| The foundation for building a good relationship with | | | | stores, the bus stops, etc.If there is a park near |
| your children requires that you spend time with | | | | by, pack up a paper bag lunch and eat a meal or |
| them - spending time getting to know who they | | | | snack at the park...and spend some time enjoying |
| are, getting to sense the clues that seem to | | | | what is available. Take along a book to read to |
| motivate behavior issues, and getting to grasp | | | | the children. Bake up some cookies and take |
| their humor and interests in life. Every parent has | | | | them to a senior friend (can be done in the |
| the potential to build a deep relationship with their | | | | evening or on the weekend). Think building |
| child that will survive through the teenage years. | | | | communityand help a neighbor who needs help |
| Building this relationship does not require spending | | | | with weeding, mowing or needs just a visit! Don't |
| a ton of money. As David Elkind said when he | | | | forget to write picture letters to relatives and |
| was in Portland many years ago, it is not the | | | | walk to the nearest mailbox.So, put away your |
| fancy trip to Disneyland that bonds your child to | | | | wallet and think home art! With some paper and |
| you. The bonding occurs during the day-to-day | | | | glue and odd bits of macaroni you can make |
| interactions of daily events and seasonal activities. | | | | super collages or use some cardboard and make |
| So, put your wallet away and think | | | | picture frames. With some old magazines, create |
| "home".Encourage children to work with you in the | | | | puzzles - and after you have cut some up, see if |
| yard! Delight in the nature around you! Discover | | | | you can assemble them. Possibly glue the pieces |
| the potato bug and dissect the weed! Yes, it will | | | | down as you do that and create another form of |
| take longer to do the yard work with the help of | | | | collage. Take the newspaper and roll the sheets |
| little fingers, but as you work you will find humor | | | | to make long and short poles; then using masking |
| and create a healthy respect for nature.Encourage | | | | tape, build a structure or 3-dimensional art |
| your children to help you cook. When we have | | | | sculpture. Put it outside and see what the |
| actually cooked something there is such a strong | | | | weather does to it! Create wish cards using |
| sense of accomplishment! Let your children help | | | | pictures from catalogs. Create "I feel" or "This is |
| you prepare the ingredients for cooking - children | | | | who I am" cards, using pictures from magazines |
| are able to chop and sift and peel.Again, it takes | | | | and catalogs of all sorts. Not every activity will |
| longer, but all of it helps with relationhsips. It is not | | | | appeal to every child in your family. That is ok. |
| necessary to have all 5 children in the kitchen at | | | | Provide the opportunity to the children who are |
| the same time; set up a schedule and make it a | | | | not interested to be involved in something else |
| special date time with the parent who is cooking.If | | | | that interests them. One-on-one time with each |
| everybody helps clean up the house, there is a | | | | child in a family is as important as spending time |
| sense of community-building.The key to building | | | | together with all the family! Recognize that |
| relationships is to be respectful of the individuality | | | | children are interested in different things depending |
| of each child.It isn't just mom's duty to keep the | | | | upon their age and skill levels. The key to building |
| environment clean and workable for the family. I | | | | relationships is to be respectful of the individuality |
| know families who spend Thursday nights | | | | of each child.Sally Skelding has been molding the |
| housecleaning and then plan fun things to do on | | | | minds of both young adults and children for more |
| the weekend.Allow children to actually shop with | | | | than 30 years. Sally's long career started in |
| you and help make up the list. If you have | | | | Youngstown, Ohio, where she was the Director |
| several children, let children trade off participation. | | | | of the Youngstown Civic Children's Theatre. During |
| So, put your wallet away and think | | | | those years, she and her students entertained |
| Neighborhood.With very young children, take | | | | children with puppetry and children's theatre |
| walks about your neighborhood, pointing out and | | | | performances. In time, she returned to her roots |
| discovering the dogs & cats, the flowers, the | | | | and moved to the West Coast with her husband. |