There’s no denying that the kids of today are growing up with an information overload that leads to
short attention spans and an inability to concentrate. With the constant media bombardment they get
from television programs, video games, cell phones, and all of the many electronics that fill their daily
lives it’s a wonder they can function at all, much less cram more information into their already frazzled
brains. So if you’re keen to replace some of their daily media blitzkrieg with educational gifts that will at
least offer some added value, here are a few throwbacks and a couple of newbies that are sure to please
the kids without breaking the bank.

1. Books. Is there any better educational gift than a book? Whether it’s imparting factoids
about animals of the world or simply taking kids on a magical adventure (while simultaneously
improving their vocabulary and reading comprehension skills), there’s really no better way to
calm the chatter that they’re exposed to all day and help them to use their imaginations for a
change.

2. E-reader. Whether your kids already love to read or you’re just hoping that making it digital
will pique their interest, and e-reader is a great way to bring the experience into the modern
era. A lot of fantastic options are on the market, but the Kindle may be one of the best. With
a low price point (the plain e-reader has dropped to $79 since the upgraded Fire came out), a
plethora of books available for purchase via Amazon, plenty of free PDFs that you can download,
and some libraries starting to offer the classics “on loan” for e-readers, you really can’t go wrong
with this handy tool that [Read more…]

Some kids tend to be accommodating while others are willful, but regardless of your child’s
temperament, there are bound to be times (even extended phases) when getting him to do his
homework is like pulling teeth. For parents, this can be a difficult situation to deal with. Whether or
not you agree with the amount and type of homework schools are handing out these days (have you
seen all the busy work?), the truth is that your child must keep up if he wants to succeed in school,
and you certainly want him to do his best, benefit from education, and learn to respect the discipline
and work ethic that he will need in his adult life. But how can you motivate him to do his homework
without turning your house into a battle zone? Here are a just a few ways to get your kid on track with
homework, and maybe even make it fun.

1. Offer rewards. Since you know your child pretty well, you probably have a good idea of what
motivates him already. For most kids, added rewards are a good place to start. You can
definitely try to explain the rewards that come with a job well done (good grades, for example),
but most kids want something a little more substantial. So consider offering outings to the park,
the museum, sporting events, concerts, or even theme parks at the end of the semester if your
child brings in good grades. Just be careful not to offer food or monetary rewards, as this can
color the way your child views these types of commodities.

2. Threaten punishment. While many kids will work for rewards, others are far more motivated
by the prospect of avoiding punishment. This is simply a matter of temperament – we can’t all
be go-getters. Punishing your child for bad grades may seem harsh, but his time spent [Read more…]

When it comes to the causes and effects of global warming on our planet, and particularly how
climate change is affecting many species of wildlife, it can be difficult to figure out how to inform your
kids about the issue without scaring them or making them sad. And yet, you want to guide them to
make the choices that are going to lead to a cleaner environment and preserve diversity for future
populations. This means you need to explain how global warming came about and the alarming effects
that the situation has wrought. So if you’re looking for ways to get your kids on board with conservation
and reducing carbon emissions for life, here are few tips to help you get started.

For one thing, you should become well-informed yourself. You want to make sure that you are giving
your kids the best and most current information available, which means you need to do your homework
so that you can adequately answer any questions they might have. That said, you may also want to
temper what you tell them. You certainly don’t want them to think they are killing polar bears every
time you take out the family vehicle, for example. Of course, if you’re really committed to reducing your
carbon footprint, you probably have a fuel-efficient vehicle at the very least, or possibly even an electric
car. But the idea is not to scare your kids in the process of helping them to find the right path.

And you might need some help when it comes to teaching kids about global warming. Luckily, there are
a lot of resources. One great way to get children on board with [Read more…]

Is your child freaked out by school? Are they afraid to show you their report cards because they are
continually facing bad grades? With public education still a controversial topic in the U.S., and with
stricter regulations passed by the 2002 implementation of No Child Left Behind that has many educators
up in arms, finding someone that can help your child out on a private basis is an option you might want
to consider. If you feel that your child might benefit from a tutor, watch out for these signs that can give
you a clue if they even need one in the first place.

Less-than-perfect grades. If your child is continually receiving failing grades in one or more subject
areas, this is the biggest sign that they may need additional help. Researchers on education claim that
it is easy to label children as lazy when in reality they may be avoiding doing the work because they are
falling farther and farther behind. And bad grades are poor motivators for many to seek improvement.

Hereditary learning disorders. If you already have one child with a diagnosed learning disorder, you will
need to understand and be able to cope with the fact that many times these disorders run in families. If
your second or third child begin to display signs you recognized in your first-born, a tutor may be able to
help.

Small versus large groups. Teachers are increasingly using a variety of strategies for differentiated
learning, including activities for the whole class as well as large [Read more…]