Birthday Gift

Everyone loves a special gift on their birthday: especially our kids! I have put together a list of 10 memorable gifts you can gift your children on their birthday without breaking the bank.

Art supplies: almost all kids enjoy crayons, markers, stickers, colored pencils, gel pens, special papers and scissors, sidewalk chalk, water colors, homemade rubber stamps, “how to draw” books calligraphy instructions, or origami instructions and colored paper. An art supply gift not only encourages the youngsters to use their imagination, but it can be an extra treat when you spend time with them using them.

Books are always great gifts for any age: you can get musical or squeaky books for the little ones, short stories for preschoolers, adventure books for 9-11 year olds, and so on: there is a book for every taste. You can also buy books about your child’s interests, books about careers, etc.

A classic movie, which never goes out of style, great for when friends come over, or on that day when they are bored and nothing else could help.

For older boys, a tool kit would be great: gives them the opportunity to work side by side with dad, and possibly learn a life skill.

For older girls, beads could mean hours of fun. Buy a variety of colors and shapes and watch you little princess enjoy hours of happiness.

To the gourmand give a roll of sugar cookie dough from the grocery store, along with a couple of cookie cutters, and a rolling pin. Again, this would be a lot of fun for the little one to make, and share with friends and family.

For the nature lover, a gardening kit with a couple of small pots filled with potting soil, some seeds, and a plastic watering can give countless hours of fun, while caring for the plants, and watching them grow.

A disposable camera will add a boost to the party. If your budget permits, add a small picture album, and you’ve instantly created wonderful memories of that birthday.

A basket of fun: find an inexpensive basket, or another container, maybe a pail for kids and fill it with fun, cheap stuff. For instance, silly putty, a water gun, a deck of cards, sidewalk chalk, etc. For boys, you can add some little cars and for girls, throw in some hair accessories. Finish it off with some candy or a pez dispenser and you have a fun gift. If you find some fun, small things that most kids think are neat, pick up a bunch so that at any time you have a supply of items to mix and match for a birthday.

Children crave attention from important people in their lives, (mom, dad, grandparent, aunt, older sibling). Give that special child the gift of time: a day out with you complete with lunch, a movie, and/or shopping for the gift of their choice.

Bully

Both boys and girls are most commonly bullied for being different, not fitting in, or lacking social skills. If your child has a handicap, has a hard time making friends, or fitting in with others, they have increased risk factors for being bullied. Children with differences such as small stature, physical defects, or cognitive difficulties are also at an increased risk factors for being bullied. Even if your child conforms to normal standards, they may have increased risk factors for being bullied if they are unpopular or are friends with other children who are bullied. Sometimes bullies even target children who are popular and confident because they are jealous so no child is safe from bullying.

Another risk factor for being bullied is bullying others. Children who bully others often find themselves as a target of bullying after they have victimized others. If your child bullies others, they may become the target of retaliation and become the victims themselves even after they stop victimizing others because the children they hurt want revenge. Warning signs of bullying behavior include general aggression, impulsiveness, the need to dominate, inability to cope with problems and the inability to empathize with others. If your child seems like the type that would bully others, they have increased risk factors for being bullied because victims often retaliate. Make sure your child understand that bullying is not acceptable and can have serious consequences for the rest of their lives.

If your child has risk factors for being bullied, you should monitor their behavior and look for warning signs of bullying. These signs include withdraw from friends and activities, sudden fear of going to school, unexpected complaints of illness such as stomach pains and headaches, constantly coming home with damaged or missing belongings, and unexplained depression.

Usually bullying can be stopped and long term damages avoided, but in severe cases, both parties can be affected for life. Be sure to teach your child what to do if they are faced with a bully and how to stop bullying behavior so that they will not suffer in the long term from bullying experiences. Don’t assume that your child will never be bullied, sometimes bullying occurs with no warning signs or the victims refuse to talk about it.

Victim of Bullying

One of parent’s worst nightmares is to find out that their child is being picked on in school. Some parents view bullying as normal behavior that is no big deal, and while many cases of bullying do resolve themselves, other times a victim of bullying can suffer long term affects. Parents should not take bullying lightly, but at the same time, overreacting is also not a good idea. If your child is a victim of bullying, you should assess the seriousness of the situation and react accordingly. Taking steps to stop the bullying is the best thing a parent can do with out singling out their child.

If your child comes to you and says they are the victim of bullying, or you think that they may be the victim of bullying, talk with them to see what is going on. Children are often reluctant to talk about being the victim of bullying so it is important to reassure them that talking about it will only help and that you care about their well-being. Many kids think that telling their parents or teachers about being a victim of bullying will only make it worse so be sure to take positive steps to stop it that will not instigate the problem.

Children are often afraid that they bully will find out that they told on them and bully them even more severely. While this is a legitimate fear, taking the proper action will not result in this.

You should find out what your child has tried to do to stop the bullying and give them other ways to stop it. Often if the victim of bullying reacts in the right way, the bully will stop. If your child is being bullied but the situation is not putting them at any risk of physical, emotional, or self esteem damage, the best thing to do is to give your child advice on how to stop bullying themselves and let them handle it. Sometimes ignoring a bully, using humor, or just remaining calm will stop bullying. When children react confidently and assert themselves to a bully, he will often stop without adult intervention.

If your child is a victim of bullying and it is severe enough to cause physical, emotional or self-esteem damage, then you and your child should contact the school and inform your child’s teacher and principal what is going on. Schools have no tolerance for bullying and if they are aware of what is going on will work with parents and students to create a solution. Confronting the parent of your child’s bully may or may not be a good idea so it is best to talk with the school first. Sometimes a bully’s parents will be unaware of what is going on and will be willing to help. Other times a bullies parents will deny that there is a problem or not want to help. In any case, the bully needs to be stopped and some sort of positive action should be taken.