I observed this phenomenon in a few other subjects too, like articles about benefits of certain supplements or substances, that praise some parenting styles, etc.
We have been part-time home-schooling for a while, because we think the school curriculum is not fulfilling our children's (8 and 13) education needs, since it is not individualized.
You can make a schedule for our children's day, including study, exercise and free times. For the study time, you may choose some subjects in these three areas:
1. A couple of (or maybe just one if obvious) subjects, that your child is good at, or really likes. Find resources and make a program to ensure your child progresses in this subject. If there are contests, or certifications in this subject you may aim them. If your child gets a chance to experience the rewards of their work, this will motivate them. He/she will also meet with tutors/peers this way, further resulting in more progress and also joy.
2. Determine the subjects that your child is weak, or not especially interested, but has to develop because they are very basic, like math or writing.
3. Find some enrichment areas, like a subject that you or a family member knows well, or find resources easily. This may actually not need to be a certain subject/area. This may include watching a certain YouTube channel everyday.
When it comes to resources, there are tons of. But it may take some time to spot one that your child needs at that specific progress/interest level. They may get bored at times, but you may always find a new book/web site/videos/etc that work. We re-schedule, try easier/more difficult resources, make a rewarding system for a true bottle-neck. As long as you don't get bored and completely give-up, there will be progress.
We do many things to help them study more efficiently, but we always vary when it comes to changing subjects for the first two areas, of course it is sometimes the right thing to do, but not easy to determine.
I'm adding some of the resources that I can't end my comment without mentioning:
- Duolingo for learning many languages
- Khan Academy
- Scholastic books for English (not for ESL, but for fine tuning academical English)
We don't have any DVD's, however there are some videos in the app I mentioned. She seems to follow very well, but I can't make sure to what extend (because I can't understand myself). Anyways I keep providing content with increasing complexity, because I'm sure she is progressing, and also entertaining. Thank you very much for your recommendation :)
She is not native in any of them. But, she learned English from 18 months on, via cartoons and apps (at the beginning), so she is close to native in English. Than she learned German basically from Duolingo (for English speakers), and DieMaus App.
While one supplement is in trend, as now with vitamin D, when you search and try to make a decision if you should supplement it, you always end up deciding it is beneficial, or at least doesn't hurt to. But as the trend fades, you may find that it is not that important or even harmful to overdose in specific situations.
So I am skeptical of supplements as a rule. Of course there are a couple of odds, like iodine, which is so beneficial to supplement in general community, that it is added to table salt as default, you only skip if you have specific conditions like thyroid problems.
I wish there were more research or comments on possible harms and disadvantages of excessive use of vitamin D, than I think I could more easily decide to use.
Baby girls are especially prone to urinary tract infections while they are in diaper. Moreover it is really very difficult to take urinary samples before they are toilet trained. If you keep in mind that they can't express their symptoms, I'm sure I'd like to keep a couple of tests ready at home when my daughter was young (now 7). Good luck!
It is considered as a safe supplement. However, I have an awkward experience with artificially sweetened gum during my oral glucose tolerance test. I had pregnancy diabetes during maternity and my father had Type-II diabetes, so I did this as a check-up following child-birth. Before this test I fasted overnight, than went to the lab and drank a very sugary liquid. My blood sugar measured for at the beginning and hourly for 3 hours. I wasn't allowed to eat anything, or drink too much water. After the third measurement, I got very thirsty, also was feeling nauseated and asked if I am allowed to chew a gum to help moisten my mouth, and they said no problem. Gum not only helped moistened my mouth also helped me feel much better. I taught that was help of menthol. Than I got my results and there was a rapid increase in my blood sugar at the fourth measurement. Lab did not worry about the results because all my measurements was in acceptable limits. But how that measurement had risen became a mystery for me. I'm not sure which sweeteners that gum included, but it was a well-known gum brand with a clear non-sugar label.
In any means, I myself try to stay away from sugary drinks, and any kind of sweeteners as much as possible. If it's a special occasion, or a meal that I really like with a certain sugary drink as a side, I drink. But I don't replace with an artificially sweetened version. You will get used to live without them, and will not crave after a while.
I have managed to quit smoking in my fourth attempt. It's been nine years. Being able to work uninterrupted with an urge to smoke and deciding my breaks with my own free will motivated me. This was not the reason for me to quit, but it helped a lot.
I agree, however if I'm OK, getting this information rather than taking irrelevant vitamins in the belief that I have some disease works better for me.
I'm a highly interested person in medical subjects, and for some reason, I easily memorize and relate information regarding human body. For example, if my mother in law complains about her anemia, and her tinnitus 2 years apart, when I read somewhere that some type of anemia can cause tinnitus 4 years later, I remember her instantly. This phenomenon of me helped a lot of family members in different situations, so I don't want to give up searching on medical issues completely. I developed some rules in years:
1 - Make a quick search if something too common regarding symptoms, or something seems urgent to see a doctor.
2 - Don't diagnose, if you suspect something specific, I don't tell it to doctor, nor anyone.
3 - After search if this seems something really small, try some safe home therapies, otherwise, go to doctor
4 - Following the diagnosis, check it through the internet.
5 - Always check the medications, to understand the doctor's approach, aggressive or safer, or if medication is just placebo or pain-killers.
6 - Take the madications as prescribed, but combining the information on internet and impression on doctor, consult a second doctor if you feel necessary.
7 - If you see the doctor - just in case - not for serious complain, and the medication seems just for the symptoms not the reason don't use the treatment and see if something gets worse or better without them.
8- If something serious in hand, always search the internet for further treatment, whether lifestyle changes, and to see what might we expect. Resist reading forums, even though you may find really useful information in them, most of the time people who cannot heal, or had serious side affects on medications write. So this affects brain statistics on in a wrong way.
9 - If you have a specific disease, foundation-like sites on the specific disease do provide useful, organized, advanced, and most updated information.
The thing is, the youngest child is not just taken to the specialists with the suspect of ADHD, it really is diagnosed with ADHD. Gifted children also diagnosed frequently with ADHD, they even have a name for it, twice exceptional. The ADHD comes to me like a deviation from the social standarts. What's normal, and what's not. For most children, ADHD is not a cause of worry until school age. The normal student is defined by current education system. ADHD comes to me like being gay, you are not sick or nothing's wrong with you, just different than the average, and have problems with fitting in the current social standarts.
For grading, I don't think much traditional preschools do grading. It begins usually with primary school. There may be more praises though, like drawing stars on hands, but until the age children buy such praises like 4,5.
Creativity is very important for Waldorf, but not the main issue in Montessori. For example, you must be presented by a teacher on how to work with a material (play with a Montessori toy) first. There is not much room to art, nor imaginative play in Montessori.
If Montessori has a remarkable effect on success, I think it's because it helps children the value of working hard at an early age. There are no programs to distract you. You pick something, play with it as long as you like, learn all you like from that one and continue with a more difficult one.
As there is no rush, you do your all work like wearing cloths, putting your dish to the table. Being able to do all work yourself, one very important skill that every entrepreneur must have :)
Maria Montessori lived in Italy a 100 years ago, and no doubt she was a reformist. She was the first woman doctor, she worked with children with mental disabilities when children was not considered humans, and she noticed that, her approach is applicable to all children. She invented very useful methods and tools for teaching preschoolers. She made wonderful toys which are now called "Montessori Materials". Her method is spread to US, and "adapted".
Montessori teachers are certified largely by two centers in the world, in Italy (http://www.montessori-ami.org/), and in US (http://www.amshq.org/). As far as I know AMI sees itself as the "original" Montessori, rejects others, and more strict in many ways, like they don't allow any toys in classrooms, they don't have any books (just lapbooks produced by teachers or children).
I have real problems with strict, spiritual Montessori. Why would we be against to toys? Maria Montessori crafted wonderful toys for her students, and now they are called "Montessori Materials". What's wrong with Lego's? I think if Maria Montessori had Lego, she would use them.
Actually, you have some experience from your start-up. Babies and a start-ups have so much in common.
They both leave you sleepless, make you think about them all day, make you feel like they are the meaning of life, grow fast in front of your eyes, and interact with you more and more every single day. Well, congratulations!
I'm a hacker's wife and a non-technical co-founder. I and my husband are the two partners of our start-up.
You may start working on these issues:
* Read about baby care (birth to 6-8 weeks), and start chatting with your wife, so that you can start building your parenting style. Baby care is not difficult, but there are lots of different paths to follow. If you learn in advance, you will fell more confident and need less trial-and-error.
* It's best to limit your working plans for the 0-3 months, best scenario with a nice sleeping angel baby will still be quite hectic.
* Getting help from relatives, friends and even neighbours can do a lot of difference. You can take care baby, but it would be nice if someone can care for you in the meantime.
* If you have not yet, read about sleep depreviation. Motivate your wife to rest as much as she can during pregnancy and following birth.
* About the routine, it seemed not so important to me when I was pregnant, we were not the routine type of couple. It turned out to be very important. When you set a routine, baby knows what's next, so she relaxes and be much more cooperative. And when you know what's next, you can plan your day (no, not boring, believe me).
* Take your family outdoors frequently. It will help your wife to recover.
* You'd better spend some time evaluating baby products to be familiar with market. I'm not telling you to buy things in advance, but in some cases a small stupid-looking gadget can save you lots of time.
* Add some parenting blogs to your reader, especially some of those informative/experience sharing ones.