Baby Einstein Blog

Fairy tales have been the favorite of children when it comes to their kind of literature, especially the king and queens, princes and princesses, and the fantasy adventures that come with these characters. Thanks to our fairy tale authors, children all over the world are taught lessons through these magical stories! Two of the popular authors of children’s tales are the Grimm brothers. They are story collectors and known for their tales The Bremen Town Musicians, Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzel and Rumpelstilskin. Let’s get to know these famous brothers.

Grimm fairy tales have been favorites around the world for generation. Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm were brothers. They were born in Hanau, Germany, more than 2300 years ago.

The brothers lived and worked together. Jakob studied the history of law and literature of Germany’s past. Wilhelm studied stories about heroes and other old texts. Together, they began work on a large dictionary of the German language. The brothers also became interested in folk tales. Many people had heard a few stories, but no one thought the tales were important.

Wilhelm and Jakob collected local tales and legends, especially stories told to children. They also found a peasant woman who knew many more stories and remembered even the smallest details.

Altogether, the two brothers collected 210 stories. They published two volumes, in 1812 and 1815. Scholars paid little attention to the tales, and critics did not think much of them, but other people loved them. The tales were reprinted many times, and within a few years they were translated into 17 languages.

Jakob lived with Wilhelm, his wife Dorthea, and their children, and the two brothers worked together for the rest of their lives. Today, the Grimm brothers are well known as scholars, but they are the best known for the tales they collected.

No doubt they are children’s favorites! Everyone just loves a happily ever after, children and children at heart.

(There’s more authors next in line!) (:

Does classical music make babies smarter? 
 
A popular theory is known among pregnant mothers and mothers with infant children. They call it the Mozart Effect, a theory which is known to enhance the intelligence quotient of babies. Experts say that classical music may stimulate the brain in a way that it helps the educational and emotional development of infants. The theory is also known to improve health, and strengthen family ties.

Numerous studies conclude that playing music to babies in the womb and in the early years helps build the neural bridges along which thoughts and information travel. And research suggests it can stimulate the brain’s alpha waves, creating a feeling of calm; a recent study of premature infants found that they were soothed by the music.

Many classical CDs and DVDs are available in the market for these very young children which are based on this theory. There are also laws that are passed which require playing classical music in pre-schools, like the state-funded ones in Florida. A number of US hospitals also give classical CDs to new mothers. In the UK, there is even a Music special for babies in their classical music radio stations.
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Adding up to the list of services which embraces the theory are baby concerts. Yes, these are concerts especially for babies (including those still inside their mommies’ womb). They call it baby proms, where babies and toddlers are the main audience in concert halls. Unlike formal outfits worn and first-class concert theatres as venues of classical concerts, baby proms are more relaxed and comfortable, beanbags correspond to the orchestra seats and music pieces are well-selected to benefit the wellbeing of babies, toddlers and parents. (:

Recently, my teacher in curriculum development asked me to report about the Theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI) by Howard Gardner. This theory is something fitting for today’s century, where other domains are being given weight and importance in learning. Compared to the old paradigm of intelligence which is unitary and hierarchical, MI states that there is a “genius” in every child, and that giftedness is diverse and produces innate power to the individual. Here’s more about the Theory of Multiple Intelligences:

The theory of multiple intelligences was developed in 1983 by Dr. Howard Gardner, professor of education at Harvard University. It suggests that the traditional notion of intelligence, based on I.Q. testing, is far too limited. Instead, Dr. Gardner proposes eight different intelligences to account for a broader range of human potential in children and adults.

These intelligences are:

•  Linguistic intelligence (”word smart”)
•  Logical-mathematical intelligence (”number/reasoning smart”) 
•  Spatial intelligence (”picture smart”) 
•  Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence (”body smart”) 
•  Musical intelligence (”music smart”) 
•  Interpersonal intelligence (”people smart”) 
•  Intrapersonal intelligence (”self smart”) 
•  Naturalist intelligence (”nature smart”)

Dr. Gardner says that our schools and culture focus most of their attention on linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligence. We esteem the highly articulate or logical people of our culture. However, Dr. Gardner says that we should also place equal attention on individuals who show gifts in the other intelligences: the artists, architects, musicians, naturalists, designers, dancers, therapists, entrepreneurs, and others who enrich the world in which we live. Unfortunately, many children who have these gifts don’t receive much reinforcement for them in school. Many of these kids, in fact, end up being labeled “learning disabled,” “ADD (attention deficit disorder,” or simply underachievers, when their unique ways of thinking and learning aren’t addressed by a heavily linguistic or logical-mathematical classroom. The theory of multiple intelligences proposes a major transformation in the way our schools are run. It suggests that teachers be trained to present their lessons in a wide variety of ways using music, cooperative learning, art activities, role play, multimedia, field trips, inner reflection, and much more. The good news is that the theory of multiple intelligences has grabbed the attention of many educators around the country, and hundreds of schools are currently using its philosophy to redesign the way it educates children. The bad new is that there are thousands of schools still out there that teach in the same old dull way, through dry lectures, and boring worksheets and textbooks. The challenge is to get this information out to many more teachers, school administrators, and others who work with children, so that each child has the opportunity to learn in ways harmonious with their unique minds.

The theory of multiple intelligences also has strong implications for adult learning and development. Many adults find themselves in jobs that do not make optimal use of their most highly developed intelligences (for example, the highly bodily-kinesthetic individual who is stuck in a linguistic or logical desk-job when he or she would be much happier in a job where they could move around, such as a recreational leader, a forest ranger, or physical therapist). The theory of multiple intelligences gives adults a whole new way to look at their lives, examining potentials that they left behind in their childhood (such as a love for art or drama) but now have the opportunity to develop through courses, hobbies, or other programs of self-development (from ThomasArmstrong.com). 

There are two techniques that has been listen in helping our kinesthetic children learn to self-monitor and self-regulate his/her behavior. One is limiting TV watching and video game playing. The other is monitoring your child’s diet. And now, here are other techniques from the bounty of strategies out there that you can use at home.

One good strategy is to channel your child’s energy into the creative arts. Encourage your child to explore dance, music, painting, drawing, singing, or drama. Formal lessons are not required for your child to benefit from the arts. He/she can do most of these activities at home with your guidance in a comfortable setting. Also, consider enrolling your child in martial arts instruction. These are helpful for the mind and body. Using background music to calm your child is one technique as well to regulate the behavior of your kinesthetic child. Specifically, Baroque music has been shown to help its listeners focus better. Likewise, encourage your child to rest and relax. Spending time in prayer is shown to be relaxing and peaceful. When your child is stressed, stopping and breathing deeply may help his/her clam down. Occasionally napping or skipping an event is OK.

Help your child maintain a positive self-concept. Keep goals and tasks on an age-appropriate level. Provide specific, authentic praise on an ongoing basis. In addition, lead your child in movements and exercises that stimulate the body and brain. Activities such as Crazy 8s—clasping both hands together and tracing an imaginary figure 8 in the air (and occasionally stopping and going in the opposite direction)—literally help both sides of the brain to communicate better. These brain connections help your child process information faster, priming her brain to learn.

Have you noted the techniques? Try them with your child and have fun active learning!

Have you observed that during the recent years, there had been an increase in cases of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)? It is of course a neurological case, but now people are more aware of the condition because of the upsurge. Hyperactivity is considerably common with school-age children nowadays. But don’t worry, unless your child’s condition is maladaptive and outside of the normalcy already, we can say he/she is one of those kinesthetic in nature. They are active children which also needs proper techniques. And how do we handle kinesthetic learners? Of course by active learning!

There are plenty of strategies you can use at home to help your active child learn to self-monitor and self-regulate his/her behavior. One is limiting TV watching and video game playing. Your child may earn screen time for good behavior or after completing homework and chores. Also, closely monitor your child’s diet. For some children food additives, foods high in sugar, foods high in “white” carbohydrates (low in fiber), and a diet that does not contain enough protein can adversely affect his/her learning. Strive to give your child’s body what it needs to learn. I assure you, a diet with ample chocolates will get your child always on the go and moving moving moving, since chocolates cause hyperactivity. If hyperactivity hinders his/her learning, you might want to check if you’ve been giving him/her too much of chocolates. Don’t think only of the chocolate candies and bars, even take a look at the cookies, biscuits, buns, cupcakes and drinks you’ve been feeding your child, maybe most of them are chocolate-flavored snacks and drinks. In our school, we try to limit the children in eating food with chocolate since it’s hard to teach when they’re hyperactive. It hinders study time and concentration on given table-top activities, or the general focus of the child.

For now, we’ve got two strategies. There’s more to come!

Knowing the sleep problems that can occur to school-age children and the symptoms of sleep deprivation, it of course important to make getting a good night’s sleep a priority. Just as children needs food, they also need replenishing sleep. There are plenty of suggestions for making a good night’s sleep happen for the whole family, like…
• Move your child’s bedtime earlier. Children who go to sleep too late have difficulty falling asleep, wake up more during the night, and are more likely to sleepwalk and have sleep terrors. In fact, gradually moving your child’s bedtime 30 minutes earlier each night may eliminate terrors altogether. Watch during the evening for the time when your child slows down, then work toward getting her to bed before that time. If you wait too long, your child will catch a second wind and have difficulty falling asleep.
• Create a quiet and comfortable sleeping area. A room that is too hot, too cold, or even too cluttered can hamper good sleep.
• Be aware of the signs of sleep difficulties. When determining why a child is behaving a certain way or having a particular experience, parents often overlook the contribution of inadequate sleep.
• Do not hesitate to talk to your child’s pediatrician about sleep-related concerns, especially if your child regularly snores or has other symptoms of sleep apnea. Many sleep problems are easily treated.
• Avoid caffeine. Twenty-six percent of children between ages 3 to 10 drink at least one caffeinated drink a day. These children sleep over three hours a week less than children who do not drink caffeine.
• Remove the television from your child’s room. Children with televisions in their rooms go to sleep 20 minutes later and lose more than two hours a week of sleep. The television and computer should be turned off one full hour before bedtime. 
• Develop a calming bedtime ritual with your child. Thirty minutes before the lights-out, have your child dress for bed and then try reading together, sharing a devotion, and praying.
• Encourage physical activity and exercise during the day.
• Remember that light is related to the sleep-wake cycle. Dim the lights in the evening and brighten the room in the morning.
• Do not use bedtime as a punishment. If you want your child to easily go to sleep and sleep well, having her associate bedtime with punishment will not help.
• The process of falling asleep is learned. If you want your child to be able to go to sleep without your presence, complete your bedtime routine and then allow your child to fall asleep without you being in the room. You may need to move gradually toward this goal id your child has already become accustomed to you being in the room. Set fair rules and be consistent.
• Keep a sleep diary. Note wake-up time, bedtimes, issues settling in, and times waking up during the night. Doing so may identify patterns and better help you find solutions.

So, good night.. sleep tight.. Do not let the bed bugs bite! (:

Not all children experience sleep problems such as those in the previous post, but sleep deprivation is something frequent to school-age children. Although it is common for adults, it is likewise a significant factor in children’s lives. On average school-age children sleep 91/2 hours, while experts recommend 10 to 11 hours of sleep.

Some signs may indicate sleep deprivation, like those relating to mood and behavior. If you’re child is observed to be moody and irritable, it may be an indication of sleep deficiency. Also, with regard to behavior, if the child is seen to be hyperactive, there is probability that there is a lack of sleep in your child.

Other signs relating to mood include being easily upset or overly emotional. Having unexpected daytime naps, such as when riding in the car also shows that your child may be sleep deprived. During the morning, when he/she is difficult to wake up, probably the child had a difficult time sleeping thus shorter hours of sleep. But when there’s occasional falling asleep much earlier than regular bedtime, it may be a sign that the body is making up for the lack of sleep one had in previous days. If the child tends to be accident prone and likely to make mistakes, it can be a signal as well that there is lack of sleep. Other indications which affects the child considerably in school and even when relating to family members and friends shortened attention span, poor memory, and reduced concentration, problems adapting to new situations and difficulty playing independently.

Ever notice your child having sleepless nights, night wakings and nightmares? These are some of the most common sleeping problems for school-age children. But they also experience problems like the following:
 
Sleepwalking. As many as 40 percent of children walk or move about during sleep. Sleepwalking has a genetic factor with boys being more likely to sleepwalk than girls. Onset is generally between the ages of 3 to 7 with remission in the teenage years, but it may continue into adulthood. Sleepwalking often occurs one to two hours after going to sleep. The sleepwalking incident may last 5 to 20 minutes. The child is usually difficult to wake while sleepwalking, and she usually does not remember moving about.

Bruxism. Teeth-grinding often begins in childhood; a dentist will notice the damage to her teeth. When a child grinds her teeth, an unusually loud noise is produced. The child doe not remember grinding her teeth but may complain of a sore jaw in the morning. Stress is related to bruxism.

Sleep terrors. Sleep terrors are common in young children and are significantly different than a nightmare. A sleep terror is an abrupt episode that occurs during deep sleep in the first part of the night. The child screams out in distress and often flails her arms. Generally, children between the ages 4 and 8 experience sleep terrors. Restraining the child only causes her to fight back. Therefore, it is best to let the child get through the sleep terror in a safe place where she cannot hurt herself.

Snoring. Ten to twelve percent of all children snore. One to three percent of children with loud or regular snoring have a medical condition called sleep apnea. Apnea is characterized by pauses in breathing ranging from a few seconds to one minute long, as well as repeated arousals from sleep. Children with sleep apnea often have enlarged tonsils causing an airway obstruction. Other symptoms of sleep apnea include abnormal sleep positions, frequent headaches, regularly breathing through the mouth, and heavy sweating during sleep. Untreated apnea can cause daytime sleepiness, behavioral problems, school difficulties, and lead to other more serious problems.

Now you know how to use effective praise to your child. Let’s then take note on the effective instructions as well, and fantastic incentives we could give our children.

When giving instructions, you should build direct eye contact, and you should be very specific. For instance, say, “Put your toys inside the box after you play.” Also, give young children only one instruction at a time. After following your instruction, you can add “Place the box inside your room.” Set time limits with each instruction too. You can say, “Put your toys inside the box before we have our supper.” In addition, you have to state the consequence of not following your instructions and follow through with the consequences if necessary.

There are a lot of creative ideas in giving terrific incentives to your children. You can have a family pillow fight, where the child can fully enjoy simple fun times like this. Or you can write a note to your child and put it in her school bag or lunch box, or stick it in her closet. Have a movie night at home, where you create fancy movie tickets and prepare special snacks. Your child can give play money to buy the tickets and food. How about going for a pajama drive? After your child has put on his/her pair of comfortable pjs, fasten your seat belts and go for a drive. Go by a drive-though for light snacks or ice cream, and drive around town. You can also use jelly beans or chocolate candies, raisins or other tiny treats as rewards for good behavior. Letting your child choose a game to play together is another fantastic incentive as well, as you are giving her the autonomy with your presence, in enjoyable situations like this. Speaking of autonomy, you can give a little freedom at bedtime to your child by letting him/her stay up 30 minutes later as an incentive for good job done, and to be able to spend more fun time with the child! (: