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Taming temper tantrums: Are you doing it wrong?
Today: Research shows that 70 percent of children throw temper tantrums, according to parenting expert Michele Borba. Wait, what? Who are these 30 percent of calm children, and where can I get one? Just kidding – like most parents I’ve accepted that the occasional tantrum is going to be a kicking, screaming, brain-jarring pothole on the road to maturity. But researchers from Yale University and Kings College in the U.K. have been hard at work studying tantrums, and they say taming them is possible. It's all about proper training – for the parents, not the children. "Hold those sticker charts, fancy point systems and our pleads and threats.
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Kid apps explode on smartphones and tablets. But are they good for your children?
The Washington Post: There has been no definitive study that shows whether apps on mobile devices are harmful for youths. And although lawmakers and regulators have been seeking to strengthen federal rules that protect the privacy of children online, few have examined the rapid growth of mobile content getting in front of very young eyes. Some educators are dubious of the educational promises espoused by app developers. Zimmerman co-authored a report in 2007 that debunked marketing by Disney’s “Baby Einstein” DVD series touting early developmental benefits. He said it is too early to say that apps are any more effective at getting children ahead.
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Sikh Teenager Raps Against Bullying
The Wall Street Journal: Michigan-based Gulshan Singh, 18, felt strongly about countering the widespread bullying of Sikh teenagers in the U.S. “I wanted to do something about it but never knew how to, or never had the means to do it,” said Mr. Singh. In the end, he chose to rhyme about it – and to make a three-minute music video to go with it. The video, titled “Let It Out,” sums up the emotions of a Sikh teenager who is harassed because he looks different. Mr. Singh said the video, which was recently showcased at the Sikh International Film Festival in New York, is not based on a specific person but on an experience shared by many Sikhs, including many of his friends.
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Schouders uit de kom
De Standaard: Het spant erom bij de regeringsonderhandelingen. Maar de uitkomst van zo'n nachtje - waarom beginnen die onderhandelingen eigenlijk altijd 's avonds? - kan wel een hele generatie in de puree helpen. In essentie draait het om hoeveel we besparen door de overheid efficiënter te organiseren, en hoeveel we extra uit de broekzakken van onze burgers halen door extra belastingen. Als ik lees dat ze in de Wetstraat van plan zijn het immense gat in onze begroting dicht te rijden met 70 procent nieuwe belastingen en 30 procent besparingen, draait mijn maag om. De sterkste schouders moeten de zwaarste lasten dragen, hoor je dan.
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Sorry, I Left My Memory in the Other Room
ABC News: Ever forget the reason why you walked into a room seconds after you enter, even though you know you are there for a reason? You stand in the doorway wondering, “I know I came in here for something!” If you answered yes, you may go as far as to rationalize that this is why it happens: ‘Well, our lives are so overburdened, and that’s why so many of us buzz around like caffeinated cheetahs crossing things our mental checklists.
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Blogs – a means to finding people to do rhythmic things with?
Scientific American: I wrote this post a long time ago – in December 24, 2008. At the time, Twitter was new, FriendFeed was small, Facebook did not yet have functionalities it has today, and Google Plus did not exist. So the main platform for finding an online community were blogs. I found this (the link is now broken, but the site still exists, and I could not find the post – perhaps got lost to the vagaries of time, or a re-design of the site, or blogger’s whim) quite intriguing: Those thinking that online social networking is a substitute for face-to-face interactions might want to think again.
