Category: Parenting

Many parents enlist Elf on the Shelf to remind our kids that he/she’s keeping tabs on them and letting Santa know if they should be on the ‘naughty’ or ‘nice’ list… Although we at Skillz of Patchogue appreciate the concept, we’ve put together a cool adaptation to help utilize Elf on the Shelf as another […]

Over the past five months, schedules have been upended and downtime has taken over. However, as the new school year gets underway, reality is going to show up and we are going to be scrambling to get ourselves and our children back on a productive path. In the book “The 7 Habits of Happy Kids” […]

As we continue through the current pandemic and re-opening efforts present real challenges, school districts everywhere are trying to devise the best plans for children, teachers, and staff to return. While there will be no perfect solution for each family, parents must consider all the information and choose the option that works best for their […]

Our new Life Skillz program starts this week! Each month, kids will participate in weekly age-specific discussions on the character traits that will help them become even more amazing ninjas. We will be starting the series learning all about CHARISMA! (Trouble seeing the image?  Click here for a pdf version of this month’s Life Skillz […]

As the pandemic carries on, our coping skills are starting to unravel. For many people, this has become the ultimate emotional test. As we continue to maintain our distance from each other, not only have our social lives been halted, but our emotional support is wavering as well. And while we have been living this […]

For a child, being stuck at home can get boring quickly! While we know that boredom is actually one of the key drivers of creativity in kids, it can also be challenging for children and parents alike as kids struggle to cross the line from complaints to imaginative activity. Hopefully, this coloring sheet will help […]

With schools and other activities closing due to the coronavirus outbreak, many parents are finding themselves filling the roles of teacher, coach, guidance counselor, and hall monitor as the kids try to continue their studies in the home learning environment. The first few days were likely an exciting new adventure, but as we continue to […]

Let’s face it, conflict is hard and is bound to happen no matter what ground rules are in place. Whether it’s on the playground or right in our own homes, children will clash. And while it can create challenging situations, it is a normal event that occurs between children. This inevitability is why conflict resolution […]

Being a nurturing parent means adjusting your child’s behaviors, not trying to change them. In other words, change the behavior, not the child. 1. Let them Know that Mistakes are Okay I get excited when my son makes a mistake because it gives me the opportunity to teach him, which is what parenting is all […]

*** Updated at 6:00 pm on Sunday, March 15th, 2020*** *** Updated at 2:30 pm on Friday, March 13th, 2020*** We are continuing to monitor the situation, and to maintain the highest level of sanitation. We will be closely watching our colleagues in the Patchogue-Medford and South Country School districts.  If those school districts close […]

Stress is a significant part of our lives today, and while we all experience it, children and teens have a more difficult time managing it. Academic pressure, social tensions, and family stressors can all impact a young person’s mental well-being. For this reason, parents need to help their children develop coping skills by guiding them […]

We live in a competitive world, and most parents would jump at the chance to give their child every advantage imaginable. The world can also be unkind, and, as parents, we feel a need to protect our children from everything possible. And yes, parents are supposed to help and protect their children, but when does […]

The New Year has arrived, and many of us have set lofty resolutions. Anything from working out daily to saving money to losing weight, our society knows how to dream big! However, when we don’t break big dreams down into smaller, achievable goals, failure often ensues. And to make matters worse, our children watch us […]

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The holidays are for celebrations, togetherness, and relaxation. It’s a magical time, and all the fun activities, shopping, and baking keep everyone busy. And with all the excitement comes a great deal of preparation and scheduling. It’s easy for parents to get caught up in it all […]

We’ve all heard of the main 5 senses: taste, touch, smell, sight, and hearing. However, there are two other, very important, senses that don’t get enough attention. Those are the vestibular sense and proprioception. These two senses are vital in the development of a child but are often overlooked, especially in today’s world. This is […]

As they say, kids will be kids. And yes, children and teens can be unkind to their peers and feelings get hurt. The problem is when these behaviors become common and target the same person repeatedly. This is the point at which the idea “kids being kids” begins to cross the line to bullying. And […]

Oppositional Defiant Disorder A Supplemental Resource for Families Coping with Oppositional Defiant Disorder All children act out from time to time. However, children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), as defined by the Child Mind Institute, “have a well-established pattern of behavior problems that are more extreme than their peers.” Children with ODD display aggressive behaviors […]

Join childhood development expert and Skillz founder Melody Johnson for an evening of exploration and discovery as we journey into the realm of what makes kids tick, and how we can harness this knowledge to become better parents, coaches, and teachers for our kids. 6 reasons for better parenting & WHY Parent SKILLZ can make […]

When we think of human behavior, we often first focus on the problems or deficits that people have and how this affects their achievements, or lack thereof. Rarely is the first thought of what motivates someone and how to utilize that to help them grow and develop. Abraham Maslow’s development of the “Hierarchy of Needs” […]

Realistic Behavioral Expectations What to Expect from 10 to 14-year olds The tween and teen years often feel to parents and teachers like they are back at the “terrible twos” stage. The challenges of working with children at this age can be frustrating. They are very smart but their emotions are all over the place. […]

Realistic Behavioral Expectations What to Expect from 7 to 9 year olds The golden years for children are between the ages of 7 and 9 years old. At this age, children can grasp new information quickly. They start seeing the world in a new and exciting way and, because of this, they are beginning to […]

Realistic Behavioral Expectations What to Expect from 18-36 Months Children between the ages of 18 and 36 months are at an exciting growth period in their lives. Parents and caregivers observe leaps and bounds in the development of these children and are excited to see all their skills progress. However, as with any growth, there […]

Realistic Behavioral Expectations What to Expect from 5- and 6-year olds Children between the ages of five and six years old are no longer “little kids.” They are in a very important transition in their lives. They have developed skills that make them appear to have things more together, so they are often approached by […]

What to Expect from 3- and 4-year olds Children between the ages of 3 and 4 are at a very unique growth period in their lives. They are growing at a rapid rate in all areas of development and are discovering new things daily, while also learning how to cope with new challenges. Additionally, they […]

Hey 4GK Friends and Families! Here are some great tips on the Parent SKILLZ topic: PATIENCE. As we posted earlier this week on Facebook, “A few seconds can make a BIG difference…” Sometimes as parents we respond with too much anger, and that can be harmful and cause regression in our child’s behavior. When you […]

When many of us were coming up in the martial arts, we learned about the power of praise when working with kids. In fact, I was handed a piece of paper by my Sifu that was entitled “100 ways to Praise a Child” He simply handed it over and said, learn these, then use them in […]

  As seasoned Pediatric Ninja Specialists, we have witnessed just about every sort of behavior and outburst from working with hundreds of kids over the years. We have seen it all from playful name calling to angry tantrums. Some things are hard to not take personally, but our experience allows us to put things into […]

Science has proven again and again how digital screens, the specific types of light they emit, and the content our kids consume on them, can be highly addictive and have negative impacts on behavior, learning, mental health, and sleep. A big part of this is the way they stimulate the brain’s production of the happy […]

Summertime is coming to an end, and with that comes all of the back to school anxiety and jitters that are common amongst children. Your child may experience common physical effects of anxiety associated with back to school time including symptoms from stomachaches to sleeping problems. They will also experience emotional stress from the fear […]