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.

Maternal Relationship Reduces Violence and Improves Intelligence

There is no substitute for a good mother, and a mother’s influence is one of the most powerful forces in the lives of young children. Now, research shows that a healthy, playful relationship between a child and a mother leads to adult children with higher intelligence and less involvement in violence.

Beginning in the 1980s, researchers in Jamaica evaluated 129 toddlers who lived in impoverished areas and were at risk for poor nutrition and lack of stimulation. The children were divided into three intervention groups and one control group. One group received intellectual stimulation and interactive playtime with their mothers, one group was given supplemental baby formula, and one group received both stimulation and nutrition supplementation. A fourth group received no intervention. All interventions lasted 2 years. The follow-up period has now exceeded 2 decades.

As part of the stimulation program, mothers and toddlers received weekly visits from a woman who taught mothers how to play with their children and engage them in stimulating activities. The program also provided books and toys to the families each week. The nutrition supplementation consisted of approximately 2 gallons of milk-based formula.

The latest results of these interventions, published by the journal Pediatrics, reports that children who received intellectual stimulation and had a playful, interactive relationship with their mothers had higher IQs as adults, higher educational attainment, better general knowledge, and fewer symptoms of depression or social inhibition than children who did not receive such stimulation. The same children also were significantly less likely to be involved in fights and violent behavior as adults. The children who received nutritional supplementation showed no improvement among these measurements.

The Jamaican study was small, and only included children already experiencing stunted growth due to poor nutrition. But, it leaves no doubt that the relationship between a mother and a child is significant, and the ability to intellectually stimulate and challenge children is essential to raising healthy, well-adjusted adults.

Savouring tsoureki, pancakes and kites - Paula Manoli-Gray

I love this time of year when we have carnival, Green Monday, Easter, mild weather, flowers in bloom… and the knowledge that we have used neither heating nor air-conditioning, therefore we (should) get our lowest electricity bills of the year!

It is also at times like this that I am amused and fascinated at human nature and traditions.

For example, we had Green Monday last week, then the UK had Pancake Day the day after. On Green Monday the skies were filled with the sight of flying kites and people ate a healthy meal packed with vegetables. On Pancake Day, hoards of people got together and made and ate pancakes socially. Yet on any other day of the year, the two practises are far more rare. Okay, in the case of pancakes there are people who indulge regularly, but the point is, the funny human trait of doing something en masse on one particular day of the year because it is 'tradition'.

For the island, kite flying should be a regular pastime for children; getting them out in the fresh air and enjoying an activity with their parents, but I never see or hear of kites flying other than on Green Monday. In fact, there aren't many shops that sell kites all-year round, yet there is a kite explosion with every size, shape and design you can imagine in the run-up to the event.

I guess, if these things were part of daily life, they wouldn't be as special. Pancakes always taste better on Pancake Day, as do hot cross buns and tsoureki (sweet bread) at Easter. They give us something to look forward to and break the year up into sections and milestones, as well as keeping shops ticking over with the specialist trade that Valentine's Day, Christmas and other holidays bring.

I personally love Green Monday, and being out in the fields. Again, I should be enjoying Lenten picnics with family on a regular basis, but am not 'forced' to do so unless there is a public holiday, and so I am grateful that tradition dictates I do this. At least we still have these holidays that make us stop, enjoy, savour and take stock - in many other countries they are dying out.

At a recent church memorial I attended, the priest made a speech about how in these times of crisis we should not be wasting our money on frivolities such as the carnival. He went as far as to say that we should donate the money to the church instead, as it is in need of paying off its loan for the building of said church. I was saddened to hear him saying this at a time when we need to be able to take a breather from the troubles and remember that good times can be had; that there is joy in our traditions and that we don't have to have all the money in the world to enjoy spending time with people we care about. I won't comment on the church loan part!

Traditions are one of the things I love about Cyprus, and I don't think we will ever be short on reasons to spend quality time with the family and friends, or enjoy a big, shared meal. But my waistline is certainly glad they don't sell that crazily delicious tsoureki all year round!

First appeared in The Cyprus Weekly - 08/03/14

Σεμινάριο φυσικής γέννας στην Κύπρο - στ'αλήθεια!

Seminar natural birth in Cyprus - really!

When : Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Where : Nursery Little Gems Montessori
Time : 9.30pm-8.00m.m

On 19 March, the Eline Pedersen, chiropractor and mother of 2 children, will share her knowledge and 2 lovely personal stories on the natural childbirth: one diekpaireomeni by hospital doctors and other physical and water, from the very pregnant at home of.

The goal of Eline is to promote natural birth in Cyprus, uniting, advising and pushing the women of the island dare to say yes to natural childbirth.

The committee will consist of guest significant number of people who support and promote natural childbirth. They are all passionate about the promotion of this method to the island and us will share their experiences and knowledge on the topic. The talk will be interactive and invites everyone to talk about natural birth in Cyprus, whether it is at home, in private clinics or hospitals.

Guest Panel: 

• Maria Theodorou, mother of 2 children: one born in a clinic and another at home with natural birth in water.
• Sofia Souri, mother of 2 children: and the two born at home with natural birth in water.
• Maroulla Cameron, retired Midwife Hospital Limassol.
• Androulla Souri, retired Midwife Hospital Larnaca.
• Claire Black, childbirth educator in clinical ISIS

The event promotes the Network Parents Larnaca

www.larnacaparentsnetwork.com