War Against Child Marriage.

We all need to protest against girl child marriage.

You Can Make A Difference

There is a Chinese saying: “Every child is a piece of paper and every person leaves a mark.” If this is the case, then some of us are leaving a mural -  a glorious, inspiring tapestry of hope! On a similar note, Lynne Manfredi-Petit says, “Children are now being raised by parents and other people.” Let’s not sell ourselves short. Those "other people" are us!  We have the opportunity to watch children make their first steps, say their first words, and participate in their first experiences of love and caring. How can we make more of a difference? The answer lies in getting back to the basics, “The Three R’s: Role Models, Relationships, and Rituals.” Let’s take a look at each one:   Role Models Role models are like the sun. They give us hope. When we see a role model we say, “If he or she can do that, then I can do that!” The more we act like our role models, the more we become the people we want to be. In turn, we will respect ourselves as we respect our role models.   Relationships We all need more connection with others in our lives. Our best memories occur when we make a connection with someone. Hug to hug. Face to face. Eye to eye. Laugh to laugh. Smile to smile. Unfortunately, there is an undercurrent of disconnection today. We spend time watching television and working at our computer when we should be laughing, talking, and sharing with each other. Here are some amazing facts: The average American will spend seven years of his or her life watching television. 66 percent of American families spend their dinnertime watching television. That’s like having dinner with Dan Rather! Remember, relationships with children are like water to a plant. They need to be watered often to keep growing. Let’s practice enjoying each other and build relationships among ourselves and with our children. Let’s spend more time telling jokes and stories, singing songs, and sharing the substance of our lives.   Rituals Rituals are like the roots of our lives. They connect us to our heritage. Children love rituals. So do we. Rituals give our lives meaning and depth. Rituals in a classroom build community and a safe environment wherein children can explore. They can be songs, games, books, places, ceremonies, puppets, food, poems, or times of the day. Enjoy sharing your heritage with the children you teach. Bring out the old quilts, stories, and other family heirlooms. Pass your heritage on so that children can pass it on to their children. There is no tomorrow...only today, for tomorrow they will be adults. We are the elders. We are the role models. It is our duty to take the time to put children on our knee and share a moment. Make a memory, and leave a mark today. We care about the development of the younger generation. Help us so that we will be able to reach out to them in their large numbers. You can contact us through: BB Pin- 21FA375D, +2347035083430. Thanks.

The Problem-Solving Parent: ''I Can Do it Myself'' How Parents Teach Independence

By Eleanor Reynolds Children and Families Expert

At the end of the day, many of the three-year-olds in my class face a daily challenge: putting on their shoes. Throughout the day, the children take off their shoes for naptime, to play dress-up, or to simply enjoy their bare feet. As I watch them put on their shoes, I learn a great deal about each child and his parents. Although the children are approximately the same age, there is a big difference in the way individual children handle difficult tasks. Some children are focused and determined to finish the job, and some are easily distracted and spend a long time dawdling. Still others are easily frustrated and break down in tears.           Children differ in temperament, maturity, and coordination, but parents can help all children become more independent. The key to independence is attitude, and children learn attitude from their parents. You are your child’s role model, and he knows if you have self-confidence and a positive outlook on life. Take time to observe yourself and your behavior. Do you perform your work with enthusiasm and a sense of purpose, enjoying the process as much as the achievement? Do you take pride in accomplishing menial jobs? Do you demonstrate to your child that life is filled with simple moments of joy? Or do you spend a lot of time sighing, complaining, and resisting those small tasks that fill our lives? The example you set will influence your child’s attitude. Modeling a positive attitude does not mean hiding your true feelings or keeping a perpetual grin on your face. Being a role model, however, does involve teaching your child that the world is inherently good, and that we can work to change what is not good. It is also important that when you make a mistake, when a task proves to be frustrating, or you feel discouraged, you describe those feelings. Talk with your children about what you can do, and show him how you solve problems. Children need to know how to learn from mistakes, cope with failure, and resolve disagreements with friends.     What does all of this have to do with teaching independence? Everything! The child who sees the world as a positive place where she can achieve her goals will keep trying to do the job at hand and will not readily give up. Putting on shoes (and socks) requires an enormous amount of dexterity and for some children, a great deal of effort. The reward for this hard work is built in. There is a sense of pride and accomplishment when the shoes are on the feet. Similar rewards come with learning to button, opening and closing a zipper, using the potty, putting away toys, working a puzzle, and riding a trike. Children delight in being independent, and you can encourage this independence with the following strategies: 1. Know your child’s abilities. Be sure that whatever you ask your child to do is attainable at his present level of skill. A new task should present a reasonable challenge, not hopeless frustration.  2. Use encouragement. Sit next to your child and give verbal cues. For example, when putting on their shoes, some children “forget” to use their hands or fail to even look at their shoes. A verbal reminder to “use your eyes to see what to do next,” or “try pushing with your hand (or foot)” is better than doing it for your child. 3. Get physical. Bend down to your child’s eye level and make eye contact. This helps him focus. Place your hand on top of his to get the motion started for picking up and putting away. 4. Provide assistance. Let your child know that you’re willing to help but not to do the task for her. Helping should be contingent on your child making an effort. For example, “If you pick up the red blocks, I’ll pick up the blue ones,” or “One of us can pick up the square blocks and one of us can pick up the rectangles.”  5. Give information instead of orders. For example, “I see that your truck is on the floor,” instead of “Go pick up your truck,” or “Your jacket goes on the hook,” instead of “Hang up your jacket.” 6. Offer choices, especially if your child is very strong willed. For example, “You can get dressed before or after you eat breakfast,” or “You can eat with a spoon or your fingers.” Only give choices when you can accept either choice. 7. Allow your child to experience the consequences of her actions. Consequences should not be threats or punishment in disguise, but the natural result of behavior.  For example, a small toy left on the floor might disappear into the vacuum cleaner, or refusing to put on your shoes might mean missing some outdoor playtime.   You can get across to us through our e-mail address ifjimbest@gmail.com or contact us on +2347035083430, BB Pin-21FA375D. Together we can raise a giants generations of high self esteem and highly creativity children that will later matured to be a great leader in life.

Reasons why parents don't love enough.

Parenting is not only extremely rewarding, but it’s also an incredible learning experience.

Am not a father yet but love children. I’ve also done extensive research into the art of parenting.

This is what I’ve learned…

The most important single role of parenting is to love and nurture your children and to build in them feelings of high self-esteem and self-confidence. If you raise your children feeling terrific about themselves, if you bring them up full of eagerness to go out and take on the world, then you have fulfilled your responsibility in the highest possible sense.

Why Parents Don't Love Enough

There are two major reasons for the failure by parents to love their children enough. First, the parents do not love themselves. Parents with low self-esteem have great difficulty giving more love to their children than they feel for themselves. The second reason that parents dont love their children enough is they often have the mistaken notion that their children exist to fulfill their expectations.

Children are Not Property

The starting point of raising super kids is to realize that your children are not your property. Your children belong to themselves. They are a gift to you from high above, and a temporary gift at that.

Children are a Precious Gift

When you look at your children as precious gifts that you can only enjoy for a short time, you see your role as parents differently. When you celebrate and encourage the special nature and personality of your child, he or she grows like a flower in sunshine. But if you try to get your child to be something he or she is not, your child's spirit will wither, and his or her potential for happiness and joy will shrivel like a leaf on a tree in autumn.

"Do you know the secrets to raising super kids?" The biggest regret that parents have later on in life is that they didn't spend enough time with their children and that they didn't do a good enough job. You want the best for your children. You want them to be happy. You want them to be self-confident…You want to learn the secrets of raising happy, healthy, children.

Love Makes the Difference

The most important consideration in raising super kids is the amount of love they receive. Children need love like flowers need water. A continuous flow of love and approval from the parent to the child is the child's lifeline to emotional and physical health. Love deprivation is surely the most serious problem that a child can suffer during his or her formative years.

Unconditional Love and Acceptance

Make it clear to your child that nothing he or she does could ever cause you to love him or her less than 100%. The most wonderful gift you can give your child is the absolute conviction that you love him or her completely, without reservation, no matter what he or she does and no matter what happens.

Praise and Encouragement

Give your children continual praise and encouragement for the positive things they do, even small things. Praise and reinforce what you would like to see repeated. Praise them to build their self-esteem and self-confidence.

Action Exercise

Ask yourself what it would be like to be your own child. Put yourself in the position of your child or your children, and then evaluate yourself as a parent. What are your strengths and weaknesses? What do you do well and what do you do poorly? What are some of the things that you do that might be causing your children to grow up with lower self-esteem than you would like? 

You can get in touch with us through our e-mail address ifjimbest@gmail.com or contact us on +2347035083430. Together we can raise a prolific generations of high self esteem and highly confident children that will later matured to be a great leader in life.

Creating Learning Environments At Home

By Susan A. Miller, Ed.D.

As a parent, you become immediately aware that you are your child's first teacher. Then it should not be surprising that your child's initial important learning environment is your home. Your home setting can be a comforting, warm cocoon where your child very naturally learns about love and trust while you snuggle together reading a book in bed. Or it can be a stimulating place in which he learns to satisfy his curiosity while sinking toys in the bathtub. Even if you do not consciously invite your child to be a part of your daily routine at home, you will probably find him right next to you anyway. An activity that may not seem exciting to you may be fascinating to your child. For example, when I sat outside on the deck shucking corn for dinner, my toddler-aged grandchild eagerly joined me. He began to intensely pull down the green husks. He became most intrigued as he discovered the golden surprise inside each ear. And then just as quickly, he made a tickly beard with the cornsilk! His sensory-motor skill development and imagination became alive during this simple, shared project. You serve as an influential role model for your child as she learns about her world. It is fun for her to imitate you and copy your daily activities while she gains new skills and practices some old ones. In this article, we shares ways to take familiar areas in your home and create similar miniature learning environments for your child. Some things are interesting to do together, or with a sibling, while other activities foster independent learning. Home Office While you pay your bills, order clothes online from a catalog store, or call your dentist to make an appointment, encourage your child to practice his communication skills, such as reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Online. Create a pretend computer with a shoebox. Cover the back of the box with clear contact paper so your child can add "words" or "graphics" to the "screen" with a wipe off crayon. Together, you can write letters and numbers on paper taped to the "keyboard" lid. Fine motor and language skills are sharpened as your child types answers to his email. Phone fun. Poke holes in the bottom of two paper cups or tin cans (tape any sharp edges). Knot and pull the string tightly through the holes for designer phones for two. Hold one cup to an ear to listen while the other person talks in the other cup. Or create a hand held cell phone with a toilet paper roll and magic markers. To help your child make meaningful connections, create a personal phonebook with real or simple phone numbers (1, 2) and pictures of favorite people and places to call. Box of bills. To help her learn to identify some numbers and letters and to create a print rich environment for your child, save your colorful junk mail. Add some old envelopes, scrap paper, markers and stickers for stamps so she can sit and write out her bills right next to you.  The Gym While you grab some precious moments to exercise on your bike or treadmill, you are teaching your child at an early age the importance of keeping physically fit on a regular basis. Create a tiny exercise area for him to move his large muscles, too. Jazz it up. Roll a towel up tightly and hold it together with rubber bands the long way and on each end. Encourage your child to see how many creative ways he can use this long snake to build his muscles: jump over it, lift it over his head, shake it in the air. Record some jazzy music for him to coordinate his jumps with the rhythm. Pillow pile up. Pile several pillows on the floor for him to "dive" into or "crawl" around. See how many different ways she can think of to move around the pile. And this provides a great "cooling down" spot for you both to rest and snuggle after your workouts. Soup-can lifts. If you use weights to tone up, try taping an appropriately weighted can over your child's sock (in case of a skin tape allergy). He can enjoy sitting and lifting his foot or leg while he or both of you count together. For silly fun, try taping on a little teddy bear or a maraca.  Dressing Room Usually you feel rushed as you try to decide what you want to wear for the day. Provide stress-free opportunities for your child to become involved in decision-making, too, as she solves some dress-up problems of her own in a near-by corner. Zip or rip. Offer your child a wonderful collection of old wallets, purses, and bags. Invite her to explore the cause and effect relationships of various closures while practicing her fine motor skills as her fingers zip zippers, snap snaps, rip open Velcro® fasteners, and button buttons. Sock sort. Keep a handy basket of all those single socks you never know what to do with. Have your child play a classification game and sort by color, shape, size, texture, pattern, or owner. Dress for the weather. Ask your child to dress his teddy bear in outgrown baby clothes. Besides gaining practice manipulating sleeves and pant legs over the proper body part, he can make meaningful decisions about weather concepts—a fuzzy hat keeps teddy warm on a snowy day.  Cooking Station While you are working in the kitchen, safety (sharp knives, hot pots) is often an issue. Give your child his own safe working station—a metal tray on the table or a box of pans on the floor near the wall—so he can make inspired scientific and mathematical discoveries. Spill and fill. For lots of fun with differently-sized measuring containers and spoons, put water or cornmeal in a dishpan. Have him observe which piles of cornmeal are the largest or which containers hold the most water. And to stretch his imagination, your child will also enjoy burying miniature figurines in the deep corn meal. These hands-on experiences help develop emergent mathematical understandings about volume and size. Dry + Wet = Gush. Prompt your young scientist to add wet water to dry flour and salt in a bowl. Too much water? Gush! Not enough water? Crumbly stuff! Encourage him to slowly keep adding ingredients until he creates a wonderful ball of play dough to use with cookie cutters or bake. This discovery approach promotes an awareness of the characteristics of different properties. Cook's choice. Cut colorful pictures of food out of magazines and advertisements. Use small pots, pans and a wooden spoon for your little chef to stir up a stew or birthday cake. Supply paper plates for him to dish out a special meal for daddy. You may wish to furnish a non-toxic glue stick so he can create some permanent food collages. Discuss his choice of foods: for example vegetables and healthy snacks. In supporting our program and vision for children's personal development and creativity you can contact us by giving us feed back through our email ifjimbest@gmail.com or call +2347035083430.