Does TV Make A Preschool Smarter?

I have read a lot of information on TV and preschoolers. I even did a 5000 word report on that topic for a graduate class. But I do not believe all of the research. I truly believe my children know more because I have let them watch quality TV shows.

My two year old daughter copies the patterns on Noggin's in between shows. Since Noggin does not have commercials, the entire day is filled with learning activities. She can also sing songs, yes they are the songs from TV shoes, but she can hardly speak in words we understand but she can sing! She also sings Jesus Loves Me and the Lullaby song too- it is not all TV!.

My son knows vocabulary about places and things he would not get from our small town. He also draws the pictures he sees on Noggins art short films.

I cannot say that lots of TV is good, but choosing good programs does seem to help expose a child to more items and activities that would not be available to the average child.

Just make sure it is not the only thing your child does all day!

Preschool Behavior Part 3: Choose Your Battles

When discussing preschool behavior, it is important to remember to CHOOSE YOUR BATTLES! It is important to reward and give positive encouragement for appropriate behaviors, but it is important to decide what behaviors you are going to focus on. Children are criticized so often and corrected even more. They are corrected for making wrong choices that should be corrected immediately and those that are probably not as important that are corrected as often as the immediate behaviors. We want our child to act appropriately, but we don't need them to be perfect. If you child is constantly asking for something at the grocery store, which they do, it may be better to ignore it. If they are screaming and hollering over the same item, it may be something to correct immediately. If you child is refusing to share a toy with a sibling, it may be something to let the children work out themselves. If they are hitting the sibling because they are mad that they want it, it may be something to correct immediately.

Preschoolers need encouragement and correction. Make sure your day includes more encouragement that correction.

Free Christian Children's Novel

For a limited time, The Lion Tree, a Christian children's novel, is free as an ebook.
The Lion Tree by Ruth Willms

While this is not a printed version, the printed version is available for a small cost and free shipping. The ebook and the free shipping are limited time offers, so make sure you claim your's soon.

This is not a preschool type book, but as your child grows, they will grow to love it.

Online Games for Kids

Amber at Amber's Rantings has created this great site for her children to play games online. Use it for your children too. She has some great sites to visit for younger and older children.

Rewards are Encouragement for Good Choices

In the first part of this rewarding child for good behaviors, I mentioned that all parents reward. The purpose in rewards are to encourage children to continue the desired behavior. This may be to keep following directions, cleaning up their room, making good choices at school, or being kind to a sibling. The more positive reinforcement the child receives, the more likely they will have the "good feeling" about the choice he made. If you are working with constant disobedience or more severe behavior, you need to pick one part of the behavior to work on first. For example, if you have a child that hits a parent every time they are asked to clean his room, you have to start with the hitting, then the room cleaning. You should choose to encourage every time the child went to clean his room without hitting, even if he does not actually clean his room. Using words explaining the right choice of not hitting is how the child will learn not to hit. Then begin to encourage the times the child does actually goes into his room and begins to clean it. Then encourage going into his room without instruction and cleans his room. Eventually with positive encouragement, the child will train himself to think of the right choice. It may take a long time, but positive encouragement will do far more than spankings or time out (Which in this case will give the child a way to escape cleaning his room! More on that in another post!) Keep up the good choices!

Great Contest for Blogger Moms

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Rewarding a Child for Good Behavior- Part 1

This has come up in previous posts and on other blogs... do you reward or not? Coming from a behavioral background (my degree is in teaching children with learning and behavioral problems) I do realize the benefits in rewards. Rewards, used correctly, can encourage children to think the way you want to and make the choices you want. Rewards, used incorrectly, can teach a child that getting is the only reason to do. There is a fine line and parents will need to decide on what they want the outcome to be. Every parent rewards, whether it is with a kind word, a pat on the back, a special treat, or a special toy. Make your decision wisely and make you rewards appropriate.