Screen Time—Can It Really Help Children Learn to Read?

I watched my 13 month-old granddaughter learn to screw off the top of a water bottle last night.  She was totally absorbed in getting her little fingers around the top and turning her wrist just right to get the top off and then putting it back on and turning it the other direction to get it back on. The intent and determined look on her face was precious. But as soon as her grandpa and dad started looking at the new features on their latest iphone updates, she dropped the bottle and reached for the phone.  What is the intrigue of screens for these developing toddler minds?

There is a great presentation at KBYU Eleven coming up titled:  Screen Time—Can It Really Help Children Learn to Read?”  Diena Simmons, the station manager, will discuss how TV, computer, tablet and mobile screen time can be leveraged to help children learn to read.  She’ll talk about what works, what doesn’t, and how parents and caregivers (including grandparents!) can tell the difference.  Plus she will review free resources that are available to almost every home through public television, America’s largest classroom.

The luncheon is on Wednesday,Oct. 2, 2013, 11:30 am-1:00 pm at KBYU Broadcasting (east of the Marriott Center, free parking for guests in the “Y” lot on the north side of KBYU).  

For a $10 donation to United Way of Utah County Welcome Baby program, you will be educated AND have a great lunch with a roomful of women like yourself.  There will even be door prizes!  So get a bunch of your friends together, find a babysitter and enjoy a midday break.

I feel pretty inadequate trying to keep up with technology for myself—my new iphone updates are still challenging me—but I sure want to keep up with what impact the screens at my house will have on my granddaughter’s development.

United We Stand to Give Back

Photo Credit

 I can't help but reflect on this day 12 years ago when the world changed forever. I was getting ready for school when my dad called my mom and told her to turn on the radio - I immediately ran to my siblings bedrooms and told them to run to the kitchen. We all gathered around to listen to what we thought at the time was an accident. My sister was 6, I was 12.

Where were you on September 11, 2001? What were you doing that day?  Let us never forget.  Remember , often without us knowing what is coming next.  

Take the opportunity today to share with your children the importance of service.

Here are 3 Service Ideas:

1. Write letters and draw pictures for troops, a teacher or a loved one.

2. Visit an elderly person in your neighborhood and offer to do yard work or clean their house.

3. Contact your local United Way and search for volunteer opportunities. 

Tomorrow is United Way's Annual Day of Caring!  Stay tuned for a recap of Help Me Grow's event!