Most Popular Articles Tagged: Child

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Youtube Read-aloud Books are a Free Alternative to eBooks for Kids

Watch Youtube Read-aloud Books for Kids and Save Money on iPad Apps, Nook and Kindle eBooks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka-tznfolzE

Llama Llam Mad at Mama read aloud by Anna Dewdney

Do you have an iPhone, iPad, Nook, or Kindle? Buying eBooks can get expensive. Next time your children want to read, try sampling free Youtube read-aloud books for kids instead.

We know that starting from a very early age, every parent should teach their children to treasure literacy. eBooks are not like cartoons, fast moving images and loud music telling a story with 2 dimensional characters. eBooks are slow paced; they let children think and imagine, fill in the blanks. Youtube read-aloud audio books are an especially convenient option for busy families that are constantly going places. Got a basketball game to be at and you have to bring your 5 year old, too? Try tuning into a video or audio read-aloud story when he starts to get restless. …continue reading »


How to discipline children when they make mistakes

Often, kids learn that mistakes are bad from an early age- learn how to discipline children in a positive way instead

Success and failure

photo taken by Sigurd Decroos

Are you wondering how to discipline your kids? Do you come from a family that has always focused on constructive criticism? Negative reinforcement often causes children to close up and stop trying for fear of failure. Most parents are not sure how to discipline a child when he makes mistakes. So don’t worry. You are not alone. Often parents choose to punish kids for their mistakes rather than take a more positive approach on how to discipline.

Sometimes when constructive criticism is used too much it can backfire. Kids today are growing up in a competitive world. From competitive sports to competition over test scores, our children are facing it from every angle, and with competition there is always criticism. Unfortunately, many parents over-correct their children by using constructive criticism every time they error. Parents may do this because constructive criticism is the only way they know how to discipline children. Because of this many kids learn that mistakes are bad and they no longer want to try for fear of making a mistake. So if we can’t be over critical when children make mistakes, then we have to learn how to discipline kids another way, through positive reinforcement.

Particularly for young children, high levels of competition in school and sports can have a negative impact on their self-esteem and overall performance. Why? Because we all make mistakes and in a hyper-competitive environment we are told that mistakes are bad. We get constructive criticism. Our teacher, our coach, or our parent will call out our mistake, often times in front of other kids. This constructive criticism is meant to help our children. I have learned, however, that this is not how to discipline children effectively. Our parenting skills come from how our parents disciplined us when we were kids. Did your parents overwhelmingly use constructive criticism every time you made mistakes as a child? How did it feel to get constructive criticism for you? I think we can all agree that constructive criticism does not feel good when it comes from our boss or spouse. No one wants to hear about their mistakes. With this type of negative reinforcement, children are prone to disengage from difficult challenges (like succeeding academically) for fear of failure. I propose using an alternative to constructive criticism that will actually benefit children. I believe it is a better method of how to discipline children. …continue reading »


Studies Show Food Allergies are Side Effects of Childhood Obesity

Damaging Microbes that Lead to Food Allergies may Prove to be Underlying Cause of Childhood Obesity, Study Says

child food

Overweight kids are 59% more likely to have food allergies than kids of normal weight.

Effects of childhood obesity and food allergies are widespread. Both childhood obesity and food allergies have become epidemics in the United States. Results from two separate studies show a probable cause. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of 2005-2006 can positively connect food allergies as a possible direct effect of childhood obesity. A third separate study shows that bad microbes in the gut (dysbiosis) can cause obesity. These study findings may prove that a healthy gut flora is key to reducing both food allergies and childhood obesity. …continue reading »


The American Association for the Advancement of Science is holding a free Fair in Chicago

aaas The AAAS,  the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the journal, Science, will be hosting their annual meeting in Chicago this year.

It is a great opportunity for area families to teach their kids about Earth sciences: past, present, and future. And most importantly, many of the sessions are free on Saturday the 14th and Sunday the 15th: plenary sessions, topical lectures,  Family Science Days, the Main Exhibit Hall, Wizardry With Light: Freeze, Teleport and Go! and Harnessing the Sun and Oceans to Meet the World’s Energy Demands. Participants should be aware that in order to attend the lectures listed on the website as free they will have to register as either a student or a teacher that day and pay a fee anywhere from $90-$200. Family activities on the specified family days are free to the public and do not require registration. …continue reading »


Edward de Bono’s Lateral Thinking Philosophy Transforms Schools in the U.K.

Edward de Bono
Edward de Bono, author of  Teach Your Child How to Think,  has been in despair over the state of education in the U.K. for decades. He’s the man who invented the phrase, ‘lateral thinking’ and is adament that the British education system is “wasting two-thirds of the talent in society.”

His answer to this educational dilemma can be found in the world’s first university-based Centre of Serious Creativity and Constructive Thinking at Manchester Metropolitan University’s Crewe campus. It is the largest University for educators in Europe and plans have already been made to turn it into a hub for educating professionals De Bono’s concepts in four-day crash courses. …continue reading »


A Visit with Zoolidays Illustrator Rolandas Kiaulevicius

Rolandas - Moose

Our boys received a wonderful gift this year for the holidays- a beautiful hardcover copy of Zoolidays, Written by Bruce Glassman and illustrated by up and coming artist Rolandas Kiaulevicius, and if that wasn’t enough they also got tickets to a wonderful show about that book and more called GIRO.

This book is a wonderful read, and the show is a fabulous must see for any emergent reader and budding artist. My boys absolutely loved the book from cover to cover, and the show really delighted their imaginations in a way that the book alone couldn’t do. …continue reading »


Ten Activities that will Make your Child an Early Reader

Early Reader

You don’t need to rely on a future preschool teacher or the television set to teach your child literacy. Proactive parents can do quite a bit for their children at a very young age to set the stage for early reading and lifelong success at school. A child who feels successful has confidence, and as we all know, one who struggles with failure will often times develop poor coping skills and very low self-esteem. Don’t wait until your child is formally enrolled to start thinking about literacy. Start now. There are 10 very simple things parents can do with their toddlers that will ensure future success at school. …continue reading »


Gluten-free Casein Free diet for Autism

McCarthys new book - Louder than Words

On the heels of Jenny McCarthy’s new book, Louder Than Words: A Mother’s Journey in Healing Autism, and several different national television appearances with celebrities such as Oprah and Larry King, ABC’s Good Morning America gives us a closer look at the Gluten-free/ Casein-free diet and its potential benefits, not just for children suffering from Autism, but for any child suffering from developmental delays. Watch the interview on October 15, 2007: Can a New Diet Help Autistic Kids?

If you are considering a gluten and casein free diet for your child, visit our forum for more information and recipe ideas.