U.S. MILITARY

ingredients, frosting cupcakes, calculating times and setting timers, children enjoy time with family, relish the cooking and tasting experience, while being provided valuable life and motor skills and incidental side-benefits.

Much incidental learning is already occurring at home. The tone and manner in which parents, grandparents, other grownups in the home as well as neighbors and the community at large, interact with one another, provide many incidental learning scenarios that influence the children. Authentic praise and

appreciation are key in support of internalizing positive growth and effort.

In summary, mindful exploration and customization of your child's strength's and needs through natural incidental opportunities can in many ways mitigate the stress and challenges of PCS events. Imbedding incidental learning techniques can unlock a wealth of perspectives and understandings. Many everyday incidental learning occa-

WHILE WE'RE AT IT : INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH THROUGH INCIDENTAL LEARNING

Authentic praise and appreciation are key in support of internalizing positive growth and effort. Offered here are a few ideas to support and inspire families embarking upon a path of mindful engagement of incidental learning:

• Engaging in games or activities on family night that involve turn-taking, potentiates the learning of social and play skills, all-the-while increasing connection and bonding. Playing imitation games, such as Simon Says or similar games, while performing tasks involving balance or motor coordination like standing or jumping on one foot, touching right ear with left hand and so on, can maximize time with family and provide for growth in areas like listening, imitation, motor planning, and fine/gross motor skills.
• Family-time within the local community or on the road provides a range of embedded learning possibilities. Building language and critical thinking skills through a fun family adventure can be discovered via authentic reflection and discussion of family trips and outings. Expanding knowledge about one's physical and social world and follow-up discussions through the shared eyes and thoughts of others promotes empathy, navigational skills, listening and turn-taking. Try building in supports for talking and turn-taking, such as setting a visual timer, passing a concrete object to the talker or drawing names from a bowl.
• Hobbies have the power to ease feelings of boredom and cultivate feelings of connection and positivity. Engagement in chosen activities during leisure time for fun, enjoyment and relaxation is a general description of a

hobby. Helping your child grow in their hobby offers a range of benefits. Based upon your child's interest and skill, hobbies may include physical, creative or academic pursuits. Many hobbies inspire a healthy curiosity, as well as generalization and growth across a broad expanse of life, academic and motor skills. Interestingly, studies reveal that individuals identified with dyslexia often persevere through intense reading materials when geared to their specialized interests or hobbies. Parent and child discussion of interests and motivations, observation of strengths and staying open and positive are helpful tips in guiding your child toward discovering a meaningful hobby. Shared interests within the family can further serve as a connecting line through interesting discussion, fun activities, as well as learning and playing together. The sky is the limit when considering the benefits of hobbies:

• Identity and connection: The likelihood for kids who are military-connected to broaden their social scope through engaging in a hobby, can easily be potentiated when they find meaning and enjoyment in their chosen activity. Hobbies are portable and offer opportunities to connect with others with similar interests within their current, past and future PCS.
• Skill building: Engagement within a chosen hobby often allows for opportu

nity to tap into an inherent strength, which allows opportunities for social, academic, physical skills, vocational growth and skill building. Through a favored hobby, children and teens may boost a wide range of positives:

• Relaxation
• Self-control
• Self-confidence
• Patience
• Goal-setting and accomplishment
• Decision making
• Problem solving
• Physical activity
• Fine/gross motor
• Bilateral coordination
• Critical thinking
• Creativity
• Exploration of new ideas

• Boost well-being: Children and teens are afforded a wealth of activities and experiences that encourage social, emotional and physical well-being through a myriad of possible hobbies. Taking care of others, understanding other's perspectives, and turn-taking are all essential components of playing, making friends and positive engagement within the community. Hobbies involving caring for animals, volunteering, recycling and birdwatching are but a few activities children and teens may be inclined toward. A few hobbies to spark the imagination include:
• Organized sports: Movement and strength-building are encouraged through organized sports. Playing as a team, increasing confidence and problem-solving are potential side-benefits. Mindfulness of your child's interests, strengths and preferences relative to proximity and movement patterns are proactive considerations when considering organized sports as a hobby.