| The foundation for building a good | | | | flowers, the stores, the bus stops, etc.If |
| relationship with your children requires that | | | | there is a park near by, pack up a paper bag |
| you spend time with them - spending time | | | | lunch and eat a meal or snack at the |
| getting to know who they are, getting to | | | | park...and spend some time enjoying what is |
| sense the clues that seem to motivate | | | | available. Take along a book to read to the |
| behavior issues, and getting to grasp their | | | | children. Bake up some cookies and take them |
| humor and interests in life. Every parent has | | | | to a senior friend (can be done in the |
| the potential to build a deep relationship | | | | evening or on the weekend). Think building |
| with their child that will survive through | | | | communityand help a neighbor who needs help |
| the teenage years. Building this relationship | | | | with weeding, mowing or needs just a visit! |
| does not require spending a ton of money. As | | | | Don't forget to write picture letters to |
| David Elkind said when he was in Portland | | | | relatives and walk to the nearest mailbox.So, |
| many years ago, it is not the fancy trip to | | | | put away your wallet and think home art! With |
| Disneyland that bonds your child to you. The | | | | some paper and glue and odd bits of macaroni |
| bonding occurs during the day-to-day | | | | you can make super collages or use some |
| interactions of daily events and seasonal | | | | cardboard and make picture frames. With some |
| activities. So, put your wallet away and | | | | old magazines, create puzzles - and after you |
| think "home".Encourage children to work with | | | | have cut some up, see if you can assemble |
| you in the yard! Delight in the nature around | | | | them. Possibly glue the pieces down as you do |
| you! Discover the potato bug and dissect the | | | | that and create another form of collage. Take |
| weed! Yes, it will take longer to do the yard | | | | the newspaper and roll the sheets to make |
| work with the help of little fingers, but as | | | | long and short poles; then using masking |
| you work you will find humor and create a | | | | tape, build a structure or 3-dimensional art |
| healthy respect for nature.Encourage your | | | | sculpture. Put it outside and see what the |
| children to help you cook. When we have | | | | weather does to it! Create wish cards using |
| actually cooked something there is such a | | | | pictures from catalogs. Create "I feel" or |
| strong sense of accomplishment! Let your | | | | "This is who I am" cards, using pictures from |
| children help you prepare the ingredients for | | | | magazines and catalogs of all sorts. Not |
| cooking - children are able to chop and sift | | | | every activity will appeal to every child in |
| and peel.Again, it takes longer, but all of | | | | your family. That is ok. Provide the |
| it helps with relationhsips. It is not | | | | opportunity to the children who are not |
| necessary to have all 5 children in the | | | | interested to be involved in something else |
| kitchen at the same time; set up a schedule | | | | that interests them. One-on-one time with |
| and make it a special date time with the | | | | each child in a family is as important as |
| parent who is cooking.If everybody helps | | | | spending time together with all the family! |
| clean up the house, there is a sense of | | | | Recognize that children are interested in |
| community-building.The key to building | | | | different things depending upon their age and |
| relationships is to be respectful of the | | | | skill levels. The key to building |
| individuality of each child.It isn't just | | | | relationships is to be respectful of the |
| mom's duty to keep the environment clean and | | | | individuality of each child.Sally Skelding |
| workable for the family. I know families who | | | | has been molding the minds of both young |
| spend Thursday nights housecleaning and then | | | | adults and children for more than 30 years. |
| plan fun things to do on the weekend.Allow | | | | Sally's long career started in Youngstown, |
| children to actually shop with you and help | | | | Ohio, where she was the Director of the |
| make up the list. If you have several | | | | Youngstown Civic Children's Theatre. During |
| children, let children trade off | | | | those years, she and her students entertained |
| participation. So, put your wallet away and | | | | children with puppetry and children's theatre |
| think Neighborhood.With very young children, | | | | performances. In time, she returned to her |
| take walks about your neighborhood, pointing | | | | roots and moved to the West Coast with her |
| out and discovering the dogs & cats, the | | | | husband. |