Teaching the Importance of Cooperation

A student's job is to learn skills to prepare him/her for adult employment and responsible living. Even though it is not directly taught in school, learning to get along with others is one of the most important skills a student can learn. Cooperation means more than just getting along with others, regardless of what you may think or feel about them.

Teachers often make assignments "cooperative", which means each student works with one or more partners to complete the assignments. Usually the assignment means that students may talk, help each other find the answers in a text book and work together on the assignment so each can turn in the same assignment page completed. The teacher's goal is usually that students help each other, because there are students who work quickly and without difficulty as well as students who work slowly and/or have difficulty. Far too frequently, the teacher's intent of peer mentoring and cooperation does not happen.

What Really Happens
Rather than all working together on the assignment page, students divide up the requirements so that each person finds the answers to 1-5 questions. When everyone has found their portion and written their answers, they then share the answers with the rest of the group, write them on their own pages and turn the pages in for a grade. The slower and/or less able students must then complete the assignments on his/her own, usually for homework.
There are two reasons "cooperative" learning does not work out:

1. Students focus on completing the task, because once it is done they can forget about it and have time to do what they want to do. They focus on the task rather than the process. An example may be an assignment to describe the three branches of government where each person completes a worksheet or simply writes paragraphs about each branch of government.
2. Teachers do not know how to make cooperative learning assignments that truly build cooperation.

What A Cooperative Group Does
Like a workplace situation, each member of the group should be responsible for a specific and necessary aspect of the task. Each person has a portion of the task and learns his/her portion and learns from the others' portions. In the government example, a good cooperative group would have one person responsible for describing the executive branch, a second person describing the judicial branch, a third person describing the legislative branch, and a fourth person (who may be slow or struggling reader) would draw a flowchart diagram illustrating the relationships among the branches.

Adult jobs are cooperative and children must learn the appropriate skills to perform in a social and cooperative environment. Without the skills of getting along with others and completing their share of the workload, employers will find someone else to replace them. They will then have

Things to Consider Before Buying a Pushchair

For a family with children, the benefits of using a good and reliable pushchair are very obvious. Your child needs the best comfort as you should enjoy the highest autonomy and freedom while maneuvering the precious object in various conditions, both in the city and in the countryside.

The main qualities of a pushchair:
Whether you have the first or the second or even the third experience of selecting the pushchair, there are always a lot of new elements that should be taken into consideration. The final decision concerns not only your needs and your budget, but especially the requirements of the newborn.

Following the are a couple of questions that you should try answering before the final decision of purchasing a pushchair:

1. What are the safety features? Does the pushchair have a safety belt that will protect your children while moving? As you may know, the little children are extremely active and unpredictable and you should verify that all the features of the pushchair are designed to avoid as much as possible the accidents. The pushchair with a well functioning braking system could be considered one of the best options.

2. Comfort and autonomy in maneuverability are very important. Does the pushchair have a carrying handle? How easy is to fold it and carry away? Does the pushchair can be fit into the car or deposit? Can you turn it easily. If you are living in the countryside you will need most probably some improved technical features that fit into the irregular structure of the roads you are using.

3. The dimensions: if you need to move permanently, you would mostly prepare a light pushchair that can be carried easily from a part to another, including in and out various public transportation.

4. What is the quality of the wheels? Is the pushchair provided with lockable wheels? What kind of tires are used: pneumatic or hand pumped? The pneumatic version is usually preferred.

5. Fit your pushchair to your needs. For example, the three wheeled options are suitable for long walks, especially in the middle of the nature, while the four wheeled are preferred for newborns mostly in urban contexts.

6. Find the fair balance between price and quality. You should have in mind that some pushchairs cannot be used for more than six months and you maybe need to make at least an investment covering the next 12 months of your child.

7. What accessories are offered? For example, you might need a sun canopy or a rain cover. Many pushchairs have attached little toys that can distract pleasantly the child while moving.

Conclusion:

As any lists, the above enumeration of features of an almost perfect pushchair is far by being complete. New models are permanently introduced on the market with significant improvements and very different price categories.

Reduce Fear Among Children When Visiting the Pediatrician

Without a doubt, a trip to the pediatrician can be a traumatic experience for children. Chances are, there is something physically wrong or even worse, they need to receive the oh-so-dreaded shot. Or perhaps the doctor is viewed as a big and scary figure who will only make the pain worse. Keeping children calm at the doctor's office presents possibly the greatest challenge of the whole experience. It is only fair and expected that doctors and nurses respect the angst that routine check-ups may cause children. Keep in mind that a fear of the doctor isn't childish or dumb, but it is unsafe and can ultimately carry over into adulthood. More importantly that feeling comfortable at a young age, but we should focus on building a foundation that supports anxiety-free doctor's visits for a lifetime.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a parenting style that encourages and recognizes good behavior with words, smiles, and huge. Parents should more so be guiding their children to positive behavior rather than using punishments or threats. Sticking to this parenting logic, visits to the doctor should not be punishments for children or brought on in a negative manner.

No matter how old the child is, prepare your child in advance for procedures or shots that they me receiving. Try to comfort them while also being honest. If your child is fearful of a shot, explain to them how it will help them and will decrease their chances of becoming sick. Under any circumstances, or no matter how upset you are with them, never use a shot or a doctor's visit as a threat for bad behavior.

Not only can you try to prepare children before the doctor, but you can also be with them through the process. Treat them like you would in the comfort of their own home - read them a kids book or tell them stories during painful difficult times of the exam. In some cases, children feel better hugging their parent during fearful parts or when the shot is given. If doctor's allow, let your older children choose where the injection will take place therefore giving them a sense of control. If guided honestly and comfortably by their parents, children are more likely to feel at ease during a doctor's visit.

The Cost of Your Comfort Zone

Nearly always, by the time a child is sexually abused, the perpetrator has set the scene by grooming the child. The first part of the process is done before they meet the child. They will place themselves in a position of power, control and contact with their victims where they are usually beyond reproach. The majority of paedophiles come from only four professions. Of course such a position can be found in any family. During the grooming process, they will have made their contact with the child look normal and healthy.

The child is trapped by simple little tricks which build on each other, getting bigger and bigger. The child finds it difficult to break out because of the penalties attached to being part of the earlier tricks. The abuser will usually also tell the child that nobody would believe them and if they said anything, they would be taken away from their parents. The child is frightened and now believes it is their fault. This is very important because if it is somebody else's fault, they can tell but if they now make it their fault, it is their business and there is the excuse not to tell.

However, some children (a very small number) do tell; and what happens? "Don't be so silly, so-and-so wouldn't do that, would they?" Or, if the perpetrator is a family member, the parent may well have their own experiences at the hands of this paedophile. If this is so, the parent is still groomed and will not do or say anything about the matter. If it is a family member, the spouse probably knows but is also frightened of them and disavows all indicators, preferring not to think about it. Often, if the spouse discovers the act in progress, they physically attack and punish the child for leading the paedophile astray. Some excuse for injuries is then dreamed up. What chance does the child have?

The child has been betrayed by the paedophile and now has been betrayed by his or her own parents. Where else is there for them to turn to? Nowhere proper. Their life goes on and they continue to give off subtle signs of grooming which those few trained in the subject or every other paedophile the child comes into contact with will recognise. There are others who will recognise that the child is easy prey; other children at school. The child will be bullied and made to do things they shouldn't. Of course, they endure this without telling their parents. What's the point? They know their parents don't act in their defence.

Creating Divisions Between Parents

Teenagers have a special gift. They know just what to say to get parents on opposing sides of an issue. Let's pretend your teenaged daughter wants to wear an outfit that her friend loaned her. You being the dad really haven't paid much attention to what she was preparing to wear tonight. She gets ready to leave, and you are involved in something. Maybe you're cleaning the kitchen or washing your wife's car or something. You know you're always doing productive things for the family right?

So out comes your daughter and she says, "Bye dad." You look up and notice that you don't recognize those shorts that she's wearing, and she's just about to get past you. You think to yourself, "Man, those shorts don't look okay." What do you do? Thoughts speed through your mind like a flash of lightning.

What happened to my little girl?
What would my lovely wife say about those shorts?
My wife would look really good in those shorts.
I wonder what my wife is wearing right now...
Is that a scratch on the car?
I need to finish washing this car so I can go fishing.
What time did my wife say she would be home tonight?
Where are my keys?

You stop. Does your daughter have your keys? No, the important thing to stay focused on right now is that your daughter is about to get away, wearing the most inappropriate shorts, and who's going to get in trouble for it when your wife gets home? You're daughter? No. You are! Why? You're going to get in trouble because you know teenaged boys better than your daughter does. More specifically, your daughter is testing your boundaries, and she is attempting to take advantage of a psychology term called, "Splitting." This is when your daughter attempts to elevate one parent while demoting the other parent. You are demoted by her attempt to avoid you.

Your wife is elevated in this example, but your daughter avoids her, because she knows she wouldn't be allowed to wear those clothes if mom was there.

Your daughter knows your wife is not home. She knows that you are a softy. She is attempting to split you from your wife. She knows that she can take advantage of the fact that her mother is not here to help reinforce the rules about her dress code. She assumes that since you are not able to communicate with your wife at this very moment, she will have the advantage of plausible deniability about her choices. She knows the rules regarding her clothes, but she can just say she didn't know. Since you saw her in her clothes, and you let her out of the house it must be your responsibility. News flash! It is your responsibility. You have just as much responsibility to point her towards her behaviors as her mother does. You also have the added responsibility to remind your daughter that you and your wife are on the same page about everything. (Even if you're not on the same page about everything.)

You also have the fatherly task of assuring that your daughter understands the role of safety in the outside world. She needs to know that it relates to what she is wearing too. It may be fine for someone else's family to put their daughter out there as an advertisement for a men's magazine, but your daughter is a teenager. She does not need a man for a few more years. She needs to understand this concept in a manner that communicates that she has value as a young woman. The best way for you to do this is to communicate how much you value her and your own wife.

Negative Thinking and Help Prevent Bullying

As parents, reaching out to your children to help them cope with and prevent bullying is always a tough issue. One of the key weapons that you can utilize is to help them learn how to stop negative thinking. In doing this you will help your children be less susceptible to bullying and its consequences...continue reading to find a few great tips to help your kids learn how to stop negative thinking.

Raise Self-Esteem with Encouragement: One of the best and most effective ways to stop negative thinking is to help raise self-esteem in your children through encouragement and positive reinforcement. This doesn't have to be over the top or cheesy. It can take the form of small, everyday compliments or positive phrases about your child or teen's appearance, mood, schoolwork, hobbies or activities, or anything else.

Make a habit of praising and encouraging your kids - this will held build their self-esteem and as a result bullies won't have any ground to stand on because your children know who they are.

Speaking out instead of shutting up: One of the biggest problems that parents of teens face is that they don't know when their kids are suffering, or what they're dealing with, because it's never mentioned.

Teach your kids to speak out, instead of shutting up, and negative thoughts can be handled, dealt with and solved. Talk to your kids and encourage them to share with you, and encourage them to share what they're going through with someone they trust, even if it's not you. It can be a counselor, a friend, a relative or someone else but it's always better to share and work through things rather than let them bottle up and eventually explode.

Find new outlets: If your teen doesn't have any outlet socially, or for their emotions or energy, they're more likely to have negative thoughts and be affected and susceptible to bullying. Help them find new outlets and you'll help them stop negative thinking. It can be an after-school activity, sport, hobby of any kind, or even plans with you and the family.

The more outlets your teen has, the more they'll be able to avoid spiraling downward with negative thoughts and overcome those thoughts when they occur. If your teen doesn't have motivation to try something new, you may have to force the action a bit at first to get the ball rolling. But meeting new friends and doing new things will encourage them to keep it up on their own.