Sign of a Good Parent - Great Listening Skills

It's true, you don't have to be a doctor or a lawyer to be a good parent, just a good listener. A good listener to your child, his/her teachers, and the professionals that work around him. The other important aspect of good parenting is listening to something that many individuals may not be attuned to: your instinct.

One of the parents I know has a very wonderful relationship with her son. There was one time where I know that he was being pushed in all directions - pushed at school, pushed at baseball practice, pushed at home, and last but not least, pushed by me.

It was really hard to see him so overwhelmed with different responsibilities until one day, he just caved. He looked at his mother and said, "Mom, I can't do all of this, I need a break." I've never seen such a strong statement from a six year old but for one second, I looked at the mom and she told him, "I hear you. I know that is is hard for you buddy. Let's just take a break from this right now and we'll work on it together."

I never thought that I could hear a mother be so very diplomatic and compromising. She surprised me with her response to her youngest child and later on told me something that I never thought I would hear a parent say, "If you do not respect your child, how can you expect them to respect you?"

Amazing statement - from a parent that takes the time to listen.

Let Them Write In Cursive...

"You are not allowed to write in cursive. Start over and write that all in print!".

- I never thought that I would hear this statement from an educator. It pains me to think that students are not allowed to write in the style that they feel most comfortable with.

When I heard a student tell me this, I was in disbelief. I didn't think that it was a crime to write in cursive; it was English - not Cyrillic, Farsi or Hiragana. It was English. Also, I fail to see how not writing in cursive would be something that a teacher would even bring up in class.. It's completely ludicrous in my opinion. 

He's just practicing his penmanship - in hopes to improve his fine motor skills. Nothing more, nothing less..

Some Qualities of ADHD Individuals?

If some of you have never thought that there was a benefit to having ADHD - then you were mistaken. Here are just a few of the benefits to having ADHD:

1. Artistic

Many individuals who have ADHD are able to think "outside of the box". It makes sense that they would in turn be creative!

2. Can do many projects at once

Individuals with ADHD have an innate talent in drawing projects in and completing them. Many entrepreneurs can run multiple departments in a productive and efficient manner because of the activity levels in their brain.

3. Constantly evolving

Change is not a bad word for individuals with ADHD. They crave change and are constantly on the move.

4. Dedicated

ADHD inviduals would like to make sure that they can be relied on for whatever assignment or task comes their way.

5. Good at problem solving

Problem solving is a constant for individuals who have ADHD. It is important that they tackle things immediately and do not let anything rot.

6. High Energy

When they burst into a room, you will notice that the energy intensifies with all of the enthusiasm that they bring with them.

7. Idea Generator

Never a dull moment with these individuals as their brains are always on the go!

8. Lots of interest

Whether it is a sport, a hobby or a craft, they know and are able to do many things.

9. Optimistic

Everything in life is about attitude - and these individuals have a positive one!

10. Resourceful

If you ask them a question - they will indefinitely know a who, what, where, how or why to get you the answer that you are looking for!

Bilingualism - is it useful in this country...

Whenever people ask me what my first language was, I always tell them "gibberish".. For years my mother has told me that despite that I potty trained myself at 11 months and taught myself how to read (and ride a bike), I didn't really spoke coherently until I was almost 5 years old. If you really get the chance to know me, you will realize that I have made up for lost time 100 fold.

According to a recent NY Times article entitled, "Why Bilinguals Are Smarter", writer Yudhijit Bhattacharjee asserts that bilinguals have the distinct advantage of using parts of their brain that really enhances cognitive skills and delays any onset of dementia that may come along later on in your life.

In one of the first Spanish classes that I had taken while in high school, my late Spanish teacher explained to us the importance of taking a foreign language. She had known that Spanish was the third language that I had under my belt by age 13 and always smiled when I would rattle off the answers to her preguntas cada dia. The fact of the matter is, when you learn another language, you do not just "learn words". You become an ambassador of that culture by learning and respecting their culture and values - and sometimes making them your own.

On a personal note, we live in a multi-lingual household. Between the members of my household, we can fit the number of languages that we speak on one hand and are always looking for opportunities to learn - and incorporate more. Language is not just words on a page, but the breath of life that every people holds dear. There are some words that exist in my native language that do not exist in other languages because we hold it sacred as a people to keep those words. In English, there are many words that have that same importance and reverence - and are noted on many of the upper level graduate exams such as the GRE and LSAT.

So, if you think that taking that Spanish, French or Chinese class is hard, think of the many positive effects that learning the language will have for you. It's never to late to embrace another culture!




Bilingualism

Education - adapt or......

As an avid Ted viewer, I was extremely excited to see Sir Ken Robinson discuss how changing just a few viewpoints on education would have a remarkable impact on the future of our children. It has always been a concerning facet of the educational institution to allow the methodology of teaching become very teacher-centric and not student centric.

For more information on this topic, feel free to view the video using the link below.



The changing face of education

Se habla Espanol? How can learning Spanish (or another language) make your student smarter...

As I was growing up, I was bilingual. When I finished high school, I was tri-lingual. Now that I am an adult, I have shopped around for another language (or two) that I can speak in the comfort of my own home. 

When I saw this article, it made me think of the advantages that many of us have in learning and understanding more than one language. Having the ability to relate not only in other languages but to other customs gives individuals an edge in society.

If you would like your elementary or middle school child to learn Spanish, feel free to contact me at any time!

Bilingualism makes kids smarter

Sensory Friendly Films For February 25: Journey 2!

The Autism Society has announced the Sensory Friendly Films for February. They will be featuring Journey 2: The Mysterious Island.

AMC theaters have teamed up with the Autism Society to present films for children to view in a safe and accepting environment. This program has been a great contribution to the community as it promotes inclusion of all individuals and is also a regular monthly event.

If you would like more information about this event, you can view the page link found below. If you have questions about any educationally relevant events, please be sure to leave a comment:)

Sensory Friendly Films