Teaching your preschooler to express her emotions and recognize emotions in others is a huge part of her development. Unfortunately, this tends to get lost in all the attention that’s paid to getting her alphabet and numbers right.

Teaching her to recognize emotional reactions in others develops compassion in your child. Compassion is hardly an inborn trait – it has to be taught, and it’s just as important as intellectual development. What use is intellect if a child has no trace of empathy or compassion for another’s pain.

Identifying her emotions also helps your preschooler gain better control of herself. She may still have tantrums, but they won’t be as intense or as frequent as before. Use emotions to help your child understand what she is feeling, and what she needs to do to make her feel better.

1. If your child has a bad dream, put your hand on her heart and let her know you will always be in there. Tell her to place her hand on her heart every time she needs you, or feels afraid. It will comfort her. Tell her to do this every time she feels sad, angry, frustrated – it will help her understand the signs of an oncoming tantrum, and will help control tantrums better.
2. Role play and act out different life situations – happy ones, sad ones, frightening ones. Ask her to express these emotions with facial gestures as best she can. Ask her what faces she makes when she’s angry or sad or happy.
3. Use stories and rhymes to talk about emotions and feelings. For instance “Itsy Bitsy Spider” can be used to teach the power of persistence and the desire to succeed,” or Amazing Grace” can be used to teach her the power of self belief.
4. Discuss important memories in your lives. Talk about how you felt on your wedding day, when she was born, how she feels on her birthday.
5. Ask her to recount occasions when she feels, happy, sad or scared. They give you clues into her emotional state.
6. Teach her about happy places. It may seem like psychobabble, but children are comforted at the thought of being in a place where they are safe from harm or fear.
7. Use puppets to introduce emotions in storytelling. While reading bed time stories, change your voice with the emotions of the character.
8. Discuss the emotions of each character in the stories you read. Why is that little boy sad? Why dos the lamb feel afraid?
9. Don’t belittle her fears or brush them off. A bad dream is very real to your child. Talk about it with her and comfort her. Don’t just say “Oh, it’s nothing” and let that be that.
10. Keep an hour or so to spend with your child doing something she loves – putting a puzzle together, cooking etc.
11. Discuss times when you got angry with her. Let her know the reason for your reaction – Yesterday, you did this and this, and so Mommy became angry with you. Let her know that her behaviors have consequences.
12. This one’s a no brainer to raise an emotionally well adjusted child. Always tell her you love her. Even when you need to correct her behavior by scolding her, make a distinction between the scolding and the fact that you love her. She needs to know your love will last whatever mistakes she may make in her life.

Kids don’t know the right way to express anger, although they are capable of feeling all the same things we do. It’s up to you to teach your child the right way to express her feelings. Raising a child is not just about discipline and learning pursuits – a child needs to develop a strong sense of compassion and caring for others. This is something she carries with her to adulthood.

Some great reads for the weekend:

Anne Marie has lovely ideas for celebrating St Patrick’s Day with your kids.  Great time to reinforce the color green – try painting the drawings different shades of green each.

Picky eater?   JoLynn Braley at The Fit Shack has tips to help get your child to eat healthier.

For those of you looking forward to beautiful spring in your part of the world, (summer is creeping up on us here) Workout Mommy has great ideas to involve your kids in spring time exercises.   Great ways to combine Mommy time with some exercise for yourself!

And finally, these pics at Blonde Mom Blog had me racing to find my boy’s old photos for an afternoon of nostalgia.  All the more reason to cherish them – because they grow up so fast.  Sigh.

Enjoy!

When it comes right down to it, kids are just as able to learn from the everyday stuff you have lying about your house as from pricey educational toys. You don’t have to blow a fortune on the latest fancy toys in the market to give your child an edge. There are learning aids that you can find right in your home that you can make use of for boosting language skills, counting and sorting practice, identifying objects, number practice and so on.

In the third part of my series on Money Saving Tips for Preschool Mamas, we’ve already gone through thrifty secrets for saving on clothes and art supplies.

Here are some commonly found things at home that you can use to instantly fashion learning aids for your kids.

1 – Paper Bags

Photo Courtesy Flickr – Nix Sidhe

These have unlimited uses. Use to play counting games. Attach a picture of a elephant to a puffed out paper bag, and make your child feed him peanuts by numbers you call out or by looking at a card with a number on it. Vary the picture of the elephant with a rabbit and use small pieces of carrot shape construction paper to feed the rabbit a required number of carrots.

Attach a picture of a rabbit to a bunch of paper bags, and write a number on each of them. Cut out pieces of orange tag or paper, to look like little carrots. Make small dots on each carrot. Ask your child to count the number of dots on the carrot, and place it in the rabbit bag with that number.

Stuff a brown paper bag with newspaper halfway through, and tie it with a string. Paint it black, and draw a pair of eyes with white paint. Tie a long string to the bag and hang it from a nail in your child’s room. Attach 8 strips of crepe paper to the bag, 4 on each side of the bag. Use this “spider” for counting activities, and making sets.

For more “legs” to count, tape 3 such stuffed bags to each other to make a centipede. Attach a dozen crepe paper legs on each side of the centipede, and hang in your preschooler’s room.

Take a bunch of paper bags, place them sideways, and staple them at the closed ends. Your child can use this “book” for any number of activities – as an alphabet and number scrap book, to draw pictures , to collect and name items she finds on nature walks etc.

Use lunch bags to create a city with your child – stuff with newspapers, and place on their sides. Draw windows or paste stickers on the bags to create a building. Name them “Central Library,” ” Wal-Mart” and so on. Your child can pitch in with suggestions for buildings she sees around town.

Stuff a bag with newspapers, tie the mouth with a string and attach to a stick. Use wool to create hair and draw on eyes and a face, and you have a puppet that you can use for imaginary games and story telling.

2 – Boxes

Photo Courtesy Flickr – Al Fassam

Create a story box. Place small toys like dolls and cars, plastic household toy equipment and let her make her own doll house from scratch. For boys, make other buildings like a tool shed. Let her take out an object one by one from the box and weave these objects in a story. Share in the story creating process.

Take an empty box, and wrap in white paper. Write the words of a nursery rhyme on each side of the box. Use it as a rhyme dice to sing nursery rhymes.

Punch holes into the sides of an old shoe box and give your child colorful laces to create patterns by lacing through the holes. Don’t forget to wrap a piece of tape around one end of the lace to secure it in place.

Use old detergent boxes or tooth paste boxes and use to sort in order of size, or stack inside each other.

Cut out pictures of a room from an interiors magazine like a bed room, kitchen etc. and paste on separate shoe boxes. Cut out smaller pictures of separate items that go into these rooms, for instance, a couch, chair, a dresser etc. Ask your child to place all the small pictures that go into that particular room – the bed picture goes into the bedroom box, and so on.

Stick numbers on each section of a candy box, and let your child count and place the required numbers of peas or beans into each section.

Use milk cartons that are shaped like a house, and ask your child to build a house by using square and rectangular stickers.

Use shoe boxes as nature study boxes. Let her fill up with things that she finds when shoe goes out with you – dried leaves, feathers, dried twigs etc. Ask her to name each of these objects.

3 – Play Dough

Play dough is a thrifty mom’s best friend. Let your child use these to make alphabets, and numbers. Being able to feel the alphabet as she’s molding the dough, leads to a better awareness of the letter. Make your own play dough. Use food essences like cinnamon, lemon and lavender, and let her experiment with making different alphabets with different scents.

4 – Stationery, Stickers

Take a few boiled eggs and color by dipping them for 10 minutes in a solution of water and food coloring. Use these dyed eggs for counting games – give your child small polka dot stickers, and a bunch of index cards with numerals on each. Let her look at each card and stick the required number of stickers on the colored eggs.

Create a shape chart by drawing and painting square, rectangle, triangle and circle shapes on a cardboard. Cut out a sponge in the same shapes, and ask your child to match with the shapes on the board.

Fix paper clips to index cards with a number on each. Give her a magnet with a string attached and ask her to fish out the number that you call out.

Write names of household objects on index cards (door, window) and stick them on those objects. Leave for a week and help her read and identify the words.

Cut out the front of a nice greeting card, and paste on cardboard. Cut up into several pieces (depending on her age), and use as a puzzle. You can also use the front of cereal boxes. Stick a knob (the kind you see on drawers) on each piece to make it easy for her to lift each piece.

5 – Kitchenware

Use empty plastic cups, and disposable glasses to stack one inside the other.

Use spoons and cups to measure rice, lentils, beans and other measuring activities.

Use measuring activities for preschoolers to see how much a cup of milk weighs against a cup of rice on your kitchen weighing machine.

Color pasta shapes by dipping into a solution of water and food coloring. Use to thread into a necklace. Threading games are excellent for fine motor skills development.

Let her color ice cream sticks different colors, and sort according to colors. Or color them different shades of the same color, and sort from lightest to darkest.

Give her a funnel, a strainer and colander, a glass of unstrained tea, a bowl of salt mixed with rice and let her find the easiest way to separate the salt from the rice. Same with the tea – let her figure out how to separate the tea from the leaves using these objects.

Fill jugs with water or dry beans and let her pour into an empty bowl without spilling. It helps develop motor skills.

6 – Clothes

Use beads, and buttons for sorting activities. Socks and mittens can also be used for sorting games. Sort by size, color pattern etc.

Draw a pair of eyes and stick a piece of pink constriction paper on the toe area to make a hand puppet.

Sort shoes of family members in increasing, and decreasing order.

Don’t throw away old costumes, or accessories like scarves and costume jewelry. Use these for playing dress up or for other imaginative role playing activities.

Use laundry for sorting activities. Let her sort into whites and coloreds, clothes and linens, and so on.

7- Furniture

Use ribbons to practice tying shoe laces between the two wooden handles of a chair.

Stack up cushions and use as a narrow plank for her to walk on. It helps her gain control over balance.

Use pillows and cushions as an obstacle course at home.

Throw a bed sheet between two chairs, and let her use the tent as her personal space. It encourages imagination. Ask open ended questions and encourage her to take about her “house.”

Use pillow covers to play I Spy games – stick a card with an alphabet on it to the cover, and let her find things from around the house that begin with that letter.

Play guessing games or mystery games – have a bunch of stuff inside the pillow cover – small toys, glass beads, pine cones – let her close her eyes, grab one and guess what it is.

So, what do you grab from around the house for an impromptu lesson? I’d love to hear your ideas!

I’ve been too busy partying with fellow bloggers from the Ultimate Blog Party at 5 Minutes for Mom, and I am late with my weekend reads.  Here you go.

Ever wished Moms had their own text speak?  Jennifer at HeyGirlMommaGo has a list of acronyms to keep smart moms up to speed on text talk.  You’ll ROFLMAO!

Easter is around the corner, and you’ll love these 13 ways to decorate and dye your Easter eggs.  Easy enough for preschoolers to do.

I’ll be back to regular posting on Monday.

Enjoy!

Hi, and welcome to all who’ve dropped by from 5 Minutes for Mom!

I am Shabana, and I am a 35 year old WAHM. I have a fairly humdrum kind of existence with my husband and our wonderful seven year old boy, and I like it that way. I love to read, write (I am a freelance writer when I am not blogging), and watch Johnny Depp movies.

The PreSchool Mama (which is where you are right now) is a labor of love that I began in December of last year. I used to be a Montessori preschool teacher, and blogging seemed like the perfect way to share what I’ve learned with other moms, and educate myself further in the process.

If you have toddlers or preschoolers, I hope you’ll look around the site, and find something that you could use with your child. Check out the Best of PreSchool Mama page for standalone articles that are informative and useful.

If you don’t have preschoolers, well, stay a while anyway, and share some of your wisdom with me!

It wouldn’t be much of a party without a few guffaws, so before you leave, here’s something to make you smile.

Enjoy!

I’ve been focusing so much on teaching your preschooler this and that, and I thought it was time to reverse roles a bit, and look at things that we learn from our kids. You’d be surprised at the number of things I came up with:

Here we go.

Self Praise

The next time you hear your child say he hit the ball over the trees, look at his obvious self pride. He’s bursting with it. When was the last you dared pat yourself on the back for a job well done? Go ahead. Write a list of all the things you love about yourself, and yes, put it up on the refrigerator.

Nothing is too small.

Can make a mean lasagna? On the list.

Involved in your child’s learning? Absolutely good enough.

Read it aloud everyday, and pat yourself on the back. You don’t have to do the helicopter dance, but a little strut in your walk won’t hurt.

Honesty

Kids say the darndest things. All the time. And at the most inappropriate times. How do you learn from that? Well, venting your feelings about someone to their face can be therapeutic. Your child is venting when he calls his friend a “stupid head.”

Does it make him feel good? You betcha!

Venting is therapeutic for you too. Unfortunately, we’ve been conditioned to be diplomatic all the time, even if that means biting your tongue and speaking “nice.”

Let that attitude go. It will be hard. Telling your MIL she’s an ass might be tough, but there’re no reason why you can’t tell her politely, but firmly, not to fill your kid’s ears with racist nonsense, if you find her doing so.

And there’s no harm in telling that condescending colleague of yours that you’ve just about had it with their attitude.

Go ahead. Chuck the diplomacy. Call them a stupid head.

Enthusiasm

Watch your child the next time he’s doing an art project on his own, or building a model. Observe how involved he is, how much enthusiasm he has for what he does. Then, take a look at your own “things have to be done because they have to be done” attitude. Kids have an enthusiasm for the smallest thing they do, while we as adults, begin to feel interest and enthusiasm waning for things we take for granted.

Affection

I wasn’t raised in a touchy-feely family myself, but I have absolutely no problem showering my boy with affection. Part of is good old maternal instinct, but part of it I am quite convinced, is how affectionate he is. There’s nothing better your child likes than a good warm hug.

You could take that same feel-good warm fuzziness that comes after you’ve exchanged a hug and kiss with your child to other relationships in your life.

Don’t remember the last time you hugged your Mom? Now’s the time. If a hug seems hard to muster, a simple hand hold will do. Any form of physical contact. With the people who matter in your life. Just because.

Unlimited Energy

Keep up with your kids. They come with naturally high levels of energy, while yours are probably slowly depleting at this point. Invest in your health. Getting fit has too many advantages to ignore. Only one of these is how much energy it allows you to enjoy your kids, participate in their games, and engage in their lives.

Go on. Race him up the stairs.

Be Messy

You read that right.

Kids are messy and disorganized, and leave stains and spills all over the place. Let it go.

It’s not the end of the world if you have a few grape juice stains on your carpet, or walls that have seen better days. If you find yourself tidying, dusting, wiping, mopping and cleaning, for the most part of the day, you’re letting precious time slip by without your kids. I am not saying you should let your house become a pig sty, but there are two sayings by I-don’t-know-who that I love:

A clean house is a sign of a misspent life.

Dull women have immaculate houses.

Do some basic tidying and cleaning – enough that your household doesn’t fall apart. Get your kids involved. Let them help with smaller cleaning up chores.

And then, stop.

Use the extra hours to take a walk with your child instead, or play a game.

Do some self esteem building exercises.

Or just watch a movie as a family.

I know women who clean, and dust and wipe, and put things back where they belong right up till bedtime, when they realize another day has gone by, and they haven’t even had a chance to look at what has happened in their child’s life that day.

Time flies too fast. Your kids won’t wait around for when you’re free from your housework.

The house will be fine, trust me.

So, has your child opened your eyes to new things and possibilities?

I had a sorting game post planned for today, but I came across this article in the New York Times about children and play. It’s about 11 pages long, and a lot of it is related to studies in animals and lab rats, but the gist of the article was the relevance of play in a child’s life in today’s world.

There’s no denying that our kids spend less time playing (I am not talking Nintendo or PS here, but “regular” play with dolls, and trucks and tree climbing – in short ,the kind of playing we used to do in our own childhoods). Today, with 200 million television channels, video games and the chance to ”interact” with friends online, kids spend lesser time in that joyful abandon that we remember. Plus, kids are under a lot more pressure these days than we were to excel in whatever they do. Piano lessons, ballet classes, private tuition – there are huge, and sometimes unreasonable demands made on their time, so they can turn out to be highly productive members of society.

Anyway, the article is about studies being conducted by the National Institute of Play (yes, there apparently is such a thing) into the relevance of play in humans, and whether it is really as important as we like to believe it is. Some experts are of the opinion that play in all its forms – whether dramatic role play, through imaginary friends, model making, skipping etc. – don’t really teach a child anything that he couldn’t otherwise pick up in a class room setting.

I so beg to differ.

Trust a bunch of scientists to take something as basic as play, and turn it into a lab rat experiment-worth activity. Play might not be the only way to teach a child something, but the fact of the matter is that it is the only way all kids will find learning fun.

Playtime is intrinsic to a child’s development. If you were struggling to teach your child the alphabet, or numbers, or colors, which would he find a more enjoyable activity? Using a passing game to learn numbers, discovering secondary colors through painting, or being made to sit in front of a large chart with numbers, or alphabets or whatever on it, and taught what they stand for?

Kids these days don’t play as much they should, and that’s a fact. They have too may other things competing for their attention. And for some expert to proclaim that we shouldn’t attach overdue importance to it, is just plain irresponsible.

In all fairness, the NY Times article concludes that play is as important to a child’s neurological development as lessons, although analysts, it says, are of the opinion that we shouldn’t overestimate the importance of play or place it on a pedestal. I don’t think we should place it on a pedestal either, but to say very cavalierly, that it doesn’t teach anything that kids wouldn’t learn otherwise in a classroom setting, is to have a very narrow minded understanding of what “teaching” a child really involves.

What about self esteem and confidence?

What about social interaction?

What about learning to thrust and parry with your fellow playmates, physically and mentally?

And also, what about life lessons? The playground can sometimes seem like a cruel place where only the most popular kids get first shot at the swing set. Being left out of play time, losing at a game – these are all part of the childhood experience. How does a child learn how to deal with adult situations that may involve conflict or disagreement, if he has only learned to wage imaginary wars on his PS, or chatted with nameless or faceless strangers on the Net?

Kids thrive on play. Period.

Gross motor skills development, building friendships, socializing, learning new things about objects and people in their surroundings as they play….the benefits of play are endless.

Experts might think that we give play a halo that it doesn’t deserve, but with all due respect, these experts are not raising my child.

First up, take a look at this great math link I found while Stumbling. It’s got sections right from kindergarten up to Grade 6. The preschool section is terrific, and really easy to use. If your preschooler has no experience with a mouse, this might be a good chance to teach her to point and click.

Now to the next item on the agenda, and this one’s for you. I am apparently one of the last people on the planet to see this terrific video. Better late than never! It’s a condensed version of what a mom would say in 24 hours, and it’s hilarious! I’ve also posted the lyrics below the video (thanks to Crystal from the WAHM forums!) Listen closely, and you might hear yourself!

Enjoy!

[youtube]RxT5NwQUtVM[/youtube]

Lyrics

Get up now
Get up now
Get up out of bed
Wash your face
Brush your teeth
Comb your sleepyhead
Here’s your clothes and your shoes
Hear the words I said
Get up now! Get up and make your bed
Are you hot? Are you cold?
Are you wearing that?
Where’s your books and your lunch and your homework at?
Grab your coat and gloves and your scarf and hat
Don’t forget! You gotta feed the cat
Eat your breakfast, the experts tell us it’s the most important meal of all
Take your vitamins so you will grow up one day to be big and tall
Please remember the orthodontist will be seeing you at 3 today
Don’t forget your piano lesson is this afternoon so you must play
Don’t shovel
Chew slowly
But hurry
The bus is here
Be careful
Come back here
Did you wash behind your ears?
Play outside, don’t play rough, will you just play fair?
Be polite, make a friend, don’t forget to share
Work it out, wait your turn, never take a dare
Get along! Don’t make me come down there
Clean your room, fold your clothes, put your stuff away
Make your bed, do it now, do we have all day?
Were you born in a barn? Would you like some hay?
Can you even hear a word I say?
Answer the phone! Get off the phone!
Don’t sit so close, turn it down, no texting at the table
No more computer time tonight!
Your iPod’s my iPod if you don’t listen up
Where are you going and with whom and what time do you think you’re coming home?
Saying thank you, please, excuse me makes you welcome everywhere you roam
You’ll appreciate my wisdom someday when you’re older and you’re grown
Can’t wait till you have a couple little children of your own
You’ll thank me for the counsel I gave you so willingly
But right now I thank you not to roll your eyes at me
Close your mouth when you chew, would appreciate
Take a bite maybe two of the stuff you hate
Use your fork, do not burp or I’ll set you straight
Eat the food I put upon your plate
Get an A, get the door, don’t get smart with me
Get a grip, get in here, I’ll count to three
Get a job, get a life, get a PHD
Get a dose of,
“I don’t care who started it!
You’re grounded until you’re 36″
Get your story straight and tell the truth for once, for heaven’s sake
And if all your friends jumped off a cliff would you jump, too?
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said at least a thousand times before
That you’re too old to act this way
It must be your father’s DNA
Look at me when I am talking
Stand up straighter when you walk
A place for everything and everything must be in place
Stop crying or I’ll give you something real to cry about
Oh!
Brush your teeth, wash your face, put your PJs on
Get in bed, get a hug, say a prayer with mom
Don’t forget, I love you
And tomorrow we will do this all again because a mom’s work never ends
You don’t need the reason why
Because, because, because, because
I said so, I said so, I said so, I said so
I’m the mom, the mom, the mom, the mom, the mom!!

Your preschooler doesn’t really need a wardrobe the size of a Hollywood starlet’s closet to look great. Everyone likes to dress their kids well, but you don’t have to blow a fortune on clothes. Save the money for something that’s even more important than fashion – her education. It’s not possible to drastically cut down on the amount you shop for your kids, and I know those who have little girls have a particularly hard time staying within budget!

I must confess I am reasonably thrifty when it comes to my son’s clothes. I figure it’s not as if they have any intellectual, physical or emotional benefits, and I would much rather splurge on books, certain toys, family outings or holidays. These are the things that will make a lasting impact on their minds.

If you feel the same way, here are some ideas for saving money on clothing.

If you have a preschooler and a toddler or baby in the house, save clothes to pass down to the next in line. If they are of different genders, buy neutral clothing for the preschooler that can be worn by either gender. Unisex clothing not only tends to be less expensive, but it can also last longer than frilly girly thingies.

For your daughter, buy some smock type dresses. When she outgrows them, they become a top to wear over jeans.

Don’t discard T-Shirts that are stained with the remnants of one too many craft projects or rumbles in the park – these can easily be dyed. Learn to tie dye a T -Shirt to create a brand new one. It’s really easy.

Don’t just give away old clothes because they’ve gotten smaller – recycle. A padded jacket that’s she’s outgrowing can be turned into a vest for winter – simply chop off the sleeves. The sleeves are always the first to show signs of becoming too small. Old T-shirts and too-short printed pajamas can be used for cover ups at the beach.

If you’re handy with a sewing machine, or know someone who is, see if you can alter your own clothing for your little girl. Sleeveless vests can be dyed, and embroidered or decorated with beads, and used as little girls’ dresses.

This brings me to my next tip. Invest in a sewing machine, and see if you can pick up some basic sewing skills. They’re invaluable

Buy washable fabrics, and save on dry cleaning bills.

Protect new jeans by sewing an extra patch of the same fabric on the knees from the inside. The knees are usually the first ones to show signs of wear and tear.

Always look out for discount sales. There’s a family I know that dresses their toddler and preschool aged kids for the entire year in clothes that they pick up at the annual blowout sale at their favorite kids clothing store. They do the whole waiting-out-at-the-store-front-till-the-doors-open-to-be-able-to-rush-in thing, and grab some great pieces. They delegate sections that each parent will cover to find the best deals! They are so systematic about it, and it shows…Their kids are some of the best dressed I know!

If your child is already bored with a pair of canvas shoes, try dyeing them to get him to wear them and use them.

Give pricey brands a miss. A few pieces are fine, and these can be matched with other good quality jeans or shirts. Expensive doesn’t always equal quality, and the “you get what you pay for” adage doesn’t hold true for a lot of clothes.

Keep her good and costly clothes for when you go out to visit friends. At home, let her run around in T shirts, shorts and other easy to wear clothes that are good for rough usage. Do the same for shoes. Have a pair of sandals for running round and playing in. Leave the good and expensive footwear for when you’re in company.

If you have friends with kids of the same age, see if you can have an exchange of clothes.

Jeans that have been ripped at the knee can be cut off to make shorts or a skirt for girls.

When a tiered skirt becomes one size too short, add an extra tier or two in the same color if it’s a primary color, or even a contrast color. You can do this for A line skirts too.

So, do you have any thrifty ideas to save on clothes?

I chanced upon this great video by Gever Tulley called “The Five Dangerous Things You Should Let Your Kids Do.” Check it out – it’s definitely made a difference in the way I look at my child and his capabilities.

According to Tulley, who runs a workshop program for kids, we are in danger of raising a generation of over protected children who aren’t allowed to experiment, or explore, for fear of getting hurt.

He puts his suggestions across matter of factly – let them handle a knife, or cut things. Sit your child on your lap and go for a drive – let him handle the wheel, he says. The point he makes is that we limit our children’s experiences when we keep saying “Don’t touch that! You’ll get hurt!”

I know none of us wants to raise an over protected child, who grows up and faints at the sight of blood. Some of his suggestions may freak you out, but I think he makes some great points.

Watch it for yourself and decide how many of these you can incorporate into your parenting style. I hope you can pick up a few things from this that you can use with your kids.

Of course, it depends on your judgment, and how comfortable you feel with your child being exposed to it. For instance, I might find it hard to leave my 7 year old alone with a Swiss army knife. Maybe a year from today…

But I love the deconstructing things idea, as well as the driving. This is something I hadn’t explored, and it’s definitely got me thinking about the possibilities. My son, for instance has a natural talent for smashing just about everything he can lay his hands on, and this is a good way to channel some of that natural inquisitiveness into new areas!

If you’d like to help your child undo things and take them apart, check out garage sales in your neighborhood for old clocks, cameras or cell phones.

If you have appliances in your house that are past their prime, get together with your preschooler, and take them apart. I love what Gever says in the video – “Even if you don’t know what a particular part does, that doesn’t stop you from trying to figure out what it can do. “I can’t even begin to imagine how useful something like this could be in terms of letting them explore possibilities and possible solutions and uses. (I have a washing machine that’s seen better days, and was planning on getting rid of it. There’s a “tear apart” project taking shape in my mind already).

Like he says, it gives them a feeling that everything is understandable.

If you have a DIY project going on at home or garden, let your preschooler help with some aspects of it. She can help with digging, even tearing down a wall, under supervision of course. Exploring is terrific for kids, and when they are going to try new things anyway? When they are forty, and have a mortgage to worry about?

If you’ve been guilty of being over protective with your child, (and I know I’ve been), I hope this video can give you at least a couple of ideas to expose your child to “danger.” Let me know how it goes.

If you know someone who’s always hovering over her kids, maybe you can share this with her, too!

Have fun!