Consistent Boundaries Makes Discipline Easier

Author: Judy H. Wright

Homes should be run by parents, not children. So many times, however, either the children are in charge or the parents are so eager to be liked, that whatever rules and standards are talked about, few are enforced, especially on a consistent basis.

Children, whether they are two or 18, feel more confident when they know that you, the adults, are in charge and that their environment is predictable and safe. They need to be taught what is right and wrong, what is acceptable and what is unacceptable, what is appropriate, and what is rude and out of place.

Though they will get mixed or conflicting messages from the television, magazine and friends, they need you to set and enforce clear, respectful rules and limits. They need to know that you expect them to do and be their best.

By providing this guidance you will help them learn how to be responsible, contributing members of society.

Consistency in discipline is the number one factor in successful families: It is important that love, respect, cooperation and expectations are unconditional.

Consistent boundaries within the family are pretty predictable; for instance:

* They will grow up knowing that mom and dad must know the 4 Ws before they are allowed to leave with friends. WHO are the friends, WHERE are they going, WHAT are they doing, and WHEN will they be
home.

* A child can count on dinner being at six o’clock or there about.

* They need to know that bedtime is 8:30 on school nights and that homework is done before playtime.

But sometimes in life, opportunities come up that make boundaries and rules flexible. A relative visits from out of town, so it might be okay for the kids to stay up till 9:30 one night to enjoy the experience. Rules can bend occasionally, but if they get broken, we are all in trouble.

As long as the family knows that in general, there is a structure that they can count on and limits to what is accepted and what is not, they will flourish in a system that gives them guidelines and direction.

Consistent boundaries and standards give a child and the whole family a feeling of security and safety. It is within this environment that self-discipline and life skills begin to flourish and develop.

When we, as a community as well as a family, give consistent messages to our children concerning dangerous and unkind behavior, it will be easier for them to forgo temptation to participate. It is our responsibility as adults to help them learn and live by the basic rule that actions have consequences.

Those children who develop a habit of thinking about the connection will be in a position of strength. Their choices will be immeasurably easier to make because they have been given a framework for decision-making.

Repair or rebuild the boundary, if necessary

I encourage you to be firm, consistent and kind in your discipline. It is vital to always follow through. Don’t make threats, make promises. If you take away TV privileges the first time he doesn’t take out the garbage, but ignore it the second and third time, he will soon learn that you don’t always mean what you say. The child will learn how to be a manipulator, and you will still have the misbehavior to deal with. You are the adult, and so it is your job to repair the fence when it is broken or stretched out.

Boundaries don’t fence us in but rather they allow us freedom to grow and develop, knowing that we are safe and loved unconditionally. It is never a guessing game of what will happen but rather a sure foundation.

You can do it. I believe in you. You are doing the most important job in the world, raising self-disciplined, thoughtful and contributing children.

© Judy H. Wright, Author, Speaker and Life Educator www.ArtichokePress.com

This article was written by Judy Wright, parent educator and author. Feel free to use it in your newsletter or publication, but please give full credit to the author and mention the contact information of JudyWright@ArtichokePress.com, 406-549-9813.

You will find a full listing of books, tapes, newsletters and workshops available on finding the heart of the story in the journey of life by going to www.ArtichokePress.com

Author: Judy H. Wright

There are only two ways to get more money:

1) Increase your income and

2) Decrease your outgo.

B Buy what you need, not what you want.

U Use it up, wear it out or give it away

D Don’t ever spend in anticipation of earning

G Garage sales, consignment shops and hand-me-downs

E Eat at home or make it at home and take it with you

T Tracking your spending means you will have money to track

Simplify your life.Spend twice as much time and half as much money on your child and you will all be happier.

Don’t buy your kids too many clothes. They need an outfit for every day and
a Sunday or dress-up outfit, a sweat outfit to play in, two pairs of shoes, seven pairs of underwear and socks and two pairs of pajamas. A coat and jacket and you are set. They don’t need twenty outfits that crowd the drawers
and fall on the floor and end up in the washing.

Limit the toys you give your child. When they have so many toys, it stifles their imagination. They will really play with a few but are overwhelmed with too many choices.

Buys toys, books and games on sale and keep in a “birthday box” for when your children are invited to parties.

Trade your good or services with friends and neighbors. Start a babysitting co-op or food co-op. Trade painting for fresh produce, haircuts for yard work etc. Be creative.

Plan your menus around store specials and you will save a great deal and avoid stopping at MacDonald’s. Have one night be cooking night and prepare and freeze enough for the rest of the week. Consider joining with another friend and sharing the prepared meals.Recognize that saving or stretching of money is a part time job involving the whole family. You can easily save as much as you would earn in a few hours a week by being a smart shopper. Have a family council and decide what you will be able to do as a family with the money you save by making wise consumer decisions. Make it fun!

Good Luck and God Bless. You do an important work.

This handout© 2003 has been prepared by Judy H. Wright, Missoula, MT parent educator and author. You may have permission to make copies for other parents and teachers but the entire article, including the signature line, must be included. A complete list of parenting books, aids, workshops and a FREE ezine is available at www.ArtichokePress.com. To contact us, please write
judywright@artichokepress.com or call 406-549-9813.

Author: Anthony Kane

Learning obedience is an important part of child development. This is the tool that allows you as parents to train your child. Through obedience your child will learn self-control and develop other positive character traits that he will need as an adult.

However, obedience cannot be forced upon the child. Parents who simply command their children will foster resentment, which will eventually lead to rebellion. In fact, some researchers feel that poor parenting techniques contribute to the development of oppositional defiant disordering some children. Although you can punish a child for not obeying, this will not foster any long-term obedience. When the child reaches his teen years and becomes more independent, punishment will only serve to destroy the already faltering parent child relationship.

Our goal then is not to force our children to obey us, but to get them to want to obey us. This willingness to obey will only come about if the parent’s commands are based upon seven principles.

1-Loving Concern for the Child

A child knows quickly whether a parent’s demands are for the sake of the child or for the personal convenience of the parent. If the parent’s primary motive for giving orders is to make his own life easier, then the child learns to place his own interests first, also. If you want to be successful in raising your child, then your reason for giving orders must be for the benefit of your child. When your child senses that your demands are for his sake, he will much more readily obey you. He knows that it is for his own good. He will know that any demands made of him, no matter how unpleasant, come from a genuine concern for his welfare.

2-Sincere Respect for the Child

Parents must respect their children. This is a concept that is not well practiced by our society. Western society focuses on possessions. Somehow in the back of many parents’ minds their children are counted among those possessions. We must remember that our children are not objects, but people. As people, they are deserving of respect. We must remember to give respect to our child to the same degree we would like others to respect us.

3-Patience

Very often our children do things that bother us. This is usually unintentional on their part and is just a reflection of their immaturity. However, if we show our children that we are annoyed they will begin to resent us. This resentment feeds their desire to rebel against our wishes. One of our goals as parents must be to try to keep our negative emotions in check.

4-Speak Softly

Nothing gains a child’s cooperation more than a gentle tone of voice. Speaking softly helps us to control our negative emotions, especially anger. A soft voice soothes and is more likely to be met with cooperation. It creates a relaxed atmosphere and is reassuring to children.

When we speak in a soft voice it also conveys strength. We show our children that we are in control of the situation and not merely reacting to it. If the only step you take is to control the volume of your voice, particularly in stressful situations, that alone will foster better child compliance. You will find that everything around you goes more smoothly.

5-Make Moderate Demands

No one likes having demands placed upon him. Children are no different. Yet we are constantly commanding our children. We feel that as parents we must take steps to correct every misdemeanor that we see. When the orders become excessive or arbitrary the parent becomes more like a dictator that an educator.

If you place a lot of obligations on your child, then your child is going to resent and resist your authority. One of the most important steps in getting your child to listen to you is to reduce the amount of demands that you place upon him. This will require you to stay calm and overlook a lot of childish behavior. Commands should be made thoughtfully and be within reasonable limits. The general rule is that if a certain behavior is not something your child will be doing as an adult and if it is not dangerous, then you should not make it a priority to correct.

6-Follow Through

Even if you do all that has been mentioned so far, you will still need to give your child orders. When you do so, you must be firm and make sure that your child obeys. If you give your child an instruction you must insist that he fulfill it. Often it will be easier or more convenient to just overlook disobedience. This is the end will erode your authority as a parent.

You should only make moderate and well thought out demands on your child. However, when you do make those orders your child must fulfill them. If we want our children to take our words seriously, then we must show them that we are serious.

7-Be Free with ‘Yes’, but not with ‘No’

We must try to grant every reasonable request our children make of us. They should feel that we are giving to them freely and in overflowing abundance at all times. You should make it a rule to give your child whatever he wants unless you have a good reason not to do so.

In addition, we should try to temper our use of ‘no’. Try not to avoid saying ‘no’ whenever possible. For example, if your child wants to have a treat before dinner and you want him to eat first, rather than say ‘no’ or ‘not now’ say, ‘yes, after dinner.’ This small change in the way you use the words ‘yes’and ‘no’ will change your child’s perception from the feeling that most of his desires are being denied to that most of them are being granted.

Conclusion

It is natural for a child to want to obey his parents. It is also necessary for his proper growth and development. Applying these seven keys will help you to make it easier for your child to obey you. If you want to see how you are doing as a parent, see our Parenting Quiz at http://addadhdadvances.com/parentquiz.html.

If you want more information on ways that you can teach even the most difficult child to obey you, please see our Child Behavior Program at http://addadhdadvances.com/betterbehavior.html

Anthony Kane, MD is a physician and international lecturer. Get ADD ADHD Child Behavior and Treatment Help for your ADHD child, including child behavior advice, information on the latest
ADHD treatment, and help with Oppositional Defiant Disorder. Sign up for the free ADD ADHD dvances online journal. Send an email to: subscribe@addadhdadvances.com?subject=subsaa

Author: Judy H. Wright

Many families, ours included, have learned that breakfast is eaten after we are dressed and have made our beds. Dressing and making a bed somehow only takes five minutes when done before breakfast and take forever if done after breakfast. If it is your child’s job to see that the pets are fed and watered, he should be required to do that before he sits down to eat. Wise parents establish a time line for when you expect the job done. For instance, a phrase like, “By the time I take you to your baseball game,” or, “Before you can turn on the TV,” lets them know what you expect. That way the kids know the ground rules and they are measurable. If the task is not done within the time frame, they recognize there will be consequences, either natural or logical

? Require some work from every family member daily. Then relax. If you are in a high powered or stressful job, you may find that you have a difficult time allowing either yourself or those around you to just be. There is a difference between leisure and laziness, and we need to recognize that difference. We need to be able to have fun and joy in our life. We want to
reach the point where we are doing less for our children and more with them.

? If an older child has trouble with follow-through, consider a written contract with agreed upon consequences. We make it mandatory in our family
that before a teenager can get a driver’s license, she must have accomplished at least three service projects. She can choose to read to the blind, rake a neighbor’s yard or whatever, but it’s important that she learn to go outside of herself and extend service to others. Teenagers tend to think they are the center of the universe, and it is humbling to recognize how many other people are in the world around them.

? To promote good habits, agree to a much-coveted reward at the end of 21 consecutive days of positive action. What you are aiming for is called automatic action. It becomes such a habit that you don’t even realize or have to think about doing it on a daily basis. For instance; making your bed, hanging up your coat, picking up your plate from the table, rinsing it off and loading it in the dishwasher.

? When your child has cleaned his/her rooms especially well, suggest he/she
invite the family into the room to play a game of UNO or Monopoly. Let them bask in the glow of hospitality.

? Have a child put away as many items as the number of years he or she is in age. Then you pick up as many things as you are in age and let the child count. They LOVE this one, especially if you ham it up and say, “It’s not
fair!" a phrase they have probably used on you a time or two.

? Establish daily personal basics. If you list every little task on a chart, it becomes overwhelming. What you are striving for is automatic action. Most of us don’t have to remember to brush our teeth and wash our face at night; it is just part of a routine. The more things become automatic, the more our minds are freed to explore and grow in new directions.

© Judy H. Wright, Author, Speaker and Life Educator www.ArtichokePress.com

This article was written by Judy Wright, parent educator and author. Feel free to use it in your newsletter or publication, but please give full credit to the author and mention the contact information of JudyWright@ArtichokePress.com, 406-549-9813.

You will find a full listing of books, tapes, newsletters and workshops available on finding the heart of the story in the journey of life by going to www.ArtichokePress.com

Q: My husband and I are at a loss as to what to do with our two teenagers. They have been great kids and all of a sudden it seems like we are in teenage hell! We keep fighting to see the kids we once knew, and they keep fighting to get their own way. We have been considering family counseling, and really would like to know what goes on in counseling. Can you give us some help with our kids and what to expect in counseling?

Sure can. Here’s how it usually goes. I get a call from a worried mom or dad, who are at a loss as to what to do with their teenager(s). We talk for a few minutes and we set an appointment.

A few days later, Mom and Dad come in with their teenager. After we exchange a few pleasantries, we get down to work. The parent’s view is something like this - they see the kid they raised from an infant changing right before their eyes, usually getting more and more out of control.

Their concerns can run through a whole range of problems. From slipping grades, bad attitudes and little or no communication all the way to depression, running away or drugs.

The teens view usually goes something like this - “if mom and dad would just get off my back and trust me, everything would be OK. I’m not a little kid anymore!”

Sound familiar? If it does, don’t worry, you are part of a very big club, whose only membership requirement is to have a family with kids.

If we boil all the many concerns of this family down into a few sentences, it would look something like this:

The parent’s bottom line is “I want my kid back.”

The teen’s bottom line is “I want to be more and more in charge of myself.”

While those two statements may sound like “irreconcilable differences”, they don’t necessarily have to be. They are both valid needs.

I Want My Kid Back

Many parents feel as if overnight, a stranger is living in their house. They want to continue to help their kids, but their kids don’t want any help. The heartfelt cry of parents has been expressed by singer-songwriters Harry and Sandy Chapin in their song “Tangled Up Puppet” -

“I have watched you take shape from a jumble of parts,
To find the grace and form of a fine work of art
Hey you, my brand new woman (man),
Newly come into your own
Don’t you know that you don’t need to grow up all alone?”

How to Get Your Kid Back

Realize that the toddler/child you once knew is gone. You have a budding young adult on your hands. Cherish the memories.

Realize that breaking away from you at some level is their job at this point. At the same time, they usually return once they have gone through this passage. In whatever way possible, maintain the relationship in a way that keeps it intact for when need you. Sometimes you have to catch them off guard.

Again, in the words of Harry and Sandy Chapin, “Tonight while we played tag for five minutes in the yard, just for a moment, I caught you off guard.”

Remember that it’s their job to act like they don’t need you. But they desperately do need you. Hang in there with them.

Pick your battles. You don’t have to fight to win over each and every issue.

I Want to Be In Charge of Myself!

This is not only the heartfelt cry of teenagers, it’s their job as well. Parenting is one of those rare jobs where the goal is to work yourself out of a job. Unless you want your child living with you at 30.

How to Be “In Charge of Your Self”

Make sure your behavior matches your word.

Do what you say you are going to do.

From my seminar “The Care and Feeding of Parents”:

“Here’s how to tell when you are growing up - when you can do something even though your parents suggested it.”

Pick your battles. Every issue is not a battle for independence. This one is important. If you constantly have to fight to do the opposite of what your parents say no matter what, you are just as controlled as if you obeyed their every command.

Do these things, and you’ll get to be more and more in charge of your self. Don’t do these things, and you have just sent your parents an engraved invitation to bug you as much as they want.

A final word for both sides: remember that the relationship is always more important than being right!

Visit ParentingYourTeenager.com for tips and tools for thriving during the teen years. You can also subscribe to our f*r*e*e 5 day e-program on The Top 5 Things to Never Say to Your Teenager, from parenting coach and expert Jeff Herring.

Author: Rexanne Mancini

Moms, did you ever question your value as a role model, caretaker, administer of
hugs and Band-Aids? I think we all have in today’s climate of “do more, get more, have
more.” Many of us work to bring home a paycheck and others work for our sanity. Have you ever wondered if your children were better off with the baby sitter than you? Scientific studies are beginning to point to the overwhelming value of a mother’s love, hugs and support. Nannies, baby-sitters and relatives are terrific. They just aren’t as terrific as Mom.

I have had the best of both worlds, I suspect. I worked a high-powered executive job until my older daughter was 2 and a half. At a crossroads in my career, I opted to “get pregnant and stay home for a year.” HA! Little did I realize I was about to take a ten-year hiatus from my much-loved life! I didn’t get pregnant right away, but, after having spent a year basking in the glow of being Mom, I couldn’t bear giving up the care and nurturing of my daughter to another nanny, no matter how wonderful. I think it was the best career move of my life.
Well, ten years later, I am back in the work force and thriving. Yes, I felt bored much
of the time. Yes, our family sacrificed the bigger house, fancier cars and vacations some of our peers were enjoying. But it was a conscious decision to sacrifice for the benefit of our children. We wanted our morals, our ethics and our life lessons to influence our children.
I think moms can work at home, be homemakers or work outside of the home and still be great moms. The most important part of mothering, I feel, is being there for our children. Maybe your sacrifice is going to work but spending your precious little free time reading your child a bedtime story every night, taking him to the park on Saturdays or chaperoning your daughter’s school dance. What matters is our input, the confidence in our roles as mothers and knowing we are the best person for the role … to understand how valuable we are to society.
Pat yourselves on the backs … you’ve accomplished a miracle! There is no greater

sacrifice on earth, in my opinion, than making the decision to be a parent. Know how important you are. Know that your children need you to be as solid an individual as you can be. Therein lies your strength as a mother, whether you spend all day at home or in an office. We are all exceptional women in our motherhood.
Copyright - 2000-2004- Rexanne Mancini

Rexanne Mancini is the mother of two daughters, Justice and Liberty. She is a novelist, freelance writer and maintains an extensive yet informal parenting and family web site, Rexanne.com - http://www.rexanne.com Visit her site for good advice, award-winning Internet holiday pages and some humor to help you cope. Subscribe to her free newsletter, Rexanne’s Web Review, for a monthly dose of Rexanne: http://www.rexanne.com

Author: Judy H. Wright

To have reasonable expectations of our children is an important aspect of wise parenting. Reasonable expectations leave room for a child to be a child but understand they are on the road to learning to be a mature adult. Often I see parents who try to hold their children to a much higher standard than the child is able to accomplish or just the opposite, ask almost nothing from the child. Many parents who were forced to work hard as a child, either because of financial reasons or over-strict parents have vowed that their children will be allowed to just be “kids” and enjoy life. May I tell you that there is a happy medium?

EVERY ONE IN FAMILY SHOULD HELP

All members of the family should be expected to contribute to the upkeep of the home and to making life run as smoothly as possible. That said, you cannot expect a 4 year old child to make dinner or an infant to quit crying just because you told him too. You can avoid discouragement by setting realistic and clear goals and expectations.

Don’t expect the beds to have military corners, the dishes to be spotless or puzzle pieces never to be lost. We are all human beings and make mistakes. This is a learning ground and as such we all need to be free to learn and change on a daily basis.

LEARN ABOUT CHILD DEVELOPMENT

I have always wondered why child development was not considered a core competency for high school students. If it were done, I think that the next generation of parents would have some ideas of what each age and stage of childhood is about.

Please check out a book at the library or pick one up at a yard sale on the natural stages of child development. It will give you an insight into what most children at each age are able to accomplish physically, emotionally, intellectually and socially. That doesn’t mean that your child won’t be a little behind or a little ahead of the statistics. However, you will be more aware of what he or she is capable of and not be so frustrated.

BE CAREFUL HOW EXPECTATIONS ARE PHRASED

We think in pictures and your child must be able to visualize what you are asking for. When you say to your daughter, “Please be good today when we are visiting Grandma who is very sick.” This leaves the words open to the child’s interpretation.

After all what does “good” mean? Didn’t she just have a “good” time playing in the sink or outside with the dog. It is very confusing. If, instead you say “While we are at Grandmas I expect you to play with your toys quietly and ask permission before you touch anything that doesn’t belong to you. Do you have any questions?” you will be painting a much clearer picture in her mind.

ALL CHILDREN ARE UNIQUE

Most parents expect their children to grow steadily in a diagonal line that constantly goes in an onward and upward motion. They want improvement on a steady basis with no backsliding or “I forgot!” The problem is that children don’t grow that way, either physically or in skill building. They grow and develop in spurts and surges. I have heard child rearing described as the ocean tide, where the family moves forward, retreats, move forward again, retreats again, etc.

You would tend to get discouraged if you didn’t realize that every time the tide comes in, it comes in a little ahead of where it was before. Good luck and God Bless. You do the most important work in the world.

© Judy H. Wright, Parent Educator, www.ArtichokePress.comThis rticle was written by Judy Wright, parent educator and author. Feel free to use it in your newsletter or publication, but please give full credit to the author and mention the contact information of JudyWright@ArtichokePress.com, 406-549-9813.

You will find a full listing of books, tapes, newsletters and workshops available on finding the

heart of the story in the journey of life by going to www.ArtichokePress.com

Author: Caren Bugay

Everyone loves penguins. And now, everyone has a chance to see how penguins live in the highly entertaining documentary March of the Penguins. No need to tell the kids it’s educational.

Beyond just taking your kids to see the show, there are lots of fun activities you can do before and after the presentation to enhance your enjoyment of the film.

Learn more about the penguins and the land in which they live at the movie’s web site. There you can find a Kids Activity Guide, a National Geographic Activity Guide and coloring pages. You can also hear to sounds of the penguins and watch video clips.

At the National Geographic web site, you can observe penguins and other arctic creatures via the critter cam or learn more fun facts about penguins at the creature feature page.

Another great source of penguin information and activities is the teacher guides at the Sea World web site. Sea World is dedicated to educating the public about the animals they house at their parks and they spend a lot of time and effort developing educational materials to make that happen.

By visiting the teacher’s area, you have access to numerous teacher guides in downloadable PDF format. Two guides are offered covering the topic of Arctic Animals, one for grades K through 3, the other for grades 4 through 8. The guides are filled with informative worksheet and coloring pages.

With their adorable waddle and ever-present tuxedo, Penguins are such likeable creatures. Expand your child’s knowledge of these amazing animals by checking out these fun learning tools either before or after the show.

Caren Bugay has lots of tips and resources to enhance your child’s education. Find more great ideas at http://www.helpyourkidslearn.blogspot.com

Author: Judy H. Wright

Many families, ours included, have learned that breakfast is eaten after we are dressed and have made our beds. Dressing and making a bed somehow only takes five minutes when done before breakfast and take forever if done after breakfast. If it is your child’s job to see that the pets are fed and watered, he should be required to do that before he sits down to eat. Wise parents establish a time line for when you expect the job done. For instance, a phrase like, “By the time I take you to your baseball game,” or, “Before you can turn on the TV,” lets them know what you expect. That way the kids know the ground rules and they are measurable. If the task is not done within the time frame, they recognize there will be consequences, either natural or logical

?
Require some work from every family member daily. Then relax. If you are in a high powered or stressful job, you may find that you have a difficult time allowing either yourself or those around you to just be. There is a
difference between leisure and laziness, and we need to recognize that difference. We need to be able to have fun and joy in our life. We want to reach the point where we are doing less for our children and more with them.

? If an older child has trouble with follow-through, consider a written contract with agreed upon consequences. We make it mandatory in our family that before a teenager can get a driver’s license, she must have accomplished at least three service projects. She can choose to read to the blind, rake a neighbor’s yard or whatever, but it’s important that she learn to go outside of herself and extend service to others. Teenagers tend to think they are the center of the universe, and it is humbling to recognize how many other people are in the world around them.

?
To promote good habits, agree to a much-coveted reward at the end of 21 consecutive days of positive action. What you are aiming for is called automatic action. It becomes such a habit that you don’t even realize or have to think about doing it on a daily basis. For instance; making your bed, hanging up your coat, picking up your plate from the table, rinsing it off and loading it in the dishwasher.

? When your child has cleaned his/her rooms especially well, suggest he/she invite the family into the room to play a game of UNO or Monopoly. Let them bask in the glow of hospitality.

?
Have a child put away as many items as the number of years he or she is in age. Then you pick up as many things as you are in age and let the child count. They LOVE this one, especially if you ham it up and say, “It’s not
fair!" a phrase they have probably used on you a time or two.

?
Establish daily personal basics. If you list every little task on a chart, it becomes overwhelming. What you are striving for is automatic action. Most of us don’t have to remember to brush our teeth and wash our
face at night; it is just part of a routine. The more things become automatic, the more our minds are freed to explore and grow in new directions.
© Judy H. Wright, Author, Speaker and Life Educator www.ArtichokePress.com

This article was written by Judy Wright, parent educator and author. Feel free to use it in your newsletter or publication, but please give full credit to the author and mention the contact information of JudyWright@ArtichokePress.com, 406-549-9813.

You will find a full listing of books, tapes, newsletters and workshops available on finding the heart of the story in the journey of life by going to www.ArtichokePress.com

Author: Caren Bugay

Everyone loves penguins. And now, everyone has a chance to see how penguins live in the highly entertaining documentary March of the Penguins. No need to tell the kids it’s educational.

Beyond just taking your kids to see the show, there are lots of fun activities you can do before and after the presentation to enhance your enjoyment of the film.

Learn more about the penguins and the land in which they live at the movie’s web site. There you can find a Kids Activity Guide, a National Geographic Activity Guide and coloring pages. You can also hear to sounds of the penguins and watch video clips.

At the National Geographic web site, you can observe penguins and other arctic creatures via the critter cam or learn more fun facts about penguins at the creature feature page.

Another great source of penguin information and activities is the teacher guides at the Sea World web site. Sea World is dedicated to educating the public about the animals they house at their parks and they spend a lot of time and effort developing educational materials to make that happen.

By visiting the teacher’s area, you have access to numerous teacher guides in downloadable PDF format. Two guides are offered covering the topic of Arctic Animals, one for grades K through 3, the other for grades 4 through 8. The guides are filled with informative worksheet and coloring pages.

With their adorable waddle and ever-present tuxedo, Penguins are such likeable creatures. Expand your child’s knowledge of these amazing animals by checking out these fun learning tools either before or after the show.

Caren Bugay has lots of tips and resources to enhance your child’s education. Find more great ideas at http://www.helpyourkidslearn.blogspot.com