50 Shades of MOM

Okay fellow moms, check this out for #funFriday.  Which of these 50 Shades of Mom are you feeling today???

Share Using Hashtags #Moms #50shadesofmom #funfriday #eteachingme

Food and Learning?

by Kristin Miller on 04/18/16

Yes - we love learning with food.  I mean, come on, how many times growing up were you allowed to paint with your yogurt???  Super fun!

From painting with our applesauce and ketchup, to smearing our yogurt, coloring on tortillas, learning the colors with our fruit loops cereal, scooping up rice, and making letters with our cheese and crackers.  There are endless opportunities to learn using food.  It is so practical and easy; and the best thing, the kids LOVE it (because they get to eat their "homework" - literally!)

5 Foods to Easily Learn with at Any Home:

1. Tortilla or Bread - Have your child build their fine-motor skills to tear the pieces apart.  Then, color on them!

2.  Thick Liquids or Foods as Sauce (Ketchup, Yogurt, Applesauce, Mustard, Jelly, ect) - Just for some messy fun, let your child finger-paint (or use a paintbrush) to smear these fun sauces around on thick white paper!

3. Foods you can Cook (spaghetti noodles, rice, ect.) - After they have cooled off, throw some noodles in a bucket (or rice).  Give your child a cup, fork, and a spoon to stir.  Creative imagination and pretend play will be sure to keep your child busy as they make some spaghetti or rice for you!

4. Snack Time Foods - Like crackers and cubed cheese - Use these to teach tons of learning skills, like letters, numbers, counting, and making shapes.  Check out our other blog post specifically for ideas HERE.  

5. Breakfast Time Foods - Using a variety of cereals to teach learning concepts, such as colors, counting, making letters, and using to build fine-motor skills and literacy awareness!

- See more at: http://www.eteachingme.com/Mom-Blog.html?entry=food-and-learning#sthash.yvSzqBTg.dpuf

Elf on the Shelf - Fun ideas & Teaching Tools

In my family we love "Frank the Elf!"  He is always getting into something!  My kids love finding him every morning throughout December.  As I "try to keep up" and "be a good mom" preparing him for each morning - I have also have taken the time to think about what really matters?  During this time of year, we are busy.  We are awaiting the arrival of Jesus' birthday.  We are shopping for presents.  We are taking the kids to go see Santa.  And we are trying to Pinterest ways we can "set up" our Elf so it is fun for our kids.  

However, I am all about meaning, too.  As it just is important to make sure we continue this fun Elf tradition for/with our children - we must also stop and remind ourselves to take each moment, as a learning opportunity.  In our household, we must not forget what the true meaning of Christmas is really all about too!  Therefore, I created this Calendar!  It gives you daily ideas of how to "set up" your Elf on the Shelf, and then approach your kids finding Elf as a learning opportunity.  Every day gives you a "set up" and teaching tool.  Integrated within the monthly calendar, are Christian opportunities for you to also teach your child what the real meaning of Christmas is all about!

Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

Learning with Home-Made Tools

Teachers, parents, and nannies .... teaching your child is easy and interactive with this "outside of the box" thoughtful idea!  You can vary it in many different unique ways, for any age, to teach multiple concepts, anywhere at anytime!

Watch our Videos for an interactive experience of HOW-TO TEACH this Lesson Plan 

Video 1

Video 2

Lesson Plan:  Learning Literacy using Home-Made Tools

Age Range - 1 to 5 years old

Cognitive Learning Focus Areas:  Literacy, Math, Language development, Early reading readiness, Fine-motor skills, Hand-eye coordination

Author:  Kristin Miller, M. Ed. Founder www.eteachingme.com 

Materials needed:
Paper towel roll
Black magic marker
Long white art paper (or poster board) cut into strips (about 1 1/2 feet long and 1 inch wide)

What to do:
1. PARENTS ONLY - Pre-Create the "Language Tool" before teaching lesson to child.   Using a knife (to start the square holes) and then scissors, cut 4 squares out on one side of a paper towel roll.
2. Cut long strips of paper (about 1 1/2 feet in length and 1 inch wide) out.  Multiple strips desired for however many learning concepts you wish to teach.
2. Create "language strips" by writing different teaching concepts on each strip.  See ideas below for what to create and teach child.
3. Line up the strips of paper, following the same length apart as the 4 square holes on the paper towel roll, and write whatever concept you want your child to learn in that same spot.  Do so in a way that when the child pulls the paper through to "read" what's inside each hole, they can see what is written through the holes easily, so that it all measures up accurately.  See pictures as an example.
4. Sit with your child and learn together; using different "language strips" to teach specific concepts.
5. Let your child put the "language strips" in the paper towel roll, and "learn freely" to teach you what they may see in the holes, or you help guide child to teach the concepts.

Ideas for "Language Strips":
* Alphabet letters to build words
* Numbers
* Shapes
* Sentence - story telling pictures and/or words combine
* Sequence of event pictures
* Child's letters in their name
* Emotion pictures
* Colors
* Counting amounts (# of dots for children to count)

Moms VS Dads

Alright people....here is the real TRUTH behind what goes into a Moms VS Dads daily routine.  To the MOMS out there, we are so awesome!  Dads, you are too, in your own unique kinda way.

 




Just for fun....and a reality laugh for my fellow mommies out there....lets take a look!  Keep in mind to our dear ol' husbands, WHY we are so tired at the end of the day....why we DON'T want to be romantic, intimate, or seem to find someway to b*tch about things....no clue what for??? But, we do love you....

BUT DON'T WORRY DADS, this daily schedule could also be vice versa for some families.....where good ol' DAD plays some, if not all, of the "MOM" roles too!

READ, LAUGH...........RELATE..........
_______________________________________________________________

Moms Daily Schedule (for the SUPER MOMMAS - that stay at home AND/OR work)

Wake up
Make your bed
Take a shower
Use the restroom
Do hair, make-up, brush teeth
Get dressed
Make coffee
Eat breakfast
Pick up some things around the house (blankets, toys, dishes in kitchen, clothes laying around, ect.)
Take pets out to potty (if you have them)
Kids wake up (sometimes crying)
Help kids make their beds
Have/help them go potty
Get them dressed
Brush their teeth
Brush their hair
Feed them breakfast
Feed the pets (if you have them)
** Stay-at-home moms - ALL DAY of PLAY, CLEANING, PARK, ERRANDS, GROCERY STORE, FEEDING KIDS, PLAY, DEALING WITH TANTRUMS, CHECK MAIL, GO TO APPOINTMENTS, AND CLEANING...AGAIN)
** Working moms
Get their back-packs ready
Get their lunches and/or snack bags ready
Walk kids to car
Get kids in car
Turn on car
Drive them to school (may be more than one location)
Drive to work
Work a full 8 hour day shift
** Stay-at-home and working moms continued schedule
Drive to pick up kids from school (may be more than one location)
Stop somewhere to get them a drink and snack (because they are STARVING when you pick them up from school it seems like every single day....)
Take the kids to their events:  Soccer, Karate, Dance, Cheerleading, Music class, Gym, Football, Ect.... (sadly, some days may be 1 or 2 different places and events depending on how many kids you have and the schedule of them)
Drive home
Check and get the mail
Get kids out of car
Put book bags, purse, work stuff, kids school work away
Have/help kids go potty
Do homework
Open the mail
Use the restroom
Prepare dinner
Make dinner
Answer the phone
Do some minor daily errands around house (dishes, sweep, pick up toys, laundry, dust/wipe down tables or counters, water plants, take out trash, go to the grocery store if needed)
Get table ready for dinner and serve it to each person in family
Sit down to eat dinner
Clean up kitchen/dishes from dinner
Have/help kids go potty
Have/help kids clean their bedrooms with toys all over the place
Get kids a bath
Brush their teeth
Comb their hair
Get PJS on kids
Have/help kids go potty
Read kids a story or sit down and play with them EACH for 10 minutes because they desperately want your attention and DESERVE it!
Continue with minor house errands (wipe down bathrooms, pick up toys, laundry)
Watch TV or have some "personal down time" to enjoy something you look forward to because YOU DESERVE it!
Have/help kids go potty
Put kids to bed - lights out!
Get belongings prepared for tomorrow's work day (if need be)
Get kids clothes for school tomorrow picked out and ready
Do personal duties - like pay bills, prepare mail to be sent out, make dr. appointments for week/next day, return phone calls, check emails/texts/Facebook, update the weekly family activity calendar of events...
Take a bath (optional at this point)

Get your PJs on and get comfortable

Brush your teeth

Use the restroom

Put yourself to bed
Sleep
Toss and turn thinking about everything you have to do tomorrow....
Sleep
.......
Do it all over again the next day!

_____________________________________________________________

Dads Daily Schedule (for the hard-working dads out there!)

Wake up
Take a shower
Do hair, shave, brush teeth
Get dressed
Make coffee
Eat breakfast
Walk to car
Turn on car
Drive to work
Work a full 8-10 hour day shift
Drive home
Put away work stuff
Help take out the trash
Help water the grass and plants (every other day, and only if, you dont have a sprinkler system)
Sit down to eat dinner
Read kids a story or sit down and play with them each for 10 minutes because they desperately want your attention and DESERVE it!
Watch TV or have some "personal down time" because dad just got done working a full day and he DESERVES it!  *wink to my fellow mommies out there*
Brush your teeth
Take a bath (if you feel like it)
Get your PJs on and get comfortable
Check your email/texts/Facebook, help with paying bills, checking mail, returning phone calls
Get belongings prepared for tomorrow's work day (if need be)
Put yourself to bed
Sleep
.......
Do it again tomorrow!

___________________________________________________________

Now THIS is REAL LIFE  with KIDS - tantrums, messes, and FUN as always...

  

10 Ways to use Play Dough for Learning

Ever wonder how you can use play dough to learn with your child? Here is a list of verbs to use when teaching your infant, toddler, or preschooler.  Below this list are 10 FUN and EASY ways to use play dough as a learning tool, as well!  Enjoy...and we love sharing ideas, if you have an interesting way to use play dough for learning with your child, please tell us in a comment below!

10 Ways to use Play Dough as a Learning Tool:

1. Use it to make big and small balls, teaching the concept of size.

2. Make creatures out of it and have your child (or you for an infant) use describing words to explain what you created, why, and its characteristics such as color, size, and features!

3. Use play dough to make shapes!

4. Use play dough to make letters!

5. Use play dough to spell out your child's name and teach them the letters in it!

6. Use play dough to teach colors.

7. Use play dough to teach sorting skills.

8. Use a ball and play dough to flatten out, building hand-eye coordination and motor skills.

9. Use play dough to practice tracing letters!

10.  Allow child to free-play with play dough; play is how learning occurs!

4 Ways to Raise Prosperous Children

My son will be three and a half on July 14th.  We enrolled him in Karate lessons about a month ago.  Best choice made to date.  Some may think, "at 3 years old that is kind of a hard concept for them to grasp and takes a lot of hand-eye coordination skills, not to mention listening and patience."  Guess what?  Yes it does...and there's nothing wrong with that!  We love it...and for a 3 year old, perfect!  He does great too, and looks stinkin' cute!

His karate instructor, Master Culin, is outstanding.  Structured, positive, guiding, and most importantly, a true role-model.  He teaches many words of wisdom to parents about how to raise and prepare successful children that do take lessons for "life", that I thought would be nice to share with the world.

Decisions:  The sum total of everything we do in our lives.   "The true "self-defense" that we should teach our children should be summed up as giving our children the tools to make better "decisions" in their lives."

4 Ways to Raise Prosperous Children

True Knowledge from the Karate Master himself

Written in part by:  Mr. Joseph Culin, Chief Master Instructor, ACMA Certified

1.  Understand what "self-defense" is to teach our children how to defend themselves in life.  "Real self-defense is protecting our kid against potential hazards that happen daily."  Below are several types of self-defense we need to monitor and equip our children with the knowledge to keep them safer in life.

* Drug self-defense
* Alcohol self-defense
* Bully self-defense
* Tobacco self-defense
* Emotional self-defense
* Peer-pressure self-defense
* Intimidation self-defense
* Procrastination self-defense
* Mediocrity self-defense
* Physical self-defense
* And the list goes on and on...

2.  The power of forced habits!  Good or bad, beginning at birth, habits are forced on us.  Such as brushing our teeth, not talking to strangers, or eating good food.  When you are forced into a habit, it sticks with you. We have to "make a habit of safety."  "It is important to take the time to instill new habits that our children will have for life."  I love this quote Master Culin says in his Karate booklet about forcing our kids into good habits.  He quotes:

"When I was younger, I didn't want to go to swim lessons and threw a tantrum.  My mom literally had to restrain me in the car.  She FORCED me to learn this new habit and not give in to my complaints.  Her brilliant words:  "LISTEN YOUNG MAN, I ALMOST DROWNED SO I AM MAKING YOU GO TO YOUR SWIM LESSON.  YOU WILL THANK ME SOME DAY. NOW, I CAN BE YOUR FRIEND OR I CAN BE YOUR PARENT.  I CHOOSE TO BE YOUR PARENT AND MAKE YOU GO. HOWEVER, WHEN YOU ARE 20, 30, AND 40 YEARS OLD, WE'LL HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO BE FRIENDS."

Genius words I think.

3.  "Successful people do things that the unsuccessful people won't!  Most people go home at night, turn on the TV and engaged in activities that don't help shape their futures.  They engaged in TENSION RELIEVING rather than GOAL SETTING activities."  Teach your child to have a goal, do it, and stick with it beginning at an early age.  Like 3, going to Karate class!

4. Action is the key!  "Persistence on a worthy goal will bring opportunities in front of you, but it is ACTION that will pull them in your life and make them yours!"  

5 Ways to Deal with TANTRUMS!

Tantrums:  A way for a young child to let out frustration or a feeling of anger.  

As parents, we all have had to deal with our set of tantrums.  Most say it is "terrible twos" and some say "oh no no no, it is "terrible three's".  Though really, it is NOT terrible at all, if you know how to handle the twos and threes stages of development.  First you need to know HOW a young child learns, then understand the WHY.  Knowing both of these things as a parent, will help you DEAL with the tantrum and figure out ways to stop it or solve it.

HOW a young child learns:
Children learn by doing.  They learn by experiencing.  A young child figures out their life around them by being involved in the process.  If they get upset, what do they know how to do?  Nothing really, but react.  A reaction could be throwing a tantrum.  This is because they do not have the tools yet necessary to express their frustration and anger in a mature way.  A young child thinks: "If I throw a tantrum, mommy and daddy will see that I am upset, and they love me and will help me."  That is why it is our job as parents to give them the tools to learn and understand how to react to their frustration and anger in  other ways, other than throwing tantrums.  We have to teach them why tantrums are NOT okay, and how to express themselves in an acceptable manner.  This is the experience that WE as PARENTS have to set for our children, to build life-long learning skills.

WHY a young child reacts in such a way:

They crave for attention.  They love you.  They want you to pay attention to their needs, as much as they need you to.  Therefore, giving into tantrums allows the child to feed into that attention, resulting in making the tantrums worse later on in life and not allowing for the child to learn the life-long lesson of  "just because you throw a fit, doesn't always mean you're going to get your way."

Here are 5 options for dealing with tantrums so you can raise successful, resilient life-long learners.

1.  Ignore the tantrum!!!

Unless your child is in harm or an environment that is unsafe, ignoring the behavior is a great solution.  It does not feed into the attention that they crave, which for a tantrum, is negative attention.  Rather, giving them neither negative or positive attention for the tantrum will teach them that undesired behavior is a waste of their time because it does not allow for positive time with mommy and daddy.

2.  State your expectations!!!

Once the tantrum starts, say what you mean, short and sweet and fast!  Such as:  "This behavior is not okay. When you calm down, we can talk about why you are upset!"  Don't forget parents, it is a GREAT idea to talk to your 2 year old in "an adult-like" way.  Speak to them like mini-adults.  Use big words to set expectations.  I always tell my parents of students:  "If you treat them like mini-adults, they will act like mini-adults.  If you treat it like a baby, they will act like a baby."  This doesn't mean they are not babies, they are only 2 years old!  But, for desired behavior, setting higher expectations for your child, is actually a gift to them.

3.  Redirection!

Depending on what your child is throwing a tantrum about, if it is something minor (like wanting a toy at the store and you choosing not to buy it for them); redirect child to take their focus elsewhere.  Such as saying: "we can not buy the toy, but you can help me put the groceries on the checkout and EARN a piece of candy by helping."

4.  Role-Modeling

Teach your child by SHOWING them how to handle their frustrations by using techniques to calm down.  Such as breathing in and out with their mouths, sitting down and talking about their feelings ("using your words"), or using a soft object to squeeze on (pillow, ball) to release frustration physically.  Remember, these techniques are best to teach before a tantrums occurs, not during the tantrum.  If your child is in the middle of throwing a tantrum, state your expectations to child and then ignore it.  When they are done and calmed down, then use these techniques to teach.

5.  Explain to child and Consistency

Talk with your child about WHY a tantrum is not okay with you and ways to express themselves when they are upset or frustrated.  Be consistent when every tantrum occurs.  Eventually, if you ignore your child's tantrums long enough and teach them ways to handle their frustrations, they will have learned how to be self-sufficient in handling their own emotions and will have built respect for you as their parents to talk about their feelings, getting positive attention from you, rather than immaturely throw a fit to get your attention.

"It is better to raise children who know how to make mistakes, and learn from those; rather than know how to make mistakes and be pitied for them."

Mother's Day Printables

 

Happy Mother's Day!

Here are some FUN Mother's Day printables customized JUST FOR YOU DADS - to do with your child(ren) JUST FOR MOM on MOTHER'S DAY!  You can use these as a card, special note, or print them all and decorate her bedroom door with them for her to read!

Have fun and enjoy! Don't forget the flowers and chocolate too daddy....

GO TO MOTHER'S DAY PRINTABLES PAGE

Teaching Independence from 1 to 18

It today's growing society, it is extremely important we as parents raise our kids to be successful, independent, and confident adults.  That is our sole purpose.  To prepare our kids for the real world; the life-skills necessary to soar and excel as life-long learners! 

To view larger Click Here (PDF)  or on photo below

      

 

From 1 to 18 years old,  a LIST just for you to print, save, use, and MOST importantly, IMPLEMENT!

www.eteachingme.com

 

Spring Experiment - Will it grow?

 

SPRING DAY ACTIVITY EXPERIMENT

For Tots - 2 years - and Up!

 

Question to ask child:  What do you think will grow and sprout???

 

Length of time for experiment: 10 minutes to prepare; observe and water daily for 1 week

 

Scientific Method Steps (simplified!)

Prediction: Which of the 4 items do you think will grow?

Hypothesis: Have your child guess, or tell you, what they think will happen.

Conclusion: After doing experiment, observe the "plants" with your child daily to find out and record what happens.  Complete experiment observation to conclude findings after 1 week.

  

Materials Needed:

 

 

cups

soil

water

lima beans

blue berries

pretzels

potato half (cut end)

 

** All materials listed above are optional for you to use depending on what you have at home handy.  Try to limit the experiment items to 2 that grow (i.e.  lima bean and potato half end) and 2 that wont grow (i.e.  blue berry and pretzels).

 

 

What to do:

1. Put all four items on plate, explain what they are to or child first.

2. Put soil in 3 cups.

3. Have child help add in each item per its own cup, pressing into soil just a little bit, but just enough to cover item so it is unseen under the soil.

4. For the potato half, fill cup half with water, put potato end cut-side down in water so the top half is sticking out of water.

5. Label all cups and draw picture for child to remember.

6. Have child water them each.

7. Put on porch outside, safe from wind and rain but where they can still get sunlight.

8. Go over them each with child again; naming them.

9. Ask child: What do you think will grow and sprout?

10. Tell child: We will check on them and water them every day for 1 full week.  Do just that and watch with your child to see what happens!

11. Remember:  Teach the Scientific Concept (Predict, Hypothesis, Conclude and Find) with your child early on!

12. Don't forget to teach what 3 things all plants need to grow:  Sun, Air, Water

 

**You can even make a visual drawing/graph with child to chart findings and the steps of the experiment and growth processes of each item.  Refer back to the chart each day as you observe  the "plants" (items planted) and have child record on their chart what they may see or not see happening with them each.

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Find Your Letter

Teaching the ABC's to your child does not have to be hard, it is actually simple and can be loads of fun for your child!  Check out this FUN and EASY activity idea to teach your child the alphabet letters!  Watch the Video

Join eTeachingMe.com during April for our curriculum theme is "Spring into ABC's" and we have a letter lesson plan specifically for your child's age group (6 months - 5 years) every day of the month!  Practical, fun, learning with your child...

Activity: Find your letter!!!

Materials Needed:

1. Flash light
2. Dark (lights off) room or bedroom
3. Sticky Notes
4. Marker

What to do:

1. Write the alphabet letters, or the letters in your child's name, on sticky notes using the black marker. (I only did ABC to teach at this time)
2. Post them up on blank wall around the dark room you have chosen to do this activity with your child in your house. (We chose the hallway)
3. Give your child a flash light.
4. Explain to them to use the flash light to point and find the letter you are asking them to find.  Such as: Parent says to child: "Can you find the letter A?"  Child would turn on flash light and point the light to the letter A on the wall.
5. Continue teaching and learning like this until all letters have been "found" or your child no longer shows any interest.

Milestones this activity teaches child:

1. Hand-eye coordination
2. Literacy and Alphabet letters
3. Early print recognition
4. Spatial awareness
5.  Listening skills
6. Following verbal directions
7. Object permanence
8. Trial and Error

Modifications of activity:

1. For younger children (1-2 years old), just let child use the flash light to find and shine on the letters. Once they see one, parent would say/teach the letters name to child.  Help child learn how to shine the light onto the letters to find them.  Assist their hands/arms to do so.
2. Write the same letters on index cards, put inside a brown bag.  Have child pull one out one at a time and then use the visual letter card to tell child which one to find on the wall using their flash light.
3. Preschoolers - Have child find letters in a specific order, pull it off the wall when "found" with flash light, then put on another wall, building specific, easy, short words! Such as "MOM"!  Great phonics activity to teach word-building!