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There is no denying it...technology is part of our culture and can have an impact on how we parent our children.  For example, it seems to be a growing trend that parents are handing over old smartphones to their children.  As a result, children are asking for apps for their phone.  How can apps become a partner in learning for our children?  PBS put together a list of 6 Tips for Buying Children's Apps.

1. A good app is a perfect combination of education and entertainment: It is important that a child has opportunities to play and do something new and challenging.  When kids are engaged, they learn!
2. Explore and play with your child: Research shows that kids learn more when parents join in the fun which is true for all media!
3. Select games that are developmentally appropriate for your child: Ask yourself, is this a skill or storyline my child is capable of following right now.  In addition, for pre-readers, make sure there are audio cues and not just words on a screen.
4. Set limits and encourage other forms of learning and playing: Think about the number of hours your child is spending in front of screens-create a balanced "media-diet"  for your child!
5. Select apps from trusted, reliable sources: Look for apps that come from educational brands that are known for producing educational content.  Review ratings and reviews on sites like Common Sense Media and from other parents.
6. Determine whether apps are trying to market to your child: Watch for apps labeled "lite" or "free".  Many such apps are tastefully done and sensitive to kids' needs while others provide frustration to the child which leads to nagging parents to purchase additional content or links to another app that requires payment.

Please watch for future blog posts as we explore some of the top apps for children!

Well, the holidays are upon us!  What a great time of year to be joyful and thankful!  Your family may have many traditions when it comes to the holidays but what better way to learn about the importance of the season than through reading.  Stop by your local library and pick up a few books that you can read with your child each night before bed. 

Reading Rockets has compiled a list of recommended books for kids ages 0-9 focused on generosity, love, and friendship that are perfect for the season, no matter what traditions you celebrate!

1. Hanukkah: A Counting Book in English, Hebrew, and Yiddish
   By: Emily Sper
2. How The Grinch Stole Christmas
   By: Dr. Seuss
3. Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree
   By: Robert Barry
4. Seven Candles for Kwanzaa
   By: Andrea Pinkney & Brian Pinkney
5. The Gifts of Kwanzaa
   By: Synthia James
6. The Night Before Christmas
   By: Clement Moore
7. The Polar Express
   By: Chris Van Allsburg
8. The Tomten
   By: Astrid Lindgren
9. The Trees of the Dancing Goats
   By: Patricia Polacco
10. Zigazak: A Magical Hanukkah Night
    By: Eric Kimmel

Tips:

1. To find your local library visit: http://www.mnknows.org/libraries.php
2. Once you have a library card, you can create your booklist online and have the books ready for you when you visit the library.  This is a great tool because you don't have to worry about finding the books you want all while trying to keep an eye on your children.  Instead you can explore the library with your children and pick up your books on your way out!
3. Your online library will also have booklists created by users like you which might be helpful if you are looking for books about a particular topic such as snow, animals, etc.
4. Reading Rockets also has a wide variety of booklists to check out!

Share a book with your child this holiday season!

Looking for additional resources and tips or have ideas and strategies to share that have helped your child get ready for kindergarten?  "Like" Is Your Child Ready on Facebook!

You put your preschooler to bed at 8:30 at night, hugging and kissing her and wishing her sweet dreams. It's been a long day, but still the dinner dishes await, you have bills to pay, the dog needs to be walked and the cat fed, and you haven't had a spare moment to put your feet up. But instead of spending the rest of the evening catching up on your chores and clocking some precious time with your partner, you're in and out of your child's room, cajoling her to sleep. She finally nods off — about three hours after she first went to bed. Sound familiar?

Baby Center has a great Behavior Problem Solver tool on their website that allows you to select your child's age and the behavior you would like to get a better handle on.   Once you make your selection, tools are provided for your consideration.  Remember each child is unique and one strategy is not going to work for every child.

Here are a few of the behaviors you can choose from:

• bedtime battles
• lying
• biting
• tantrums
• whining

World traveler and savvy mom, Kammna Bhojwani-Dhawan, and founder of MomAboard.com, recently spoke with Marti and Erin Erickson on Mom Enough.  She shared some practical, concrete tips on traveling with children.

Here is what she had to share:

• Bring adaptability into your child's life at an early age so when it comes time to travel they aren't so reliant on a certain sleeping arrangement, how and when they eat, etc.
• If you need help while at the airport, just ask!
• If you need more time while in line, take it.  Don't worry about the person behind you!
• Allow extra time especially when flying (she recommends 3 hours to navigate the lines, etc.)
• Plan flights around naptime.
• Pack a host of snacks and food (prepare for delays).
• Plan activities and snacks that aren't the ordinary (watching movies if it is something they do on a normal basis or have a special traveling backpack that contains toys they don't normally get to play with.)
• If your child is under the age of 1, consider wrapping a new toy in gift wrap.  It will keep them entertained as they figure out how to peel away the paper.
• Destination: consider the age, interests and personality of your child(ren) and plan accordingly.
• If your children are toddlers, consider a location with open schedule and open space that they can run around such as beaches and mountains (amusement parks may be too overwhelming.)
• Consider the length of your vacation-don't spend more time traveling then actually being at your destination.
• Keep it simple!
• When taking a road trip, do not have a schedule or deadline.  You are going to amend it!  Make it about the journey!
• On a road trip, start early in the morning.  Kids are typically happier then.  Drive when kids would be napping and plan for breaks to stretch legs, pick up snacks and show them sites.

Kammna's website is filled with tips ranging from planning, flying with children, where to buy diapers and how to warm a bottle in a hotel room.  In addition she has started a Mombassador program where moms who travel to destinations to can provide the inside scoop on where to shop, where to eat, and where to play in particular cities.

Remember keep it simple and enjoy!  It is the unexpected, small things (a random stop at a neighborhood park) that your children will remember when they are older!

Did you know that children who get more sleep:

• have higher grade averages
• perform better on reasoning and mathematical skills
• have higher reading scores
• experience fewer accidents
• get along with others well
• are better able to focus
• get sick less frequently
• are less likely to be overweight

Sleep is critical in the early years for growth and development.  A child will spend 40% of her childhood asleep.  Sleep is especially important for children as it directly impacts mental and physical development!

If you are concerned your child may not be getting enough sleep, listen to a recent podcast from the director of the sleep center at Children's Hospital and Clinics of Minnesota as they discuss important information of symptoms and management of sleep disorders, as well as advice for promoting good sleep patterns for your child.

Interested in additional resources on sleep:

• Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) has created a guide to healthy sleep.  It offers sleep tips and strategies for newborns up to adults including nighttime routines, sleep problems and naps.  Contact SMIF at 507-455-3215 for more information
• Mary Sheedy Kurcinka is a parent educator and author of Sleepless in America.  Her website and book offer many useful tips and strategies.
• The National Sleep Foundation also provides a wide array of information on sleep for all ages.

Are you on Facebook..."like" Minnesota Parents Know! 

You will receive posts with trusted parenting information, resources and activities to help your children grow, develop and learn from birth to high school.

On Thursday, April 28th from 12:00-1:00pm join child development expert and author Ellen Galinsky in an on-line conversation as she identifies seven life skills that will help your child reach his or her full potential in school, the workforce - and in life!

The seven essential skills that will be discussed are:

1.         Focus and Self Control

2.         Perspective Taking

3.         Communicating

4.         Making Connections

5.         Critical Thinking

6.         Taking on Challenges

7.         Self-Directed Engaged Learning

Register today at http://www.workingfamilyresourcecenter.org/wfrc/en/p2plive2.asp

Good Enough Moms provides FREE podcasts that can be listened to anytime from your computer or saved to an iPod or MP3 player.  The podcasts provide the most up-to-date information on a wide variety of topics for parents.

April topics include:

• Knowledge is Power: Helping Children and their Parents Understand Medical Treatment and Stay Strong Through Challenge (April 4, 2011)
• Speech and Language Development: Understanding What is Normal and When You Should Seek Help (April 11, 2011)
• Helping Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Find Social Enjoyment: Insights and Tips from Author John Merges (April 18, 2011)

Listen to weekly half-hour podcasts on child development and parenting at http://www.goodenoughmoms.com

Engage in the lively discussion that follows each weekly podcast on http://www.MNParentsKnow.info

Be a part of this great opportunity to ask questions or share concerns about your child's social and emotional development with Developmental Psychologist, Dr. Marti Erickson.

On April 15th from 12-1 pm, Dr. Marti Erickson will host an on-line discussion focused on helping your child manage emotions and getting along with others.

You will have an opportunity to ask questions about how to make sure your child is emotionally and socially on track.

Pre-registration is required for this FREE event.  Register today at http://www.workingfamilyresourcecenter.org/wfrc/en/p2plive.asp

If you aren't available for the session, it will be recorded and archived for future listening!