Parenting Solutions

By the time your child is a toddler, he has probably figured out how to turn on the television, DVD player, and your home computer, and imitates you by banging on the keyboard. Toddlers love to “talk” on the telephone and point the remote control at anything, and can’t escape the flood of technology that is present in our society today.

Since you cannot keep this technology from young children, how do you go about teaching your children how to use it? What age is appropriate for teaching children about technology, and what are the benefits?

Infants and Toddlers
There is an abundance of technological toys available for even the youngest of children, including interactive language-teaching tools, but they may not be developmentally appropriate for the younger-than-pre-school set. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) reports that “while a market for computer software designed specifically for toddlers and young children continues to grow, little is known about the actual impact of this new technology on children’s developing minds and bodies.”

While it probably doesn’t hurt to expose your child to safe technological toys, as a parent, you should consider whether there is any real benefit to replacing your reading to and talking to your little one with technology. Because human interaction is crucial, and you need to assist your child in developing his social skills, technology may be inappropriate at this age.

Three to Eight Year Olds
As children get older, though, parents should think of technology as a tool, one in an array of learning materials that children may use, but that parents control. Remind your child that there are many benefits to technology, but that, without active human participation, the benefits are negligible.

Determine the difference in active learning, in which a child interacts with software, and passive learning, in which children are presented with the on-screen equivalent of a fill-in-the-blank worksheet. Technology that encourages active learning is much more likely to teach children new skills.

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), offers some excellent suggestions for determining what software is good for children. If the software “uses pictures and spoken instructions rather than written ones so that children will not need to ask for help, [allows] children [to] control the level of difficulty, the pace and direction of the program,” and “children receive quick feedback, so they stay interested,” then you’ve likely found a suitable program that will engage your children and build their computer literacy and verbal literacy skills.

Look for software that encourages children to use their imagination and that appeals to their sense of sight and sound.

Keep a Balance
Because you are a parent, you are your child’s first teacher, and you have a great deal of influence over what your child learns. Stay involved in the sorts of computer activities in which your child participates. There are many websites out there designed for children, and many of them have superb learning games that keep children engaged and sharpen their skills.

Technology should be part of a balance, though, of a larger learning environment. While your child will enter an academic and work world in which technology is an integral part, and he should be exposed to technology as part of his education, don’t let technology use come at the expense of reading, social interaction, and physical exercise.

by Katie Franklin
Katie Franklin is a researcher and writer on parenting, children and child development. She is a regular contributor at Child Development Media Inc She also contributes at Quality Toys and Hobbies. ource: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Katie_Franklin

Teen Camp, Kids Camp, Academic Summer Camp, Teen Summer Camp, Teen Academic Camp, Educational Camp

For many years at SuperCamp, parents would ask us if we could start a program for them, to help them learn what their sons and daughters are learning at SuperCamp.

In response, we started Parent Weekend an intensive three-day parent program that coincides with the final three days of a 10-day Junior Forum or Senior Forum student programs at the same location. The parents who attend love it, including graduating with their children on the final day.

In addition to exposing parents to many of the learning and life skills their sons and daughters discover at SuperCamp, we also talk with parents about how they can support their children at home. Here are nine great tips we share with parents of Senior Forum students, also known as “teens”:

*Listen, really listen. Don’t try to listen while doing something else. Put your chores aside so your teen knows you are paying attention.

*Take the long view. Remember, minor mishaps aren’t major catastrophes. All incidents provide opportunities to practice good communication. Often, categorizing incidents according to their importance will help keep responses and consequences appropriate. Choose only the most important issues to evoke the strongest consequences.

*Make time for being together. Find activities you enjoy doing together and pursue them. If your invitation gets turned down, keep trying!

*Tolerate differences. View your teenager as an individual distinct from you. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t state your opinion if you disagree.

* Respect your teen’s privacy. Just because he/she wants to keep their door locked, doesn’t mean he/she is doing anything you wouldn’t approve of. But, if a behavior is worrying you, speak up!

*State facts instead of opinions when you praise or discuss problems. Ask your teen to demonstrate “Open the Front Door” - a communication tool we use at SuperCamp. O - is an objective observation about the situation. T - is a thought or opinion about what you observed. F - is a feeling you had about what you observed. D - is what you want, your desire or outcome of the situation. Practicing this together is great for keeping the doors open!

*Ask your teen about his/her learning style. Knowing there are differences goes a long way toward explaining why we have problems understanding and communicating with some people and not with others. When you know what cues he/she picks up on most easily (visual, auditory or kinesthetic), you can take steps to help him/her learn faster and more easily.

*Support a positive attitude about learning. Create a positive study environment that includes appropriate reference materials, music and reminders that he/she is intelligent (like old report cards, awards, notes from teachers…). It is also helpful to demonstrate your own positive feelings about learning.

*Celebrate success! Positive feedback goes a long way to encourage repeat behavior. Each accomplishment by a family member deserves acknowledgement, whether verbal or by means of a special treat, like a trip to the movies, a special dessert, or posting on the bulletin board.

By practicing these nine techniques, parents will help build a better bond with their sons and daughters, improve communication, and ultimately be a part of their teens’ success.