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by Rosemary Lee Potter, Ed.D.
Special to Tropical Breeze
It really doesn't matter what time of
year it is for positive parental moves to begin. Anytime's a good
time. We always like new beginnings, however, if you check this
article, some of the four resolutions may already have long been in
place. Let's hope we can all say, "So what else is new?"
Still. The new year, that is, right now,
is a good time to think about fresh starts. At school we clean out
the lockers before the holidays. At home we start a new checkbook,
calendar or ledger. So now, how about checking on the following
ideas which can be put in place at once -- if not already doing so!
That is, just in case... well,you know -- maybe you're hunting for
some successful parenting ideas.
READING! That means children reading
silently, children reading aloud to other children and to their
parents. Parents reading to children of course -- books, magazines,
directions, recipes, newspapers. In print? It doesn't let up.
PLAYING! We are so intense, so serious
about everything, even professional and collegiate sports, seen as
playing, that just plain old playing around at appropriate times
fades away! Just the fun of the family outdoors with or without
balls, running, chasing, building things or, indoors, sharing some
really silly game, not just of words, but with actions. Smiling is
good. Laughing is better. Cooking or swimming, playing with pets
and friends and folks. Real life, folks, fun, not just on old
family sitcoms!
EATING! Well, of course, this is just the
right time for parents to check the children's food situations.
While parents are still mostly in charge of what a student eats,
before long, their offspring are into choosing what to eat or even
not to eat, once out of the house. Now's the time to be sure
youngsters are neither overeating, nor surviving on junk food, or
taking in more sugar and less fiber and carbs than is really good
for them. TV and movies make a joke of eating, as do many fast-food
commercials. It's not funny. Talk about obese children these days?
The truth is many people actually watch their pet's diet more
closely than their children's fare! Serious!
SLEEPING! Not much can really be done with
school schedules which require students to be up early for bus pick
up or classroom starts. Well, okay, then parents need to encourage
early to-bed times. This is hard, not fun at all, especially if
there are activities for the kids every single day after school
plus homework. It's not long before students are tired out, too
tired to do their best, at school and home, often irritable.
Growing children need rest. Bedtime reading to little ones has
never gone out of style! Quieting down time for older children is a
must. No TV or computers or electronic games in bedrooms.
Scary? Hey, who said New Year's
resolutions were easy to start, much less maintain? Good, brave
parenting checks in some version of each of the four fresh ideas
above. Once begun and maintained, such parents show clearly their
resolve that your family matters!
© 2008 Rosemary Lee Potter. All
Rights Reserved.
Rosemary Lee Potter, Ed.D., has been a
teacher since 1960, including 21 years at Safety Harbor Middle
School, and is now a reading teacher at Carwise Middle School, Palm
Harbor. Contact her at
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
or by mail in care
of Tropical Breeze, P.O. Box 585, Safety Harbor, FL 34695.
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