Metaphorical Thinking – The Guest Metaphor

Metaphorical Thinking – Introduction Metaphorical Thinking – the Cloud Metaphors Metaphorical Thinking – the Guest Metaphor Metaphorical Thinking – the Web Metaphors There are two instances that the metaphor of guest can explain or enhance: treat our children as guests in our life, and how our body is a guesthouse for our emotions. The first meaning is an idea coined by Haim Ginott, a mentor to John Gottman (Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child), Adele Faber (How to Talk so Kids will Listen…) or Laura …

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The National Bank of Parents: a Simple Financial Education Strategy for Children

I talked in Letters to my daughter: Build your “f*ck off” fund article about the importance of financial education from an early age.   In this article, I will present our strategy to teach our four and a half-year-old daughter how to manage her money responsibly. Most of this strategy is based on The First National Bank of Dad: The Best Way to Teach Kids About Money book written by David Owen. He introduced this strategy to his children, aged six and ten at the time. Once a child can …

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The Four Styles of Parenting

The four styles of parenting

Based on the research of Diana Baumrind, Eleanor Maccoby (extremely influential in child psychology and developmental psychology, her Wikipedia page is well worth a read) and John Martin, there are four types of parenting styles:  Neglectful Parenting  Low emotional support, low expectations Detached from a child’s feelings and behaviours  As the name of this category implies, there is not much interaction between a neglectful parent and their children. Such parents are uninvolved in their children’s lives: they do not ask children about school, they do not know their children’s friends or spend much time with …

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Study Shows Khan Academy Kids Application Improves Pre-Literacy Skills

In a randomized controlled trial, the researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst recruited 49 four- and five-year-old preschoolers and their primary caregivers, 45 mothers and four fathers. Families had an annual median income of $24,000. Before the study started, children’s pre-literacy skills were assessed using the Test of Preschool Early Literacy (TOPEL). Children were randomly assigned to use either the Khan Academy Kids application or control applications. Khan Academy Kids group was encouraged to use the applications 20 minutes per day. The control group was not given any specific instructions on …

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Shopping Recommendations for Children

Children do not need many, but much. Much of our time, much of our arms, much of our soul, and sometimes, much of our … money. I compiled this list using products that helped us tremendously or products that will be used in the future. Home Babywearing Please do your research regarding babywearing, as I have seen far too many parents that put their babies in snowsuits or carrying babies not in an M-shape position. I found some interesting guides here, here, or here. …

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Letters to my Daughter: Build Your “F*ck Off” Fund

It is true what they say. Money does not bring happiness. Money buys freedom. Freedom to leave a job. Freedom to manage an economic recession. Freedom to take a leave when you feel burned out. Freedom to leave a country. Freedom to own a house. Freedom to leave an abusive relationship. My daughter, having your own emergency fund should be your top priority. You are buying a part of your freedom with an emergency fund. Read this article that renamed emergency fund to a …

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Books for 6-9-year-Olds

This article is a continuation of Books for 0-6-year-olds, with some books that blend between years. Growing up and facts of life It is never too early to discuss such an important topic as body safety education. We can’t afford to be squeamish and avoid difficult conversations. Some of these books should be read once or twice per month. Science Diversity Inspiring people Storytelling Poetry Exquisite books

Books for 0-6-year-olds

As the saying goes for gifts, “Give them something to read/ Something they want and something they need”, I thought I would share some book recommendations. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy any of these as a present for my nephews or our friends’ children. After comparing Usborne versus DK versus National Geographic, I think that DK has the best ratio of information per age, with the right amount of information. Of course, this is just a personal opinion. Also, I discovered two very worrisome …

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