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Tips and Activities To Help Kids Develop Decision-Making Skills
Good decision making skill, if acquired at the right age, can help children to become successful in life. The transition from childhood to adulthood becomes smooth and easy with good decision making skill. The skill allows children to find solutions to conflicts and in the process illustrate valuable life lessons. Logical thinking and problem-solving support the ability for decision making.
What is Decision Making?
A key skill that children need to develop is decision making skill. Decision making is the action or process of arriving at a conclusion of accepting an important option by weighing the other alternative possibilities. Decisions taken by children affect their mental health and well – being. Their relationships and their success too largely depend on decision making. It helps children to become responsible and independent. It also helps children to control impulsive behaviour.
How does Child’s Decision Making Skills Develop?
The mere fact of being able to identify when a decision is to be taken is the first step towards developing decision making skill. Children learn by observing their parents and peers, hearing such discussions where values are involved and being given an opportunity to take a decision and experiencing the consequences. Initially, children do sometimes end up making the wrong decisions, but they learn from their mistake and try to take better decisions in the future. The skill develops further when they clearly understand the reasons for their decision coupled with experience and maturity.
Importance of Decision Making For Children
Benefits of involving children in decision making are plenty. The greatest amount of satisfaction and fulfilment comes from a decision rightly taken. Wrong decision making is an essential part of their journey towards maturity. If children are educated about the decision-making process, they will gain experience. Expose children to the correct decision making. It takes lots of years to master this art as it is a complex process and needs careful thought. Children should be given tasks, and it should be expected that they make a meaningful contribution and demonstrate responsible behaviour. Decision making shapes them into the type of adult they will become and the life paths that they will choose later.
Tips to Help Children Develop Good Decision – Making Skills
There is no doubt that teaching kids decision making is difficult, but it certainly can be taught using the correct techniques. Involving children in decision making is a very good idea as they build their self-confidence in the family’s decision-making process. Given below are ten simple ways how to teach kids to take correct decisions after judging the situation and the available options.
1. Expose Children to ‘Real World’
A helpful dose of reality is the best teacher to teach. If you wish to make your child understand that the consequences of a particular act are bad, you must expose the child to the harsh consequences by showing live examples rather than lashing or grounding the child. Punishments will only demotivate the child.
2. Allow Children To Make Mistakes
As parents, you must allow your child to make mistakes rather than shielding them from the potential pitfalls. When kids learn a hard lesson from their own mistakes, it provides them with great insight. They learn from their own experiences and remember not to repeat them again.
3. Know Your Child’s Interests
You must motivate your child and help her find out her interests. By setting examples of successful people, they will understand that hard work and dedication are the keys to success and such traits lend very well to decision making. Their decision to emulate great leaders is itself a wonderful decision.
4. Teach Your Children to Know Themselves
Children should be taught to distinguish their own strengths and weaknesses so that they are apt to take better decisions in life regarding them. Children should be given plenty of opportunities, but they should also be able to realise that they will not excel in all of them. Learning to accept defeat and setbacks and the decisions to take thereafter are essential for children.
5. Stay Involved With your Kids
Encourage your child to be a part of social organisations which will teach them life skills. It will expose them to positive peer pressure and your involvement in your child’s life will help you understand your child better. Training the child in his field of interest will mould his future.
6. Talk to Your Child
Though a little difficult to achieve, open communication is vital to parenting. If you bond with your child and illicit real discussion, you are sure to get invaluable insight. This will enable you to anticipate your child’s decisions and warn her accordingly.
7. Pile on Praises
Parents, as a rule, must not just focus on what the child needs to work on. Praising, when they do great things, helps reinforce their desire to excel and they take those decisions which will provide better outcomes.
8. Teach Your Child to Handle Money Properly
It has been very rightly said that one of the greatest gifts you can give your child is handling money in a responsible manner. It will certainly follow through in his life as well.
9. To Lead by Example
It has truly been said that the best lessons in life are caught not taught. If parents believe in humbling themselves by narrating their own experiences, children will feel closer to them. They will avoid committing the same errors again.
10. Check the Friends they Keep
The world of children revolves around the world of the social interactions and circle of friends of your child. Their thoughts and deeds are very much influenced by their peers. Keeping a check on the friends they keep will enable you to somewhat predict your child’s future.
Activities to Encourage Decision Making in Kids
Every day children make inconsequential decisions which have a big impact. Their decisions are based on personal preferences by which their safety and lifestyle can be affected. Fun activities can transform a stressful process into an enjoyable pastime. Some interesting decision-making activities for children are given below:
1. Book Talk
Book reading is a favourite pastime of children. They are able to identify with characters and situations if they develop a love of storytelling and book reading. Asking children to do something different than the character exposes deeper thinking of the child. Exploring various consequences of some decisions can help children relate the situations they read about to the real life. Giving a twist to the tales also involves decision making.
2. Role Play
It is a creative exercise to see young children fantasise themselves as superheroes, parents, teachers or cooks. Older children love to engage themselves in dramatic plays such as performing in skits or staging puppet shows. It provides an opportunity for the child to put himself in different people’s shoes. It encourages them to consider people’s motivations and broadens the children’s minds. Thinking about decision making as another person under different circumstances reveals the thought process of the child.
3. Board Games
Board games provide a structured way for children to make choices and to experience the consequences of their choices. Apart from entertaining children, it promotes critical thinking and decision making while deciding and negotiating to decide how they will play the game. The games can be chosen based on favourite themes like dragons or colours so that the children are able to decide clearly how to go about the game.
4. Debate
A predominate way to practice critical thinking is debates and discussions. When children are given the freedom to disagree with one another, it encourages decision making in a way. Children can be asked to express their opinion on any magazine or newspaper article to inculcate the habit of analysing and arriving at a conclusion by considering why and how they dislike something. The groundwork for thoughtful decision making is to use concrete evidence to support the opinions.
5. Outdoor Games
Outdoor and playground games encourage children to make quick decisions while engaging socially. Children, thus develop tactics that can improve their chances of winning a game. Decisions are also taken about the game rules and the consequences of breaking the rules. Such organised sports help children making predictions, making split-second decisions and solving complex problems amidst friends or a team.
We all do agree that children make a range of decisions every day. Their decision making is strongly influenced by the values and expectations they see around them. The ability to think before acting makes them take better decisions. Evaluating options indirectly develops critical thinking skills in order to arrive at better solutions for problems. The decision-making skill of your children can be honed by following some techniques. Certain activities can go a long way in strengthening their skill of decision making.
Also Read: Child Psychology: Tips to Understand your Child Better Read more
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Tailbone(Coccyx) Pain during Pregnancy
Motherhood is an experience that comes with its fair share of joys and pain. Taking care of the life growing inside you can be surreal, but many women go through pregnancy with bouts of pain and discomfort. One such pain that almost all women experience is coccyx pain in pregnancy, which is caused due to excessive or irregular pressure on the tailbone.
What Is Tailbone Pain?
Many pregnant women complain of backaches or aches in the pelvic region. These are just different types of coccyx pain. The pain in the tailbone during pregnancy is the most common type of pain experienced. As the weeks progress, the foetus grows. This increases the pressure in the lower extremities, resulting in aches.
It is perfectly normal to experience pain in the tailbone or coccyx during pregnancy, as it is obvious that as the months pass by, the baby will grow in size and push against the tailbone located at the end of the spine, just behind the uterus. This act of pushing will result in a certain degree of pain, which is most likely to increase in the months leading up to delivery. In some case, the pain will continue after delivery as well.
What Causes Tailbone Pain in Pregnant Women?
Some of the common reasons for the occurrence of coccyx pain in pregnancy are discussed below.
Pregnancy hormones: During the first trimester, the body releases relaxin and estrogen, which are responsible for causing relaxation in the pelvic region. The muscles in the abdominal area create a place for the baby by shifting, which results in the pain. As the bones shift, it is natural that the body will feel some pain.
Growing baby: The baby grows with each passing month. During the second and third trimesters, the baby starts to push against the tailbone, which is just behind the uterus. This act of pushing by the baby results in pain, which keeps increasing until delivery.
Other causes: During the final stages of pregnancy, the baby is fully pressed against the tailbone and is applying a lot of pressure on the bone. Even the slightest irregularity can put pressure on the tailbone, resulting in pain. Any activity in which the body does physical work, like walking, cycling, sitting or even standing can cause pain, and one must be very careful during this stage while doing anything as it is a critical time.
Symptoms of Pain in Tailbone During Pregnancy
The symptoms of pain in the tailbone during pregnancy are easy to interpret. Since pain is also a physical sensation, it is bound to be noticed by the brain. Some of the symptoms related to this include:
Gradually increasing pain near the end of the spine
Sharp and dull pain near the upper buttocks
Pain increases or decreases along with the change in posture
Constant pain in the lower back or in the hip
Pain while walking, climbing, getting up, and twisting
The pain gets worse with constipation
The pain eases when some physical activity is done
Conditions That Can Intensify Tailbone Pain When Pregnant
There are several factors on which the severity of the pain depends. One must keep these things in mind before accidentally indulging in something negligent as it can cause problems in the baby's initial years. We have listed a few causes that can trigger or aggravate coccyx pain.
Hypermobility: If a woman moves too much during pregnancy without any rest, there is a chance that stress will develop in the tailbone, resulting in pain.
Limited mobility: If a woman stays in the same position for a long period of time, the pressure on the tailbone increases and causes pain in the area.
Repetitive stress: If the tailbone has been injured previously and stress is applied to it repeatedly, there is a chance that the pain will increase substantially.
Infection: Any infection that affects the tailbone can cause more pain.
Obesity: A woman suffering from obesity has a greater chance of developing a serious case of coccyx pain, as the load on the bones increases due to the fat, which may result in an increase in the pain.
Exercises to Get Relief From Tailbone Pain
Standing pelvic tilt: Stand straight against the wall, facing it. The legs should be approximately shoulder length apart from each other. Slowly, bend your body so that the lower part of your body pushes against the wall. Do this gradually, about 10-15 times.
Torso twist: Sit cross-legged on a mat and hold your right foot with your left hand. Then, place your left palm on the floor and twist the upper part of your body. Stay in this posture for five seconds and repeat the same with the other foot. Repeat this 10-15 times.
Swimming: Swimming has always been a great exercise, and it can act as a remedy against tailbone pain during pregnancy.
Yoga: Yoga puts both the mind and body at ease and infuses the body with a different form of energy that can help fight different levels of pain. Yoga makes sure that the blood circulation inside the body takes place effectively and both mom and baby get the blood they need for healthy growth.
Treatment and Tips to Ease Tailbone Pain
Small steps taken with precaution and regularity can help the mother-to-be deal with tailbone pain in an effective way. During pregnancy, even the smallest lifestyle changes can have lasting effects. Because the pain in the tailbone increases with time, you must know about the common practices you can introduce in your daily life in order to deal with the pain in a safe and effective way. We have a list of practices you can introduce in your day-to-day life to tackle coccyx pain in pregnancy.
Use special cushions: You must make sure that the tailbone does not rest against any hard surface. You can use a special type of pillow for the same, as it reduces the pressure on the tailbone during pregnancy.
Use a maternity belt during the final stages: As a pregnant woman, you may be eating a lot of food during this period to keep the baby healthy - this results in an increase in weight, which causes more stress on the tailbone. A maternity belt helps in reducing the load on the tailbone by holding the baby bump. This decreases the pressure on the bones caused due to the weight of the baby and the stomach.
Avoid sitting in the same position for a long period of time: Try to be in constant motion and avoid being in the same posture for a long period of time. Taking a walk or doing some light exercises can prove to be quite effective.
Apply heating pads: Even though there is no evidence to prove it, heating pads can be quite effective in easing the pain. Heating pads regulate blood supply in the region and prevent the formation of blood clots that can cause additional pain.
Adjust your sleeping position: Your sleeping position during pregnancy can cause a lot of difference, and you must pay attention to it. If you have a habit of sleeping on your back, you should look into changing your sleeping position as it can create unnecessary pressure on your tailbone. It is advisable to sleep on your left side as it relieves pain and improves blood circulation.
Avoid bending: You must refrain from bending, as it can thrust the baby further toward the tailbone, causing more pain. The pain can be very sharp and sudden, taking one by surprise.
Don’t wear high-heeled shoes: You should wear flat-soled footwear during pregnancy to reduce the tailbone pain.
Mild painkillers: You may have instances where the pain gets too intense and you may find it hard to deal with the pain. In such a scenario, it is advisable to talk to your doctor regarding painkillers. Do not self-medicate at any point of time, especially during pregnancy.
Relieve your bowels: It may sound silly, but this simple practice can make a huge difference.
Avoid jerky movements: Avoid any sudden movements that may take the body by surprise.
Is Tailbone Pain Curable?
Coccyx pain or the pain in the tailbone during pregnancy is mostly unavoidable, as a woman's body is naturally making room for the baby to grow. As the baby grows, it pushes against the bones and causes pain. Then, the hormone, relaxin, gets secreted and the bones shift - causing a certain level of discomfort. These phenomena taking place in the body are necessary as they prepare the body for the actual delivery. During the delivery, the tailbone is under immense pressure - this pain subsides only after a few months. If the pain persists even after a few months have passed, it is advisable to consult a physiotherapist.
While tailbone pain is inevitable, it is also a necessary evil that helps prepare a woman for delivery. The body produces the hormone relaxin which is a natural painkiller to reduce the stress a woman’s body goes through during pregnancy. While having this pain may feel overwhelming, one can easily manage the pain through regular exercise and by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The good news is that the pain will eventually subside after pregnancy.
Pregnancy is a blessed time in a woman’s life and she must take extra care that she remains healthy and comfortable. Small changes in diet and daily routine, adopting the correct sleeping posture and maintaining an exercise regime can change the path altogether. Doctors always recommend that pregnant women stick to a consciously healthy lifestyle.
Resources and References: Healthline Read more
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Black Grape and Apple Mocktail
This summer season, ditch the virgin Mary or the Pinacolada and try our black grape and apple mocktail. This drink is refreshing, easy to make and kid-friendly. So, get your kids cool off this summer season with this fancy drink and we are sure that this subtly flavoured mocktail will be a hit amongst your teenyboppers.
Serves
Preparation Time
Cooking Time
4 People
10-15 Minutes
0 Minutes
Ingredients
1/2 kg black grapes
2 apples
1 lemon juice
1 tsp black salt
Method
Step 1
In a mixer, add all the washed black grapes. Grind (without using water) and sieve out the juice. Keep aside.
Step 2
Now peel apples, cut into pieces and blend in the mixer. Sieve out the juice.
Step 3
In a big glass bowl, mix grape juice and apple juice together. Add lemon juice and black salt. Mix well and refrigerate for 30 min.
Step 4
Once cooled, pour in a nice long glass and garnish with one grape or a slice of apple.
Nutritional Information
Calories
144 K cal
Protein
1.1 g
Fat
0.4 g
Carbohydrates
136 g
Cholesterol
0 mg
Sodium
1176 mg
Potassium
1345 mg
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Learning while Playing is Beneficial for Kindergarten Children
I have a daughter who is now 6.9 years old. When she was born, my husband and I wept as we felt that God gave us such a beautiful child for 27 years maximum..then she will leave us and move to next home. But then we decided to make her the best child. My in-laws never wanted a girl child. So I left my job to take care of our little princess. We started living in a nuclear family, away from in-laws as they were not interested in seeing her.
Then I took care of my princess. She is a very active child. when she completed 1 year, I made her recognize pictures. I bought all the charts of fruits, veggies, animals, shapes, colours and started making her familiar with them using puppets and other fun stuff.
She enjoyed it. This was her first learning phase of Life. After some time I started making her recognize alphabets and numbers. My husband used to play music for her and make her dance. Play nursery rhymes and sing along with her. This way she learned a lot.
But as soon as her school started, we felt that she is not open to all. Then again, we put some extra efforts and made her join dance class..She showed no response there as well. Then one day, her friend came to me as she wanted to join the dance class.. but no one in her family was ready to take her there. I took her there along with my daughter. And saw a big change in my daughter. She started learning dance with her.
Things which we could not do, her friend made it possible. She learned so well in just 2 months, gave stage performance at school and got many prizes. Her fear and shyness were gone. I am a working mother, so could not continue her classes further. She then started learning from YouTube And now she is a very good dancer.
At home, she learned to do small tasks, like washing her handkerchief, folding her clothes, and then gradually some tasks of the kitchen ...like serving food, washing glasses. This all was done as a person of her playing . She is a true blessing for us. Thank you, God for such a wonderful daughter.
In short, I would say make your kids learn as much as possible. They will shine like stars. Don't think it's too early or late..but just make learning interesting for them as they are the future of India.
Disclaimer: The views, opinions and positions (including content in any form) expressed within this post are those of the author alone. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The responsibility for intellectual property rights of this content rests with the author and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with him/her. Read more
Dr Sameer awadhiya has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
1 hour ago
Q. #asktheexpert
baby having nose block.. sleeping problem
what should I do?
Dr Sameer awadhiya
Paediatrician
1 hour ago
A. nasal blockage can be relieved by using nasal saline drops like nasoclear saline drops in thecg nose followed by nasal aspirator to take out the secretions very ghently
steam inhalation can also be helpful in this condition
Nikitha has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 2 months
1 hour ago
Q. At what month does the baby go from breech position to cephalic position?
Nikitha
Mom of a 9 yr 5 m old boy
1 hour ago
A. hello nearing your delivery it will happen.any concern then it would be better to check with your doctor and she will be able to guide you better on examination of the same and advise you accordingly which would be better and also safe
Dr Vandan H Kumar has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
1 hour ago
Q. @ the time of birth baby weight 2.475kg but after completed 6weeks baby weight approx 3kg, why baby weight gain very slow, till breast-feeding milk and urinate 6-7 times and potty 2-3 times. can u please suggest why slow in progress in weight gain???
Read moreDr Vandan H Kumar
Paediatrician
1 hour ago
A. the average birth weight of neonates is about 3 kg.
during the first few days after birth, the newborn loses
extracellular fluid equivalent to about 10% of the body
weight.
most infants regain their birth weight by the age of 10 days. subsequently, they gain weight at a rate of
approximately 25 to 30 g per day for the first 3 months of life.
thereafter they gain about 400 g weight every month,
for the remaining part of the first year. x
an infant usually doubles his birth weight (taken as 3 kg) by the age of 5 months. the birth weight triples at 1 year and is four times at 2 years of age.
the weight of ca child at the age of three years is usually
five times that of the birth weight.
Manisha Singh has added a new answer
Trying To Conceive
1 hour ago
Q. #asktheexpert mera baby 3 month ka h use gas bhuat banti h is karan wo bhuat rota hai
Manisha Singh
Expecting Mom due in 1 month
1 hour ago
A. it's very common for babies having gas problem ...you should recommend your doctor for this
Sai Prasanthi R L has added a new answer
Trying To Conceive
1 hour ago
Q. Hi
what to give 6 months old baby to eat
Sai Prasanthi R L
Mom of a 10 yr 2 m old boy
1 hour ago
A. Hello dear! Once your baby completes 6 months you can start giving small quantities of semi solids like homemade cerelac, mashed bananas, apple puree, ragi and so on. Continue with breastfeeding. Keep Babyhug tummy roll on handy
Dr Muhsina has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 2 months
39 mins ago
Q. now I am in 30 weeks of pregnancy I have vomiting.I couldn't control what the reasons for this vomiting
Dr Muhsina
Expecting Mom due in 3 months
19 mins ago
A. Some women may have vomiting throughout their pregnancy. The most common reason for vomiting during the third trimester may be gastritis. Make sure you eat small frequent meals, preferably every 2 hours. If your baby's weight during checkups are adequate..u needn't worry much about this. You can also consult your doctor and take anti emetics and PPIs if the vomiting is bothering you or interfering with your daily activities.
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