Mary Manz Simon's Blog, page 21
February 9, 2018
Grocery list influencers
If you’ve grocery shopped recently with a tween or teen, you know these kids shop differently than we shopped at their age.
Knowledge is at their fingertips, so it you want to know the effect of adding Chicoree Angel Hair to your salad, just ask your young companion- he’ll have an answer in two clicks, as his phone is probably already on.
Of course, consider it a minor miracle if a tween or teen will even accompany you to a grocery store. They are major influencers of the shopping list, but typically avoid such boring shopping.
February 7, 2018
Anti-intellectual reflection?
The “no homework, read instead” trend continues, even during this time of the school year in which students traditionally prepare intensely for standardized tests.
Some commentators view this shift as an awareness that current academics won’t prepare today’s students for the future. Others say flatly, “It’s another way to dumb down education.”
There is very little data on homework in the primary grades. For older students, homework tends to have minimal impact on academic achievement.
It’s a sticky issue, often overshadowed by emotions.
February 5, 2018
Fail to come up a winner?
With the coming of the Winter Olympics, we’re sure to see more ad campaigns that celebrate failing, instead of winning.
It’s a theme that was picked up last year by numerous brands as they began to target Gen Z (Sorry, Millennials.) If you skip the ads, many of the stories could be helpful and encouraging to kids in sports.
February 2, 2018
STEM, STREAM and STEAM
The importance of STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) and STREAM (science, technology, robotics, engineering, math) have been well documented.
That message has gone home with students: statistics show that fewer than one in ten parents want their child to excel in the arts. And yet STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts, math) is suddenly being viewed more favorably than in the recent past.
Even coding supporters recognize that applying creativity and imagination are essential if future generations are going to resolve the weighty problems we are leaving behind for the next generation.
January 31, 2018
Ads with personality
Have you noticed subtle shifts in advertising to moms?
There are more personal story lines and fewer “perfect image” kids and families. Realness is everywhere – even 30 second clips show a variety of emotions.
It will be interesting to see if these shifts are noticeable in Super Bowl ads.
January 29, 2018
Cookie dough snitches
Cupcake shops be gone. Enter, cookie dough cafes.
Although children are known for snatching unbaked cookie dough, cookie dough cafes are removing the need for sneakiness. Safe-to-eat cookie dough has the nostalgic appeal of Saturday afternoons in the kitchen with mom.
Raw cookie dough ingredients include special eggs and flour which make it safe to eat without baking. Flavors, served in a cup or cone, include favorites like chocolate chip, red velvet, brownie batter, s’mores and fluffernutter.
Hungry, yet?
January 26, 2018
Shareables
Rent a castle for a night. Let your dog stay in a real home, instead of a kennel, while you travel. Borrow a neighbor’s car for the morning. These are all shareables.
Using something as needed, rather than actually owning it, offers real-time examples of thoughtful choices.
I wonder how the sharing economy will impact today’s kids, who grow up in a shareable world of Airbnb, DogVacay and RelayRides.
January 24, 2018
Video game addiction
An old problem has a new label: the World Health organization (WHO) is recognizing video game addiction as an official mental health condition.
Video game addiction is basically playing games for an unhealthy length of time, resulting in the feeling that you can’t stop.
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) describes internet gaming disorder as similar to a gambling addiction.
However video game addiction is described or defined, prevention is best, especially for our kids.
January 22, 2018
Relax your brain
After coloring books for adults, can bedtime stories for adults be far behind?
Evidently not, as it’s now emerging as a trend under the wellness umbrella.
Natural sleep aids, including peace-filled playlists and white noise machines, have been around forever. But stories for sleep-deprived moms and dads might be on the horizon. Just watch…
January 19, 2018
The heart of the year
Teachers call this the “heart of the school year.”
That’s not because Valentine’s Day is approaching, but because new content is being presented to students every day.
Fall is typically the time to review and catch up from content lost during the “summer slump.” The learning curve drops during the final weeks of the school year, after standardized testing. That’s the reason January-February-March are such important months.
For the first time, though, serious questions are being asked about how much screen time students have during the school day in these critical months.
The ed-tech grip has been exceptionally strong all year in schools. How much will result in better academic achievement?
