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MissouriFamilies
eNewsletter
http://missourifamilies.org
Outreach & Extension, University of Missouri & Lincoln
University
January 27, 2003
QUOTE FOR THE WEEK
Destiny is not a matter of chance; it is a matter of choice. It is
not a thing to be waited for; it is a thing to be achieved.
William Jennings Bryan
PARENTING TIP
Deborah B. Smith, Ph.D., Sociology, Family Studies Program,
University of Missouri-Kansas City
Does your child ever make
unreasonable requests like asking if she can wear a sundress to
preschool when it is 20 degrees outside? It is often hard to say
no to your child when he or she makes these kinds of requests. One
way to be able to say “yes” often is to only give choices that
are acceptable. A key phrase to remember as a parent is “freedom
within limits.” Instead of asking your child, “What do you
want to wear today?” you might ask, “Do you want to wear your
green sweater or your purple shirt to preschool today?” You are
allowing the child to choose what to wear, but you define the
range of permissible choices. Using this strategy consistently
throughout childhood for topics from clothing and food choices to
deciding which extracurricular activities to pursue can make both
you and your child happy.
For more parenting tips see http://missourifamilies.org/parenting/index.htm.
PROMOTING YOUNG CHILDREN'S EARLY
LITERACY
Sara Gable, Ph.D., Human Development and Family Studies, College
of Human Environmental Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia
To promote young children's delight
in talking, listening, reading, and writing, adults need to
provide a variety of interesting language experiences. Children
who have reading difficulties in the primary grades often had
limited early literacy learning experiences.
To Promote Early Literacy: Be a
model of literate behavior for your children: write notes, keep a
calendar and daily planner, post lists of food and household needs
and children's responsibilities, introduce new vocabulary words
during routine conversation and book reading, and subscribe to a
local newspaper and magazines the entire family will enjoy.
Sing songs, make up silly rhymes,
read books, and play with words and sounds every day. Discuss
printed text, words, and sounds as "objects" that can be
thought about, manipulated, altered, and explored. Help children
build and use their ever-growing vocabulary.
Provide children with the tools of
literate behavior (pens, pencils, markers, paper, envelopes, a
stapler, paperclips, stamps, a dictionary, an atlas, telephone
books, magazines, catalogues, newspapers, junk mail) and engage in
daily literacy activities with your children (write thank you
notes, mail birthday cards, look up phone numbers, find exotic
destinations in an atlas, write lists, read books, visit the
library).
For further information on Children’s
Early Literacy, see http://missourifamilies.org/features/childcarearticles/childcare3.htm.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION
For more information about health,
nutrition, human development, finances, and housing see: http://missourifamilies.org
or contact your local University of Missouri or Lincoln University
Outreach & Extension Center. You can find them at: http://outreach.missouri.edu/regions/.
_______________________________________________________________
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