AMCS Faculty

Too many books, too little time! Never the less, here are some recent discoveries for our professional side, our personal side and for parents and children: Books for our role with technology:' Glow Kids: How Screen Addiction Is Hijacking Our Kids - and How to Break the Trance Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television  This is an older book on the effects of advertising on children.   Distracted:  The Erosion of Attention and the Coming Dark Age Last Child in The Woods  Failure to Connect   Books that bring us understanding of others: This is a very, very small sample of some good books that promote understanding of others.  www.multiculturalchildren When I Was Young in the Mountains   Cynthia Rylant's enduring favorite "When I Was Young in the Mountains" is the tale of her own childhood growing up in the Appalachian mountains of West Virginia. The gently repetitive text details ...

FAMILY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT INFLUENCE IN A CHILD'S LIFE, BUT TELEVISION, VIDEOS AND GAMES ARE NOT FAR BEHIND. THESE MEDIA CAN INFORM, ENTERTAIN, AND TEACH US. HOWEVER, SOME OF WHAT THEY TEACH MAY NOT BE THE THINGS YOU WANT YOUR CHILD TO LEARN. TV PROGRAMS, VIDEO GAMES AND COMMERCIALS OFTEN SHOW VIOLENCE, ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE, AND SEXUAL CONTENT THAT MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN OR TEENS.  HOW SCREEN TIME AFFECTS YOUR CHILD : THERE ARE MANY WAYS THAT MEDIA AFFECT YOUR CHILD'S LIFE. WHEN YOUR CHILD SITS DOWN TO AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING: Time Children in the United States watch over 6 hours of TV every day. Watching movies and playing video games only adds to time spent in front of a screen. It may be tempting to use television, movies, and video games to keep your child busy, but your child needs to spend as much time growing and learning as possible. Playing, reading, and spending time with friends and family are much healthier than sitting in fr...

  Ah!  Spring   Spring is often brief here in Houston , but it is glorious for a while, isn’t it? You may have read some of the recent information and research about the effects of children being out of touch with nature.  The reasons for this disassociation with one of our most important needs vary among different regions and groups.  Of course climate plays a large role:  ice, snow, rain and other wintry weather can keep children inside.  In Houston , heat is sometimes a factor, although mornings and evenings are usually bearable.  Some of the strongest factors however, come from a source we would not expect:  parents. Parents are busier than ever.  Time before and after work is often taken up with shopping, meals, and planned activities.   Also, fear plays a large role in keeping children inside.  Parents fear insects, traffic, abduction, and germs.  We have become conditioned t...