Parenting in the Digital Age

You've heard it before. To overcome a difficult task, sometimes you need to give yourself a pep talk. You have to be your own “I can do better” cheering squad. And a recent study published in Frontiers in Psychology found the motivational technique promising.



In a study that involved an impressive 40,000 participants, researchers tested three motivational methods to find out which yielded the best result: self-talk (telling yourself “I can do better”), imagery (imagining yourself improving) or if-then planning (which has a basic structure of “if I do this, then this would happen”).

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Want to promote a growth mindset in your child? Here are other ways to do just that as given by Dr. Sarah McKay, neuroscientist and founder of The Neuroscience Academy:
Embrace failures.
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Let your child know when they’re demonstrating a growth mindset.
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Explain that the brain is a muscle.
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Avoid telling a child she’s “smart,” “talented” or “gifted.”
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Praise the process not the results.


Source: smartparenting.com

Long-distance relationships, or LDRs, are recognized by many people as one of the most challenging ones. Maintaining a relationship can be difficult enough as it is; doing it while the two of you are miles away from each other makes it even more daunting.



Despite this, many Filipino couples are, unfortunately, in this situation, it being an inevitable consequences when one of the spouses take up employment in other countries. Aside from the difficulties they encounter in their relationship with their spouses, many Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) also bear the sacrifice of being away from their children. For them, the result of a failed long-distance relationship does not just mean a failed marriage but a broken family as well.



If you are one of the millions of Filipinos who have to endure a long-distance relationship to work abroad, or are one of those who are left behind by their OFW spouse, it is important to prepare for it. The advancements in technology such as instant messaging and video calling make it a bit easier than before, but these can only do so much.

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Couples in long-distance relationships have to be aware and alert of what is happening in their relationship to be able to address any potential issues that can arise. Here are some signs to watch out for:

1. Lack of regular communication.

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2. More frequent and personal fights.

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3. Flirting online with the opposite sex.

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Source: smartparenting.com

A calm-down corner (or area as it doesn’t have to be in a corner) is a place for angry and upset children to go to engage their minds and release their anger. I used this when my children were little in place of time-out because time-out didn’t work for my sensitive son. Here, I’ll show you how to make the perfect calm-down corner for your child that you can put together today and start to use right away.



The Purpose

Becoming and remaining calm during anger is an important skill for children to learn. When we are angry, something significant happens in our brains. We experience an “amygdala hijack” and the primitive part of our brain is activated.



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What’s in the Corner?

Calm-Down Corner: keep anything in there that can soothe and engage your childEveryone’s corner looks a little different because it should be tailored to suit your individual child, but I’ll show you mine! Here are the major components of a great calm-down corner.

*Comforting: My son loved his penguin Pillow Pet, so that provided a comfortable place to sit with something that he enjoyed. You can use pillows, cushions, blankets, or even a rocket ship!

*Sensory: Some children are soothed with sensory activities. I made a batch of colorful rice scented with a drop of lavender essential oil. There were hidden gems and a couple of spoons for digging around in the rice with. Alternatively, my youngest had small balloons to pop. That would scare some kids, but it really helped to shift him out of anger. Others may like to rip construction paper or blow into a crushed plastic bottle.

*Calming: I made one of the calm-down glitter jars that are all over Pinterest and both of my kids loved to shake it and watch it swirl around. The goal is to shift the mind to something besides the upset, and watching the glitter focuses the mind and brings it to the present moment.

*Engaging: I had board books to look through and also paper and markers for drawing or scribbling. Your child may like small stuffed animals, a coloring book, or toy cars.

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I wrote this in an article for Creative Child Magazine:

“I think, culturally, we need to move past the idea that too much love rewards or spoils children. This idea damages our relationships and leads us to treat unfairly those who are newest among us. Children do not enter the world with bad intentions. They do not come to wear us out, test our limits, or seek control. They come with a need for love and guidance.

In 5 years of practicing positive parenting, I have never found that love drives misbehavior, but that the opposite is true. Love allows them to grow into their full potential.”

Source: afineparent.com

The Butler Is In. CBC P.E.I. has launched a summer series featuring certified protocol and etiquette consultant John Robertson, who will guide us through how to do things the right way.



Robertson spends his summers in Murray Harbour, and is a professionally-trained English butler.

This week, Robertson has advice for the new digital age, explaining what's rude and what isn't when using your cellphones and devices, especially when you're with another person.



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1. Use your manners instead of your cellphone [...]

2. Pay attention to the person you're with [...]

3. Don't be disrespectful [...]

4. Stop for lunch [...]

5. Keep your conversations to yourself [...]

6. Photos — know where and when to take them [...]

7. Use photo restraint on social media [...]

8. Email etiquette

Source: cbc.ca

Internet overload has led millions of people in the UK to take a "digital detox", according to research from regulator Ofcom.



The survey found 34% of internet users have taken a period of up to a month away from the web.

Some 59% of those surveyed considered themselves hooked on their devices, with a third saying they found it difficult to disconnect.

Half said that they spent longer online than originally intended each day.

The study of 2,025 adults and 500 teenagers forms part of Ofcom's annual Communications Market Report, which assesses the state of the digital nation.

One quarter of teenagers said that they had been late for school as a result of being online, while six in 10 said that they neglected schoolwork.

As a consequence, parents are increasingly taking devices away from children or restricting their usage.

Adults too are noticing that over-reliance on technology can have social consequences. Four in 10 felt that they were regularly ignored by a friend or relative who was too engrossed in their smartphone or tablet.

A typical adult spends an average of 25 hours online per week, with nearly half (42%) saying they go online or check apps more than 10 times a day, the research suggests.

One in 10 accessed the internet more than 50 times daily, according to the study.

Reliance on the internet seems to be affecting people's personal and working lives, leading one in three (34%) to seek a period of time offline.

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Some 71% of UK adults now own a smartphone.

According to Andrew Przybylski, an experimental psychologist at the Oxford Internet Institute, the research reflects a growing paradox in everyday life.

"Three in four say it brings us in closer touch, but nearly one in two think technology can get in the way," he said.

He added that it was important to understand that the survey was not a study of internet addiction.

"That is not a recognised psychiatric disorder. This is more about everyday frustrations, not something as serious a problem as gambling or alcohol use."

The study suggested that the under-25s were the most likely to unplug and unwind, and this is increasingly being reflected in social trends such as phone stacking - where groups out for dinner pile their phones in the centre of the table.

And bars, such as the Gin Tub in Sussex, are blocking mobile signals on their premises in an attempt to encourage face-to-face conversation.

Source: www.bbc.com