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How to Eliminate Stress Whilst Moving With Children

The experience of moving in itself is already a stressful ordeal. But add to that moving with children, then you have a living nightmare right in front of you. Children when they are already attached and familiar to their surroundings find it difficult to let go. They have their normal playgrounds and pals who they already keep a close bond with. So for parents, moving with children normally is a more stressful and nerve-racking episode. So if you are a parent and are moving with children to a new place, maybe these pointers may help eliminate stress on your part.

Have a talk with the children about the move

To eliminate stress for you as a parent about moving, you should talk to your children about the move. When it comes to moving to another place with children, do not surprise them out of the blue. As much as possible, tell your children all the basic details about the move. Let them know several weeks before the move that the entire family is moving to another place. By having that talk with kids, you already get to eliminate stress.

Packing process and how to deal with children

An important part of the moving process is the packing of the household materials that you will bring with you to the new house or apartment. If you have not prepared your children for the moving and you are in the packing phase, then expect a lot of trouble. Once you get to start packing, inform your kids beforehand what their responsibilities are. To lessen their anxiety about the move and eliminate stress on your part, have them set aside the things that can be carried in a bag like their toys and security blanket. In this way, the children can still have access to these things they are really attached to when you are on your way to the new house or apartment. This gives them a sense of security during the moving process.

Prepare them mentally about leaving the old house and apartment

For children, it is a sad experience to leave a house, particularly one where they grew up in. You need to prepare them mentally about the move by talking to them about how great the new house will be and how they will get to meet new friends in the new place you are heading to. It is also advantageous to take pictures of the old house along with the kids so they can have memories of their old residence. Remember, unless they are mentally prepared, children tend to whine and nag all throughout the moving process. So preparing them mentally in a way also eliminates stress on your part.

Celebrate Your Arrival in Your New House or Apartment

Once you have arrived in your new house or apartment, celebrate with your children. The celebration itself eliminates stress. You can celebrate simply by buying a cake from the local bakery or by ordering pizza.

Moving with children is never as easy as moving to a new house on your own. Hopefully these guidelines can help you eliminate stress when you move to a new home.

Everybody knows that moving with children to a new home may be a stressful ordeal. You may want to read these guidelines on how to eliminate stressduring the moving process with children.

How Safe Is Your Laundry Room?

Most homeowners are unaware of the threat that an ill-maintained laundry room poses to their family’s health and safety. Despite using their laundry room multiple times a week, many homeowners never perform crucial maintenance tasks.

One of the biggest risks of a neglected laundry room is the possibility of a fire. Over time your dryer vent can get clogged full of clothing lint and dust. If the vent gets too clogged, the heat from your dryer can ignite the debris. This can cause a devastating and potentially deadly house fire. To prevent this type of fire from occurring, you should disconnect and thoroughly clean your dryer vent at least once every year. Alternatively, you could have a dryer vent cleaning service perform this maintenance for you. Whether you do it yourself or hire a service, it needs to be done in order to ensure your family’s safety.

Maintaining your dryer vent is also a good way to cut energy expenses. A dryer with a clogged vent does not dry as efficiently. A dryer with a dirty, clogged vent uses up to two or three times the amount of energy that a properly maintained dryer would use. Dryer vent cleaning will save you money on drying and keep your home safe.

Additionally, a clogged dryer vent can cause carbon monoxide to be released into your family’s home. Many homeowners do not know that carbon monoxide is vented through your dryer’s vent. The fumes that a gas dryer emits are dangerous. If these fumes are not able to escape through the vent because it is clogged, that carbon monoxide will enter your house. Carbon monoxide poisoning is deadly. To make sure that your family is safe from this threat, you should have carbon monoxide detectors installed and you should also have your dryer’s vent checked regularly. If your dryer is powered by gas, you should also have a professional periodically check your gas line to make sure that it is in good condition and that there are no worn or broken areas through which gas can escape.

Finally, homeowners should educate themselves about the type of water lines their washing machine has attached. Rubber lines can break and cause flooding. Manufactures recommend that you replace your rubber water lines once every five years. If you are in the market for a new washing machine, make sure that the unit you select has steel braided water lines instead of rubber water lines. Many of the steele braided lines come with a life time guarantee. It’s very important that you thread the water line properly or you will have problems.

A poorly maintained washer can cause a flood, and a poorly maintained dryer cause cause a fire. Both disasters can cause costly damage to your property. Additionally, a fire could put you and your loved ones in serious danger. Make sure that your family’s laundry room is safe by having regular maintenance completed. Also make sure you have a smoke detector near your laundry room. Over 15,000 dryer fires occur every year. Don’t become a statistic.

Wayne Herr is the owner and founder of Ventsmart Dryer Vent Cleaning. Wayne currently resides in the Tamp Bay area. Originally from Minnesota. Attended college at the University Wisconsin River Falls. Hobbies include writing, marketing, web design. Tampa Dryer Vent Cleaning

Teaching Children to Steer Clear of Kidnappers

Not long ago a mother was shocked to be reunited with her daughter. Twenty years before, the child had been kidnapped. Her case is not the only one of its kind as children are abducted and held against their will worldwide. We all want to believe that we live in a place where these things couldn’t possibly happen. Yet, we best protect our families by taking steps to prepare for the worst and develop guidelines to help keep us safe.

A SEDUCTIVE FALSEHOOD

A dangerous lie is a lie you want to be true. People believe these lies because the truth is something they don’t want to accept. “Do what I say, and you won’t get hurt,” is a lie as old as the father of lies. The desire to believe you won’t get hurt is so great that many people will obey. This is very similar to adults that refuse to allow themselves to consider that their children might need to know what to do if they are grabbed. The thought that a child could be taken is a parent’s worst nightmare.

BUT I DON’T WANT TO LIVE IN FEAR

One way parents and children can better secure themselves is by accepting that we live in a world where predators look for easy prey. Arm your children with the information they need to avoid being targeted and how to react if approached. Instead of being afraid, a child can gain confidence that he knows how to avoid dangerous circumstances and can immediately respond to an emergency.

UTILIZE TEACHABLE MOMENTS

Take the time to speak with your child about the definition of a stranger. Seize opportunities at home and while running errands to remind your child what he has learned.

• Show your child how to find a stranger that he can trust in an emergency.

• Play a game with your child to help him remember who is a stranger. Don’t forget that strangers aren’t always scary, funny looking or old. Sometimes bigger children will victimize smaller children.

• Libraries, police stations, restaurants, stores, homes of trusted family members or friends, community centers and other locations should be discussed and shown to the child as safe places he can go for help.

• Take your child people-watching and discuss the difference between someone who is polite and someone that is overly friendly. Help them identify when someone is ‘too’ nice or eerily perfect.

THINGS YOUR CHILD NEEDS TO KNOW

• Someone your child doesn’t know is a stranger.

• They should never go with someone they do not know (not even walking in the same direction), even if they seem nice.

• Strangers may attempt to lure a child into a house, building or car using toys or treats. An abductor may even know the child’s name, but a child should be trained to never go willingly even if offered these enticements. Instead, the child should loudly shout, “NO!” and run for help.

• If you are endangered, it’s okay to strike out and hurt an adult. A child should be made to understand that it’s not a bad or rude thing to run away and get help.

• A child should never help adults who claim to be in trouble and in need of assistance. Yell, “NO!” Get away and go for help. If an adult needs help, he or she can ask another adult to assist. Something is definitely not right when an adult seeks out a child for aid.

The following scenarios are to be avoided:

• Adults with a leash looking for a lost dog.

• Someone needing directions.

• Drivers asking for help with mechanical difficulties.

• Someone asking for help to find something in a car or house.

Implement these as soon as possible:

• Consider using a secret word so that a child knows you sent a trusted adult. If the person knows the child, but not the secret password, the child shouldn’t cooperate. Change the word often.

• Make it your custom to tell your child who and when another adult will be driving them.

• Make it a rule that your child will not accept a gift from someone they don’t know – especially when his parents aren’t present. Anything offered when parents are not there should be refused. A predator can use gifts as bait. A child can be drugged by doped candy or harmed by other items hidden in gifts.

• Children should trust their sense of danger. If a situation makes a child feel threatened tell him to run. They should run for help if they feel scared. By RUNNING to the nearest safe place, a child can then locate an adult and ASK FOR HELP.

• It is more important to be safe than it is to be polite. It’s better safe than sorry.

• When dealing with a stranger that is threatening, remember the three R’s: Recognize, Respond and Report.

ROLE PLAY; MAKE IT A GAME

• Take on the role of a stranger and pretend to ask for directions or try to get your child to help you find a lost pet.

• Show the children how to keep a safe distance – beyond arm’s reach.

• Show your child how to run away if the stranger gets too close or grabs another child. Talk about why they should run for help if another child is grabbed and not stay there.

• Help your child practice how to yell and scream effectively to attract the most attention.

• Help your child learn how to break an abductor’s grip by kicking and twisting.

• Show your child how to claw an abductors face (eyes, ears, mouths & nose) with their fingers to get away.

BECOMING AN UNAPPEALING TARGET

• Train your children to remain in a group and look out for others.

• Train children to never go with those who invite them to leave the group.

• Always walk or play with a safe buddy or in a group.

• Require children to check with you first before leaving your home or some other location.

• Talk with other parents in your community about these guidelines for child safety.

By incorporating these guidelines as part of your normal routine, your child should not become afraid. Just as you would wear safety-belts in a car, look both ways at an intersection and wash hands before meals, these suggestions can be taught as part of ongoing well-being.

For more helpful tips like this, visit No Greater Joy - a ministry dedicated to sharing the principles of wholesome child training and joyful family relationships.

Child Tracking Device - This Is Why You Need One!

Would you like to learn more information about a child tracking device? Do you want to know where your child is at all times and what he or she is doing? A child tracking device has changed the lives of many couples for the better and has allowed them to feel safe when they let their child go out. If you go to any crowded area such as a superstore, a large plaza or the mall there is a risk of losing your child. However, with a child tracking device there is no need to worry because you can easily find your child’s location.

Are you tired of being lied to of where your child is and not knowing what he or she is doing? Do you want to know where your child is for their own safety? You only want to have the ability to know where your child is at all times because your care about them and don’t want them to get hurt. With a child tracking device you have that ability.

The child tracking device could be for example a child tracking gps. One of the best ones I have seen is a small gps that you can put in your child`s backpack or pocket. This little GPS is excellent if you are in big crowds like the mall, the zoo or an amusement park. It even has a SOS button.

A child tracking device, like a gps, is very simple to use and you can use it wherever you are. All you need to do is send a text message to the device and it will reply to you with a map of your child’s location. It is as easy as that and within seconds you will know the location of your child. You will be able to go out with friends, go shopping or stay home with your significant other and not have to worry about where your child is because you will always be able to find out.

If you’re child ever got lost you wouldn’t have to look everywhere for him or her and go through all the trouble that it would cause you. You could just send a message to your child tracking device, gps, receive the map with your child’s location and go find them. There won’t be any difficulties with finding your lost child and you won’t have to worry.

The world’s a crazy place with insane people and anything could happen these days. With a child tracking device, gps, you can prevent the preventable from happening and save your child’s life. You don’t want to take the risk of your child getting lost and going through the extreme consequences. No parent would want to go through that and you definitely do not.

Be the prepared parent and don’t take the chance of your child being lost, harmed or doing something you don’t want him or her doing. Have the ability to know where your child is at all times and never have to worry about them. A child tracking device is a life changing device that all parents should have that will relieve them of all the stress a parent undergoes.

Click here for more information regarding a gps child tracking device that has endless benefits for you. Be the parent that doesn’t risk their child’s life.

How Can You Have a Good Time With Kids in Restaurants?

They say that enjoyment without responsibility is a godsend boon. And sure, whenever you prepare a big soiree or lunch party in your home, you are always left to the dirty dishes in the sink at the end of it. Well, no more. It is a better option to go enjoy your dinners, lunches or breakfasts in a restaurant, and be it with your friends or family, you will always end up having a very good time.

When you have kids, it helps to break the monotony of daily life by going out together for a unique dining experience. Not only will you feel different, but your family will to get a break from their work. Your kids will have more fun, since they really love to go out and play.

But having kids in a restaurant can be an embarrassing experience sometimes. They are restless, careless and too preoccupied blasting aliens away so as to stay still and not cause mayhem. The restaurant is a very busy place. There are people rushing around with expensive crockery, food and drinks. There is a lot of danger involved in letting your kid go wild. So how can you have a good time while keeping your kids out of trouble? Well, here are a few tips to follow:

•There is no need to catch your kid in a bad mood, haul him to a restaurant to change his mind about something, and get disapproving looks from other guests. The point is, if your kid decides to sulk, there is little you can do to change it. Do not get him to any public place. He may shriek and cry.

•It is always a great idea to keep your kid busy. If you have a girl, bring some Barbies with you so that she could play with them in the restaurant. Some “family-friendly” restaurants offer toys, but you never know whether they have been properly cleaned. It is better to take your own toys with you.

•Remember that restaurants are not playgrounds. There is never enough space to move around in. so do not let your child play with remote controlled cars or balls. They would spell disaster. You can let your child use crayons, pencils to draw on paper, or let him get along just fine with his action figures.

•Better still- prepare a surprise for your child! This will keep him grooved and excited. The moment you get seated, let him open the bag to discover his toys there. This is a positive reinforcement that will keep your kid in his best behavior. But if he does not listen to you, you can withhold his gifts from him. He will soon learn to behave.

•If you want quick serves, it is better to opt for McDonalds. They also have cool toys with the meal packs.

•Watch out so that your kid does not draw on the tablecloth with the crayons. And that he does not choke after putting bits of action figures into his mouth.

•In case your kid does not like the food at the restaurant, you can bring some homemade meal for him to make him happy.

It is tough and an exhausting experience to handle your kids, especially in a public place. There are so many risks of injuries, embarrassment and bruised egos. But if you follow these tips to the boots, you will be better off!

Kelly Boudreau represents Restaurant Solutions, Inc., a restaurant accounting firm.

The Outstanding Rewards of Sustaining Backyard Playsets

Most backyard playsets bestow many rewards to the modernized consumer. Nonetheless, the sorry share is most of these benefits tend to be neglected. Most individuals who are purchasing such playsets the very first time are of the view that these backyard versions are very overpriced. While the basic monetary values might be excessively preventative for you, you could serve a little quantity of search to notice the ideal backyard playset, which fits into your budget absolutely. In fact, there are so legion choices when it fares to backyard playsets along with contrasting pricing structures, that there is no ground you cannot get a playset, which is low-cost for you.

Pleasure and venture

If you overlook the cost face of these backyard playsets for an existing you would understand that the Chief and unexcelled advantage of these playsets is the quantity of sport and venture they offer up to children. With the gamut of somatogenic activeness admitted in these playsets, sport time for your minor will be a fun activeness and something they will always look onward to.

Couch potato syndrome

Most kids these days are so enticed by the beguile of video games, television and the computer that they mislay out on the joyousnesses of open-air games. Or Else of letting your minor turn into one of those couch potatoes, you could invest in a decent backyard playset. In this style, your child will be surefooted to pander in legion hours of non-stop playfulness, adventure and playtime and get the Pleasure of the open airs at the identical time!

Imagery

The other Chief reward of investing in the quaint backyard playsets is that your youngster will be able-bodied to let their imaginativeness work clear. As we all know, children have got marvelous imaginativenesses, especially when it amounts to their playtime activenesses. When you invest your kid a backyard playset, they can straight off realize it as something far more ravishing and suited than what you and I can construe! Therefore, your child will be efficient to translate these backyard playsets into something more significant and praiseworthy working with!

Safety Constituents

The other most-valuable advantage of Featuring a backyard playset is that you possess the self-assurance that your kid is safe in your backyard. Dissimilar other figures of somatogenic action and playday sessions, where there could be chances of chance events, collisions and other risks, Sustaining a backyard playset secures that your youngster plays in your own backyard. Therefore, you recognize that no thing what befalls, your kid is totally sound playing with their backyard playsets.

Variance Between Open-air And Indoor Games

As your kid maturates up, they will soon image the difference between outdoor and inside game activenesses. Owning this noesis is chief to debar any cases of future fortuities or testing to romp an indoor game outside and vice versa. performing open-air typecasts of games inside the house can be dangerous because household objects could be well lost, not to refer fortuities coming about in the house. In this circumstance, backyard playsets facilitate your youngster create the changeover from indoor sport activenesses to out-of-door games.

Backyard playsets are very durable & reasonable available at http://www.playtimeswingsets.com

What to Think About When Purchasing a Home

Purchasing a home is one of the most important things that you will ever do in life and, therefore, choosing this home is one of the most important decisions you will ever make. There are many mistakes that you can make when choosing a home, so it is important to be sure that you consider everything about a home before making an offer. First of all, is it located in a town in which you can see yourself settling down? Secondly, is it in an area of town where your family will be comfortable? These are issues that must be resolved before you make a decision, so be sure that you take everything into consideration beforehand.

Another thing that you must consider before making your purchase is whether or not the home is a good value. Many people are in such a rush to purchase their first home that they ignore some rather obvious issues that are present. These issues will only get worse over time so unless you are handy enough to renovate the house yourself, you might run into some serious problems. Of course, you can simply hire an inspector to come around and find everything that is wrong with the home before you make the purchase, as this will eliminate many problems in the future.

An aspect that some people do not take into consideration is the age of the house, as they simply look at its features and deem it good enough to purchase. The problem is that the roof and siding have to be replaced every so often and this can be a significant expense. If these issues have not been taken care of recently, you will have a few major expenses to add to your home in the near future. Therefore, it might be better to simply purchase a more expensive house, since it will leave you with a better return on your investment and will provide a better value.

Finally, make sure that the yard that you end up with is large enough for everything that you wish to do with it, yet small enough for you to manage. Too many people end up with either too much or not enough room in their yards, which causes significant problems for these people in the future. Basically, you should look at every thing that you could possibly want to do at the house and then make your decision based on your future, rather than your present. This is definitely not an easy thing to accomplish, so take your time when doing so.

The house that you purchase should be something that you are proud of and want to show off to friends and family immediately. If you are purchasing a home because you simply need a place to sleep, you might be better off renting for the time being. The real estate industry recently went through a pretty steep decline, so it is not as easy as it once was to unload a home if you find out later that it is not perfect for you.

Article by Hank Ericson, a Realtor that focuses on Lansdale Pa Real Estate & North Wales PA Real Estate.

6 Easy Ways to Get Parents More Involved at School

Much of a student’s success in school depends upon having parents who are supportive at home. The earlier a parent gets involved in their child’s education, the better. One study shows that the three most important factors of parental involvement include: their perception about whether their child or school even wants them involved; how much they believe they can positively influence their child’s education; and what is okay for them to do with and for their child regarding school. In addition, when parents model behavior that shows education is important, it will have a positive impact on them. Children need to feel that school is an important part of their family life. You’re a teacher - but where do you start?

1. Quite simply: just ask parents to get involved! Sometimes it isn’t a matter of parents not wanting to be involved — it’s a matter of them not knowing how to start. When you have a list of tasks to accomplish for your classroom, don’t assume you must do it all yourself. There are parents who would be happy to help, if they were just asked.

2. Identify the talents, strengths and interests of parents. Those skills could be extremely helpful to the classroom. Send a list home of what opportunities your school has for parents and ask them which ones they are interested in helping with. Jobs could include coordinating fundraisers, managing volunteers, working as paraprofessionals or being a community advocate for their school.

3. If a parent is resistant to becoming more involved, they need to know this: Research has consistently shown that students whose parents are regularly involved in their child’s education will have better school attendance, improved grades and will demonstrate a higher level of motivation and self-esteem than kids whose parents aren’t involved. In addition, parents will be less likely to have to deal with their child dropping out of school, getting suspended, using drugs and alcohol or being violent. That’s convincing evidence!

4. Become a partner with parents, and make them feel part of the team. Some parents feel it is a teacher’s job to teach and don’t know how they, as parents, can help. Offer parents a guideline of everything they can do to support their child’s education at home. This might include suggestions for creating an effective study environment for their child or how they can help their child study. Encourage parents to go on field trips or watch educational programs with their child, which will reinforce your teaching efforts from home.

5. While many parents get involved with school when their child first enters kindergarten, parental involvement drops sharply with each passing grade level. Find ways to keep parents involved as their child progresses through school. If possible, have a space designated at school that serves as a parent room to encourage continued involvement at school.

6. Don’t pre-judge who you think will, or won’t, want to become involved. Even though a child might come from a single-parent or low-income home, it doesn’t mean that parent isn’t just as concerned about their child’s education as others are. Give these parents the same chance to participate in their child’s education as you would middle-class or two-parent families.

Jennifer Dobson would like you to visit, MPMSchoolSupplies.com. It has all kinds of office supplies including banker’s clasps. If you are looking for a classroom rug or carpet you should definitely check it out. 50% of the gross profits are donated to children?s charities!

7 Effective Strategies For Improving Communication With Parents

Communication between people who have a task to achieve is crucial. And what more important job is there than educating a child? It’s a monumental undertaking, but fortunately, the efforts of a few improve exponentially when everyone is working together. Plain and simple: students will be much better scholars if parents and teachers communicate effectively.

1. It might sound like an obvious concept, but it’s important to make parents feel welcome to speak with you about their child at any time. Whether they call, send a note or drop in after class, make sure parents know you appreciate their involvement and willingness to communicate. If they know you will actively listen when they have a concern, they will be much more open to hearing what you have to say when their child brings home low grades or demonstrates bad behavior. And in the meantime, they just might offer some helpful information or insight into their child that will help you immensely in class.

2. Promote opportunities for communication with parents outside of class. Many parents will attend student conferences, but few will commit to going on field trips or attending class parties. Encourage parents to attend a few “fun” activities during the year. It will make everyone more at ease as you get better acquainted. Get to know parents as people. Talk to them about their life, job or upbringing. Nothing will be more helpful to a child’s education than promoting communication between teachers and parents and becoming allies in the process.

3. When discussing a student’s school performance with a parent, include not only things their child should work on, but also what their child is mastering or improving in. Parents need to feel that teachers are rooting for their child’s success, and you should make sure they know you are.

4. Foster the idea that parents are children’s first teachers by making sure they know what their child is learning at school. Helping parents find opportunities to “teach” at home will reinforce what you are teaching their kids at school. Together, parents and teachers can communicate the same concepts and ideas so children will have even more opportunities to learn. Being a team will promote good communication.

5. Let parents know right away if their child is having difficulty with a particular unit, concept or subject. The sooner parents know, the sooner they can work on those concepts with their child at home. And that may be all it takes to get their child over the hump and on to learning the next concept. This is also effective for behavioral problems. Send a brief note or make a quick call to parents when a child’s behavior is not what it should be. Nothing is worse to a parent than finding out weeks later that their child has been causing problems in the classroom.

6. Offer to communicate with parents in whatever genre they prefer, whether it’s newsletters, handouts, phone calls, emails or face-to-face conferences. Give parents a choice about how they hear from you, how often you communicate and what time or day is best for them. Schedule a regular output of notes, newsletters and phone calls to ensure parents receive all the information they need.

7. If you don’t feel your school’s mode of communication is effective, talk with your principal about updating the system. If you aren’t happy with the current system, chances are other teachers aren’t either. Communicating your concerns will benefit not only your own class, but the entire school and parents, as well.

Jennifer Dobson would like you to visit, MPMSchoolSupplies.com. It has a great selection of office and classroom supplies including small bankers clasp. It has a great selection of high quality products including childrens rugs, and it donates 50% of the gross profits to help children in ne

Simple Ways to Teach Children the Value of Sportsmanship

What is sportsmanship?

In our modern society, we tend to idolize the biggest and brightest professional athletes in the world. It’s not hard to do when they earn huge paychecks and endorse the products our children want — cell phones, clothes, cereals, etc. While their accomplishments are often impressive, their sportsmanship, or lack thereof, leaves something to be desired. Sportsmanship is, at its core, the essence that partaking in competition is done solely for the enjoyment of the game or sport itself and not for the purpose of winning. It encompasses a sense of fairness, respect, and fellowship with one’s competition.

Yet when we turn to these professional ‘idols,’ far too often we don’t see the sense of sportsmanship that we would prefer to instill in our children. Instead, we are inundated with scandals, arrogance, and controversy. The bigger they are, the harder they fall, as the saying goes. And so it also goes that the more the media hones in on their “failures”, although they are not failures any one of us couldn’t fall into easily. So how can we teach our children the value of sportsmanship in our modern competitive culture?

The essence of the game

Games for children are meant to teach them rules, competition, and sportsmanship. Far too often, pressure is placed on winning and the rewards for winning far outweigh those that come with finishing second. First and foremost in any competition for children should be the enjoyment of the game, not the score or the final result. Does this mean that all competition should be eliminated? No. What it means is that, for children, sportsmanship should come before competition. We’re hearing more and more that children’s sports aren’t declaring a winning side. While it’s good they want to spare the feelings of the children, kids need to learn about being a good winner and a good loser, because life will certainly teach them that later if not sooner.

Teaching sportsmanship

Teaching children sportsmanship starts with setting an ideal example for them to emulate. If adults focus on the score, become aggravated or too intense when playing a game, then that is imprinted on children watching us. Some simple things to keep in mind to help teach sportsmanship include:

1. Smile and laugh. Regardless of whether you’re winning or losing, keep a positive attitude about the game. Smiling is contagious and when it is associated with the activity and not the result, children will emulate this behavior more often than not.

2. Reward positive participation. Don’t focus on the result. Win or lose, congratulate the child. If the child has a poor attitude or doesn’t acknowledge their competition, then reward should not be granted.

3. Turn their attention to positive role models. Perhaps your child idolizes Terrell Owens. While talented, his behavior and attitude is the precise definition of poor sportsmanship. Point this out and then turn your child onto athletes who personify good sportsmanship.

Choose simple games first

A great way to teach children good sportsmanship is to get them playing simple games, such as bean bags. In fun, relaxing environment, winning isn’t what matters; the moments spent with family and friends is.

Dave Roth runs the SC Cornhole Game website, a store devoted to the game of Cornhole. They are suppliers of cornhole bags, corn hole boards, and cornhole sets.

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