Providing a better Learning Environment

[alisaken]

I know it’s quite conservative but I really want to limit my boy’s time spent on watching TV.


It’s really easy for him to get distracted and spend the whole night watching TV shows.

Do you think it would be too strict?

[Will_lim]

Actually is there any food that can make one more awake? I don’t really recommend coffee of course. Caffeine is not so good for health. I remember when I did my "O" levels I used to drink orange juice or Chicken’s Essence in the morning before the exam. Gave me such a mental boost!! And of course, when I was young, I also took Cod Liver Oil. Yummy!


Anyone else gives their kids interesting food?

[bebebub]

:hi5:

slmkhoo:

alisaken:

I know it's quite conservative but I really want to limit my boy's time spent on watching TV.


It's really easy for him to get distracted and spend the whole night watching TV shows.

Do you think it would be too strict?

Then we are even more conservative. In Pr school, my kids didn't even watch TV daily, and there was a period we didn't have a TV. If there was free time after schoolwork was done, they would read or play, and sometimes watch videos but the time was limited to 1 hr (max) and not every day. I always told them \"the OFF switch is there for a reason...\" Even during weekends they only watched a couple of hours at most. We also limited computer time to 40 mins at a time, and not every day.

:hi5:
my P4 dd didn't watch TV except the occasional times when there is a very good program, which is very rare. She reads or do other stuff in her free time. No computer access at all except for school related stuff. It may seem cruel to some, but I feel that she is not missing out on anything by not watching tv or accessing the computer. JMHO

Back to the topic, TV is also mostly out for my 4 year-old, especially when jiejie is doing her work. It helps to minimise undue distraction. Hence a better learning environment.

[janet88]

Will_lim:

Actually is there any food that can make one more awake? I don't really recommend coffee of course. Caffeine is not so good for health. I remember when I did my \"O\" levels I used to drink orange juice or Chicken's Essence in the morning before the exam. Gave me such a mental boost!! And of course, when I was young, I also took Cod Liver Oil. Yummy!


Anyone else gives their kids interesting food?

I drink coffee every morn...need that cup in order to kick start my day.
Hated the taste of chicken essence, original cod liver oil and pig liver.

I furnished my kids' rooms with 3M polarizing table lamp. It makes a difference.
Home-cooked meals even if just a soup is very nourishing.
Cut down on canned drinks, sweets and chocolate.
Nordic cod liver oil...peach flavor. For DHA.
Air con. A cool environment helps to learn better.

[bleeze]

Will_lim:

Actually is there any food that can make one more awake? I don't really recommend coffee of course. Caffeine is not so good for health. I remember when I did my \"O\" levels I used to drink orange juice or Chicken's Essence in the morning before the exam. Gave me such a mental boost!! And of course, when I was young, I also took Cod Liver Oil. Yummy!


Anyone else gives their kids interesting food?

I give my kids Green Tea. It somehow makes one more awake.

[iggy]

Water to keep them hydrated. Get them interested in general knowledge and current affairs. TV is surprising a good medium for that but need choose program such as discovery national geograhic.

[Coolkidsrock2]

No facebook access. No wii and iphone in my home. Weekly swimming lessons. Classical music when they study cos there is a school of thought that it improves memory - Mozart effect. No harm if it is not true, benefit DC if it is true.

[Will_lim]

I agree with limiting TV time for my children, I believe some of the TV programs are too violent and do not teach them anything useful but rather encourage them to show bad behaviour. National geographic, discovery channel are channels that teach them useful and interesting things that can help them at school.


Reading, there are plenty of books out there designed specifically for children and a wide variety for all taste (fiction, comics, science, etc) reading helps children to remember good grammar and learn new words.

[Will_lim]

I agree with limiting TV time for my children, I believe some of the TV programs are too violent and do not teach them anything useful but rather encourage them to show bad behaviour. National geographic, discovery channel are channels that teach them useful and interesting things that can help them at school.


Reading, there are plenty of books out there designed specifically for children and a wide variety for all taste (fiction, comics, science, etc) reading helps children to remember good grammar and learn new words.

[gimme_a_break]

A quiet room and a clean, uncluttered desk would definitely help them concentrate. I think TV and the Internet, esp Facebook and YouTube, are really distracting to revision. But if it motivates the kiddos, I would reward them with little treats like \"after revising two units, you can surf the net for an hour.\" They can't possibly study non-stop all day so why not make it less of a mundane chore for them?


Mums and dads can also try not to hover over them like a hawk. They may not say it aloud but it inevitably adds further pressure on them. I know that many would specially take no-pay leave to monitor your child's progress at home and would do all we can, but sometimes it is more for the sake of exerting control because we know that when they reach O Levels and A levels, we can't really help them with the revision already so the PSLE is the only time we can still be in control.