PlayLearnParent

Tune in tomorrow Thursday 6/18 at 1pm ET to for their live discussion with these experts on how to talk your children about race.

Some great book ideas from Common Sense Media to help you diversify your children's reading experiences.

Books with Characters of Color Common Sense Media editors help you choose Books with Characters of Color. Check out these great reads featuring diverse characters.

Check out PBS KIDS's special on how to talk to your children about race and racism. Today at 3:30 pm EST

Talking to Children About Race and Racism | PBS KIDS for Parents Join parents, educators and experts in this live event for an important conversation on how to talk with young children about racial injustice and violence against Black people.

Free free free! Thanks Sesame!

Sesame Street Just Made 110 Ebooks 100 Percent Free Elmo, Big Bird, and the rest of the gang are here to help you keep your kids occupied.

Doing a lot of interviews with the press as a result of all of this e-learning. Chicago Tribune listened pretty well about the bigger picture impact that this quarantined life is going to have on families and children. Stop jumping to blame the technology for an outcomes that result from this time and recognize the ways teachers are now using the technology to support learning (the best the can right now). https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-life-screentime-elearning-coronavirus-school-closures-tt-20200327-6u3lxhezfjhtddhafxflcly2xq-story.html

Will extra screen time during the coronavirus pandemic hurt our kids? Experts say probably not, but parents should be careful. Experts guide parents on how to deal with extra screen time for kids during the coronavirus pandemic.

More teaching ideas for parents...

How to Keep Kids Learning When They're Stuck at Home Tips and resources for setting up a daily homeschool schedule. Advice from Common Sense Media editors.

teacher resources

Resources for Educators During the Coronavirus Pandemic | Common Sense Education Comprehensive resources including lesson plans, digital games, assessments,professional development for teachers, and family education materials toteach students safe and responsible technology use.

Feel like we need this again right now.

"There are three ways to ultimate success:
The first way is to be kind.
The second way is to be kind.
The third way is to be kind." - Mister Rogers

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More resources...
PBS kids has created a weekday newsletter for parents to receive with activities and tips to help kids learn through play. Sign up here or check out their website for activities for ages 2-8 (filter options on the left side some activities are online some are without technology). http://public.pbs.org/PBSKIDSDaily?source=pbsparents
https://www.pbs.org/parents/activity-finder/ages-all/topics-all/shows-all/types-all

For math, science, literacy, music, creative arts and so much more, you can find activities for infants to pre-k on the NAEYC Family website. https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/families/browse-by-topic

PBS KIDS DAILY

Great resources for kids AND FOR PARENTS! tools to help us destress, etc. breathe.

Resources for Families During the Coronavirus Pandemic | Common Sense Media Common Sense Media improves the lives of kids and families by providing independent reviews, age ratings, & other information about all types of media.

Putting all of these resources here too

Mo Willems Is Hosting A Livestream Doodle Starting Today Yes! Said every parent of littles everywhere.

Required reading for ALL parents! even if your kids are older and good swimmers this has some great tips and points. please read

10 Water Safety Tips: From a Mom Who Investigates Drownings

I investigate drownings. I understand the realities of what can happen, often so quickly and quietly. I read a lot about water safety and tips telling parents paying attention to their children and not being distracted, which is so important. We see so many news articles about drowning during this time of year, but a lot of the advice isn’t practical and just highlights the problems, so I decided to write my own list of tips to help. Here is a list of 10 random things I do to keep my own kids safe in the water.

Safety Briefings -

This actually started with a swim lesson procedure of making sure they always asked permission before entering the water. I have expanded it by having a little meeting about expectations. My kids now know to wait (sometimes impatiently continually asking me “Mom, what do we need to know…can we go yet?!?!?”) until I give my briefing. I outline where they can swim, jump in, how they can jump in, and anything else safety related. A great time to do this is while applying sunscreen. They also know the consequences if they don’t follow the safety rules.

These meetings are a way for me to teach my kids respect for the water. They obviously know it is dangerous, knowing what I do for work, but sometimes aquatic centers, waterparks, beaches, and pools look so fun and enticing, that it is easy to forget. I think as parents we need to be just as concerned with the safety as we are with the fun, but that takes effort. I think some people may not want to ruin the fun by adding in rules, but I know rules create boundaries, which gives freedom in safety. I also love including my children in the safety briefings. What do they think the rules should be? What do they see as dangerous? They have some amazing insights too and sometimes see things I didn’t think of right away!

Depths of water vs. height -

My kids know depths of water and how to read them on the pool deck, and they know what it means related to their height. My 6 year old knows that 4 ft of water is over his head, and 3 1/2 ft of water is up to his eyes, which is still over his airway. My 8-year-old daughter knows that 4ft of water is at her eyes and she will need to tread and can’t have her airway out at this depth. This piece of knowledge helps them to make good decisions and helps them to understand how water depths are different for each person. Their taller friend may have no problem in the 4ft area, while they would need to tread or have trouble touching. Awareness of depth in relation to their body is important. This keeps me away from the “But mom, Jayden gets to go over there…”. Yes, he does, he is also 6” taller than you are buddy!

How to Get Away -

I jumped in last weekend fully clothed with my phone in my hand at my 8-year-old daughter’s all-star softball hotel swim session after a tournament. It was instinct, a 5-year-old boy panicked and grabbed onto a 4-year-old girl and they were both struggling. He was holding her down and trying to keep himself above the water. In I went and scooped both of them out. They were both naturally scared, and a little burping of water/air, but they were fine. We see this all the time in drowning events, swimmers who are okay on their own, have someone grab onto them because they are struggling and they can’t get away. I have taught, and I am still teaching my kids how to get away if someone grabs onto them. My daughter is a great swimmer, but I still don’t think she can tread water and keep her and another kid above the waterline. I’ve taught them to suck, duck, tuck: Suck in air if you can (get a breath), duck under the water (the struggling person doesn’t want to go there), and tuck (use your arms and legs to push away) - and then yell for an adult immediately to help the other person.

I’ve also taught them to be very careful of who they touch/grab onto in a pool. Even adults can be weaker swimmers and may have a hard time with them hanging on. Personal space is key.

Distraction Reminders -

I ask my kids to keep me accountable. They know either myself or my husband should be watching them at all times. We have told them that if we aren’t watching them, they need to get our attention and help us because as humans we get distracted naturally. I try to stay involved in their activity and also tried to keep my phone away, but I was still distracted with other kids, food, talking, you name it…life is full of distractions. I changed my tactic and downloaded a reminder app, and I set reminders for every minute. I turn my phone into airplane mode and then use the app. Every minute it alerts me and I have the notification say “Kids Breathing”, so I confirm my kids are ok and then clear the notification. Obviously, my goal is constant supervision, but sometimes my brain starts to wander to something I am thinking about and the notification checks me back in.

There are tons of campaigns about designating a “water watcher” with a specific tag indicating you have the responsibility of watching the water. I think these are great tools, and we also need to make sure the water watcher is not distracted. Alerts can keep you focused as long as you stay off your phone for all other purposes. I put my phone in airplane mode, but you can still have the tendency to look at. Be aware of your distractions both internal and external. If the phone is a distraction all together, maybe alerts aren’t for you. Find what works to keep you focused and stick with it for the entire swim time.

Designate Breaks -

We swim for a designated time, usually 30 minutes, but it varies depending on where we are and the activity taking place. Regardless, we always have breaks. I need these breaks more than my kids. They would swim endlessly for hours if I let them, but they need to rest and so do I. As a lifeguard, we would rotate every 20-30 minutes with the premise being to give our minds a break and so we could stay fresh. The same thing applies to parental supervision. I need to use the restroom, I need to do other things, I need a break too! So, we give time warnings and take swim breaks. Sometimes the breaks are also unscheduled, if I have to make an emergency restroom visit or answer the door, everyone gets out, every time!

Limited Trust -

This may sound harsh, but I don’t trust other people to watch my kids in the pool. It is me or my husband, that is it. If they are swimming at Grandma’s they have to wear a lifejacket. If they are going in the water at the beach on a board with their cousin, they have to wear a lifejacket. I see so many events where trust was placed in another person, watch my kids while I go do XYZ, or grandpa took them to the pool, or a neighbor invited them over. I may love these people, and they may love my children, but I don’t trust them, nor do I want them to have to own that responsibility if something were to happen to one of my kids in their care. It just isn’t worth it. Do my kids whine, yep. Do I care, nope! They know the other option is they just don’t go. Same goes for school pool parties and camps with water activities, it just isn’t worth it for me. Same goes for lifeguarded swimming areas. I know I am my kids' primary source of supervision and the lifeguard(s) are there for back up and emergencies. I do not rely on them for basic supervision. I only have 2 children and I can supervise them much more closely than a lifeguard who has divided attention between 25 or more people.

Lifejackets are Cool -

Culturally we seem to have a negative attitude towards lifejackets. I don’t think there is anything wrong with lifejackets, in fact, there are so many games and activities you can do with them. We just need to make them cool again. If there are a bunch of kids I’m watching, I’d rather have everyone be in a lifejacket. It can be a cousin lifejacket pool party. Having everyone in one makes it much “cooler” and doesn’t embarrass the littler kids or weaker swimmers. When I ran camps, even the counselors would wear them, be cool like them! Having rolling log challenges in the lifejackets, water balloon tossing contests, have relays to pass rings from your toes..the games are endless, and the safety is higher with everyone in a lifejacket. Now there are times that my kids will even say they would rather just be in a lifejacket. Awesome.

**Just an added side note that when referring to “lifejacket” I am referring to a USCG approved lifejacket (check the inside of the jacket or vest). Noodles, Inflatables, baby circles, tubes, and all other items are not safety related and should not be used or trusted to keep your child safe. We see countless videos of kids who flip over in an inflatable ring and can't right themselves and are stuck underwater upside down, or are in arm floaties and can’t get their head out of the water because their arms aren’t strong enough, or who lose purchase of a kickboard they were holding onto for floatation. Even in a lifejacket, you need to diligently and constantly supervise as children can get in positions that can still obstruct their airway especially if they are younger or weaker.

Educate -

My kids know what drowning can look like. They know water is dangerous. They know good swimmers can drown. They know medical events can happen without warning. They know that drowning can happen quickly. I talk about how events happen, about what their weaknesses are. They know they can’t breathe in the water, they know why we take breaks from swimming, they know why they enter the water feet first, they know why we don’t play breath holding games or activities. It isn’t just because I said so, I try to give them real reasons to my rules. A healthy fear of the water is a good thing.

Hey, Watch This…

Phrases like “Hey, watch this…” usually are the beginning of something dangerous or a little crazy about to take place. This is a kids way of announcing they are pushing the boundaries or are going to show-off, and I take these phrases as a time to talk about danger and pushing boundaries. Are they just showing me something or are they about to do something risky? There is a difference and I try to talk about good decisions around the water. Phrases like “Hey, watch this…” are ways to cue into other people’s behaviors and intentions. They now alert me when others use these types of phrases too. I always say we can have fun without being dumb.

See Something, Say Something

My kids are part of my safety team. They are buddy watchers for each other and I ask them to look out for other kids. I’ll often ask my son where his sister is, or what the other person is doing. I want to train them to look at others and make sure they are okay, to know what they are doing. My daughter the other day said, “Mom, I almost called you…that boy was under the water and I counted from 5…5, 4, 3, 2, 1 but he popped up again before I got to 2.” I asked her, what would you do if he was still underwater when you got to one, and she said “I’d say something to you or an adult until you responded”. Perfect. Kids are an additional layer of protection and they have good instincts. My kids know not to assume someone is playing. If they see someone underwater, they start counting. So often, in drowning investigations we see kids (and adults) swimming over or around someone who is underwater and they don’t do anything. They assume they are okay, they assume they are playing, they assume they are doing it on purpose. Don’t assume. Teach them the 5 second rule (check out Mel Robbins book on the topic) and if they see something to say something.

Other Water Safety Tips:
Swim Lessons Save Lives
Learn CPR - Drowning patients need oxygen - give air first!
USCG approved lifejackets only - no arm floaties or inflatables
Designate A Water Watcher / Swim with a Lifeguard
Always use pool barriers and layers of protection
Enter the water feet first
No running
Stay hydrated / protect yourself from the sun
No drugs / alcohol
All water is dangerous - even inches
Always swim with a buddy
Lost / Missing kids - always check the water first

I hope this helps and gives you some practical tips to improving safety during your water related activities. Share this information to hopefully prevent any more drownings. Stay safe and vigilant!

-Natalie Livingston

UPDATE: Thank you all for sharing and commenting on this post! The reach has been amazing! We have realized the need for a dedicated page to share water safety tips and resources for all water users/participants. This Aquatics Tribe page was created as a resource for Aquatics Operators and Professionals and will stay focused on resources for lifeguards, aquatics directors, and other aquatics professionals. We have created a new page: AQUATIC SAFETY CONNECTION - https://www.facebook.com/Aquatic-Safety-Connection-369130120413087/ To serve all of the non-professional aquatic safety advocates also looking for resources. Check it out! Thank you in advance!

This is a great science project and important finding. Those sound machines that all kids are terrified of and run from are scientifically documented as being WAY too loud for kids!

Children wise to fear hand dryers, and 13-year-old proves it with published paper | CBC News Children who say hand dryers "hurt my ears" are correct. Nora Keegan, 13, has been studying the issue for four years and her research paper has just been published in Paediatrics & Child Health.

Check out TEC Center's newest blog series where Shina Aladé translates some of her fascinating research for parents and educators!

Learn from TEC Center's director, Alexis Lauricella and Fashina Aladé about research that was conducted to understand how screen interactivity impacts learning:
http://teccenter.erikson.edu/what-were-reading/interactive-debate/

This is wonderful, please listen. Rethink your responsibility to teach kindness.

Kindness Can Be Taught. Here's How Most kids value success and achievement more than caring for others, according to Harvard's Making Caring Common project. Who is to blame? We are. We talk to the experts for ideas on how to do better, and why.Here's what to remember:- Children are born to be kind — but also unkind. - Kindness requ...

We often worry and think about sleep with infants but it also is REALLY important for teens.

Does a Teen's Bedtime Really Matter? Northwestern University | School of Education & Social Policy An earlier bedtime may help teenagers by improving executive functioning abilities like memory, self-control, and problem solving, according to preliminary Northwestern University research. 

Giving students more music, theater, and dance boosts writing scores (and compassion), big new study finds One of the largest gold-standard studies on arts education ever conducted finds measurable benefits to giving students more music, theater, and dance.

When a laundromat becomes a library The first five years of a child’s life are critical for language exposure, but studies suggest children in lower-income families often don’t experience the rich literary environment wealthier kids do. A New York City initiative trying to close that gap encourages reading in a spot families visit...

Questions about children's media use, check out this free webinar TODAY

Tomorrow, October 25, join us for a FREE screen sense webinar. Understand how young children can learn from screen time, get practical, research-informed strategies that put parents and educators in the drivers seat, and join a Q&A with experts in the field. Register here: https://bit.ly/2EGoV9y

"There are some simple steps parents can take to let kids know that empathy is a core family value. For example, remind your kids to do or say at least two kind things each day. When they come home from school or at dinner, talk about those two kind acts."

How to raise a kind kid Today more than ever, the greatest gift a parent can give a child is the ability to empathize.

It has been a while but here is a new post about some of our recent research https://playlearnparent.com/2018/04/17/13-reasons-why-and-parent-adolescent-communication/

13 Reasons Why and Parent-Adolescent Communication Written by Alexis R. Lauricella, Ph.D. & Drew. P. Cingel, Ph.D Communication can be a very powerful tool for educating and supporting youth. When children are little, we feel that the “why?” qu…

Love this!

New Jersey to become first state to send new parents home with baby boxes An innovative program to improve infant mortality rates and allow new parents and their babies to get some much-needed sleep will soon launch in New Jersey.

useful carseat information

Car Seats: Information for Families One of the most important jobs you have as a parent is keeping your child safe when riding in a vehicle. The following information from the AAP offers guidance on choosing the most appropriate car seat for your child.

Very informational article with facts and details instead of opinions and guesses about vaccines

Vaccines 101: Too Much Too Soon? Just yesterday I was sitting with expectant parents whose first baby is due next week. They both support vaccinating their daughter on the recommended CDC schedule, but mom comes from a family that…

Great lesson for middle schoolers on the power of words and the impossibility of trying to take them back.

You're Going To Want To Borrow This Mom's Viral Lesson On The Power Of Words One mom used a tube of toothpaste to teach her daughter a lesson about the power of words -- and her lesson has been shared over a half of a million times.

Please look at these resources and start talking to your children,

60+ Resources for Talking to Kids About Racism - Creative With Kids Talking about race and racism definitely ranks as one of the more difficult topics I've had to broach with my kids. While my training as an early childhood educator had given me plenty