I find that I spend a lot of wasted time on the internet without real direction or aim. This can be especially true for kids. At my work, we do our best to not allow students to use the internet unless it is absolutely mandatory for class. Everything on the internet, however, isn't terrible. I've come up with a list of 5 websites to keep your kids occupied and intellectually stimulated.
1. http://www.tedxyouthday.com/talks/
If you haven't heard of TED talks, then this link will also interest you. At TED.com they post lectures, speeches and presentations from an event that hosts the top minds in the world in various subjects. Recently the TED foundation has sponsored events aimed at kids, even having kids deliver the speeches. It's an educational video series that presents new and interesting ideas that will be intriguing for parent and child.
2. http://pbskids.org/
PBS kids has a kid-friendly website that provides interactive games that are also educational.
3. http://www.funbrain.com/
Another educational and interactive website for kids.
4. http://bartleby.com/
Aimed at a slightly older crowd, so again a plus for parents, bartleby is a great online resource for free books. Many of the classics can be found here as well as a ton of other books. If you're looking for a book to read your child that you can also be interested in, bartleby will have some great choices.
5. http://www.tempe.gov/youthlibrary/preschool/preschweb.htm
This last website has a ton of links to good reading websites for a child still in preschool. Click a link and be launched in to the world of Peter Rabbit or the Berenstain Bears.
The internet can be useful tool, as long as it's being used properly. Make sure you guide your child's internet use and check out these great websites!
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
The Importance of Early Education
I tutor at a place where 95% of the children are from low-income households. Every single day we encounter children who are behind in several areas and need all the help they can get. After my session on Monday I called my brother and told him, "When your son is old enough you better put him in preschool, you better read to him and you better help him with his schoolwork." Everyday I'm reminded of just how vital it is to have your child learning from an early age.
That's not to say that a child who doesn't go to preschool is doomed. I didn't go to preschool, but my older sisters and my mother read to me and my sisters did this weird faux-classroom thing (they were really bored) in which they would teach me things that my sponge-like mind never forgot. I turned out fine, but the importance of preschool should not be underestimated.
"There's increasing evidence that children gain a lot from preschool," says Kathleen McCartney, Dean of Harvard Graduate School of Education. "At preschool, they become exposed to numbers, letters, and shapes. And, more important, they learn how to socialize-- get along with other children, share, contribute to circle time." We've covered the importance of children interacting with their peers, but preschool is vital for a child's academic development. By exposing your child to fun and challenging games early, you are fostering development. It may seem arbitrary, but it's one of the biggest favors you can do for your child. Everything runs into everything else: if a kid starts behind in 1st grade then he/she will have to play catch up each year of grade school or else they will stay behind each year until it's too late. For many of the kids I tutor the concept of college is not a foregone conclusion; their parents didn't go to college and without the influence of a college-educated or college-oriented parent/sibling in the house it's difficult for them to come up with those ideas on their own. Their parents are doing all they can by taking advantage of the free tutoring and it is my hope that we can help some of these kids, but the sooner we get to them the better. If you can afford preschool or a child development center, then there should be no hesitation to enroll your child.
If you're short on money, and even if you're not, you should be reading to your kids, helping them learn their abc's, counting with them, finding interactive and fun learning games online where there are hundreds of programs you can play and download. I can't tell you the number of kids who are bothered by the very idea of learning because the culture their parents raised them in never made learning fun or even addressed learning at all. Make learning fun for your child. Make the importance of learning evident. Give your child incentives. Geoffrey Canada, founder of HCZ an innovative program for inner city youth in Harlem, came up with the idea of offering children monetary incentives to learn. The idea was met with controversy, but it works! When I was a child my Dad refused to give me allowance; there was only one way for me to earn money: $1/book. That's right, $1 per book. And it worked. I love reading now and I don't do it because I still get a dollar, it was simply a good way to get me to read outside of class.
The bottom line is that we all want our kids to do better than we did. The first step is to send them to preschool and to make sure that you are helping them along in their development. Of course a kid needs to be a kid (my father used to say, when he felt I was being too "adult", that I had only 18 years to be a kid and the rest of my life to be an adult), but a nudge in the right direction will pay dividends. Ultimately your child will thank you and hopefully they will pass it on to their children.
Here is a website with some games, activities and other ideas for your child:
http://www.theideabox.com/
That's not to say that a child who doesn't go to preschool is doomed. I didn't go to preschool, but my older sisters and my mother read to me and my sisters did this weird faux-classroom thing (they were really bored) in which they would teach me things that my sponge-like mind never forgot. I turned out fine, but the importance of preschool should not be underestimated.
"There's increasing evidence that children gain a lot from preschool," says Kathleen McCartney, Dean of Harvard Graduate School of Education. "At preschool, they become exposed to numbers, letters, and shapes. And, more important, they learn how to socialize-- get along with other children, share, contribute to circle time." We've covered the importance of children interacting with their peers, but preschool is vital for a child's academic development. By exposing your child to fun and challenging games early, you are fostering development. It may seem arbitrary, but it's one of the biggest favors you can do for your child. Everything runs into everything else: if a kid starts behind in 1st grade then he/she will have to play catch up each year of grade school or else they will stay behind each year until it's too late. For many of the kids I tutor the concept of college is not a foregone conclusion; their parents didn't go to college and without the influence of a college-educated or college-oriented parent/sibling in the house it's difficult for them to come up with those ideas on their own. Their parents are doing all they can by taking advantage of the free tutoring and it is my hope that we can help some of these kids, but the sooner we get to them the better. If you can afford preschool or a child development center, then there should be no hesitation to enroll your child.
If you're short on money, and even if you're not, you should be reading to your kids, helping them learn their abc's, counting with them, finding interactive and fun learning games online where there are hundreds of programs you can play and download. I can't tell you the number of kids who are bothered by the very idea of learning because the culture their parents raised them in never made learning fun or even addressed learning at all. Make learning fun for your child. Make the importance of learning evident. Give your child incentives. Geoffrey Canada, founder of HCZ an innovative program for inner city youth in Harlem, came up with the idea of offering children monetary incentives to learn. The idea was met with controversy, but it works! When I was a child my Dad refused to give me allowance; there was only one way for me to earn money: $1/book. That's right, $1 per book. And it worked. I love reading now and I don't do it because I still get a dollar, it was simply a good way to get me to read outside of class.
The bottom line is that we all want our kids to do better than we did. The first step is to send them to preschool and to make sure that you are helping them along in their development. Of course a kid needs to be a kid (my father used to say, when he felt I was being too "adult", that I had only 18 years to be a kid and the rest of my life to be an adult), but a nudge in the right direction will pay dividends. Ultimately your child will thank you and hopefully they will pass it on to their children.
Here is a website with some games, activities and other ideas for your child:
http://www.theideabox.com/
Halloween: Candy
(Writer's Note: The videos in this post may not display correctly. To view the original version click play on the video and then click the video image. A new screen should pop-up where the video will play via youtube. If your browser blocks pop-ups hold down the ctrl button and click the video image.)
We all know that children love candy, but if you forget, there will always be someone there to remind you:
In the unlikely event, however, that you are completely clueless, this video lays out the basics for you:
But maybe you don't want to subscribe to the rule that Halloween has to be unhealthy (unsolicited advice/opinion: Halloween is sacred in the life of a child and should be one of the only times (Christmas, Easter) that kids can stuff themselves with cavity inducing, stomach churning sugar...) there are tons of ways to improve the nutrition of your holiday. The website below has a ton of healthy Halloween recipe ideas if you're baking for a school function or a party:
http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/best-halloween-recipes-786790/
These days, however, it's pretty tough to give out unwrapped treats to neighborhood kids (For good reason. Please make sure to go through your child's treat bag and remove any suspicious or unwrapped candy and throw them away.), but there are some alternatives to spread healthiness to the whole neighborhood. The video below has some good tips. The first half has more recipes, but the second half is a guide to buying candy; unfortunately much of the candy they mention has peanut butter in it which can be a problem for kids with allergies...
And again we have Diet.Com expanding the list of Don't(s) and adding a few Do(s):
No matter what candy you choose to buy, the most important rule of Halloween is safety first. So make sure you check your kids bags and make sure you don't lose your Shark Boy or Frog Girl (I have no idea what costumes are popular these days) amongst the sea of Shark Boys and Frog Girls that are sure to populate your neighborhood. And if you really have no idea what to buy, just bring your child to the grocery store and tell him/her to grab exactly what he/she wants for Halloween. Then give it away to other kids. Just Kidding! Happy Halloween!
We all know that children love candy, but if you forget, there will always be someone there to remind you:
In the unlikely event, however, that you are completely clueless, this video lays out the basics for you:
But maybe you don't want to subscribe to the rule that Halloween has to be unhealthy (unsolicited advice/opinion: Halloween is sacred in the life of a child and should be one of the only times (Christmas, Easter) that kids can stuff themselves with cavity inducing, stomach churning sugar...) there are tons of ways to improve the nutrition of your holiday. The website below has a ton of healthy Halloween recipe ideas if you're baking for a school function or a party:
http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/best-halloween-recipes-786790/
These days, however, it's pretty tough to give out unwrapped treats to neighborhood kids (For good reason. Please make sure to go through your child's treat bag and remove any suspicious or unwrapped candy and throw them away.), but there are some alternatives to spread healthiness to the whole neighborhood. The video below has some good tips. The first half has more recipes, but the second half is a guide to buying candy; unfortunately much of the candy they mention has peanut butter in it which can be a problem for kids with allergies...
And again we have Diet.Com expanding the list of Don't(s) and adding a few Do(s):
No matter what candy you choose to buy, the most important rule of Halloween is safety first. So make sure you check your kids bags and make sure you don't lose your Shark Boy or Frog Girl (I have no idea what costumes are popular these days) amongst the sea of Shark Boys and Frog Girls that are sure to populate your neighborhood. And if you really have no idea what to buy, just bring your child to the grocery store and tell him/her to grab exactly what he/she wants for Halloween. Then give it away to other kids. Just Kidding! Happy Halloween!
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Kid Files #3
Today I worked with a child who most likely has Asperger's syndrome. We spent two hours working on a Math handout about mental math, that is calculating addition and subtraction in one's head. He happened to be very good at the addition portion of the handout, but he struggled with the subtraction. Most of the two hours was spent on one problem in particular that we never finished. He begged for me to give him the answers, but I remained steadfast; I believed, and still believe, that he could do it. As the clock approached 5:30 he became hysterical. He began sobbing and telling me that it was all my fault and that his parents would be mad at him for not finishing his work. After he left I sat down for about twenty minutes trying to rethink my actions. A couple coworkers had overheard the interaction and they were apologetic that I had had such a difficult afternoon which was reassuring. Still I found myself in a daze as I walked to a local coffee shop. Was it my fault? Should I have just given him the answers? Would that really solve anything? After an hour I realized that it wouldn't; I had to stand firm. I could have let him do it on paper, but he was already proficient in that area. I could have given him the answers, but what would he do at the grocery store when he needed $22 but only had a $20? Surely it would be more embarrassing to have to learn it then rather than now. And yet it didn't make me feel any better to have done what I deemed to be the right thing. The next day I saw the student again and he gave me an enthusiastic hello. I might not have been his favorite tutor, but I think I earned his respect.
It's always a surprise.
Halloween: Costumes
Halloween is one of those holidays that never loses it's appeal. Unlike Christmas, adults get to participate as much as their children do and this time around no one is monitoring their candy intake! Halloween has always had a near and dear place in my heart as my birthday is four days before the holiday; as such I've decided to write the next couple blogs with a focus on the approaching holiday, which is on a Sunday this year (bad news for those of us who have work the following day...I guess there is something to being a kid), starting with costumes.
Let's talk budget first. Everyone wants to look good for Halloween, but what if you're trying to save a few dollars for some extra candy apples and a jumbo bag of Sweet Tarts. Understandable. The following link has a bunch of great ideas for using items you can find around your house. The list of costumes to be made with a box are pretty great:
Another cheap, affordable and quick option is make-up. Using face paint and hair dye, you can transform your child into a regular Frankenstein for 3+ hours. Here are some tips on how to make your child Harry Potter or a Frazzled Housewife, plus more:
Of course if you happened to have scratched off 2 out of 3 winning numbers or you recently turned in your recyclables for cash or you saved on the electric bill by learning to read in the dark, you can pay for your costume. But how much fun is that? By making a costume, and including your child, you're fostering his/her creativity and teaching a valuable lesson: the best things in life are free (or they are cheaper than some of the other best things). At any rate, I'm sure come October 31st there will be many happy goblins and ghouls running around. Look out next week for a blog about the sweet stuff: candy. Happy (early) Halloween!
Friday, October 1, 2010
Kid Files #2
This past summer I worked at a camp. We were warned about home sickness going into the summer, but as my kids were older I doubted that I would have to deal with it even though I had brief bouts of it myself. Before bed we always showered and brushed our teeth and then got into bed and talked for a while. One night a boy got up in the middle of our conversation and ran to the bathroom and vomited. Minutes later I was out of bed and walking him to the infirmary. We made our way up to the nurse and talked to her, waking her up and getting some medication. I could tell that he was feeling better and that perhaps he was not sick at all. And then the truth came out: he was not really sick he just missed his brother who had not come to camp for the first half of camp. This was the longest and first time they had ever been apart. I shared my own home-sickness and we walked around for a while, trying to shake the negative feelings. I asked him what he did when he felt bad at home and he replied that he played the piano. We headed to a music room and I listened as he played a few of his favorite tunes. Later as we walked down the hill we both felt better and I wasn't even sick to begin with.
It's always a surprise.
What to do if my child lies?
During high school I had a friend who lied constantly without reason or provocation. One time specifically he walked past me with headphones on his ears. I asked him what he was listening to as he was dancing and moving his head with a high degree of satisfaction. He told it was Mandy Moore. Later, at PE, I had a chance to inspect the CD player while my friend was in the bathroom. He was not listening to Mandy Moore. He was listening to anything, there was no CD and there were no batteries in the CD player.
Despite the tone of the story, my friend was not crazy; he truly enjoyed lying and did not know how to stop. Kids lie for a variety of reasons: to avoid trouble, to enhance the truth, and sometimes only because they can. The behavior must be corrected before it becomes a habit as in the case of my friend. Below are some strategies to correct this troublesome behavior:
1. Limit the child’s opportunity to lie. If you know the child did something wrong tell the child immediately. Believing your child will tell the truth is good way to build trust, but if your child has a problem with lying you have to erase the possibility. Ask direct questions without accusation but questions that don’t skirt around the point.
2. Keep your cool. If you are already at a 10 when you begin the conversation with your child why would he/she admit to his/her deed?
3. Do not let your child get away with it. If the behavior goes unpunished lying will become a habit without fear of consequence.
4. Make sure you offer to hear their side of the story. Chances are your child had a reason for doing what he/she did; find out what it is. If you understand were their coming from, they’ll respect you and the punishment will fit the crime.
For further information go to:
http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/Sophy6.html
This website offers a four step approach to getting your kids to tell the truth.
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