Soraya Diase Coffelt's Blog, page 14
April 12, 2021
The Many benefits of Music for Young Children
“Everything in the universe has rhythm. Everything dances.”
-Maya Angelou
It is hard to find someone who does not enjoy music. From classical to rock, music tends to bring people from all walks of life together. Not only is listening to music an enjoyable experience, but it also has some major benefits, especially for young children. Listening to or playing music has a plethora of benefits for their social, emotional, and even academic performances. So why wouldn’t we want our children exposed to that? Here are just a few of the many benefits of music for them.
It accelerates brain development. Studies have shown that musical experiences actually help children academically, including in the areas of math, language and reading skills.
It improves memory skills. This goes for adults as well as children. When your children listen to music or play an instrument, they are flexing their brain muscles and learning and then saving what they have learned in their memory banks.
It makes children happier! Listening and singing along to music release endorphins in the brain. Endorphins are mood improving chemicals that make people happier. Children will want to get up and dance. Encourage them to use wooden spoons and drum (beat) on pans. Watch them smile and laugh! When they sing in a group setting, the effects are multiplied, causing an even more heightened sense of happiness. This works for most music types, but techno and heavy metal music is known to have the opposite effect, causing anxiety and depressed behaviors in people.
It improves a child’s speech. For children who take music lessons, their word comprehension is increased.
It improves social skills. This applies more for children who sing or play instruments as part of a group. Being in a group of children who work together to create beautiful music can be a profound bonding experience. Also, being with the same group for an extended period of time- especially when you are all aiming toward a single goal- can form forever friendships.
Music is relaxing. Classical music has been known to help adults and children fall asleep easier. It calms the mind, which in turn, creates the same relaxing effect for the body.
To learn more, please visit these websites:
April 5, 2021
Puzzles Help Build Your Child’s Memory Skills
How often have you heard “I’m bored!”? Too often, children complain that they are bored and seek our assistance to get them motivated and interested in doing something else. Be prepared for these times. One way is to have a variety of puzzles available. Why puzzles? The most important reason is that they help build memory skills but there are many other reasons which are extremely beneficial for your children.
There are at least 5 reasons for the benefit of puzzles:
They help develop memory skills. Children have to remember the shapes and sizes of each piece as well as where they fit in the big picture of the puzzle itself. If one piece does not fit, they must remember that piece later and where it may fit.
They teach your children problem solving skills. As children work on solving a puzzle, they are thinking of different ways to put the pieces together. The pieces must fit in designated ways and there are no shortcuts.
They teach patience and concentration. Without them, your children will never finish a puzzle. Encourage them to take their time and work on one part of the puzzle before moving on to another part. With patience, they will work through the challenges. Have a designated area for them to work on completing the puzzle and if they have to stop and return, it will be there for them to finish. Also, encourage them to finish it so they learn the importance of completing a task.
They give a fun break from computer and digital devices. Children need this regularly as they spend too much time on these devices.
For younger children, the aid in developing hand-eye coordination and many motor skills.
Consider having a variety of puzzles available. There are regular jigsaw puzzles as well as Leggos. My sons loved playing with their Leggos sets, building all sorts of things. As always, please make sure to have age-appropriate puzzles available for your children. If a puzzle is too hard or too easy, the child will not want to work with it.
There are many articles online that provide more information about the benefits of puzzles as learning tools and I have included their links below.
https://www.thecriticalthinkingchild.com/why-puzzles-are-good-for-kids-development/
https://www.mathgenie.com/blog/puzzle-power-how-puzzles-help-your-childs-development
https://www.bkkkids.com/blog/10-reasons-why-jigsaw-puzzles-are-good-for-kids/
March 29, 2021
What to do When Your Children Use Bad Words
A few years ago, I wrote a blog post titled What to do When Your Child Swears and I think that it is time to update that post. In it, I gave many suggestions as to what parents can do, so please take the time to read it. In today’s blog, I would like to discuss the impact that cursing on television and internet programs as well as movies, music and video games can have on your children. When you catch your children using bad words, it is important to consider what they are listening to and watching.
Exposure to swear words has always been a source of this negative behavior for children. A study published in the journal Pediatrics back in 2011 found that children who heard curse words on television or video games acted out more aggressively toward their peers. Moreover, these children tended to use the same bad language themselves.
There are ratings for television programs, movies and video games, so I strongly encourage parents to read those before allowing a child to watch or play. Cartoon programs used to be such fun shows but over the years, certain cartoons have allowed bad words to slip in. Make sure you monitor those too.
What about music? We all have heard songs with degrading words referring to explicit acts of sex, guns, drugs and violence against women. The impact of this on children who are listening or watching a music video with these types of lyrics is damaging. An article published in 2009 in the journal Pediatrics stated that “research has reported that exposure to violence, sexual messages, sexual stereotypes, and use of substances of abuse in music videos might produce significant changes in behaviors and attitudes of young viewers. … With the evidence portrayed in these studies, it is essential for pediatricians and parents to take a stand regarding music lyrics.”
Ask yourself – are you as a parent taking a stand? I have always been a parent who believes very strongly in supervising and monitoring my children. On one occasion, my oldest son spent the night at a friend’s house when he was about 10 years old. I spoke to the parents beforehand to let them know that I did not want my son playing video games that involved cursing or violence against women. To my surprise, when I arrived to pick him up the next afternoon, he was playing a video game with all of that! I immediately spoke to the parents of the other child and found out that they were not even monitoring their son’s activities on any form of media. They just assumed that everything he watched and the games he played were acceptable. This was an important lesson for them.
For more information, please visit:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-profanity-tv-idUSTRE79I5OH20111019
https://raisingchildren.net.au/school-age/behaviour/common-concerns/swearing
https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/124/5/1488.full
March 22, 2021
Add Storytelling to Family Time
Storytelling has been around for hundreds of years and used by many cultures. I’m from the Caribbean and storytelling was incorporated into our way of life. I remember growing up while listening to adults tell wonderful, imaginative stories. Unfortunately, over the years, with the advance of the internet, storytelling has declined but there is a strong movement to bring it back. Just what is storytelling and why should we have it as a part of our family time?
The National Storytelling Network defines storytelling as “the interactive art of using words and actions to reveal the elements and images of a story while encouraging the listener’s imagination.” Some definitions include written stories, but for my blog post, I will focus on oral storytelling. Simply, storytelling is the art of telling a story that has an interesting plot and dynamic characters. While telling a story, gestures and laughter should be incorporated too.
According to the Child Development Institute, storytelling benefits children in many ways, such as:
Language skills – as a person tells a story, children learn by listening to the words and the inflections of speech.
Memory – children listen to and then remember these stories. Often, they tell them to other children or adults. When they begin writing their own stories, the stories they remember will have an impact on their stories.
New worlds – as children listen to stories, often from other cultures or of their ancestors, they learn about different people and times. Their imaginations expand.
What stories should you tell? The list is endless. Start with one that you have heard and then add on to it. Perhaps tell a story about one of your children when they were younger or of a grandparent. The stories can be true or embellished or imagined - it is totally up to you. The goal is to capture the imagination of your audience through your words and corresponding actions. With children, it is important to use a variety of aids to keep their attention, such as puppets, music and dance. And, of course, incorporate laughter as an essential part of your story!
To learn more, please visit these websites:
https://childdevelopmentinfo.com/child-activities/storytelling-for-children/#gs.wiwov1
https://storynet.org/what-is-storytelling/
https://www.scholastic.com/parents/school-success/learning-toolkit-blog/storytelling-children.html
March 15, 2021
Teach Your Children about the Amazing Life of St. Patrick – the Patron Saint of Ireland
For many of us, St. Patrick’s Day is associated with Irish leprechauns, pots of gold at the end of a rainbow, and the three-leaf shamrock. Often, the man St. Patrick himself is overlooked. My blog post today is about this amazing man who became the patron saint of Ireland and all that he accomplished.
According to historians, Patrick was actually born in Britain, not Ireland, sometime in the 5th Century AD. His father was believed to be a Christian deacon. When he was 16 years old, he was kidnapped from his home by Irish raiders and taken to Ireland where he was held as a slave for 6 years. He worked as a herdsman and was outdoors most of the time, lonely and secluded from others. It is during this time in his life that he grew deeper in his Christian faith.
In a dream, he heard a voice tell him to escape and return to Britain. He did so but then later, in another dream, an angel told him to return to Ireland as a missionary. It is reported that one of his visions involved the hands of Irish children reaching out to him to return to Ireland. Patrick began his training as a priest, which is said to have taken 15 years, and then he returned to Ireland with two directives: to support the Christians who lived there and to convert those who were not Christians.
Most of the Irish people at the time were pagans, meaning they worshipped what was known as a nature-based religion. In order to reach the hearts of the Irish, he incorporated some of their culture into his teachings, such as the three-leaf shamrock, using it to represent the trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Patrick was extremely dedicated to his mission and very successful in converting the Irish people. Many legends exist, including one where he cast all the snakes in Ireland into the sea. He also did many miracles, including raising people from the dead and feeding the hungry with very little food. Although he was never canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church, the Church reveres him as a saint and he became known as Ireland’s patron saint. March 17 is believed to be the day that he died so it is celebrated as St. Patrick’s day.
For more information, please visit the following websites:
https://www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day/who-was-saint-patrick
March 8, 2021
Women’s History Month, March 2021
In the 1970s, Women’s History Month began as a week-long celebration of the important role that women play in our society and grew to a month-long celebration of women’s contributions. As a parent, how can you teach your children about women in our history? One of the reasons I am writing this blog is to provide parents with information and resources that they can use to teach their children.
There are many websites with activities and recommended books for children of all ages. I have reviewed some of them and find the following ones to have wonderful information and suggestions:
https://homeschoolsuperfreak.com/womens-history-month-activities-homeschool/
https://www.weareteachers.com/womens-history-month-activities/
https://www.parents.com/kids/education/how-to-celebrate-women-s-history-month-with-kids/
Since there are so many resources available, why not extend the study of great women in our history from only one month to several months of the year or all year long!
March 1, 2021
How Did Bunnies & Chicks Become a Part of this Most Important Christian Celebration? Read to Find Out!
Have you ever wondered how bunnies and chicks became a part of the most important Christian celebration – the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? I did a lot of research to find that out and then wrote my book to help you and your children find out too – It’s Not About You Mr. Easter Bunny – A Love Letter About The True Meaning Of Easter. My book is filled with colorful illustrations and lots of humor because children love to laugh! It’s a gentle reminder that this most important day is not about the Easter Bunny after all!
You can purchase a copy at asthestarsofthesky.org. All proceeds from book sales go to the nonprofit foundation As the Stars of the Sky Foundation to help promote childhood literacy. Thank you for your support
February 22, 2021
4 Ways To Help Your Children Keep Their Promises
As Christian parents, it is important for us to raise our children to know and understand the importance of making and keeping promises. Psalm 145:13 tells us unequivocally that God is trustworthy in all His promises. That means we can rely on His Word all the time – not just sometimes. A promise should not be something that is idlely made as once it is given, the person making the promise needs to follow through.
How can you instill in your children the importance of keeping their promises? Here are 4 ways to consider:
Model to them what it is to be a promise keeper. It takes character and integrity. I frequently say that children do as we do, not as we say. Do you make idle promises? When you make a promise, do you not follow through? Do you make a excuses for not fulfilling a promise? Our children observe our behavior, and no matter what we say, they will imitate our actions.
Let your children know from an early age that they must be accountable and hold them to that expectation. When they make a promise, be there to help them follow through to ensure that they live up to what they say. If no one holds them accountable and expects the best of them, they will likely not follow through and get into the habit of making “excuses” to justify their inactions. Don’t let that happen!
Look for teachable moments and discuss them with your children. When a relative or friend follows through on a promise, be sure to discuss that with your children. When a character in a movie or television show, makes and keeps a promise, point that out to your children and talk about it.
Additionally, there are many good children’s books about keeping promises, both Christian and secular. Spend some fun time with your children reading and talking about them.
Give them praise when they fulfill their promises. Let them know that you are aware of what is happening and what they have done and are proud of their accomplishment.
For more information, please visit these websites:
https://www.allprodad.com/8-ways-to-ensure-your-children-keep-their-word/
https://www.primroseschools.com/blog/keeping-promises-how-to-teach-integrity-to-your-preschooler/
February 15, 2021
Celebrate Black History Month
This February, let’s be sure to celebrate Black History Month with our children. There is so much for them to learn.
One website that has a considerable amount of information for children about Black history is www.readingrockets.org. It is filled with creative guidance so that children learn from a variety of sources. Here is some of what it has to offer:
•Video interviews with children’s book authors and illustrators
•Link to Poetry for Children website that showcases poetry by African Americans
•Link to StoryCorps Girot, which is a website filled with “the voices, experiences, and life stories of African Americans (so that they) will be preserved and presented with dignity.” Storytelling is an honored African tradition and this website seeks to celebrate the important part it has played in the lives of African Americans.
•Recommended activities for the home and classroom
•Writing activities
•Recommended books for children
•Recommended television programs
Please take advantage of all that this website has to offer to promote Black history. Moreover, I encourage you to celebrate it all year long with your children, not just for one month!
For more information, please visit the site at: https://www.readingrockets.org/calendar/blackhistory
February 8, 2021
Why Children Should Read Biographies
I have written previously about how beneficial biographies are for children and wanted to reiterate that fact so parents would search out those types of books. Why encourage your children to read biographies? Here are a few critical reasons:
1. They are about real people doing real things. These people often faced and many then overcame challenges. This will help children to persevere when they too have obstacles in their paths.
2. Children find inspiration. My oldest son enjoyed playing sports and to encourage him to read more, I helped him to select biographies of famous athletes. Playing sports takes a lot of discipline, and by reading about the lives of athletes, he was able to develop that important skill. He especially loved playing basketball and was eventually selected to play on a Division 1 college team – a dream come true.
3. Children learn about history through important people who actually lived at the time. In addition to having children memorize facts about certain historical periods, biographies bring those historical periods to life and often help children to remember those facts.
4. There are so many different biographies and your children can select the ones they like. As I mentioned, my oldest son loved sports and read many biographies about sports figures. If your child has a musical gift, select biographies of famous musicians and composers. If your child enjoys art, select biographies about artists. The list is never ending.
To learn more, please visit:
https://www.scholastic.com/parents/family-life/parent-child/benefits-biographies-kids.html
https://therabbitholebooks.mystrikingly.com/blog/how-can-reading-biographies-help-children
