Learning & Academics

Parents of Student Athletes Struggle to Cope with Critical Tweets

May 16, 2023 by Keith Ferries

If you are a parent reading this, you understand how much we care about our children. Thirty-seven percent of kids have been a victim of cyberbullying, and 30% have reported cyberbullying to be an ongoing situation.[1] When we think of cyberbullying, we think of one teenager making online comments about another teen. But imagine a situation where your young adult child is repeatedly having to endure nasty remarks from other adults like it is in the case of college athletes. Some argue that is part of the fame. But is it also part of childhood? We don’t think so at GKIS. For that reason, we created our Social Media Readiness Course for tweens and teens to help your kids recognize the signs of online abuse and how to avoid it. Today’s GKIS article covers what parents of college athletes may encounter on Twitter as well as how to counterbalance the negativity.

Social Media in the Lives of College Athletes

In our GKIS article “When Young Athletes Look to Twitter to Showcase Talent and Track Sports News: An Inside Look,” we discussed the role social media plays in a young athlete’s life and how they learn to cope with it.
Our interviewee John said he learned how to detox from social media on occasion and also how to use cyberbullying as motivation. But when you’re a parent and hear something being said negatively toward your child, even if your child is an adult, it’s hard not to take that personally. There’s no protection from it, and if you jump to their aid online, it might ultimately harm them. College and professional teams don’t want to deal with online drama coming from parents. But sometimes, enough is enough…or is it?

When Parents Can’t Take the Online Attacks Anymore

Randi Mahomes, the mother of Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes, took to Twitter in 2021 to express her displeasure at a hit her son took from an opposing player. Arguably, she is in a reasonable position to speak her mind whether we agree with it or not because her son is already playing at the highest level.

But our division one college football player John’s parents weren’t so lucky. If someone was displeased with how John played a game and tweeted, “I hope your dog eats chocolate and gets really sick and throws up on your socks.”[2] (a tweet 7-time Superbowl champion Tom Brady once got), John’s parents must idly stand by and watch people sling mud at their child.

John’s mother Mary recalls, “The hardest one was seeing a tweet saying John was a ‘piece of shit’ after he had a bad game. Most of the time, I would listen to John and let it be, but I couldn’t with that comment. I had to speak my mind and tweet back.” She elaborated, “A few Twitter exchanges went back and forth, and then I let it go after speaking my mind.”

Mary said that some situations were more complicated than others, and she recalls many days being in tears over Twitter comments. She said a particularly hard day was when they read on Twitter that the college John had decided to go with unexpectedly selected a different quarterback. The tweet went out before John ever got a personal call saying the spot that he was offered was no longer available. It was heartbreaking, considering that he had turned down other offers in favor of this one, some of those offers were no longer available. After many conversations with the college scout prior to the tweet that seemed like a guarantee is followed with silence, it was hurtful.

Mary said, “About 80% of the time, the tweets were very positive. John had a good record, so it was more good than bad.” She said she still uses Twitter because she has other interests in the app, not just sports. Her husband, however, has since deleted the app now that their son is done with his athletic college career.

Parents are proud of their children and love to hear positive things. They don’t want to read tweets from strangers saying how their child isn’t trying hard enough or how they lost the big game for the team. Parents see firsthand how much their child loves the game, how hard they work, and how much sacrifice they give up competing at a top level. Because online education starts with parents, we created our Screen Safety Essentials Course for parents and families. Knowing what troubles lurk online will help parents teach their kids what they need to know to avoid digital injury and problem-solve through difficult online situations.

Other Ideas for How to Work Around Unwanted Negativity

Take regular breaks from social media. Our GKIS article, Start Fall Fresh With a Cleansing Digital Detox is a great article to help you take that first step.
Keep a positive dialogue going with your child about the pressures that arise from being an athlete with anonymous fans.
Adopt our free Connected Family Agreement, a simple tool that sets reasonable online limits and feeds a cooperative family alliance when it comes to online decisions.
Filter and manage online content with our Screen Safety Toolkit. This resource guide helps you build a customized set of parental controls for filtering and monitoring online content.
Set designated times throughout the week when everyone spends time together without their devices. Share about your offline and online lives to stay connected.

Thanks to C SUCI intern Keith Ferries for doing the research and writing this article.

I’m the mom psychologist who will help you GetKidsInternetSafe.

Onward to More Awesome Parenting,

Tracy S. Bennett, Ph.D.
Mom, Clinical Psychologist, CSUCI Adjunct Faculty
GetKidsInternetSafe.com

*Mary is a fictional name to maintain anonymity.

Works Cited

[1] Patchin, J. W., Ph.D. (2019, July 9). 2019 Cyberbullying Data. https://cyberbullying.org/2019-cyberbullying-data

[2] Kimble, L. (2021, February 5). Tom Brady Reads Mean Tweets About Himself Ahead of Super Bowl 2021. People.com. https://people.com/sports/super-bowl-2021-tom-brady-reads-mean-tweets/

Photo Credits

[1] Photographer Unknown https://www.pexels.com/photo/white-ceramic-teacup-beside-black-iphone-5-on-brown-wooden-table-58639/

[2] Karolina Grabowska
https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-woman-with-a-coffee-cup-in-front-of-a-laptop-7320744/

[3] Nicola Barts
https://www.pexels.com/photo/stressed-beard-black-man-working-on-laptop-7925881/

Popular YouTube Channel ‘Ms. Rachel’ is Teaching Infants to Talk Early

April 10, 2023 by katherinecarroll

Millennial parents are constantly looking for ways to “life-hack” their parenting and make parenthood a breeze. YouTube channel ‘Ms. Rachel’ is the newest of the tools parents are utilizing, and the results are astonishing. Parents all over social media are praising ‘Ms. Rachel’ for teaching their children to talk (along with teaching skills like sign language). Virtual learning tools are a great way to help supplement the education your child receives, but with screen time comes burnout. To prevent screen time burnout for your child, try our safe-screen home setup and management with our GKIS Connected Family Course, suitable for parents with toddlers to teens.

Who is ‘Ms. Rachel’?

‘Ms. Rachel’ is a teacher who created “Songs for Littles,” a YouTube channel that has 3.03 million subscribers and 1.7 billion views despite only having 102 videos made since its creation in early 2019.[1] Rachel Griffin Accurso (Ms. Rachel) creates educational videos that are backed by research and learning standards important for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers with the help of a large team. Accurso has a masters degree in music education from NYU and is currently working on her second masters in early childhood education.[2]

Accurso was motivated to create the channel after her own son was diagnosed with a speech delay. Her son inspired her to create a show to encourage language development and help children reach important learning milestones.[3] Accurso employs psychological principles like mirroring and encourages viewers to follow along with her sign and body language to build speech and language skills. Mirroring involves the mimicry of reflecting speech or behavior to help children learn to develop skills on their own.[4]

Social Media Praise

Parents all over social media have sung high praise for Ms. Rachel, even crediting her for being the reason their children say their first words. Beyond just speaking, users have also shared videos of their kids expressing themselves using sign language.

TikTok user Cw1908 shared a video of her 2-year-old daughter signing and saying, “I want more milk, I want more.”[5] The comments of the video are filled with parents sharing their experiences with Ms. Rachel as well. TikTok user Yesys13 writes, “OMG! My daughter is almost 3 and has a speech delay. Mrs. Rachel has helped her communicate with us a lot easier without frustration!”[6] User Sweetness.103 writes, “I play Ms. Rachel and my baby can read for my grandbaby.”[7]

Even parents who are cautious about screen time in infanthood share their praise for Ms. Rachel and share that the benefits outweigh their anxieties. TikTok user Nataliaa_calles shared, “I was very hesitant to allow screen time with Ivy. I heard many kids’ shows become addictive. I researched a lot of different YouTubers to help my daughter’s brain development, and Ms. Rachel was the best. Ivyanah has now learned ‘momma’ (6 months old). She’s been saying it for weeks now.”[8]

Ms. Rachel’s videos seem to help both children who are just developing their language skills and those who are developmentally delayed. Comment by user Irisloc112 on the aforementioned video states, “My son has no word at almost 3. We started watching Ms. Rachel, and now he doesn’t stop talking 5 months later.”[9]

It is not just moms on TikTok who are praising Ms. Rachel. Jasmin, 27, shared with GKIS all about how her child has learned to talk with the help of Ms. Rachel’s videos. “I started playing Ms. Rachel for my son when he was about 3 months old. I heard good reviews about Ms. Rachel and how she teaches kids important skills such as speech, movements, and emotions. I thought it was a great way for my son to learn at an early stage. From watching Ms. Rachel’s videos my son has learned how to say ‘Mama’ and ‘Dada’. His first word was ‘Mama’ at 7 months old. He always laughs and talks while I have Ms. Rachel playing on the TV. I would recommend Ms. Rachel’s videos because I believe they can help many kids who are behind in speech development or any kids who are struggling to express their feelings and emotions.”

It turns out that grandparents are crazy for Ms. Rachel too! Dr. Bennett shared that she just returned from a weekend vacation with her first grandchild and said that is the one show that keeps his attention the whole time. She found herself singing along and repeating Ms. Rachel along with him. He too is signing as well as talking and singing.

Benefits of Teaching Language Early

Most infants begin babbling around 4 months of age and say their first recognizable word around 12 to 18 months old.[10] Babies learn speech through socialization and the world around them. They closely watch their parents’ reactions to sounds and conversations with others. Through this observation, babies begin to mimic and mirror the people around them.[11] The most effective way to help your child learn to speak is by spending time talking and interacting with them. However, all parents need a break, so having an occasional virtual “co-parent” can help a lot.

Delayed speech development is associated with developmental risks down the line such as academic difficulties, learning disabilities, social difficulties, anxiety, and behavioral problems.[12] By teaching your child to learn language early, you can help to avoid these risks and reap all the benefits of early language development. Research has shown that developing a large vocabulary increases creativity.[13] Language development also helps children understand and process their emotions, analyze ideas, develop critical thinking skills, and set the foundation for most future learning.[14]

If you are worried about your child developing a digital injury such as screen addiction while utilizing virtual learning tools, check out our GKIS Screen Safety Essentials Course. Co-viewing the content your child is consuming and using to learn can help your child avoid burnout. When you’re tired of watching a screen, they probably are too!

Like what you read? Check out our GKIS articles “Dr. Bennett’s Developmental Psychology Crash Course for Children Ages 0-2 Years” and “GKIS Recommended Apps of Child Social and Emotional Learning”.

Thanks to CSUCI intern, Katherine Carroll for researching Ms. Rachel and language development.

I’m the mom psychologist who will help you GetKidsInternetSafe.

Onward to More Awesome Parenting,

Tracy S. Bennett, Ph.D.
Mom, Clinical Psychologist, CSUCI Adjunct Faculty
GetKidsInternetSafe.com

Works Cited

[1] Songs for Littles – Toddler Learning Videos. (2023). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@msrachel/about

[2] Songs for Littles – Learn, Bond, Thrive: About Us. (2023). Songs For Littles. https://www.songsforlittles.com/bios

[3] Hanson, K. (2022). Who is Ms. Rachel and why are your kids obsessed with her? Today.

https://www.today.com/parents/family/who-is-ms-rachel-rcna60194

[4] APA Dictionary of Psychology. (2023). American Psychological Association. https://dictionary.apa.org/mirroring

[5] Watkins, C. [@cw1908]. (2023). Its time for songs for littlessss!! #MrsRachel #songsforlittles #signlanguage #Shadybaby @Ms Rachel [Video]. TikTok. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRWNRVM4/

[6] Rico, Yesi. [@yesys13]. (2023). Re: Its time for songs for littlessss!! #MrsRachel #songsforlittles #signlanguage #Shadybaby @Ms Rachel [Video]. TikTok. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRWNRVM4/
[7] Ronnie. [@sweetness.103]. (2023). Re: Its time for songs for littlessss!! #MrsRachel #songsforlittles #signlanguage #Shadybaby @Ms Rachel [Video]. TikTok. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRWNRVM4/

[8] Calles, N. [@nataliaa_calles]. (2022). Thank you @Ms Rachel #6months [Video]. TikTok.https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRWNkK3K/

[9] Loc, I. [@irisloc112]. (2022). Re: Thank you @Ms Rachel #6months [Video]. TikTok. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRWNkK3K/

[10] Reece, T. (2022). When Do Babies Start Talking? Parents. https://www.parents.com/baby/development/talking/when-do-babies-start-talking/

[11] When do babies start talking? (2023). Children’s Health. https://www.childrens.com/health-wellness/when-do-babies-start-talking

[12] The Importance of Language Development in Early Childhood. (2017). Adam and Mila. https://www.adam-mila.com/importance-language-development-early-childhood/

[13] The Whole Child – For Early Care Providers – Let’s Talk About It. (2023). PBS. https://www.pbs.org/wholechild/providers/talk.html

[14] Stephens, K. (2007). Language Is a Powerful Influence on Children’s Development. Parenting Exchange. https://www.easternflorida.edu/community-resources/child-development-centers/parent-resource-library/documents/language-child-development.pdf

Photo Credits

Photo by Stephen Andrews (https://unsplash.com/photos/u0zTce7KNlY)

Photo by Towfiqu Barbhuiya (https://unsplash.com/photos/5u6bz2tYhX8)

Photo by Solen Feyissa (https://unsplash.com/photos/XfnfMlNpWDo)

Photo by Ben White (https://unsplash.com/photos/4K2lIP0zc_k)

How Lack of Sleep Negatively Affects Child Learning

May 15, 2021 by Maira Soto

Almost everyone has experienced a zombie-like feeling after a night of poor-quality sleep. Research shows that a single night of sleep deprivation can have a negative result on cognition and behavior.[1] Sleep deprivation for children can be particularly costly. Good quality sleep helps children with healthy brain development. That is why Dr. Bennett includes a whole lesson on how to protect your child’s sleep in her Connected Family Online Course. By following research-backed guidelines, setting sensible rules, and setting up your house to optimize learning and safety, your family can avoid costly digital injuries. If you are interested in learning about how to create a safe screen environment at home while discovering ways to promote open and honest communication within your family then check out our GKIS Screen Safety Essentials Course. In today’s GKIS article, you’ll discover how a child’s learning can be negatively affected by lack of sleep and how to avoid it.

How does lack of sleep impact a child’s learning?

Attention and Concentration

A child needs an average of 9 to 11 hours of sleep each night for optimal health and learning performance.[2] Poor sleep affects the functional connectivity of the prefrontal cortex. This means that a sleepy child will experience problems in their ability to focus and sustain attention in a learning environment. Further, a 2009 study demonstrated that sleep may cause the child to become overly sensitized to reward stimuli.[3] An overly sensitized person craves rewards so much that if they can’t get the desired activity immediately, they may resort to acting out and tantrums. To understand more about this process, check out Dr. B’s whiteboard video GetKidsInternetSafe from Sensory Overload on the Dr. Tracy Bennett YouTube Channel.

Memory

Mental lapse refers to a moment of unexplained forgetting, like walking into a room and forgetting what you came in for. A sleepless night slows down brain cell activity, sometimes resulting in impairing daytime mental lapses. A 2017 UCLA study demonstrated that lack of sleep disrupts the brain cells’ ability to communicate with one another, resulting in a mental lapse that negatively affects the way we perceive and react to things around us.[4]

Learning and Information Processing

In Dr. Bennett’s book Screen Time in the Mean Time, she explains that when we don’t get enough sleep our brain’s housekeeping and memory consolidation tasks remain undone, leaving us unable to efficiently acquire or retrieve information. Without good focus, attention, and memory, kids are unable to process information and understand and learn new concepts.

Creativity

Sleep deprivation can also limit planning, creativity, and the ability to think outside of the box. According to a study from the University of Loughborough, sleep deprivation can negatively impact a person’s creativity by impairing one’s ability to create new ideas and change strategies.[5]

How does a lack of sleep impact mood and behavior?

Sleepy Throughout the Day

If your child chronically gets insufficient sleep at night, their body may compensate by falling into a pattern of daytime hypersomnia. This is a condition when someone repeatedly is falling asleep throughout the day.[6]

Mood Swings

Lack of sleep can be a main contributing factor in mood swings.[7] Moodiness and irritability can negatively affect relationships, leading to deeper problems and feelings of hopelessness. If sleep deprivation is habitual, it can contribute to clinical conditions like anxiety, depression, and even psychosis!

Decision-Making

Little to no sleep can also affect how well we make decisions.[8] That means that kids who have sleep deprivation will have a difficult time prioritizing tasks like when to brush their teeth or do homework. If your child seems to get stuck on even the smallest of choices, consider if sleep may be the issue.

How can lack of sleep affect learning in children of different ages?

Teenagers tend to have more sleepless nights than younger children. Not only do parents allow later bedtimes for teens, but they also stay up chatting with friends and playing video games. Without the right amount of sleep, teens have more trouble focusing and learning in class compared to younger children. According to the CDC Healthy Schools, teens ages 13-18 need 8-10 hours of sleep.[9]

How can parents help their children get better sleep and improve their learning?

Tips from Dr. Bennett’s book, Screen Time in the Mean Time include:

Setting a timer
Keeping screens out of bedrooms
Creating a relaxing sleeping environment
Encouraging a soothing nighttime ritual
Practicing mindful eating
Exercising and practicing ample non-electronic play

For more tips on how to help your children get the rest they need, check out Dr. B’s GKIS article, Do Your Kids Vamp? A GKIS Parent’s Guide to Good Sleep Hygiene.

Thanks to CSUCI intern, Maira Soto for researching this article on lack of sleep and learning.

I’m the mom psychologist who will help you GetKidsInternetSafe.

Onward to More Awesome Parenting,

Tracy S. Bennett, Ph.D.

Mom, Clinical Psychologist, CSUCI Adjunct Faculty

GetKidsInternetSafe

Photo Credits

Photo by Craig Adderley from Pexels

Photo by KoolShooters from Pexels

Photo by Lisa Fotios from Pexels

Works Cited

[1] Davis, K. (2020, July 23). What to know about sleep deprivation?

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/307334

[2] How much sleep for children need?

https://www.webmd.com/parenting/guide/sleep-children#1

[3] The Sleep- Deprived Brain. Dana Foundation

[4] Study Blames Mental Lapses on Sleep-deprived Brain Cells

https://www.uclahealth.org/u-magazine/study-blames-mental-lapses-on-sleep-deprived-brain-cells

[5] Sleep Deprivation Kills Creativity

https://www.creativequarter.com/articles/life/sleep-deprivation-kills-creativity

[6] Excessive daytime sleepiness (hypersomnia)

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/excessive-daytime-sleepiness-hypersomnia/

[7] Improve Your Child’s School Performance with a Good Night’s Sleep

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/children-and-sleep/sleep-and-school-performance

[8] How sleep affects decision-making.

https://eachnight.com/sleep/how-sleep-affects-decision-making/

[9] Sleep in Middle School and High school students.

https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/features/students-sleep.htm#:~:text=The%20American%20Academy%20of%20Sleep,10%20hours%20per%2024%20hours

GKIS Recommended Apps of Child Social and Emotional Learning

May 1, 2021 by Christian Sandoval

Research reveals that social and emotional learning (SEL) improves grade school students’ engagement with the academic curriculum. With online learning, it is still unclear how students have been negatively impacted, but lack of teacher-student relationships and low motivations appear to be strong contributors. Furthermore, there has been speculation that the fear and isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic increased mental illness among children. Dr. Tracy Bennett, Founder of GetKidsInternetSafe, said she has never seen the quantity of clients looking for outpatient psychotherapy or such high severity levels among adults and kids in her 25-year career as a clinical psychologist. She added that, in response to the child; and family distress, teachers have been heroic in their creation, adoption, and application of SEL curricula. In service of the positives of screen use, today’s GKIS article recommends SEL apps that can be used at home as well as in the classroom.

The Benefits of Social and Emotional Learning

Improves Behavior and Academic Performance

SEL programs tend to target:

Self-awareness in recognizing emotions, strengths, and limitations
Self-management by controlling emotions and behaviors
Social awareness in gaining insight into others and building empathy towards diverse backgrounds
Relationship skills in forming and maintaining healthy relationships
Decision making in acting upon productive choices[1][3]

Students use SEL skills to protect against substance use, bullying, and school failures among other benefits. The ability of teachers and parents to form a safe care environment with SEL results in less emotional distress, fewer conduct problems, and improves test scores and grades among children.[1]

Do SEL programs work?

A long-term study by Taylor and colleagues (2017) collected 18 years’ worth of data from 46 studies to examine if SEL programs make a difference. The SEL programs had students apply learned skills to personal development, social relationships, ethical behaviors, and productive work at school. This increased subject physical and mental well-being into adulthood demonstrating a positive trend in future social relationships, graduate rates and attendance, and low numbers of arrests.[3]

A study by Jones and colleagues (2015) found similar conclusions. They measured kindergartens’ future wellness in education, employment, crime, substance abuse, and mental health. Their data showed:

High self-control at an early age
High task completion rate
Improves multi-skill management
Improves organizational skills
Improve noncognitive skills (e.g., motivation, integrity, and interpersonal interaction)[2]

Taylor et al. also found that a “one size fits all” SEL program is not as effective as one designed specifically for a selected student population and a selected outcome. For example, according to their study students with ethnic minority backgrounds developed better emotional coping skills with SEL. In contrast, poor-income students developed better school attachment and achievement. Other benefits for SEL included decreased substance use, risk-taking, and problem behaviors while improving positive relationships using social support and growth opportunities amongst minorities.[3]

Friendly and Productive Tools for Long Term Success

Screen Safety Essentials Course

Achieve screen sanity and SEL skills with our own Screen Safety Essentials Course. To help your family form cooperative dialogue and teach critical problem-solving skills about your child’s online and offline life, we offer weekly coaching videos from our very own Parenting and Screen Safety Expert, Dr. Tracy Bennett. Designed for families with kids ages 8 to 16, our GKIS Screen Safety Essentials Course does the work for you. No more wondering what to say, which issues to cover, and how to stay relevant and consistent about screen safety and family connection.

Some of the resources the Screen Safety Essentials Course offers include:

✅ Weekly parents-only videos with the information and tools you need to earn the credibility to be their go-to expert

✅ Weekly family videos with insider and science-based teaching topics and fun family activities.

✅ Workbook pages and colorful infographic downloads

✅ Access to Dr. Bennett’s BEST webinars

✅ Psychological wellness and balance skills to avoid costly digital injuries

✅ Exclusive access to Dr. B and motivated parents like yourself on our private Facebook community page

✅ Options for private coaching with Dr. Bennett for extra support

✅ BONUS: Selected readings from our GKIS Blog articles and Dr. B’s book SCREEN TIME IN THE MEAN TIME

Safety, connection, less conflict, and so much more! Your first 30 days are totally free. Available through our GetKidsInternetSafe website.

Middle School Confidential

GKIS also recommends the Middle School Confidential app. Middle School Confidential offers a three-piece comic book series for ages 8-14 by Annie Fox and Matt Kindt. It covers lessons about character, problem-solving, friendships, and school situations. Quizzes, tips, real quotes from teens, and real-world resources support problem-solving and open dialogue skills between parents and children.[5] Specific tools like assertiveness and positive self-talk help users recognize and name emotions and build empathy.

Availability:

App Store
Amazon App Store
Nabi App Zone
SmartEdPad

Awards received:

Tutora Best Educational App for 2017
Featured in IPad Apps for Kids for Dummies[5]

Positive Penguin

The Positive Penguin application offers 5-minute meditation practices for child resilience. Developers incorporated funny sounds and game modes to set a friendly environment. According to their website, Positive Penguin is “the app designed to help children understand why they feel a certain feeling and behave in a productive way.” The app helps children transform negative thoughts and emotions into a more optimistic perspective.[6] Positive Penguin helps kids improve SEL communication and problem-solving skills.

Availability:

Apple App Store
Google Play Store.

Awards received:

2014 Search for the Next Tech Girl Superhero
The Apps For Challenge Award in 2014
#1 app in Australia in 2014[6]

Smiling Mind

Smiling Mind helps children seek mindfulness as a daily practice. Developed by psychologists and educators, this app encourages children ages 3 to 18 to reduce stress, tension, pressure, and challenges with a 10-minute meditation.[7] With daily check-ins, a meditation habit assists kids to form positive affirmations by thinking before they act.

Availability:

Apple App Store
Google Play Store.

Accomplishments

#22 in rank for Health & Fitness (as of 15 Feb 2021)
5 million users leading Meditation app for Australia
Showcased in Be You
Showcased in HundrED 2018-2019[7]

To improve communication and empathy skills in your family, grab your SEL app of choice today! Thanks to CSUCI intern, Christian Sandoval for his contributions to today’s GKIS article.

I’m the mom psychologist who will help you GetKidsInternetSafe.

Onward to More Awesome Parenting,

Tracy S. Bennett, Ph. D.
Mom, Clinical Psychologist, CSUCI Adjunct Faculty
GetKidsInternetSafe

Photo Credits

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko from Pexels

Photo by CDC on Unsplash

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

Photo by Gabby K from Pexels

Work Cited

[1] Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta‐analysis of school‐based universal interventions. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432. https://doi-org.ezproxy.csuci.edu/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01564.x

[2] Damon E. Jones, Mark Greenberg, and Max Crowley, 2015:

Early Social-Emotional Functioning and Public Health: The Relationship Between Kindergarten Social Competence and Future Wellness

American Journal of Public Health 105, 2283_2290, https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2015.302630

[3] Taylor, R. D., Oberle, E., Durlak, J. A., & Weissberg, R. P. (2017). Promoting positive youth development through school‐based social and emotional learning interventions: A meta‐analysis of follow‐up effects. Child Development, 88(4), 1156–1171. https://doi-org.ezproxy.csuci.edu/10.1111/cdev.12864

[4] Sawyer, M. G., Arney, F. M., Baghurst, P. A., Clark, J. J., Graetz, B. W., Kosky, R. J., et al. (2001). The mental health of young people in Australia: Key findings from the child and adolescent component of the national survey of mental health and well-being. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 35, 806-814.

[5] https://www.middleschoolconfidential.com/apps.html

[6] https://positivepenguins.com/

[7] https://www.smilingmind.com.au/

How Smartphones Can Help Children with Dyslexia

April 9, 2021 by Avery Flower

Most of us do not put much thought into reading, but not everybody has this privilege. Dyslexia is a cognitive disability that impacts someone’s abilities to read, write, or spell.[1] Letters that look similar and sound similar—such as n and m, w and m, and p, b, d, and q—are most frequently mixed up. To illustrate this, reading the sentence “Briana went to the park to walk her dog” may be read as “Briana wemt to the dark to malk her bog” for an individual with dyslexia. While some of us may mix these letters up occasionally, individuals with dyslexia chronically mix letters up to the point that it interferes with their daily life.

How common is dyslexia?

The DyslexiaHelp organization at the University of Michigan notes that 7 to 10% of the population have dyslexia. Individuals with dyslexia also represent around 70 to 80% of the population that have reading difficulties.[2] While dyslexia impairs an individual’s ability to read, write, or spell, this impairment does not affect one’s intelligence.

Dyslexia can lead to slow reading, poor language, messy handwriting, and a limited vocabulary. Behavioral issues such as tantrums, crying, and isolation may also manifest due to frustration. With proper treatment, impairment due to dyslexia can be improved. Children are especially adept at responding to treatment due to their remarkable ability to learn and adapt.

Assistive Technology

Assistive technology is a type of device or application designed to ease the symptoms of a disability.[3] In the case of treating symptoms of dyslexia, assistive technology has been refined throughout the years and garnered large satisfaction among users.

Scientists such as Tamik and Latif from the National University of Sciences and Technology are carrying out promising research for the development and accessibility of assistive technology for individuals with dyslexia. Putting the application they developed to the test, they found that their app helps significantly improves the writing for kids with dyslexia.[4] In a study by Draffan and colleagues looking at how assistive technology is used among 455 students with dyslexia, 90% of subjects found it helpful.[5]

Not only can assistive technology make things easier at the moment, but there can also be transfer effects which are benefits generalized to other things. A 2017 study by Lindeblad and colleagues put 35 children with dyslexia in a specialized program utilizing assistive technology applications. A year follow-up indicated that the children’s literacy increased at the same rate as their non-dyslexic peers.[6]

Maximizing Your Child’s Smartphone

Newer smartphones are becoming increasingly sophisticated and accessible for a diverse range of users. With smartphones, assistive technology is at our fingertips!

While a smartphone is easily accessible and can aid with alleviating symptoms of dyslexia, we at GKIS recommend that you consult with a school or private disability program prior to app adoption. Specialized programs will not only help you assess the severity of the learning disability, but they often give you access to specially designed tools that are straightforward and multifunctional.

Here are few steps on optimizing your kid’s smartphone experience:

Text-to-Speech

To have your smartphone read to you, simply highlight a word, sentence, or the entire page. To set this up on your iPhone, go to Settings -> Accessibility -> Spoken Content, then turn on the speech selection. For Android phones, download the Android Accessibility Suite by Google LLC, then go to Settings -> Accessibility -> Installed Services, then turn on Select to Speak.

Speech-to-Text

Simply, dictation is defined as translating spoken word into text. While there are specific disability devices that offer this, the latest smartphones are now equipped for dictation. Click here to learn how to use dictation for iPhone. Click here to learn how to use dictation for Android.

Recording

Recording devices have proven as useful aids for individuals with dyslexia. Not only will they be able to reference the class discussion with full detail, but they can also feel at ease now that they can write notes at their own pace. To access the Voice Memos app quickly on iPhone, go to Settings -> Control Center, then click the green plus button to add the shortcut to the Control Center. On Android, the built-in app “Voice Recorder” is located in the App drawer.

Scanning and Reading

Scanning and reading pens are often distributed through disability services. However, many smartphones are now able to do this. With the application Prizmo, you can scan a typed document which will then translate into text. From here, you can use the text-to-speech functions on your smartphone to have it read out loud to you.

Text Display

With an iPhone, you can go to Settings -> Accessibility -> Display & Text, and from here, you can turn on Bold Text. From this same page, you can also go to “Larger Text” and play around with the sizes to fit one that works best for your child. On Androids, you can go to Settings -> Accessibility -> Font Size, and play with the options from here.

Note: Due to the wide range of Android devices, the provided Android settings may be accessed differently depending on the version.

The Internet is host to an endless stream of potential sources that can help your child, but it is important to be careful of any potential marketing ploys that are from unverified sources or people without credentials. To help provide your child and yourself with a keen-eye on spotting scams, check out our How to Spot Marketing supplement that is the perfect addition to your free Connected Family Agreement.

Thanks to CSUCI intern, Avery Flower for researching assistive technology and dyslexia, and for co-authoring this article.

I’m the mom psychologist who will help you GetKidsInternetSafe.

Onward to More Awesome Parenting,

Tracy S. Bennett, Ph.D.
Mom, Clinical Psychologist, CSUCI Adjunct Faculty
GetKidsInternetSafe

Photo Credits

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

Photo by Meru Bi from Pexels

Photo by August de Richelieu from Pexels

Photo by Avery Flower

Works Cited

[1] Azorín, E. I., Martin-Lobo, P., Vergara-Moragues, E., & Calvo, A. (2019). Profile and neuropsychological differences in adolescent students with and without dyslexia. Revista Latinoamericana de Psicología, 51(2), 83–92.

[2] DyslexiaHelp at the University of Michigan. (n.d.). Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved from http://dyslexiahelp.umich.edu/answers/faq

[3] Assistive Technology Industry Association. (n.d.). What is AT? Retrieved from https://www.atia.org/home/at-resources/what-is-at/

[4] Tariq, R., & Latif, S. (2016). A mobile application to improve learning performance of dyslexic children with writing difficulties. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 19(4), 151–166.

[5] Draffan, E. A., Evans, D. G., & Blenkhorn, P. (2007). Use of assistive technology by students with dyslexia in post-secondary education. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 2(2), 105–116. https://doi-org.ezproxy.csuci.edu/10.1080/17483100601178492

[6] Lindeblad, E., Nilsson, S., Gustafson, S., & Svensson, I. (2017). Assistive technology as reading interventions for children with reading impairments with a one-year follow-up. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 12(7), 713–724. https://doi-org.ezproxy.csuci.edu/10.1080/17483107.2016.1253116

Is Gaming Making Your Child Smarter?

December 16, 2020 by Avery Flower

Gaming has been a popular topic for GetKidsInternetSafe because it is the favorite past time for many children. We have covered a variety of gaming topics which include the brain traps of gaming, violent video games, professional gaming, and even if we should gamify education. Games have developed so much in the past 25 years and the graphics, concepts, and design continue to improve. One of the big concerns about children’s gaming is addiction and distraction from academics. When done right though, gaming can be a valuable supplement for well-rounded education.

What is Intelligence

Intelligence is a highly debated term because traditionally it involved biased measures of cognitive ability. However, over fifty years of scientific research has demonstrated that intelligence cannot fit as neatly into a box.

American psychologist Robert Sternberg suggested the Triarchic Theory which states that there are three types of intelligence: analytical, creative, and practical. Taking it a step further, developmental psychologist Howard Gardner proposed that there are eight different types of intelligence: linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, naturalist, interpersonal, and intrapersonal.[1]

The most widely used intelligence theory in Western culture, is centered around skills in math, memory, verbal comprehension, and visual-spatial reasoning.[2] Simply put, theories of intelligence center on one’s ability to eclectically conceptualize and utilize information.

Games That Surprisingly Affect Intelligence

Most games require specialty skills for success. Popular games can be incredibly complex and require high intelligence to engage successfully. Adults don’t typically consider that playing Overwatch, Roblox, or Minecraft is a learning opportunity. As a player myself, I disagree. In my experience, it is evident that my fellow players excel at things like reaction time, creativity, and spatial awareness.

When I was in my mid-teens, I was an avid gamer. I played many games, but Minecraft was my favorite. What peaked my interest were the parallels with real life and the possibilities for creation were endless. Knowledge needed for the game helped me in real life by enriching my vocabulary, excelling my reaction time, and nurturing my creativity. My spatial awareness was also boosted due to understanding the means of measurement in Minecraft (each block was a square meter). Using those as reference, I had a better gist of measurement in comparison to my 6-meter-tall character. I even began to conceptualize fundamentals of construction and physics when I would set up mob traps to capitalize off the loot they dropped.

After my Minecraft phase, I moved onto Lumosity and my eyes opened to how impactful games could be. Lumosity is an educational gaming app that has minigames specially designed to challenge a variety of our cognitive abilities.

If you are wondering when is the right time to introduce video games to your kids and how to do it safely, check out Dr. Bennett’s age guidelines and recommendations in her book Screen Time in The Mean Time: A Parenting Guide to get Your Kids and Teens Internet Safe.

Gaming Designed Specifically for Intelligence

Many great new app developers seek to make fun educational games. Edutainment is refers to media designed to educate and entertain.[3] Many edutainment activities are developed by education specialists and cognitive scientists. Commonly targeted abilities are in the area of executive functioning, working memory, self-control, and mental flexibility.

A study by Jocelyn Parong and colleagues from the University of California, Santa Barbara researched the effects of games on cognition. They put students in two groups. The first group played Alien Game for four hours. The second group played an updated version of the game called All You Can ET. After the two groups played, an improvement in mental flexibility was found.[4] Their findings replicated those of a previous study that also studied cognition and gaming.

Further, a 2016 study by Viviane Kovess-Masfety and colleagues analyzed data from over 3,000 children. Upon gathering information from the children’s teachers on how they were in the classroom, Kovess-Masfety and colleagues found that children categorized as “high use” gamers had slightly higher reported intellectual functioning. Most of the high-use gamers reported approximately seven to ten hours of gaming per week.[5]

GKIS-Recommended Intelligence Games

Games that are designed specifically to improve intelligence are still relatively new. Research has been mixed but shows promising results for improvement. Gaming can be a practical approach to keep ones intelligence sharp and have fun! Here are some intelligence games GKIS recommends as promising:

Lumosity

Lumosity is a popular “brain training” app for mobile devices and computers that provide entertaining mini games that focus on an individual skill. The free version selects three mini-games for you to play from their bank of over 40 mini-games. With the premium version, you get access to in-depth statistics and can choose among all their available games.

Lumosity games may help with skills ranging from attention, memory, problem-solving, subitizing, language, and mental flexibility. This is great for tweens and teens.

Words with Friends

Words with Friends is a fun puzzle game—similar to Scrabble—that can expand your vocabulary and think creatively. You can play alone, challenge game bots, or play with friends.

Khan Academy Kids

Khan Academy Kids is a free educational game geared towards children. There is an assortment of games that help with language, reading, math, attention, memory, and problem-solving. An added benefit of these games is that they also help with emotional development, motor functions, and creativity.

Kiddopia

Kiddopia is an app focused on teaching kids a variety of skills and general knowledge. Kiddopia games are incredibly diverse, including school topics like learning numbers, basic arithmetic, language, and problem-solving. This app also has entertaining games that cover geography, human anatomy, animal care, and even careers!

Before your kids are introduced to gaming, check out one of Dr. B’s favorite GKIS articles Teaching Kids the Brain Traps of Video Games May Break the Spell.

Thanks to CSUCI intern, Avery Flower for researching intelligence and gaming, and co-authoring this article.

I’m the mom psychologist who will help you GetKidsInternetSafe.

Onward to More Awesome Parenting,

Tracy S. Bennett, Ph.D.
Mom, Clinical Psychologist, CSUCI Adjunct Faculty
GetKidsInternetSafe

Photo Credits

Photo by Vidal Balielo Jr. from Pexels

Image by DAMIAN NIOLET from Pixabay

Image by Egnez from Pixabay

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels

Works Cited

[1]Shearer, C. B. (2020). A resting state functional connectivity analysis of human intelligence: Broad theoretical and practical implications for multiple intelligences theory. Psychology & Neuroscience, 13(2), 127–148. https://doi-org.summit.csuci.edu/10.1037/pne0000200.supp

[2]Flaim, M., & Blaisdell, A. P. (2020). The comparative analysis of intelligence. Psychological Bulletin, 146(12), 1174–1199. https://doi-org.summit.csuci.edu/10.1037/bul0000306

[3]Lathan, J. (2020). Edutainment in the Classroom: Technology’s Changing the Game. Retrieved from https://onlinedegrees.sandiego.edu/edutainment/

[4]Parong, J., Wells, A., & Mayer, R. E. (2020). Replicated evidence towards a cognitive theory of game-based training. Journal of Educational Psychology, 112(5), 922–937. https://doi-org.summit.csuci.edu/10.1037/edu0000413

[5]Kovess-Masfety, V., Keyes, K., Hamilton, A., Hanson, G., Bitfoi, A., Golitz, D., Koç, C., Kuijpers, R., Lesinskiene, S., Mihova, Z., Otten, R., Fermanian, C., & Pez, O. (2016). Is time spent playing video games associated with mental health, cognitive and social skills in young children? Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology: The International Journal for Research in Social and Genetic Epidemiology and Mental Health Services, 51(3), 349–357. https://doi-org.summit.csuci.edu/10.1007/s00127-016-1179-6

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