Archive for the ‘Learning Materials’ Category
by Kyle D. Pruett, M.D
Brain research tells us that, of the 100 billion (!) nerve cells we are born with, the ones we are most likely to keep longest are the ones that are used regularly in our interaction with the world around us. This does NOT mean that we can increase our child’s intellectual or developmental competence through so-called ‘brain stimulation’ videos or surround-sound cribs. Infants and toddlers enjoy learning first and best the things they learn in their relationships with the people that care for them.
Some things to keep in mind for the development of theirs:
- Children can distinguish the voice of their father from their mother at birth – and their handling styles at six weeks.
- The most useful kind of stimulation is the kind babies can manage, learn from, and interact with. Vocalizations like the coos and giggles they initiate should be returned in kind – matching volume, pitch, and rhythm if you can. Be alert because they’ll often throw in a variation. The same is true for older children who sing and initiate games like peek-a-boo or patty cake. Tapes or videos are no match for the joy and value of ‘live.’
- Want to encourage a positive self-image? For babies, tender and frequent touch makes them feel treasured, and for toddlers and preschoolers, install a (safe) full-length mirror on the back of a door and provide dress-up or ‘pretend’ clothes and just watch them feel special.
- Keep your eyes and ears open for emerging motor skills, interests, words, emotions, and feelings. When such competencies are new, they are both adorable and vulnerable. Remember not to overwhelm children by requesting a ‘show’ of their new tricks. This can be over-stimulating and cause quite the opposite effect – anxiety about new abilities instead of confidence. Let children practice and enjoy their new skill.
HOW you are as a parent with your children matters far more than any particular thing you may ever DO with them. Development is not a race; it is a process that unfolds uniquely in each child. Rushing development erodes children’s belief in, and joy of, their own emerging abilities, replacing joy with frustration and discouragement – too high a price in my book.
Suggested resource: www.zerotothree.org
Kyle D. Pruett, M.D. is an advisor for The Goddard School®. Dr. Pruett is an authority on child development who has been practicing child and family psychiatry for over twenty-five years. He is a clinical professor of child psychiatry at Yale University’s Child Study Center.
To learn more about The Goddard School, click here.
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A great way to start the gardening experience is to help children see what happens when a seed is given the proper amount of light and water. Using beans and a few simple supplies, they can watch as the beans sprout roots and grow, grow, grow!
Supplies needed:
Bean seeds (any type will work)
Paper towels
Clear container (jar, cup or plastic bag)
Spray bottle filled with water
Fold a paper towel and place inside the clear container.
- Moisten the paper towel until just damp with water.
- Place a few beans on the paper towel and mist lightly with water.
- Place the container in a sunny location.
- Mist lightly with water each day and watch the roots grow!
As an added activity, have your little one keep a “seed sprout journal” in which they draw pictures of their sprout as it grows. On top of experiencing science and nature, they’ll also enhance their creative and fine motor skills as they draw!
To learn more about The Goddard School, click here.
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by Kyle D. Pruett, M.D.
Mothers and fathers care for their children in very unique ways. Children can recognize the differences between mother and father care, which actually enhances their development. This article focuses on the critical role fathers play in a child’s development.
Newborns can differentiate between mom’s voice and touch and dad’s voice and touch. Although mom may have gotten a head start on the bonding process with the baby, dads have their chance, too. By six weeks old an infant can distinguish a father’s voice from a mother’s, and while a quiet baby may pay more attention to mom’s voice, an upset baby will calm more readily to his father’s handling. Mothers usually are very consistent in the way that they handle their children, often picking them up in the same manner, saying the same thing before they handle them, for example, at bath or bedtime. Dads rarely approach the baby with such consistency. Each time they pick up the baby, they usually do so in a different manner than before, but this helps the baby recognize that it is dad who is holding him.
Time with dad is typically less structured and more play-oriented than with mom. Most of mother’s time with her children is dedicated to care-giving tasks or educational play, while dad’s time is less structured and full of impromptu play. Where mom uses toys, dad tends to use his body. Dads are typically more physical with the kids and they love it. Physical play helps to stimulate both physical and brain development. Dads also have a tendency to make any situation educational, even if they don’t realize it themselves, so that a father’s tasks around the house might be an adventure for the child.
Fathers challenge their children to learn. Obviously, both mom and dad want to help their child learn in any way they can, but they do this differently also. For example, when teaching a frustrated child, a mother tends to assist her in finding the answer; whereas, a father is more likely to guide the child through the frustration and challenge her longer to find the answer on her own. Fathers also encourage more exploration and boundary pushing than moms do. A father’s way of teaching his child persistence in the face of adversity results in positive academic and social performance in the long run. Certainly, one style is not better than the other, and children absolutely benefit from both.
THE ROLE OF FATHERS
Recent research about the role of fathers and their approach to parenting include the following:
- Fathers tend stylistically to encourage problem-solving skills by letting their kids struggle with frustration a little longer before stepping in to help. (Of course, there is a huge personal variation here, as there is in mothers.)
- Fathers permit a little more emotional autonomy during learning sequences with their young children, supporting and encouraging but without the same emphasis on intimacy that is more typical among mothers.
- Fathers tend to mix play with learning a little more successfully, from the child’s point of view, allowing longer work periods.
- Fathers’ more functional (‘do it because it needs to be done,’ rather than ‘do it because it will go better between us if you do’) approach to academic work builds in the child a larger range of problem-solving skills over time that probably contributes to more lasting self-esteem.
Kyle D. Pruett, M.D., is an advisor for The Goddard School®. Dr. Pruett is an authority on child development who has been practicing child and family psychiatry for over twenty-five years. He is a clinical professor of child psychiatry at Yale University’s Child Study Center.
To learn more about The Goddard School, click here.
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Pack a Healthy Lunch…that your child will enjoy!
Introduce your children to healthy eating by involving them in the lunch preparation. Children have a tendency to eat and try new foods that they helped to prepare. And children who help in the kitchen build their confidence which makes them feel important and proud.
Avoid brown bag boredom and try the following healthy, easy and fun options. Bonus – your children will want to eat these choices!
Turn lunch into an adventure:
Cut sandwiches into playful shapes with cookie cutters. Children are more excited about eating a star- or dinosaur-shaped sandwich because it makes the experience fun! Choose cheese or deli meats to replace breads and cut them into fun shapes, too.
Make lunch fun by including a dip:
Yogurt is a great dip for fruit.
Provide hummus for veggies.
Use a variety of ‘sandwich’ options:
Bagels, pita bread, wheat wraps or crackers.
To learn more about The Goddard School, click here.
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Thursday, April 21st, 2011
What counts as exercise for youngsters? Anything that involves moving!
Children exercise all the time without even knowing it. Running, jumping, dancing, touching their toes, crawling, playing sports or outdoor games; all of these are forms of exercise. Exercise can also be a great way for families to spend quality time together. Research has shown that families who regularly eat dinner together are happier and their children have more self-confidence; this also applies to families who participate in activities together. Going hiking or playing games together is a good way to exercise.
Keeping children’s muscles and bones healthy is especially important because they are growing. A healthy combination of diet and exercise in childhood generally leads to adults with healthier lifestyles. Although children should never be told to “watch their weight,” parents should ensure that that their children are eating well-balanced diets rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruits and lean protein.
An added benefit of exercise? Children who play sports and are physically active develop higher self-esteem and do better in school.
Ten ‘Family Fitness’ Suggestions:
- Wash the car
- Take the dog for a walk
- Plant a garden
- Go on a nature hike
- Fly a kite
- Throw a Frisbee
- Play Ring-Around-the-Rosie
- Build a sandcastle
- Swing, see-saw or slide at the park
- Dance your sillies out!
To learn more about The Goddard School, click here.
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Wednesday, April 20th, 2011
An estimated five million children are in preschool programs, and the number is growing. According to the Families and Work Institute, children benefit from quality programs with competent staff and good ratios. They suffer fewer behavioral troubles, have larger expressive vocabularies, feel close to their teachers, and enjoy more complex, less aggressive play with peers.
A high-quality preschool curriculum sets specific goals and uses learning and developmental standards that are age-appropriate. The curriculum builds on each child’s interests and natural curiosity and also allows them the opportunity to direct their own learning. Whole-class and small group activities as well as opportunities for individual interactions with the teacher are encouraged.
Preschool benefits children, their families and their communities. Children in quality preschool programs show improvements in the development of social skills and are more proficient in areas such as following directions, waiting turns, problem-solving, joining in activities and relating to teachers and parents. These advanced skills improve efficiency in classroom settings which allow teachers to spend more time working directly with children and less time on classroom management.
Studies have shown children that have attended preschool are more likely to do better on standardized tests, graduate high school and earn higher wages as an adult than their peers who did not attend preschool. They are also less likely to repeat a grade, to be arrested for a violent crime or to become teen parents.
At The Goddard School®, children are encouraged to explore learning centers including art, math, science and computers; to ask questions; and to take time making friends and socializing. The school focuses on building a strong and balanced foundation for each child and encourages them to develop at their own pace while supported by a team of dedicated teachers.
The Goddard School FLEX Learning Program™, based on the latest research in how children learn and designed with the assistance of experts, provides the optimal environment for the development of young children. The program’s foundation is the learning continuum that encompasses developmental guidelines with formative assessments, child-focused lesson plans, a creative and fun environment and a personalized child-centered approach that meets each child’s needs.
To learn more about The Goddard School, click here.
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There is an important distinction between picky eaters who are children and picky eating by children.
Labeling children as ‘picky eaters’ implies that we think of picky eating as a core identity issue, not just a behavior they’re passing through. Whereas, calling the behavior ‘picky eating by children suggests that it’s a natural developmental phase and something to work through.
I’ve yet to hear of, or know, a child that has never hit a food bump. Maybe the same could be said of us parents. In fact, there may be some evolutionary sense to not trusting all the food nature has to offer. Familiar, sweeter and bland foods are less likely than the exotic to poison or make us sick or destroy our appetites. From a more specific perspective, we’ve begun to understand genetic influences leading toward and away from particular food preferences. Certain children carry genes (which they may not share with their parents) that intensify the reaction to bitter foods, leaving these children with a preference for sweeter foods and drinks in general; not to mention a different palate than their parents.
A few years ago, many nurses and pediatricians noticed a parental ‘bump’ around the introduction of ‘staged’ food menus for prepared infant foods; parents worried that their children weren’t transitioning well from the younger to the older food stages. The source of this reluctance was difficult to verify. Was it hard for children to progress from one stage to the next because of the newer food’s taste, consistency, or was it simply its ‘newness’? This brings us back around to the picky eating versus picky eater distinction…
Picky eating is common, especially in girls, and can occur with both familiar and unfamiliar foods. Picky eaters are less common, and tend to be reluctant eaters around new foods. Some clinicians are trying out the label ‘neophobia’ to categorize picky eater behavior in younger children as a way of improving research and communication about the phenomenon. For instance, some researchers have found that pickiness was predicted primarily by environmental or experiential factors subject to changes; neophobia was predicted by more enduring and dispositional factors. (Galloway, A. T., Lee, Y., Birch, L. L. (2003). Predictors and consequences of food neophobia and pickiness in young girls, Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 103(6), 692-698.).
There are some things that you can do to help your child’s food bump from becoming a pothole:
1) Your infants and toddlers are such social beings; they are pre-wired to be interested in how you treat your food. New foods will be more acceptable to your toddler if they’ve seen you or another adult they care about eating it regularly. And that positive effect is increased if your talk (with feeling) about what you like about the food. Interestingly, if you eat more fruits and vegetables, even when your child is not watching, your child will be more likely to accept food.
2) Match up familiar with the unfamiliar. Hummus or yogurt dips that your child already likes can be paired with the new zucchini slice or broccoli floret.
3) Never pressure or rush to introduce new foods, and only introduce one new food at a time.
4) Introduce new foods when your child is actually hungry – forcing a new food on a diminished appetite is going to be less successful.
5) Give it time – most children, and their parents, grow through this phase.
To learn more about The Goddard School, click here.
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Wednesday, April 13th, 2011
Experts estimate that 80% of total lifetime sun exposure occurs before age 18. Children who learn preventative practices early in life may reduce the unhealthy effects of sun exposure.
A = Away
- Avoid long periods of direct sun exposure between 10 am and 4 pm.
- Play indoors or enjoy shaded outdoor activities, especially when your shadow is shorter than you are tall.
- Reflection from water, white sand or snow increases the sun’s damage.
B = Block
- Use a sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 15 or higher.
- Apply sunscreen every morning; reapply every two hours.
- Apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before sun exposure.
C = Cover Up
- Use hats and light-colored clothing to protect skin.
- Sunglasses protect eyes and eyelids from the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
- Cover up after swimming.
S = Speak Out:
- Practice sun safety and show family members how to apply sunscreen.
- Discuss sun safety with coaches, camp counselors and teachers.
Information provided by ABCs of Fun in the Sun,” offered by the American Academy of Dermatology. To learn more about sun protection, visit www.aad.org.
To learn more about The Goddard School, click here.
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by Kyle D. Pruett, M.D
Are you surprised that the American Academy of Pediatrics says no television before age two? This standard alerts parents of infants, toddlers and preschoolers that their children are strongly affected by the talking tube and that they need to consider the way their children are exposed to its powerful influences.
- If you chose to allow your children to view television, consider limiting the amount of “watching time” in their first three years to 30-90 minutes per day. This is more than enough for their young brains and eyes. Children prefer, and benefit from, interacting with people far more.
- The programming you chose should be specifically directed at the age of your child. Most good parenting magazines regularly publish guidelines that tend to be more objective and reliable than an advertiser’s suggestions.
- Commercial-free is far better for eyes, ears, and minds. Fewer interruptions and a generally higher level of intellectual and emotional content are the benefits.
- A child’s room does not need a television. Television may inhibit a child’s desire to read and play imaginatively for years.
- When your children watch television, watch with them. They may need your help to decipher the barrage of messages, and only you know when they have had enough. Occasional babysitting by means of television so you can get something done is understandable, but may be a waste of your child’s time and mind.
These guidelines should be discussed regularly by all adults in your household. The evening news may matter to the grown-ups, but it is frequently incomprehensible and somewhat frightening to your little ones. Media-literate parents are great blessings to their children.
Suggested resource: Coalition for Quality Children’s Media www.cqcm.org
Kyle D. Pruett, M.D. is an advisor for The Goddard School®. Dr. Pruett is an authority on child development who has been practicing child and family psychiatry for over twenty-five years. He is a clinical professor of child psychiatry at Yale University’s Child Study Center.
To learn more about The Goddard School, click here.
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Students at The Goddard School® located in Charlotte, NC, benefit from early exposure to language and literacy.
Cozy Corner™ is an innovative early language and literacy resource geared toward young learners. This research-based program builds on the rich tradition of story time by sharing children’s books including award-winning classics as well as new and multi-cultural titles.
The Cozy Corner curriculum engages children and heightens curiosity through music and active learning to build the foundation they will need to succeed in school.
Cozy Corner:
- Focuses on social and emotional development
- Encourages literacy through reading and sharing;
- Helps develop children’s capacity to form close and secure adult and peer relationships.
To learn more about The Goddard School, click here.
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