Open Discussion Forum

Hi, 

As one who works with parents and teachers of young children  I love this forum.

I am collecting stories about occasions when  preschool and kindergarten teachers perceive that difficulties with relationship, attention and/ or play reflected  how time was spent at home. Can be a few sentences or give it full-throat. I deeply appreciate any stories you can tell me.

Here's the background:
Over 20 years ago, in response to what I saw as a lack of imaginative play for my own child's peers,I founded a craft center for children, pre-school age during the day and after school hands-on learning and theater. From that experience, I founded Healthy Media Choices, which focuses on how to help teachers and parents be intentional (no- not against) about media  use in young children's environments. I taught courses on  Children and Media at Fordham and Adelphi Universities.

For me now, the central question revolves around how all the impressions a child receives from the environment affect relationship, attention, and play. Media can be a big part of the constellation of those influences.

Thanks so much for anything you can share!  Mary

------------------------------
[Mary] [Rothschild]
CA]
------------------------------

Hi Mary,
Here is an anecdote for you:

This year, I have a little boy in my class who has trouble understanding his peers' imaginative play.  He often asks questions during play time like, "Why did they do that?"  He doesn't always seem to understand that others are pretending.  His language is often disjointed and most of his spontaneous conversation revolves around video games he plays with various family members.  He is readily accepted by his peers and they don't seem to understand he is not on the same page as others, but he often sticks out from an adult perspective.  Ironically, while his social skills need a lot of development, he has been reading fluently for over a year and he only turned 5 in November.  Parents and grandparents are very proud of this but I have deeper concerns about his overall development.  Beyond my social concerns, he has low gross motor and fine motor skills; is unable to keep up physically with his peers on the playground and draws very lightly with crayons.  He is able to read yet cannot write his name.  I have spoken to his grandmother about the amount of screen time he is exposed to at home and the effect on his development yet still don't see much change in this area over the last year.  Parents both work full time, grandmothers are strong caregivers in his life, and they are often overwhelmed by him, his baby brother, and baby cousin as they care for all at once.  I understand why it is easy to hand him the iPad but am concerned about his long term future in the social sphere.

Hope this helps,
Sherrie Rose

------------------------------
Sherrie Rose Mayle
Director/Teacher
Campbell Parents' Participation Preschool
Campbell, CA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-14-2019 08:39 PM
From: Mary Rothschild
Subject: Introducing myself and a request

Hi,

As one who works with parents and teachers of young children  I love this forum.

I am collecting stories about occasions when  preschool and kindergarten teachers perceive that difficulties with relationship, attention and/ or play reflected  how time was spent at home. Can be a few sentences or give it full-throat. I deeply appreciate any stories you can tell me.

Here's the background:
Over 20 years ago, in response to what I saw as a lack of imaginative play for my own child's peers,I founded a craft center for children, pre-school age during the day and after school hands-on learning and theater. From that experience, I founded Healthy Media Choices, which focuses on how to help teachers and parents be intentional (no- not against) about media  use in young children's environments. I taught courses on  Children and Media at Fordham and Adelphi Universities.

For me now, the central question revolves around how all the impressions a child receives from the environment affect relationship, attention, and play. Media can be a big part of the constellation of those influences.

Thanks so much for anything you can share!  Mary

------------------------------
[Mary] [Rothschild]
CA]
------------------------------

Thanks so much, Sherrie. This is helpful and thorough help from "the front lines" Let's stay in touch.

All the best,

Mary

------------------------------
[Mary] [Rothschild]
CA]
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-16-2019 09:11 AM
From: Sherrie Mayle
Subject: Introducing myself and a request

Hi Mary,
Here is an anecdote for you:

This year, I have a little boy in my class who has trouble understanding his peers' imaginative play.  He often asks questions during play time like, "Why did they do that?"  He doesn't always seem to understand that others are pretending.  His language is often disjointed and most of his spontaneous conversation revolves around video games he plays with various family members.  He is readily accepted by his peers and they don't seem to understand he is not on the same page as others, but he often sticks out from an adult perspective.  Ironically, while his social skills need a lot of development, he has been reading fluently for over a year and he only turned 5 in November.  Parents and grandparents are very proud of this but I have deeper concerns about his overall development.  Beyond my social concerns, he has low gross motor and fine motor skills; is unable to keep up physically with his peers on the playground and draws very lightly with crayons.  He is able to read yet cannot write his name.  I have spoken to his grandmother about the amount of screen time he is exposed to at home and the effect on his development yet still don't see much change in this area over the last year.  Parents both work full time, grandmothers are strong caregivers in his life, and they are often overwhelmed by him, his baby brother, and baby cousin as they care for all at once.  I understand why it is easy to hand him the iPad but am concerned about his long term future in the social sphere.

Hope this helps,
Sherrie Rose

------------------------------
Sherrie Rose Mayle
Director/Teacher
Campbell Parents' Participation Preschool
Campbell, CA

Original Message:
Sent: 01-14-2019 08:39 PM
From: Mary Rothschild
Subject: Introducing myself and a request

Hi,

As one who works with parents and teachers of young children  I love this forum.

I am collecting stories about occasions when  preschool and kindergarten teachers perceive that difficulties with relationship, attention and/ or play reflected  how time was spent at home. Can be a few sentences or give it full-throat. I deeply appreciate any stories you can tell me.

Here's the background:
Over 20 years ago, in response to what I saw as a lack of imaginative play for my own child's peers,I founded a craft center for children, pre-school age during the day and after school hands-on learning and theater. From that experience, I founded Healthy Media Choices, which focuses on how to help teachers and parents be intentional (no- not against) about media  use in young children's environments. I taught courses on  Children and Media at Fordham and Adelphi Universities.

For me now, the central question revolves around how all the impressions a child receives from the environment affect relationship, attention, and play. Media can be a big part of the constellation of those influences.

Thanks so much for anything you can share!  Mary

------------------------------
[Mary] [Rothschild]
CA]
------------------------------

Sherrie Rose and Heather,

The observations and insights you give are right at the heart of so many questions about accessing good resources for parents to determine whether behavior or developmental flags are because of systemic or environmental issues, or both. 

I'm preparing to present a workshop on communication with parents around these topics at the CAAEYC conference in April and it is helpful to hear what teachers and childcare providers see as concerns and questions.

Even though my emphasis has been on media use, my work is a little like the soy milk in the dairy aisle - I'm in that ballpartk, but my emphasis is really on how whatever time parents have can be used to foster relationships, attention spans, and resiliency.

All the best,

Mary Rothschild
Director, Healthy Media Choices

------------------------------
[Mary] [Rothschild]
CA]
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-16-2019 04:41 PM
From: Mary Rothschild
Subject: Introducing myself and a request

Thanks so much, Sherrie. This is helpful and thorough help from "the front lines" Let's stay in touch.

All the best,

Mary

------------------------------
[Mary] [Rothschild]
CA]

Original Message:
Sent: 01-16-2019 09:11 AM
From: Sherrie Mayle
Subject: Introducing myself and a request

Hi Mary,
Here is an anecdote for you:

This year, I have a little boy in my class who has trouble understanding his peers' imaginative play.  He often asks questions during play time like, "Why did they do that?"  He doesn't always seem to understand that others are pretending.  His language is often disjointed and most of his spontaneous conversation revolves around video games he plays with various family members.  He is readily accepted by his peers and they don't seem to understand he is not on the same page as others, but he often sticks out from an adult perspective.  Ironically, while his social skills need a lot of development, he has been reading fluently for over a year and he only turned 5 in November.  Parents and grandparents are very proud of this but I have deeper concerns about his overall development.  Beyond my social concerns, he has low gross motor and fine motor skills; is unable to keep up physically with his peers on the playground and draws very lightly with crayons.  He is able to read yet cannot write his name.  I have spoken to his grandmother about the amount of screen time he is exposed to at home and the effect on his development yet still don't see much change in this area over the last year.  Parents both work full time, grandmothers are strong caregivers in his life, and they are often overwhelmed by him, his baby brother, and baby cousin as they care for all at once.  I understand why it is easy to hand him the iPad but am concerned about his long term future in the social sphere.

Hope this helps,
Sherrie Rose

------------------------------
Sherrie Rose Mayle
Director/Teacher
Campbell Parents' Participation Preschool
Campbell, CA

Original Message:
Sent: 01-14-2019 08:39 PM
From: Mary Rothschild
Subject: Introducing myself and a request

Hi,

As one who works with parents and teachers of young children  I love this forum.

I am collecting stories about occasions when  preschool and kindergarten teachers perceive that difficulties with relationship, attention and/ or play reflected  how time was spent at home. Can be a few sentences or give it full-throat. I deeply appreciate any stories you can tell me.

Here's the background:
Over 20 years ago, in response to what I saw as a lack of imaginative play for my own child's peers,I founded a craft center for children, pre-school age during the day and after school hands-on learning and theater. From that experience, I founded Healthy Media Choices, which focuses on how to help teachers and parents be intentional (no- not against) about media  use in young children's environments. I taught courses on  Children and Media at Fordham and Adelphi Universities.

For me now, the central question revolves around how all the impressions a child receives from the environment affect relationship, attention, and play. Media can be a big part of the constellation of those influences.

Thanks so much for anything you can share!  Mary

------------------------------
[Mary] [Rothschild]
CA]
------------------------------

The student you describe sounds a lot like someone with high functioning autism. I would strongly urge them to speak to their pediatrician. Unfortunately, it greatly depends on each school district on if they would qualify for an autism diagnosis. I know of several students who were diagnosed by one of the leading autism centers, Waisman in Madison, Wisconsin, part of the University of Wisconsin healthcare system, but, due to wording from the state's educational department, don't qualify for an autism diagnosis in the school districts. I always suggest families start with their own doctor.

------------------------------
Heather Finnegan
Preschool Teacher
Our Redeemer Lutheran Church with School
Delavan WI
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-16-2019 09:11 AM
From: Sherrie Mayle
Subject: Introducing myself and a request

Hi Mary,
Here is an anecdote for you:

This year, I have a little boy in my class who has trouble understanding his peers' imaginative play.  He often asks questions during play time like, "Why did they do that?"  He doesn't always seem to understand that others are pretending.  His language is often disjointed and most of his spontaneous conversation revolves around video games he plays with various family members.  He is readily accepted by his peers and they don't seem to understand he is not on the same page as others, but he often sticks out from an adult perspective.  Ironically, while his social skills need a lot of development, he has been reading fluently for over a year and he only turned 5 in November.  Parents and grandparents are very proud of this but I have deeper concerns about his overall development.  Beyond my social concerns, he has low gross motor and fine motor skills; is unable to keep up physically with his peers on the playground and draws very lightly with crayons.  He is able to read yet cannot write his name.  I have spoken to his grandmother about the amount of screen time he is exposed to at home and the effect on his development yet still don't see much change in this area over the last year.  Parents both work full time, grandmothers are strong caregivers in his life, and they are often overwhelmed by him, his baby brother, and baby cousin as they care for all at once.  I understand why it is easy to hand him the iPad but am concerned about his long term future in the social sphere.

Hope this helps,
Sherrie Rose

------------------------------
Sherrie Rose Mayle
Director/Teacher
Campbell Parents' Participation Preschool
Campbell, CA

Original Message:
Sent: 01-14-2019 08:39 PM
From: Mary Rothschild
Subject: Introducing myself and a request

Hi,

As one who works with parents and teachers of young children  I love this forum.

I am collecting stories about occasions when  preschool and kindergarten teachers perceive that difficulties with relationship, attention and/ or play reflected  how time was spent at home. Can be a few sentences or give it full-throat. I deeply appreciate any stories you can tell me.

Here's the background:
Over 20 years ago, in response to what I saw as a lack of imaginative play for my own child's peers,I founded a craft center for children, pre-school age during the day and after school hands-on learning and theater. From that experience, I founded Healthy Media Choices, which focuses on how to help teachers and parents be intentional (no- not against) about media  use in young children's environments. I taught courses on  Children and Media at Fordham and Adelphi Universities.

For me now, the central question revolves around how all the impressions a child receives from the environment affect relationship, attention, and play. Media can be a big part of the constellation of those influences.

Thanks so much for anything you can share!  Mary

------------------------------
[Mary] [Rothschild]
CA]
------------------------------

I would encourage the family to consider an evaluation for autism.  The pediatrician's office can do (and should be doing) a simple screening called the M-CHAT for this purpose.  If you think the family will resist pursuing this you might want to say that children with autism can be very very intelligent, but be hampered by by their different social skills.  If someone helps him learn about things like pretend play and interacting with others about THEIR interests at this age he will be establishing habits that will make life much easier for him in the coming years.  While folks like Bill Gates and Albert Einstein had great success they probably had an even more difficult time in middle school than their peers.  It's much easier to learn these things the younger you are and you want to help him meet his full potential in the future.  (If Bill Gates couldn't convince anyone else about what he knew we wouldn't have Microsoft today.)

In case you need it for this discussion, the statements that lead me to this concern are:
"He doesn't always seem to understand that others are pretending."
"His language is disjointed"
"spontaneous conversation revolves around video games" (or one specific topic, whatever that might be)
"low gross and fine motor skills"

Good luck!  I'd be happy to answer questions if you have them.  


------------------------------
Chris Schmidt
Special Instructor
MO First Steps
St Louis, MO
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-16-2019 09:11 AM
From: Sherrie Mayle
Subject: Introducing myself and a request

Hi Mary,
Here is an anecdote for you:

This year, I have a little boy in my class who has trouble understanding his peers' imaginative play.  He often asks questions during play time like, "Why did they do that?"  He doesn't always seem to understand that others are pretending.  His language is often disjointed and most of his spontaneous conversation revolves around video games he plays with various family members.  He is readily accepted by his peers and they don't seem to understand he is not on the same page as others, but he often sticks out from an adult perspective.  Ironically, while his social skills need a lot of development, he has been reading fluently for over a year and he only turned 5 in November.  Parents and grandparents are very proud of this but I have deeper concerns about his overall development.  Beyond my social concerns, he has low gross motor and fine motor skills; is unable to keep up physically with his peers on the playground and draws very lightly with crayons.  He is able to read yet cannot write his name.  I have spoken to his grandmother about the amount of screen time he is exposed to at home and the effect on his development yet still don't see much change in this area over the last year.  Parents both work full time, grandmothers are strong caregivers in his life, and they are often overwhelmed by him, his baby brother, and baby cousin as they care for all at once.  I understand why it is easy to hand him the iPad but am concerned about his long term future in the social sphere.

Hope this helps,
Sherrie Rose

------------------------------
Sherrie Rose Mayle
Director/Teacher
Campbell Parents' Participation Preschool
Campbell, CA

Original Message:
Sent: 01-14-2019 08:39 PM
From: Mary Rothschild
Subject: Introducing myself and a request

Hi,

As one who works with parents and teachers of young children  I love this forum.

I am collecting stories about occasions when  preschool and kindergarten teachers perceive that difficulties with relationship, attention and/ or play reflected  how time was spent at home. Can be a few sentences or give it full-throat. I deeply appreciate any stories you can tell me.

Here's the background:
Over 20 years ago, in response to what I saw as a lack of imaginative play for my own child's peers,I founded a craft center for children, pre-school age during the day and after school hands-on learning and theater. From that experience, I founded Healthy Media Choices, which focuses on how to help teachers and parents be intentional (no- not against) about media  use in young children's environments. I taught courses on  Children and Media at Fordham and Adelphi Universities.

For me now, the central question revolves around how all the impressions a child receives from the environment affect relationship, attention, and play. Media can be a big part of the constellation of those influences.

Thanks so much for anything you can share!  Mary

------------------------------
[Mary] [Rothschild]
CA]
------------------------------