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Kids Music 'n' Kids Coins, a GREAT combination!
Reprinted with permission from the Brighton Press Argus.
PARENTING JOURNAL, July 2010
Kids Coins!
Meeting the Demands of Raising Spirited Children
Raising and working as a nanny for spirited children, and as a health care provider for special needs children, I learned there are keys to shaping a child's behavior. So much of the stress associated with child rearing can be alleviated by managing a child's environment. Coping, researching and locating support, ideas and tools help prepare for the unsuspecting events of everyday life with children. Using the tools available in daily life, we can learn new ways to inspire and motivate children.
Managing daily routines can begin the peaceful progress towards shaping children's behavior and guiding them in positive ways. By understanding what makes children react and feel the way they do, we can take steps toward developing a relationship of trust and friendship.
Too often, our days end with stress as we look for an instant escape from the exhausting high-energy of children. Days can change from stressful to peaceful by creating a fun and nurturing environment that is positive and constructive for both the child and adult.
ANTICIPATE A FUN, GOOD DAY
Approach the beginning of the day with anticipation, believing it will be fun and exciting. "We're going to have a great day! We're going to do lots of fun things!" provides a positive tone that shows children you are attentive to their needs. Even simple daily tasks like getting dressed and making breakfast can be fun experiences with the right mind-set.
"KIDS COINS" AS A VISUAL AID
Children have vivid imaginations and see everything in pictures. A thousand words can be said with a single picture. The colorful, imaginative pictures on KIDS COINS benefit young children by giving them a reference point as they bring all the things together that represent their day.
KIDS COINS fun circular pictures are visual aids that help children express and discover their feelings and what is going on inside of them. "I'm Feeling" Coins help children to discover why they are happy or so sad, tired or joyful, kind or testy. When a child is confused or angry, feelings are validated and redirected. Helping children to put a face on what they feel begins new levels of relationship.
Children naturally explore "what they want to be when they grow up". A child can easily make this discovery by identifying simple character pictures. "I'm Playing" Coins, or role playing Coins, inspire children to say, "That's what I like to do!" when they see a picture. Child-like characters like Dancer, Singer or Baseball Player help children to identify their talents.
KIDS COINS help children make their own choices in easy and fun ways by providing pictures that show all the things that go on in their day. When a child can visualize their choices, they have a sense of control and anticipation.
REWARD AND TAKE DELIGHT IN WORK
Children are very responsive to visual suggestions and are more apt to clear the table and clean their room if they can be reminded and rewarded. Instead of pouting and complaining, KIDS COINS "Gold Coins", "Special Coins" and "I Can Do It" Coins motivate children with handy "tools" that stimulate positive action for chores, tasks, responsibility and free choice activities.
By using these tools, we can then teach children to look forward to doing the things we expect by making them interesting and rewarding. We can let them know that brushing their teeth makes their teeth clean any shiny and gives them a bright smile and that putting away their toys gives them a clean room that is fun to play in and gives them room to play.
KIDS COINS programs and songs provide a way to praise and inspire children with motivational suggestions like "you can do it!", "you can try harder!" and "there's a time for everything!". Children will respond to an atmosphere of encouragement rather than patterns of complaining and unnecessary punishment. When an act of discipline IS necessary, a system of redemption and rewards set the pace for a positive battle-free day.
KIDS COINS is a system of rewards that gives children incentives to complete their chores and activities. Even the simplest of tasks like washing their face and making their bed can be interesting and rewarding. Instilling small steps with children at a young age will prepare them for responsibility, tolerance for work and relationships with others.
The KIDS COINS Progress Chart allows children to SEE their daily, weekly and monthly progress as they anticipate their reward of choice, and the valued GOLDIE FIVE STAR, the final reward of the day. Children can be offered a special trip to the dollar store, the park, going to a movie, or having a pizza party. By rewarding children with the things they like to do, they will begin to appreciate the privileges we give them. Children are happy and well adjusted when they have achievable goals with earned rewards.
GIVE A CHILD A CHANCE
Kids love to do well. Disobedience can be easily redirected by presenting KIDS COINS "Special" Coins as a positive alternative tool. Children are given a chance to redeem themselves. They can be "a special helper!" and perform a special helper task that makes them feel important, like helping to fold cloths--something that you usually do yourself. Give children choices that make them feel good. There is always a reason a child acts out, and giving them something meaningful to do will go a long way to eliminate the reason. By including children in simple everyday tasks and activities like snack preparation or allowing them to tell a story or sing a song, a child can feel like they are an important part of a group activity.
SUPPLY CREATIVE OPPORTUNITIES
KIDS COINS provide the tools for children to be everything they can be by providing an attractive avenue for them to discover their own talents, gifts and abilities as they stimulate open ended, creative play. They get children outdoors doing things in nature while inspiring them to dance, use a musical instrument, draw and sing. Children are inspired by motivational songs as KIDS COINS provide wholesome, age appropriate fun.
Discovering new ways to address the challenge of teaching children to be well-behaved, disciplined, secure and self-confident is as easy as KIDS COINS. Each day is fun and exciting, happy and rewarding, full of adventure and wonderment.
Children learn to use their imaginations as responsibility is made easy, one baby step at a time as. They look forward to every new day and to doing the things we try so hard to get them to do. Rewards are a simple way to remedy challenging behavior without a battle of the wills.
By creating a world for children to view, we begin to understand how to put a fun and easy day together as they respond in ways we never knew possible. Happy kids make happy adults, and happy adults make happy children!
Janet LaCroix, president and creator
Kids Coins Productions
Janet is the mother of three married children and five grandchildren and resides in Summerfield, Florida, along with music arranger/ producer husband, Gary. She is the creator of Kids Coins and is a musician and songwriter. Working on projects such as The DNR Michigan History Millennium Education Project, gave her the ability to create colorful and unique tokens for children, as well as value centered Children's songs. Janet and Gary entertain children and adults with their LIVE MUSICAL KIDS COINS SHOW and their Motivational Life Skills Learning Program is opening doors for parents and educators to discover valuable new ways to help children learn, play and grow.
Practical Ways to Provide Positive Direction
● Create a simple and achievable age appropriate reward system like
The Kids Coins Reward System.
Use creative tools like Kids Coins "Gold" Coins and "Special" Coins.
● Encourage creative play time with songs, music, videos and fun
educational games and toys
● Spend time listening and talking to your children about their feelings
using visual aids such as Kids Coins "I'm Feeling" Coins.
● Allow children to choose the things they would like to do and
encourage them to do a good job
● Use visual aids like Kids Coins "I Can Do It" Coins
