June 8, 2009
Top Five Tuesday!
Greetings, Hoo-dee-Hoo enthusiasts! When Meredith asked me to share a few of my favorite manners with you for Tuesday’s Top Five I jumped at the opportunity!
As moms, one of the best things about summer is having our children home with us, and one of the most trying things about summer is having our children home with us. The playground is the perfect retreat to let off some steam and enjoy the sunshine during lagging summer afternoons. Here are my top five playground manners for summer 2009! Enjoy…
1. Plan: Pack a bag with all of your park essentials. Don’t forget to toss in some water and a little snack too. Our children will appreciate the fact that we thought of them, especially when they aren’t victims of sunburns and cottonmouth!
2. Proactively communicate: Take a pre-park moment to go over playground safety as well as interpersonal skills. Discuss manners such as introducing yourself, remembering names, engaging in conversation with others, and including people even if you don’t want to. These are manners they will use for the rest of their lives and the playground is the perfect place to practice!
3. Pop Quiz: Quiz your children on the proactive communication! Don’t forget to make it fun… go nuts when they get the answers correct and easy on them when they don’t.
4. Participate: Engage with your children. Use the park as a teaching ground to help them develop and hone their interpersonal skills. Step in when they look lost or if they aren’t being inclusive. We don’t have to narrate their conversations; we just provide watchful suggestions.
5. Prepare: Prepare your children to leave the park. I’ve made the mistake of not preparing my children a time or two, and it took everything in me to not crawl under the jungle gym and hide…fearful that other park goers would know the two hysterical children belonged to me. Preparing our children to leave with plenty notice is not only helpful when it comes time for departure, but respectful of our children’s feelings and time.
Feel free to give your own tips or post questions about playground manners below! Happy summer to you!
For more on summertime manners subscribe to June’s issue of www.ManneroftheMonth.com where we break down summertime manners from swimming pools to swings.
FANTASTIC. Will use this wonderful advice after my darlings “escape” from school this summer!
Great advice Mindy! You look fabulous by the way. And thank you for sharing this wonderful site by Meredith. It’s Magnifique!
Mindy Lockard’s advise was Awesome…I sure hope you have her on again! I really liked the idea of setting the timer prior to leaving.
I love the reminder to use playground time as an opportunity to teach our kids how to introduce themselves to new playmates, and practice that “proactive communication”
Thanks for being a guest on the Hoo-dee Mindy!
And I’d love to have ya back again!
Great advice!
Thanks Mindy. I appreciate that you incorporate the “Golden Rule” in to your lessons for kids.
Whoo hoo Mindy!! This is just excellent. Even a Grandma can use your advice. Love the “prepare” section most of all. Perfect, perfect!!
Love the advice from Mindy! I look forward to taking my kiddos to the park!
Thanks Mindy. A great reminder. As mothers, we need to remember the wonderful teaching opportunities we have when we take our children out and about. The park is a great place to start!
I love seeing so many familiar faces! Meredith, thanks again for the invitation to spend the day at Hoo-dee-Hoo. You are an exceptional hostess! Here’s to summer 2009, may it be the best summer yet!
Thanks Mindy for the advice! As and auntie that loves to help out with my nephews, I thank you for the information and fun article!
This is so good… I have 4 kids of all different ages and there are tips here for all of us!
Melissa and Judy, Great points. These manners aren’t just for moms they are for anyone with little loved ones. It’s helpful to prepare and be prepared-no matter the relation-for those we tote to the park!
Thank you Mrs. Lockard. Having the five “p’s” for our next trip to the playground will make a more pleasurable experience for all of us! You always make your advise so relevant for parents.
The therapist in me loves this proactive communication tip! … And I’m a fan of “going nuts” in general
You have great wisdom to share Mindy. Thank you.
Hey Mindy…love it….those are all things that I have been doing with my four….so it is so nice to have them verified by a professional like yourself. Where are all the “Mindy’s” of the world? We need more like you when I take my kids and the park would be even more enjoyable. Keep up the good work!!!!
as always, mindy offers sensible, perfect advice. now if i can just follow it! thank you for sharing great thoughts. keep them coming!
All great ideas! The park is much more fun when prepared! Happy Summer!
Thanks for the great advice for Summer fun at the park!
Dear Mindy, Thank you for the pearls of wisdom for trips to the park. Your tips are so timely and useful. Keep ‘em coming! Fran
Love the tips! The park is never fun when unprepared. Thanks for all the great ideas Mindy!
Hello Mrs. Lockard,
Well said, as always! I watched this with Andrew… “Why ith Mithith Lockard at the playground?” (front teeth missing!) So we started a conversation about park manners… love you, and love finding a new blog, thanks!
Love,
Lizzie
Thank-you, Mindy, for these park tips, which can be used in almost any situation when dealing with teaching our children the fine art of etiquette.
And, thank-you for introducing me to another fun yet educational blog!