How to Get Your Child to Appreciate the Masterpiece That Is You

by Samantha Sawyer

Taking children to a museum can be so fun - especially this month as May is officially Museum Month.   

Have you noticed that everything in a children’s museum seems to amaze kids? What is it about these places that transform children into such ideal creatures? They listen carefully as you describe what they are looking at for hour upon hour; they are engaged and happy—showing wonder in their eyes without a shred of bad behavior looming within. 

Allow me to share how museums use many of the aspects from my holistic "5 Polka Dots" approach to Smart Kids and Happy Families so you can easily achieve these same results at home.

• Children’s museums know that PLAY is every child’s primary occupation. 
• They provide opportunities for hands-on exploration that provides MULTI-SENSORY feedback to draw your child into an experience rather than entertaining with complicated gadgets or toys. 
• Their exhibits are designed to intrinsically MOTIVATE your child by grabbing her attention, which sets her brain up for natural learning and new neural pathways. 
• They present large, real-life concepts such as cause and effect of hurricanes in terms that are SIMPLIFIED but still informative. 
• Children’s museums aim to involve the whole FAMILY so kids and parents have a shared experience that promotes bonding, self-discovery and creativity. 

Stimulating your child’s brain for accelerated learning and emotional connection can occur quite easily at home. For a novel experience aside from your typical daily routine, set aside 15-minutes of special time to simply play with your child.

By following their lead and allowing them to explore items that interest them most, without any intentional re-direction or educational questions (e.g. What color is your ball?) , you foster a wondrous environment for exploration and natural learning.

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This article came to us from Samantha Sawyer, founder of Family Dynamics Enhancement, and a Certified Parent Coach specializing in providing expert guidance and support so parents can create their ideal family. It’s not every day that you find a parent coach who is also a Nationally Certified Speech Language Pathologist and Autism Specialist. Through her background and experience, Samantha has learned that the parent is the expert regarding their child. She has shown them why traditional methods don’t always work and what to do about it so they can transform their family into a cohesive and loving team.

If you like these free tips and want more ideas for inspiring your child sign-up here (link:

http://www.brightening connections.com) for our fun and informative monthly "Happy Family" Newsletter.

If you’re looking for customized Parent-Play Coaching in our holistic and innovative "5 Polka Dots" approach to Smart Kids and Happy Families please contact Samantha at Brightening Connections today. Receive a FREE 20-minute phone consultation ($50 value!) and an additional $25 off our 4-session summer program (offer expires June 30, 2012) when you mention this article.

For more information on Samantha and the services she offers to families in their homes, please visit

www.brighteningconnections.com. Samantha’s passion is teaching caregivers fun and easy ways to advance their child’s development through play. 

She may be contacted directly at (651) 785-3059 or samantha@brighteningconnections.com