Teaching kids and teens gratitude

In these extraordinary times many are feeling fearful, sad, depressed, anxious, lonely and many other emotions.


Yet, it is important to remind ourselves what we are grateful for. And that’s something we should be teaching our children and teens.

Gratitude, thankfulness, or appreciation is a positive emotion or attitude in acknowledgment of a benefit that one has received or will receive.

Children can be taught to look for the god things in any situation and to appreciate these opportunities or circumstances in their lives.

Those small or overwhelming obstacles could be a lesson or an experience that will open the door to new and wonderful experiences.

By teaching kids and teens gratitude for the good and the bad, you will be raising healthier and happier kids and boost their self esteem.

•Set a good example

•Role play

•Keep a gratitude journal

•Introduce your kids and teens to volunteerism and reaching out to others who need help

•Show them what they should be thankful for even if they don’t have something they want

•Teach kids and teens to see the good in others regardless of whether they like them or not (this is also a good way to educate about bullying prevention)

Parents should model behavior they want their children to have. Make gratitude an everyday practice. Take steps to teach gratitude to your kids and teens and watch them grow up into wonderful adults.
Thanksgiving day is the perfect time to show gratitude. What are you grateful for?

Norton online family protects families worldwide

This week Norton/Symantec announced that its award-winning online family safety service, Norton Online Family, will now be offered for free worldwide in 25 languages.

Previously available in English only, the new version of Norton Online Family is the first globally available free solution to give parents the comprehensive tools they need to not just block inappropriate websites, but truly connect with their children's online lives and foster ongoing dialogue about safe Internet behaviors. According to the Norton Online Family Report, a global study that was released today, 62 percent of kids worldwide have had a negative online experience, underscoring the need for a service like Norton Online Family that helps create positive online experiences for their kids.

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National Love Our Children Day Goes On The Road With Soap Stars

The Sixth Annual Love Our Children Day Goes On The Road For an Entire Weekend of Family Fun!

This year Love Our Children USA is doing something different for National Love Our Children Day (our initiative.) Through the generosity of soap stars ...

ALL MY CHILDREN Jacob Young (JR) Chrishell Strause (Amanda)
AS THE WORLD TURNS Billy Magnusson (Casey)
GUIDING LIGHTKim Zimmer (Reva) Caitlin VanZandt (Ashlee)Robert Newman (Josh)
ONE LIFE TO LIVEIlene Kristen (Roxy) Mark Lawson (Brody)

... And the Villa Roma Resort in Sullivan County, NY., National Love Our Children Day joins SOAPSTOCK Weekend and will be celebrated in a new location this year!

To learn more about how you and your family can attend this event, visit http://loveourchildrenusa.org/events_locday09.php

FIRST DAD'S MESSAGE OF LOVE

FIRST DAD'S MESSAGE OF LOVE OBAMA'S LETTER: 'WHAT I WANT FOR YOU & ALL KIDS'

When I read this letter, I thought “Wow!” Not just because Barack Obama is going to be our president next week, but look at the love! Feel the hope!

I always speak and write about parents nurturing and loving their children. And one does not have to be a president to do this. Loving children, yours and other people’s takes compassion, and a deep caring for our most innocent – our children.

And you don’t have to be a parent to nurture and love children. Many single people or couples without children can show the same compassion, love and nurturing that President Elect Obama shows and feels. WHY? Because if we don’t, what will our future look like in 10 or 20 years?

If we don’t, we might be looking at a generation of adults who didn’t have a good education and can barely earn a living. Or a generation of adults who are criminals or substance abusers, or child and spousal abusers. Or a generation of adults who are filled with hatred for their fellow man because that’s what they were taught by their role models. Or… sadly, a generation of adults who continue the cycle of how badly there were treated.

Certainly none of these scenarios would have challenged these adults as children, nor would they have been inspired to do better or to create a safe and prejudice-free world. None of these scenarios would bring us future leaders and people who give back.

To love and nurture children and want the very best for them, you can be an ordinary parent, aunt, uncle, grandparent, neighbor or friend. You can challenge and inspire them, and instill in them self-esteem and confidence, so that they can strive to be anything –even President of the United States. It just takes love, nurturing and respect.

If you need help, ask someone. Take parenting classes. Contact Love Our Children USA.

If President Elect Obama’s letter of love and hope for his children and all children hasn’t challenged and inspired every parent in the U.S.to be the best and most loving parents they can be, then it’s a sad time for the future of our children, their children, and future generations.

Why not write a letter of love to your children – today? Give your children hope for their future.

You can read the First Dad's Message of Love this Sunday in Parade Magazine or click here to view at Parade online.

Ross Ellis
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Love Our Children USA

Positive Parenting

Knowing that the world we live in today is very different, Love Our Children USA recognizes that we must redefine parenting.No one is a perfect parent and there is no magical way to raise children. And we know kids can be challenging!Parenthood and caring for a child is a gift bestowed upon us which comes with the greatest responsibility and pledge … to guarantee the safety, nurturing, loving environment and physical and emotional wellness of our children … for ALL children!Anyone and everyone can learn good parenting skills. Even parents who are overwhelmed, or alone. The first three years of your child’s life are crucial. Those are the years that your child will develop significant intellectual, emotional and social abilities. That’s when they learn to give and accept love. They learn confidence, security, and empathy … they learn to be curious and persistent …everything your child needs to learn to relate well to others, and lead a happy and productive life. The first three years are the doorway to forever!Positive Parenting Means:- Treating Kids With Respect, Kindness and Compassion- Showing your love – Nurture your children and tell them every day "I love you. You're special." Give lots of hugs and kisses.- Understanding- Negotiation- Listening to your children tells them that you think they're important and that you're interested in what they have to say.- Giving Praise and Encouragement - When your children learn something new or behave well, tell them you're so proud of them. Criticize the behavior, not the child. Teaching your child to do the right things is better than constantly punishing bad behavior.- Reinforcing Positive Behavior- Providing order in their lives. Keep a regular schedule of meals, naps and bedtimes. If you have to change the schedule, tell them about the changes ahead of time.- Setting Boundaries- Make Your Children Feel Protected. Comfort them when they're scared. Show them you've taken steps to protect them and keep them safe.- Reflecting on Our Parent Role Models- Helping Kids Find Solutions to Their Own Problems- Building Children's Self-Esteem- Teaching Kids How to Deal With Sibling Rivalry, Anger, Peer Pressure, Bullying, etc .- Spending Time With Your Children. Do things together, like reading, walking, playing and cleaning house. What children want most is your attention. They usebad behavior as a way of getting your attention.- Being Consistent and firm in enforcing rules and explaining the reasons for the rules in words your child can understand. Consistent means the rules are the same all the time. If two parents are raising a child, both need to use the same rules.Do you feel like you need help?You can contact Love Our Children USA for parenting classes in your area, sign up for parenting classes offered by hospitals, community centers or schools. Read parenting books or magazines. Talk to your pediatrician, family doctor, a minister, a priest or a counselor. Don't be embarrassed to ask for parenting help. Raising children is not easy and no one can do it alone. Your doctor can also help you find local groups that can help you learn better parenting skills.To receive Love Our Children USA’s newsletters and updates visit www.loveourchildrenusa.org

Continuing the Cycle of Love and Nurturing
When a child pushes a parent’s buttons or misbehaves, sometimes all a parent can do is to lose their temper or speak harshly to their child. And sometimes …a parent treats their child the way they were treated …with anger and violence – continuing the cycle. Today, parents are more sophisticated than they were 20 or 30 years ago. And they’re busier and overwhelmed. By continuing the cycle of how our parents treated us when we were children isn’t necessarily positive parenting. That doesn’t always mean our parents were bad parents –it might mean they were continuing the cycle of how they were treated. It’s time to break the cycle today! Whether you’re a parent who is over-whelmed or one who is continuing the cycle … think back to your childhood. How were you treated?Did you live in a loving home? Or did you live in an angry and violent home?If you lived in a loving home, then you will want to continue that cycle with your children.If you lived in an angry and violent home, you remember what growing up was like. It was sad, lonely and frightening.Is that the kind of home you want your child to grow up in?By loving and nurturing your children and treating them with kindness, respect and understanding, you are ending an old cycle and beginning a new one.You CAN stop the violence, anger and neglect BEFORE it ever starts!Take a deep breath, count to ten, seek help through anger management and parenting classes or consult with a psychologist. The caring, compassion, love and respect you show your children will make such a difference in your relationship with your children and you -- and your entire family. Children understand positive behaviors.Become a parent who loves and nurtures your child enough to grow up to become a happy and healthy adult who continues that cycle!What a wonderful gift to give your children ... and their children, and theirs, and theirs, and theirs ... etc!If you need help or resources to break the cycle of anger and violence and begin a new cycle of love and nurturing, please contact Love Our Children USA.