In the upcoming events, the Indian team performance was unmatched -shooter Avani Lekhara scripted history by the win of Indivivual medals.Ending at 19 medals (12 in Rio and 7 in Tokyo). It has been a remarkable recoginition in the area of Special needs.
Praveen Kumar winning his silver at the men’s high jump too.This has increased the awareness about Parasports .Sumit Antil at Javelin throw, Manish Narwal at shooting and Pramod Bhagat at Badmintion, Bhavinaben Patel at Table Tennis and Singhraj Adhana at shooting. All Children with Special needs can benefit from excercise, energy release and pure enjoyment of playing sports .hence inculcating this at home or in their school routines is inexcusable.
Benefits for special needs children of sports are plenty:
1) Better Overall fitness 2)Control of weight 3)Healthier Bone Density 4)Better Emotional and pyschological health 5)more self-esteem 6)Improved motor skills Any sport can be altered to give children with special needs the cardio,flexibility and strength training benefits that allow children to stay healthy and fit. The buoyancy felt in the water while swimming offers a sense of freedom for children who use wheel-chairs.Therapeutic riding programme for instance can help children learn to ride a horse with correct instruction. In our country ,there needs to be a variety of wheel chair sports,teams and leagues. Parents must encourage the same for health and fitness and also to play the desired sport. Appropriate National Structure and Programmes have to be developed.In addition to the Competitive aspects of Sports the social ,personal , fun and health aspects of physical activity should be promoted.Continued attention must be given to school Physical Education curriculum to ensure the development of Comprehensive Programmes. I would like to commit to increasing the quality and quantity of physical activity opportunities for people with disabilties. Our own attitude enables them to move beyond the obstacles in order to find and implement adequate solutions.We lead the way. Some quick tips for special needs sports persons: *Acknowledge the importance of motivation
*Discover each Individuals unique motivators *Encourage teamwork *Commend successes
We need to completely reimagine education. Instead of learning to memorize facts and figures, students need to “learn how to learn” and how to solve problems they should be allowed to learn independently. Changes are needed at every level. We have to infuse things like entrepreneurship into the curriculum because with the disruption that’s going on, many people are going to have create their own jobs.
We may end up in a world in which people are more likely to be nomadic employees rather than ones to have a secure job lasting for a lifetime. We need to completely reframe the system of education based on where the world is going, instead of continuing to do the same thing over and over again.With the pace of change accelerating in the 21stcentury, a key requirement to thrive is lifelong learning and the ability to acquire new skills quickly. How can “learning to learn” and the ability to be continually reinventing oneself needs to be fostered in children from a young age. It starts with a recognition amongst all educators that the world is changing. To prepare people for the future, you need to design an education system that is forward-looking and not backward-looking.
In today’s world of artificial intelligence, robotics and COVID – 19 we have to prepare people for uncertainty and promote agility and adaptability. It means encouraging flexibility rather than specialization. It requires training and retraining teachers as well as redesigning education systems. We need to completely reimagine education. Instead of learning to memorize facts and figures, students need to “learn how to learn” and how to solve problems. And they should be allowed to learn independently. Changes are needed at every level. We have to inculcate elements like entrepreneurship into the curriculum because with the disruption that’s going on, many people are going to have to create their own jobs.
We need to completely reframe the system of education based on where the world is going, instead of continuing to do the same thing over and over again. Education used to be a one-shot game, now it has to be a lifelong game. You don’t just get educated once. We need to go in-between learning and work. You have to bring professionals into the classroom to teach. Children have to work on projects for real organizations from the beginning, and you have to go out into the environment, into communities. Students have to understand the real problems that people are facing so you can shape your learning around those problems rather than just look at a textbook. Today most people end up in careers that have nothing to do with what they studied in college or university. The world’s big problems will not be solved by looking at only one discipline. We believe is that instead of giving people a menu of academic disciplines, we should give them a menu of problems and challenges that the world is facing, and then have them pick one of them and curate their learning experience around solving those problems. The end goal is to impart methods of learning rather than pure content. We need to teach children or students to solve problems rather than memorize facts and figures.
Children have a natural desire to make sense of their world, to create order in a world that seems largely out of their control. For that reason, sorting activities often attract children. In fact, many children will start sorting things without even being taught. Many parents have likely walked into a room to see their young child putting their blocks or other toys in piles based on color or some other category. Montessori sensorial sorting work takes this inclination a step further, teaching the child to organize their world using all of their senses while also working of course on careful discrimination.
This fundamental pre-requisite to further mathematical understanding can often be disregarded or ignored as a purely play based activity that children instinctively engage with. However, it is an important and essential part of beginning mathematical skills and an important part of every child’s developmental journey.
As adults we sometimes overlook the importance of fundamental skills in a young child. When some people talk of mathematics learning they routinely speak of number sense or numeration, and more specifically counting or even the higher order operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
Why is Self-Esteem in Children so Important? Self-esteem development begins very early in children and is intricately linked to t he kind of adults they become. Repeated failure can lead to self-esteem issues and a drop in confidence. On the contrary, success tends to instil a sense of accomplishment and assurance in their abilities. However, children need to experience a sense of pride in their actions without feeling like they deserve their victories without any hard work. On the other hand, low self-esteem often prevents kids from handling daily challenges that other children breeze through.
Kids with high self-esteem will naturally find that their confidence bears desired results, which further increases their chances of taking on more challenging tasks to prove themselves. Consider it a positive feedback loop: The more secure they feel, the better they do. It is especially important that they are accepted by authority figures like parents and teachers, whose support and encouragement can drive them.
Some tips to build self-esteem:
Let Them Choose Allowing your child the freedom of choice lets them feel in control of their lives. Consider giving them options for their meals, clothes for the day, and so on, but avoid too many choices, especially if they are very young. Ensure they are aware of the consequences of their choices as well, so they can make their opinions accordingly.
Reassure Them Regularly Children need to know that they don’t have to be perfect all the time. Try to show compassion and understanding in your reactions to their failures. The more disappointment you show, the harder it hits their confidence levels. This applies to small children as well, for milestones such as learning to walk, clothe themselves and so on.
Give Them Genuine Praise Children need to know that they don’t have to be perfect all the time. Try to show compassion and understanding in your reactions to their failures. The more disappointment you show, the harder it hits their confidence levels. This applies to small children as well, for milestones such as learning to walk, clothe themselves and so on.
Establish Boundaries While allowing them the freedom to do things at their pace, do set limits and requirements. For example, if it is their job to wash vessels or clean their room on a particular day, insist that they finish their job. Help them understand that not doing their part affects the people around them as well.
Do Not Insult Them It is never OK to take your anger out on your children. Never abuse them, call them names, insult them in any manner, or downplay their feelings. Remember that you love your child, even if their actions affected you. Negative reinforcement might make them change their ways temporarily but can devastate their self-esteem in the long run.
Let Them Figure Things Out If you do everything for your child, they will never learn to work their problems out for themselves. Clothing your toddler might be more efficient, but it will not improve their motor skills or give them a sense of accomplishment. It might be scary for you, but letting them take risks is the best way for them to deal with new challenges. For instance, allow your child to pour themselves a glass of water even if it means they will spill half of it. They will know how to face the problem next time.
Why is Sleep Important for Children? Sleep plays a crucial role in the development of young minds. In addition to having a direct effect on happiness, research shows that sleep impacts alertness and attention, cognitive performance,mood, resiliency, vocabulary acquisition, and learning and memory.Sleep also has important effects on growth, especially in early infancy In toddlers, napping appears to be necessary for memory consolidation executive attention, and motor skill development.
What Happens When Children Don’t Get Enough Sleep? As every parent knows, a child that’s short on sleep can swing between being grumpy and hyperactive, with effects that can mimic ADHD. Sleepiness can also affect your child’s ability to pay attention, with ramifications for their performance in school. Even minimal sleep restriction can have effects on your child’s day-to-day life.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), a quarter of children under the age of 5 don’t get adequate sleep. This is worrying because poor sleep in early childhood has been linked to allergic rhinitis and problems with the immune system, as well as anxiety and depression There is also emerging evidence that poor sleep in childhood may carry future cardiovascular risks in the form of obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
In adolescents, inadequate sleep can have long-term effects on academic performance and mental health. The American Medical Association, the US Department of Health and Human Services, and the American Academy of Pediatrics consider chronic sleep loss in adolescents to be a public health problem. It is a risk factor for substance abuse and mental health problems, as well as more immediate problems such as car crashes and sports injuries.
Tips on How to Make Sure Your Child Gets a Full Night’s Sleep Sleep needs change as your child grows older, but whether you’re dealing with a 2-year-old toddler or a stubborn teenager, research shows that a consistent bedtime routine is helpful for making sure your child gets enough sleep. Whatever activities you choose, try to do the same ones every day in the same order so your child knows what to expect.
A typical bedtime routine might include:
Turning off computers, TV screens, video games and other bright lights Putting on pajamas and brushing teeth Reading a light book, singing a lullaby, or taking a bath Picking a stuffed animal or security blanket for the night for toddlers The best time to put your child to bed is when they’re sleepy, not when they’re already asleep. This helps them learn how to fall asleep on their own. If preschool children wake up in the middle of the night, walk them back to their bed. It’s best not to let infants sleep in your bed, as co-sleeping increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome.
Sleep Hygiene Tips for Kids Daytime habits also affect sleep. You can promote restful slumber in your children by following basic sleep hygiene rules:
Arranging a balanced schedule with interspersed periods of rest and play Keeping a regular bedtime Making the bedroom, and especially the mattress, a no-screen zone, even during the day. Providing a healthy diet: Setting the thermostat to a slightly cooler temperature Using dark curtains to block out light, or a nightlight if they’re scared of the dark Keeping the bedroom quiet, or using a white noise machine to mask outside sounds Avoiding caffeine, large meals, and sugary treats before bedtime, opting for a healthy bedtime snack if necessary It’s important to give your child regular exercise, but don’t fall into the trap of exhausting your child to have them sleep better at night. More often than not, this will make them overtired and actually make it harder to fall asleep. Learn to recognize the special level of hyper that means your toddler is too tired, so you can put them to bed before things turn sour.
Sometimes, a bedtime routine is easier said than done. For two-parent households or siblings who share a room, bedtime may require extra logistics. The National Sleep Foundation has a list of additional sleep strategies if you’re having trouble getting your kids sleeping.
Sleep tips for babies: Because they have yet to develop a circadian rhythm, very young babies rarely sleep through the night, and that’s okay. If they don’t fall back asleep naturally, try soothing them by talking or with touch, without picking them up. If they continue to cry, they may be hungry or need their diaper changed. Quickly and quietly fix the problem, using only a nightlight if possible, and calmly leave the room.
Sleep tips for toddlers: Young toddlers have a sleep schedule supplemented by two naps a day. Toddler sleep problems are compounded by separation anxiety and a fear of missing out, which translates to stalling techniques and stubbornness at bedtime. You can cut down on these complaints by giving them control over minor choices like which pajamas to wear or which book to read. Try to be patient, firm, yet loving because power struggles are likely to elicit a stronger response from them.
Sleep tips for school kids: Between academic, social, and extracurricular obligations, school-age children often have busy schedules that can make it difficult to get a good night’s sleep. Wherever possible, try to follow a consistent schedule and a wind-down period before bed. To strengthen the association between the bedroom and sleep, have them do homework or other activities in another room where possible.
Sleep tips for teenagers: Teenagers are programmed to have a later circadian rhythm which can create a problem with school start times. You can help your teenager by acknowledging the increased demands on their time and working together to find a healthy sleep schedule that works with their lifestyle. Teenagers appear to imitate their parents to a certain extent when it comes to sleeping, so one of the best things you can do to help them develop a healthy sleep pattern is to keep one yourself.
The morning is important, too. Though it’s tempting to let your kids sleep in on the weekends, this can disrupt their sleep schedule and make it harder to wake up during the week. Try not to overschedule extracurricular activities if you notice these having a detrimental effect on their sleep time.
If you’re practicing healthy sleep hygiene and your child is still feeling sleepy or having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep at night, it might be time to visit a doctor to see if they have a sleep condition. You can also ask their teacher to keep you updated on their attention levels. Difficulty concentrating, hyperactive behavior, or learning problems may indicate they are not getting proper sleep.
Sleep Problems in Children Issues that might seem minor to us are often very significant to a child, so events like a new sibling, teething, an illness, a different place, a new caregiver, a change in schedule, or minor complaints like allergies, colds, and ear infections can all take their toll on your child’s sleep.
In addition to these common problems, as many as 50 percent -32 of children suffer from sleep disorders at some point. Sleep disorders are intricately intertwined with mental and physical health issues, with one exacerbating the other in a cycle that can be hard to break. Additionally, some sleep disorders are not evident to the sleeper, or they may mirror other conditions such as epilepsy, making them difficult to diagnose.
Some of the most common sleep disorders in children are night terrors and nightmares, sleep apnea, sleep talking and sleepwalking, snoring, and restless leg syndrome
We all know how important reading to children is, Niraya emphasis essential tips for Parents while reading to your child before you drift off to dreamland and leave your kids with a half-finished story, try these tips for staying alert during reading time:
Vary Your LocationYour comfy sofa or reading chair might be just a little too comfy, so try reading somewhere else—at the kitchen table, perhaps, or on the front porch. The fresh air and sunshine can help keep you energized, and a slightly less comfortable chair will help keep you awake.
Vary the Time of Day-If your read-aloud time is scheduled for your kids’ bedtime, chances are that you’re already getting sleepy yourself. If possible, change your read-aloud time to earlier in the day—perhaps right after breakfast—when you are still fresh and wide awake.
Distract Yourself-Stay alert by sipping water as you read, or engage yourself in the story by developing and using different voices for the characters. Eat some apple slices or plain popcorn. Prepare yourself some hot tea—and take a sip each time you start to feel sleepy.
10 Things You Can Do to Protect Your Child with Autism from Wandering
Children with autism are at risk of wandering and getting lost. It’s important to have a plan in place to prevent children with autism from wandering and ensuring their safety in case they wander. Here are 10 things you can do to protect your children:
Never leave small children unattended. Make sure that there is a responsible adult supervising them at all times, be it at home, at school, in the school bus, at the park or anywhere else.
Never let go of your child’s hand when in crowded public places.
If your child is able to understand, instruct him/her not to wander away from you outside the house.
Make your child wear an ID, with his/her name, address, and emergency contact, at all times, when they are away from home. This can be a lanyard with an ID card, a pin-up badge, an embossed bracelet, a label stitched into their clothes, and so on.
If your child is non-verbal, teach your child to approach an adult and point to the ID in case they get lost. If your child is verbal and able to communicate, make him/her memorise your phone number and teach him to ask an adult to call you.
If you can afford it, buy a GPS tracker watch with an alarm for your child so that you can find him/her if they get lost.
Teach your child about road safety as road accidents are a major cause of death among children with autism who wander.
Teach your child how to swim, as children with autism are naturally attracted to water, making drowning the other leading cause of death among children with autism who wander.
Train other caretakers of your child to take care of your child like you would.
Remember that prevention is key to keep your child safe from wandering
When you talk to your child or teen, it’s important to use words, phrases, and examples that are developmentally appropriate. Here are tips for helping preschool kids, school-age kids, and teens and young adults.
Preschool Kids (Ages 2- 6):
Preschool kids are more in tune to and affected by parental emotions than older kids. For them, especially, be sure to stay calm around them. In addition:
Turn off the TV, computers, smart speakers when they are around. They will hear things or see images that are potentially scary.
Be careful in talking about the situation with other adults or older siblings around them.
Younger kids may need a bit more TLC and cuddles than older kids. If you’re concerned about transmitting illness, then sitting close, or perhaps sleeping in the same room is comforting.
Make preventive measures such as washing hands or wiping surfaces a playful game.
School-age Children (Ages 7-12):
Kids in first to sixth grade can understand more about a contagious disease. Explain that the germs causing COVID-19 are like ones that cause a cold. Remind them that these illnesses can spread easily, but that they can also be prevented, which is why we need to wash our hands, use tissues, and use alcohol wipes.
Kids this age thrive on routine. Try to keep to daily schedules as typical as always, even if you are quarantined at home. Explain that the reason you stocked up on a month’s supply of food and are not going to school or work is to help your community by not spreading the disease to others.
Younger school-age kids cope with their fears through play. They may play doctor or use a Lego set to create a hospital helping people. This is a normal way for them to manage their anxieties including repeating their games over and over.
Some school-age kids will become more clingy and demanding. Such “regression” is a way of expressing fear. This is not the time to simply tell them to “grow up,” even if the behavior is frustrating. They may need more time with you – reading to them, watching a TV show together, drawing, or playing.
Turn off the TV other digital media as much as possible. School-age kids may not understand everything they hear and see on the screen. For example, if there are reports of outbreaks or deaths on the other side of the country, they may not know how far this is or that germs cannot spread to their house from distant places.
Adolescents and Young Adults (Ages 13 – 18+):
Teens and young adults have likely heard a lot about COVID-19 and its potential danger. They are old enough to understand how it spreads, preventative measures, and future risks. Have open conversations, beginning with open-ended questions about what they know, what they are worried about, and how they are feeling.
Kids this age are mature enough to watch the news with you or go online and explore trusted sites to learn more about the disease. Sit with them while viewing and have conversations about what they see and read, and how the illness may impact their lives.
Teens and young adults may be help you shop for supplies, play with younger siblings, prepare meals, and do other tasks to prepare for possible quarantine. Including them in the effort to protect the family helps them feel valued, and this empowerment lessens anxiety.
No one knows at this point how serious the impact of COVID-19 will be. Living with uncertainty is not easy. However, we can help each other become more resilient, emotionally stable, and as physically protected as possible through a carefully planned means of engaging with our kids in this time of crisis
Clean up time: Setting the Expectation from Day One From their very first day in the classroom, Children help clean up! They are joining a community of teachers and children who are active participants in maintaining order in the classroom environment. The expectation, from the beginning, is that they, too, will help keep the classroom clean and tidy. The space is for everyone, and, therefore, so is the responsibility.
They learn early on to:
• push their chair in after they get up from the table • return their work to the shelf where they first found it • roll their work rug up and put it away in the rug container • fold or roll their apron
Use Language that Includes Everyone at Home is very important for children: Use inclusive language that sets the expectation that EVERYONE in the family participates in cleaning up and EVERYONE benefits. Children want to be recognized as valued members of the family; they don’t want to be singled out as the reason the room is a mess!
Instead of Try :
• “It’s clean up time! We sure had a lot of fun in here!” • “In this family, we all work together — everyone helps!” • “Everyone had fun playing, and now everyone can help put things away” • “This room looks so nice! Now we can see where everything goes!” • “When the bookshelf is tidy, it makes it so much easier to find the books we want to read” Remember that children behave differently at school than they do at home. Home is their safe space and where they will be the most relaxed and laid back. Chances are, you’re already dealing with a lot more whining and complaining about cleaning up than your child’s teachers do! Be patient, but persistent! It took three, four, or more years for your current habits to set in — it will take a while to undo them. Try
• “It’s clean up time! We sure had a lot of fun in here!” • “In this family, we all work together — everyone helps!” • “Everyone had fun playing, and now everyone can help put things away” • “This room looks so nice! Now we can see where everything goes!” • “When the bookshelf is tidy, it makes it so much easier to find the books we want to read” Remember that children behave differently at school than they do at home. Home is their safe space and where they will be the most relaxed and laid back. Chances are, you’re already dealing with a lot more whining and complaining about cleaning up than your child’s teachers do! Be patient, but persistent! It took three, four, or more years for your current habits to set in — it will take a while to undo them.
Play and unscheduled time that allow for peer interactions are important components of social-emotional learning for a child.
Play is essential to development because it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children and youth. Play also offers an ideal opportunity for parents to engage fully with their children. Despite the benefits derived from play for both children and parents, time for free play has been markedly reduced for some children. This report addresses a variety of factors that have reduced play, including a hurried lifestyle, changes in family structure, and increased attention to academics and enrichment activities at the expense of recess or free child-centered play. This report offers guidelines on how pediatricians can advocate for children by helping families, school systems, and communities consider how best to ensure that play is protected as they seek the balance in children’s lives to create the optimal developmental milieu.
During this Pandemic children have been most affected, not us their world of going to school or having a schedule has been disrupted immensely..Let them be, Let them play!
Play is so important to optimal child development that it has been recognized by the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights as a right of every child.This birthright is challenged by forces including child labor and exploitation practices, war and neighborhood violence, and the limited resources available to children living in poverty. However, even those children who are fortunate enough to have abundant available resources and who live in relative peace may not be receiving the full benefits of play. Many of these children are being raised in an increasingly hurried and pressured style that may limit the protective benefits they would gain from child-driven play. Because every child deserves the opportunity to develop to their unique potential, child advocates must consider all factors that interfere with optimal development and press for circumstances that allow each child to fully reap the advantages associated with play.
IMPORTANCE OF PLAY
Academic enrichment opportunities are vital for some children’s ability to progress academically, and participation in organized activities is known to promote healthy youth development.
THE BENEFITS OF PLAY Play allows children to use their creativity while developing their imagination, dexterity, and physical, cognitive, and emotional strength. Play is important to healthy brain development. It is through play that children at a very early age engage and interact in the world around them. Play allows children to create and explore a world they can master, conquering their fears while practicing adult roles, sometimes in conjunction with other children or adult caregivers. As they master their world, play helps children develop new competencies that lead to enhanced confidence and the resiliency they will need to face future challenges.
Undirected play allows children to learn how to work in groups, to share, to negotiate, to resolve conflicts, and to learn self-advocacy skills.
When play is allowed to be child driven, children practice decision-making skills, move at their own pace, discover their own areas of interest, and ultimately engage fully in the passions they wish to pursue.
Ideally, much of play involves adults, but when play is controlled by adults, children acquiesce to adult rules and concerns and lose some of the benefits play offers them, particularly in developing creativity, leadership, and group skills. In contrast to passive entertainment, play builds active, healthy bodies. In fact, it has been suggested that encouraging unstructured play may be an exceptional way to increase physical activity levels in children, which is one important strategy in the resolution of the obesity epidemic.Perhaps above all, play is a simple joy that is a cherished part of childhood.
NIRAYA 