Monday’s Parenting Thought

Learn what your children can do or what they wish they could do by trying the following activities.

1. Explore how fast your children can run. Time them several times and post their best times. Check in with
   them every so often to see if they want to check their times again. Be careful to not compare different children. They all grow at their own pace. Focus in on each child’s personal time and how it changes as he or she grows.

2. Explore how high your children can jump. Have them jump as high as they can, reach, and touch a point on a wall. Have them do it several times. Measure and post each child’s highest jump. Check in with them every so often to see if they want to check their jump again. Be careful to not compare different children. They all grow at their own pace. Focus in on each child’s personal jump and how it changes as he or she grows.

3. Help your children make charts of the things they can do to take care of themselves – like brushing their teeth, combing their hair, and taking baths. Make a place to mark each time they do the things on their chart. Celebrate when their charts show they are taking good care of themselves.

4. Work with your children to organize their toys. Make sure it is safe and easy for them to put their toys away.

Inspired by THE THINGS I CAN DO by Jeff Mack.

More about what kids can do at:

Kids Need to DO Things, Part 1

Kids Need to DO Things, Part 2.