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I found myself wondering this week how other parents use the Internet and other modern technologies to further their children’s education. Any thoughts?
My kids really seem to understand the whole idea of research due to having access to the Internet. For example, my son saw a movie last week that had been based loosely on Chinese folklore. He found himself fascinated by some of the concepts in the movie, and now he’s spent a great deal of his free time this week investigating the truths and myths behind the movie’s inspiration.
I remember being younger and thinking, “Wow, I’d really love to know more about that.” But it would’ve taken a trip to the library and possibly weeks of waiting for books to arrive through inter-library loan, etc. By then, the desire to know more about the topic would’ve passed on to something else.
I think it’s exciting to see my kids able to follow those “I wonder?” moments through to their conclusion with just a click or two of the computer’s mouse.
Copyright Dr. Scott Turansky & Joanne Miller, RN. Used with permission. All rights reserved. http://effectiveparenting.org/
One of the gifts parents can give their children is teaching and developing the character quality of self-discipline. With young children, in particular, bedtime is a good place to start. Children often don’t want to go to bed and the continual battle night after night is draining, causing many parents to just give up and allow children to stay up later.
A bedtime for children is good for them as well as for their parents. Enforcing it though, means extra work for a while. Here are some suggestions for working with young children to make bedtimes work more effectively:
1) Start the bedtime routine earlier so that it doesn’t all get crammed into the last few minutes. If bedtime is 8:00pm, then start the routine at 7:30 by getting on pajamas and completing a bathroom routine. Then enjoy some relaxed time with children, reading or playing or just talking together.
2) At bedtime, tuck each child in individually. Use this time to continue to debrief about the day in preparation for a good night’s sleep and pleasant dreams. You may pray, sing, and hug your child. Different families do different things to make it fun and meaningful.
3) Enforce quietness. A child may not feel tired so lying quietly is all you need to require. You may have to sit in the doorway or just outside the door to make sure the child doesn’t get up, turn the light on, or start playing.
4) If a child gets up or calls out. Quickly, calmly, and firmly, get the child back in bed with as little dialogue as possible. One dad was surprised to find that the first night he had to take his three-year-old son back to bed over 20 times. After a few days, though, he saw tremendous improvement. His son realized that bedtime was nonnegotiable.
5) Hang in there, be consistent, and invest in the self-discipline development of your child. You and your children will benefit from the work you put into the process.
Bedtimes are opportunities to build relationship, but there comes a point where building self-discipline takes priority. Young children are happier and more pleasant to work with once they’ve learned self-discipline in their lives. It’s work but it’s worth it in the end.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS: Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN are authors of a large number of books and other resources on parenting and family life. You can visit them online and subscribe to their free parenting email newsletter at: http://effectiveparenting.org/
You can order their books online at:
“Home Improvement: Eight Tools for Effective Parenting”
http://snurl.com/effectiveparenting
“Say Goodbye to Whining and Complaining … In You and Your Kids!”
http://snurl.com/goodbyewhining
Copyright Nicole Munoz. Used with permission from http://www.EzineArticles.com. All rights reserved.
Studies have shown that music and music training provide a wealth of educational benefits to children. Early exposure to music has been proven to help develop areas of the brain responsible for language and reasoning skills. Music education also increases the spatial and temporal reasoning necessary for advanced mathematics. Children who study music typically score better on standardized testing as well.
Music education not only provides children with a terrific healthy outlet for self-expression, it enhances creativity and boosts self-esteem. There are a number of ways for parents to help their child receive quality education in music, starting as young as birth. The most important thing is to expose your child to a variety of music, including several different genres, not just classical or kid’s music.
Sing songs to your infant each day. Fun, repetitive songs with movements or motions are best and as your child gets older, you can encourage her to join in. By the toddler years, your little one can dance along with music. Continue to sing simple silly songs with your toddler and dance together to a variety of songs, both upbeat and slow. Toys, like the Baby Einstein Learning Sounds Piano, will allow your toddler to create her own beats and songs.
Preschool age children can begin to differentiate between tones and pitches. Play games to pick which note is higher and which is lower. Introduce your preschooler to the specific sounds made by various instruments as well. Continue to listen to many different types of music with your preschooler and discuss how various pieces make you and our child feel.
Make musical instruments with your preschooler and play them together. Shakers are easy to make out of ordinary household items. Attach two paper plates together with a hole puncher and yarn or cover the ends of a toilet paper tube with construction paper and fill either with dry beans or rice. A coffee can and lid can be used as a drum. Have fun and use your imagination to create your own family band.
You may want to start formal music education with music lessons at this age. Discuss how various instruments are played and allow your child to choose the one he would like to learn.
Visit a symphony or orchestra performance to investigate the various instruments. Piano lessons are typically best for this age because your child will learn to read and play music without having to remember difficult fingering techniques.
Continue your child’s music education as she enters elementary school. As your child gets older, she may begin to prefer a certain genre of music, but keep exposing her to a variety of music. Allow her to start learning an instrument by this age and make practice a part of her daily routine. Provide your child with encouragement and support in her musical endeavors.
By the middle school and high school years, encourage your child to be a part of a band, symphony, or orchestra. Playing music as a group provides even more developmental benefits than playing alone and a teenager’s involvement in a quality music program is important for self-development.
Music, even without the educational benefits research has proven, is a fun and relaxing pastime. Start at a very young age to instill the love of music in your child and continue throughout her childhood to provide an excellent musical education that will drive her future success.
For more tips and information about 365 Days of Baby Einstein, check out www.thekidstoystore.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nicole_Munoz
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