Fun Family Tips

    Tips

    • As a family, watch a movie about a hero. Talk about how the person acting with courage might have felt. Remind your child that the hero probably felt fear, but still acted with courage. Talk about how it is OK to be scared.
    • Maybe your family can plant a garden. A garden is visually appealing, and you can donate part of the food you grow to people in need. When members of your family do things that help improve our world, notice and compliment them. Helping each other, cleaning up, being responsible- all of these things help improve our world!
    • Practice assertive behaviors with simple role-plays at the dinner table or even in the car. Have your child practice making assertive statements such as. "Stop that" or "Leave me alone." Reverse roles. Have your child be the "bully," and respond with appropriate assertive statements. Your child will get a big kick out of hearing your responses, and this will help him/her remember them better.
    • As a family, go above and beyond in helping someone out. Give someone a "great day." Maybe you have a neighbor with young children. You can give her a break by preparing a meal for her family or volunteering your family for a night of babysitting. Point out times when your child goes above and beyond. Praise him/her for these actions!
    • Have everyone in your family give each other family member one compliment before starting to eat dinner. Have a great manners contest. Reward your children for wonderful manners with small stickers or tokens. Have a family celebration when the children earn a certain number of stickers or tokens.
    • Make a difference in your community. Volunteer to take part in a community clean-up day or a charity event. You can spend the day working as a family and making a difference in the lives of others. Some families make it a holiday tradition to volunteer their time to help out in a soup kitchen or some other charitable effort. Why not give it a try?
    • For a change this week, let each of your children pick the chore he/she dislikes the most and get one of his/her siblings to help do it. Each child may pick only 1 chore. Reward your children for their positive attitudes and hard work.
    • At dinner, have each member of your family talk about one way he/she can reach out and help a family member. Have a celebration at the end of the week if everyone has done a great job of reaching out to others!
    • Invite a neighbor or relative to join your family for dinner.
    • Visit a nursing home. Spend some time just talking with the people who live there.
    • Encourage your children to include each other in their games and fun. Sibling rivalry and disputes are normal, but siblings should try and support one another.
    • Talk to your child about a time when you were not included in an activity. Talk about the way your felt. Ask your child if he/she has ever felt this way and talk about ways to ensure that we include others.
    • Praise your child for efforts he/she names to include brothers, sisters, or classmates in activities.