Amount and quality of sleep can affect child’s development

Sleep is one of the most important elements in a growing toddler’s life.

Toddlers not only need the right amount of sleep, but the right kind of sleep to ensure that they grow and develop to their fullest potential. Toddlers sleep an average of 12 hours a night, plus a nap during the day of 90 minutes to two hours.

During their 12-hour sleep at night, toddlers rise from sleep about five times. Usually the child is not awake enough to remember this happening. Adults actually awaken quite a few times during the night as well. You may think that you have had a very sound sleep, but if you were to record yourself sleeping, you would see yourself rolling over or moving around a lot more than you would expect.

But since these rises occur naturally during your sleep cycles, it doesn’t affect the amount of rest you get and you most likely will not remember them. It is when you are woken superficially during a sleep cycle (for instance, by a crying infant) that you feel less rested in the morning.

A toddler awakening naturally throughout the night may mumble, sit up or roll over. When he or she sees familiar objects in the room, he or she feels comforted and able to fall back asleep quickly, without remembering that they were awake. This explains why toddlers often don’t sleep as well on vacation or at someone else’s house — when they awaken during the night, there aren’t familiar objects nearby and he or she awakens fully, looking to you for comfort.

There are two important stages of sleep for both children and adults — REM and non-REM sleep. REM stands for Rapid Eye Movement. This is when you are closest to wakefulness, like when you are just falling asleep and often twitch. It is a light sleep where dreaming occurs. Recordings of electrical activity along the scalps of people show that REM sleep is very similar to wakefulness — there is the same level of brain activity.

Toddlers have much more REM sleep than adults, which explains why a toddler’s dreams and nightmares are often so much more vivid than those of adults. In REM sleep, the eyes are closed, but it looks as if the child is looking back and forth. REM sleep uses up much more energy and oxygen than non-REM sleep. There is much jerking and twitching and the sleeper’s breathing and heart rate are irregular.

Non-REM sleep is a much deeper sleep, where your muscles relax. This deeper sleep is harder to awaken from. The sleeper has a lower heart rate and slower, steadier breaths. He or she lies very still and there is very little dreaming. As children grow older, they will spend more time in non-REM sleep. This means that the child will stay asleep longer, not waking as frequently throughout the night.

There are ways to help your toddler get through the stages of sleep more smoothly, without fully awakening through the night. You can give your child a comforting and familiar object to sleep with, that can be taken with you whenever your child may need to sleep somewhere else. This could be a stuffed animal or a favourite blanket.

Try to avoid having your child fall asleep in your arms or watching TV. If your child watches TV until he or she falls asleep, when he or she wakes in the middle of the night, they will want the TV to soothe them back to sleep.

Toddlers should be sleeping at least 12 hours a night with their 90-minute to two-hour nap in the afternoon. The naptime should be consistent and early enough in the afternoon that it does not affect nighttime sleep. A consistent bedtime routine helps the child wind down from a busy day and settle into bed.

If your child is having a hard time sleeping through the night, it may affect brain development and growth. If you are worried about the amount and quality of sleep your child is getting, make an appointment with your child’s doctor to have your child evaluated.

full article at: http://www.guelphmercury.com/living/article/755663--amount-and-quality-of-sleep-can-affect-child-s-development

image: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilykD_x8nVWBMXgFYW20GDhEIzRNH1NGVwN9eaow5H8YWW4yTXdS6l7AqJnxux2l8sryBJ5bmv9F198IZx5RLjGx-rWrBPkZZ2ewEcQfa_1IHMjzb54NGxdWWJcCjhsZakV9i8MSFodCI/s1600/sleep.jpg

Happy Fourth of July!

Happy July 4th from everyone here at the Accelerate Center! We look forward to seeing you after the holiday and hearing all about your day of festivities! Where are you going to see the fireworks this year?

image: http://ziptivity.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/fireworks.jpg

Playing Helps Children Develop Emotional Regulation

Article from Goodtherapy.org:

Play is an important part of a child’s development. It enables them to engage creativity and learn necessary social skills. Children are often introduced to concepts like sharing, taking turns, and working together when they participate in group play. This critical time of development allows children to learn how to practice patience, empathy, and other necessary social skills. Although the research on play has demonstrated the many benefits, such as creativity and emotional maturity, few studies have looked at how creativity exhibited through play affects storytelling and divergent thinking, two aspects that further emotional regulation and enhance psychological development.

To address this, Jessica Hoffman and Sandra Russ of the Department of Psychology at Case Western Reserve University conducted a study involving 61 young girls in kindergarten through fourth grade. The team used the Affect in Play Scale to assess the girls’ mood processes and cognitive behaviors as they construed narratives. The researchers also relied on parent reports to measure emotional regulation and evaluated the girls for divergent thinking abilities throughout the task. They found the pretend play allowed the girls to express creativity that directly increased their divergent thinking abilities. The creative play enhanced storytelling skills of the participants and allowed them to express high levels of emotional regulation. The team also explored how executive functioning was affected by creative play but found no relationship.

Hoffman noted that the participants in this study were typically performing young girls and believes that additional research on clinical and nonclinical participants would further add to the limited literature on the many positive influences of pretend play. She said, “Overall, results of this study are promising with regards to the associations between pretend play and other important life skills for children.” With play therapy and other creative approaches receiving more attention in recent years, understanding the forces behind these often successful treatment methods is vital for clinicians interested in using these techniques.

Read the full article at: http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/play-creativity-emotional-regulation-0628123

Image: http://www.bostonchildrensmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/kids-park.jpg

Accelerate Center Summer Classes Session II

Help improve your children's skills this summer with the help of our summer classes! There is still some limited space for the following classes: 

“Executive FUNction”

This class uses fun and games to help children improve executive function skills such as: prioritization, self-regulation, problem solving, time awareness, organization and sensory perception.

Session 2: Tues, Wed, Thurs July 17-July 26 12-1:30pm Ages 12-adult

“Social Skills Workshop”

This class gives children the skills to initiate and navigate peer relationships. Class revolves around interactive play, learning and asking, and conflict resolution.

Session 2: Tues, Thurs July 17-July 26 10-11:30am All ages

“Reading Recovery”

Is your child struggling with reading? This class focuses on comprehension and decoding using a hands-on, multi-sensory approach.

Session 2: Tues, Wed, Thurs July 24-Aug 2 2-4pm Ages 12-adult

Reserve your spot today by calling 650.752.6346
or emailing info@acceleratecenter.com

Fun Friday: Crafts to prep for the 4th of July!

Independence day is right around the corner! Spend the weekend making fun crafts to celebrate and prepare for the holiday! Time to look for your red white and blue

Materials:

• Acrylic paint
• Drinking straw
• Paintbrush
• Paper (or card stock)
• Water

Instructions:

1. For each color, in a paper cup, dilute some acrylic paint with water to a runny consistency.
2. Using a paintbrush, drip a few drops of paint onto a piece of paper or card stock (be sure to rinse the brush between colors), then hold a drinking straw directly over each puddle of paint and blow gently to create a spectacular starburst effect.

For this and more crafts for the 4th click here:
http://familyfun.go.com/4th-of-july/4th-of-july-crafts/fireworks-art-668703/

10 Tips for Maximizing Parent-Teacher Conferences

Parent-teacher conferences. Those three words make many parents nervous. It's understandable: Parents fear hearing the worst about their child's progress and performance, and teachers can sometimes be intimidating. Here are ten strategies to help you rid yourself of any preconference anxiety and make the meeting a productive step toward your child's education.

1. Come on time, and don't stay past your allotted time.The teacher has all the other parents to meet with in tightly scheduled time blocks. If you are late, your session may be shortened. Consider this conference the first installment in your ongoing contact with the teacher.

2. Make a list of things you want to discuss with the teacher, and number your list from most to least important so that you cover the more pressing topics first. If you rely on your memory, you may forget what you planned to say. Take along your child's homework or report card to document your concerns.

3. Introduce yourself and begin with a smile and a genuine compliment; don't assume the teacher knows who you are. A smile will set both your minds at ease. You may not realize that teachers are often just as nervous as you are about conferences! So find something nice to say about the classroom environment or a special subject your child talks about. For example, "Hi, I'm Tina's mother and she's been telling me how much she loves the science experiments you do in class."

4. Look the teacher in the eye and be ready to listen. Let him direct the conversation; the information he shares may answer some of your questions. Be sure to ask the teacher to explain anything you don't understand, especially if he begins using educational jargon that's not familiar to you. Remember, if the teacher is talking about a topic on your list but you still have a question, now is the time to ask it. Take a pen and paper along to jot down things to tell your child or spouse later.

5. Be positive and ask objective questions. Beginning with a complaint will probably close the doors to helpful communication between you and the teacher. But it can be tricky to ask questions without seeming to pick a fight. Here are some questions to consider:

• How would you describe my child's academic progress?
• Does my child behave in school?
• What are my child's work habits?
• How does my child get along with the other children?
• How much homework will my child receive each week?
• How much should I be helping my child with her homework?

Then, be ready to plan with the teacher some ways for your child to be more successful in school. Don't assume the teacher has all the answers. You might suggest, "We can turn the TV off for 45 minutes every night if that's how long you think Jason's homework will take."

6. Expect to hear about your child's problem areas. A good teacher will summarize a child's strengths before describing problems. But with limited time to talk and in hopes that you can help your child at home, many teachers immediately focus on a child's weaknesses. Don't be defensive, but try to determine if or how your child may be different at home  -- and let the teacher know. If the teacher says that your child doesn't work well in a group, you might say, "In Boy Scouts, David loves working with other boys to earn badges." Then, you and the teacher have some information to explore together. What's the purpose of the group, and who else besides your child is in it? Perhaps the groups need to rotate more often, or your child needs clearer expectations for his work.

7. Ask for handouts. Good teachers know how to save time in a conference, and they also know not to send you home empty-handed. They often have curriculum materials prepared for you to read. Keep them to refer to during the year  -- they can answer questions that may occur to you later about classroom policies, the social-studies curriculum, or events such as field trips. The teacher's telephone number and/or e-mail address may also be included.

8. Take advantage of the opportunity to meet with your child's teacher early in the year. At the conference, give her your telephone number and the best times to reach you, or perhaps your e-mail address. In fact, sending occasional notes during the year keeps you in touch with the teacher and shows that you care about your child's education. Most teachers appreciate the contact with parents and may even write back. Once you've met the teacher face-to-face, telephone and e-mail contact is easier and can yield better results. But be sure you don't become a nuisance to the teacher or take over your child's responsibilities. Ultimately, it is your child's job to know what the homework is and when the tests are.

9. Volunteer to share your skills in the classroom. Even if you work or have a busy schedule, don't assume that you have nothing to bring to the classroom. There are many ways for parents to be involved:

• Be a guest speaker or find one. You can easily talk about your own job or a hobby; or you may know someone interesting who can speak to the class about a relevant topic.
• Invite the class to visit your place of work. If you work in a store, let them come see how the business is run. If you work in a hospital, give them a tour of the pediatrics ward.
• Offer to chaperone the class on a field trip. If you work, take a day or half-day of vacation. You'll enjoy it  -- and you'll get a chance to see your child in a whole new light.
• Help with the class newsletter. If you are a working parent, share the job with a committee so that you have do it only once or twice a year. (And let your child help, too!)
• Be an at-home tutor. If your child needs tutoring in reading and your friend's child needs math help, swap kids for one or two hours a week. A child often learns better with someone other than a parent, and parents have different strengths to share.
• Send ethnic foods to the classroom. Prepare something that is special to your family  -- egg rolls, blintzes, or baklava  -- or, let your child bring in an unusual vegetable or fruit for a holiday celebration or to fit a special unit of study.

10. End with a thank-you. Instead of rehashing your concerns or your child's problems, thank the teacher for her time and conclude with a genuine pledge of support. You may want to say something like, "Now that I understand the things you're doing in the classroom, I'll be able to help more at home. I know we both have my child's best interests at heart, and I want to work with you to help him succeed." Ending the conference on a positive note leaves you both feeling that you are partners in helping your child learn and succeed in school.

EdWeekly: "Potential Benefits for Education Startups Seen in U.S. Bill"

Congress last week passed a bill that makes it easier for startup companies to raise capital and go public, two oft-cited barriers for new ventures looking to enter the education market.

After passing in the Senate March 22, the Jump-Start Our Business Start-Ups, or JOBS ACT received final approval from the House of Representatives on March 28 and, as of press time, was expected to be signed into law by President Barack Obama.

The legislation, a rare example of conflict-free, bipartisan congressional support, is a composite of several smaller bills but puts forward two main initiatives aimed at helping startup companies grow faster:

• The measure would establish a new form of company financing called "crowd funding." Companies would be able to raise up to $1 million by selling small numbers of shares to a large number of buyers through several mediums, including the Internet. It's been compared with the social-financing website Kickstarter, where projects are introduced with development and financing goals and users can donate money to help the projects become realized. (Kickstarter, however, does not offer actual stake in the projects and companies being funded.)

Key Features of the Bill

• The bill establishes a new form of company financing called “crowd funding.” Companies could raise up to $1 million by selling small numbers of shares to a large number of buyers, through several mediums including the Internet.

• It allows companies that earn less than $1 billion in revenue to bypass certain financial reporting requirements in the five years after filing for an Initial Public Offering, or IPO. For instance, those companies won’t have to conduct an external audit of their internal controls and only have to disclose two years of previous financial information rather than three.

• The bill’s intent is to spur growth of younger companies, with the idea of creating more jobs. Companies with less investor-friendly ideas could raise money more easily through the crowd-funding route, as well.

SOURCE: Education Week

• The JOBS Act also would allow companies that earn less than $1 billion in revenue to bypass certain financial-reporting requirements in the five years after filing for an initial public offering, or IPO. Those companies would not have to conduct an external audit of their internal controls and only would have to disclose two years of previous financial information rather than three.

One of the main reasons the education industry has been slow to embrace entrepreneurs as quickly as other sectors is the difficulty in raising capital in a highly regulated field skeptical of for-profit involvement. There are also few publicly traded companies in education, in part because of the difficulty of addressing both investors' and students' needs. The new legislation could put a dent in both of those barriers, though field experts expect the crowd-funding to have a larger impact.

"In K-12, it's a hard place to raise capital, and a lot of the entrepreneurs are raising less than $1 million anyways," said Adam J. Newman, a founding and managing partner of Education Growth Advisors, an education business advisory firm in Stamford, Conn. "It certainly creates a way for more dollars to come in."

A 'New Resource'

Formal and informal mechanisms are already in place for early-stage companies to raise money. In education, the NewSchools Venture Fund, based in San Francisco, for instance, invests in companies that may be too risky for venture capitalists. It is financed by a wide range of private donors. The organization recently announced the creation of an educational technology seed fund that aims to help ed-tech startups find early-stage funding.

For example, three years ago, NewSchools invested in BetterLesson, a Boston-based company that allows educators to use the Web to share and catalog lesson plans, after NewSchools recognized the need for such a tool in the education community. BetterLesson is quickly gaining traction among educators and, although NewSchools continues to contribute funding to the company, in its latest round of funding last August, most investments came from elsewhere, including traditional venture-capital firms.

The nebulous "friends and family" donation is another staple for early-stage startup companies. Those investments could be emboldened or even replaced by the crowd-funding initiative, said Steve Pines, the executive director of the Education Industry Association.

"It could represent an important new resource, particularly for the startups who don't have the rich uncle," said Mr. Pines, whose nonprofit organization is based in Vienna, Va., and helps education entrepreneurs connect with the K-12 market.

Though he doesn't think the JOBS Act would have a large effect on education startups, Tom Vander Ark, a managing partner of education venture firm Learn-Capital, in San Mateo, Calif., said the crowd-funding measure is conducive to companies "that advance social and return-seeking agendas," like those in education. People are more willing to invest small amounts in a company with less earning potential if it is helping education, he said.

Mr. Vander Ark said a more successful way to spur startup investments through federal legislation would be to open some of the U.S. Department of Education's innovation- and technology-related grants—such as the Investing in Innovation, or "i3" fund—to for-profit companies.

'Expensive and Onerous'

As for the IPO provisions in the bill, expert predictions fall short of a noticeable increase in such filings down the road. Mr. Pines said the bill could lead more companies owned by private-equity firms to go public, so private investors could see quicker returns on their investments, without as much hassle.

"[Current federal] requirements are expensive and onerous," Mr. Pines said. "So if those are suspended for five years, that's a big deal. Does it make the difference in going public? I don't know. But by suspending the requirements in the near term, it may give an early-stage company the kind of running space it needs."

Experts say the increasing flow of venture capital into K-12 and heightened interest in educational technology are generating opportunities for market newcomers, but the highly local nature of K-12 education makes it difficult for companies to grow quickly. After nine years of less than $100 million of venture-capital funds being invested in K-12 education, 2010 saw $131 million invested, followed by a major increase in 2011, to $334 million, according to statistics from the Chicago-based investment and consulting firm GSV Advisors. Those down years followed the dot-com bubble of the late 1990s when there was also a large flow of venture capital into K-12.

Proponents say the bill will allow companies to grow faster and, thus, hire more people.

Mr. Newman said some of the questions about investor protections and market saturation asked by opponents are legitimate ones. It's also worth questioning if the easier access to capital "disaggregates" the market, spreading thinner the money coming in, he said.But across all sectors, opponents to the legislation cautioned that loosening regulations on startup investments—many put in place following the burst of the dot-com bubble—could spur a repeat of that history. Despite its support in Congress, the bill was opposed by Securities and Exchange Commission Chairwoman Mary L. Schapiro, several major labor unions, and consumer-watchdog groups.

"Does it continue to enable businesses that shouldn't be funded to get dollars and crowd out more viable and credible businesses?" Mr. Newman asked. "I don't think the marketplace has a shortage of good ideas. It probably has too many."

You can read the article here:

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2012/04/04/27startup.h31.html?tkn=XOQFeNq7aL5BGzLiWu8vPuz4jrvO6zdBVeXN&cmp=clp-edweek