Tips to Help Overcome Bed Wetting

Bedwetting can be frustrating for everyone involved. Parents and guardians struggle to find a solution to help their child while having to deal with soiled clothes, sheets and mattresses, and sometimes even teasing siblings. Your child can also experience shame if the situation isn’t dealt with compassionately and objectively. Fortunately, there are some Dos and Don’ts that can help you and your child overcome this issue.

Do:

1.) Approach the situation empathetically. Understanding that this is embarrassing for your child will help you when talking about it. Referring to it as an “accident” can help them understand that it’s not always their fault. Assure them that many others experience the same thing, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of.

2.) Be patient. Correcting this behavior can take a long time. Remembering to keep cool in times of distress is so important. Each time it happens, though it’s frustrating, try to remain calm.

3.) Reduce drink intake before bed. Cut your child off from water one hour before bed, and encourage them to go to the bathroom right before they lay down. For extra protection, you can set an alarm halfway through the night so that they can get up and go again.

4.) Make clean up easy: Applying Waterproof sheet liners can make sure that your child’s mattress is safe. This greatly reduces clean-up time and staining. 5.) Encourage accountability. Rather than yelling, encourage your child to help with cleanup. This holds them accountable in a way, without making them feel self-conscious about their mistake.

Don’t:

1.) Get visibly upset. Being overactive in a situation of confusion for your child can greatly hurt their self-esteem.

2.) Allow siblings to tease. Talk with them about being a supportive friend for their brother or sister instead. Also, refrain from comparing your child’s issue with other siblings that don’t.

3.) Ignore the problem. If bedwetting doesn’t seem to have a resolution in sight, don’t chalk it up to a bad habit. Sometimes there are underlying conditions that can cause the problem. If bedwetting continues, see a pediatrician to make sure it’s not a health problem.

So many children experience this little roadblock. If you remember to be patient and supportive in this situation, you’ll both come out on the other side feeling accomplished. Soon you’ll both be able to sleep soundly knowing there are no accidents to clean up in the morning.

8 Toys and Gadgets to Promote Learning

 

With so many toys on the market, how do you make sure that your child is having constructive fun? The following toys promote learning and will be sure to keep the kids busy for hours.

1. Legos. Legos and other building blocks are classic educational toys for kids. It teaches them to build structures and nurtures an interest in drafting and architecture. For older kids that are even more interested in building, try the Kinetix toys. They even come with motor powered pieces that move the structures around.

2. A Magnifying Glass. Something as simple as a magnifying glass can encourage your child to explore their surroundings. They’ll stay busy getting a new perspective on everyday objects. The best part of this toy, it’s super inexpensive! You can get one at a local dollar store.

3. Rocket Stomper. Another inexpensive toy is a rocket stomper. These foam foot powered rockets will teach the kiddos all about gravity. They’ll learn that the harder they stomp, the further the rocket soars.

4. A DIY kit from a craft store. The craft store is an underrated place to find things for the kids to do. There is an entire section of the craft store that is full of super fun DIYs for kids. Whether it’s a fossil dig kit, or a jewelry making kit, this kind of thing is great for teaching kids to create something on their own.

5. Kinetic Sand. Kinetic sand is a wonderful toy for kids of all ages; it brings the beach indoors, without the mess. They can build sandcastles for hours while you can rest easy knowing that it’s very easy to clean up.

6. Build a Terrarium. Building a terrarium is a little more suited for older children. Help your kids foster their green thumb with this very cool and scientific process of creating an ecosystem for a tiny plant.

7. Magnetic Refrigerator Letters. Refrigerator letters are such an underrated toy! Help your kids learn spelling and reading by arranging the letters into little notes for the rest of the family to see.

8. Sidewalk chalk. Another really great underused toy is sidewalk chalk! Show the neighborhood how imaginative your children are. Maybe even put on a mini sidewalk art show. This cultivates your children’s artistic side, which is a very important part of learning as well.

It’s hard to find toys that can keep your little ones busy, that you also feel comfortable letting them play for long periods. These sure-fire activities will keep them learning and away from the screens for a while.

Why Kids NEED Summer Camp Programs

Summer camp programs are not all just for fun. They are essential in helping children continue to develop key skills and concepts they’ve been working on throughout the school year. Your child’s development is not on hold just because school is not in session!

However, accessibility to summer programs can be tough for low-income and working families. According to a survey conducted by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2015 of working households, 70% were single moms, 82% were single dads, and over 60% of households had both working parents. With childcare costs on the rise – averaging at about 10% of a family’s yearly income– the price for a quality learning program over the summer can become more of a luxury, not a necessity. 

This is where organizations that combine child care and a learning curriculum can make the difference – especially with offerings such as Child Care Information Services (CCIS) available to assist with the cost of summer enrollment.

A study conducted by Oxford Learning Solutions found that the effects of summer learning programs endure for at least two years after participation.

”We need to provide children with strategically planned, structured summer experiences, and that’s especially true for those who don’t have access to enriching, home-based learning,” Karl Alexander, the John Dewey Professor of Sociology at John Hopkins University.

Each year the BSA summer camp program is revamped to improve upon the previous year successes in curriculum,  activities, and field trips with the goal of providing an engaging summer experience not only for students but also for teachers and parents. 

Learn More About our Summer Camp Program >

In a parent survey following Brightside Academy’s Summer Camp, 75% of parents were completely satisfied with the curriculum and learning activities and would consider enrolling their child in future summer camp programs. Of the 95 child participants across 7 academies in 2015, 81.1% said they had fun at summer camp while 63.2% felt they learned a lot during their time at camp. Some recurring comments included, “it was big and fun,” and “I love this camp,” while teachers from our summer camp program said they “loved the teaching experience.”

Fun, educational summer camps are a necessity, not a luxury. When weighing options for whether or not to enroll their children in summer camp, low- and mid-income families are challenged by the cost. Child care subsidies exist to help families cover the cost to combat the “summer slide” allowing for an exciting, and educational, experience for children from all families and socio-economic backgrounds.

 Click here to learn more about Brightside Academy’s summer camp program and how to enroll your child.

Teaching Children Self-Control

Helping your child develop self-control can be extremely beneficial to help them succeed in the classroom, and in building positive relationships in the future. Self-control is when children learn inhibition of strong impulses, such as screaming, hitting, or throwing things. Here are some tips help your child develop this skillset early on.

  • Identify Feelings. We have all seen those doctor’s office charts using faces to identify levels of pain. Using something similar that shows a range of happy to sad, or excited to angry, emotions can help your child identify what they are feeling and communicate that easier. Once they identify how they are feeling, you can do the same so that they can recognize how their words and actions can affect others as well.

 

  • Use words to express/ communicate how they feel. Once they are ready to have a problem-solving conversation, have them follow this guide to ensure it goes smoothly:
  1. Wait to calm down before I talk
  2. Understand why I feel angry
  3. Tell the other person “I am angry because…”
  4. Let the other person talk
  5. Say “I prefer next time that you….. instead.”

 

  • Show them ways to handle anger and frustration, if they feel out of control.

  How to calm down:

  1. Take deep breaths and count to 10
  2. Take a break by myself
  3. Write out my feelings on paper and then tear it up
  4. Do something physical like run, jumping jacks, or go for a walk

Show them this 4 step process of calming down before they approach a conversation. This helps them get their anger impulses out of their system and approach a conflict rationally.

With practice, your child can train their brain to have better self-control. Remember that parents are the best teachers. Being aware of how you handle stressful situations will show them the difference between a positive and negative response to conflict.  It’s important to note that some impulse control problems could be because of an underlying condition like ADHD, so it’s important to get your child assessed if they’re struggling to develop self-control. Following these few tips and keeping them a part of your daily routine will help aid in learning self-control.  

A Mother’s Guide to Getting More Rest

Finding the time to rest is ridiculously hard when you have children. You learn to savor those short-lived naps and a 4 hour sleep night sounds like a dream. As a mom, your children usually come first, however, when you neglect your self-care, it can affect other aspects of your life. Sleep deprivation can cause irritability, which makes it more difficult to be patient with a little one around. So what small steps can you take to make sure you’re well-rested?

Turn your screens off earlier than usual. We’re all guilty of staying up later than we planned, laying in bed endlessly scrolling through social media, and for a lot of us, that’s the only time that we have to be social. Turn your TV and phone off and wind down by reading with your child. This will help them get into a nighttime routine that signifies that “it’s time for bed.” Try looking through social media in the morning instead. The light of a bright screen will help wake you up as well.

Take your loved ones up on their offers to help out. As a new mother, there is so much anxiety associated with being away from your baby, but those moments away can help tremendously with your own mental health. Giving others control can be very stressful, but it’ll help socialize them with. Perhaps they can suggest something that worked for their child in the past that can help you further develop your parenting style.

For new mothers that are comfortable with this parenting style, sharing a bed with your baby can be helpful as well. Co-sleeping makes nightly feeding so much easier if you’re breastfeeding every 3-4 hours. Your child has less time to be agitated and hungry, alone in a separate room. When you have a quick approach to solving the problem, it helps lull your baby back to sleep faster.

Sleep When They Sleep. I’m sure that you’ve heard that phrase so many times, but sometimes daily naps can really help rejuvenate your body. Take the opportunities when your little one dozes off to wind down yourself. If you’re not the type that can easily nap in the middle of the day, take those moments as an opportunity to relax. Have a cup of coffee, listen to music, or sit outside and enjoy nature for a moment. If you prefer to catch up on chores, you can use those moments of peace to make your life a little easier in the future.

Putting time aside for yourself is very important, and following these steps can help get you there. Remember to take little breaks from your full-time mommy job to collect yourself. It will reflect positively in so many other aspects of your life.