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By: Barbara Ashcroft
Today's children grow up in a fast-paced society. They are
bombarded with thousands of visual images flashing simultaneously
in front of their eyes. From cartoons to action films and
video and computer games they receive ongoing rapid visual
and audio stimuli. With the remote control they quickly learn
to channel surf, watch two shows at once, and tune out. Extremely
loud music from headsets and speakers pierces their eardrums.
Advertisers entice them with bigger and better gadgets and
toys. They are surrounded with overwhelming choices and distractions
at a young age. Family life has become hectic and over-scheduled.
We may not be able to completely alter their environment,
but we can become aware of its effect on our children and
set up some strategies to offset all this over-stimulation.
The Effect on our Children
- Many children have a hard time
settling down, focusing and listening when they have been
over-stimulated by so much sensory input.
- Their ability to focus and concentrate
on a quiet demanding task has decreased.
- Children have become used to being entertained
externally by this type of stimuli and have lost
touch with using their own imaginations. They are always
expecting action-packed entertainment and thrills. Heard
the word “bored” lately?
- Listening skills have almost become
a lost art.
- Getting to sleep has become more difficult.
- Our children are beginning to expect
everything in life to be “instant”; consequently,
they have little patience.
- Hearing impairments are becoming more
prevalent.
What Can We Do?
- Make sure your children have some
daily quiet calm-down time. (reading a favourite book, listening
to an audio book, working quietly on a hands-on hobby, watching
an inspirational movie, having individual special talk times
with Mom or Dad, even short meditation to reflective music.)
- Encourage imaginative play, creative
hobbies and reading.
- Let them know that you
also have to take quiet breaks.
- Share with them how you
focus on long boring tasks and follow through.
- Monitor the amount of time they are
involved in over-stimulating activities.
- Develop listening skills through the
use of listening games. (75% of their classroom day requires
listening)
- Play some soft, quiet, reflective background
music.
- Create predictable consistent structures
and routines that keep your child emotionally safe and secure.
- Limit their choices and see that those
choices are age-appropriate.
- Make sure that your child is getting
enough sleep to be able to listen and focus at school the
next day.
- Try to keep your own voice calm and
soft even while you discipline.
- Turn down the speaker volume. Protect
their ear drums.
- Schedule family down time and guard
it with your life.
- Slow down, pause and breathe!!!
Barbara Ashcroft B.A. M.ED.
Journey to Joy for Parents
www.barbashcroft.com
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