25 Ideas for Screen Free Week

Screen Free Week is almost here...are you and your family participating?  From April 29-May 5 we are all challenged to turn off our TVs, put down the tablets, close the laptops and hide the smartphones while we learn to entertain ourselves and each other.

Those of you who have been here before know that I am not an anti-TV mom.  In fact I have written about what I feel are some positive benefits of television and other technology for children.  That being said, in this technology driven age it does us all well to consciously put it all aside from time to time.  It might be hard for your kids, it might be hard for you, but you might want to give it a try.

If you think you might be up for the challenge you can click here for an official pledge card.  The Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood has many other resources that you might find useful for screen free week and beyond.

There is so much you can do with the screens turned off.  Here are some of my ideas to get you started.

1. Read, read, read!
2. Stay up late and go on a flashlight hike.
3. Look for pictures in the clouds.
4. Check out an audio book that the whole family will enjoy.
5. Take your kids on a mystery drive.  Choose a destination and give them clues so they can guess where thay are headed.
6. Try letterboxing.  There is treasure hidden near you, just follow the clues to get there.  Go to letterboxing.org to learn all about it.
7. Daydream.
8. Put on a shadow puppet show.
9. Listen to an old time radio show.
10. Create a work of art to hang.
11. Build a fort out of sheets and blankets.  Hide out inside and tell stories about when you were a kid.
12. Learn Pig Latin, then try to speak it for the rest of the night.
13. Play board and card games.
14. Fly a kite.
15. Go on a backyard scaverger hunt. 
16. Play wiffleball, or soccer, or horseshoes, or tag, or anything else you can think of in the backyard or nearby field. 
17. Bake together.
18. Put on a family play.
19. Have a talent show.
20. Write and illustrate a book.
21. Plan and plant a garden.
22. Design and build something.
23. Write letters to friends.
24. Call a relative that lives far away.
25. Go out for ice cream.

Have a great screen free week!

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In the Wake of a Tragedy

I watched my three year old climb to the top of her playset today.  Not the top where the slide starts, but the tippity top...where the canvas roof is.  As she sat there, proud as can be, she called out, "Don't worry Mommy, I'm careful!"

I'm wondering if she will make it the month before she breaks an arm.

But the thing is, she is being careful.  I watch her.  She tests her limits one step at a time, then practices.  When she gets it right, when she feels confidant, she challenges herself a bit more.  Then more.  And all of a sudden she's at the top. 

It's hard as a mom to stand back and watch but I do.  Kids take risks, they get hurt, they learn.  Hopefully the hurts are not bad ones.  She is supposed to do this and I am supposed to worry about it.  It's in the job description.

Having your child killed by a random act of terrorism while cheering on thousands of people striving to achieve something to be proud of is not supposed to worry us.  It's not.

My heart aches for the families affected in Boston
My heart still aches for the children of Newtown.

Everytime I visit a city, I relive the flashbulb memory of 9/11.  Each lockdown drill I go through with my students I blink back tears.  Yesterday, I watched way too much cable news and thought about how the Macy's Parade crowd my family and I were in just a few months ago was a little bit like the Boston crowd.  Could have been us.  Could have been you.

We can't control any of this.  And we can't let it control us.

So on days when it all seems black, let's remember what we can control.

• We can teach our children to be kind. 
• We can help our children see things from different viewpoints and have empathy.
• We can set boundaries and limits for our children so when they grow too big for our boundaries they can set their own.
• We can teach our kids to make good decisions.
• We can teach our kids to be brave.
• We can feed our children right so they grow up healthy.
• We can give our children the world through stories.
• We can love our children.  Every day.

Ultimate Blog Party 2013-Welcome

Welcome!

I am excited and a little bit nervous to be a part of the Ultimate Blog Party, 2013.  This is my first time trying something like this out as a blogger, and I am looking forward to making some great connections with some amazing writers and moms.  I'd like to thank you for stopping by and hope you will choose to stay for a bit.

Let me introduce myself.  My name is Kristin and I have two amazing girls ages 3 and 6.  I am married to a self-proclaimed "fish nerd" who writes, blogs and pod-casts about fishing.  Along with our beloved Abi the Wonder Dog, we live in northern NH and enjoy all it has to offer.

As well as being a mom, I teach a combined kindergarten and first grade classroom.  I blog about my family, but also about parenting for school and life success.  I believe in play, in good choices, in boundaries, and in time well spent.  I hope that people get ideas they can relate to from my blog and will share their own knowledge in return.

I hope to grow my blog through this Blog Party experience and would love for you to follow me on Facebook.  I just joined Twitter for this experience...and can't make heads or tails of it but anyways, @MtnViewMama if I can figure it out.

Super Healthy Green Eggs

Dr. Seuss's birthday is coming up soon!  Why not make some Green Eggs and Ham with your little ones?  Rather than simple scrambled eggs with green food dye, whip up these easy green eggs for a super healthy, super tasty treat.  My guys like this so much that we don't wait until March 2nd for green eggs, it's a dinnertime regular!

Crack a couple of eggs into your blender.  We use a "Magic Bullet", but any blender will do.  Add in the green veggie of your choice.  Fresh spinach makes a great green, but we have used frozen broccoli and peas as well.

Blend it up, and you get a pretty green liquid.  The more veggies you add, the greener it gets!

Put the rest of the eggs in a bowl and add in the green.

Whisk it up...

...and scramble!

Serve with a thickly sliced piece of deli ham. There you go.  Easy, peasy super healthy green eggs.  As you can see, my Sam-I-Am approves!

My Case for TV

Does anyone else feel a bit of vindication when a major news outlet reports something you have long since suspected?  Satisfaction in a high-five yourself, now I must share this news with the world sort of way?  Maybe it's just me...

The New York Times recently reported on a study published in the journal Pediatrics showing that limiting preschoolers' viewing time of violent programming and increasing time with educational programming that encourages empathy had an impact on the children's pro-social behavior.  The thing that I find most interesting about the study is that over the course of the year there was no reduction of viewing time, in fact it often increased.  Yet the behavior outcomes were positive nonetheless, suggesting that content is as important a factor in media viewing as quantity.

We hear it from pediatricians, we hear it from teachers, we hear it in magazines, we hear it from other moms, we hear it from our own moms.  Throw out the TV!

I personally think that is not the best advice.

Media is a huge part of our society.  Televisions exist and they will be used.  And the great thing is that children's programming can be a tool if used wisely.  For too long we have been telling TV people to turn it off.  That is advice many parents will simply tune out.  Unfortunately, by giving advice that will most likely be ignored rater than providing guidance that has a better chance of being followed we have been missing a huge educational opportunity.

Sesame Street was created by a group of New Yorkers who wanted to provide a slice of preschool in the home.  They wanted children not fortunate enough to attend a quality preschool to gain the same skills and knowledge in their own living rooms.  An hour of Sesame Street teaches academic letter and number concepts, executive functioning skills such as memory and organization, as well as interpersonal skills like cooperation and kindness.  Even the best intentioned, most wonderful, most attentive parent cannot cram this much learning into an engaging hour.  Can you imagine the impact if every 3, 4 and 5 year old traded in just one hour a day of Cartoon Network and Angry Birds for this?

Sesame Street was the pioneer, but there is an amazing amount of great programming out there for children.  Unfortunately there is also a lot of animation NOT meant for kids.  And a lot of "kids" channels that are now meant for tweens.  Nothing on Nickelodeon is for preschoolers.  Their shows are on Nick Jr.  Disney isn't for the little ones either.  There's Disney Jr. for that.  Cartoon Network isn't for kids at all, from what I've seen.  Of course PBS is always a great choice, but can you blame parents for getting confused?

I hope this study guides doctors and educators towards what I feel is more relevant, practical and accurate advice.   

Yes, your preschooler should watch TV.  Yes, screen time should be limited.  Choose programming for your child.  Choose programs that teach a skill useful to your child.  When the TV is on, watch, when the show is over, turn it off.

You are not a bad parent if your child stares at the screen for an hour while you clean something, make a phone call or shut your eyes for a minute.  You just might be a great one.

Happy Day After Christmas!

The girls have been happily playing in their new tent with a few new toys for hours now.  I sit here and enjoy my coffee and think about how very, very lucky I am.

Wishing you all the very best small moments for today and throughout the upcoming year.

Great Gifts...Batteries Not Included (I Mean Necessary)

Just before Black Friday, I picked up a popular magazine at the supermarket checkout counter.  I thought that the featured article, “Top Gifts for Children”, might provide the inspiration I needed to begin Christmas shopping for my own kids.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t have been more wrong.  Everything in the guide cost a fortune, looked cheap, made noise, needed batteries, and did most of the thinking!  Rather than sugarplums, I had visions of broken plastic dancing in my head.  No thanks!
Our homes do not have to be filled with the latest and greatest, the toy of the hour.  Playthings should stimulate our children’s imaginations, engage children independently and also be played with a parent, sibling or friend.  A good toy is quality that can withstand a beating and last long enough to get passed on.  

As both Jean Piaget and Maria Montessori taught us many years ago, a child’s most important work is play. The toys we provide for our children are their learning tools, they help children understand the world around them. Too often we lose sight of how simple play can be.  Bells and whistles are unnecessary, and the best toys require no batteries at all.  

1. Standard Unit Blocks and Other Building Toys

The number one toy that ALL children should own is a quality set of Standard Unit Blocks. Unit blocks are the blocks you might remember from your own preschool or kindergarten. The come in a rectangular shape and various fractions of that shape.  An enormous amount of mathematical and physical science knowledge can be gained through play with these blocks. AND...blocks can become anything! A castle, a pirate ship, a zoo, a farm, a factory, the possibilities are endless. Other building toys such as Lego, Duplo and K’nex help with fine motor development, provide patterning practice, are great for sorting, and for problem solving. They are great for developing problem solving, reasoning and numeracy skills...and are a lot of fun!  

2. A Toy Kitchen and Other Cooking Accessories

Children love to play grown-up, and a toy kitchen is a perfect place to do it. Just think of the amount of time your family spends in the kitchen and you can understand why kids like to "cook" so much. In my house we keep the toy kitchen in the real kitchen and my kids are often "cooking" at the same time I am.  When looking for a toy kitchen try to find one that has a cook top, prep area and a sink to clean up in. Neutral colors are a must...we want the guys to like cooking just as much as the girls! I am partial to the wooden kitchens as I think they look better, but there are great plastic models out there as well. It is worth investing in a high quality toy kitchen as it will get YEARS of use. A bonus is that for subsequent birthdays and Christmases you always have the inexpensive gift option of a new and different food set or kitchen accessory.

3. A Versatile Backdrop Filled with Animals, People and Cars

Imagination is one of the greatest things that we can encourage in our children. So many toys on the market today have such a prescribed story that the imaginative part of the play is taken away. Instead, the play becomes a retelling of stories made up by others. Get your child an open ended backdrop, free of "characters". A simple dollhouse, a train set, a castle, a mountain can all be a setting for amazing stories.  Whatever your child's passion is, support it by supplying many versatile figures with which to play. Be it dinosaurs, dolls, or construction trucks, open ended figures allow children to create fantastic stories.

4. Books

Studies have shown that one of the best predictors of a child’s success during their first twelve years of formal schooling is the amount they were read to before they even got to kindergarten.  Reading aloud with your children allows them to hear an enormous amount of words, build a bank of vocabulary, and  develop a system of proper English syntax and semantics.  All of these things help them to build the frame necessary for decoding and understanding text when they become a reader.

5. Time and Experience

My last suggestion in this little list of gift recommendations is the gift of special time spent with YOU!  A family membership to The Mount Washington Valley Children’s Museum or the White Mountains Aquatic Center ensures a years worth of fun for everyone.  A homemade coupon for an evening of bowling or a family visit to open skating at the Ham Arena could be a great little stocking stuffer.  Be creative and look at all that our little valley has to offer.  There is only so much stuff we can fit into our homes, but there is no such thing as too many great experiences!

Be Still, Smartphone

Everyone knows that I love my iPAD.  I bet if you have one, you think yours is pretty great too.  Smartphone?  Don’t have one of those.  I’m way too cheap for a data plan, but I’m sure if I got one I would think it was nifty.  My kids at school use the iPAD.  My kids at home use it too.  This morning I watched as my two year old navigated herself successfully through a coloring game, back to the homepage and onto a new category of pages.  I never showed her how to do it...she just knew.

Mobile and touch technology is simply amazing.  It is also frighteningly dangerous.

As I pushed my cart through the grocery store a few months ago, I ran into an acquaintance and stopped to chat.  Her little boy did not look up from the iPhone in his hands.  He was watching Cars 2.

Sitting on the Fryeburg Fair ferris wheel I watched as the little girl in the compartment ahead of us played a game on the smartphone.  From what I could see, she didn’t look up or out.

Waiting in line to go on the Toy Story ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios I saw an entire family, two adults, two children, each engaged with their own mobile device.  One family, two smartphones, an iPAD and a Kindle.  In a line at Disney!

These are three instances that stick out in my mind but the use of a smartphone as a distraction tool is now incredibly commonplace.

I’m a mom.  I understand.  I leave my kids at home when I go shopping as much as possible, a ferris wheel is not the most exciting ride at the fair, and the lines at Disney are ridiculously long.  Maybe the moms need a break.  I’ve been there.  I hear the whining from my own children, I get it.  But I’m still going to judge.

These places of sitting, of waiting, of watching, these places of long lines and doing what your sister wants to do, these places of not always getting what you want and watching other people and the world going by are the very places where brains grow stronger.  They are places filled with sensory information; sights, sounds, smells, sensations.  They are petri dishes for growing an effective executive function system.  When a child is conditioned over time to dealing with the uncomfortable sensations of waiting, boredom, or want being denied, by being distracted with an intense stimulus, they are not learning to integrate the sensory input and deal with their difficult feelings in an effective way.

The Executive Functions of the brain operate as the CEO, controlling, regulating, and managing other cognitive processes.  Planning, Working Memory, Attention, Problem Solving, Verbal Reasoning, Inhibition, Mental Flexibility, Multi-Tasking, and Initiation and Monitoring of Actions are all processes organized by the Executive Functions of the brain.  When parents distract rather than allow and facilitate these processes to work through a perceived discomfort, the executive functions of the brain are not exercising and getting stronger and more efficient.

I feel strongly that this increasing comfort with disengagement is affecting the level of sensory integration and executive functioning skills that children are arriving at school with.  As parents and educators, we cannot change culture.  We can, however, recognized it.  We can begin to incorporate sensory activities and executive functioning practice into our daily routines.  We need to allow children to wait, let them make mistakes, teach them to look at the whole picture, and give them firm limits.  

Far past preschool we must encourage building, searching, sticking together and pulling apart.  We must actively provide free time where children can explore and get dirty.  When children are having difficulty we must be creative with our response, creating spaces for focus, creating time for thought.

Smartphones and mobile devices are not going away. And like I said at the beginning of this ramble, I love my iPAD. They are terrific learning tools and are a lot of fun too. We just need to be very careful not to use them as a default. A pacifier for our preschoolers. Instead, choose use time wisely, set clear limits, and use the technology together.  

• Check out BrainPOP each day with your little one for a daily dose of "news". We learn about all sorts of great things from this, from Frida Kahlo to Paleontology, they cover it all.  
• Practice letter and number writing with iWriteWords.
• Create a movie with your kids and their toys using the amazing iStopMotion.
• Your kid can color and learn another language at the same time with 123 Color International.
• Help a pirate find the treasure through a series of challenges with Pirate Treasure Hunt.

International Day of Peace

Wordless Wednesday