RockIt Times AmuseLetter
Under
the Sea!
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Quote Of The Month It's not only children who grow.
Parents do too. As much as we watch to see what our children do with their lives,
they are watching us to see what we do with ours. I can't tell my children to
reach for the sun. All I can do is reach for it myself. Happy Birthday to us!
As a special "Thank You" to all the families who have helped make the Kid Rock and Tot Rock programs so successful, we will be giving a 10% off certificate to everyone who enrolls in classes during 2005. This certificate can be used towards a birthday party or merchandise purchase. Editorial Hello again! Boy, time sure flies and I'm happy to say that it seems to be flying the nicer weather into Chicago. Last summer, my best friend was visiting from England and we had a chance to spend some time down on Lake Michigan. He couldn't get over the fact that our "lake" was so much like their "sea"! The warmer temperatures certainly make me think of the beach, no matter where it is. Whether your summer fun includes a sea, a lake, a pool, wading tub, or even just a garden hose, you can have some fun "Under the Sea" with us by playing along with this issue. I have extra stuff here this time, so I'm not going to bore you with a long editorial this month. What's not to miss? Dorothy P. Dougherty, our returning featured author this month, has a new book due for release in May and has honored me with the opportunity to award a signed copy to one of our readers! Dorothy is truly an expert in her field and I am so happy to be able to offer this to you. Be sure to see the special "contest" area below this editorial to enter for your chance to win. I have also added a "Great Links and Freebies" section. Be sure to pick up your free Child Identification Kits from that area! I will be including cool stuff I find that I think will interest you, freebies, and great deals -- all with you and your child in mind. Hope you enjoy the issue! Best wishes for an ocean full of fun! Mari Enter This Month's Special Contest! One lucky winner will receive a signed copy of "Teach Me How to Say it Right: Helping Your Child with Articulation Problems" by our guest author Dorothy P, Dougherty, MA, CCC-SLP, Speech/Language Pathologist. This fabulous book is due to be released this month (May 2005) by New Harbinger Publications. This book teaches the parents of children with articulation problems how speech sounds develop, how to recognize developing speech problems, and how to help children make the most out of speech therapy. It also provides parents with activities to increase their child's language and articulation skills. How to enter: Contest is over! Congratulations to Nanette Maffia-Pawlowski, the winner of our autographed, first edition book, "Teach Me How to Say it Right: Helping Your Child with Articulation Problems" by our frequent guest author Dorothy P, Dougherty, MA, CCC-SLP, Speech/Language Pathologist! Reading Rocks! Recommendations
Kid Rock "Party In The Spotlight" Under the Sea Your child can swim into summer in style when you host an "Under the Sea" Kid Rock party for them! This party theme may include the following songs or other sea'rific tunes:
Reserve your party date today! Email to parties@rockitkids.com or call us at 847-961-6584. Craft Of The Month Ocean In a Bottle Materials:
Instructions:
This makes a very cute "Ocean In A Bottle", reminiscent of a snow globe. You can also add a small amount of blue food coloring to the water, if you'd like. Note: You may want to seal the lid with Super Glue to avoid accidental opening. Having a party? Don't forget to invite Kid Rock! If you are in our neighborhood, we happily provide stress-free, interactive children's party entertainment for any function. Or, make it a Kid Rock day no matter where you live, with our perfectly assembled gift bags and party favors! Visit the official Kid Rock
website at http://www.rockitkids.com/ Snack Of The Month Fishing For a Snack A great snack that doubles as a fine motor skill developing game! Fill a small cup with goldfish crackers. Supply a pile of pretzel rods to use as "fishing poles" along with some peanut butter to use as "bait". Have your child dip their pretzel fishing pole into the peanut butter bait, then "catch fish" by snagging a fish with the sticky bait! Fun AND nutritious! Music Rocks! Recommendations
Motor Activity Of The Month Fishey Pokey You
put your left fin in, take your left fin out. You put your right fin in... (Continue on with gill, tail, head.) Special Guest Article MAY IS BETTER HEARING
AND SPEECH MONTH - May, Better Hearing and Speech Month, is a great time to take a close look at your child's ability to speak clearly. Learning to say all sounds correctly is a gradual process and often a young child's pronunciation of sounds is endearing and not a cause for concern. However, if your child's speech sounds significantly different from his age peers, or he frequently avoids talking because he is hard to understand, he may have a speech sound disorder. Articulation disorders, difficulty saying speech sounds correctly, is identified in approximately one million preschool children each year. Research suggests that problems with articulation, if left unchecked, can lead to reading and spelling difficulties, social challenges, and self-esteem problems. What Did You Say? Below you will find guidelines - or the predictable order that many children develop their ability to speak clearly. You should be able to answer yes to the questions listed below that pertain to your child's age level. 1. Do you understand approximately 25 percent of what your eighteen-month-old child is saying? 2. Do you understand approximately 60 -75 percent of what your two-year-old child is saying? 3. Do family members and caregivers understand your three-year-old child's speech? Does he correctly produce vowels and such sounds as: p/, /b/, /m/, and /w/ in words. Does he repeat, when not understood, without becoming frustrated? 4. Do people with whom you do not associate with regularly understand your four-year-old child when he speaks? Does he correctly produce the /t/, /d/, /k/, /g/ and /f/ sounds? 5. Is your five-year-old child's speech understood by most listeners in all situations? 6. Is your child, who is eight to nine years of age, able to make all the sounds of his language correctly, including /r/, /s/, /z/, and consonantal blends (For example: /pl/, /tr/, /st/, and /sk/). Are you Helping Your Child Learn to Talk? The
strongest resource any child can have is a well-informed parent who knows which
speech sounds are normal, which are not, and how to help a child say speech sounds
when they are developmentally ready. Review the following questions and answers,
and take a close look at how you interact with your child. Speaking clearly and naturally includes establishing eye contact, speaking at an easy-to-understand rate, and saying sounds precisely. Do you ask your child to repeat a word
she has said incorrectly? In most cases, it is wise not to ask your child to repeat a word after she has said it incorrectly. (Of course, if your child is participating in speech therapy, follow the speech/language pathologist's instructions.) Many children are not able to say a sound correctly because they do not hear the difference between the correct and incorrect production of the sound. Therefore, give your child many opportunities to hear the sound modeled (said) correctly. As you repeat the word, over-enunciate the sound your child is mispronouncing by saying it louder and longer. Continue talking and make the troublesome word a natural part of your conversation. For example: Child:
"I see a dot." Do you praise your child
often? It's important to recognize your child's strengths often. Perhaps she can climb the jungle gym faster than all her friends, or she can build a fantastic castle with her legos. Let her know that you are proud of her when she makes sounds correctly too. Example: "I like how you said look, not wook," rather than saying just, "Good." Your pleasure and excitement will motivate your child to speak and will also contribute to her self-esteem. Do you pretend to understand your child even when you don't?
In most cases, it's best to gently tell your child that you are having trouble understanding what she is trying to tell you, rather than pretending to understand her words. Try to focus on what she says, rather than how she is saying it. Show by your words and actions that you are trying to understand. Try understanding just one word. Use that word to ask her questions. If possible, encourage your child to point or show you what she is talking about. You might ask, "Can you help me understand, please?" If your child feels she needs to help you, and that you (not she) have a problem, she may repeat her words more slowly, try to say them another way, or point or use some sort of gesture to be your helper. Show your acceptance with nonverbal responses such as smiles, hugs, and friendly words.
Of course, you would never allow anyone to tease, laugh, or imitate your child's speech mistakes. Privately, talk to her preschool teacher or babysitter and explain her difficulties with sounds. When your child is obviously frustrated and needs your help, step into the role of translator.
Children who must struggle to communicate often feel self-conscious or apprehensive, especially when facing the unknown. Talk to your child about a new situation she may be facing. Rehearse the words she might hear or say in this situation. Ask your librarian to help you find a book about an upcoming situation, such as a trip to the hospital, the birth of a new sibling, or the first day at school. Finding Help To find a private speech/language pathologist close to your home, you can look in the yellow pages, call the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (1-800-638-8255), or go to the ASHA website www.asha.org and click on "Find a Professional." This will certainly set your mind at ease if you learn your child is developing as he should, or getting help, at an early age, will make treatment easier. You can relax and have fun helping your child reach his true potential. About the Author: Subscriber Talk! I love your newsletter! I am the President of a MOMS Club chapter in Temecula, California and love sharing your ideas. Thanks for all you hard work. Us Moms in Southern California love
it! Thanks so much, Jackie! I have a great time putting the issues together and it's wonderful to hear that people enjoy it as much as I do! Have a great day and thanks for being a subscriber! Mari Do you have comments or suggestions for us? We love to hear and share what our readers think! Please send your feedback to us at: rockittimes@rockitkids.com Great Links and Freebies Check out these great links for parents and caregivers!
General & Unsubscribe Info Rock It Times © Copyright Rock-It Productions, Inc., except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. Reprint only with permission from copyright holder(s). All trademarks are property of their respective owners. All contents provided as is. No express or implied income claims made herein. This ezine may be accessed online at: http://rockittimes.rockitkids.com You may subscribe to our AmuseLetter by visiting our website at: http://rockittimes.rockitkids.com or by sending any email to RockItTimes@onfireteam.cc Unsubscribe any time by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email you receive announcing your new AmuseLetter issue. Please feel free to use excerpts from this AmuseLetter as long as you give credit with a link to our page: http://rockittimes.rockitkids.com Mari Peckham RockIt
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