Talking about children's books and films. Useful information for parents.
01 Jun 2012 Leave a comment
in Advertising and Consumerism, Infant Learning - 1st Three Years, Issues, Just Fun Stuff, Parenting
The next time you are tempted by expensive toys for toddlers (especially those posh developmental toys!), here’s an excellent reminder of the beauty of simple pleasures:
“Remember these 4 words and you’ll always have Things to Do with a Toddler”
Keep it simple!
29 May 2012 Leave a comment
in Advertising and Consumerism, Issues, Parenting, Television Tags: food
From the Hospital for Sick Children’s website, “More TV Means More Junk Food”.
Even if you don’t believe in the pervasive influence of advertising on our thought processes, you can’t deny that if your child doesn’t even know that a particular product exists… he/she won’t pester you for it!
p.s. Another vital factor in the equation is the influence of parental example – I sure wish I was a better model of healthy eating! (Oh Cheezies, how I adore you…)
26 Apr 2012 Leave a comment
in Commentary, Independence, Issues, Parenting
It looks like all I’ve got time for these days is passing on links… Oh well…
Here’s another good one though, “The Genius of Unstructured Summer Time” on the New York Times site. One of the things that irks me most about modern parenting trends is the need for constant curriculum – not just during school hours, but now bleeding into all available free time, early mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, summer time… (As well as into the very early years of toddlerhood and infancy: witness expanding kindergarten hours, full-curriculum daycares, computer lapware for babies!)
What would unprogrammed time look like? Is it so bad that they might get a little bored? Learning how to entertain themselves might be one of the most useful skills they can develop.
We spend so much time trying to instill the love of reading in our children, but when the heck are they supposed to read for enjoyment when we keep them hopping every hour of the week?
The space and time to just think… that is where true creativity can spring forth. Dare we let them follow their hearts, in their own time and in whatever direction it leads them?
23 Apr 2012 Leave a comment
in Parenting
A question I ask myself frequently these days. Apologies if this seems out in left field, but as I was watching this video – John Cleese talking about creativity – I suddenly thought about my little lunatic and realized that she simply operates in the ‘open’ mode while I live my life in the ‘closed’ mode!
It’s a little long, but watch this and you’ll see what I mean: John Cleese on Creativity
So… the next time my daughter drifts off into orbit, I’ll try not to snap her out of it so soon.
20 Mar 2012 Leave a comment
in Education, Issues, Parenting, Technology
Further to my last post about the iPhone, here’s an interesting article from Commonsense Media: “My Kids’ First iPad”. It’s written from the point of view of parents who are “early adopters” of media, and you can follow links to lots of app recommendations, etc.
I do see one good comment below the article though, about the speed with which content is presented, which concerns me as well. The commenter advises computers be used alongside traditional reading material, which encourages kids to slow down and develop longer attention spans.
In general, Commonsensemedia.org is a great resource for all tech subjects in relation to raising kids – if you have teenagers for example, and are concerned about social media and privacy, or cyberbullying, or appropriate content controls, they are always posting advice and information on those topics.
07 Mar 2012 1 Comment
in Parenting
This is just a sweet, sweet list. The ones I want to work on myself are:
TRY
44. Keeping that sigh to yourself. Just jump in and help clean up cheerfully.
LISTEN
57. One second longer than you think you have patience for.
58. For the feelings behind your child’s words.
06 Mar 2012 Leave a comment
in Apps, Parenting, Technology
It is with no small sense of shame that I bring up the newest Amazement in our home: the iPhone. Shame because even as I try desperately to limit our ‘screen time’, both my daughter and I are drawn to the iPhone like moths to a flame. And shame because I do not want to turn this blog into some kind of plug for Apple products.
I am NOT telling you to buy one of these!
However… I know there are a lot of people out there getting these thingy-gadgets and I found this useful: a list of highly rated and mostly educational apps for little ones, c/o Savvy Mom.
As long as I set time limits (for both of us!), I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a little fun time on the computer/tablet/phone. And I can see how a smart phone could really save the day in the case of delayed flights, long car rides, or endless waiting room waits.
If you’d rather not open the Pandora’s Box that is the App Store, remember that even the free basics you get with the phone can be highly entertaining for preschoolers. The Calculator is fun for kids intrigued and awed by numbers, and the Compass is perfect for treasure hunts! The Camera and Voice Memos are good for hours of giddy enjoyment! The Clock has a stopwatch feature, and Weather allows you to look up conditions anywhere in the world!
I can see the exclamation points sneaking in so it’s time to stop. Don’t worry, this blog is not about to turn into a tech geek blog – there are many, many, many others more knowledgeable than I about these matters, but I will pass along any useful lists or tips I come across.
26 Feb 2012 Leave a comment
in Issues, Movies, Parenting, Violence
Before a screening of “Puss in Boots” in the UK, the trailers for two horror films were shown by accident. (from the Huffington Post)
Another reason to save the big movie theatre experience until they’re older! (Other reasons include cost, loudness and tiny bladders.)
20 Feb 2012 Leave a comment
in Commentary, Parenting Tags: family
This is a really good one! Former British children’s poet laureate Michael Rosen talks about what children’s literature tells us about parenting through the years. From The Essay series “Happily Ever After”, looking at the changing portrayal of the family in children’s literature.
Rarest Kind of Best 
“Every child is a scientist.”
29 May 2012 Leave a comment
by Kim in Commentary, Parenting Tags: science, scientists
Here’s a wonderful perspective on children and science from astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson:
I can’t think of any more human activity than conducting science experiments. Think about it — what do kids do? … They’re turning over rocks, they’re plucking petals off a rose — they’re exploring their environment through experimentation. That’s what we do as human beings, and we do that more thoroughly and better than any other species on Earth that we have yet encountered… We explore our environment more than we are compelled to utter poetry when we’re toddlers — we start doing that later. Before that happens, every child is a scientist. And so when I think of science, I think of a truly human activity — something fundamental to our DNA, something that drives curiosity.
(courtesy of brainpickings.org )