I think sometimes, as parents, we get caught up in trying to be “perfect” and lose sight of what’s really important when it comes to raising our kids.And we might just be making things a little more difficult than they need to be.
After reading Dr. David Elkind’s book, The Power of Play, I reflected on some comforting points he made.First of all, allowing your child time for unstructured play is important, even necessary to their healthy development.So if works in your family for your child to spend more time at home, in unstructured activities, go for it.Rest assured you’re doing the right thing.No need to feel guilty about not signing them up for soccer just because everyone else in the neighborhood is doing it.
The book reminded me how creative kids are when left to their own resources.Give them a stick and they can turn it into a magician’s wand, a magic pencil, a conductor’s baton, an imaginary gun, or any number of other things.So ease up on yourself if you’re feeling guilty about not having the budget this Christmas for the hottest toys and gadgets.Sometimes, the simpler the toy, the more your child can use their natural imagination and this is part of their learning process.Give your child the freedom to use his imagination and give him time to play with his peers, because according to Dr. Elkind, unstructured play fosters creativity and helps develop the mental tools required for success in higher-level math and science.
I’m looking forward to interviewing Dr. Elkind this Tuesday night and learning more about the importance of play.In his book, The Power of Play, Dr Elkind asserts that over the past two decades children have lost twelve hours of free time a week, including eight hours of unstructured play and outdoor activities, while the amount of time children spend in organized sports has doubled.He points out that more and more schools are eliminating creative and playful teaching practices as well as recess as curriculum becomes more test-driven.
There’s a strong argument for getting back to basics and letting kids be kids.Please join us for a live conversation with Dr. David Elkind.And bring your questions—we’ll take as many calls and questions as we have time for between 8:00 –9:00 EST on Tuesday Night.
As our summer schedule takes on a slower pace, I'm enjoying quality time with my daughter. We've been exploring our city as tourists do and experiencing some landmarks for the first time. She's almost seven now and the experience is rewarding for both of us. Although she shows no interest in things I find fascinating at a particular museum, she delights in things that wouldn't have caught my eye had she not been my companion on these outings. In an effort to work in some reading and writing on a regular basis, I gave her a journal for the summer and she takes frequent breaks throughout the day to record our activities.
I'm proud of the work she's done in first grade, and some of it has come very reluctantly. She asked me a couple months ago if there was something wrong with her if she loves school, loves her teacher and her friends, but hates doing homework. And of course, there's nothing wrong with that. When the schoolwork is fun she embraces it, but when she's told to sit still and focus on her workbook/homework, she resists.
The pace is going to pick up as she moves to the next grade and I hope the pressure of more homework and tougher tests doesn't alter her love of school. All kids don't respond to the same types of teaching styles and I'm looking forward to learning what I can about these different styles and approaches through our Summit Series to keep things moving in a positive way.
A friend recommended this program to me recently and I absolutely love it—www.readingpaws.org. Their mission statement is to improve the literacy skills of children through the assistance of nationally registered therapy animal-owner/handler teams as literacy mentors.
Volunteers and their highly-trained dogs go to schools and libraries as reading companions for children. That’s right; your child can sit and read to a dog. A patient, loving, trustworthy dog. Researchers have found that certain animals can create an environment of safety and decrease anxiety. This is especially helpful for kids who are struggling with reading and find the experience stressful.
It was a great experience for my daughter. While she warned me on the drive to Barnes & Noble that she wasn’t going to read, and stated it again when we got there, she changed her mind as soon as she saw the other kids take a turn sitting on the floor with the dog and reading to her.
Freckles was the softest, calmest dog ever and her owner knew not to pressure anyone who didn’t want to read. She suggested that my daughter just sit and pet the dog if she’d like and even pick out a picture book to show her the pictures if she wanted. Before the session was up my daughter had read two complete books, out loud, to freckles. And we’ll definitely be back because she enjoyed the experience. And that’s what I’m trying to accomplish this summer: to make reading fun.
We’ve got a great line-up of authors for our first Summit Series and I know we’re in for some great conversations. This first event has something for everyone so take a look at our lineup and join us in our discussions. Some of the books in this series focus on issues that affect young children, one book offers parenting advice from a teenager who will tell it like it is, and one book deals specifically with issues around raising boys. We also have a step-mother bringing us her perspective on becoming an “instant” Mom, an author who will guide us through building lasting bonds with our children, and another who will help us “let go” just a little to give our kids a little more freedom. We also have a book that talks about the impact of media on our kids.
While some of the books in this series will make you laugh, others are pretty serious, but they are all going to make you think. You don’t have to agree with everything the authors say or write, but if you’re open to new ideas, and want to connect with other concerned parents, teachers and teens, you’ve come to the right place.
