Resources for the dream parents?

[heutistmeintag]

There are many threads here on how to make children better, one way or another. I felt that parents are role models and hence, it is IMHO very important to know what it takes to be a \"dream\" parent. As every child is different from one another, I think if we could equip ourselves with a bag of many tools/ideas and to be in a better position to manage them.


There are many ideas/experiences provided by parents here and there, so I hope we could consolidate this into a single thread for ease of reference and maybe CKS can consider making this sticky. Personally, I hope to hear recommendation on
1) books, blogs link, studies announced on web etc (own time own target)
2) training, conferences etc (\"informal\" training, some schedules to observe)
3) certified training, childcare courses, diplomas etc (\"formal\" training)

Pls dun describe experiences in details here as they could get really wordy. I hope to keep this resource thread short and concise. If you feel compelled to share experiences coz it's really useful, maybe you can blog it and provide us the link instead.

ok, anyone wants to start?

[ChiefKiasu]

heutistmeintag:

There are many threads here on how to make children better, one way or another. I felt that parents are role models and hence, it is IMHO very important to know what it takes to be a \"dream\" parent. As every child is different from one another, I think if we could equip ourselves with a bag of many tools/ideas and to be in a better position to manage them...

Great idea! That's the main reason why we started KiasuParents.com, anyway. We want to empower parents with knowledge on how to become better parents for their children. We've done what we could to put up a directory of \"external help\" that we could buy to help us educate ourselves and our children, but obviously nothing beats ideas from the community. We are not looking to be \"dream\" parents... just better parents who can understand our children better.

I had another chat with David Ng, one of the founders of Trio Centre, just yesterday. My conjecture was that \"brain-training\" courses such as Shichida and Trio Centre are misunderstood by parents due to the big sounding claims to enable children to have \"photographic\" memory or even ESP if done from very young. This of course translates to people thinking that the parents who send their children to these courses are kiasu beyond reason. From what I can tell, all these courses do is to teach the parents how to interact and teach their children through play, instead of simply leaving their children in front of the TV. If parents don't do this themselves, they are simply wasting their hard-earned money.

[BlueBells]

1. schoolbag.sg


2. Parenting Congress 2008 http://www.mediacorpradio.sg/spc2008/

[heutistmeintag]

I found this book really useful because it was written in Singaporean context.


Bulding bridges with your teenagers
- Keys to effective parenting and communication
By Alice Lee, ~S$18

[Skippy]

Flipped through a good book the other day called BIG WORDS by Jamie Lee Curtis.


It’s useful when you want to teach children new words in the right context and it’s done very well.

Skippy

[toddles]

For preschool age, I find that these sites have helped me loads.


Activities/crafts to interact and stimulate young children, advice for new parents:

http://www.babycenter.com

http://www.babycenter.com/kids-activities?intcmp=email_pgmg_stage_txt1_kidsactivities

On various aspects of discipline and interacting with children, spending time with them, from a christian perspective:

http://www.raisinggodlytomatoes.com/