54
votes
What is the right and effective way to tell a child not to vandalize things in public places?
Of all your suggestions, only one really says “it’s not ok to kick the dinosaurs”. The other are sending a different message, which can be summed up as
Don’t do it when [some else with more power] ...
- 18.1k
37
votes
How can I begin exposing my children to world news?
My personal opinion is that there are no sites I would consider appropriately curated.
This is something you should watch with them, discuss with them, and if needed, change channel.
I don't know ...
- 26.5k
35
votes
Is it normal for a child just turned 3 to be able to read and how do I develop and nurture his intelligence?
Speaking from experience1, your child is advanced, very likely gifted - but it happens. Remember that “normal” is just a statistical distribution and doesn’t imply any value or sense of wrong or right....
- 18.1k
30
votes
Accepted
How should I teach my child to help but also do things on her own?
I would try modeling the behavior you would like to see in her. I suspect you are correct in your assumption that she learned her current behavior from observing you. Which means you will probably ...
- 13.3k
27
votes
What is the right and effective way to tell a child not to vandalize things in public places?
Something that hasn't been addressed is why the child is kicking the dinosaur.
They are bored with the park or this exhibit ("Hey, don't damage the exhibits. If you're bored let's go and see the ...
- 1,402
27
votes
Accepted
when to start reading books to a child and attempt teaching reading?
In our experience, the main reading-promoting activities at this early age were limited to reading aloud to children. We used good quality books with lots of pictures, often board books. Having the ...
- 5,148
26
votes
Accepted
How to make my 3-year-old stop skipping one of the numbers when counting?
It's a common issue at around that age, both ours had issues with '6' for some reason and skipped from 5 to 7 and the younger one later got stuck with '13' for a short while. The best thing to do is ...
- 5,102
25
votes
How early should you teach children how to code?
This is very dependent on the child, as are all questions of this sort, but 5-6 is certainly possible.
My children, now eight and nine, were first exposed to programming in a meaningful way at around ...
- 61.7k
24
votes
How early should you teach children how to code?
I'm a fan of building up a programming mindset without even needing to use a computer. One good example is the peanut-butter sandwich game. You pretend to be a robot, while the child gives you ...
- 391
21
votes
What is the right and effective way to tell a child not to vandalize things in public places?
Just to add to what other posters have said, this can be a good time to give a child a lesson in empathy as well. Something like "Well, that dinosaur belongs to someone. Would you like it if ...
- 311
21
votes
How early should you teach children how to code?
The more people know about computers the later they appear to let their kids near them. This Business Insider article has a few observations and quotes:
Gates, for example, didn't let his kids use ...
- 1,981
19
votes
How can we reduce the likelihood of repeating our parents' mistakes?
If you're aware of the mistakes, and conscious of when you make them, that's a big step already. The next step is to develop alternatives, and have them ready, so that as soon as you recognize a ...
- 2,376
19
votes
Accepted
How can I convince my son to try to ride without training wheels?
3.5 is on the young end to learn to ride a bike, but not impossible certainly. The challenge a 3.5 year old will have is pedaling strength; you can help a lot here by having a lighter bike (most of ...
- 61.7k
18
votes
What is the right and effective way to tell a child not to vandalize things in public places?
Quietly and politely, tell the child to please not kick the dino and give the best possible (age-appropriate) reason. Something like "Please don't kick the dino. The dinos in the park are not for ...
- 5,148
14
votes
Accepted
Is my son's school ignoring his intelligence?
I'm a parent governor in a UK primary school, with a daughter just started reception and another daughter higher up the school, who was reading before she started reception (so I've been in a similar ...
- 4,580
14
votes
How can I begin exposing my children to world news?
If you don't start teaching them yourself, they will learn it from their friends. If you wait until you think they're"ready", you'll wait until it's too late.
The news media has always been subject ...
- 3,697
13
votes
Am I giving a bad example to other people's children by buying junk food in supermarket?
You are way over-thinking this. What you present for this parent is an opportunity to teach their child that other people make decisions that are different from their family. This child is going to ...
- 13.5k
13
votes
What to do against our 5-year-old son's low opinion of the opposite gender?
I think you shouldn't overthink this. Five year olds are too young to truly have a gender bias. This is usually the first period in their young life that they even realise there are differences ...
- 131
13
votes
when to start reading books to a child and attempt teaching reading?
when to start reading books to a child
As soon as it's fun for everyone involved. 11 months is fine if you and your daughter enjoy it.
and attempt teaching reading?
Too early. At 11 month you ...
- 7,194
12
votes
Teacher called my sons statement racist
From our childhood, we are conditioned to believe that certain descriptions are meant as a complement and a few others as an insult.
For example, growing up, I was always the shortest girl in my ...
- 1,442
11
votes
Accepted
How to explain scientific concepts to a curious 3.5-year-old?
Rather than answering all her questions correctly and fully, what is important to help her develop a scientific mind is to spark her interest in the scientific method:
The steps of the scientific ...
- 2,920
11
votes
Toddler has trouble keeping balance on bicycle - will training wheels help?
I would try to set her up with a "running bike".
Here in Germany kids get these when they really are toddlers (around 2 or so).
It's a small 2 wheel bike, with no pedals, and with the seat low ...
- 111
10
votes
Accepted
How should I act such that child doesn't feel average success and mediocrity is expected of her?
The healthiest way is to encourage your daughter to do her best to reach the fullness of her own potential, without regard to her peers. That means "average success and mediocrity" isn't defined by ...
- 36k
10
votes
How can I begin exposing my children to world news?
Just my two cents, I think one great way to get started with world news is to get a World Map or a globe.
That way, when they look at the news headlines and images, they have a mental reference point....
- 101
10
votes
How early should you teach children how to code?
"Code" is not the same as "programming". For example, my daughter played an app called Coding Safari (https://www.hopster.tv/coding-safari/) when she was about 3-4yo. That app is ...
- 201
9
votes
How to make my 3-year-old stop skipping one of the numbers when counting?
I'm not a child psychologist, but I've also observed this as common behavior, and my intuition is that it comes from learning the numbers as a sequence, not as having actual intrinsic meaning. I've ...
- 359
9
votes
What are age appropriate projects for 5-year-old interested in electronics?
I've found myself in very similar situations with my 4 year old son. He's also fascinated by electronics, and anything mechanical.
We'll start projects together, but invariably after a while I'm ...
- 3,775
9
votes
Teaching young children about American Indian history
If it were me, I'd rather they were told a bit about the tribes that inhabited the area (particularly their religious beliefs are liable to be fascinating), how their language relates to others in the ...
- 2,970
9
votes
Accepted
Should we tell a child to say Thank you
"Thank you" is social etiquette. I teach my children how to have manners & thanking others who do something for you, a service, a gift, a kindness, is part of that etiquette. I am not always ...
- 7,330
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