The "A, B, C's"......

The "A,B, C's" are a big part of our curriculum with preschoolers. May I suggest a new way to use the tool of the "A, B, C's" as we deal with children every day?

"A" is for awareness- we need to always be aware of where our children are in life, what they are experiencing, feeling and then how they are responding to these feelings. Bedtime is a great time to stay in touch and allow them to tell about their day and express themselves.

"B" is for boundaries- we sometimes fail to be consistent with the boundaries. It takes a lot to enforce them. It is much easier to let things go, but children are so smart- they need to know the boundaries are firm and secure.

"C" is for communication- for children shorter more frequent conversations work better. This actually remains true through teen years. Their brains can better handle this and we know children learn from repetition so we need those constant, gentle reminders.

So when you think of the "A, B, C's" remember these three rules of thumb in dealing with children.