Child Development Centers: Give Your Child an Edge

 

Child Development Centers

Give Your Child an Edge

 

 

Programs for children are all around us. From day care centers to recreational sports and everything in between, options for parents to choose from are abounding. And although parents want what is best for their children, they often aren’t aware of the notable distinctions between the programs they are considering. To get the most out of any program, however, parents need to select one that is a “child development center.” These programs implement new, cutting-edge approaches that boost development in children. By making this choice, parents can be confident that they are giving their child a solid foundation for future success.

 

The best way for parents to start finding a top-notch child development program is to look at the curriculum. A developmentally appropriate, well-structured program that implements a detailed curriculum is essential. The curriculum should focus on the four areas of child development: physical, intellectual, emotional, and social so children receive the most benefit. But an important aspect of any curriculum is its implementation. Since we know that children learn best through play, parents should look for a program that integrates an age-appropriate play approach. This tactic will assure that children are engaged and happy while also fostering their development.

 

To execute a program such as this, well-trained child development specialists are crucial. These individuals should be well versed in developmental milestones and participate in ongoing training to enhance their existing certifications . In addition, individuals who are attuned to each child's specific needs are influential, creating a nurturing environment that supports growth. Since positive interactions with children are essential to creating emotional security, applying various techniques that support child and brain development are key. When specialists are knowledgeable, they can then translate any progress or areas of improvement easily to parents.  

 

To enhance child development programs even more, the implementation of techniques that boost healthy brain development are a primary focus. Since brain growth happens rapidly during the early years of life, increasing neural connections will foster fluid intelligence because children’s active memory is engaged during classes. Learning is then more exciting and becomes an active process that ultimately triggers the proper parts of the brain to enhance learning. This approach is the ultimate in brain training.

 

As a progressive child development center, SKILLZ has implemented the latest findings in child development, neuroscience, psychology, and learning styles into their program. The age-appropriate, structured curriculum is implemented by certified Pediatric Ninja Specialists through a game-based approach that stimulates the brain in a supportive and nurturing environment. And even better, this groundbreaking approach to child development is taught through a martial arts format.

 

Children deserve the chance to become the best version of themselves. By finding a quality child development center that has a robust and structured curriculum implemented by child development experts, parents can be confident that their children will succeed. Children participating in a program where they are happy and engaged while also being given the tools they need to be successful will promote optimal development and give them an edge on future endeavors.

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Empowering vs Enabling – The Fine Line of Parenting

 

Empowering vs Enabling – The Fine Line of Parenting

 

We live in a competitive world and most parents would jump at the chance to give their child every advantage imaginable. The world can also be unkind and, as parents, we feel a need to protect our children from everything possible. And yes, parents are supposed to help and protect their children but when does supporting children turn into overhelping? The difference between the two is a very fine line and is often very difficult to decipher.

 

Responsible parenting means proving food, clothing, and shelter, giving attention and love, and protecting our children from danger. It does not mean doing everything for them and protecting them from anything that may bring them grief. This type of parenting is excessive and can develop due to a parent’s fear, anxiety, or peer pressure from other parents. It can also be a way that parents overcompensate for the difficult childhood they experienced. Whatever the case, although the hyper-involvement comes from a place of love, it can actually hinder a child’s ability to achieve autonomy.

 

In child development terms, autonomy develops when children can function independently and have choices. Without this, they may experience what psychologist Erik Erikson called “shame and doubt.” This leads to decreased confidence and increased anxiety. And when parents make all the decisions and fix all the problems for their children, those children have underdeveloped coping and life skills. The goal should not be to raise dependent children but, instead, to raise resilient and confident ones.

 

In order for this to happen, parents must empower their children by teaching self-reliance. The goal is to raise children who are independent and stable on their own. For this to happen children must be allowed to make mistakes and learn to be resourceful in finding solutions to problems that present themselves. Parents can do this by supporting their children without completely removing themselves from the process. It is important for parents to be there for their children as a sounding board. This will help them develop healthy coping strategies and feel more confident in their decision making.

 

One way to do this is by letting children make mistakes in a safe environment. In the SKILLZ program, instructors utilize the classroom as a way to foster autonomy while teaching the skill of the day. By using Teaching SKILLZ such as “choices” and “intrinsic motivation,” instructors are providing opportunities for children to make their own decisions so they feel confident. And when a mistake is made, instructors use “re-direction” to get them back on track and try again.

 

The line between empowering and enabling is a very fine one. But as career and life coach Maura Koutoujian put it, “When a child is enabled, they miss out in the opportunity to cultivate intrinsic motivation - a critical component in developing accountability and self-confidence.” Although it’s hard for parents to see their children struggle, hurt and disappointment are a part of life and children need to develop ways to overcome those things on their own. Supportive parenting should always move children closer to independence and stability which will lead to resilient adults in the future.

 

What To Expect From Your New Ninja (Warrior)

 

What To Expect From Your New Warrior

 

Martial arts has a well-known benefit of helping children develop physical skills and improve in discipline. For this reason, parents often enroll their children in some type of martial arts in order to achieve goals such as these. And while attaining these goals are possible, parents often have unrealistic expectations of the time it actually takes for children to get there.

 

Of course, age, stage of development, as well as a myriad of other things go into exactly how quickly a specific child will accomplish a certain goal. But there is one thing is the same across the board. When children start martial arts, it is important for parents to remember that their child is starting a new sport, with new people, in a new environment, and learning new information. This would be a bit overwhelming for anyone. Certainly, older children may handle this pressure a little better, but parents should expect a certain amount of adjustment from any age.

 

The SKILLZ program’s age-specific curriculum was specifically designed to target individual age groups and work on skills that are essential for their stage of development. Within this framework, each age group is also broken down to address physical, intellectual, emotional, and social development that is appropriate for that age. By creating the program in this way, children are able to achieve more in a quicker amount of time because the goals are challenging but also achievable.

 

Parents, however, must keep in mind that children are all different and develop and attain goals at different times. In a specific age group, there are also children that have been in the class for a longer period of time and have worked on the skills for that age group longer. However, even for two children of the same age and starting at the same time, one may achieve a specific skill quicker than another.

 

Let’s take this from a different view as well. Even if parents aren’t comparing their child to another, they often feel that their child should achieve a certain goal after only a short time of training. While parents will see some development and improvement in skills after a few weeks, expecting them to suddenly have a specific skill mastered, after a short time, is unrealistic.

 

As they say, “slow and steady wins the race.” As children develop, we need to remember that they will get there when their bodies and minds are ready. Expecting certain things of a child that they are not physically, intellectual, emotionally, or socially ready for can do more harm than good. The key is to make sure there is consistent training and practice of the skills and celebrate small and steady wins along the way.

Age-Specific Curriculum : What It Really Means

 

Age-Specific Curriculum

What It Really Means

 

The term “age-specific” is used very often in education and healthcare. It has a very definite meaning and is used to describe things that are prepared specifically for the age of the child it is targeting. However, this term is often used more loosely, especially in the martial arts world, when referring to “age-specific classes.”

 

Many martial arts schools define their “age-specific” classes as children being divided up into classes by their age. And while this is very important, the actual curriculum being taught and the way it is taught, is the same across the board. That is like teaching math the same way to a 5-year-old as you do to a 10-year-old. Doing this creates frustration for the student and the teacher. Anything we teach should be done according to the child’s age and their stage of development.

 

To alleviate the dissatisfaction in children’s martial arts classes, the SKILLZ program was developed after years of research in the areas of child development, neuroscience, and psychology. The result, a child development course that uses martial arts as a vehicle for teaching. It is designed specifically for certain age groups based on the scientific facts that children at different ages have different motor skills and levels of intelligence. Therefore, providing them with a curriculum that applies this information is ground-breaking. 

 

The first step that SKILLZ took in the implementation of this was to separate classes by age group. Once research was complete, it was found that the children needed to be divided up in the following way: 3-4 year old’s, 5-6 year old’s, 7-9 year old’s, and 10-14 year old’s. These SKILLZ levels are broken down this way so that each age group can receive the best training based on their current abilities as well as areas they need to improve on.

 

The second step that was taken was to create a curriculum that teaches martial arts at a level that is challenging yet attainable for each age group. This was possible because a specific program was created for each level. In each of these levels, a set of 8 skills were formed that would challenge that particular age group while also building on the foundation that they already had. Teaching martial arts within this helps children learn martial arts but at a level that makes goals attainable for them.

 

The last piece that was important in the development of the SKILLZ program was for the instructors to be trained to understand the stages of development so that they know what to expect and what not to expect from each age level. In addition to this, the instructors are trained on the 8 Teaching SKILLZ and the 10 Laws of Instruction so that each student is receiving individual attention according to their specific needs as well as completing goals that were set for each age group.

 

 A children’s martial arts program should be fun and engaging for both the student and the instructor. Creating classes that are truly age-specific is key in making this happen. When this takes place, the martial arts class becomes more of a child development course, which will provide more benefits to the child and will help them learn and retain the actual martial arts material better. When classes are developed this way, they become more powerful, fun, and easier than ever.