Tips for Teaching Your Child Anything

Simply telling your child what you want them to do and walking away is not an effective teaching strategy. You can’t “talk” your child into learning a new skill. The most effective teaching strategy is to do it with them and then have them practice. Research has repeatedly proven that the only way we all learn is through practice, practice, practice.

Prompting is the most important tool in teaching your child a new skill. Prompting is the action of persuading, encouraging, or reminding. There are four main types of prompting: verbal, gestural, visual, and hand over hand.

1. Verbal prompting is standing beside your child while they are doing the task and telling them what to do next.

2. Gestural prompting is when you point or act out the behavior to help your child know what to do next.

3. Visual prompting includes pictures, visual schedules, written lists, etc. An example of this is putting a list of the process of getting ready on their bathroom mirror.

4. Hand-over-hand prompting is when you take your child’s hands in yours and do what you want to see. For example, if you are asking your child which car is blue, you would touch the car with his hand while saying, “This car is blue.” This approach is invaluable because it negates any language barriers, provides an opportunity for the child to get the right answer and earn praise, and it encourages the child to comply.

Shaping is the next tool. Shaping is simply reinforcing small accomplishments towards the skill you are trying to teach. For example, let’s say your goal is that your child sits at the dinner table until the end of the meal. Shaping starts exactly where the child is. If your child walks around eating and has never been forced to sit at the dinner table, start there. Shape the behavior by putting them in the chair for 10 seconds, praise them for sitting, and then let them return to walking around. After a short time, do this again. If 10 seconds occurred without any extreme frustration, you can move up to 15 seconds and then 20 seconds. The next day, you increase the time and continue shaping until your child can sit through the meal. We always begin shaping from where the child will be successful, so if 10 seconds is too long, start at 5 seconds. If that is too long, start with sitting in the chair. No matter how your child behaves, praise them for trying, even if they are angry. If you praise what you want to see, your child will do it again willingly.

I can’t talk about prompting or shaping without conveying the importance of precursor skills. Precursor skills must be mastered before you can move to something more complex. For example, if your child can’t write her name, make sure she has the precursor skills of holding a pencil, writing on paper, writing letters, and attending long enough to write her entire name. We strongly encourage parents to think through the precursor skills a child needs before working towards a goal. Otherwise, you are setting your child up for failure and frustration.

Practice makes progress, but effective practice must include starting where they are, prompting when necessary, and shaping complex skills.

Wonderful Wednesdays Popsicles on the Plaza

Join us for “Popsicles on the Plaza,” an end-of-summer celebration presented by Frios Gourmet Pops at Bellingrath Gardens and Home on August 2, 2023.

From 3:30 to 6:00 pm, come to the Plaza for a delightful event featuring delicious popsicles, fun yard games, and family-friendly activities. No reservations are required, so gather your loved ones and enjoy a memorable afternoon surrounded by the beauty of the Gardens. Indulge in handcrafted popsicles in a variety of flavors while engaging in friendly competition or simply taking a leisurely stroll through the serene surroundings. Don’t miss this opportunity to savor the last tastes of summer and create lasting memories.

GulfQuest Offering Free Admission to Military Families

GulfQuest has announced it will join museums across the country in the Blue Star Museums initiative, which offers free admission to currently-serving United States military personnel and their families.

The 2023 summer program will end on Labor Day, September 4. Blue Star Museums is a partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families, in collaboration with the Department of Defense and participating museums across America. You can find a complete list of participating museums at arts.gov/bluestarmuseums. This free admission program is available for those currently serving in the United States Military. That includes those serving with the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, and Space Force, as well as members of the Reserves, National Guard, U.S. Public Health Commissioned Corps and NOAA Commissioned Corps. Active service members can also bring up to five family members.

To obtain free admission to a participating Blue Star Museum, qualified members must show an appropriate military identification card. You can learn more about the accepted forms of military ID at: www.arts.gov/initiatives/

Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday

Alabama’s 18th annual sales tax holiday for school-related items begins at 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 21, 2023, and ends at midnight Sunday, July 23, 2023, giving shoppers the opportunity to purchase certain school supplies, computers, books and clothing free of the state’s four percent sales or use tax.

Gulf Coast Ethnic & Heritage Jazz Festival

The Gulf Coast Ethnic & Heritage Jazz Festival provides the Gulf Coast and surrounding areas with a vibrant mix of jazz music and education. This year the Festival will include the Marcus Johnson Summer Jazz Camp, an evening of poetry, 25 Years of Jazz Gala, and at the heart of it all, incredible main stage jazz concerts. Join us July 27-30, 2023 for our festival. Please visit https://gcehjazzfest.wordpress.com/ for our full schedule of events and for tickets.

Feeding the Gulf Coast Provides FREE Summer Meals For Children

Feeding the Gulf Coast is partnering with local community organizations to offer free meals to children, 18 and younger, through the Summer Meals Program. The program is supported by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and is designed to fill the nutritional gap when children are out of school during summer months and do not have access to free or reduced-price breakfasts and lunches at school. This program has a significant impact on children and families across the central Gulf Coast.

“As summer comes, many children who rely on school meals face the painful reality of hunger instead of the carefree days of summer they should be able to enjoy,” said Michael Ledger, President and CEO at Feeding the Gulf Coast. “We are partnering with nearly 150 sites this summer across our service area to provide 9,500 meals on a daily basis.”

To find child meals sites near you throughout the summer, call our office at (888) 704-FOOD or visit our website at feedingthegulfcoast.org/find-help.

Kids Day: July 2023

Join us on Saturday, July 15 from 4-7 pm at Mardi Gras Park for Kids Day. Your every wish will come true when we bring your beloved characters to life. Kids Day and Saturdays at the Coop Concert Series team up for Princesses in the

Roy Martin Young Anglers Tournament

The Roy Martin Young Anglers Tournament is designed to bring families together and encourage sportsmanship. The tournament takes place on Saturday, July 15, 2023. RMYAT is for children 15 years and younger and it typically attracts more than 1,500 young anglers. The one-day event features 30 categories with prizes awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes in all categories. One Master Angler is awarded. All participants receive a certificate, hot dog, ice cream courtesy of Blue Bell Creameries, and a drink provided by Coca-Cola. All proceeds benefit the Mobile Jaycees Children’s Christmas Shopping Tour. Please visit https://adsfr.com/rmyat/ for more information.

Cheers to Children to Benefit Child Advocacy Center

Cheers to Children will be held at EL PAPI, 615 Dauphin St. This benefit for the Child Advocacy Center will be held on Monday, July 24th from 6:00 pm-8:30 pm. Big Bill’s Appliance Service, Christopher L. George P.C., Norton Lilly International, and 99.9 Radio are sponsors. This event will feature samplings of EL PAPI signature dishes and wines to taste, along with a select live and silent auction. Music will be provided by Harrison McInnis. Tickets are $35 each and are available at the CAC. Call 251-432-1101 for more details.

The Saenger Theatre Annual Summer Classic Movie Series

Join us this summer for our Summer Classic Movie Series at the Saenger Theatre. 2023

Schedule:

• Good Will Hunting 7/6 – 7pm

• Gone with the Wind 7/9 – 3pm

• Pretty Woman 7/13 – 7pm

• Mamma Mia! 7/16 – 3pm

• Wedding Crashers 7/27 -7pm

• Back to the Future 7/30 – 3pm

• Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory 8/6 – 3pm

• Fast Times at Ridgemont High 8/10 – 7pm

• To Kill a Mockingbird 8/13 – 3pm

• Bridget Jones’s Diary 8/17 – 7pm

• Pirates of the Caribbean 8/20 – 3pm

• The Breakfast Club 8/24 – 7pm

We encourage attendees to bring a donation item for United Cerebral Palsy of Mobile including: Antibacterial Hand Soap, Sanitizing Wipes (Clorox Wipes), Lysol Disinfecting Spray, Clorox Disinfecting Mist, Baby Wipes, Antibacterial All-Purpose Cleaner, Paper Towels, Gallon Size Ziploc Bags, Shower Cleaning Spray or Sharpie Markers. Visit www.asmglobalmobile.com.

Southwest Chamber of Commerce Kid’s Day

The Southwest Chamber of Commerce Kid’s Day will be held on July 29, 2023 from 9:00 am-1:00 pm at Tillman’s Corner Community Center. Join us for the most awaited summer event! We are going to build Mobile’s largest ice cream sundae and will have the following activities: games, free uniforms, free school supplies, petting zoo, vendors and a beach ball drop at 12 pm.

Dauphin Street Vault

The Dauphin Street Vault (DSV) is a not-for-profit grassroots event to raise awareness for the pole vault and create an opportunity for spectators to see the event up close. Whether you’re competing in the event or just watching, you’ll enjoy the block party atmosphere. Join us for a full day of street vaulting on July 15, 2023, from 9 am – 9 pm for this USATF Sanctioned Event. Please visit https://www.dauphinstreetvault.org/ for more information.