Parenting
by gleefulblogger

Don’t overload your child’s schedule when at home

August 17, 2020
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How to make a schedule for kids? This is one query I often get in my social media messengers or during the live sessions with followers?

Is it easy to make a child’s schedule when at home? Well, when kids are at home, they can get bored and stressed out easily. It can be hard to balance online classes, play, and still being organized. We adults ourselves find it really difficult to manage and organize at times, isn’t it?

The ‘school’ is now at home, and kids can’t meet their friends, the old routine and structure of life are changed drastically. Yet kids need to stay active, attend online classes, and find means of recreation at home.

While it’s important to make sure the children get used to the new system at home, but we also have to remember not to overload kids’ schedules.

Let’s see how we can have a daily schedule of kids at home:

Chill out! –

Have you ever noticed when you are hyper in the house, your child suddenly starts acting up and throwing tantrums? It’s because they are exceptionally good at picking up vibes. When vacations are here and the entire family might be around at home, it gets difficult sometimes to balance everything. This is why it’s important to first calm yourself down. Take a deep breath, relax your muscles, and then communicate with your child. Trust me, it works wonders. Take a chill pill mom. It is vacation time; the child’s schedule is going to be naughty!

Bring the monsoon home –

So what if you can’t go out to enjoy the monsoons? There are several ways you can bring it home to your kids. You can still watch the rain from the balcony with snacks. You could make it storytime where the entire family gathers together to enjoy the rain and tell stories from your childhood or grandparents’ childhood from ‘back in those times!’

You can also make alternate water play at home! Children can still make crafts such as paper boats and float them in the balcony. Or if you don’t mind a little mess, you can create a rainy atmosphere indoors. All you need is an old mug with holes in it and some water and voila! Your little one has his/her own tiny shower to dance under. If you want to try something fun and educative, in your child’s schedule teaching them indoor gardening is a good idea because monsoons are the perfect time to learn about growing plants.

balancing your child's schedule when at home

Access the free online learning tools available –

Most schools are conducting online classes, but if your kid’s school isn’t going down that road, you can always look up online how to manage online learning of kids in India and find a lot of free resources. Many e-learning websites are offering a range of curricular and extracurricular programs for free during this period. You can also find publishing houses offering free reading materials for all school years. Use this opportunity to make your child’s schedule stay on track.

Engage your child in indoor games –

From Ludo to Carom, a whole lot of multiplayer mobile games are trending now to keep your child recreationally engaged. However, don’t force the little ones into this. Some of them may not be interested in it and that’s okay. There are other ways. For example, engage them in helping you in household chores. But remember, recreation is a matter of choice, not compulsion. Understand their pulse and offer them options accordingly.

It’s important to remember that playing right is a part of grow right too. Make sure they stay physically active at home, hydrated and well-fed. A routine meal plan containing immunity building foods is a must. PediaSure is something that supports their immunity and brain development with its 37 vital nutrients and ensures they are getting their complete and balanced nutrition as well.

There is no restriction on online learning. With a balanced approach, we can make sure the children are growing the right way. Teach them empathy, show them how to help the neighbors, and help them come out in the new world of tomorrow with a better understanding of humanity, love, and compassion. But make sure every part of learning is enjoyable and enlightening to them, not a matter of added burden or stress.

Disclaimer

The opinions expressed in this post are the personal views of the author. They do not reflect the views of any brand. Any omissions or errors at the author’s end does not assume any liability or responsibility on any party mentioned in the blog.

Copyright

©Dipika Singh. This article is the property of the site’s author. Any unauthorized use or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Dipika Singh (Gleefulblogger). With the right and specific direction to the original content.

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How does Screen Time Influence Child Growth And Development?

March 16, 2024
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How can screen time affect a child’s growth and development? As technology increasingly integrates into our lives, children are exposed to screens more than ever. Screens are almost everywhere; for example, while learning in innovative classes, watching television, playing video games, and using smartphones or tablets to take computer classes. Familiar presence raises concerns about the impact of excessive screen time on their development and well-being.

Excess screen media usage in children positively and negatively impacts their development and growth. However, screens can increase educational information and relevant learning most efficiently. On the other hand, studies have shown that excessive screen time also negatively affects executive functioning, sensorimotor development, and academic performance.

Research has shown that excessive screen time can lead to decreased emotional regulation and attention deficit symptoms in children. Understanding these impacts is crucial for parents in today’s digital age.

Several studies and research have also claimed that early screen exposure is directly associated with lower cognitive abilities, including academic performance, in later years. If you are worried about the same, this article is definitely for you.

Physical Health:

Excessive screen time can lead to a sedentary lifestyle, where children spend more time sitting and less engaging in physical activity. This lack of exercise can contribute to obesity and other health problems, such as poor posture and eye strain. Too much screen time before bedtime can also disrupt sleep patterns, leading to fatigue and irritability during the day.

Language Development:

Recent studies have claimed that excessive screen time in children, especially young children, can delay language development. This is because screens replace real-life interactions and conversations, vital to learning and developing a familiar language. Children learn speaking from listening to and engaging in conversations with others. However, they cannot interact with real people due to screen time, delaying their language development. Limiting screen time and encouraging more face-to-face interactions is recommended to support language development most effectively.

Emotional Well-being:

Excessive screen time has been directly linked to higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression in children. This is because it is connected with several factors, such as exposure to violent or inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and social comparison on social media. Moreover, screen time in limitless periods can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness. These symptoms may occur when your children rely more on online presence over real-life social interactions. These days, young children avoid fundamental life interactions and limit their social behavior. They are more addicted to their phone, tablet, or laptop screen, which leads to depression, stress, fear, and more.

Attention and Behavior:

Too much screen time can also affect a child’s attention span and behaviour. Research suggests that excessive screen time, especially in young children, may contribute to attention problems, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. This is because screens often provide constant stimulation and instant gratification, making it difficult for children to focus and regulate their behaviour in other settings.

Parent-Child Relationships:

If your child is more addicted to screens and spends excessive time on screen, it can negatively affect your relationship with them. The overuse of screens can strain parent and cold relationships and reduce opportunities for quality time and meaningful interactions. Children fully absorbed in screens often withdraw emotional connection with their parents. When parents and children spend more time on screens, they may have fewer opportunities to bond, communicate, and engage in shared activities. This can lead to feelings of disconnect and disconnection within the family unit.

Academic Performance:

Excessive screen time has been associated with lower academic achievement and poorer performance in school. Excessive screen time can interfere with homework completion, studying, and other educational responsibilities. Additionally, screens can be distracting and make it difficult for children to concentrate and retain information.

Though screens are vital for entertainment, education, and connectivity, excessive screen time negatively impacts our children and their overall health. Too much screen absorption affects your child’s growth and development process. It is crucial to set limits and boundaries to use the screen appropriately. For that, as a parent, you need to set limits on screen time and involve them in physical activities, healthy habits, and more. Further, you can provide opportunities to your child for social interactions, creative play, and other activities. Parents can balance screen time and other activities by supporting their child’s well-being and development.

As a parent, your role plays a significant part in managing and improving their lifestyle by raising essential awareness, setting certain boundaries, and providing behavioural controls. Parents must set an example to make their children understand the right things and processes to reduce screen usage.

Parents, educators, caregivers, and healthcare professionals need to understand the potential risks of excessive screen usage and should implement strategies to promote healthy development in children.

COPYRIGHTS

©Dipika Singh. The unauthorized use or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links are used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Dipika Singh (Gleefulblogger). With the right and specific direction to the original content.

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How to Develop Your Kid’s Self-Esteem

August 23, 2020
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In this article, we will learn about how to boost morale and kid’s self-esteem! As parents, we can sense when our kids are feeling good about themselves and when they are not. The idea of feeling good about ourselves relates to “self-esteem.” For kids, self-esteem would mean they feel liked and accepted, confident, proud, and they believe in themselves. So, if your kids have high self-esteem, they are more motivated to accomplish everything they set out to achieve.

However, kids with low self-esteem are more critical and harder on themselves, they feel they are not as good as others. Having a healthy self-esteem is very important because kids who feel good about themselves have the resilience and persistence needed to try learn new things, even when they are challenging.

Also, confident kids can easily cope up with mistakes and failures since they know that if they keep trying, they will only get better. Unfortunately, this not the same with kids who are unsure of themselves since they often think that they are not capable of success.

This is the main reason why some kids are afraid to join in, as they feel they will not be accepted by their peers. They will also have a hard time standing up for themselves, and they quickly give up or not to try at all.

develop kid's self-esteem

The importance of self-esteem in Kids

Self-esteem develops slowly over time, so we need to be patient and show our children that we are here to support them consistently through all of the ups and downs. The first sensible thing to do is to give them the attention they need and encourage them to try something they don’t usually do, like making new friends when you’re at the park.

This will allow them to exercise their social and communication skills, as well as develop their confidence in handling themselves in an unfamiliar environment. We should also encourage our kids to learn new skills in sports, music, art, tech, or cooking. Acquiring any of these skills will surely make our kids feel good about themselves.

Raising your kid’s self-esteem

We need to understand that every child is different, and self-esteem may come easier to some kids than others. Therefore, some experiences or failures can lower our children’s self-esteem, but it can be raised with our help.

At every age, kids can learn new things on their own, so we need to encourage them to take the first step. This may include riding a bike or painting a portrait for the first time. Although, if possible, we should show them how it is done first, then let them do what they can.

They might make some mistakes, but that is normal and part of the whole learning process. The more they make mistakes, the more they will learn and become successful in the long run. This experience will raise their self-esteem and make them more confident to learn new things in the future.

Praise your child wisely

It’s good to praise your kids and show that you’re proud of them, but you shouldn’t offer praise in some situations. For example, telling your child that he played well in their game when he knows he didn’t can cause confusion or distrust. It would be better to tell them that it wasn’t their best game, but you’re still proud of them for not giving up.

Most importantly, focus on effort and process rather than on results. Self-esteem grows when your child knows that what they do matters to you or other people around them.

About the Author

Amy Ryan

Amy has been a Maths tutor for over 12 years, assisting countless students individually. She first started after completion of her own VCE year. Receiving an ATAR of 99.0, she felt that she had a lot to offer students in high school, trying to work out the best way to maximize their results. She has helped students gain understanding, improve their study skills, and work towards their goals in mathematics. Amy has also been a teacher since 2011, teaching students at all high school levels, including VCE Maths Methods and Further Maths. She is passionate about finding ways to help students increase their understanding and enjoyment of Maths. 

Amy is available for individual tutoring in the outer eastern suburbs of Melbourne, and also runs Further Maths VCE Exam preparation and Study Skills sessions. Click here to check out her tutoring site.

Copyright

©Dipika Singh. This article is the property of the site’s author. Any unauthorized use or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Dipika Singh (Gleefulblogger). With the right and specific direction to the original content.

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