In order to speak clearly and make themselves understood, a child must be able to say each speech sound accurately and be able to string these sounds together to make words and phrases. If a child cannot do this, it may be hard to understand them. Children may not acquire the full repertoire of speech sounds until they are 5-8 years old. There are developmental milestones for speech sound acquisition, therefore, different sounds are acquired at different ages. The sounds p, b, t, d, m and w are among the first sounds to be learnt and r and th may be among the last.
Ramadan is the month of fasting in the Islamic calendar. It is the time when Muslims around the world abstain from food and drink during daylight hours. Ramadan can be a difficult concept for children to grasp. That is why I put together some printables to help your child understand the reasons for fasting.
Communication is one of the most important skills that human beings acquire. It is important for interacting with others and making friends, as well as for survival. The ability to communicate so sophisticatedly sets us apart from other animals; it makes us unique. Language is one of the most important skills we will learn. Without language we would not be able to order a coffee, tell someone we love them or call for help.
If you have been following me for some time, you will know how much I love outdoor play and learning. In fact, I love it so much that we follow a nature curriculum in our homeschool. This curriculum has really changed our lives. It pushes us to get outdoors, whatever the weather, and encourages us to notice the seasons. You can find out more about that HERE.
Reading aloud is a daily ritual in our house. Ever since my eldest was a baby, I have been reading aloud to her and, subsequently, my other children too. I am a huge bibliophile and, I have to confess, I have books all over the house. They are stashed in bookcases and piled up next to the bed. I just cannot get enough of reading and the joy that reading aloud brings.
Socialisation is an important life process which occurs when you interact with others. In its most basic sense, socialisation is important in order to develop the skills necessary for living. Without socialising, we would never have learnt the crucial skills we need to survive. Through socialising we learn to talk, walk, eat and use the toilet. We learn how to be a part of the society in which we live and conform to its rules and norms. We learn the language of our environment, our role in life and what is expected of us. Socialising also plays an important part in the development of personality in children.
Recently, I wrote about my cosleeping journey with my own children. I talked about how I did not cosleep with my eldest daughter because I was advised against it and trusted the health professionals to give me the best advice. Although I did not cosleep with her, it never crossed my mind to sleep train her. It just went against my natural, maternal instincts. However, there are many people who still practise sleep training and there are many who advise it.
