Family Life for 5th graders
Tips for Parents
When talking to children about this growing and changing time of life, here are some helpful guidelines:
- Start early with little pieces. Don’t always wait until your child comes to you. Chances are they are already hearing things from other sources such as, peers, radio, TV, a commercial, newspaper, etc….
- Pick a good time to talk to your child. If they ask you something in rush hour traffic, you may have to say, “That is a very important subject, but I am driving and we can talk tonight after dinner.” However, sometimes, kids want to talk to you when there is a more “non-threatening” environment, so they are picking rush hour traffic for a reason- less eye contact!
- Create an open environment. Let your child know that they can come to you with their questions. If you don’t know the answer, you can always say, “ I am not really sure of the answer to your question, but I will find out for you.”
- Tell the truth, as age appropriate.
- Listen to the question. Don’t give any more information than that.
- Clarify the question by repeating it.
- Find out what the child knows already by asking what they think the answer is.
- If a child does not want to say the word or question, they can write it down or draw a picture of it.
- Use children’s literature or TV to help you. There are some good family programs and books that deal with certain issues.
- If there are younger siblings, please be aware that they have ears and explain to the older sibling, “Your brother/sister is a little young for this subject. We need to keep this to ourselves right now. I know you are mature enough to handle it.”
- Have patience. You will get through it!
Resources
http://www.pgschoolprograms.com/index.php
