Math, Education and Parenting Blog

How To Talk About Loss With Your Child

November 3, 2015 by James Rheine.

Death is a very sensitive topic and will affect your family at some point, and it’s a subject that few parents know how to talk about with their children.

When do you know that you’ve explained too much?

When do you know that you’ve answered too little?

A lot of parents are always looking for advice on how to talk about death with their little ones – especially after the passing of a loved one.

Even if a family has not experienced loss, the presence of ghosts, tombstones, and specters during Halloween celebrations can often trigger a child’s curiosity for the afterlife.

With that said, here’s how you can talk about loss with your child.

Multiplication – Is 5 x 3 not the same as 5 + 5 + 5?

October 30, 2015 by James Rheine.

Repeated addition is taught in the third grade in the US as part of the Common Core Problem.

Repeated addition, when applied, can be used to solve 5×3.

If you were to think it would be 3 groups of 5, you’re wrong. The correct answer would be 5 groups of 3, or 3+3+3+3+3.

Too Much Screentime Makes Children Lazy, Moody, Crazy

October 21, 2015 by James Rheine.

Are hyperactive/depressed/apathetic/easily angered children and teenagers becoming more common?

Apparently, chronically irritable children are often in a state of abnormally high arousal, or rather, “wired and tired”. They are agitated but exhausted.

Chronically high arousal levels can have an impact on memory and the ability to relate, so these kids are more likely to have academic and social problems. And if an article by Dr. Victoria L. Dunckley for Psychology Today is to be believed, electronic gadgets have something to do with all these.

Money can make you happy – as long as you spend it on therapy

September 6, 2015 by James Rheine.

We want our kids to live a happy life, now and when they become adults. However, in a world as materialistic as this one we live in, we couldn’t help but worry that they might equate happiness with having money as they grow up. In many cases, kids already think that way. Then again, how children view happiness largely depends on the way they were raised. If you spoil them and give them whatever material stuff they want, they are likely to grow up believing money can make you happy. The funny thing is, can money really make us happy? If the findings of a recent study are to be believed, money can indeed make you happy, that is, if you spend it on therapy.

How To Tell If My Child Is Gifted

July 10, 2015 by James Rheine.

Does your child show great curiosity about objects, situations, or events? Have you ever found yourself stumped by provocative questions from your kid? Does learning come rapidly, easily and efficiently for your son or daughter? If your answer to all three questions is yes, then there’s a huge chance you have a gifted child, if the signs of a gifted child listed in an article by Barbara Rockwell for PopSugar are to be believed.

Hard Lessons Your Kids Should Learn in Their 20s

May 16, 2015 by James Rheine.

It is no secret that parents wish their kids stayed kids forever, but that, of course, isn’t going to happen. Whether we like it or not, our children are going to grow up, and will be faced with practically the same frustrations, failures and other situations that we went through ourselves, particularly during our 20s, that stage in our lives where we’ll be facing the realities of the real world.

Naturally, these tough lessons in life are best learned through experience, but it never hurts to give our kids a bit of a heads up while they’re still young. An article written by Richard Feloni for Business Insider Australia about 20 hard lessons everyone should learn by their 20s makes for a great reference for such a thing.

How Much Social Media Is Enough?

April 6, 2015 by James Rheine.

No one can deny that social media, as it stands today, is an essential part of our everyday lives. This is most especially true of our children, teenagers in particular. Practically all teenagers spend a lot of their time on social media sites, and that, per se, is not necessarily a bad thing. Social media sites, after all, have a lot of good things going for them. For one, they help kids stay connected with family. Social media can also help teach social responsibility to our kids to the point where they can join non-profit and charity campaigns. Their creativity may also be enhanced as ideas, music and art are freely shared and discussed on social media.

Social media, however, can get real addictive, and addictions of all forms are certainly not good for anyone, especially our children. It is our responsibility as parents to put some limits on their use of social media. Then again, how much social media is enough to force us to intervene and put our foot down? You’ll know your kids have had enough social media when:

How To Find Out If Your Young Teenager Suffers Anxiety

February 8, 2015 by James Rheine.

It is but normal for teenagers to feel anxiety from time to time, since they, like us adults, have to deal with stressful situations in their everyday lives. There’s the pressure to do well in school, peer pressure, and of course, hormones. Some teenagers, however, seem to feel them more than other teenagers. They react more strongly to stress, and that could lead to harmful situations.

That said, you as a parent would want to know if your teenage kid suffers anxiety to the point that it cripples them and rules their lives. To find out if your young teenager suffers anxiety, check out an article written by A. Pawlowski for Today that cites some signs of anxiety among teens.

How to Avoid Pushing Your Gifted Child Too Hard

January 19, 2015 by James Rheine.

Having a gifted child is a blessing, but it can very easily turn into a curse if you, as a parent, have no idea how to deal with your child’s giftedness. Under normal circumstances, a parent of a gifted child should know the importance of reinforcing the child’s gifts. Motivating them to excel also comes with the territory.

Some parents, however, may end up pushing their child too hard and not realize it before it’s too late. If you’re one such parent and you’re pushing your gifted child too hard, he or she could feel pressured, which could then lead to emotional issues that will become a much bigger problem later on.

In her blog Reality Check, child expert Dr. Michelle Borba tells of ways to avoid pushing your gifted child too hard.

America’s Student Loan Woes

November 21, 2014 by James Rheine.

Federal student loans may have helped countless individuals get through college, but many of these loans have become troubled, according to a report by Shavian Nasir pour for the Huffington Post.