Children and self-confidence

Self-esteem fluctuates as kids grow. It's frequently changed and fine-tuned, because it is affected by a child's experiences and new perceptions. So it helps to be aware of the signs of both healthy and unhealthy self-esteem. Kids with low self-esteem may not want to try new things and may speak negatively about themselves: "I'm stupid," "I'll never learn how to do this," or "What's the point? Nobody cares about me anyway." They may exhibit a low tolerance for frustration, giving up easily or waiting for somebody else to take over. They tend to be overly critical of and easily disappointed in themselves. Kids with low self-esteem see temporary setbacks as permanent, intolerable conditions, and a sense of pessimism prevails. This can place kids at risk for stress and mental health problems, as well as real difficulties solving different kinds of problems and challenges they encounter.

Kids with healthy self-esteem tend to enjoy interacting with others. They're comfortable in social settings and enjoys group activities as well as independent pursuits. When challenges arise, they can work toward finding solutions and voice discontent without belittling themselves or others. For example, rather than saying, "I'm an idiot," a child with healthy self-esteem says, "I don't understand this." They know their strengths and weaknesses, and accept them. A sense of optimism prevails.Self-esteem fluctuates as kids grow. It's frequently changed and fine-tuned, because it is affected by a child's experiences and new perceptions. So it helps to be aware of the signs of both healthy and unhealthy self-esteem.

Theatre: Jack and the Beanstalk

Jack and the Beanstalk is a British fairy tale.  The earliest known appearance in print is Benjamin Tabart's moralized version of 1807 . 'Felix Summerly (Henry Role) popularized in the Home Treasury (1842) , and Joseph Jacobs rewrote it in English fairy tales (1890). Jacob's version is most commonly reprinted today and it is believed to be closer to the oral versions than Tabart's because it lacks the moralizing.

Plot: Jack , a young lad living with his widowed mother and a milk cow who their only source of income. When the cow stops giving milk , Jack's mother has him take her to market for sale. On the way he meets an old man who offers magic beans in exchange for the cow , and Jack makes the trade. When he arrives home without any money , his mother becomes furious throws the beans to the ground and sends Jack to bed without supper. A gigantic beanstalk grows overnight which Jack climbs to a land high in the sky. There he comes to a house (or, in some cases, a castle) that is the home of a giant.

Day: From Saturday , March 22 2014
        Until Sunday , March 23 2014
Time: Saturday at 3pm, and Sunday at 11am
Where: Larnaca Municipal Theatre
Phone: 24665795
Price: 8 euro
Contact phone: 70001910

Theatre: Do not shoot the tenor

In the work 'Do not shoot the tenor' an aristocrat wanting to raise on behalf of his daughter of the opera, , she wrote, seeking to recruit a tenor sending a telegram in an old friend who knows the tenor..But what if the telegraph is never reached its address what will ensue with the arrival of a young man who everyone thinks that this is the tenor; how far can a human vanity to appear superior to the other; All these will be answered at the end of the project .

Directed by: Chris Zenios
Sets / Costumes: Marisa Bargilly
Actors: Sofoclis Kaskaounias, Andreas Melekis, Andreas Kyriazis, Lucia Michael Mousouliotou, Phebos Georgiades, Joanna Polynices, Vasilis Paphitis, Ariana Ioannou
Day Premiere: Sunday , March 23, 2014
Regular Performances: Every Saturday and Sunday - 8.30pm to May 18 (Except Saturdays of Lazarus 12/4, the Saturday 19/4 and Holy Easter 20/4)
Time: 20.30
Where: Theattre Patticheion, Skala
Info/Reservations: 24652800 / 1-99490102

The effects of divorce on children

Many children whose parents divorce every year feel as if their worlds are falling apart. Divorcing parents are usually very concerned about the welfare of their children during this troublesome process.
Yet parents who split have reasons for hope. Researchers have found that only a relatively small percentage of children experience serious problems in the wake of divorce or, later, as adults.

Rapid Recovery
Divorce affects most children in the short run, but research suggests that kids recover rapidly after the initial blow. In a 2002 study psychologist E. Mavis Hetherington and her then graduate student Anne  found that many children experience short-term negative effects from divorce, especially anxiety, anger, shock and disbelief. These reactions typically diminish or disappear by the end of the second year. Only a minority of kids suffer longer.

Most children of divorce also do well in the longer term. In a quantitative review, sociologist Paul R. Amato, examined the possible effects on children several years after a divorce. The studies compared children of married parents with those who experienced divorce at different ages. The investigators followed these kids into later childhood, adolescence or the teenage years, assessing their academic achievement, emotional and behavior problems, delinquency, self-concept and social relationships. On average, the studies found only very small differences on all these measures between children of divorced parents and those from intact families, suggesting that the vast majority of children endure divorce well.

Researchers have consistently found that high levels of parental conflict during and after a divorce are associated with poorer adjustment in children. The effects of conflict before the separation, however, may be the reverse in some cases. In a 1985 study Hetherington and her associates reported that some children who are exposed to high levels of marital discord prior to divorce adjust better than children who experience low levels. Apparently when marital conflict is muted, children are often unprepared when told about the upcoming divorce. They are surprised, perhaps even terrified, by the news. In addition, children from high-discord families may experience the divorce as a welcome relief from their parents' fighting.

Helping children conquer their fears

A child becomes afraid when circumstances beyond her control, or circumstances she doesn’t understand, rock her fragile sense of safety. The process of development, birth and early growth presents many moments when a child’s sense of safety is challenged.And although we consider ourselves an advanced society, many children still face deeply isolating and even life-threatening situations early in their lives. Damage is also done by the harshness, threats, and violence commonly found in movies, cartoons, and fairy tales.

To release feelings of fear, your child will choose a pretext
The situations that installed fear made the child feel helpless and powerless. To safely release the fearful feelings, she hangs her fears on a pretext that is ordinary and commonplace. This way, she can bring up the feelings at a time when there is no real threat. As a child grows, her fears attach first to one pretext and then to another if she isn’t able to get the help she needs. Your child is ready to release feelings of fear when she is acting deeply afraid of a harmless situation. So, for instance, a toddler who was once treated in the emergency room for a second-degree burn may become terrified of having his mother brush his teeth. Or a child who spent a week in an isolette as an infant may collapse, “too weak” to take another step on a short family hike in the woods.

Fear releases in laughter
Play that helps children overcome their fears starts by giving a child Special Time, during which the grownup does whatever the child wants to do (See our booklet,Special Time, one of the Listening to Children booklets.) You are the listener. Notice what your child loves to do, and support her with closeness and approval. During this time, look for opportunities to take the less powerful role.If your child is pretending to go to work, playfully cry and beg her not to go. If your child wants to play chase, try to catch her, but fail most of the time. If your child asks to jump on the beds, playfully ask her to jump “carefully,” with enough of a sparkle in your eye that she’ll know it’s OK to surprise and scare you with how high she can jump. Your child’s fears will release as she laughs while you play this less powerful role. The longer you play and elicit laughter in this way, the bolder your child will become. But avoid ticking—it is not helpful.

The Importance of Friendship for School-Age Children

Friends are vital to school-age children's healthy development. Research has found that children who lack friends can suffer from emotional and mental difficulties later in life. Friendships provide children with more than just fun playmates. Friendships help children develop emotionally and morally. In interacting with friends, children learn many social skills, such as how to communicate, cooperate, and solve problems. They practice controlling their emotions and responding to the emotions of others. They develop the ability to think through and negotiate different situations that arise in their relationships. Having friends even affects children's school performance. Children tend to have better attitudes about school and learning when they have friends there. In short, children benefit greatly from having friends.

What parents can do to help child make friends
Parents play a crucial role in their child's social development. A child is not born with social skills. He needs parents who take an active role in preparing him to interact successfully with his peers. The most important thing parents can do for their child is to develop a loving, accepting, and respectful relationship with him. This warm relationship sets the stage for all future relationships, including friendships. It helps the child develop the basic trust and self-confidence necessary to go out and meet others. It provides a firm foundation on which the child can develop social skills.

Parents also teach their child various social skills by being a good role model. That is, a child learns from how his parents interact with him and other people. He learns how to meet people and talk to them, to tell stories and jokes, and to cooperate with others and ask for favors. He learns how to win or lose well, to apologize and accept apologies. He learns to accept compliments graciously and to show admiration and appreciation. Furthermore, he learns to be patient, respectful, and considerate. Parents help their child learn how to be a person others like to be around by showing him with their own actions.

How to Develop Child Creativity

1). Allow for your child to make simple choices, such as what to eat for dinner or where to go on a weekend. This encourages them to think independently, exercising an important aspect of creativity.

2).Encourage independence from caregivers and media. A child that is constantly entertained by others or the television will struggle to find things to do on their own without access to media.

3).Provide items in your child's environment to stimulate their imagination.Drawing supplies, blocks, books, and random craft supplies can all contribute to elaborate dramatic play schemes.

4).Brainstorm different uses for items with your child. For example, a cardboard tube can be a telescope, tower, or person. Validate all of your child's ideas, praising him or her for such an impressive imagination.

5). Ask your child open-ended questions to stretch their understanding and help them to postulate ideas.

Ask your child "what if" questions. "What if people could fly?" "What if people lived in space?" "What if dolphins walked on land?"
Involve your child in figuring out ways to make an improvement upon something. "How can we clean up the living room faster?" "How could we get water to the flowers without spilling any?" "What could we do to make the ball bounce higher?"

The effects of television on children

Television can help children relax after school, homework, play or sport. But this can create a habit that might be hard to break later. TV can also take time away from more creative play. Here are some ideas to help you find a balance.Most child development experts recommend limiting children’s daily screen time: no more than two hours a day for children over five. Screen time includes TV, DVD and computer time.

This is for the following reasons:

• The time children spend watching TV should be balanced with activities that are good for their development. These include active play, creative play (such as solving puzzles and drawing), sport and conversation with family and friends.
• Children can become too reliant on TV for ‘something to do’.
• Even having a TV on in the background affects children’s concentration.

A good balance of developmental activities with homework, sport and music should leave little time for TV.When you watch TV with your child, you can explain what’s happening and respond to your child’s reactions. You can also point out when characters behave in good and not-so-good ways. When you’re choosing TV or DVD programs for your school-age child, it’s a good idea to avoid the following:

• scary images. School-age children are getting better at processing scary or sad images, but they might still be upset by movies or programs showing the death of a parent or threats to children and animals
• violent content. Children in this age group might imitate violent behaviour if they see their TV heroes using violence to get what they want. This is true for cartoons and live-action shows
• TV news. Children at school are old enough to understand that things on the news are real. Reports of natural disasters and violent crimes, especially in familiar settings, can make them feel unsafe. Some parents prefer to record the news and watch it later, or watch a late bulletin

As children enter the school years and adolescence, the sexy images, clothes and dance moves on these programs can affect the way girls, in particular, feel about themselves and their sexual development.
Children under eight don’t understand that ads are designed to sell things. They believe that the ‘information’ in ads is true. Some ads work by making kids feel bad about themselves or how they look. These can be very damaging for children’s self-image and self-esteem.

Try to turn off the TV when the program is over. It can help to plan a smooth transition to another activity. Many parents find it easier to get children ready for school if the TV stays off in the morning. Kids find it easier to concentrate at school if they haven’t been watching TV. If your child’s favourite programs are on in the morning, just record them. This way your child can watch them later in the day, when you’re both tired and more in need of a break.

Minor Illnesses: When Should I Keep My Child Home From School?

                     

As parents, we’ve all been there. Yesterday your child was down and out with a fever, this morning he’s done a complete 180 and is raring to go. So do you allow him to go to school or keep him home? It’s not always an easy decision, as there are many gray areas when it comes to minor childhood illnesses.
 If your child has one of the following symptoms, it’s best for her to take a sick day:

• Fever

Many schools have a rule that your child needs to be fever free for 24-hours prior to returning to school – without the aid of fever-reducing medications. This measure helps to ensure that your child is feeling better and no longer contagious. Most schools define fever as anything higher than 100.4.

• Diarrhea

It would be difficult for your child to attend school if he is having to run to the bathroom multiple times per day or even per class. Diarrhea can last up to a week or longer, so plan to keep him home until the stools are controllable and more formed. Keep in mind that diarrhea is highly contagious, and the best form of prevention is hand washing.

• Vomiting

This scenario is pretty straightforward. If your child is vomiting, she should not go to school until she has been vomit free for 24 hours. Again, the viruses that cause vomiting are highly contagious, so hand washing is key to preventing the spread of the illness.

• Cough/Congestion

Minor coughing is usually not a problem. However, there are cases in which coughing and nasal congestion should warrant staying at home, such as:

- coughing/blowing nose so much that your child won’t be able to pay attention
- coughing/blowing nose so much that your child will disturb the class
- coughing and also feeling tired with a poor appetite

• Sore Throat with Fever

A sore throat can be a sign of a viral or bacterial infection. And if your child has a fever along with the sore throat, you should keep him home. It could be strep throat and he should be evaluated by a doctor. If he has a sore throat with cold symptoms, it is most likely a viral infection and can go back to school whenever he feels better.