No matter your child’s racial or cultural identity, you can take a look at your bookshelf, tablet, or library loans to see where you can diversify your child’s story world and start important conversations about commonalities and differences.
Children and youth today have the world at their fingertips. They can access libraries with the click of a button, download thousands of books on smart devices, and read newspapers from across the globe. While many young people may be physically separated by geography and/or socially separated by race or income, the Internet has been… Read More →
“My son used to love reading when he was a little guy,” a mom recently lamented. “Now I honestly can’t remember the last time he read for fun.” This parent isn’t alone in expressing concern about her child’s waning interest in reading as he grows older. The latest reports point to steep drops in literary… Read More →
“My kids constantly move from one activity to the next – except when it comes to toddlers and TV. Should I be worried when my 5 year old just sits and stares at the screen?” When TV was still a fairly new pastime for kids, researchers coined the term “zombie effect” to describe the glassy-eyed,… Read More →
I wasn’t sure why my eighteen-month-old son Miles was squirming to get out of my arms, but he hit the kitchen floor running and was off to the far corner of the living room. We had just been looking at the big pot of soup simmering on the stove. I had pointed out the onions,… Read More →
The power of stories We human beings come from a long line of storytellers. For many centuries our ancestors sat around campfires telling tales. Though the hearth of the kitchen table replaced the campfire for contemporary U.S. families, the storytelling didn’t stop. The stories came in all different sizes and shapes. Some recounted the news… Read More →
Could you please help me find the link to the “Barney vs Power Rangers” video? I would like to show it at a parents meeting! Kelly, Texas Kelly, I will get to your question in just a moment! First, for those of you who don’t know what the “Barney vs. Power Rangers” video is, let… Read More →
How many hours do teenagers listen to music, a day? Including all music devices? Amanda, Nevada Amanda, Thanks for the question. We spend a lot of time focusing on cell phones, video games, and TV – but certainly listening to music continues to be one of teens’ favorite digital activities. Music has been central to… Read More →
