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Cherishing your child is so important, always keep in mind your child is only small for a short time.         Take the time to smell your baby’s head and watch your child sleep. Be Fun, dance and play with them. No matter what age wash your child’s hair and take time to brush it. Cuddle them during a movie or doing Saturday morning cartoons.      Always be present because one day you’ll wonder if you appreciate the sweet and tender moments found in everyday life with your little one. Some- times you will come to realize at the end of the day that you didn’t cherish your child that day due to running around, working, and all the day’s to-do’s that you were so busy from the moment you woke up, so try and stop. Breathe, may set a time each day on your phone to think did I engage with my child today?         Be present by actively listening as if they’re telling you the most important details in the world. To your little one, they’re the most important words in the world. The stories won’t always be exciting, but the more you engage, the more you learn about your child. You’ll get to enjoy the sweet and silly parts of their personality as they tell you about their day.        Record everyday moments not just the big events. When your children leave your home, it’s the everyday things you’ll miss most.        The years are incredibly short. You have just 18 summers with your children at home. There are only so many hugs and snuggles that you can embrace. Cherish your child while you can! Thank you for reading our Baby Berries Grown-up Blog Cherish

Teaching a child about counting their blessings is more about gratitude and being grateful. Having a grateful mindset and realizing the blessings bestowed on a child has a host of benefits for kids. Kids do better in school, are more likely to achieve their goals, and are more satisfied with school and life. The biggest benefit that comes from being grateful/counting your blessings, is that it shifts the focus away from materialism. “The more grateful kids are the less materialistic they are” because they find themselves valuing internal things rather than external things. Gratitude and teaching counting your blessings runs on external values like community affiliations and personal growth. So, children who are grateful/counting your blessings are more likely to be interested in their personal growth in accomplishments, talents, and goals by developing into the the best version of themselves. Grateful/counting your blessings children have more sense of where they’re going, why they are doing what they are doing, and why they get up in the morning. Meeting their goals and finding their purpose. Two ways to teach children to count their blessings: 1. Gratitude Journal – Work with your child by making simple statements in a journal or make one. Write out “I AM GRATEFUL “on top of the page and then let them complete the sentence and write out or if the child is learning to write help them with simple statements”. “for saying my ABCs”. “for a gift Grandma gave me”. “for being healthy and strong”. 2. Vision Board – Making a vision board can be such a fun craft of cutting out photos for children and words. Help your child focus on their goals, talents, and accomplishments. Some of the items a child wants and where they would like to go like theme parks, museums, and visiting another country. Make it what your child would like to express and dream about. Have your child always keep in mind to feel blessed with what they are receiving.

Teaching children the spirit of giving and showing them the importance of thinking of others, and how to be kind which is a productive way of having a child be a loving member/contributor of our world.       Having a child volunteer and give back to their community is more likely to have greater respect for others, leadership skills, and an understanding of citizenship that can be carried over to adulthood.                   When teaching a child about giving start small. · If a neighbor, asks to watch their pet when they go out of town. Have your child participate by helping feed, walk, or what a child can do to help. · Children love to do arts/crafts. Have your child make cards, paintings, or something the child made and take them to a children’s hospital like “Get Well” cards. Paintings could be shared with the elderly at nursing  homes. · Encourage your child to donate from their allowance or birthday money to a cause they care about. Like giving to a donation box at a pet store. · Teaching your child just to be kind and how to give compliments to others. · Giving and showing respect by saying “please” and “thank you”. · If there is a place where children’s clothes and toys can be donated. Let your child be part of the process by putting together the donation box and giving to where the toys/clothes are being donated. · At Christmas time you see a Giving Tree at a store where you can buy a a gift for a child. Have your child pick the tag and pick out the gift and take it back, so the child experiences buying/giving for others.   Lessons a child learns by giving. · Giving makes you feel happier. · Giving is good for health. · Giving helps the social connection. · Giving evokes gratitude. · Giving is contagious. The Law of Giving says the more you give of yourself without expecting a return, the more that will come back to you.

Thankfulness develops throughout childhood. As children develop, they can understand gratefulness in different ways. Preschoolers and Toddlers may require prompting. Parents may have to prompt younger children to say thank you or encourage them to think about how nice it is when someone does something for them. As they get older, children will start making associations between experiencing gratitude (by noticing, thinking, and feeling) with expressing gratitude (doing).  Here are some toddler's and preschooler’s tips on building a foundation for becoming thankful people . 1. Model Gratitude for Children To raise grateful children, we must be grateful parents. Do you model thankfulness with your spouse, other family members, and other people that you encounter? Kids, especially toddlers, learn by imitating those around them. Our children see and hear so much. Practice gratitude yourself and let your children see you and explain to them your actions of showing thankfulness. 2. Encourage Your Kids to Say Thank You "Thank you’  is one of the first words that should be taught and encouraged to say. You can encourage your little ones to give thanks by modeling how and when to say thank you and prompting them to say thank you. This is also a way of teaching manners. 3. Identify and Talk About Emotions Gratitude/being Thankful is a feeling that can be difficult for young children to understand and process. Speaking to your preschooler/toddler and understanding their feelings (for example, like happiness, sadness, anger, and fear) may have a positive effect on understanding gratitude and learning about thankfulness. Toddlers can express a wide range of emotions, and this is a great age to start talking about different feelings. Talk with your children about what emotions they are feeling, how they feel, and what other things make them feel that way. At first, you may need to give your child the words, such as saying,  “You’re feeling mad that it’s time to leave the park .” But eventually, they will be able to name their feelings and tell you how certain situations make them feel. 4. Talk About Being Thankful with Your Kids Speaking with your child to express more gratitude behaviors (including acknowledging gifts and experiencing positive feelings in response to receiving a gift) on days when the parents engaged their children in gratitude-directed acts (such as asking their child to think about why they received something and Increase their awareness of being thankful). Suggestions to help teach your child to practice gratitude by talking about it are: Ask about their feelings when they’ve received something! Talk about a shared experience and why it makes you feel thankful! Praise them for expressing gratitude! 5. Help Toddlers and Preschoolers to Send Thank You Notes I think it’s important to send a thank you card after having a party where people bring presents or after receiving a gift from someone. This can be an art project moment of making their own thank you cards. Since most can’t write use magazine cutout words to paste onto thank you card your child made. 6. Use Media for Teaching Toddlers and Preschoolers Thankfulness Media, such as books, television shows, and songs can help teach and reinforce thankfulness for toddlers and preschoolers.

Fun is about play, which is one of the most important aspects of a child’s life. Children having fun with games like peekaboo, patty-cake, and playing house, they learn to think creatively and interact socially. Playing and having fun can improve a child’s ability to plan, organize, get along with others, and regulate emotions. Additionally, playing helps with language, math, and social skills, and even helps children cope with stress. The importance of fun activities is important for preschoolers are designed to inculcate the the habit of conversation and interaction in children. When you and your children spend an enjoyable time together, it can help your child feel happier and more relaxed. Fun has a positive effect on motivation levels, determining what we learn and how much we retain information. If an experience is fun, learners will stay curious and keep coming back for more. True Fun – The confluence of three psychological states: playfulness, connection, and flow. Ways to have fun with your child as they develop from infancy to 5-6 years of age: Remember to be silly. Bring out your animal impersonations, teach them about animals, and show them animals in books. ABC singing voices, peekaboo, pots and pans music jams. Dance with happy fun songs and sing while picking up their toys. When in their toddler have fun with making cookies, and dress-up, decorating while making it fun cleaning the mess as well. Play dress up, puppet theater and appropriate art crafts for the child’s age. The most important time with your child is just having fun!

Most toddlers are too young to set their own goals (smart moves), so helping a toddler establish a good morning routine is good/smart start to develop good/smart habits that benefit you and your toddler. Have your toddler learn and set SMART GOALS: What is a SMART GOAL? S – Specific – determine what you want your child to achieve. M – Measurable – how is child progressing on his/her goal and getting it done ? A – Achievable – For a child, the goal shouldn’t be easy or hard, but the action learned. R – Relevant – The goal should be for the long-term vision and achievable for a child to accomplish. T – Time-Bound – Achieving milestones and progressing on goal (Make fun when the goal is made). SMART moves for a SMART toddler that also helps parents: Have a morning routine with your toddler. Starting the morning with a routine is where both you and your toddler can benefit by clearing stress and setting up for a good day. · The night before have your child layout their clothing for the next day with your help until the child can do it on their own. This helps your toddler to develop his/her independence. · Book bag – If your child is in daycare and takes a book bag have the child put everything together the night before and ready for the next day. · Set a regular wake-up time as well as nighttime. This is important for a toddler to get a decent time of sleep – enough sleep ensures a better morning routine. · Saying a prayer, affirmations, or a poem – instead of turning on T.V., phone or iPad have the child read a book/and or look at illustrations in books till the child can read. Affirmations to say out loud: 1. I AM SMART 2. I AM KIND 3. I AM JOYFUL 4. I AM GRATEFUL 5. I AM LOVED · Brush teeth and hair – Help your child till the child can do it on their own. · Eat a healthy breakfast – Important energy to feed your child and watch the sugars in food, so the child does not get too hyper. (even drinks). · Create a morning routine chart – Have your child mark on the chart what they accomplished on chart, so the child feels a sense of accomplishment. Use stickers on the board/paper to show success. · While driving whether to daycare or when doing errands ask your child what they are grateful for and explain gratefulness and have the child repeat “I AM GRATEFUL for 5 different things each day, so they learn to understand being grateful.

F riendship where most parents feel this would come naturally to your child is not the case. Learning to be friendly is a character trait/behavior needing to be taught. As always, parents need to be consciously aware to model healthy relationships in front of their child/children. Try to show positive friendships and their interaction with their friends. Children watch and that is how they learn. Teach young toddlers and pre-schoolers by introducing your child to children of the same age group and finding their common interest. Find playgroups, who are interests or friends who have children of the same age. This will be where a child learns to socialize, learn how to play together, and find things in common with another child. Usually, the first challenge of learning is how to share, interact with other child/children and establish being friendly. As your child/children grow and begin to develop skills for friendships they become aware of another's perspectives. This also gives you, the parent, an opportunity to speak with your child about anotherhow they feel in certain situations when they are hurt, feeling left out, good, included or even bullied by an other child who they thought was their friend. Talk to your child and ask how a friend should make them feel, so they can recognize what is friendly and what is not a healthy friendship. Offer your definition of what a friend is and listen to their response on what they believe a friend to be. Inform your child that a friend is someone who makes you happy and feel good, someone you can rely on and includes you. This will help your child establish healthy friendships and how you treat your friend is how your friend should treat you. A. Here are some practicing teaching tool ideas on how to be friendly: *Taking Turns *Offering encouragement *Sharing *Listening *Being patient *Including others Choose a trait at a time to focus on, and discuss its importance in having friends with these character traits/qualities. B. Read books to your child/children that are about friends and being a good friend. There are several books out there for teaching friendships. C. Take out photos of your childhood friends and share stories with your children. D. Have your child/children color a picture, make a card, a fun craft like a friendship bracelet and share with their friend. Making memories with a friend can establish friendships for a lifetime.

Recognizing your child’s core strengths – their gifts in order to make their contributions to the world (being of service) can be their way of earning a living while being of service and doing what they love! In the beginning when your child is first born we observe and watch anxiously on all the developments that our children make like speaking, walking and accomplishments of just putting toys away. As your child grows pay attention to where your child puts their energy. The activities/energies that cause them to come alive and where you can see their passion. Take note on what is holding their interest and attention? Is the task that they are taking part in is it engaging them with long periods of time? What is keeping their focus and which ones do they keep coming back to? Where a child’s energy is directed is a telltale sign that something is activating their giftedness. Suggestion for parents buy a journal and note your child’s interest and what you see your child doing and interacting over time. What is your child reading, creating or wanting to do or try? Just keeping entries for a few years especially leading up to age 12- 13. There usually is a pattern of interest where a child can be aware of their strengths and interest. With that observation and wanting to encourage that interest you need to watch your interpretations of their gifts. Some parents recognize their child’s talent and gifts right away due to the child has a natural calling which is noticeable at early ages like gymnast, pianist, baseball player, soccer, or something very recognizable early on. For some, keep in mind parents, that there are many gifts which we call jobs, but are still gifts in many fields around one talent that our child may find themselves excelling in. Your child may show an interest in singing and love music. Maybe, the child doesn’t have the best singing voice, but not to discourage, the child maybe the songwriter, producer, write musicals and is gifted in an area of music you aren’t aware of. This is why journaling can be so important, so you can always go back to and see what was truly inspiring for your child. As we get older and life sets in many try to remember what was their interest and made them feel happy this is what some call their bliss. Living your bliss can come in a path that is meant for each individual and by recognizing that interest early on can open that path. Observe what appears to give them energy. What lights them up and then feed that energy. Honor their gift and work with it. Let that path (interest) emerge for them by not blocking or frustrating it. Don’t be pushy either let the path unfold naturally for them. So, what happens if you don’t see that “path” in your child. Then expand the possibilities by exposing your child to as many adventures, experiences and circumstances as possible. Some outings can be costly for some, so collect magazines and do an annual vision board with your child. Have your child cut out words, pictures and anything of interest on that board. Save your child’s board to refer back to as your child grows and changes, but always look for the commonality of interest. Your child is a gift in itself and each child (individual) has a gift to share with the world. As a parent take action by unwrapping that gift intentionally helping our children recognize, embrace, own it and become a master at using their own gift! Responsible - doing the things you are supposed to do. Independence - the freedom to live in harmony with the spiritual truth at the heart of our being .

Self-Care: Teaching your toddler/preschooler self-care are basically sleeping routines, eating/drinking, tooth brushing, dressing, bathing, and grooming. Practicing self-care allows healthy habits with allowing independence and understanding on how to care for themselves. By teaching/practicing self-care helps your toddler/preschooler develop skills to keep themselves healthy mentally (self-talk) physically, and emotionally. Practicing a new skill is by giving a toddler/preschooler a small part of a task each day as he/she learns the new skill in small sections. As a role play use a teddy bear/doll for teaching dressing, buttons, and brushing teeth etc. Remember to always praise your child for trying something new on doing a task whether the child did it right or not. It’s the trying and if the child feels like giving up encourage the child to complete to the best of his/her ability. If you need to assist the child do so, but always encourage to build your child’s self-esteem and confidence. As with self-care where emotions and healthy mindset is paying attention and listening to your child’s self-talk. Children are always watching and learning by what they see and what is said. Practice using positive thinking skills aloud when talking about yourself and others. Here are some positive self-talk statements that are easy for toddlers/preschoolers to say: I am smart I am a good listener I make good choices I am kind I am caring This is easy to do I am loving I can do it I can complete it Know that practicing self-talk out loud might see silly at times, but you have to change your words before you can really change the silent thinking in your head. Caring for Others: Teaching a toddler/preschooler to care for others depends largely on modeling the behavior they see. Teaching your child how to be kind and caring to others (empathy) will also teach them how it feels when others show that same type of care toward them. Children learning about caring starts with compassion or an awareness of other peoples’ feelings. Explaining to a child that we are all unique and that we all look, talk, dress or don’t act the same helps children see those differences and can help them identify how each person needs a different type of caring and empathy. Children learn by watching we are their greatest teacher on how we interact with others. They learn the most valuable lessons and examples of empathy towards others by watching us, their parents.

As parents we planted our seeds and have gone through the cycle of seeding our tiny baby plant, known as our embryo. The embryo took root and the three needs of germination (water, correct temperature (warmth), and right location (such as in soil) have been met. Did you know? Before a seed germinates, it is DORMAT (means, alive but inactive). With proper conditions met (water, correct temperature, and right location meaning w/soil) the seed begins to Sprout! Our child/children are that seed that is now sprouting and the way we guide, teach and care for that growth is up to us to instill positivity into their lives by our words, actions and teaching them their own self-talk. As your child (plant) is growing keep in mind that a child learns by what they see and actions that you make (They do watch and take in everything). Those are important in a child’s (plant) growth, so is self-talk and their belief in themselves. As your child (plant) is sprouting into their beliefs about themselves take the time to be mindful of the words you choose to speak to them and listen to how they speak about themselves. Example: If somehow a child heard someone call them stupid or dumb and you heard your child repeat that about themselves. Give them positive words to repeat to themselves: I AM SMART; I AM CONFIDENT. Etc., Then explain that the person who said that was wrong for what they said and try to explain with some kind of empathy for the person who said it, so a child doesn’t learn dislike or grudges towards another, but empathy for who said it. Remember your child/children are sprouting everyday on becoming who they were meant to be. Give them positive reinforcements to Sprout (grow) into positive person on who they were meant to be! " If you think of your mind as a garden, you know that there is only so much space for things to grow. Plant lots of positive “seeds” and then you can see that there is no room left for negative weeds to flourish. The more positive seeds you plant, the more positive flowers there will be. So, the next time a negative thought dares to enter your lovely mind-garden, cut it out. It’s easiest to do this when it is still a seedling, a niggling worry or concern. As soon as you dig that negative thought out, plant a new positive thought. " Affirmations for every day by: Gilly Pickup

So, simple of a law, The Universal Law of Love, a child could comprehend it. “If we hurt others, we will experience pain If we love others, we will experience love!” Then as parents we are entrusted and have the responsibility to teach the characteristics of love to our child/children. (Character-the way someone thinks, feels, and behaves) (someone’s personality – usually singular. ) With teaching and explaining love to a child (preschooler) keep it simple. Teach kids through example – A child watches their parent and observes behavior, so be aware of your actions and words. Children learn by what they see for what is and what is not acceptable. Teach them to want not to need – a child can learn to be grateful for what he/she has. Explaining differences of what a want is and what is a need. Find a program where children can give back especially to another child that is in need versus a want. Discipline is love – Discipline with young children is more about boundaries and keeping a child safe. Watch words and tone with young children. Words are powerful just as negative words can harm, positive words can heal. Words shape our child’s view of themselves, their personality and shapes the relationship we as parents develop with them, this also, goes beyond the childhood years. Show your child love through praise – Give your child encouragement. When a child does something good let them know it with positive compliments. Even when a child doesn’t do well find something positive message about it. There is never failure only learning lessons. Listen to your child and be empathetic listener – Listening to your child and showing your child that you care with love and understanding on what they have to say matters. FOR PARENTS: Love’s Patience, Love is patient. Love’s Generosity, Love is kind. Love’s Humility, Love does not boast. Love’s Courtesy, Love is not rude. Love’s Restraint, Love is not easily angered. Love’s Joy, Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. LOVE’S CONSISTENCEY & UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

Teaching Your Child Kindness * MODEL IT... Take note of your behavior and understand modeling a positive role model is the number one most important thing you can do! * SELF TALK .... Take time to teach your child "I will try my best" in all that they do. Positive self-talk gets them to recognize what went well or what they did well. Teach your child/children to give themselves the same kindness and patience as they give to others ! * FOCUS ON THEIR POSITIVE .... Compliment and give encouragement on the things they do well. Don't always focus on chores and what they aren't doing right. Find a way that they did their best like making their bed, picking up a room, toys etc. * POSITIVE ACTION .... Ways to be kind. A simple act of saying please and thank you. Giving a compliment to someone and accepting a compliment with responding "Thank you". At this young age sharing whether it be kind. Teach treat others with kindness like they would like to be treated. Watch I am Kind on YouTube with your child Here . Create a Kindness Jar Here. Shop all things Kind Here.