Home is a Place allows Mistake.

Is your home a place that allows mistake? Is your home a shelter for children's fragility? Children can be clumsy and messy in their growing process. E.g. children often spill their drinks, mess up while eating their food. The scientist kids tend to take apart their toys and study about them. The persistent (stubborn) kids will insist in their own choice which leads to common mistakes like wear the wrong clothes for the weather, match their clothes awkwardly, refuse to put on the shoes for outing etc. But, can moms accept these and handle them well?

There is No Perfect Mom

It's no secret that mothers like you, are my heroes. Through sleep deprivation, chauffeuring duties, lack of personal space, 24/7 maid service and never ending to do lists; our abundance of unconditional love is astounding to me. ~ Kelly Matzen

Be thankful for those who still can spend moments with (or at least talk to) your moms on Mother's Day. For those who being apart from mom, reflect on those sweet memories you had in the past and continue to live out your mom's wonderful motherly love.

Recovery Time or Time Out? You Decide.

When your child is misbehaved and out of control. Love and Logic suggests Recovery Time (or Bedroom Time) to let a child calm down and have a quiet time to think instead of being punished in anger and frustration, then later being lectured. This is quite different than Time-Out discipline approach.

The followings are the suggested steps for this Recovery Time/ Bedroom time (not bedtime, don't misstate).

Make Early Childhood Parenting Fun

It was so excited to attend the Love and Logic "Early Childhood Parenting Made Fun". This 5 series workshop is instructed by Cyndi Goldfarb who raised up her two successful daughters with the principles of Love and Logic. I read books and articles from Love and Logic, I agree with and comprehend most of the principles because they are so biblical. However, it just so comforting to know that most successful parents don't try everything at once. We are asked to try one or two simple skills at a time ;)

Play is Important. Why?

Play is important for children. Play is the way children learn. Play is a child's job. Through play, children learn about themselves, their environment, their surrounding people and the world around them.

Research showed that play promotes healthy physical growth, social, emotional and cognitive development in children. Studies also show that quality play has important link to future success in academic.

Sharing Books with Children. How?

It is never too early to introduce books to your child. Whenever you read to your child, s/he looks at the picture and hears your reading, her/his brain cells begin to make connections. Repetition is a great way to learn for young children. Young children will not feel boring to hear the same stories over and over again. In fact, it helps strengthen brain connections.

Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior?

Amy Chuo being called the Tiger Mom, has wrote this: Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior? Read the article and listen to your heart, what is your response?


My first question, are we pushing our young children too hard in doing something beyond their stage of ability or their interest? Are we trying to realize our own dream through our children and

Stimulating Activities for Young Children

From previous post, we see the possible negative effects to a child when a parent removes fun and silliness from a childhood, but impose pressure for a greater self-defined dream and success.

The followings suggest some developmentally appropriate stimulating activities for different stages of a child:

Every Child Deserves a Healthy Childhood

Perhaps you all heard of Neverland, a fantasy ranch with amusement parks in California. Neverland Ranch was a home to the most successful entertainer of all time, Michael Jackson. He called himself Peter Pan, a boy who never grows up. He was such a genius in singer-songwriting, dancing, recording etc; yet he was an innocent and humble child-like (not childish) adult.

Choose the Best Environment for your Child (updated)

If parents understood the importance of the early years of their children, yet they still need to send them to care center for some good reasons, please consider the following criteria in choosing the best environment for your precious child.

It is common that parents will choose a provider whom they trust, probably with rich experience and good reference.

Family Mealtime is Important to Children. Why? So?

Mealtime is more than just eating. It is an important time in the life of your child. The good news is that the number of families that eat together at least once a day has increased from 52% in 2003 to 73% in 2010 (Source: American Dietetic Association Foundation - Family Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey, 2003 and 2010). What are the benefits of family mealtime?

Who Does a Child Need in the First Years?

Focus on the Family emphasized the importance of a home to the little children. Attachment in home helps children learn to trust which is essential for having healthy relationship in life. It is worth to ponder on the following great words. 

The First Years of Your Child Are Essential

Scientists continue to prove that the first three years of children are the most important that last forever. This has been recognized by thinkers and educators throughout history. Chinese old saying goes "三岁定终生“! Tremendous physical growth and learning occur between 0-3 ages. The followings briefly address the Piaget's stages of cognitive development and the Erik Erikson's (EE) stages of personality development:

Natural Consequences or Reality Discipline

Parents do not have to be the front stage teacher in disciplining our children most of the time. In fact, we can let our children experience the natural results of their action or choice, which called natural consequences or reality discipline. This approach uses real life experiences as the best teacher to guide and direct our children to the right path. They learn what the real world is like and how it works.

Displine Approach: Time-out

Time-out is a discipline approach that involves placing children in a very boring, free from distraction place for several minutes because of unacceptable behaviors. This is more effective than yelling, hitting or threatening. 

The common misbehavior which effective to be corrected by time-out:

• Disobedient to parental instruction
  Parents must teach their children that they are the authorized bosses in the family whom they must submit to. Parents should give maximum three warning to your disobedient child.

Discipline our Children - Further Guidelines

I hope you have read my previous post on why we need to discipline our children. If not, please do so.

It is good to provide some guidelines for children discipline before we look into each of the discipline approaches. Improper discipline can put our children at risk for a variety of behavioral and emotional problems in life. 

Discipline Our Children. Why? And How?

As parents, we all love our children. However, sometimes we can spoil our children unconsciously, pamper them into their wants and ways, which later regrets at our own foolishness. To be honest, some parents might just don't know what to do at dealing with their children negative behavior. The old parenting methods from our grandmother or mother are no longer hundred percent workable or legal in our new generation.

Children Need a Good Night Sleep. Why? and How?

"A tired child is a cranky child". Every parent sees and knows it. Scientists discover that children with chronic sleep problems are at increased risk for developing a mental illness later in life. It often link to aggressive behavior, learning and memory problems and obesity.

Looking Back into Her Toddler hood

I was in a great searching for desperate solutions to deal with my daughter's dramatic change in behavior and temperament at her age of 18 months old. On her birthday celebration, I recall my husband and I told each other and I told her the same, "Now, you are such a good girl and we are so thankful for you, a perfect gift to us!" What joy could be added to a 2 year old birthday celebration?

In the journey, I admit I couldn't breath normally and I can't help to pray more often as I would. However, in His faithfulness, I received these basic principles, later and continue to be our guide to raise up Faith:

Dealing with "NO" in Toddler

In regard to the negativism in your children, I suggest some useful JustAMom-tested guidelines, in reference to Patient Education given by pediatric and some parenting experts.

From previous post, Why "NO" in Most Children?, we came to know that this is a normal phenomena in our child's normal development stage. So, please don't take it too personally. This stage of age is important to their development of independence and identity.