Parenting Tips

Reading aloud to your child strengthens the part of their brain associated with visual imagery, the ability to understand stories and word meaning.

“Mom, I found the tiniest snail ever in the yard!” After a morning of virtual school meetings (and, let’s be honest, needing a break myself!), I sent my children outside with no particular plan. I felt guilty that I wasn’t able to structure this time, especially with in-person school canceled. I had forgotten that boredom and unstructured play are great for children’s creativity, build independence, and offer stress relief.

To solve basic math operations — and more complicated ones down the road — kids need problem-solving skills and number sense. Number sense is the ability to understand what numbers mean, how they relate to one another and how they can be used in real-world situations. Because six-year-olds can count to higher numbers, they can also be challenged to work on higher number operations. School-aged children focus on addition and subtraction at first, and then eventually reach multiplication (in the form of skip counting) and division (in the form of equal shares).

Teach kids to reframe their thoughts by countering negative self-talk with self-talk that is both positive and realistic.

Emotional self-awareness involves identifying and understanding one’s emotions – including “big feelings” that can sometimes overwhelm us. As Fred Rogers reminds us: “When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary.” Two-year-olds can learn the names of core emotions: happy, sad, scared, and excited. Naming emotions empowers toddlers and helps them understand what’s going on inside their mind and body.

Grit involves sticking with something until you succeed. It’s another word for perseverance and resilience, and it gives us the strength to try, try, try again. Grit supports a “growth mindset” – a belief that our intelligence and skills can grow with effort. Kids with a growth mindset thrive on challenges and view failure as part of the learning process. For a five year old, grit might look like working on increasingly complex block structures, crafts, or puzzles; learning their letters and numbers, and remembering to use their words when they feel frustrated.

From taking their first steps to learning how to read, children gain self-confidence as they master new skills. This gives them the courage to continue to explore and expand their abilities. Seven-year-olds can set goals and make a plan for mastering new academic and physical skills – from math facts to soccer kicks. As you encourage their interests and independence, you may also need to help them talk through their frustrations and fears. They may be discouraged when a new skill doesn’t come easily to them or when a classmate or sibling seems "better than me" at a task.