‘Toolkit for growing great kids’ is a program that works in the contexts of parenting, teaching, working & playing with children, providing:
to grow great kids!
Research S9
Devise a way of gaining information from others in a way that offers the best chance of discovering helpful hints and adapting them to your situation.
An engaging environment S9
Turn space into place! Work hard to provide an interesting environment for children.
A warm welcome S9
Children know very quickly whether you love being with them or not. It helps if you can find ways to give them a very warm welcome.
Personality keys S9
Take the time to get to know about your personality type and the personality types of each child.
Relationship! Relationship! Relationship! S9
Take the time to enter into a child’s world; find out how they tick; take an interest in their lives; work out what sort of relationship you would like to end up with and how to achieve that.
Develop a vision and some strategies S9
Grow a vision for your family/group/team and for each child in it. Begin with the end in mind. Develop some strategies in order to achieve this.
A great program S9
If appropriate and interesting activities are provided for children they are more likely to be engaged and involved.
The art of apology RD
When we make mistakes, and we will … healing the relationships with children will help us all to grow and learn. Below are three patterns to consider adapting and using in your context.
Some helpful definitions S9
Discipline involves all of life, the total process of training and guiding a child towards a goal. Managing or controlling situations are steps along the way to achieving the goal of discipline.
Good routines S9
Take time to teach children good routines. They give stability to normal life and help children to take responsibility for their own self-discipline.
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Reward systems S9
Rewards are helpful as part of the process of reinforcing good routines and learning expected behaviours.
Guidelines for reasonable behaviour S9
Take the time with your children to develop guidelines for reasonable behaviour. Begin to develop deeper motivations for keeping within the expected guidelines.
The clear instruction S9
Make sure you have a child’s attention before you give a clear instruction.
The art of distraction & diversion S9
If you see trouble coming, the easy way out is sometimes a good strategy.
Time-out RD
Time-out is a way of removing a child from a situation in order to allow for recovery or to correct a behaviour.
To smack or not to smack? RD
The debate rages!
Follow through … with warnings S9 & RD
Be consistent with the consequences when the child fails to follow the guidelines, rules, expectations and agreements.
Follow through … no warnings RD
Children will need to learn that for certain behaviours there will be no warnings given before a process of corrective discipline is undertaken.
Tactically ignore certain behaviours RD
We cannot address all discipline issues at once.
A polite but firm tone S9 & RD
Speak in a polite, firm & friendly tone.
A clear directive RD
Communicating a correction of behaviour clearly and effectively is very important.
A discipline plan RD
Often a Discipline Plan needs to be developed in order to teach or correct a particular behaviour.
Descriptive recognition S9 & RD
Learn the art of descriptive recognition and use it when you catch children doing something right!
