February 18, 2008

Can babies learn from TV?

Dominique Parenting Views Articles, Baby TV

Which educational DVD/VCD should I get? Or should I get a subscription channel instead? Will the show be beneficial for my child?

I’m sure that these questions flash pass your mind when you enter a video shop or aisle while you are shopping at the supermarket.

Nowadays the choices are plentiful with a wide array of child specialist promoted or recommended VCDs/DVDS and even dedicated baby channels such parents are spoilt for choice.

There are many experts who proclaim that children under 2 yrs old should not be exposed to television. I beg to differ as through my personal experience a moderate and co-viewing of programs does help to teach my children certain basic concepts.

Babies one year old and under are very impressionable and their minds absorb like sponges. Their ability to learn and comprehend should not be understated and taken for granted.

TV viewing is very powerful and the graphical representations on screen extremely captivating. It is a rich source of learning and can assist the parent in showing the child items/pictures which could not be seen in normal daily life. Eg: Animals in the zoo. Babies are also introduced the the various

I have seen my kids eyes been fixed on the screen every time a particular jingle is played while they watched the program I pre-selected for them. They stare mesmerized to the screen throughout the duration .while trying to imitate the dance movement or sing-along with the characters. Through repeated viewings of the program they learn how to associate certain objects Ie: Apple with the word.

Through the visuals and sounds they see and hear from the program they get a grasp of how a certain item looks like and the associated sound of the word which is linked to it. It also helped in building up their vocabulary.

So what should you choose? DVD/VCD or subscription to a channel?

There is no clear answer to this question.

Personally, I would recommend DVDs as compared to channel subscription. It would work out cheaper as you can always rent them from video shops or libraries to see it’s content suitability for your child.

Here is my take on paid channel subscription.

BabyFirstTV- the latest explosion onto the scene has sparked up a lot of interest in parents concerning it’s suitability for their precious kids. It was featured in Jan 2008 on ChannellNewsAsia during their Primetime morning show. There was also a month-long free preview on Cable TV. The many different educational programs available on that channel and the modest subscription pricing makes it a great bargain for parents who are looking for commercial free channel subscription.

I have previewed BabyFirstTV and personally feel that it does little to add to a baby’s knowledge and learning ability. In fact my four year old that enjoyed the programs we previewed together as he was able to related to certain actions/activities which he has had prior knowledge on. My one year old on the other hand only occasionally glanced at the program that was being aired and was more interested in playing with his shape-sorter then watching the show on television. He spent the most 2-3 mins watching the show.

DVDs that I have watched and would recommend are

For 1-2yr olds – Barney and Hi-5 series

Barney and Hi-5 both have music & movement, story telling and cover a wide range of topics. The VCD/DVD are very entertaining and educational for young kids.

For 2-3yr olds , Kipper the Dog, and Thomas the Train series.

[These DVDs are also for sale at our Associate Amazon Store]

Personal relationship and various day to day happenings are addressed in these series.

Besides these VCDs/DVDs there are a many other equally good in their educational value but I will save those recommendations for later.

Moderation in viewing of these programs are advised by many experts. I normally set a time limit of the maximum 1hr for a show on the TV.

Co-viewing is also recommended as parents make the viewing of the show more interactive and stimulated.

Parents can point out interesting things in the show or highlight desired behaviour in their kids. They could also act on their child’s interest in a certain part of the show , IE: viewing of cows in the barn, to do a follow up with an actual visit to a farm or reading about a farms while visiting the library.

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January 24, 2008

What did you say? 3 tips to understanding your child better.

Dominique Parenting Views

Do you often feel frustrated when you are unable to understand what your toddler is trying to say to you? Does your repeated attempts see your end up with your child screaming or crying?

If you have answered YES to these questions, you fit the category of the majority of parents who are struggling to understand their child.

Here are some tips on how you can put an end to this communication breakdown between parent and child.

#1- Take a moment.

Before you start engaged in the conversation- Take a moment.

Remove all distractions from your surrounding and clear your train of thought. Put the “Pause” button on whatever you are currently doing and redirect your undivided focus onto your child. This would show to your child that you value deeply what she is trying to say and that you are making an attempt to understand their feelings/wants. You would also be more able to read into both visual and verbal signals that your child may be showing while trying to talk to you.

#2– Be Positive

Even though you may not be on the best of moods for the day try to act positive and be open to what your child is saying. Children are very sensitive and will reactive to any negative vibes that you emit. I.e.: stern tone, disapproving looks or gestures.

Children are unique individuals, with their own timing of social, emotional, cognitive, linguistic and physical growth and development. They are sensitive individuals who are lacking the proper tools to be able to express themselves clearly to us, Adults.

Therefore, as parents and main caregivers, it is our responsibility to provide them with the equipment/environment they need to communicate better with us.

#3- Don’t pre-judge/label your kids

“He is a handful”. How many times have you heard parents mention this sentence? They pass judgment and categories their child and unknowingly their child is becoming their worst nightmare.

With such preset notions parents put themselves into a rut with unending uphill challenges that they have to face throughout parenthood. Negative labels eat at building up self-esteem in a child and a sense of being loved by their parents.

Children learn when they have positive self-esteem and are in an environment where there is mutual respect and cooperation.

As a result, parents should build on opportunities for children to make connections and build on what they know. This way, they will bridge the communication gap that they have with their kids and strengthen the parent-child bond.