Mary Manz Simon's Blog, page 29
July 26, 2017
tl;dr
Has your child finished assigned summer reading?
The last week of July is often the panic point for students who have one or more books left to read before school starts. Unfortunately, too many kids are turning down some great reading by using the abbreviation, tl; dr, or “too long, didn’t read.”
Encourage your child to experience the joy of losing himself in a longer book. Share a book you loved when you were your child’s age. Or read aloud before bedtime, even if he’s an independent reader.
Parents who share their love of reading might never hear their child decline a book by saying, “tl; dr.”
July 21, 2017
Cord “Cutter” or Cord “Never”?
Both “Cutters” and “Nevers” are cable-free households, but kids in all kinds of households are glued to screens this summer.
Looking at screens, not reading books, have become the default activity. Research shows children are spending an average of five hours on electronic devices everyday.
Five hours: just imagine how many trees a child could climb, pictures she could draw or times he could cannonball into a pool in that amount of time.
Lead transparency?
Lead contamination in school drinking water continues to cause headaches for administrators this summer.
Although an increasing number of districts have done lead testing and starting remediation, some parents still aren’t been notified about progress in dealing with the problem.
In some schools, lack of routine testing means lead in water often isn’t discovered, or only discovered by chance.
Where’s the transparency?
July 19, 2017
Binge effect downaging
The teen trend of hunting for binge-worthy TV is aging down to tweens.
Entertainment execs have used serialized storytelling to fuel the summertime activity. Longer stories result in deeper engagement by viewers.
And of course, digital tech means those screens go everywhere.
July 17, 2017
Peak time for frugal moms
The back-to-school shopping season is a favorite for price-conscious moms.
These frugal shoppers buy crayons and other school supplies in bulk. They’re ready to fill backpacks next month and holiday stockings in December. Colored pencils and erasers make great party favors year round.
Smart shoppers who maximize the deals available now, feel less pressure when Black Friday and Cyber Monday roll around.
July 14, 2017
BTS
We’ve moved into the second-biggest retail season of the year: back to school. (BTS)
The two key factors in purchase decisions are students’ desire to look “cool” and discounts.
What started last year has really geared up now: location-based messages so deals pop up when you’re in the store – sometimes in a specific section of the store – in real-time.
Saving money is a big deal considering the average household spends more than $600 on back to school. But don’t let dad shop: he’ll spend 37% more than mom.
July 12, 2017
Bored yet?
Has boredom hit your house?
Kids who complain “It’s boring” or “I’m bored” have a wonderful opportunity to read a book, climb a tree, ride a bike or help you clean out a closet. Really!
Can your child – all by himself – find something meaningful to do with a free hour or afternoon?
Help your child unplug by watching him initiate a project, come up with a neat idea or help someone.
These summer days aren’t boring if we support children to become more self-reliant and to think independently.
July 10, 2017
Unplug
Invite your screen-addicted child to quit binge watching and return to the physical world: check out a board game from the library.
Home based activities and entertainment continue to reflect the shift toward nostalgia. Having fun at home, which has been trending for a number of years, continues this summer.
July 7, 2017
Game-based learning
If your kids are spending the summer gaming, take a tip from your child’s classroom teacher: suggest game-based learning.
Game developers have learned how to weave a fictional story-line underneath facts. Although some content takes liberties with history or other facts, gaming can expose kids to people and places they’d never discover on their own.
After playing, perhaps they’ll even want to dig deeper about Ancient Rome or the Pony Express!
July 5, 2017
Together in a tent?
“Family camp” is trending this summer, but it’s not only happening in RVs.
More often this summer than in previous years, camps have designated specific weeks for families.
Some programs schedule two-week blocks, where children come for a traditional kids camp followed by a week when they are joined by their family.
Other camps simply set aside time for families. Campers create their own schedules, which allows for days together and apart, with maximum flexibility.
The family camp concept sounds like a welcome opportunity to substitute swimming for screens!
