Learning to set goals plays an important role as your child starts to gain independence. However, setting goals doesn't come naturally to your child, so helping him to learn the process should probably be one of your goals.

    Explain the word “goal”. Your child may know what a goal is when it comes to soccer, but he may not understand what it means in everyday life. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Listen to your child. Ideally, you want your child to be able to decide for himself what his goals are. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Let him talk about what he thinks he does well and what he thinks needs to improve. If he's stuck, you can provide some examples of your own personal goals.

    Help keep goals achievable. Don't throw cold water on your child. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} For example, if your child wants to be a champion swimmer, but can't swim an entire lap of the pool yet, you can suggest he start by making that his first goal.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Help your child write down his goals in an easy-to-follow form. Being able to see and check off the steps on the way to his goal is the key in keeping him motivated. A really simple way is to have your child draw a ladder on a piece of paper, writing his goal at the top and each step to that goal on the rungs (横木). {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Change goals every so often.

B. Make a visual goal reminder.

C. Don't always tell him what you think.

D. He's climbing to the top as he gets closer to his goal.

E. You can take sports as example to help explain it to him.

F. Once he has set up a goal, he may find it very difficult to achieve it.

G. When a goal is beyond his reach, help him break it down into smaller pieces.

How to get siblings (兄弟姐妹) to get along

    One of the greatest gifts of parenthood is seeing your children form a relationship with each other that is independent of you. By giving hem someone else to play with, you can free up some time for yourself. Here are four techniques you can use to help your children appreciate each other while they're young.

    ⒈{#blank#}1{#/blank#} The No.1 thing parents can do to help their kids stay on good terms with each other is not to compare them with each other. Never say “Your sister never. . ”or “Why can't you do what your brother does?”{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    ⒉Try out of the way. Try not to get too involved in your kids' arguments. Learning cooperation and problem-solving is an important skill in life{#blank#}3{#/blank#}And don't blame the older one for not “knowing better,” That puts pressure on the older child and leads to unhappiness.

    ⒊Activities and opportunities. Have your kids go to their siblings' games and activities{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    “My kids go to each other's activities, and take part in activities together,” says Patricia Walters-Fischer, mother of two. Not only do her children go, but they also offer support, encouraging each other before a big game or performance and offering comfort when things don't go well.

    ⒋Vacations. Don't ignore the value of a family vacation for bringing siblings together. When kids are away from their friends and forced to spend time together, they often enjoy each other{#blank#}5{#/blank#}In fact, a weekend camping trip offers some of the best opportunities for working together, having fun and experiencing something new.

A. Never shout at them.

B. Don't compare.

C. It doesn't need to be anything extremely great.

D. That only serves to fuel the competition.

E. Give them a project, and they will learn how to work together.

F. They may need help solving a conflict, but try not to take sides.

G. Get them involved in one another's lives, so they can have a better appreciation of who their sibling is.

    People who are confident really seem to be naturally outstanding(优秀的) and just seem to do everything with more grace(优雅的)than others. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}It is a habit that everyone can develop in life. Try these simple tips to drill and build up your confidence.

    Admit your shortcomings calmly.

    Do not try to escape from them or cover them. Face them bravely.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Fight against them every day until the day when you could break away and conquer them.

    Dress for self-confidence.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}And therefore pay attention to your dress, display your unique physical advantages and exhibit your best image. In addition, on formal occasions such as a business meeting or a wedding ceremony, elegant dressing contributes to building your confidence.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    You should break your routine that deals with the work passively (被动地). Focus your efforts immediately on overcoming it, because it will make your restless mind at ease and build your self-confidence.

    Be positive.

    Feeling pity neither on yourself nor on others. If you are used to hating and accusing(指责) yourself, others would tend to do that and believe it. Instead, you should speak positively about yourself, your progress, and your bright future.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Your appearance could put you into embarrassment(尴尬)or increase your confidence.

B. Then talk about them to a reliable mate, a friend or a family member.

C. As a matter of fact, true self-confidence is neither born nor got overnight.

D. Build your confident vocabulary.

E. By doing so, you would encourage your growth in a positive direction.

F. Don't put off what you eventually have to do.

G. Don't judge a person by appearance.

Decoding the young brain

    There was a funny experiment to see how a young child would answer a specific question compared to an adult. After the adult had spent some time speaking with the child, he asked the child, “What do you think about me？” The child answered, “You talk too much.” When the adult performed the same experiment with another adult, the reply to the same question was, “I think you're a very interesting person.” Even if the adult felt the same way as the child, his brain allowed him to take a moment，consider the question, and come up with an answer. He could have been annoyed, but his answer didn't reflect it because he was being polite.

    The secret lies in the science of the developing brain. The child's honest answer was reflected in the fact that his brain wasn't equipped to filter(过滤) information before answering the question. As a result, he was honest, but he said something that may have been hurtful. However, the child did not intentionally hurt the adult; it's just the way his brain works. As a child grows into adolescence and then into adulthood, that changes.

    The human brain is made up of billions of neurons(神经元). In order for our body to execute a command, like getting up from a chair and walking to the other room, the neurons in the brain have to communicate with each other. They also help us employ our senses like taste and touch and help us remember things.

    When the neurons send messages, perhaps one sensation(感觉) the person feels is excitement about eating a cookie because it is so delicious. Later, if that person smells a cookie or hears someone talking about a cookie, it can spark the electrical signals that call up the memory of eating the delicious cookie. In an adult, he or she may remember that eating too many cookies can have consequences, like weight gain. But because the younger brain is more impulsive(冲动的), the desire to feel the pleasure of the sweet treat outweighs the consequences.

    That is because when a child is young, his brain is “wired” in such a way that he seeks pleasure and is more willing to take risks than an adult. This affects his decision-making process and it is why younger people tend to be more impulsive. Sometimes parents have to tell their children over and over again before the child remembers that something is dangerous or risky. How many times have we heard a parent say, “I tell her this all the time, but she never listens！”

    To conclude, what we know about the young brain is that children are more likely than adults to be impulsive. It isn't always necessarily because they are being naughty; it may very well be because of their brains. So the next time you ask a child what he really thinks of you, be prepared for any kind of answer.

    Life is filled with regrets. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}When we look back, we always wish that we had made better choices. Then what can we do to avoid future regrets？

    Make better plans.

    If you start to do something, you need to make a plan before doing it. The earlier, the better. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}You'll also know what you should do and what you shouldn't do.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    You can go around more often. More outdoor activities can keep you relaxed and active. You also need to be kind. "Thank you" can bring a smile to someone's face. Learn to say "sorry" and don't be angry with others.

    Find the right friend.

    A friend may make your life and can break your life as well. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Good friends will always better your ideas.

    Never fear failure.

    Everybody fails. Even the greatest person failed. We should not fear failure, because failure is not the end of the road. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Life is good. We don't have to live in our past, but we do hope that we can plan better, live better and work better when we have the chance to do so.

A. Live a more active life.

B. Almost all of us have no difficulty telling our regrets.

C. We should take failure as a chance and improve ourselves.

D. We had many dreams when we were young children.

E. So you have to think twice when you choose a friend.

F. Build up your confidence.

G. You will know what comes first and what comes last.

Nearly everyone has spent at least one night lying in bed wishing for sleep. But for many, it's a nightly struggle. The key, or secret, is to experiment. What works for some might not work as well for others. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

Set a regular bedtime. Go to bed at the same time every night. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Try not to break this routine on weekends when it may be attractive to stay up late. If you want to change your bedtime, help your body adjust (调整).

{#blank#}3{#/blank#} If you're getting enough sleep, you should wake up on time naturally without an alarm.  As with your bedtime, try to keep your regular wake﹣up time even on weekends.

Be smart about napping (打盹). Though taking a nap can be a great way to become energetic again, especially for older adults, it can make insomnia (失眠)worse. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If you must nap, do it in the early afternoon, and limit it to thirty minutes.

Fight after﹣dinner drowsiness (睡意). What should you do when getting sleepy before your bedtime？{#blank#}5{#/blank#} For example, washing the dishes, or calling a friend. If you give in to the drowsiness, you may wake up later in the night and have difficulty getting back to sleep.

A. Wake up at the same time every day.

B. Spend more time outside in the daytime.

C. When it's time to sleep, make sure the room is dark.

D. Get off the couch and do something to avoid falling asleep.

E. If insomnia is a problem for you, consider giving up napping.

F. It's important to find the sleep methods that work best for you.

G. Choose a time when you normally feel tired so that you can fall asleep easily.