Has your toddler suddenly taken to watching TV all of a sudden? Do you feel he is getting hooked to watching TV more frequently? Has he started throwing tantrums at home whenever you switched off the TV?
If your toddler seems glued to the television more than his playing set, it’s time you know how it can affect your little one. Read on to know more about toddlers and TV.
According to a research shared by the TIME magazine, toddler watching TV before or at preschool age are at a greater risk as compared to toddlers who do not watch TV. Watching TV at such a young age can show some serious consequences by the time they reach age 10. By the time the toddler will reach age 10, he is likely to be picked on by classmates, get disinterested at school, eat unhealthy and become obese.
Watching TV has always been considered harmful, especially at a very young age or for your toddler. While almost all child experts are unanimous about their views on the harmful effects of TV, some also think that TV can have some good effects too. Here is a look at both the bad and the good of watching TV that can affect your toddler.
Here are ten effects of TV on toddlers that can affect adversely:
According to a research, watching too much TV can permanently change your toddler’s brain structure.
Till the time your toddler does not reach the age of two years, there is no real educational benefit in watching TV.
Getting used to watching TV will mean that your toddler loses a lot of real time that he could use in real situations.
When your toddler is constantly exposed to TV, it can numb his thinking abilities and more.
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The time your toddler spends watching TV takes up time he could spend reading.
Most speech and language experts warn that being exposed to too much TV noise at home can hamper your toddler’s speech.
If your toddler gets used to watching educational shows on TV, it can clash with the way he learns from a real teacher.
TV viewing has always been criticized for the negative impact it has on toddlers and children.
Watching TV from an early age can adversely affect your toddler’s weight.
If your toddler is exposed to TV viewing, it can harm his blood pressure by increasing the levels.
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Article written by Debolina Raja
It can be pretty difficult to pull your toddler away from you – for some parents and their kids, it’s like there’s an invisible, gluey tether that keeps you together! But when our kids play alone, it grooms them into becoming well-rounded individuals who can feel comfortable and happy in small or large groups, or even alone.
Parents who try to enhance their kid’s development by constantly taking the lead with activities may actually be doing more harm than good through too much involvement. By doing so, we take away their opportunity to explore on their own, and to build up their own sense of self.
Solo play encourages the growth of independence, as they rely less on others for their own happiness and entertainment. The benefits will come down the line, when they’re older – they’ll understand that they won’t always have someone by their side all the time, and with that understanding, they’ll be more self-reliant and confident individuals.
How Do We Encourage Solo Play?
Some children are a bit more reluctant to play by themselves, but we can always take some steps to inspire that solo play! Give them a basket of toys and safe objects that they like and will spark some imagination (don’t look down on the power of their imagination! A simple egg beater/whisk can become a magic wand, a lightsaber, a drumstick, a guitar, or whatever else your little one believes it to be!), and maybe throw in some simple accessories like a hat or sunglasses.
Giving them a book that they like can kick-start their imagination, and when starting out, you can sit down with them to explore the items, before leaving them to their imagination and discoveries as they start to get more engaged.
Pay attention to the activities that your child shows interest in, and you can tweak the items you hand to them – maybe they’re interested in drawing (not on the walls, please…), so you can give them some paper and washable markers, or perhaps they’re more interested in having tea parties with their dolls and plushies, or even an open world where their toys can come to life and have adventures in their own miniature world.
Find out how to encourage solo playtime on page 2...
Being Comfortable By Yourself
You can stay within the same room as them in order to occasionally comment on what they’re doing – providing feedback and praise when they engage you – but try to be doing an activity of your own, whether it’s reading a book or folding the laundry. Doing this is good for two reasons: you’re providing them with some limited connection, and you’re showing them that doing your own thing is good and that you don’t need the attention of someone else 100% of the time to be happy.
Build a daily routine for them to have their solo playtime – maybe after they’ve eaten lunch or dinner, or after their bath. Over the following days or weeks, increase your physical and mental distance, but never leave them unattended.
Because much like how their imaginations can surprise us, they can surprise us in other heart-stopping ways; when I was a toddler who’d just learnt of the startling revelation of climbing, I broke free of my cot and was falling headfirst down to the ground. But thanks to the quick reaction of my granny, who kicked a cushion under me in a split second, I came out giggling and unscathed. My parents aptly raised the height of the cot’s walls after that incident.
In conclusion, parents should always keep in mind that progress will be uneven and dependent on their child’s moods. They may be happily going about their playtime one day, but will refuse an encore performance another day. But, we just need to keep providing them those opportunities to play on their own, and before we know it, we may even enjoy a WHOLE, UNINTERRUPTED 10 MINUTES to ourselves!
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Homemade Edible Finger Paint is perfect for babies aged 6 – 18 months, toddlers and even older children who are very likely to place paint covered fingers into their mouths.
This edible paint recipe is super easy to make and uses regular items you can find in your kitchen! It is safe for babies to put into their mouths (although you do not want to encourage them to do this) and not tasty to prevent them to want more. Most importantly, it is super easy to clean off and can be prepared in 15 minutes!
Development benefits of finger painting
Ingredients
Method
Tip: If the paint hardens from being in the fridge, add a little bit of hot water or leave the paint out for a few hours
Let’s put our primary school science to good use!
To get more colours from your basic colouring, mix:
Red + Blue = Purple
Yellow + Blue = Green
Red + Yellow = Orange
To avoid a massive clean-up:
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Your toddler is growing up and you need to set new goals and expectations for them. What are the challenges and how do you cope with it? While we are excited for what’s ahead, we also worry whether our kids are reaching the right milestones in life. In the process, we discover that we actually do have certain expectations for them that aren’t all that easy to convey. Here we share 5 common challenges when faced with setting healthy expectations for our kids.
We all know that a parent’s love is immeasurable, and that parents always want the best for our children. But we also wonder if it is right to push them ahead in life, or to take a very relaxed approach. What should be the right balance in helping our child develop in life?
The reason why such thoughts bug parents is because we have intrinsic expectations for our child’s learning and behaviour, that may be beyond a child’s current understanding. Unintentionally, we may judge our child based on societal expectations, and may end up punishing or setting over-bearing rules to get results, creating stress and unhappiness.
Are you faced with such challenges when managing your child? If you’ve realised that as a parent you do actually have high expectations, you could take small steps to help ease your child into it gradually. This will not only boost a child’s confidence but add a sense of achievement for parents.
Challenge #1: Knowing Whether Your Expectations are Too High?
Living in a fast-paced city like Singapore, many parents tend to get competitive and overestimate their kids’ abilities of self-control, sociability, mental and physical development.
Every child develops differently and at their own pace. Expectations for a child are typically set too high when comparing with an older sibling, a colleague’s child, or even our parents’ vague memory of our own childhood. Instinctively, we then compare our child to another, rather than to nurture them individually.
However, we must understand that one child may walk before he learns to talk, while another talks before taking his first step. Your child has his own pace, so don’t rush them to compete in a race that should not even exist. Understand your child from where they are, and it will reduce both your stress and your child’s, making learning more enjoyable.
Therefore, as parents, do review your expectations regularly to evaluate whether you may be setting expectations that are too high, or just right.
Challenge #2: Inconsistency in Rules at Home
Let’s talk about “screen time”, which refers to the hours spent in front of the television, computer or smartphone. In a modern era, this is one of the biggest challenge parents face --- to try to set short, allocated screen times for their child, which they will then get accustomed to.
For example, a parent is rushing an important document and is unable to entertain the child during off-screen time, what happens? They naturally give them additional screen time to avoid any form of disturbance. This could also happen during meal times, or other situations. Over time, the child will develop an expectation for screen time and demand for more. But then the parent may suddenly choose to punish the child for asking for too much “screen time”.
At this point, the child is confused, angry and the parent is frustrated and judgmental on their child’s behaviour. This can be avoided if rules were consistent.
It is not always easy indeed, but parents can try engaging the child in other activities that will leave you with some quiet time all the same. For example, you could try craftwork, magnetic drawing boards, or other toys. Art or craft work may be messy but cleaning up is much easier compared to re-parenting.
Challenge #3: Letting Emotions Control the Situation
It is normal for a child to throw tantrums. For example, a sudden change in bedtime hours would naturally lead to a cranky child at an event. The challenge for parents is to react positively despite the temptation to display anger.
Why is it not ok to react with anger? Because children may not even understand why they are making you angry. They may be able to sit and complete a task one day but be consistently distracted the next day. So when a child fails to meet your expectations on behaving well or doing what you want them to do, do you display positive or negative emotions towards your child?
You might say, “It’s ok, let’s try again” or “Try again!” -- In both contexts the message seems an encouraging one, but if an angry tone was added to the second context, the meaning would be very different. A child is indirectly motivated or discouraged based on what we say; and a positive tone of voice is a crucial tool in helping our child react positively in future.
Challenge #4: Non-Verbal Communication
Even before they understand words, it is important to remember that our children are reading our non-verbal body language all the time!
For example, the tone of voice we take when speaking to our children, or even among husband and wife as a couple could affect a child’s disposition that day. Children are smart enough to pick up any negative undertones and they can be easily discouraged by it, leading to a display of bad behaviour, while the parent is still clueless to why this could have come about.
Non-verbal communication also includes more than just our voices. It could include things like spending more time with our child, or showing more affection through touch, hugs and kisses. Do we convey our love sufficiently for our children to ensure that they are feeling secure and happy? If not, it may be no wonder that a child may suddenly seem a little less compliant that day.
Challenge #5: Meeting Your Child’s Expectations Too!
Our children can have expectations of their parents too! For example, we may label the child as misbehaving when he refuses to take a nap. Our first reaction would be to force the child to sleep, in which he will refuse and try harder to escape, resulting in a more frustrated parent who sometimes reaches a point when we do the unthinkable – slapping the child.
But think of it this way: Imagine you’re in a party and being forced to sleep when there is so much excitement going on. Would you like it? Or how about those long nights when you become a victim of insomnia?
Your child could be experiencing the same and requests some understanding in return. The key is to remain calm and try to look at it from your child’s point of view and adjust your expectations instead. And we truly agree that this is no easy feat!
Well, at the end of the day, our children’s expectations of us are influenced by what they are exposed to daily. So as parents, we have the responsibility to lead by example and be patient in explaining to our child any actions that need correction. With proper understanding and positive motivation from us, our children can definitely learn to meet our expectations as well.
“Let Children Be Children”
Finally, let’s remember to let children be children. They will mess up – our jobs are simply to be their guardians and educators.
If there is a need for discipline, a reasonable expectation must first be set and communicated clearly. So take a step back, look at things from a different perspective; and never let your emotion control the situation!
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Photo credit: Shutterstock
Sure, play gym sessions are great for little one to build on their physical development skills. But there are activities you can do with them at home – absolutely free and does not take much time to prepare either!
These games are great for toddlers from 18 months and up. They’re fun ways to develop communication, gross and fine motor skills, problem-solving skills, self-control and social skills. The usual suspects to promote healthy and interactive kids!
So let’s get moving! Engage, bond and most importantly, have loads of fun!
Stretch
No extreme yoga experience required here! Stretch like a tall tree, keeping your legs straight and bend down to touch your toes. Stretch your arms out wide and reach from one side to the other. Next, sit down and position your legs into a diamond position, have her bend down to smell her little stinky feet.
Place masking tape in a squiggly line on the floor
Balance, walk along or jump over it! Any coloured wide tape that won’t stain or is hard to peel off the floor will do. This is a great confidence booster once she is able to accomplish it!
Follow the leader
Toddlers love to imitate! Start small with clapping your hands, making faces or moving around like a specific animal. Get your family members involved too! And if your little one wants to be the leader, by all means encourage him to!
Hide and seek
This might take a few practice rounds as this game is thrilling for most kids and they sometimes get too excited to stand still or be quiet. Count to 10 with eyes closed and hide behind furniture or corners. Be sure to lock all forbidden areas though! Keep safety in mind with this one.
Dance!
Turn on your favourite song, YouTube channel or radio and be silly! Eventually use the pause or mute button for a fun game of freeze dance.
Throw clothes into the laundry basket
Do it a few times to get them started! Start with the basket close to them and once they are comfortable with the objective and motion, slide the basket a little further. Praise and clap every time it goes it to encourage them!
Keep the balloons in the air
Be prepared, this is a high-energy one! Inflate 4 to 6 balloons and try to keep all of them in the air for as long as possible. Tap, pat and swat it! Ensure there is a spacious area to play and no sharp objects are in the way.
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Doesn’t matter if your little one is attending play group or not, it’s never too early to start introducing his ABCs, numbers, shapes and colours!
There’s no need for special flash cards or learning charts, in fact, skip all the educational materials! Instead, let letter-learning come naturally through everyday activities and play. The key is to take advantage of their curiosity, rather than forcing it upon them. Not every child is into their ABCs at the moment, but don’t worry! Time is on your side!
Introducing the ABCs
The best way to start – from your child’s name! Write it often, on paper, whiteboards, etc. Point it out whenever you see it somewhere (on letters, packages, books). Labelling toy shelves and other objects in your home helps him associate letters and words with the objects they represent. Get creative!
Fun with 123s!
Just as you point out the letters around you, do the same with numbers. Count his fingers and toes in the shower, count the number of Cheerios you put into his snack bowl or count the number of birds there are in his book. Singing songs with numbers (ten little monkeys, one potato two potato), helps too!
Colours of the rainbow
Toddlers love colours! This one shouldn’t be an issue to point out around the house – from clothes to toys to building blocks. Other greats ways to introduce colours are to use finger paint from some simple lessons in colour-mixing. Or another fun way is to colour-theme your day! Let everyone wear the same shades of red.
Shape up
As your little one plays with his shape sorter or builds with his block, casually mention the names of the shares he’s using. Try harder comes like rectangle or pentagon too. During your drawing sessions, make a square or circle and have him copy it. You can also show him how to turn a square into a house or a circle into a face. Eventually, he may surprise you with what he can spot around the house!
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