Thursday 30 October 2008

INDIGO CHILDREN

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In the New Age movement, Indigo children are children who are believed to represent a higher state of human evolution. The term itself is a reference to the belief that such children have an indigo-colored aura. Beliefs concerning the exact nature of Indigo children vary, with some believing that they have paranormal abilities such as the ability to read minds, and others that they are distinguished from non-Indigo children merely by more conventional traits such as increased empathy and creativity.

Origins
The term Indigo children originates from the 1982 book "Understanding Your Life Through Color," by Nancy Ann Tappe, a self-styled synesthete and psychic, who claimed to possess the ability to perceive people's auras. She wrote that during the mid 1960's she began noticing that many children were being born with "indigo" auras. Today, she estimates that 60% of people age 14 to 25 and 97% of children under ten are "Indigo."

The idea of Indigo children was later popularized by the 1998 book The Indigo Children: The New Kids Have Arrived, written by the husband-and-wife team of Lee Carroll and Jan Tober.[4] According to Carroll he learned about the concept of indigo children while channeling a being known as Kryon, Master angelic energy. Tober has said that she and Carroll do not talk much about Kryon in interviews because they see this as being a potential barrier to them reaching out to mainstream audiences that exist outside of the New Age movement.

Characteristics and beliefs
According to New Age belief, Indigo children are highly sensitive with a clear sense of self-definition and a strong feeling that they need to make a significant difference in the world. They are strong-willed, independent thinkers who prefer to be self-guided rather than directed by others. They are empathic and can easily detect or are in tune with the thoughts of others, and are naturally drawn to matters concerning mysteries, spirituality, the paranormal and the occult, while opposing unquestioned authority and contradictory to convention. They tend to think outside the box, and are often referred to as "system busters." Indigos allegedly possess wisdom and level of awareness "beyond their years." They are also said to have a strong feeling of entitlement, or "deserving to be here."

Some beliefs hold that they are often labeled with the psychiatric diagnoses of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Dyslexia, and also Autism, and that they become unsociable when not around other Indigo Children. They are also believed to be prone to depression and sleep disorders such as insomnia and persistent nightmares.[citation needed] Indigo children also possess defining characteristics in learning; indigos tend to be more visual, kinesthetic learners so remember best what they can picture in their brain and create with their hands. Movement is required to keep them better focused.

Criticism
According to psychiatric expert Russell Barkley, the New Age movement has yet to produce empirical evidence of the existence of Indigo children and the 17 traits most commonly attributed to them were so vague they could describe "most of the people most of the time" and put him in mind of the Forer effect. Barkley also expressed concern that labeling a disruptive child an "indigo" may delay proper diagnosis and treatment that may help the child. Others have advised that many of the traits of indigo children could be more prosaically interpreted as simple arrogance and selfish individualism, which parents with certain New Age beliefs see as being something that they are not.

It has also been hypothesized that rather than being a new step in human evolution, the Indigo phenomena may be the reaction of children watching television shows with an emphasis on magic and New Age-compatible language. An example of this was illustrated in a Dallas Observer article discussing indigo children, a reporter recorded the following interaction between a man who worked with indigo children, and a purported indigo child:

“ Are you an indigo? he asked Dusk. The boy looked at him shyly and nodded. "I'm an avatar," Dusk said. "I can recognize the four elements of earth, wind, water and fire. The next avatar won't come for 100 years." The man seemed impressed.”

Readers of the Dallas Observer later wrote in to inform the newspaper that the child's response appeared to be taken from the storyline of Avatar: The Last Airbender; a children's cartoon showing on Nickelodeon at the time of the interview. The editor of the Dallas Observer later admitted they were not aware of the possible connection until readers brought it to their attention.

Education
Although the mainstream teaching profession does not recognize New Age beliefs about the existence of Indigo children, some alternative education groups have set up programs based around the concept.

Monday 20 October 2008

How to Spend Free Quality Time With Kids


Ideas that will create life time memories for your child with out spending a fortune. Small children don't need 400 dollars worth of toys to forget about, when boxes and imagination go so much farther.

Steps
1.Play. Seems simple, but, do you really know how to do it? Get down on the floor and play trucks, build forts, make cardboard buildings for cars. Go through the clothes in the house and make a dress up box; include old jewelry, hats, purses, and shoes. Plan a tea party, and follow it wherever it goes.

2.Read. Start a small chapter book and read one chapter a day. Make reading time special with snacks.

3.Make crafts. Simple paper plates make great masks to wear, then you can play using your masks.

4.Cook. Every kid loves to help in the kitchen. Make or buy their own cookbook and apron, then let them pick a recipe and help them make it, and do this as a weekly thing. You will be surprised how much you learn from your child while spending the time together.

5.Give them creative reign. Get a big box, cut it open, lay it flat and hand them the supplies to go crazy -- let them paint, draw, cut, and then join in.

6.Go on picnics. All kids love picnics, the key is making them spontaneous. Pick them up from school, take a snack and head to the park, have a picnic inside, use a theme like all red food, or let them pick all the foods. So what if for one meal you're eating twinkies and cereal. It won't kill them or you.

7.Play games, any game. When's the last time you indulged in something a little wild, like hide and seek in the house?

8.Build a fort, inside or out. Kids don't need extravagant play houses -- a sheet over the clothes line or some chairs will do just fine. Play in there with them.

9.Play with play dough. Get out the cookie cutters and anything else that you normally don't let them use for playdough...use plastic utensils for cutting.

10.Be an a clown occasionally.You don't need make-up, just be silly. The kids will have a great time laughing when their Mum/Dad isn't able to find that thing that is obviously in front of them ("No I can't see it anywhere."). Another great example is getting your foot stuck to the floor after gluing something. When the kids try to help, their hand also gets stuck to the parents hand.

11.Give your kids the ultimate gift of time. Instead of saying "not right now", stop and go play for an hour. Is that bill really going to be any different if you leave it on the table and come back an hour later? Probably not, but, your child may look back and remember the day you stopped what you were doing and played for an hour.

Tips
1.Use your imagination.
2.Get creative, look around for new uses for everday things.
3.Be spontaneous.
4.Don't get discouraged.
5.Limit the discipline while making the effort to spend time together. It's no fun if all you're doing is scolding them.
6.Let your inner child out to run free, it helps you as much as your child.

Warnings
1.Always make sure the activity you try is age appropriate. If it's too difficult, it's no fun.
2.May cause uncontrollable laughter.
3.You might have a good time.
4.You will be tired!

Thursday 16 October 2008

How to Be Patient When Doing Homework With Your Young Child



When working with small children, it's often easy to lose patience. This is especially true when looking at schoolwork. Many parents were conditioned to hate homework as children, and that carries over to their helping their child as parents. Learn to be patient and enjoy the process, and you'll break the cycle! Here's how to keep your cool and give your child the greatest possible benefit.


Steps
1.Decide what you want, and what you need to do. Do you want your child to get good grades? Do you want him to understand the material well? Write out your goals on an index card.


2.Determine your child's learning style. Many children don't process visual information well, but are quick to learn if the material is spoken out loud. Some are the opposite. Your child's teacher can help you determine what teaching methods work best for him, or you can do online research. (Or both!)This is great to know of your child, because they can learn best in ways different than how you learn!


3.Decide before you start how much time you're going to devote to helping with homework. Set an egg timer so that you don't have to worry about running over. Whenever you find yourself getting frustrated with the amount of time it's taking, remind yourself that you promised you'd help for an hour (or whatever) and it's not taking any more time than you expected.


4.When you sit down to help your child with an assignment, look over it first. Make sure you understand clearly what's being asked, and if there are any special instructions on how to do it. Few things in life are more embarrassing than telling your child how to do something, only to find out that he was supposed to do something else entirely! It is also important to listen to what your child says. You may have been taught the material differently, so it is key to remain open-minded, and be honest with your child if you have trouble understanding the directions. The point is not to frustrate anyone!


5.Let your child do as much as he can. This is the hardest step. The assignment looks so easy to you, you want to jump in and tell him how to do it. But he won't learn that way. Wait until he's stuck before you reach out to help. (This is where your index card comes in. Keep it in your pocket, and read it every time you want to say something. If your help wouldn't correspond with the goal on the index card, hold your tongue.)


6.Resist the temptation to tell him the answer when he's stuck. Instead, ask leading questions. For example, if he can't decide whether to add or subtract, ask him to describe what addition does, and what subtraction does. Then ask which of those two is closer to what this problem is doing. Try everything you can think of to get him to figure it out for himself.


7.At the end of the assignment (or your allotted time, whichever comes first) find something you can praise your child about. Maybe he finished it in less time than you expected, or got most of the answers on the first try. Complimenting not only will make him feel good, it will make you feel like your time was well spent.


Tips
1.Talk to your child's teacher. Most of them chose this career because they want to help children learn. This person is an enormous resource for specific teaching styles for your child, other activities that can help your child learn, areas your child is having trouble with, and hundreds of other options. I have never met a teacher who wasn't thrilled to have a parent ask, "How can I help my child learn better?" Teachers are resourceful, and they will find you the information you need.



2.Keep an eye out for applications of the subject. If your child is having trouble with addition, let him add up the grocery bill when you go shopping. If he's struggling with history, take him to the state capital and tell him how your state came to be. If he doesn't spell well, make a game of spelling words -- take him to a baseball game if he can spell a list of baseball-related words, or buy him a piece of butterscotch candy if he can spell it correctly. Real-life situations bring the learning from school into everyday situations that can help your child become better at that particular learning. Again, your child's teacher is a great resource for ways to get your child interested in learning.


3.Make sure you know the subject he's learning. In first grade this probably isn't an issue, but by third grade you may need some review. When was the last time you found a lowest common denominator?


4.A good strategy may be to review with your child what they are doing, and then let them work while you work nearby. This shows them that YOU can be patient and YOU are willing to do the work. It also leaves you close at hand for any problems which arise.


5.Less is more- your job is to be there in case your child is truly puzzled, not to act as a shortcut to avoid his having to think.


6.Once you start thinking of homework time as less of a chore and more of a fun way to stay involved with your child, you've mastered this wiki. Don't let homework be a drag for you... and it will help both you and your child get it done with a minimum of fuss!


Warnings
1.Don't upset your child, call them names, and criticize them. It is counterproductive.


2.Getting upset and quitting the help as the parent will show your child a "get-out" strategy that you don't want them to learn.


3.If your child doesn't understand the material, don't immediately accuse them of not paying attention in class or tell them they need to be more focused. The problem is not usually an issue with attention or focus; it is simply that different people's minds are more apt to learn certain subject matter. Neither you nor your child can change this. It is up to you both just to "help it."

Tuesday 14 October 2008

How to Build Young Child's Social Skills

Some children behave just the way you want them to, some just the opposite. As a parent, you should understand that children are like a piece of clean and white cloth. It is your job and responsibility to give it some color. Another way of saying this, children are innocent and you are the ones who are responsible to shape, teach and guide them to become good people in the future. You should give them proper guidance when they are still young. The following are some tips on how to introduce social skills, particularly good manners and behaviors among children.
STEPS:
1.Give your child some light chores to do.Children can already understand some instructions, as early as when they are 2 or 3 years of age. Giving a little work to do will make him or her learn to obey and follow instructions. Remember, this is not to make your child feel tired or sad. It is good for your child when he or she starts learning to know that helping out is a good thing to do. Example of a chore: ask your child to help tidy up the mess he or she made while playing.

2.Reward your child with positive praises. Tell them that they have done a good job afterward. Say words like Good, or Brilliant after they have done what you ask them to do. This will make them feel appreciated and acknowledged after they have done something good. Always try to avoid negative words. If your child fails to do something, tell him or her that it is okay and that he can do better next time. Always remember to avoid negative remarks.
3.Encourage good habits of saying thank you and sorry. Always say “Please” and “Thank You” where necessary. Another phrase is "I’m sorry" when he or she does something wrong. If you always practice this yourself, your child will imitate these habits. They will learn to copy what we do to them and what we do among ourselves as adults.
4.Talk to them and get them to talk back. Get them to say what they feel about anything. Have them say out their feelings toward anything. They will learn to express themselves better. This practice is very good because you do not want them to keep their frustrations to themselves. This way, as an adult, you can learn to understand and handle our children better.
5.Get your child to play with other children. This is a way to break their anxiety and nervousness around people. Start with small groups. Your child will also learn to share things among friends. He/she will learn to understand that sharing is a good value and children can only understand and appreciate it with other friends.
TIPS
Surely there are many other ways to instill good behavior in children. It is actually up to the parents to try to understand your children and guide them to be better people in the future. It is good to know that the purpose of teaching and giving our children these guidances is not to make people say how great you are as a parent, but it is for your children to benefit for themselves when we are no longer around.

PG/ TK ISLAM SMART BEE - Children Education

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