*******************************************************************************
DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES OF 8-10 YEAR OLDS
When your child becomes a tween, he/she achieves some major developmental and cognitive milestones.
Internet Resources:
6-8 year olds: www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/child/middlechildhood.htm
9-11 year olds: www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/child/middlechildhood9-11.htm
8-9 year olds: http://behaviorcorner.com/age-8-9-years/
The Brain, Ages 8-10: http://kidcentraltn.com/article/brain-development-ages-8-10
Social-Emotional, Ages 8-10: https://www.kidcentraltn.com/article/social-and-emotional-development-ages-8-10
8-10 Emotional: http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/article/stages-milestones/emotional-lives-8-10-year-olds
Developmental Bibliography:
Chip Wood’s book “Yardsticks: Children in the Classroom Ages 4-14 : A Resource for Parents and Teachers” provides great information about child development related to learning.
Yardsticks overview of Ages 8-10: https://oqoyz1y45eq3fjitpwe0w2k8-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/sites/default/files/pdf_files/pamphlets/rc_pamphlet_cc4.pdf
*******************************************************************************
READING WITH YOUR CHILD
Your 3rd/4th grader is not too old to read with you! We read to the kids almost every day and they love it! Listening to adults read creates a love of literature, tells your child that you value reading, and teaches kids how to read fluently because the adult reader serves as a role model. Plus, when a parent reads cuddled up to their child, you are using reading in one of the most loving contexts, one that they will remember for the rest of their lives. We still remember cuddling up with our parents and begging them to keep reading. Your kids will, too. We choose read-alouds for a variety of purposes: to enjoy humor, to teach more about a particular subject, to expose readers to new genres, and to share books that we are excited about. At this age, you can use books to explore topics about growing up, friendships, and anything else that you want to talk about with your child if you ask for your child’s opinion and then share yours. Talking about characters and their choices is a powerful way to guide your kids as they grow. Here are some of the “teacher” strategies for reading that you can use, too:
–Take turns reading. Divide by paragraph, page, a certain number of minutes, or just passing your turn when you’re tired.
–Take turns selecting books. Read some of the books you loved from your childhood and modern books that look good.
–Reading together is a situation in which you can read a harder level than your child can read alone. If you’re reading a book that is hard and full of difficult words, don’t make your child sound out every word or else it won’t be enjoyable. Give him or her most words and move on. Stop at a select few words.
–Choose audiobooks for car rides.
–If your child stumbles when he or she is reading out loud, ask him or her to use the sentence for clues, look at the sounds in the word. Read the next sentence as well to see if that can help.
–Use voices for characters and be dramatic!!!
–Make sure the experience is 100% positive!
INTERNET RESOURCES FOR READING:
http://www.planetesme.com/
Created by a teacher/professional author, this site is an extensive list of recommended reading for children.
*******************************************************************************
PROVIDING HEALTHY BRAIN FUEL
If kids’ physical needs are well-met, they are set up for success in learning.
SLEEP
www.med.umich.edu/1libr/yourchild/sleep.htm
8-10 year olds need 10 hours of sleep per night to be alert for schoolwork. Read more about why sleep is so important and how you can actually have your child sleep that much in a detailed article, including tips and resources, from the U of M Health System.
HEALTHY DIET
www.brightfutures.org/nutritionfamfact/index.html
Food is fuel for our bodies, and growing kids especially need premium-grade fuel. Read more about kids and good nutrition from Georgetown University.
https://www.choosemyplate.gov/
The USDA's website for building a healthy plate at each meal.
EXERCISE
www.mayoclinic.com/health/childhood-obesity/FL00058
Kids are naturally active beings! Let’s encourage them to run around, ride bikes, rollerblade, play, and to be kids! Read about being active and healthy with your children in an article from the Mayo Clinic.
*******************************************************************************
SCREEN TIME
Current research indicates that use of electronics greatly alters the developing brain in profoundly negative ways. Anecdotally, we have seen profound change in children over the past ten years as hand-held electronics use has increased. Children are less focused, more impulsive, more sad, more anxious, less motivated, less able to self-regulate, and are less skilled in interacting socially with others.
Good news! Many families of kids who are easygoing, happy, emotionally mature, and successful in school tell us that they have a no-screens-on-weekdays policy, and/or a one hour screen time daily limit. These parents also know what their kids are doing online and restrict usage to appropriate content. It can be done, and it's rewarding and enjoyable as a parent once it has become a family habit.
Additionally, we prefer for kids not to bring a hand-held device to school. We have plenty of screens for work time tasks, and we find the personal hand-held devices are used for games, youtube, and other non-academic uses that interfere with face-to-face playtime and social interactions. We encourage recess games and playing with toys, building blocks, board games, arts and crafts supplies.
Here's what we're noticing in many students; even if their metal health is suffering less than what qualifies as an official diagnosis, many kids exhibit these same behaviors to some degree and would benefit from a screen detox.
Recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Policy Statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/realistic-screen-time-solutions-kids-their-parents-ncna850056
How parents' own screen time use often models unhealthy behaviors. (Our actions speak louder than our words.) We're both guilty of this as teachers too-we use our iphones and computers a lot at school for work-so we are mindful to be transparent with kids about what we're doing-telling them "I'm taking attendance," or "I'm positing this photo of our planner to Facebook then I'll put my phone screen side down so it doesn't distract me."
*******************************************************************************
OTHER INTERNET RESOURCES FOR PARENTS
www.loveandlogic.com/index.html
BCS shares many beliefs of “Love and Logic” by Jim Fay. A lot of great free information and articles are on this site related to parenting and discipline.
http://consciousdiscipline.com/?sType=4
Read and see more about Conscious Discipline and the brain-based techniques we use in class with your child.
