Mary Manz Simon's Blog, page 50
March 30, 2016
New, natural and not noticed
Are your kids still eating Kraft Mac and Cheese?
If so, they’re eating a product sans artificial flavors and preservatives…and they didn’t even notice.
I guess as long as it comes out of a familiar box, it passes the kid-test.
March 27, 2016
Baby buy and buy
I overheard an expectant couple talking as they worked through their lengthy baby registry.
“These baby companies are just like airlines. Buying the basic is just the beginning. It’s the extras that get you.”
This couple was right. Although the birthrate is shrinking, spending on babies is ballooning.
Parents in the US now spend an estimated $12,000 on their babies during Year One.
March 25, 2016
“Alphers”
After Generation Z will come, the “Alphers!”
That’s right. Today’s babies and toddlers, age 0-2 are being called members of the Alpha Generation.
After Z, I guess we start over….
March 24, 2016
Eggojis
Tomorrow is the big reveal of the winning Eggojis.
For several weeks, Eggo has been teasing and testing waffle emojis.
To see the winning Twitter Eggoji, tomorrow post a tweet which includes #LeggoMyEggo.
March 23, 2016
Pinterest + science fair project = win
Science fair season started early this year – actually, with Valentine’s Day.
At least that’s when the number of “Valentine’s Day science experiments” exploded (not literally) on Pinterest. Crystal hearts, anyone?
So can your child think of a creative science fair project with lemon juice invisible ink?
Pinterest might be the go-to place before that science project deadline.
March 21, 2016
Test-weary
Although the deluge of school testing has been part of the national conversation for several years, this is the first time teachers have been so vocal.
Although some say this is because job performance is being aligned with test results, I believe the growing chorus against over-testing goes far beyond that.
The bottom line is that the time spent reviewing and taking tests doesn’t always measure what students have actually learned.
I anticipate more schools will consider replacing at least some of the assessments with projects, portfolios, labs or even student-authored power point presentations. Students will still face a deluge of tests in the next few weeks, but look for changes in the future.
March 18, 2016
Sleep health aids on the horizon
This was inevitable: the “Baby Bulge” of “products new parents don’t need has aged up.” (I mean, how did we ever raise three kids without a bath thermometer and diaper stacker?)
The new theme of “must have” products on store sales floor is “sleep health for a toddler or young child.”
Unless your child has specific needs, you’ll see ads for all kinds of products you can leave in the store: youth pillows; antimicrobial, allergen and dust resistant pillow covers; bed bug covers, and the list goes on.
March 16, 2016
Forget the smartwatch
Test season has arrived for students in many grades, but kids can leave their watches at home.
To prevent cheating, an increased number of schools are banning watches of any kind during test sessions.
Many teachers set up timers so students can pace themselves, but if all else fails, students can look at the clock on the wall. Imagine that.
March 14, 2016
Summer fun comes early
Options for children’s summer adventures are more diverse than ever. What’s trending?
1. Registration begins early, early, early. Look diligently and you might find an opening. For 2017, sign up in December.
2. STEM is in (again.) DNA decoding, computer programming, rocketry are everywhere.
3. Popular programs offer multiple locations for easier parent drop off and pick up.
4. Flexibility is big. With the pressure kids feel from Common Core and other testing, campers are looking for programs with less structure and more freedom.
March 11, 2016
“Denkpause”
Parents crave time to think.
Although the German term, “Denkpause,” is popular with millennial parents, generations of moms, especially, have been time-starved.
One major new element is that content is crowding parents from all sides. Living in the Information has pluses, of course, but it also undermines parental confidence.
My recommendation: Listen to yourself before (not after) you listen to others.
