Category: Parenting Tips

Setting Effective Learning Goals STAIRCASE OF IMPROVEMENT I was dashing through the first big snowfall of the season with my oldest son on holiday and a great story came across the radio waves. A mom herself, the radio host began to tell the story of the orange tree. Unlike some other fruit bearing plants, the […]

Regaining Health – Role Modeling Healthy Habits   The “Quarantine 15” has been yet another horrible reality of the pandemic. Not only were we separated, friend loved ones and friends, but unstructured days, decreased motivation, and increased boredom led to unhealthy habits for families. The result, for many, has been weight gain and reduced fitness […]

Brain Training for ADHD Although Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is such a prevalent diagnosis, there are still many misconceptions surrounding it. People often assume that ADHD results from poor parenting, laziness, or some learning disorder. And with these assumptions come a wide range of approaches to “fix” the problem. However, with the lack of proper […]

Teens Need Structure Too Most often, when we think of implementing structure into our children’s lives, it is because we have a newborn that needs a feeding schedule, a toddler that needs a nap schedule, or a child that needs an activity schedule. When children become teens, they are often left to implement their schedules. […]

              Is Your Child Real World Ready?   In recent years, parenting has undergone a shift and has become hyper-focused on the child. And while care, attention, and love are necessary for forming healthy attachments and helping children reach developmental milestones, an over-protective or coddling type approach can also […]

Nature and Nurture Influencing Genes for Success Is it nature, is it nurture? That is the question. This age-old debate, in the world of psychology, has been a source of controversy for decades. At some point, all parents have toyed with thoughts of which one has most influenced their child concerning personality traits, abilities, etc. […]

  Have you ever thought about what you are washing your mask with? This past year has been a lot different for many of us. We have had to make many changes in our every day lives. One of the biggest changes we have made is MASKS. Masks have seemed to become a new part […]

The Power of Yet Developing a Mindset for Success Goal setting is a characteristic that significantly links an individual to their future success. Having the right mindset is crucial and encourages our behaviors as we encounter different challenges. Since our mindset incorporates our own beliefs about skills and abilities that we possess, we must have […]

Behavior Shaping Implementing Reinforcement Schedules Getting children to behave how we want them to can be tricky. Even with the best intentions, parents often fall short regarding enforcing positive behaviors in their children while also extinguishing negative ones. Understanding reinforcement schedules and strategies for implementing them can be beneficial to parents and create positive behavior […]

Reinforcement vs. Punishment Understanding Behavior Modification   All parents want their children to exhibit positive behaviors that will help them transition smoothly through the different stages of their development. And while parents have the best intentions, they often don’t use the most effective discipline strategies to achieve that goal. And granted, parents do their best […]

The Motivator Molecule Boosting Dopamine in Constructive Ways Nowadays it seems that children are only interested in their video games, smart phones, and social media platforms. Parents are frustrated with their children’s lack of motivation for and attention to other activities that they are at a loss as to what to do. Therefore, parents often […]

  Attachment-Seeking Reframing How We View Negative Behavior     If the pandemic has taught us anything, it has taught us to slow down and appreciate the moments we have with our loved ones. On the flip side, it has also caused some additional stressors for parents as they have had to play the role […]

Preparing Children to Return to School A Developmental Approach As we continue through the current pandemic and re-opening efforts show real challenges, school districts everywhere are trying to devise the best plans for children, teachers, and staff to return. And while there will be no perfect solution for each family, parents must consider all the […]

A 4D Approach to Online Safety Children of all ages are spending more and more time on devices. Online schoolwork and staying connected to family members are positive ways children can use technology. And while video games and social media apps are ways for children to connect and “play” with friends, these platforms are also […]

Certification Matters Three Tips to Choosing a Martial Arts School Choosing a martial arts school has always been a guessing game for most parents. Unless they have prior experience, to them, any style is coined “karate” so deciding on the best place is purely a guess. Parents generally look for a school that teaches punching […]

  Preparing Children to Return to School – A Social Approach Over the past few months, interactions have been minimal, and our social skills are rusty. Since prolonged school closures have a negative impact on children’s social development, we are now faced with how to regain skills while moving forward with new skills. Though some […]

Accepting Responsibility Teaching Children to Avoid Blame Shifting It is becoming more and more apparent that no one is to blame for everything that happens. So, if this is the case, how do we get ourselves in such turmoil if no one is responsible? Although this seems ridiculous, the use of “blame-shifting” has become the […]

Nurturing Children’s Social Development During the Pandemic For the past two months, we have been asked to socially distance ourselves from others in order to stop the spread of COVID-19. We’ve put most of our “normal” daily living routines on pause and created a secluded environment for ourselves and our children. And while many things […]

            Supporting Children’s Emotional Needs During the Pandemic Part 1 As the pandemic carries on, our coping skills are starting to unravel. For many people, this has become the ultimate emotional test. As we continue to maintain our distance from each other, not only have our social lives been halted, […]

The Benefits of Virtual Training Although not new, virtual learning has increasingly become a more widely used approach, especially in the wake of the current pandemic. Nearly everyone has been directed to stay at home, which initially seemed like a vacation but quickly became an unwanted situation. With routines upended and everyone limited with access […]

Routines – Shifting Into A New Normal The recent closures of schools and businesses are widespread and have led to major disruptions in the daily routines of families. Children are trying to adjust to doing school at home and parents are now trying to balance their new work from home life with their role as […]

Resilience: Helping Children and Teens Build Coping Skills Stress is a significant part of our lives today. And while we all experience it, children and teens have a more difficult time managing it. Academic pressure, social tensions, family stressors, etc. all impact a young person’s mental well-being. For this reason, it’s important for parents to […]

School Readiness – What Teachers Really Look For When we hear the term “school readiness,” the first thing most people think of is children knowing academic basics that will help them meet the demands of the classroom. And while these cognitive skills are important, teachers feel that skills in the other areas of child development […]

How To Manage Your Child’s Temperament Every child is born with their own unique way of interacting with the world. Some are flexible in the midst of change while others may experience stress when presented with new situations or a change in schedule. This is what is referred to as temperament. And while some temperaments […]

  How Parental Involvement Increases Child Success Parents are an essential element to their child’s success in anything. The enthusiasm and support, or lack thereof, of a parent can make or break a child’s accomplishments. In SKILLZ martial arts, it is even more essential that parents be involved as part of the teaching team since […]

How Mirror Neurons Impact Learning Learning is a big part of child development and how children learn things is dependent on a variety of factors. Much of the time, observational learning contributes to how children learn information and behaviors. This type of social learning can be greatly influential because of the role that mirror neurons […]

The Importance of Bilateral Coordination on Physical and Cognitive Skills The development of a child can be one of the most fascinating things to watch unfold. From infants mirroring movements to toddlers and children mastering high level developmental skills, the growth they experience in a short time is astounding. And while all skills are important […]

  Helping Children Set Age-Appropriate Goals The New Year has arrived, and lofty resolutions have been set. Anything from working out daily to saving money to losing weight, our society knows how to dream big! However, when big dreams aren’t broken down into smaller, achievable goals, failure often ensues. And to make matters worse, our […]

What To Expect From Your New Ninja   Martial arts has a well-known benefit of helping children develop physical skills and improve in discipline. For this reason, parents often enroll their children in some type of martial arts in order to achieve goals such as these. And while attaining these goals are possible, parents often […]

  In today’s world competition is everywhere and it often starts at a very young age. It begins as a fun, skill-developing event but can quickly become time-consuming and competitive. While some parents want their children pushed to help them learn the hard lessons of life, others want to protect their children from the disappointment […]

The Secret Senses To Better Behavior We’ve all heard of the main 5 senses; taste, touch, smell, sight, and hearing. However, there are two other, very important, senses that don’t get enough attention. Those are the vestibular sense and proprioception. These two senses are vital in the development of a child but are often overlooked, […]

AGE-SPECIFIC MARTIAL ARTS CURRICULUM – WHAT IT REALLY MEANS The term “age-specific” is used very often in education and healthcare. It has a very definite meaning and is used to describe things that are prepared specifically for the age of the child it is targeting. However, this term is often used more loosely, especially in […]

s It Rude, Is It Mean, Is It Bullying?   As they say, kids will be kids. And yes, children and teens can be unkind to their peers and feelings get hurt. The problem is when these behaviors become common and target the same person repeatedly. This is when kids being kids begins to cross […]

Oppositional Defiant Disorder A Supplemental Resource for Families Coping with Oppositional Defiant Disorder All children act out from time to time. However, children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), as defined by the Child Mind Institute, “have a well-established pattern of behavior problems that are more extreme than their peers.” Children with ODD display aggressive behaviors […]

When we think of human behavior, we often first focus on the problems or deficits that people have and how this affects their achievements, or lack thereof. Rarely is the first thought of what motivates someone and how to utilize that to help them grow and develop. Abraham Maslow’s development of the “Hierarchy of Needs” […]

Realistic Behavioral Expectations ✅The tween and teen years often feel to parents and teachers like they are back at the “terrible twos” stage. The challenges of working with children at this age can be frustrating. They are very smart but their emotions are all over the place. This can make it difficult for adults to […]

Summertime is coming to an end, and with that comes all of the back to school anxiety and jitters that are common amongst children. Your child may experience common physical effects of anxiety associated with back to school time including symptoms from stomachaches to sleeping problems. They will also experience emotional stress from the fear […]

Goal setting is one of the most highly linked characteristics to the success that individuals have. Top athletes and successful people all use goal setting. And while it is a trait that is most often associated with adolescents and adults, younger children can also benefit greatly from beginning this life skill at an early age. […]

At Home Practicing Tips!It is common knowledge that the more time and effort you can put into developing a skill the faster and farther you can become great! But after a long day at school or at the Dojo it may be hard to find the motivation to practice.Below are 3 easy steps to teach […]

  5 Tips your child’s instructor uses to put negative behavior into perspectiveAs seasoned Pediatric Ninja Specialists, we have witnessed just about every sort of behavior and outburst from working with hundreds of kids over the years. We have seen it all from playful name calling to angry tantrums. Some things are hard to not […]

Benefits to SKILLZ Training Over Summertime During the school season teachers, assistants, and counselors are focused on helping your children learn and grow. But what happens during the summer season when these people are not around? It makes sense that as a parent you would want your child to maintain some level of growth and […]

ENDORPHINS The Key to Effort and Focus in Children and Teens Endorphins are natural chemicals produced in the body to reduce pain and boost happiness. They are most often associated with exercise since the release of these “feel-good” chemicals cause a state of euphoria and is usually known as a “runner’s high.” However, most any […]

SEROTONIN: The Key To Reinforcing Positive Behaviors In Children and Teens Have you ever had a “gut feeling” about something? Have you ever considered that children have these as well? Of course they do! The problem is, they don’t know how to express this to us. They know something doesn’t feel right, so they act […]

DOPAMINE The Key to Increased Motivation and Focus in Children and Teens   Have you ever wondered why children and teens seem to be so addicted to their smart phones and other devices? Parents are frustrated with their children’s lack of attention and motivation but what do their devices have to do with this? The […]

The C.O.A.L. Method – 4 Quick and Easy Steps to Dealing with Children’s Negative Behaviors By Jennifer Salama When it comes to parenting, emotions can run high. When children act out negatively, parents often become frustrated quickly and react by trying to fix the behavior immediately by yelling, punishing, etc. However, this approach is never a […]

            Is Your Child Getting Enough Sleep?   Let’s face it, in today’s world, is anyone getting enough sleep? So many of us adults have trouble sleeping, and it’s not any different for our children. There are many reasons that contribute to the lack of sleep in children. Ranging from those […]

  3 tips to help motivate and encourage your children to do their homework without the struggle. If you have school age children, then you most likely have felt the struggles of homework time. It doesn’t have to be this way, it can be a very fun and exciting time for your children. Yes, I […]

3 Easy Tips to Motivate Your Child to Over Achieve! The ability to stay consistent with something by motivating yourself even when you feel unmotivated! With instant gratification, social media, and a growing number of distractions it is no wonder that kids have a hard time following through or reaching large goals that they set […]