Parenting Thought:

Teaching Your Child to Ask for Help 

Play an “Asking for Help” game with your child.  Take turns thinking of different ways to ask for help in different situations. Make all the situations be about summertime. For example, “You aren’t sure where you need to go in the library to be part of the summer storytime. What could you do?” Or, “You want to play with your friend who lives across the street, but you aren’t allowed to cross streets by yourself. What could you do?”

Take turns thinking of different ways to ask for help. Who would you talk to? What would you say?  Write down the ideas and post them where they can be seen. Ask your child which suggestions she likes the best. Be sure to let your child know that asking for help is a powerful thing to do.*

*Thanks to author Jean Illsley Clarke for her powerful message about asking for help.

Summer’s Picture Books

We have been amazed at how much good parenting information is in children’s picture books – books that we hope you are reading everyday to the children in your lives – your own, your class, those you take care of.  For each book, we are noting there is something in it to remind you of how to be the parent you want to be.

• THE MONSTER WHO LOST HIS MEAN by Tiffany Strelitz Haber

What’s in it for you, the reader? 

A reminder that preschool-aged children test out what it means to be mean, but you can help them learn that there are good reasons to give up being mean to be nice.

• OLIVER AND HIS ALLIGATOR by Paul Schmid

What’s in it for you, the reader?

A reminder that the first days of school can be scary for your children at any age and that you can help them get over those fears.

• KATIE AND THE PUPPY NEXT DOOR by John Himmelman

What’s in it for you, the reader?

A reminder that all children have trouble sharing, but you can help them learn that it also can be fun to share.

• I WILL LOVE YOU NO MATTER WHAT by Jay Rutland

What’s in it for you, the reader?

A reminder that your children need to know you love them no matter what – “On fun days and sad days and happy days and mad days….”

Read All About It:

SELF-ESTEEM A FAMILY AFFAIR, Jean Illsley Clarke

GROWING UP AGAIN: PARENTING OURSELVES, PARENTING OUR CHILDREN, Jean Illsley Clarke and Connie Dawson

Surf the Internet:

asking for help