST : Pet (seraphim6.wordpress.com)

Parent Alert: Hand Sanitizer Poisoning

Posted on April 25, 2012 by viviankirkfield

CleanWell is the only hand sanitizer that is all-natural and alcohol free. The Ingredients in CleanWell are safe for kids, non-toxic, and come from rapidly renewable resources that grow abundantly worldwide. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Moms: Have you checked your purse lately? Do you have any of those convenient travel-size bottles of hand sanitizer?

Most parents are careful about child-proofing their home when they have infants and young children around…but many may not be aware of how toxic hand sanitizers are.

On the news this morning, I heard a report of teenagers who are ingesting hand sanitizers to get high…and the results may be deadly.

What can parents do to protect against this new danger?

Child-proof your purse as well as your home.
Be observant…know where your children are and what they are doing…don’t be shy about speaking with them or looking in backpacks or pockets if your suspect there is a problem.
Be engaged…talk with your children about the dangers of ingesting or inhaling toxic substances. Ask if any of their friends are doing this.
Be involved…participate with your children. When you build a strong connection in those early years, your children will be more likely to come to you with problems and concerns…but it is never too late to strengthen or improve that relationship.

For more information about the dangers of hand sanitizers and other toxic household products, please click on the links below. The first has excellent tips for parents.

http://safety.lovetoknow.com/Hand_Sanitizer_Poisoning

http://blogs.webmd.com/whats-new/2012/04/the-new-teen-drinking-trend-hand-sanitizer.html

http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/news/indiana/poison-control-responds-to-hand-sanitizer-abuse?ref=scroller&categoryId=10001&status=true

Just a reminder: Nominations close on April 30…please leave a comment telling why your library should receive a free copy of the award-winning Show Me How!