Counseling Elementary School Children

Counselors assist people with personal, family, educational, mental health, and career problems. Counselor's duties vary according to their specialties. Educational counselors assist students of all levels, from elementary school to postsecondary education. They help students evaluate their abilities, interests, talents, and personalities in order to develop realistic academic career goals. To evaluate and advise students, they employ the use of interview sessions and aptitude tests to know about a child's personal interests.

They work with students who either have academic and social development problems or other needs. They discuss the issues of students with their teachers and parents to evaluate their strengths, problems, and special needs. They not only consult with the parents and teachers but also with the school administrators, psychologists, medical professionals, and social workers to develop and implement strategies that will help students succeed in their life. 

Why Do We Need Student Counselors? 

➜ Today's generation is facing a huge cultural diversity in our society because of new technologies and expanding opportunities. To help these young people become able next generation parents, workers, leaders, and citizens, there is a need for support, guidance, and opportunities during childhood, which is a time of rapid growth and change. 

➜ Divorce and single-parent families are the facts that the children of the modern generation are very well aware of. The experimentation with drugs, at an early age, leads to abuse and addiction in adolescence. 

➜ Counselors should recognize the serious effects of parents' alcoholism on a child's development and implement compassion approaches to help the young victims. 

➜ In our society, child abuse and neglect are rampant, and we should take adequate measures to prevent it or help the child overcome such situations. A systematic approach is required to enhance healthy social, emotional, and educational growth. 

What is Expected From These Counselors? 

➜ Elementary school counseling should be designed to serve the needs of all children at each stage of their development. Because of social pressure and changes, children carry the burden of several issues and concerns along with them to school. A troubled child may experience severe difficulties in learning. 

➜ Provision of counseling at the elementary level promotes developmental and preventive measures that help the children succeed in their school. Children are encouraged to make choices and decisions that will help them be better students. With the help of a program, the counselor can assist the children in strengthening their skills to become better learners as well as contributing members of the school. 

➜ They also help the children cope with challenging personal issues and crisis, that interrupt the learning and social development, through individual or small group sessions and coordination of services. 

➜ Elementary school counselors should develop innovative techniques to help both children and parents. They have to work closely with the teachers to help them understand the signs of abuse and to acquaint them with correct referral procedures. They should also be taught to be extremely sensitive in matters of abuse and the need for effective discretion in this area. So, children who have been abused need to feel accepted, and the counselors should work to build a supportive learning environment for them. 

➜ Elementary counseling should also develop strategies to help teachers communicate effectively with the parents of handicapped children, because only a teacher can develop an active ongoing relationship with parents but may lack the training to provide the requisite support. 

Children's behavior is a major concern for both parents and educators. The techniques available to improve children's behavior include modeling, positive reinforcement, behavior contracting, classroom guidance session, small group session, desensitization, and consulting with teachers. The counselors should aim at producing citizens who would strive for healthy and peaceful relations across cultures and nations.

Importance of Washing Your Hands

Did you know that regular hand washing is the most essential factor for maintaining good health? Every human being comes in contact with germs and bacteria in their daily life. These harmful microorganisms are present all around us like on the door knobs, faucets, light switches, stair railings, etc. People touch these things while doing their routine work, without thinking much about it and with the same hands touch their face, eyes, nose and sometimes eat food, too. While performing these acts, the germs and bacteria get into our body, causing several diseases. Hence, it is important for all of us to know and educate others with the right methods to follow, to lead a healthy lifestyle. 

Significance of Washing Hands 

 Why Is It Important 

The most important advantage is that you prevent yourself from getting infected by a number of dangerous ailments. People who are careless about washing their hands are at a higher risk of catching a cold or a flu. Not washing hands has also the ability to cause gastrointestinal illnesses and also diarrhea which can spread to the whole family. It has also been seen that improper means of washing hands or not washing at all can cause pneumonia in old people and in those people who are diagnosed with chronic diseases. 

The Correct Way to Do It 

Not many people know how to wash their hands properly. Cleaning hands does not mean just running water over your palms. It has to be done very carefully and in detail. Along with warm water, the most essential thing required to wash your hands is soap. 

» First, wet your hands with water and then lather your hands with soap and scrub thoroughly, with the soap reaching both the sides of your hands till the wrist and also between your fingers. Then, wash off the soap with water and pat it dry with a towel or a tissue paper. 

» The other method one could use when there is no soap or water is by making use of an alcohol-based sanitizer. Take a pea-sized sanitizer in the palm and spread it on the entire hands till it dries. 

» Wiping one's hands with antimicrobial wipes or towelettes is also a good way of keeping the hands clean. 

When to Wash Your Hands To prevent the dangers of not washing your hands, it is essential for you to know when it is extremely important to wash your hands. 

» After using the washroom at home or at any public place » After visiting a patient at the hospital » Before as well as after eating food 

» Before and after one starts cooking food, especially meat, fish and poultry 

» After changing a baby's diaper 

» After touching pets or cleaning their feces 

» Before touching young infants and children 

» While inserting or removing contact lenses 

» Before and after touching injured areas and changing the dressing of a wounded person 

» After collecting and throwing out garbage 

» After sneezing, coughing and blowing your nose 

 Knowing the importance of washing hands will help you in avoiding infectious diseases. People who work in hospitals and other health sectors have to keep a strict check on hygiene and should learn and educate others in the proper way. However, one must remember that even at home we can get infected with diseases due to bacteria and so it is necessary for us to teach the proper method to our family, especially children. Children love to play with mud and sand, which host a lot of germs. By teaching your kids the significance of washing hands properly, you would be taking a very crucial step towards living a healthy life.

Hygiene for Kids

If there was one person who hates water more than my cat, it is my five-year-old nephew. Bath time for him equates a battle where there is a constant raging war of wills with my sister. He would happily remain dirty and messy rather than take a soak in the suds. As I looked at my sister, chasing him around the house for a bath, I wondered about the importance of teaching children good hygiene habits. After all, hygiene is not just about keeping up appearances. It is important that children learn good hygiene-related habits to keep themselves healthy and prevent illnesses from spreading. 

Hygiene Basics for Kids 

Essential Bath Time: It is surprising how babies who just love to splash around in water grow up into messy prepubescent boys with a complete dislike for even a ten-minute shower. Irrespective of that, you need to set up a routine for the child's personal hygiene. You need to wash the face, neck, and bottom of infants throughout the day. Older children need to have a daily bath, especially in summer. For kids who have reached puberty and have to deal with persistent problems of body odor in arms and their private parts, a daily shower is a must. 

Wash hands: Did you know that washing hands is the best way to prevent the spread of illnesses? This is because the germs from an infected person can spread easily by hands. However, you need to teach kids proper hand washing techniques. The steps to proper hand washing include: 

• First wet the hands thoroughly with warm water 
• Use enough soap to create a good lather and rub the hands vigorously for 20 seconds 
• Wash both the palms and back of your hands to get rid of the dirt stuck in your nails 
• Rinse your hands and dry them with a towel 

Make sure that the kids wash their hands before their meals, after coming from outdoor, or playing with pets. In cars and playgrounds, when there is no access to running water, wet wipes and hand sanitizers are a good away of keeping the hands clean. However, you may need to monitor the younger kids who might end up putting their hands in their mouth or rubbing their eyes before the sanitizer evaporates. 

Nail Care: Keeping your kid's nails trimmed and clean is essential for warding away those messy germs that hide under them. Scratching the skin with germ-infected nails can lead to skin infection and rashes. 

Dental Care: Pediatric dentists recommend that by age of one, all the children should be screened by dentists. This is because an estimated twenty percent of children in the age group of three are already affected by tooth decay. Regular brushing is an essential part of the dental hygiene. Pre-teens should ideally be brushing three times a day to prevent bad breath and tooth decay. Kids who have just relished a sugary treat should brush within twenty minutes to avoid the risk of cavities. It is essential that you teach children under the age of ten to brush and floss their teeth properly. If your child is susceptible to cavities, use a fluoridated mouthwash to prevent tooth decay. 

Hair Care: Although most parents go through all the trouble of establishing a skin cleansing routine, not much attention is paid to hair care. However, washing the hair daily is as essential as bathing. While washing your hair with a shampoo, massage well and rinse off with water. You can experiment with different shampoos to choose the best one for your kid. If your child has a scalp problem, then you can use medicated shampoos prescribed by the doctor. 

Changing Clothes and Shoes: An important, often forgotten part of personal hygiene is changing clothes and shoes on a regular basis. Dirty clothes and shoes which contain dead skin cells and sweat can lead to a stinky odor and skin infection such as foot fungus. 

Making a routine that aids in the maintenance of proper hygiene as well as teaching kids about hygiene is essential for keeping your child clean and healthy in the long run. Ingrain these habits in your child when he or she is young using reminders, positive reinforcements, and even by setting a good example yourself, and it most likely that your child will inculcate these habits for life.

Stress Management for Kids

Children can be stressed due to factors related to school, family, peer pressure, etc. Examinations and scores are found to be the major causes of worry in children. Similarly, stress can be caused if the child finds out that he is different from others due to any physical deformity. 

 Many children cannot cope up with increasing stress. If not identified and treated at the right time, it can lead to behavioral problems and affect the child in future. Excess stress can lead to problems like stomach upset, colitis, migraine, irritability, tantrums, or even complete withdrawal. 

Stress Management Techniques 

• Many times it is observed that children do not discuss their problems with parents. Healthy communication between parents and children is essential to understand and solve children's problems. Parents should keep a check on any unusual behavior of the child, and make sure there is a regular and healthy communication between them. 
• Children often observe and learn from the attitude of the parents. It is necessary for parents to have a positive attitude and also inculcate it in children. Negativism often leads to worry and stress, whereas, optimism can help to relieve stress. Parents must try to convince their child that there can be a solution to every problem and they do not have to worry too much. 
• Physical touch is very important for a child. Parents should not hesitate to hug or convey their love, care, and concern to their child. Parents must make a child realize that they, as parents, will always be there to support and protect him. 
• Sports and games are effective stress busters. Playing outdoor games, as well as other stimulating games like puzzles, darts, and card games helps in refreshing the mind. 
• Breathing exercises, walking, cycling, stretching exercises, punching, kick-boxing, etc., are helpful. Aerobic exercises or dance is also recommended. 
• Friends play an important role in a child's life as children are more comfortable talking and being with them. Children of all age groups need time to relax and enjoy with their friends. Make sure that you child spends time with other like-minded children. Similarly, playing with pets or enjoying any fun activity can help. 

Parents must try to be involved (not interfere) in their kid's activities whenever possible. They should not ignore or overlook symptoms of stress or other behavioral problems. Lastly, if none of the self-help methods work, it is recommended to look for professional help.

How to Deal with Kids

Starting a family and raising children, is something that every couple dreams of. However, parenthood is one of the most challenging tasks in the world. Kids are innocent, have a mind of their own, and readily mold the way we want them to. Their tremendous observation skills and a tendency to imitate our behavior, requires us to be extremely careful while they are around. Patience is the most important quality that a parent must possess. Proper child care is a must, if you want to inculcate good values in your kid. Incidences of child abuse can have devastating effects in the adult life of your child. 

Explanation 

Kids That Do Not Listen 

Such children are indeed very difficult to deal with. A kid, who does not listen to your sweet talks, nor responds to any kind of punishment, can be a cause of major frustration in your life. If you have such a kid, then you'll have to adopt some novel ways to deal with this situation. Rewards work best for such kids. Tell your child that if he finishes his homework, or behaves like a good boy in front of the guests, then you'll let him watch his favorite cartoon, or give him his favorite sweet. Keep your promise every time your kid behaves nicely. However, make sure that you are not making it a habit, otherwise your kid will expect rewards every time he does something good. 

 Kids with a Temper 

Just like adults, children have their own reasons that infuriate them. Getting angry is fine; just make sure your child vents out his anger in a proper way. Most importantly, be careful while expressing your own anger in front of your kids. Avoid any kind of abusive language or loud swearing in front of your kids. Kids have this tendency to pick up slang language really quickly. If your child throws a tantrum at the drop of a hat, then beware, as it could be his own way to get things done. Learn to ignore his tantrums, and tell him that he will only get what he wants, if he asks politely. Teach them the use of 'please' and 'sorry'. 

Kids Who Get Bored Easily 

If you have kids who cannot focus on one thing for a long time and get bored easily, then engaging them in a new activity can be quite challenging. This is the right time to teach them the importance of 'accomplishment' in life. Tell them the importance of completing the task till its end. The reward tricks also work in this case. Offer your child something he loves, every time he finishes a task. Find out the activities that he loves to do, and engage him in them for a long time. This will enable him to concentrate on his work for longer durations. If your kid gets bored whenever you have visitors, or if you are visiting someone, make sure that you have something to engage him so that you can relax and have a good time. 

Kids with Autism 

Such children can put all your parenting skills to a test. However, if you learn the tact, then dealing with autistic kids may not be as challenging. Find some autistic children activities for your child, if he/she has this disorder. You can also approach the self-help groups found by parents of autistic children for child support. 

Kids on Drugs 

If you find your teenager lurking in dark alleys with a bunch of hooligans, then it is definitely time for you to ring an alarm. Getting concerned about kids over drugs is alright, but make sure you express your concern in the right manner. Yelling at them, threatening them, or asking them to leave the home is definitely not appreciated. It will make the matters worse, and disturb your child's future. Instead, make them understand the hazards of drugs in life, in the most loving manner. Tell him/her that making mistakes in life is acceptable, but repeating them is not. 

Raising children is indeed challenging, but at the end, you'll be overjoyed to see your kid grown up into a loving and caring adult, just the way you wanted him/her to be.

Family Relationships

Every now and then you need quotes like these to remind you of the value your family holds in your life. Though family relationships are based on the strongest bond you could probably forge, they are equally sensitive. The bond of parents with children, of children with their siblings, among extended family, are all important relationships that need to be nurtured with time and effort. It is this lack of time and effort that sometimes results in minor or major problems within the family. The meaning of family gets altered, the strong bond weakens, and if not taken care of, withers away into nothingness. Here, we try and understand this sensitive bond, the problems it endures, and ways of strengthening family relationships.

Taking Each Other for Granted

The great gift of family life is to be intimately acquainted with people you might never even introduce yourself to, had life not done it for you. - Kendall Hailey 

The biggest problem that affects family relationships is the fact that they are taken for granted. 'She is my mother, so she will cook for me', 'He is my father, so he will pay for me', 'He is my brother, so he will stick up for me', etc., are all thought processes that signify you are taking your bond for granted, and that your meaning of family is that only they should be there for you, irrespective of whether or not you are there for them. It also signifies a lack of respect and value for all that you are being given without being asked for anything in return. But remember, every relationship is one of give and take. Though parents' love is known to be unconditional and that is what you have been taught all your life, there is something that they expect out of you. It may not be materialistic, but just simple appreciation of the fact that they do so much for you. Similar is the case with your siblings. Taking any relationship for granted, be it one with your family, one with your partner, or with a friend, is one of the biggest mistakes all of us make at some point in life. Every time such an instance occurs, your relationship will be affected, and weaken over time. So show your appreciation every once in a while, say it or express it with a gesture, but do it. It keeps the love alive and the relationship strong.

Not Being There for Each Other

No success in public life can compensate for failure in the home. - Benjamin Disraeli 

The second biggest problem that family relationships have to endure is the lack of time for each other. You are probably so caught up with your work, your social life, or yourself, that you have no time to bond with and understand the importance of family. This is in fact, a very serious problem, because there have been disastrous cases of children having the worst childhood, simply because their parents did not spend enough time with them. They grow up with bitter feelings in their hearts, and blame every negative instance or attribute that they possess to the fact that there was no one to teach them the difference between the right and the wrong. Some children have the maturity to understand the issue and deal with it, others don't. You definitely don't want to be one of those parents. Also remember that if you don't teach your little ones the value of spending time together as a family, as they grow up, they won't have enough time for you. That means when you are ready to listen to them, take care of them, and simply be there for them, they will probably have found another shoulder to cry on and another person to share their happiness with. This is probably when you will feel most regretful. Even spouses face the problem of lack of time for each other, and this results in serious relationship issues, such as emotional cheating, infidelity, and divorce. The fact that you promised to share your lives together, no matter what, is completely forgotten, and a bitter battle of words and emotions takes its place.

Not Communicating with Each Other

When a family is free of abuse and oppression, it can be the place where we share our deepest secrets and stand the most exposed, a place where we learn to feel distinct without being "better," and sacrifice for others without losing ourselves. - Letty Cottin 

Pogrebin Lack of communication is another problem amongst families. This may be due to the lack of time, or due to a particular fear of communicating with the family. For instance, kids are scared of their parents because of a fear that has been inculcated into them, which is why if they happen to do something wrong, they don't tell their parents, as they expect to be severely berated, labeled, and blamed for their doing. Spouses don't communicate with each other for the same reason. Parents don't tell their children what they feel for the fear of causing bitterness in their hearts. Yes, family relationships are sensitive, but they are definitely stronger than your fears. You have only your family to back you up in tough times, and sometimes, even the tiniest amount of support from your little one can strengthen you enough to tackle the world. Similarly, forging a bond with your kids so that they can easily come up and talk to you about any of their problems is important. This does not mean that you do not tell them when they are doing something wrong. There is a fine line between respect and fear that kids have for their parents. Command this respect, and leave no room for fear by opening up to them, and having them open up to you.

Not Saying 'I Love You' Enough

The real question isn't whether or not you love your kids, but how well you are able to demonstrate your love and caring so that your children really feel loved. - Stephanie Marston 

The phrase 'I Love You' has a lot of value, in spite of the fact that it is loosely used nowadays for any Tom, Dick, and Harry. The difference is when you say it, you have to mean it. Internally in a family, saying 'I love you' to each other, and meaning it every time you say it, is very important. You probably don't realize it, but it strengthens not only your bonds, but also your own self. We're all humans, and all we want is a little love, and this expression of love from our family makes a whole world of a difference to the people we are. If not verbally, say it by means of a gesture, like cooking up a great family dinner, taking your kids to the new amusement park in town, giving in to their demands every once in a while, spending time with your spouse with a quiet dinner, or anything you think is an expression of your love for your family.

 Good family life is never an accident but always an achievement by those who share it. - James H.S. Bossard 

With all said and done, family relationships can strengthen you, but sometimes weaken you too. Sometimes, your loyalty to your family is so great, that you are unable to make certain decisions that you know would benefit yourself. Sacrifices are not always termed as a good idea, because it is a fact that you cannot make someone else happy unless you are happy yourself. In some cases, it is necessary to separate from the family that is weakening you, to find yourself, and then return to nurture and recreate family relationships.

However, just remember the very important bottom line here. Not every human being is blessed with a family, and those of you who are, carve out some important family time, put in your efforts to nurture your relationships with every family member, have some good old family fun, and you will find yourself blessed, strong, and capable of tackling any problem that life throws at you.

Communication Problems in Families

For anyone to say that they've never seen family problems would seem a tad unbelievable. There isn't a family that hasn't seen issues of some sort at some point or the other. The biggest cause for misunderstandings is communication issues among families. The unfortunate part is that one little misunderstanding can cause bitterness for a long time to come. But at the end of the day, the scenario with relationships isn't quite as volatile as it may turn with the family. In case of a family, it is of extreme importance that the issues get handled with care, especially because if not handled in the right manner they could turn into dysfunctional families for a long time to come after that. It also isn't uncommon to see that a lot of these problems often stem from strained relations between the adults of the house, in the first place. So, how should these communication problems within families be fixed? Take a look. 

Communication Problems in the Family 

Problems do not erupt out of nothing. They most often are a result of egos and sometimes of denial. Some of the most common factors that lead to communication issues among families are: 

•  Lack of Patience: This is a largely contributing factor leading towards family communication problems. Lack of patience can be one of the biggest downfalls when it comes to the levels of closeness of most families too. A snappy parent, or even a snappy child can be quite a hassle to handle under certain circumstances. The easiest way out in situations like that then is ignoring the person in question, because it is a much simpler escape route. 
• Lack of Time for Each Other: Not so much of a shocker, is it? The lack of time for family members is invariably a reason that leads to communication problems. Makes sense if you really think about it. With the fast paced lives that we seem to be leading these days, it hardly comes as a surprise that the lack of time for each other is one of the key aspects leading to family problems. Parents hardly have the time for children; spouses too, don't have much time for each other. It's almost heart breaking to see family's lose their closeness due to reasons that would seem almost trivial. 
• Lack of Discipline: This is the worst problem in terms of children. A badly behaved child could ruin the peace of a family, like a tornado waiting to happen. What's worse is, while parents may have some semblance of control when the child is little, this could go way out of hand when he/she gets older, thus leading to a constantly disharmonious atmosphere within the family. 

Solving the Problems 

 If there are problems, there are solutions, that is a given. If worked on the right way, even these problems can be put to rest. Take a look at what the best solutions for family problems are. 

Be Patient: If the lack of patience is one of the causes of problems, very evidently the solution is developing the virtue of patience. Hearing out what the children have to say on a certain matter, or even consulting the significant other in issues where their consent is required is one way to start. 

Spend Time Together: Not being in on each other's lives can vastly cause problems too. It is therefore essential to have quality family time with one another. Bear in mind though, while being in on the other person's life is a good thing, it shouldn't border on interference in any way. An overdose of time spent with each other too can lead to problems, so this must be worked on with a certain balance. 

Stay Focused and Don't Assume: This one goes more for the seniors of a family. It would be natural to see juvenile behavior being displayed by the younger members of a household, but it is up to the elders, be it parents or siblings, to control the atmosphere and keep it calm. A hot-headed adult can make situations worse. Also, being presumptuous about the behavior and attitude of the younger ones can lead to problems, so rather than working on assumptions, talk things out. A comfortable environment will help allow truth from them too. This will act well in favor of the family. 

Most of what was given above were some of the most common problems that most families are faced with. Working on them could help to a great extent. At the end of the day it is important to maintain the best relations possible with your family, because if not for family, there is nobody else to act as a real support system to you.