Tech neck--have you heard about it? I think you'll find the following guest post by Dr Sharonrose Samelak as informative as I did. There are aspects of screen time and its effects on children that I don't think many parents are aware of and will be grateful to know about! The next time you are out to dinner, riding the bus, or in the waiting room at your doctor’s office, take a look around. Most of the people around you are spending quality time with their best friend: their smartphone or … [Read more...]
About Those Educational Toys and Learning Apps
Are you a new parent? Well, if so, you might still be overwhelmed at times and sleep deprived all the time. Another universal parent emotion is wanting the best for your child. As a parent, you want the best for your child--to provide your child with the latest and greatest if that's what it takes. The drive to do everything in your power to insure that child of yours has what they need to succeed is strong…and you know who else knows that? Marketers. DATA Even before Facebook allowed the … [Read more...]
Keep Talking, I Want to READ!
Neil Gaiman, one of my favorite authors, said: "Books make great gifts because they have whole worlds inside of them." If books make great gifts, then certainly the gift of reading is priceless! Children begin the process of learning to read long before they actually read. Laying the Foundation to Read Talking, or more formally oral language, is critically important for future reading skills. Immerse children in language by engaging with them: in everyday speech, reading aloud, singing, … [Read more...]
Video Games Day–Making the Case for PLAY
I was kind of left with my mouth on the floor when I found out what day it was...Video Games Day?!! Really? We need a day to encourage and celebrate playing video games? (sigh) How about trying for a NO-Video Games Day? Now that would be something out of the ordinary!! I'm not going to say video games don't have a place or don't have any beneficial aspects (read 6 Scientific Benefits) but they are inappropriate for young children. Young children need PLAY! Consider PLAY as one of the … [Read more...]
Tech-NO? Technology & Young Children
Technology has given us: 1.Tools to make LIFE easier; 2.Many LIFE-saving treatments; and 3.Tools to make LIFE more convenient Technology is a good thing! BUT you know the expression: "Too much of good thing…." The reality, of course, is technology isn't going away. It is interwoven into our lives. I recognize the many ways I’ve benefited from it and expect to benefit from it in the future. I'm not advocating for that! What I am advocating for is for parents to decide: • When • … [Read more...]