What will you do on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day?

Are your children home from school?  Do they know why they have the day off?

It is sad to think that many children will spend today enjoying their day off of school, but not take the time to learn more about Martin Luther King, Jr.

I admit that my children and I may go to lunch and maybe a movie to take advantage of a day home from school.  However I will also make sure that we talk about Martin Luther King, Jr. and what he did for this country.  I also want to give them a better understanding of who he was and why he is an important man in history.

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Friday Discussion Question:

What do you think of DVD players in the car?

I would have to say I have mixed feelings about this topic.  When my husband and I went to buy our family vehicle, we decided that we did not want to have a vehicle with a DVD player in it.  We felt that it would be too easy to put in a movie for any occasion. I have to say I am very happy with our decision.

I will admit that on a long trip we will bring the portable DVD player and let the kids watch a movie.  My definition of long trip is anything longer than 2 hours in the car.  However we found that watching movies in the car make my daughter car sick, so most times we don’t even use it.

I do not think it is right when parents put in a movie when they are simply doing day-to-day activities.  Why does a child need to watch a movie on their way to school?  Aren’t children in front of the TV and computer enough these days?

I think the car is a great place to talk with your kids about their day or plans for the week.  Why are parents turning on the DVD player instead of taking the time to talk with their children?

I also think it is good for children to simply look out the window and observe what is going on around them.  Let them look at the trees, buildings, people, etc.  Their minds need time to think and be creative, not entertained by a video.

Will you be teaching your children about Martin Luther King Jr. next Monday?

I realize that Martin Luther King Jr. day is not until Monday, January 18th.  However as a parent, planning ahead can make life easier.  Since my children will have the day off from school, I feel it is important that we discuss why there is no school and teach them about Martin Luther King Jr.

Yes I am sure that on Monday I could go online and quickly pull up an article or activity to do with my children.  I decided that I would take some time this week to look through a couple articles and activities and find one that would work well for both a 6 year old and a 3 year old.

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What types of activities do you do to teach letter recognition?

One activity is to have children highlight letters.  I don’t know about your children, but mine feel very important when they have a highlighter in hand.

To make it even more official, set up a desk and have your children play office.  The highlighting letters can be part of their “work” for the day.  Most kids love having important work that they need to do.

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For 2010, I have decided to try something new with my blog.  I’m going to call it, Discussion Friday.

Every Friday I will put up a question related to children, parenting, education, etc.  You can feel free to add your two cents for the day, or simply ponder the question and keep your thoughts to yourself.

Today’s Friday Discussion Question:

What is your opinion on children reading eBooks?

I have to admit I am not a fan of eBooks.  I do not like them for myself nor have I introduced my kids to them.  For me, reading means sitting down on the couch, getting comfortable and relaxing while I escape the real world and enter my book world.  I want my children to have this same experience.

Also when I spend time reading to my children, I want them on my lap or in bed next to me while we share the book together.  Pointing to the words, discussion the illustrations and simply holding the book in our hands.

Yes I realize in today’s society of technology, reading stories online is common.  However I don’t like that you lose the “cuddling” with your children when you use online stories.

I do realize that eBooks are a great tool for helping children learn to use technology.  They learn how to use the site, move the mouse, change the volume, etc.  But I’m still not sold on the idea.  Children are surrounded by technology, I feel we need to preserve the art of reading books.

I did find a useful site that lists a number of online stories for children.  If you are interested in using eBooks with your children, I recommend taking a look at it. Children’s eBook Sites