Search Results

In the many places we live and those we may visit around the world, we generally find ourselves in a multicultural environment. So, to prepare our children make the most of life, it is important to help them understand the benefits of cultural diversity and how important it is to accept that other people may have different values and beliefs. One of the wonderful advantages of living in a diverse society is the opportunity to eat foods from different cultures, meet people with different beliefs and ideas, enjoy the wonder of creation by accepting and respecting that people from different racial background may look, speak, act and even eat differently. It is also important to explain to our kids that that some people are discriminated against based on their race, and to empathise by considering how hurtful that would be for them. Perhaps your child is being discriminated against and so understands this concept first hand, - if so seek help from the school and friends and family members so you don't have to deal with it alone. No one wants to experience being treated unfairly or harmed, so take the opportunity to help your child become empowered and resilient and overcome the issues the racial discrimination they may be facing. Social awareness is about being conscious of the problems, difficulties or hardships that different people, communities, or societies face on a day-to-day basis. Children with an awakened social consciousness are more likely to become socially active in a positive way by being empathetic towards others regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, disability, class, or sexual identity. So, if we are to raise children who care about the planet and the people who live on it, we need to help them understand about social inclusion, not exclusion. By discussing racial discrimination with your children you can help them to: 1. increase their awareness of how they and others live in society and learn why it is so important not to participate in any acts of discrimination towards other children based on their race or culture. 2. understand their own situation if they are being discriminated against and to find ways to resolve it; or 3. become more empathetic towards others who are being discriminated against and think about how they could make a positive difference either now or in the future. By helping our children to develop empathy and acceptance and to value cultural, racial, social and other differences we can look forward to a bright and peaceful future. If you’d like to know more about helping your child become more socially and environmentally aware, develop their understanding and empathy about social issues to support them to become a responsible and caring adult, take a look at the Environment and Social Understanding Inspired Children Life Skills Home Activity eBook. There are twelve easy-to-follow life skills activities you can complete in just 15 minutes at a time. Here are just some of the skills and knowledge your child can learn: Understanding and managing bullying; Using the garbage and recycling bins at home and school;  An introduction to making ethical choices and frameworks for making ethical decisions; Social awareness about children with disabilities, homelessness, racial discrimination and social classes; environmental awareness including water conservation and paper recycling. Remember each activity only takes around 15 minutes to complete and you can complete them at your own pace at a time that suits you and your family’s lifestyle... Most importantly, imagine how good you’ll feel about the huge difference you’re making as a parent to your child’s understanding about how to care for family, friends and peers as well as the environment. By helping our children to develop empathy for people’s hardships and an acceptance of the cultural, racial, social and other differences in the world we can look forward to a bright and peaceful future.

Family life is so busy that we spend most days running around with no time to relax and play with our kids. Does this sound familiar? In this video, parenting expert Dr Rosina shares a simple idea you can try, so you can make time to relax with your children. It only takes as little as 10-15 minutes... or longer if you like! Ten or fifteen minutes might not seem like much, and you might say “so why bother”, but actually, even taking just a little time out can bring so many benefits for the whole family right now and in the future.  When you and your children relax together your stress levels go down, you’re calmer and there’s less chance you’ll get angry and snap at the kids. And who doesn’t want peace and quiet at home? Also, relaxing a little each day is good for your physical and mental wellbeing and it is great role modelling for your child which will make a huge difference in the long term. Good habits for a healthy life, start in childhood. There is every reason to take time out to relax with your child and create wonderful memories together. Please sit back, relax and watch the video

In this video, parenting expert Dr Rosina talks about Self Esteem. Self esteem is at the heart of living a happy and fulfilling life. When children feel good about themselves, they think and act in a positive way and they bounce back easily when they encounter life’s setbacks. Unfortunately, many children have low self esteem and this affects so many parts of their lives. A child with low self esteem is less likely to have the courage to make new friends or try new things for fear of rejection or failure. Also, when children feel bad about themselves, they are more likely to have negative thoughts and even misbehave.  Do you know whether your child has good self esteem or low self esteem? This is not about what you think, but what your child thinks about themselves. In this episode of the Inspired Children TV Parenting Program, Dr Rosina shares some of the questions you can ask your child to help you know whether your child has good or low self esteem. In later episodes, there’ll be lots of information and activities to help your child boost their self esteem and help them fly through life!

Many children believe there are “endless supplies of money” that simply come out of an automatic cash machine. After all they see us go to the machine, punch in a few numbers and magically the money comes out. Unless we share how money is earned and managed with our children, they won’t understand how it works in your home now and they won’t be learning the important skills around money for when they leave home and need to take care of themselves. Do your children understand the value of money? Of course parents like to buy their children the toys, books and other things they need and want but when money is tight for the family, this is not always possible. Do your children understand your family’s current financial circumstances? Parents instinctively want to ‘protect’ their children from money issues, so many times they do now let children know how tight money really is. However, it is actually more supportive for children for parents to be open about with their children about financial issues as it helps them to understand why there might be tension in the household about money and why parents/carers may need to say “no” to some of the children’s requests. Children can then understand that they can’t have the toy or game they may want because the family is short of money rather than because they are not deserving of the gift. Let’s face it … money problems can cause tension and fights and if children aren’t aware of why the fights are occurring, they may misinterpret what is going on, blame themselves and that can be very scary for them. So why not get everyone involved in the family budget and that way everyone in the family will have the same understanding whatever your circumstances. Helping children learn about how money will give your children skills for money management for life. By doing this you: 1. help children understand how money is earned and spent in their household 2. helps children learn the value of money and gain lifelong skills around responsible spending. If you want to know more about how you can help your child develop their understanding and skills for managing and saving money, you’ll find the Inspired Children Education, Careers and Money Life Skills Home Activity eBook helpful. The ebook has activities that can be completed in just 15 minutes at a time and your kids will learn about: saving money, so they can save for the things they want household spending so they understand how money is earned and spent understanding the concept of ‘value-for-money’, so they know how to get a bargain! There are nine other 15 minute life skill activities around education and careers you can complete with your child which help them develop: A love of learning; planning and completing homework; a positive attitude towards making mistakes; active learning versus passive learning; understanding why learning is important; understanding the many different roles in life; exploring possible future life directions; investigating the health and medical professions; and benefits of active listening for learning. Remember each activity only takes around 15 minutes to complete and you can complete them at your own pace at a time that suits you and your family’s lifestyle... Most importantly, imagine how good you’ll feel about the huge difference you’re making as a parent to your child’s education, career and their financial literacy, preparing them for life! To find out more

Life is busy and to stay on top of everything I find routines and calendars really help. Do your children forget their sporting gear, musical instruments or books for school? Do they leave their homework, school assignments and projects to the last minute? If so, perhaps it’s time to help them take more responsibility for their lives and manage their time more effectively by using a calendar or diary. Using a calendar, electronic organiser or diary supports children to be on time for events and to manage everyday activities. These are valuable personal qualities for children to develop from a young age that will support them right through their school years, in higher education endeavours, and in time, be a highly valued quality in the workplace. Here’s how you can make the most of calendars and routines with your children whether they are young or older.

Children will feel more positive and work more effectively in an orderly environment and so knowing how to keep their room and homework space clean and tidy is a valuable life skill for children to learn. Parents often think it will be quicker if “I just do it myself” – and you are right – but only in the short term! In the long run, once your children have the ability to maintain order and cleanliness – you will have help and they will have an important skill for life! In this video, parenting expert Dr Rosina shares some ideas about how you can help your children to get things in order ‘little by little’, by employing short bursts of cleaning and tidying every day or two or three and it doesn’t take long at all. Make it fun and it will be an easy habit for your kids to develop!

Water is the basic building block for all life including humans, plants, insects and other animals on Earth, so without it we couldn’t exist. While over two-thirds of the Earth is covered by water, most of it, around 97 percent, is salt water held in the oceans and therefore only about 3 percent is freshwater. Of the freshwater, only about 1 percent is easily accessible, and the remaining 2 percent is stored in glaciers and icecaps. So as you can see, water is a valuable but scarce resource that needs to be conserved in order to support life. In this video, parenting expert Dr Rosina talks about the ways you can help your kids understand why it is important to conserve water for life and to protect the environment and teaches your children how to conserve water in your home. Less water wasted means more for the planet and less on your water bill. Win/Win!

Making mistakes is a natural part of life. Both children and adults alike will make mistakes particularly during the early stages of learning something new. Have you ever reflected upon how you react when you make a mistake? How does your child react when they make a mistake? Do they get angry or upset? Do they use negative self-talk saying things like ‘I am such an idiot, why I am so stupid’? Do they fear being ridiculed by others? OR Does your child see mistakes and errors in a positive light? In this video, parenting expert Dr Rosina explains how you can help your child to develop a positive attitude to making mistakes and see mistakes as feedback, which is a key part of learning.

If you’re like so many parents today, you carry around a feeling of guilt because you wish you could spend more time with your kids, but between work, taking care of the home and all of the after-school activities there seems to be so little time. Well in this short video, parenting expert Dr Rosina explores the benefits of making a small amount of quality time available each day rather than worrying about trying to find a lot of time. Find out how to open a regular communication channel between you and your child, build a strong relationship and provide an opportunity for your child to share any difficulties they might have before they become big problem.

We all want to be listened to right? Isn’t it wonderful when you share some exciting news with a family member and they listen attentively and share your joy? It’s so healing when your friend listens empathetically while you get something off your chest. And isn’t it SO annoying when you’re trying to share something and you keep getting interrupted and don’t feel heard at all? The bottom line is that listening is an important part of being a good communicator and a good friend. Effective and thoughtful communication helps people build strong relationships. While one of the fundamental qualities of good communication is active listening, the research shows that most people are not good listeners. We probably don’t need research to tell us that... I’m sure everyone has experienced not being listened to on many occasions! However, people want to be heard, understood and feel connected and it is for this reason that active listeners tend to have more successful interpersonal relationships. Is your child a good listener? Has your child made good friends and do they get on well with family members? Could your child benefit from developing their listening skills? If so, you can talk to your child about: 1. the difference between hearing and listening and 2. the importance of active listening in building relationships with family, friends, teachers and others. We all know when someone is really “listening” or just pretending to listen by simply hearing what we have to say while they are busy doing other things or thinking about something else. I know I have done this on occasion to our son Cameron when he has been talking to me and I’m focussed on cooking the dinner or getting some urgent work done. I might say “uh ha, or that’s great” and Cameron will get annoyed and repeat himself louder if he’s asked me a question and it’s obvious I’m not listening!  I can recall a few times when he has taken my face in his hands, turned my head to look at him and said “mummy listen to me”. Now that’s a wakeup call and effective communication! By modelling good listening with our children when they are speaking, parents can show children that active listening is about being present to the other person, having eye contact and really trying to understand what they are saying. It’s these times of real listening between friends and family members that build the foundation for long lasting deep connections that last a life time. This is the connection you can forge with your child and teach them a valuable life skill. Win/Win! Find out more about developing your child’s Communication Skills and how the Inspired Children Life Skills Home Activity eBook can benefit your whole family. Here are some of the key life skills your children can learn to help them fly through life: Managing emotions - practicing effective strategies for managing anger and expressing feelings;  Helping your child understand that they’re smarter when they’re calmer; Learning to listen actively to build strong relationships with family and friends; Nurturing your family’s connection: the daily catch-up; Exploring the meaning of friendship: your child’s views and your view’s; Evaluating current friendships: do I have good friends? These activities help your child make good decisions and make the ‘right’ kind of friends; Discovering your family history – a fun activity for your child; How to work effectively in a team or group for a school project; Exploring emotions: expressing anger in a healthy and safe way; Nurturing a relationship with yourself, knowing your personal goals. Remember each activity only takes around 15 minutes to complete and you can complete them at your own pace at a time that suits you and your family’s lifestyle. Most importantly, imagine how good you’ll feel about the huge difference you’re making as a parent to your child’s communication skills and ability to make great friends and get along with family members. The ability to build personal and professional relationships through effective communication supports your children to become successful and inspiring leaders in the world.

I read an article in the Sunday life magazine from a well known guest columnist entitled “Motherhood has made me tough.” I am sure it was written with some tongue in cheek for entertainment value, but alas at the time, I didn’t find it very funny despite believing I have a good sense of humour! Here are some excerpts: “What I didn’t know before I became a parent is how annoying children can be. Some of them complain ALL OF THE TIME…Children are greedy, they can be mean, they can manipulate you…and demand attention…” Have I given you enough to get the general idea? There was a lot more. I was particularly annoyed as it was published in a Mother’s day special edition! I couldn't help but ponder, and of course share my thoughts with my darling husband, as we drove home from the farmer’s market, that if we are to raise a generation of children who are caring, compassionate and socially responsible, then parents must lead by example! After all where do children learn the most? From those they love the most and model themselves on - parents. Calling children names like: annoying, demanding, greedy and manipulative suggests that they are ‘fixed character traits’ that we just have to live with. I am pleased to say that the research and my experience as a parent suggest that this is JUST NOT TRUE! Just like any skill, being kind, caring and thoughtful can be learned over time. I have seen our son go from not sharing a single thing with anyone as a toddler to understanding that ‘sharing is caring’ as a young boy. This didn’t happen magically – my husband and I made special efforts to share with each other and with him so he could see how lovely it is to share and to care about other people and how unpleasant it is when someone doesn’t share! I am not suggesting that he gets it right all of the time, but I know we are heading in the right direction as he passes one of his precious crisps or chocolates my way. Just a few weeks ago we went to a huge party and he brought his big tub of Lego blocks and shared them with every child at the party. I was so happy to see how freely he shared his blocks and interacted with the other kids. We had a long talk on the way to the party about sharing and I explained how I would make sure that no-one would take his Lego blocks home (this was his big fear) - they would just play with the blocks at the party and if anything was broken or lost, I would replace it. On the way home we talked about how much fun it was to share and how kind it was of him to let the others play with his Lego blocks and how great it was to see how happy everyone was to play together. (PS, the host of the party says she keeps finding pieces of Lego around the yard! Chuckle, Chuckle). Like everything a child learns, instruction and example go a long way. Here are some of the things we do in our family to raise our son to be a caring and compassionate social citizen, so he can make a positive difference in the lives of other people and in the world! SOCIAL AWARENESS We regularly buy the magazine ‘The Big Issue’ from a disabled man in our local area. That has given us the opportunity to talk with our son about people with disabilities, homelessness and how we can help others for no other reason than it is kind to care about and help other people. COMPASSION AND CONSIDERATION We try to acknowledge our son Cameron’s feelings or his circumstances rather than just ‘making’ him do things. For example: if he is busy playing and it’s time for dinner, we give him a few minutes warning to help him prepare for the transition from what he’s doing to move to the dinner table. If he is crying an upset about something even we think it is so unimportant like “the toast is cut the wrong way”, we show him compassion and understanding by acknowledging that this is important in his world. CARE FOR OTHERS I share the impact that Cameron’s behaviour has on me when he won’t cooperate. For example in as compassionate a voice as I can muster… “It’s bath time now. Let’s get you squeaky clean and ready for bed.” Cameron: “No, I don’t want a bath!” Me: “Do you know why it’s good to have a bath? You get all of the dirt off from the day and it helps you relax and go to sleep. You know, I’ve been working all day honey and I’m really tired right now, but I want to take care of you. But when you refuse to get in the bath, I feel even more tired. If you get in the bath we can talk and have fun together blowing bubbles. I just want you to know that when you cooperate with me you help me and I help you, so its win/win and if you don’t it’s harder for both of us”. This way he learns that his choices can have a positive or negative effect on himself and others. We also have a little mantra “cooperating makes getting on well with others easy.”  Yes sure it takes longer to explain this than “if you don’t get in the bath right now there will be no TV/Sweets/Movie etc for you this week”. However, while the latter is quicker it usually only ends in tears and then no-one has any fun and he doesn’t learn about care for others! I want to take a long term rather than short term approach to parenting. GRATITUDE Every night at dinner we each share our three highlights for the day so that we can feel gratitude for our wonderful lives together. It brings about a feeling of happiness and support for each other as we enjoy and celebrate each others life! Believe me, as parents we don’t always get it right but Colin and I are doing our best to keep in mind that we are the role models for our Cameron, and if we don’t help him learn how to be a compassionate and caring person, then who will? It’s our wish to raise a caring and thoughtful boy who becomes a fabulous teenager (yes they are out there!), a wonderful friend and family member throughout his life and makes a positive difference in this world. If you’d like to know more about helping your child become a more understanding, cooperative and caring child, you might like to have a look at the Environment and Social Understanding Inspired Children Life Skills Home Activity Book . There are twelve easy-to-follow life skills activities you can complete in just 15 minutes at a time. Here are just some of the skills and knowledge your child can learn: Understanding and managing bullying; Using the garbage and recycling bins at home and school;  An introduction to making ethical choices and frameworks for making ethical decisions; Social awareness about children with disabilities, homelessness, racial discrimination and social classes; environmental awareness including water conservation and paper recycling. Remember each activity only takes around 15 minutes to complete and you can complete them at your own pace at a time that suits you and your family’s lifestyle... Most importantly, imagine how good you’ll feel about the huge difference you’re making as a parent to your child’s understanding about how to care for family, friends and peers as well as the environment.

Do you feel like you’re rushing and on the go most of the time?  If you do, you’re certainly not alone. But, this is not the way you want you and your kids to remember their childhood. In today’s busy world, most parents and kids are busy and rushed. Mornings are taken up getting dressed, fed and packing bags ready for school. Afternoons are filled with after school activities, working on homework, dinner and getting ready for bed. So where is the time for relaxation and play?  Taking time to have fun and play with your kids helps you both keep work/life balance as well as have time to be together and bond. You might think “I’d like to, but we’re all too busy”. What if there was a way that didn’t take up too much time? Because you know that spending time just having fun with your child is beneficial to both of you, you can make the time. There are so many quick games you can play like cards, a short board game, word game or something outside with a ball. It doesn’t have to take long 15-30 mins is all you need. Sure some board games take longer than 15 minutes, so why not start a game, put on a timer then when the 15 minutes is up stop and come back to the game next time. That way the suspense of who will win, lasts longer and you have something to look forward to. You could do the same with a jigsaw puzzle (jigsaw puzzle roll up mats are helpful if you don’t have place to leave the jigsaw out). Could you find 15 minutes once or twice a week to take time out to play with your child? Imagine how much fun it will be for the both of you and how much it will mean to your child. Enjoying this activity will allow you to: 1. Have fun spending time with your child... they grow up so fast ... so don’t miss out! 2. Model work/life balance and creating good habits for your child’s future Did you know that many people don’t have good work-life balance as adults because they didn’t learn to take time out as kids? Find out more about developing your child’s Relaxation and Play life skills with the Inspired Children Life Skills Home Activity eBook . There are twelve easy-to-follow life skills activities you can complete in just 15 minutes at a time. This way you don’t have to come up with ideas, it’s all there for you with easy to follow steps. You can practice stretching, breathing and other relaxation techniques that will do both you and your child good. There are also more great ideas on how to have fun with your child that don’t take long. Taking time out to have fun together and enjoy your child will create happy memories that last a life time. You can also find out more about our Life Skills approach to parenting eBook series. Please click here .