Schools and other institutions organise a number of competitions for kids. An art competition is always one of the most enjoyable one since it allows free flow of creativity and imagination. Although a child is free to draw and paint on the spot a little training can go a long way and help your child make good use of the given time with ease of thinking. Here are some interesting ways that can help your child do his best at an art competition.

Watch and Draw
Take some pictures and teach your child to draw looking at the picture. Let him or her check the details of drawing lines and making circles and other shapes. See how they can come closest to the picture in front of them. A good practice daily can help a lot and it can become an enjoyable family activity too and you can spend some quality time with your kids.

Using Colours
The use of colours is very important in any work of art. Let your child use colours in the figures they have drawn and let them choose colours on their own. Help them choose colours if they are confused. Show them how to use various strokes to create different effects. You can use a mix of pencil colours, wax crayons, sketch pens and glitter pens.

Painting
You can also try a hand at using poster colours and use them freely on paper. If you want to be more experimental use a canvas and have fun with your child. Get some basic painting brushes in different sizes and get to paint with poster colour s and try some canvas oil paint too. The strokes of colours can be very enjoyable. Before you do this check out works of artists and see how they have painted. Read up a bit about painting on the web and you can get some basic idea on or you can paint well. Let your child experiment with colours and you can supervise them. For al you know you may end up inspiring your child to be an artist.

How to think of a theme
So what do you want to paint? So you are all ready to start drawing and colouring but do not know what to do then you can think of a variety of things. Look around you. Do you want to draw garden or a house? Do you want to draw a situation? You can even ask your child to draw important places like a post office, a market place or an aquarium. You can even begin with simple things like a flower or a bug. You can move on to animals and trees. As your child gets comfortable with these you can progress to drawing human figures.

You can use special books to find how you can draw different things by using basic shapes and how you can use pencils. It can be really helpful. Once your child is ready with this you can move on to themes. Let your child think of a place he likes, like a cricket pitch, zoo or a beach. Let him try out drawing things he likes to do like cycling, fishing or playing football. Start looking at these things and you will have a theme.

Doing all these activities will make your child comfortable with drawing and colouring. Appreciate every effort and point out mistakes politely. Encourage to improve and do better. Reward them for a exercise well done. Tell him or her that the competition is only to see if they can draw. Whether they lose or win you will love them the same. Let them know that each of their work of art is precious to you and save it in a file.

A naughty child is the one who knows the difference between right and wrong but lacks the maturity to exert self- control. They are quite apologetic when they get caught however, you will find them often doing the same exact thing you scolded for just an hour ago. Parents have to be very patient with naughty children. Initially you should try a sympathetic approach, speaking to them frequently. If this fails, then punishment becomes necessary. Corporal punishment is an option. Restricting or withdrawing privileges is much more effective.

If your child has thrown a tantrum in a supermarket, got into a fight with their sibling and kicked them, thrown all your clothes down from the cupboard, don’t worry because you’re not the only one facing this. All children are naughty from time to time and it is just their way of learning things they can and can’t get away with. Parents need to teach them what is right and wrong. You need to let them know what is acceptable and what is not.

You need to check your child’s behaviour. It can be due to something which is bothering them either at home, at school or with friends. Or it might just be because your child is not feeling your giving too much of attention.

Some children start showing bad behaviour when a new baby brother or sister joins the family. It is just a way of dealing with jealousy. He or she will start feeling neglected as the baby will be spending maximum amount of time with you. What you can do is make the child feel he or she is equally important to your family and he or she has someone to play with. Involve the child in taking care of the baby like helping in changing diapers, helping with feeding the baby when it grows up, making him talk with the baby so that he doesn’t feel left out.

Here are some tips to deal with bad behaviour:
Stay calm: When your child is misbehaving try not to shout or lose your temper. Yes it is very difficult to stay calm but understand that you are also emulating the same kind of behaviour that of your child. Your child is looking for reactions so don’t give them one.

Create a routine: Try to make a home time-table about having bath, getting up in the morning, and dinner timings.

Bad behaviour will not zap out one fine day. It needs constant care and work from the parents side. Read about good people to your child and show them how they did well in life with their good behaviour. Motivating them is the key to changing their behaviour pattern.

Essay writing is an art, a hobby. An essay is essentially your attempt to explain your point of view, and a skilfully writing written essay is clear, illuminating and informative. Most children are not comfortable when they are told to write an essay. Good essay writing is achieved through practice. Therefore the more the kid writes; the more he becomes comfortable in writing an essay.

So you’re kid is participating in an essay writing competition, then you need to follow certain guidelines to make sure he or she gets full score from the examiner. There are few rules and regulations one needs to know before entering the competition in order to know the criteria for excellent writing. Apart from that, you just need to be confident and just write whatever is there in your heart and mind.

Some important points to remember before writing an essay:
• Your essay should be completely a product of your own thought. Do not copy from anyone else.
• Do not discuss the topic or content with anyone else.
• The essay must be between five to ten pages in 12 points in good handwriting.
• Limit your essay to minimum pages with cohesive and well reasoned arguments.
• Make sure your essay is creative and well supported and complete.

Your essay will be judged on these points:
• Grammar and style: Your essay will be graded on grammar, spelling and use of Standard English. Therefore, proofread your essay before you submit.
• Thesis driven argument: The examiners look for you to state a thesis and support it with a well reasoned, well organized essay.
• Use of support: You will be graded on intelligent use of sources to support your arguments and ideas.
• Originality and creativity: Originality will be rewarded, particularly when an essay demonstrates creative and analytical thinking.
• Do not break the format: Remember that your essay should be in proper format, exclude other materials, and address one but no more than two long sources.
Make sure your kid doesn’t mug up essays. You should encourage your kid to develop his or her own ideas. Otherwise the whole purpose of writing an essay becomes meaningless. Most of the kids start with the same clichéd lines while writing an essay. You should encourage them with their own fresh ideas. This will develop their imagination.

Step by step guidelines
• Define the context: If you are given certain directions, follow them. A brilliant essay might fail to make its point if you don’t follow the rules.
• Choose a topic you are interested in: If you have lot of options to choose from then choose a topic you are interested in, and your passionate and well-versed with.

Gather your information:
• Plan your essay.
• Write the body of your essay first.
• Conclude your essay.
• Read through your essay
• Revise
• Proof read.
Follow these simple rules of essay writing and you should have a nicely written essay that all enjoy to read.

Most of the fancy dress competitions held at school are done for the sake of fun. The key idea is to create enthusiasm. A fancy dress competition for toddlers is the first opportunity for the parents to learn about the nature of competitions for kids. Preparing the child for a competition is a sensitive and deep subject.

There are many rules to be followed before participating. Parents and teachers should communicate well regarding the competition and it rules and regulations. Competitions make a child improve and also learn their skills. Our duty as a parent is to prepare the child with rehearsals and build up on his or her confidence. A child’s comfort level with the dress is more important than winning the competition.

Being innovative is the key to winning a fancy dress competition. The most common ideas are the bunnies and characters from the fairy tales, or even cartoon characters. But to think of something really different would be to think of a totally new character that could make a difference to the present world situation. For example, Mr. or Miss Clean surrounding who is dressed up in garbage that he or she has collected by supposedly cleaning the world.

The most important point is to rehearse and not push the child about winning. This will make him or her nervous. You need to make sure the lines are perfect and dialogues are perfectly rehearsed. Make sure the dress or gear you have prepared fits your child perfectly so that there are no unnecessary accidents on the stage. Please look into the comfort factor when you choose the clothes, gears or props.

Older kids would be more enthusiastic but toddlers would be slightly cranky since it might be their first time with make up, the uncomfortable outfits. But you can click a few pictures and make them ease their apprehensions. Theme based fancy dress competitions are ideas like animals, sports, ecology and tradition of India.

Ideas such as making them dress up as an animal, fruits, vegetables are very basic ideas. You can also think of dressing them up like a superhero, as kids are into superhero movies and they would willingly participate. Harry Potter is another favourite with kids. If your child is older, then you can take up serious issues like global warming, cleanliness, a common man’s problems, topics like these can be addressed through a fancy dress competition. But make sure you are well prepared with the lines, because these kinds of issues will require lot of research and strong evidence and points to make.

Kids feel disappointed when they lose out in the competition. It is our duty to praise their participation spirit. Explain them that winning is positive but participation is more important. You can take them out for a small treat to cheer them up. A parent’s praise and encouragement is more important than winning any competition to the child.

Teenagers Using Internet

• Many parents worry about what their child might find or see on the Internet. As with most things there are good and bad aspects.
• The Internet is fun, informative and a great way of communicating with others. It’s an educational tool and users can learn about almost anything.
• Parents may decide what their children will see. If you are worried about what your computer literate child may find on the Internet (pornography, obscenities, the way to make drugs, bombs, sex on the net) then there are several things you can do.
  • turn the machine off, as you would a TV.
  • disconnect the modem.
  • there is technology available which restricts your child’s access but still lets you use the Web.
• Some ideas for ‘online’ security for children.
  • don’t give out personal information, names, phone numbers or addresses without parents permission, Stranger Danger also applies to the Internet.
  • children should never meet someone they’ve met ‘online’ without checking with parents. If there is a meeting make sure you go with your child.
  • make sure your children are happy to tell you if they get a message or find someone ‘online’ who makes them feel uncomfortable.
  • tell your service provider if there are unpleasant messages.
• The Internet is fun. Banning the use of computers and the Internet will only make it seem more exciting.
• Ask your child to help you use the Internet.
• Have family sessions. Bring the computer out into the family room so everyone is involved.

In this age, where children are suffering from obesity, outdoor activities form an important part of their life. Outdoor activities have long term benefits on their health. Adequate outdoor activity increases health and physical development by improving sensory development, reducing obesity and stimulating blood cells.

Health benefits
Outdoor activities help kids stay fit and active which will benefit them in the long run. They can ward off health problems like obesity and heart ailments later in life. Some kids frequently fall ill; being active in life will help them stay healthy; they will feel hungry and have meals on time. Since they will feel tired by the end of the day, they will sleep on time too.

Makes them competitive
When kids play outside, they gain a sense of mastery and competency skills. They try climbing, running; throwing and they feel they can do it, which in turn builds up their confidence level. Even when they are playing any game and they win the game, it helps in developing the winning spirit. It’s a best way to boost their self-esteem as well.

Learning working in groups
When kids play with other kids, they learn to interact in groups, learn building strategy to win. They learn to adjust with kids of different temperament. This will help them when they grow up, in both their professional and personal life.

Giving a sense of freedom
When kids play outdoors, adults are generally more lenient with them. They feel a sense of freedom. They feel more enthusiastic and energetic and want to discover themselves.

Take them to the beach, let them let go of themselves. Let them play in the sand, make sand castles, take them play in the water.

Learning social skills
Often when kids play, they have a lot of loud interactions and physical movements with other kids. At times they might not know the other kids they have to play with especially in schools, and that helps them develop social skills. They learn to be cordial and try and work well in groups often developing qualities like leadership and co-operation. They learn to interact with other children, often bonding over games and developing long lasting friendships.

Learning to appreciate nature
Parents should take their kids for treks and nature camps. They will understand nature and science better. This will help them relax and sooth all the five senses. You should teach them to respect nature. Try doing activities like gardening, planting trees, flower exhibition which help them to understand nature.

In this age, where children are so tech savvy, it might be challenging for parents to take your child away from television, computers and video games. But you should make outdoor activities fun according to your child’s interests and slowly they will learn its importance.