Summative Paper

EDMS 200

Educational Media Studies 200

Nunavut Arctic College, Iqaluit, Nunavut

http://willrichardson.com/

Our first EDMS class, we were to become familiar with online environments.  Our first task as a class was to sign up on www.ning.com.  Once we had an account, we were to add information to our profile, add a few pictures, and comment on our classmates’ profiles.  We were provided a textbook called Blogs, Wikis, and Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms written by Will Richardson.  As a class, we used the textbook as a guide.  The textbook contains resourceful information for Internet use in educational settings.  There are seven Read-Write Web Tools described in the text:

1.       Weblogs

2.       Wikis

3.       Real Simple Syndication (RSS)

4.       Aggregators

5.       Social Bookmarking

6.       Online Photo Galleries

7.       Audio/Video Casting

According to Berners Lee, the original Read/Write Web “was to make it a collaborative medium, a place where we [could] all meet and read and write”.  Writing to the Web required knowledge of the HTML codes.  Today, there is a huge use of Internet publishing tools.  Many people can publish their thoughts, communicate with one other, post photos, and share files. 

The educators who choose to take advantage of the Read/Write Web in the classroom will benefit their students in many ways.  Students can easily collaborate with other students and people around the world, all at the tip of their fingers!

I enjoyed the EDMS 200 course, because I learned a lot of the Read/Write Web.  I definitely would make use of the Read/Write Web in a classroom because it would allow students to be able to express themselves freely.  It’s easy, it’s fun, and it’s all about learning.  I take advantage of the Web for personal and social reasons.  I enjoyed learning how the Web can be beneficial in an educational setting, and made an effort to put to use my skills.

The first widely used publishing tool of the Read/Write Web is Blogs.

www.ndesign-studio.com

Weblogs: are Web sites that consist of a series of entries arranged in reverse chronological order, often updated with new information on different subjects.  The information can be updated by the site owner, gleaned from other Web sites or resources, or contributed by users.  According to Will Richardson, Weblogs are “logs of our times”.  Weblogs are devoted to one or several subjects and themes, usually   our topic of interest.  Most Weblogs are moderated discussions.  There are Weblogs created as a social network.  The most popular sites are Facebook and MySpace; however, users are not using the sites as a learning tool. 

Weblogs are being used as a teaching tool in many schools.  Weblogs are a great way for instructors to provide information, and record students’ progress and work.  Blogging has a positive impact on students.  Blogs can:

-              Promote critical and analytical thinking

-              Be a powerful promoter of creative, intuitive, and associational thinking

-              Promote analogical thinking       

-              Be a power medium for increasing access and exposure to quality information

-              Combine the best of solitary reflection and social interaction

 In class, we signed up for an account on the blogger site, and wrote 6 entries.  I checked different blog sites, before I decided to write my first blog.  I enjoyed blogging because it gave me the chance to express myself in different ways with: personal reflections, photos, videos, information, and links.  I also decided to challenge myself with my topic of interest.  My topic of interest was Child Growth and Development.  I chose this topic because it would be great to know how children grow and develop, especially if I am studying my way to become a teacher.  It would be good to know where I can find all the information, as my daughter is growing.

The word wiki is the short form of the Hawaiian “wiki-wiki”, meaning “quick”.  Wikis are simple pages that groups, friends, families can edit together.  Wikis are powered by wiki software and are used collaboratively by multiple users.  Wikis sites are easy because you can edit anything anytime.  The Wikipedia site is an encyclopedia of the sum of human knowledge.  Wikipedia allows the collaborative construction of updated knowledge and truth; in which, anyone can freely edit, modify or reuse the information provided.  The Wikipedia site allows users to discuss the content they would like to provide on the site.  Wikipedia has three links:

-          Edit Page – you can edit information

-          Page History – you can see when changes were made, by whom, and what was changed.  Also, you can easily use the history list to revert back to a previous page.

-          Discussion – allows editors or contributors to negotiate what will be displayed

One of the challenges for Wikipedia is that educators don’t often allow their students to use Wikipedia as a reference, due to the anonymity of the authors who created the source. 

I often use Wikipedia to gather information regarding my topic of interest.  Once I have gathered necessary information from the site, I often look to see if references are provided.  The references give me an idea of what other sources are available for my topic of interest.  I like how Wikipedia provides interesting facts and information from different authors worldwide!

RSS:  stands for “Really Simple Syndication”.  RSS is a type of language called XML.  The code is referred to as a feed, news feed; which makes it possible for anyone to subscribe to content that is created on a Weblog.  The use of RSS is very beneficial because RSS allows you to subscribe to any content from a Weblog or search engine, in just a few clicks.  With RSS, it also allows you to subscribe to feeds without the hassle of viruses or spam.   Here is how simple it is!  Setting up an RSS Feed Reader:

1.        You need an aggregator to collect your RSS feeds.  Google Reader is free, easy and includes different ways you can begin publishing and connecting the news and information.

2.       You can choose “News on Feeds” from www.tinyurl.com/2x7zhs

3.       When you sign up for a Google account for Blogger, your Reader account is ready.  Check out www.Google.com/reader

4.       Check out a few sites that interest you, subscribe and voila!  The information you subscribed to is provided on your Weblog.

Aggregators refer to a Web site or computer software that aggregates a specific type of information from multiple online sources.  Here are the different types of Aggregators:

-          News Aggregator – computer software or website that aggregates news from other sources

-          Poll Aggregator – a website that aggregates polling data for upcoming elections

-          Review Aggregator – a website that aggregates reviews of movies or other products and services

-          Search Aggregator – software that runs on a user`s computer and fetches, filters, and organizes a specific search from various search engines

-          Social Network Aggregator – the collection of content from multiple social network services

-          Video Aggregator – a website that collects and organizes online video sources

-          Insurance Aggregator – a website that aggregates insurance policies and premiums to offer comparison service

I find the RSS tool to be very beneficial.  Whenever I log onto one of my sites, the RSS provides me updated information on feeds that I have subscribed to.  My favorite feed is Nunatsiaq News because it always provides updated information about news in Nunavut.

Social Bookmarking refers to saving links by annotating them with unique keywords or tags to organize them.  Social Bookmarking is a great way of gathering all of your content together on a Web page and sharing with the world.  A lot of popular Web sites bookmark keywords, which is beneficial for others because it is a great way of connecting with others who have the same interests as you.  According to Will Richardson, “social bookmarking sites complete the circle: RSS lets us read and connect with what others write; now we can read and connect with what others read as well”. 

I have a piczo photo site (not completed) and there are so many tools I can choose from.  I can publish photos in many artistic ways.  I remember searching the site for backgrounds and coming upon a page loaded with tags.  There were so many backgrounds that I can choose from and save.

www.shutterthemes.com

Online Photo Galleries:  the online photo gallery we were introduced to was Flickr.  Flickr is a Web-based digital photography site.  Flickr also hosts videos.  The site also provides different ways of presenting your photos. 

Many educators use the Flickr site to gather photos of celebrations, events, and fieldtrips.  Students can be added to the photo stream to share their photos and thoughts.  Flickr also allows educators to restrict viewers when you upload photos.  There is an RSS feed that is beneficial for educators, Flickr allows the “Recent Comments” link to track what students are writing. 

I had a bit difficulty uploading photos to my Flickr page; however, I did manage to get 5 photos uploaded.  I realized that I should start taking class photos from now on, because it would be great to share photos.  I think it’s great when someone is constantly taking photos of what they do because it allows the person to revert back to a certain period of time.  Photos can also be used to provide evidence or proof of a subject.  In an educational setting, I would definitely use this tool for: projects, celebrations, and portfolios.

In this short video, I attempted to record myself speaking about what I liked about the EDMS 200 course; however, my daughter was curious and eventually wouldn't have allowed me to record all that I wanted to. 

Audio/Video Casting is often referred to as podcasts.  Podcasts are digital media files (audio or video) that are released and downloaded through web syndication.  Popular sites that provide audio/video casting are YouTube and Google Video.

Educators can make use of audio/video casting by allowing students to provide information through audio or video.  For ex: if a student is doing a project on "How plants react to certain elements", the student provide results with recording.  There are many uses for audio and video. 

Personally, I do not like to record myself for personal purposes; however, I do enjoy recording my daughter because I like to reflect on her growth.  As a student, studying to become an educator, I would make use of audio and video by allowing students to become familiar with the tool, and allowing them to record educational content.

Great Tips For Your Growing Child

As parents, we have many roles: cook, driver, coach, motivator.  However, the best role we have as parents is being a teacher to our child.  My daughter now is 17 months, and I have introduced to her many things since birth. 

Even during my pregnancy, I would talk, read and sing to my daughter.  I often played loud music while cleaning or cooking, and she would kick like crazy. 

Today, my daughter enjoys reading, writing, drawing, playing, singing and dancing.  Her favourite song is "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star", she often requests me to sing it to her at night before she sleeps.

As parents, we often intentionally and unintentionally teach our children different things.  There are behaviours we try to establish early on, such as: washing hands, sleeping early, brushing teeth, reading, and sharing.  There are certain behaviours that your child may see and act on: such as watching a show on television that involves profanity, watching others hit, and demanding things.  As a parent, your child will always be involved in something that you may not like; however, there are certain ways to deal with it:

- Talk to your child and have him/her understand that behaviour is not acceptable
- Give your child reasons as to why the behaviour is unacceptable
- Inform your child of the outcomes of their behaviour
- Allow your child to decide on his actions

As parents, it may be difficult to see your child engaging in certain behaviours such as: your toddler hitting you, or demanding things.

- Stop your toddler from hitting you by gently holding his/her hands
- Look directly at the child, and firmly tell him/her that it is not acceptable
- Put him/her in time-out for a few minutes until he/she calms down

There are high-risk activities that your child may encounter.  Adolescents tend to engage in activities that may affect their well-being:

- Alcohol Use
- Drug Use
- Sex
- Running Away
- Gambling
- Stealing
- Fighting
- Gang Activity

These activities tend to be difficult to deal with, because adolescents feel the need to be involved in these activities due to peer pressure.  Peer pressure is difficult to address, because your child needs to feel that they are allowed to make their own decisions.  However, there are ways you can deal with such high-risk activity:

- Speak to a counsellor
- Speak to your child's teachers and principal
- Seek support through family, friends, or groups


I grew up in many communities across the North.  I've lived in the Northwest Territories, all three regions of Nunavut, and Alberta; therefore, I know a lot of people.  I participated in many activities such as sports, cadets, markmanship and student exchanges.  I have a lot of great friends that I met in these groups, whom I still keep in touch with today.  Many of them are parents (single and coupled) and I enjoy sharing our thoughts around our child's growth.  Here is what they had to say:

- My classmate and friend Nadia said that it would be best for your child to learn to sleep alone independently.  Rather than having to sleep with your child ALL the time, because her son constantly wants to sleep with her.  Here is her comment "DONT let your baby get used to sleeping with you, no matter how tired you are. (I used to bring Kian into my bed after his feedings beause I would just be so tired.. and now hes 4, and Im still fighting for my bed back lol)"

- My friend Skye stated that reading to your child at an early age establishes a great connection with your child, and allows your child to learn.  Here is what she said "read early to your babies..it really helps..", and "I read to Lee at 6 months old, he has loved books ever since, & he is one grade ahead - he should be in grade nine, he's in ten..."

- My mentor Meeka stated that reading and staying home with your child is important.  Staying home with your child allows you to and your child to feel comfortable in your own setting.  Here is what she had to say "Yes, read n singing. And staying home with your baby.."

- My friend Becky agreed with Skye and Meeka about reading.  She also brought up serving milk to toddlers at an early age.  Here is her comment: "I second the reading and singing... singing to Aiden really helped him to learn new words and to love singing all sorts of songs.", and "And introduce milk early on! I started giving him 3% milk after he turned one and he loves it."

- My friend Pitsiulala said "Take as many photos as you can! I love all my photos of my kids :) From birth to date

- A wonderful lady who I met recently named Ida added in her own comment: "‎1 tip - don't have another child? LOL! (but thats my tip)".  I found her comment to be very funny, because I feel the same way.  I do not want another child, one is good enough for me.

- A former instructor who's name is Kim; who is not a parent, but is a great instructor said: "am not a parent but explaining why very important, I completely wholeheartedly agree with the reading with your child - first it gives them love - snuggling with mom or dad to read, second it helps with literacy... let them be creative, rem...ember that they are human too so they are ALLOWED being angry and like adults how you act in your angry is what gets punished not the anger itself, don't let them rule the roost - NO is NO no matter how much they cry and beg (depending on what you are saying NO to), singing is important... make sure they get vegetables early on... watch a movie with them...".

- Another wonderful lady named Lily added in her own comment: "speak your mother tongue at home, not speak English all the time. I love hearing small children speak their language".

I would like to thank the ladies who shared their tips with me on my facebook site.  Most of the ladies who shared their comments are parents, with the exception of Kim.  Many of the ladies have been parents for years, some single, and some coupled.  Kim has been working as an educator for years, she has a lot of experience working with kids.  I thought sharing information from mother's around Nunavut would be beneficial for others because sometime's as parents we forget information.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Abraham Maslow came up with a theory about psychology.  In 1943, Maslow wrote a paper called A Theory in Human Motivation.  His theory states that human beings are motivated by curiousity.  Maslow studied exemplary people such as Albert Einstein and Eleanor Roosevelt and determined that "the study of crippled, stunted, immature, and  unhealthy specimens can yield only a cripple psychology and a cripple philosophy".  Maslow also studied the healthiest 1% of the student population.

Maslow's Hierarchy is seen as the shape of a pyramid, with the largest and most fundamental level needs at the bottom, with the need of self-actualization at the top.  The order is as follows:

Physiological Needs: are obvious.  These needs are required for human survival.  When these requirements are not met, the human body cannot function.  Air, water and food are necessary for animals and humans to function.  Clothing and shelter provided protection from elements (mother nature). 

Safety Needs: When an individual has their physical needs satisfied, the individual's safety needs become dominant.  When the safety needs become absent (wars, natural disasters, and violence) people often experience post-traumatic stress disorder, and trans-generational trauma transfer.  In the absence of economic safety - due to economic crisis or lack of employment opportunities - the needs manifest in preferences such as job security, grievance procedures, savings accounts, insurance policies, and reasonable disability accomodations.  Safety and security needs include:

- Personal security
- Financial security
- Health and well-being
- Safety nets against accidents/illnesses and their impacts

Love and Belonging:  after the safety needs of the individual have been fulfilled, the third layer of human needs are social, and involve feeling of belongingness.  The need is especially strong in children, and can override the need for safety as witnessed in children who have abusive parents.  Deficiencies such as hospitalization, neglect, shunning, and ostracism can deeply affect an individual's ability to form and maintain significant relationships, such as:

- Friendship
- Intimacy
- Family

Human beings needs to feel a sense of belonging and acceptance, whether it comes from a large group (football team, classrooms, offices) or small social connections (family, friends.  We need to feel love and be loved (both sexually and non-sexually) by others.  In absence of these needs, people often resort to loneliness, social anxiety and clinical depression.  This need for belonging can often overcome the physiological and security needs, depending the strength of peer pressure.

Esteem: all human beings need to be respected, have self-esteem and self-respect.  Esteem allows the normal human desire to feel accepted and valued by others.  People need to engage themselves to gain recognition, and engage in activities to give the person a sense of value.  People with low self-esteem need to be respected by others.  They may seek gain or glory, which depends on others.  The only way people with low self-esteem can feel valued, is to accept themselves first.  Psychological imbalances may affect an individual's ability to obtain self-esteem.

Maslow noted two versions of esteem needs, a lower one and a higher one. The lower one is the need for the respect of others, the need for status, recognition, fame, prestige, and attention. The higher one is the need for self-respect, the need for strength, competence, mastery, self-confidence, independence and freedom.


Self-Actualization:  "What a man can be, he must be".  At this level, individuals realize and gain their full potential.  Maslow describes this desire as a desire to become everything that one is capable of becoming.  The only way one can master this need is by achieving all the previous needs.

Viktor Frankl later added Self-transcendence to create his own version of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.


I believe that as a student, studying to become an educator, it is great to know information regarding Maslow's Hierarchy of needs because these needs are essential in life.  I remember the first time I went to school, there were a lot of students going to school hungry. 

Hunger is a major issue in many schools across Nunavut.  Not many of the students were able to function on their school work because they were hungry.  Safety is another major issue in Nunavut, many families live with abuse of all sorts (alcohol, drugs, gambling, violence).  Weather is another safety issue in Nunavut, because some communities have major blizzards halting all travels, businesses, schools, and homes. 

Love and belonging, I feel, is a very special need because children love feeling that they belong.  I find that the only way my daughter can open up to new people, is by the individual opening up and showing affection.  Children are able to function a whole lot better; therefore, in turn the child is able to develop self-esteem. 

Children who have high self-esteem may be able to reach self-actualization, even at a young age.  When children are brought up in a healthy environment that encourages growth and development, they are establishing behaviours.  These behaviours are often brought into adolescence, and adulthood.

There are so many unfortunate events happening worldwide, because people's needs are not being met: hunger, homelessness, poverty, bullying, etc.

I decided to find resources online that may benefit your needs:

Meditation

Addressing the Needs of Children

Mental Health

Parenting

"The art of mothering is to teach the art of living to children" - Elain Heffner

Parenting is defined as: is the process of raising a child from birth until adulthood.  Parenting is usually done by the biological parents of the child; however, the government and society takes a role on parenting as well.  Abandoned or orphaned children are often taken into parental care either by adoption, foster care or orphaned.

The goals of parenting are often debated.  Usually parents provide physical needs, protection from harm, impart skills and cultural value.

On June 20, 2010 - I became a parent for the first time.  Since then, my life has changed in all aspects of life - physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially.

Physically - During my pregnancy my body changed in many ways: morning sickness, change in hormones, and taking extra care of myself by eating healthy, and making healthy choices.

I have been breastfeeding my daughter from birth; therefore, I still have to eat healthy to provide nutrients for my daughter.  After giving birth, my body still was adjusting to a change in hormones.  For the first couple of months after my daughter's birth, I often lacked sleep due to my daughter's eating and sleeping schedule.  She would often sleep for 2-3 hours at a time and wake for a feeding.  It wasn't until a little after she turned one years old that I started getting regular hours of sleep.  She now stays up most of the day, with the occasional 1-3 naps a day; however, she sleeps all night with 2-3 feedings throughout the night.  It is normal for parents to feel tired, especially with the amount of parenting children require.  It is always great to have family and friends you can rely on for support.

Mentally - For the first couple of months my mind was fixated on my daughter.  All I could think about was my daughter's well-being.  I was cautious with everything I did, which is normal for first-time parents.  If you ever need professional support; you can go and see a counsellor, mental health worker, or social worker. 

Emotionally: I was very emotional during pregnancy, and especially after the birth of my daughter.  I cried a lot, later on I found out that I was suffering from post-partum depression.  I spoke to my doctor regarding my condition and he said that it is normal to suffer from post-partum depression because at the time I was so new to being a mother.  I became a single mother when my daughter was 6 months of age.  I went to go live in the same community as my parents and siblings for support.  My parents often taken care of my daughter when I need time to myself; especially when I have assignments and meetings to get to.  I often keep in touch with friends who are mothers as well, because it is great to share and discuss ideas and thoughts regarding our lives.

Financially: To raise a child costs a lot of money.  I googled images about the cost of raising children in Nunavut and here is the result I came up with:

The content of the photo is limited as to what you can read.  Here is the link to the site.

The first few years of a child are the most important for healthy growth and development.  Young children need safety, security, and love to feel good about themselves and others.  It is normal for parents to feel unsure about their child's growth and development.  Parents who engage in positive and consistent parenting at an early age face less issues with adolescent mental health, learning outcomes, social skills and risk-taking behaviour.

For a good start:  It's always important to get your child immunized.  Here is a link with information about immunizations:  A Parent's Guide to Immunizations

When my daughter has been immunized, I often keep a bottle of tylenol handy in case the immunization causes her to have a fever.


As a single parent, I often have little time to myself.  My daughter goes to daycar full-time, while I am a full-time student.  My daughter and I have been in and out of the hospital numerous times in the last month.  I often have to stay home with my daughter during school, at times my dad, mom or sister will watch my daughter so I can make it to class.  I am very thankful that I have the support of my family.  My parents often have my daughter over at their place, so I can get study or get homework done.  It is not easy being a single parent.  Cleaning up is also an important part of my schedule.  Sweeping, mopping, sanitizing, dishes, laundry, etc. can take a lot of time.  At times, I am so drained physically.  However, there are many ways to manage parenting:

- Have a support system that you can rely on when needed (family, friends, professional workers, groups, etc)
- Take time out for yourself when needed.  I often watch my favourite shows at night when my daughter is sleeping, or go for short walks after finishing an assignment.
- Have fun with your child!  Play, read, write, draw, talk, sing, go for walks.  Children enjoy being entertained. 
- Introduce something new to your child, perhaps something new to you as well.  Go somewhere different and do something different.  Get involved in child friendly groups such as reading groups.
- Ask a family member, friend to help you clean up, or entertain your child.
- Get plenty of rest.  You need it!  Take a nap with your child.
- When your child is sleeping, you can get whatever chores you need to get done or simply relax.


There are some parents whose living situations may affect their ability to effectively parent (divorce, death in family, addictions, illness) their child.  However, there are resources:

- Medical Services (Hospital, Clinics)
- Social Services
- Counselling Services
- Family
- Friends

Child Growth and Development from 12-24 Months

"Peek-a-Boo.  I see you mommy"

I decided to do some research on a health website regarding toddler growth and development.  I found this information to be very useful and here is what I came up with:

- Between 12-24 months, your child's brain is rapidly growing.  Most toddlers can talk, walk and remember a lot of things.  There are many changes taking place, and are grouped into five areas:

- Physical growth:  your child will grow about 3 to 5 inches in height, and gain about 3 to 5 pounds.

- Cognitive Development:  is the child's ability to think, learn and remember.  Your child will start to remember events, actions, understand symbols, imagine, pretend and play.

- Emotional and Social Development:  toddlers often form strong emotional attachments (usually to a parent or guardian) and often feel uneasy around strangers.  Around this time, toddlers usually want to do things on their own, and according to their own wishes.  At this stage there tends to be conflict, confusion and occasional breakdowns.

- Language Development:  Between 15-18 months a toddler understands 10 or more words.  By the second birthday, a toddler can speak 50-100 words.

- Sensory and Motor Development:  Motor skills develop at this age - your child gains control and coordination to become steady walkers.  Climbing, running and jumping occurs afterwards.

 

Routine Check-ups

It is always great to schedule well-child check-ups for your toddler at: 12, 15, 18 and 24 months of age.  During the examination your health care provider will check to see if your child is growing as expected.  Your health care provider will also ask you questions regarding your child's development.  Immunizations are usually given if needed. 

Online Educational Resources

accesscharity.ca

As a first-year student enrolled in the Nunavut Teacher Education Program, one of the skills I am practicing is to research different topics from many perspectives.  Research is a great way of acquiring all sorts of information on any given topic.  The type of research I am conducting is on child growth and development.  The reason I chose the topic is because I believe that any information is beneficial, especially if I want to teach in the future. 

Children learn and respond quickly from the information they are given from their educators.  Adult educators are to provide educational information that children can benefit from.  Information that is appropriate to the child's age should always be taken into consideration.  One great way of providing educational information is through the Internet.

The Internet world is full of endless possibilities.

Finding the right sites is not an easy task; however, there are tips that you can benefit from:

-Searching the net with a search engine (google, yahoo, askjeeves) using key words.  For example: you are doing research on "cigarettes".  The search engine will automatically come up with millions of sites, but not the exact information you are looking for.  Using keywords such as "the disadvantages of smoking cigarettes" may give you the information you need.

-After reviewing a few sites, choosing the most appropriate, and up-to-date sites is your next step.  Most sites include information about the author, date published,  etc.  Do a little bit of research about the author: who is he/she?  what are his/her beliefs?  what is his/her purpose in the information given?

-Creating your own blog with website addresses is a great way of preserving your resources.  There are many blog sites to choose from: with and without cost.  Choosing the right blog site depends on your requirements. 

Here are a few blog sites you may choose from:

www.blogger.com

www.wordpress.com

www.thoughts.com



I am keeping a record of different sites that I have come across, and saving it to my blog.  The upside is that I can always come back to my blog site and voila - the information is still there without the use of paper.  I can also update my information in a few easy clicks.  Here is a list of educational resources:

http://www.educationcity.com/

http://www.blogtopsites.com/sitedetails_26034.html

http://www.seussville.com/games_hb/storymaker/story_maker.html

http://www.first-school.ws/

http://www.magickeys.com/books/







How to Deal with Toddler Temper Tantrums

"Toddlers have their bad days - but temper tantrums are another thing."

I reviewed a few sites about toddlers having temper tantrums because I have a 16 month-old daughter who has temper tantrums on a regular basis. Being a single mom, and going to school full-time, while raising a toddler is not always easy. 

Almost every morning, my daughter throws herself to the floor, gets irritated about every little thing, throws her toys at me, and demands that I fix everything for her.  Meanwhile, I am scrambling to get her ready for daycare, so I can make it to school on time.  This occurs after I pick her up from daycare as well.  I often struggle with preparing her for a bath, even a nap.  After she has had her nap, she continues to demand that everything goes her way up until bed time. When she wants something her way, she wants it her way, and no other way. 

I needed to find some different perspectives on how to deal with my toddler having temper tantrums.  I read a blog site written by Criscordero on how to deal with toddler temper tantrums.  Here is the link to the site:

http://zaria.12sun.net/2011/09/27/how-to-deal-with-toddler-temper-tantrums/

His blog site explains that children between the ages of 1-2 often have tantrums because:

- their world is fairly straightforward

- it is their way of ordering, and putting things in place

- they are tired

- they are frustrated

- they are coming down with something (like a cold, fever, flu)

- they are trying to gain control over their daily activities

- and the parent/guardian is not always available to play, sing, read, and hold the toddler

There are ways to avoid fatiguing tantrums:

- When you notice that your child is getting tired, you can lay down with him/her down for a nap, which is also a great way of connecting with your child.

- If you are busy and can't attend to your child immediately, you can give him/her a toy or food to distract him/her for awhile.

Toddlers are at the age of understanding their sense of "self", and they are different individuals from their parents/guardians.  Toddlers have their limited ways of expressing their needs.  When they are denied whatever they are seeking, they will often have a tantrum.  Once your child is becoming independent, there are good ways of bringing out their good behaviour.  You can involve them in decision making, or you can give them independent tasks such as: making their bed, throwing the garbage, putting away toys when done playing, sitting down at the table when wanting a snack.  You also must be firm and consistent with behaviour that is inappropriate.  When your child is having a tantrum the best way is to deal with it is to ignore them, but not leave them alone.  If you leave your child alone, he/she may think you are abandoning him/her.  If your child is having a tantrum that involves disruptive or aggressive behaviour - the best course of action is to take the child to a quiet place and have a time-out until he/she calms down.  They key to successfully dealing with tantrums is not to lose your own temper.  If you are unable to remain calm during the process, put the child in their time-out, and give yourself a few moments to gain yourself. 

I find this information to be very useful because I often do not know how to handle my daughter's tantrums.  There are times when I do get frustrated and walk out of her sight, just to give myself a few moments to calm myself.  Many of the reasons for her tantrums to occur is because she is either tired or hungry, and simply just requires help with some of her daily activities.  As a mother, I often have to take extra time out to spend with my daughter.  When she is sleeping, I often give myself time to do get things done: such as watching tv, getting daily tasks done, doing homework.  Etc.  The pay off is rewarding because I feel that I have accomplished my tasks, while handling my daughter and her tantrums.

I also checked out another blog site that might be useful.  It is about rewarding toddlers who behave well.  Check it out:

http://www.parentree.in/Parentree-editors/journal-2628/Ideas-for-rewarding-young-children-for-good-behaviour.html