Personalized Gifts Archives | Page 23 of 27 | Personalized Children's Books

Share the Love of Reading

Posted on February 9, 2017 | by KD Novelties

Valentine’s Day is often associated with significant others and intimate date nights, but Valentine’s Day can be a day for celebrating all kinds of love. Show your children how much you love them by sharing the gift of reading with them, especially when a love of reading can lead to a lifelong love of learning.

One of the best ways to get kids to read is by example. Whatever you do, your kids will want to try, too, therefore as a parent you can set an example in many ways. Let them see you read, whether it be a book or the newspaper. You can also keep books around the house as well. Even materials like magazines, reference books, and even coffee table tomes can help set a precedent – it shows kids that reading is a part of life and it has a place in the home. But another great way to encourage kids to read is to give them some books of their own.

This Valentine’s Day, spread the love with titles that explore what it’s like to care for one another. There are plenty of classic stories about love, friendship and family. We have some titles that are perfect for this time such as “God’s Special Gifts to Me” and “God Loves Me” that can help kids feel accepted, reminding them that they have a place and purpose in the world. These personalized books make the sentiment all the more personal, and that special feeling can last a lifetime. “God’s Special Gifts to Me” can help remind kids that we are all God’s children and that He made us and loves us. This personalized story book can act as a reminder of the many blessings we experience every day and that there is always plenty to be thankful for. “God Loves Me” reminds kids that whether they feel frightened or sad, thankful or glad, that they can talk to God about it through prayer so they never feel alone and are loved.

We also have other titles that appeal to many interests (such as your classic couple love stories) such as the Disney Princesses books, Aladdin, Pocahontas so there is sure to be a perfect book out there for your little one. In celebration of Valentine’s Day, we are offering a 15% off discount to help you give the gift of love and reading. Use coupon code LOVE17-OFF expiring February 28, 2017.

Giving your child the right kind of praise

Posted on February 6, 2017 | by KD Novelties

There are so many different facets to parenting, that praising children for their successes and accomplishments seem like a given. It sounds like it should be the easiest thing to do, especially since any parent would love to be able to celebrate things their child has done whether it be doing their homework, remembering their chores, or winning a prize. But praise can also lead to arrogance, and negative comments can be disheartening.

According to Michelle Macias, MD, an associate professor of pediatrics at the Medical University of South Carolina and a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics, “A parent’s job is to shape children’s behavior. Children consider praise a reward in itself, and praise is a way to help them learn which kinds of behaviors are acceptable, even from the earliest days.”

She also suggests offering kids ten positive comments for every negative one. Praise is often seen as enough of a reward, and provides satisfying amounts of incentive for kids to do good and to keep trying their best. And while negative comments can be hurtful, they can still help steer kids towards making better choices while also teaching them that it’s okay to make mistakes, especially if they learn from them.

Process vs. Outcome
It’s also important that parents notice what they offer praise for. Is it for behavior or innate qualities? Things like compassion, consideration, and dedication are all great qualities to have. But praising children for being smart can be tricky sometimes.

The American Psychological Association recently published a report that discussed a group of fifth graders that were asked to complete a series of math problems. Some children were given praise for being smart whereas others were given praise for their hard work. The children who were praised for their intelligence ultimately performed poorly, perhaps because they believed that their smarts would help them solve the equations without added effort. The children who were praised for their hard work performed better and proved to be more diligent and persistent in their ability to solve the math problems.

Being smart is a great quality, but focusing your praise on the process, not the outcome, can help produce a positive can-do attitude in children, regardless of other innate abilities or characteristics.

Additionally, offering praise for a child’s process can still prove to be positive if they do not achieve the result they desired. If a child is smart, and is praised for being smart but gets something wrong, they may begin to doubt their intelligence. But for children who are praised for their hard work and diligent thinking, they may be inspired to keep trying if they know the journey is ultimately worth it.

The How and the Why
Researchers claim that how you offer praise is more impactful than the words you use. For younger children, making eye contact and using their name proves to be effective, especially since marked moments like these are more likely to be remembered.

But the way in which you say things doesn’t completely trump your word choice, either. Outright negative comments are not always productive, so wording things a certain way can help inspire kids to keep trying or to explore another approach to a problem or a certain behavior. You can laud them for their ability to get certain things right, but offer help where they’re struggling while promising to let them try again at a later time.

It’s also important to keep tabs on how often you offer praise, too. Too much praise can be damaging, and over time it can lose its power. If a child hears “good job” often enough, it may not mean much of anything to them anymore. Try to be selective when it comes to certain accomplishments, but also consider picking out a specific characteristic of their accomplishment that can be focused on – instead of telling your child that you “love” every picture they draw, pick a favorite part of the drawing, whether it’s the use of color or the subject matter. Make each bit of praise count.

Overpraising, saying things like “you’re the best” or “you’re the smartest” can also be harmful as well. Parents should want their children to have a healthy sense of self-esteem, but too much can lead to arrogance and unrealistic expectations of the outside world as well.

The key is to keep self-esteem and optimism close. Encouraging kids to try harder, and applauding them for their hard work, can go a long way. There are ways you can point out areas where they can improve, but it is vital that you lend a guiding hand instead of push them in a certain direction. Keep things balanced, and pay attention to the little things.

For more parenting tips and resources please be sure to follow us here, share with your world and be sure to visit us at www.KDNovelties.com for personalized books for kids where they become the stars of their very own stories.

Teaching Kids Social Skills

Posted on January 29, 2017 | by KD Novelties

Not every kid may need help with things like reading or feeling excited about school, and the same goes for social skills. While some kids are naturally social and are skilled at it, other children may need a little help getting out the door. Some kids vary depending on their age or temperament, and others may vary in sociability depending on their home environment or other developmental factors. It helps to know where your child stands and what they may need your help with.

Generally, kids will have developed certain types of skills by certain ages. For example, kids who are 2-3 years old will generally be able to walk on their own, but they will also exhibit social behaviors such as seeking the attention of others or signaling social interaction with the basic “hi” and “bye” verbal cues. If your child does not quite align with the norm, then you will want to look into why that is and address it. Each child is different, but developing key social skills can be more easily helped with encouragement and positive reinforcement.

Social Interaction

It’s important that kids be around other kids. The way a child interacts with their peers will be different than how they interact with adults, and kids who are not exposed to other children may have a difficult time finding common ground or knowing how to relate to others their age. This is a common problem in children who may be an only child or have few cousins and other relatives to interact with, especially if they haven’t started school yet. If this is the case for your child, it’s important to keep things like parks, play dates and even daycare centers in mind. It’s important that kids learn and understand the social rules that apply to interacting with other kids, such as taking turns and playing games, which develop into other key skills, as they get older.

Teach Empathy

Sharing and taking turns are important to the foundation of social interaction among children. Being able to play together peacefully is something that all parents and guardians, and teachers and program operators, strive for when their kids spend time with others. It helps if kids understand why sharing is an important social skill, not just that it is something they should do because their parents say so. When kids are capable of understanding others, things like sharing and other signs of compassion come easy, and friendship is fast to follow.

Nonverbal Social Skills

This part can be tricky for some kids. Kids who are on the spectrum sometimes have difficulty understanding this aspect of social interaction with children and adults. However, there are ways in which you can help kids learn more about nonverbal cues and what they mean, as well as what these micro-gestures communicate. Sometimes, nonverbal actions are subconscious, but not always. They can lend insight as to what a person is feeling or thinking, even if they are not saying anything at all. Things like eye contact, body language, use of personal space and facial expressions can all say a lot about a person. What can actually help these skills are kid-friendly television shows and other programs. Many animators and actors on these programs exaggerate facial expressions and other gestures so that they are more recognizable to children, and therefore easier to pick-up on and understand. Though, it is important to note that the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that kids watch TV for a maximum of two hours a day. TV can also help kids better understand and identify tone of voice, adding layers to how a person is feeling and why as well.

All of these areas of social skill and ability will differ from child to child, but it’s important that parents are able to identify the ways in which children can be social or have issues socializing with others. Sometimes, knowing where your child is struggling can help you better identify the solution, but in some cases you may need to consult a doctor or a child psychologist if your child has other needs that may need to be addressed.

Lastly, it’s important for parents and guardians to express the importance of empathy and understanding with children, and even if your child is simply shy, helping them better understand themselves and others can help to significantly improve the friendships they have and may make in the future.

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