Mary Manz Simon's Blog, page 32

Mommy Brain

If you’re a new mom, blame the brain for the mental fog. It’s not your imagination; Mommy Brain is real.

But hang on, because you’ll end up in a good place.

Researchers have shown that connections thicken in the brain after delivery. As a result, you might feel smarter and concentrate more intently.

So celebrate. Your brain is growing.

A beary good birthday

Build-A-Bear Workshop is recognizing 20 years in business with a 16 inch Celebration Bear. The special bear has a birthday logo on its paw pad and poseable arms and legs.

Look for in-store parties next Saturday and the twentieth of each month until the “official” birthday Oct 27.

Serious summer reading?

In preparation for completing summer reading lists, librarians are devoting more shelf space than ever to graphic novels.

Because this genre fills the gap between screens and a traditional print book, graphic novels often appeal to reluctant readers or students with limited English language skills.

This summer, “light novels,” which are text-only novels based on comics, will appeal to many of these same students.

Some parents don’t see these books as serious reading, but as an educator, I’m glad to see options for kids who might otherwise struggle to complete summer reading assignments.

Fake or real?

Researchers say that the 24 hour news cycle not only gives kids information, but also causes them to feel afraid or angry.

Fewer than half of the children studied can distinguish between fake news and real news. (Perhaps adult percentages wouldn’t be that different!)

Digital literacy skills were supposed to receive major time and attention in classrooms during the school year that’s coming to a close. I’m not convinced that happened.

Parents can make a deliberate attempt to talk with children about news stories. News topics which triggered the most stress and anxiety in kids: global issues related to safety, financial uncertainty and war.

A doll or a spy?

“My Friend Cayla” has been banned by regulators in Germany.

The doll, which has a microphone and uses a Bluetooth to transmit audio via the internet, has been accused of threatening security and privacy. This means anything a child says can be recorded and transmitted without a parents’ approval.

Labeled by some an “intelligent robot,” Cayla could be the first of many tech-equipped toys with the potential to violate consumer protection laws in the U.S.

Unlocking parenting mysteries

Next-gen dads continue to surprise and delight.

Recent data indicates that more millennial dads than moms watch parenting videos on YouTube.

Of course, online is only one and many sources of information for multi-platform millennials, but it’s still a positive that moms and dads want to learn how to effectively parent.

Shopkins Live

The national tour doesn’t begin until September, but tickets began selling on Friday.

The 90-minute live show features Shoppies and Shopkins preparing for a Funtastic Food and Fashion Fair.

It’s the newest theatrical production based on a toy. The tour begins in Buffalo, New York and will go to 75 cities.

http://shopkinsliveontour.com/

“I care about you”

If you’re still making arrangements to keep kids engaged this summer, considering adding “social impact experiences” to the regular schedule.

Your child might walk an aging dog for a neighbor, don disposable gloves to pick up trash along your street or playground, or sort and stock cans at a local food pantry.

These “do good” activities are especially good for tweens, who aren’t old enough for a paying job. Empathy, or caring for and about others, takes root before the teen years, so summer is a great time to make this happen.

Toy-free?

The baby box concept, imported from Finland has been sweeping our country, but I’m not certain a trend from Germany will be embraced by U.S. parents.

Some German early childhood centers are going toy-free at least one day each week. Rooms are left with only blankets, pillows and furniture and children are encouraged to play outside.

Observers say children are more social, creative and communicative on toy-free days. Others complain going toy-free is a form of child abuse.

How would your child respond to toy-free days?

Life ready?

The uncertain and unstable times are hitting parents at the core.

In some previous generations, putting up a protective wall was the smart approach to keeping children safe. Now, there appears to be a shift toward exposing kids to more situations. Some moms and dad hope their kids learn to think fast and handle issues, simply because so much is spinning out of control.

The challenge is to find that zone between keeping a child safe and fostering independence.