education
Concern:
THEY WON’T KNOW WHAT A BOOK IS
What helps:
READING WITH YOUR KIDS,
EARLY AND OFTEN
Have a variety of books on-hand at home and
read them to your kids when they’re young.
Hearing the language and seeing the pages
while you’re reading allows them to immerse
themselves in the story and form mental
pictures that screens would otherwise provide
for them. “From a young age, take your
children to the library or bookstore,” says
Dr. Jane Petrozzino, a learning consultant and
educational therapist in Wayne. “Pick books of
interest to your child or read the same one
and discuss it together.” If you recommend a
text that isn’t too hard and is about an area of
interest, your child will get a sense of accom-
plishment from finishing it, she says. When she
has reading assignments, ask questions about
them during car rides and meals.
Concern:
AFTER SCHOOL, MY CHILD’S
ENERGY GOES INTO SOCIAL MEDIA,
NOT HOMEWORK
Concern:
THEY ARE ON THEIR DEVICES ALL THE TIME
What helps:
MODELING GOOD SOCIAL MEDIA BEHAVIOR
“Kids learn by watching us,” says Laura Neuscheler, a Wayne resident and counselor at
Manchester Regional High School in Haledon. “Are you attached to your phone at functions? Do
they see you reading books?” The message isn’t that social media is bad, but that there’s a time
and place for everything. She advises leaving your phone in another room during mealtime and
other family events. When your child wants to engage with you, give him your full attention.
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“Establish good habits in elementary school
and make keeping them up a priority,”
Neuscheler says. The best place for kids to do
their after-school assignments is in a common
area of the home, as opposed to behind
closed doors. They can grab a snack and check
into their social media accounts, so they won’t
be distracted by the fear of missing updates.
Younger kids should hand their devices over
to whoever is in charge, says Neuscheler. As
an incentive, a half hour of homework time
could be rewarded with a half hour on a
screen. Older kids will be more productive if
they place their phones, which light up with
notifications, in another room.
What helps:
INSTILLING GOOD HOMEWORK HABITS