Search Results for: blog building your childs vocabulary

Building a Homeschool Library: The Classics (Part I)

I noticed that Tristi Pinkerton and Valorie Delp have been discussing appropriate reading materials for children. It got me thinking about the items I have, and wish I had in my homeschool library. Why have in-home homeschool libraries? As homeschoolers, it pays to have a library of books children can get their hands on quickly and easily. Of course, there is always the public library, but the public library will not necessarily have all of the books you will want your child to read. When we (my children and I) want a particular classic book, we have to request it … Continue reading →

Cute, or Correct It?

As our little ones come into the world, they start out with little gurgles, and then begin to add actual words to their vocabulary. They learn how to hook all the nouns together to form sentences, and as they get older, they communicate on a completely understandable level. But on that journey, there’s a lot to learn, and sometimes the funniest things come out of their mouths. My niece used to call celery “lecery.” I think every child struggles to pronounce “spaghetti,” and my son used to call his wrist his “hand neck.” It makes sense, when you think about … Continue reading →

The Ladder of Cognitive Skills for Special Needs Kids

It’s often useful to keep in mind the kinds of skills we should be helping our special kids master as they grow and develop. The following steps are general guidelines you can use as you direct your child through floor time play at home, special education in the classroom, and social interactions with friends and family. As you read the following list, try to determine which steps your child has mastered and which ones need additional focus. Often times the child has a mixture of abilities and challenges on every rung of the ladder. And remember that in order for … Continue reading →

What is Age Appropriate Sexual Development in Early Childhood? The Three to Five-Year-Olds.

The introduction to Age Appropriate Sexual Development can be viewed here. The pre-school child now has increased vocabulary and contact with a larger number of people. The children remain curious about their own bodies and the bodies of others. They are becoming acutely aware, and interested, of the difference between a boy body and a girl body and will typically start asking questions like, “Why does Daddy have a penis?” Their increased social contacts may bring them into contact with other Moms who are pregnant, or indeed, there may even be pregnancy in their own home. The questions continue: “Where … Continue reading →

The Donkey of Difference to Carry Us to Improved Mental Health.

“When things go wrong as they usually will, and your daily road seems all up hill…” (Source unknown), do things differently. If something is not working for you do not keep doing it. Changing the behaviors or words that keep getting us into trouble seems to be such a hard thing to do. It’s not, you know, it’s just a decision to sample different ways to get a desired outcome. When children are young, they will often sample different games, sports, friends, foods, hobbies, etc, until they find one that suits them. Perhaps we should all reconnect with our inner … Continue reading →