10 Child Care Tips For More Effective Parenting

As a parent, you know that your child is constantly changing and growing. Their needs shift over time and so too does your parenting style and tactics. Healthy development of brains, bodies and emotional well-being can take a village.

At All Sports Kids, we are proud to offer family care options and programs to help families navigate life in nurturing, healthy ways during the formative years of a child’s life. Here are 10 child care tips for more effective parenting.

Encourage Play

Children of all ages learn through play. For preschool-aged children, play with peers helps develop a sense of self, teaches sharing, and can even encourage physical activity for a lifelong love of fun exercise.

Communicate

Establish a healthy environment for communication with your child. For middle childhood ages, (6-8), encourage a relationship of trust and sharing. Ask about school, friends, or after-school activities.

Communicate early and often. This practice can set up the whole family with skills that last well beyond childhood years.

Participate in Community Activities

This is especially important for children between the ages of 8 and 17. Encouraging children to join or participate in community-based activities can foster a sense of responsibility, build relationships, and improve self-esteem.

Child care is a great way to implement community-based activities. Sports teams, volunteer groups, or even our Plus Plan for after-school, early release, and no school days.

Reinforce Safety Measures

The CDC recommends that later middle childhood years, (9-12), is when children should begin learning and practicing proper water safety, crossing the street, and what to do in case of an emergency. This should include knowing how to dial 9-1-1 and memorizing their home address.

Practice Healthy Eating Habits

Encourage your child to eat a variety of healthy foods. This can help them practice having a healthy body image and a well-rounded relationship with nutrition for life.

Here at All Sports Kids, we have a cafeteria in our 11,000 sq. ft. facility that serves children from the free food program. Children are also free to bring their own snacks, too.

Encourage Good Sleep Habits

The CDC recommends 10-13 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period (including naps) for children ages 5-17. Adequate sleep can improve overall mental and physical health and aid in the development of growing kids.

Taking advantage of our multi-purpose room, gym, arts and crafts room, game room, or dance and exercise room can help children work off the excess energy to help them routinely reach adequate levels of sleep.

Provide Opportunities for Children to Learn

Learning doesn’t just happen inside the classroom or at school. Children are constantly taking in their surroundings and environments. Child care centers and various types of camps can provide opportunities for children to learn:

• Sharing
• Gratitude
• Caring for others
• Managing emotions
• Resolving conflicts
• How to build relationships

Teach Time Management

It’s too easy to over schedule family life and family care in this modern world. Since children learn by example, it’s important to practice healthy time management as a family. Children need free playtime for proper growth and development.

Child care centers like ours can be the perfect solution to providing recreational play and practicing time management skills. Plus, utilizing after-school or school break programs can provide parents with time to take care of themselves too. This is an important aspect of creating a balanced life.

Screen Time Limits

It would be next to impossible to try to implement a screen-free life these days. Technology as a tool can provide enriching opportunities for children of all ages.

Find the balance that works best for your family with family care options that offer opportunities for screen time breaks. Check out our sample schedule for after-school child care to see what times and activities are available.

Be Flexible

Creating flexibility in family life creates a sense of trust and community, too. Willingness to adapt parenting styles to each respective stage reflects emotional attunement and can strengthen the relationship between parent and child.

Check Out All Sports Kids Today

We understand that being a working parent in a modern world can be a bit overwhelming at times. Here at All Sports Kids, we are committed to blending kids, sports, and fun to build character by providing the child care needs that work best for families.

Your child’s safety and well-being are of the utmost importance to us. All of our staff must pass level 2 background checks, complete CPR/First Aid training, and undergo physical checks, too. When you’re ready to bring your child to our village, give us a call at (954) 746-5437 or visit our contact page.

We can’t wait to meet you and your family!