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Pets are fun, cuddly playmates for kids, but have you heard anything about pets and child development? Most children love animals and at some point they desire to have a pet of their own. Now, before you say, “no way are we getting a pet!” there are actually some major benefits that pets provide for children.  Here are five things to consider related to pets and child development.

1. Pets are good for kids with autism

Studies have shown that children with autism have made substantial progress related to social interaction when they spend time with a pet.  This article emphasizes that it is the most beneficial to introduce a new pet into the family when the child with autism is around 5 years old. There are even some charity groups in Canada that have programs that provide service dogs for children with autism who qualify for services.  Pets are not only good for kids with autism, they can help all children develop proper social skills that can then be translated to human interaction.

2. Pets and child development, social development and responsibility

Pets are good for child development, social and emotional development and they help teach kids about responsibility. Pets can be a lot of work, and unless the child is given at least some of the responsibility to care for their pet the bulk of the work often falls on the parents. By giving your child the responsibility for their pet this will help them take care of other responsibilities like homework and prepare them for a future job. It is very important that you discuss responsibilities of having a pet before you get a pet.  The child should be clear that they would be expected to do their part to care for the pet and not rely on the parents to do all the work!

3. Pets can be used as therapy aids

Pets provide comfort and security for children dealing with family crises or depression.  Therapy animals are used in rehabilitation centers, hospitals, retirement homes, support groups and can be a wonderful therapy aid for kids as well.  For children who have gone through a traumatic experience or lost a loved one, a pet can be a wonderful comforter and companion.  Kids can even open up and share their deepest feelings with their pets that they might not be comfortable sharing with anyone else.  Pets can help them through the healing process and remain a solid and secure part of their lives.

4. Pets facilitate reading practice

Pets make great reading buddies at home and at school. Some schools have reading programs that encourage families to bring in their dog during reading time so that the children can practice reading to a dog buddy.  This can be a fun experience for kids especially if they get nervous reading in front of other kids and adults.  Kids can read to their pets at home as well, or even to a stuffed animal.

5. Pets encourage more physical activities

When kids are interacting with their pets this means that they are not glued to the television or computer screens.  Plus an added bonus to having pets is that it gets kids outside more!  Whether it is to walk the dog, bring the rabbit out to munch on some fresh greens or to push the guinea pig around in a toy stroller, pets get kids outside to exercise. Any kind of physical exercise is good for learning and the brain and it is good for kids’ overall health!

There are a lot of big things to consider when making the decision to get a pet. If you decide that the benefits of pets and child development outweigh the time and energy commitment then you may be looking for a new pet soon! There are so many different kinds of pets to choose from, so take your time in deciding what type of pet is the best for your child and your whole family.

Some may think that having a personal tutor is only for students who are really struggling in school or have the desire to go above and beyond regarding their educational success.  In more recent years the public schools have changed and so has the need for tutoring.  Today more than ever there is a need for more students regardless of their cognitive abilities to have their own personal tutors.  Here are 3 reasons why it is beneficial for students to have a personal tutor.

1.  A personal tutor is helpful for kids in large classes

Because of budget cuts, some school districts in Canada have had larger classes than they’ve had in the past. Large classes tend to have poor student outcomes that affect the students throughout all their years in the school system.  This is mainly due to the fact that it is difficult for teachers to give adequate individual attention and feedback to each student in the class.  Having a personal tutor is very beneficial for students who are in large classes and need some more personalized instruction.  This helps them keep up with the material being covered in class and stay motivated to learn.  British Columbia class sizes this year may be slightly up, but it is still less than the 2015-16 schoolyear, and teachers are fighting to continue to maintain these smaller class sizes.

2.  Personal tutors can help students meet grade level requirements

Over the years Canada and the U.S. have increased the grade level requirements for standardized tests.  Students who fail to meet the grade level expectations have to go back and complete that year of school over again.  This can be very difficult for students to deal with and should be the very last resort.  Hiring a personal tutor for a student who is struggling to pass grade level tests can help them keep up with the requirements and move on to the next grade level.

3.  Students with special needs benefit from having a personal tutor

Most public schools practice inclusion, which means that all students are placed in one classroom together with one teacher.  In these classrooms the teacher has to provide instruction for the whole class including gifted students and students with learning disabilities.  Students who are highly capable may find themselves bored and under challenged in the classroom and therefore benefit from having a personal tutor.  Students with learning disabilities may struggle in the regular classroom and will also benefit from having their own personal tutor.

Requiring the instruction of a personal tutor is not something students should be ashamed of.  Spending regular times with a tutor can enrich the learning experience and make school much more enjoyable.  Students can work with a personal tutor for one subject or multiple subjects.  Tutors have flexible schedules and a variety of instructional methods that can meet each individual student’s needs.  If you feel your child would benefit from having a personal tutor you can find a tutor in your area here.

Does your child struggle to learn new things in school?  It’s natural for parents to have the desire to help their children when they encounter difficult things.  Whether it’s learning how to ride a bike or master calculus the same principle can be applied: sometimes they have to struggle to learn on their own.  The hardest thing for adults is to realize that in order to learn how to do something and to master the skills, the learner must eventually do it on their own.  This means that adults have to learn to take a step back and let the child struggle a bit on their way to success.

Take your hands off and allow kids to struggle to learn on their own

In order for a child to ride a bike you have to let go of the seat and let them balance on their own. Yes, they may fall a few times, maybe even a lot of times and you’ll be there to help them get back on and try again.

As kids struggle to learn adults can provide encouragement

They might cry and get angry out of frustration and you’ll be there to encourage them to not give up and to see that with practice they CAN do it.  Allowing kids to struggle while they are learning something new does not mean adults should not be involved at all.  They play an important supportive role in the learning process.

Don’t do it for them! Letting kids struggle helps them learn

Your child may even beg you to put the training wheels back on and you may want to. Wouldn’t that be easier for everyone?  But at the end of the day, when they finally master their new skill and can successfully ride around the block on their bike, they will feel so much more confident having accomplished something on their own.

Once you really learn it, you don’t forget, even if it was a struggle to learn

The amazing thing about learning how to ride a bike is that once you learn how to do it, you rarely forget.  Learning in school works the same way.

Give students a chance to practice, make mistakes and learn

If the teacher explains  a new math concept  and  shows students  how to  do it  on the board, chances are the students won’t  be able to do a similar math problem on their own.  This is why teachers assign schoolwork that allows students to practice doing the math problems in class.

Homework is meant for the students to do, not the parents!

Homework is also assigned to give students the opportunity to practice the new skill even more.  If your child is struggling to learn a new concept and has difficulty with homework assignments, you aren’t doing them any favors by completing their homework for them.   They need to struggle to learn the new skills, and once they do, they will be able to do well on tests and future assignments without asking for your help.

If you are interested in finding out more related to this topic you can read this recent article written by Annie Murphy Paul that discusses when and how to let learners struggle.   Remember, by allowing your child to struggle during the learning process instead of rushing in to help them you are actually giving them an opportunity to learn even more!

In North America, children from all different cultures are in the same schools but they experience quite a variety of parenting styles at home.  There is no one right answer to what is the best parenting approach, but research does show what aspects of parenting styles produce better academic and social results for children.

Asian American parenting styles that break the stereotype

An article written by Su Yeong Kim is based on research she conducted based on over 400 different Chinese American families with different parenting styles. Her results showed that the majority of Chinese American families actually displayed a “supportive” parenting role rather than the “harsh” or “tiger” role that is often perceived as the norm for Asian families.  The research also showed that the children from families with “supportive” parents scored higher than children from “tiger” parented families.  These findings are contrary to the book “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother” where Amy Chua claims that tiger parenting produces the best results. This except from her book portrays her “tiger” parenting approach.

Balanced parenting styles that promote academic and social success

Studies have shown that parents with authoritative parenting styles often produce more successful children.  Authoritative parenting means that there is a definite involvement in the child’s education where the parents set high standards for their children and at the same time are supportive of their children.  There is an element of disciplining children for bad behavior and not letting them get away with being disrespectful.  This style of parenting is opposed to the authoritarian parenting style where the parents are so involved that there is little room for the child to do anything other than what the parents put pressure on them to do.  On the other end of the spectrum are permissive and neglectful or uninvolved parenting strategies where parents take more of a hands-off approach.  These parenting strategies end up having the most negative effect on children’s academic and social success.

More evidence supporting less pushy parenting styles

There have been many other recent articles pointing out the need for students to have some down time in their day.  Rather than filling their schedules with music lessons, sports and extra school work students actually do better having some time to do kid things and, heaven forbid, experience some boredom every once in a while.  This recent article actually encourages pushy parents to back off and give their children some time to be bored!  If children are constantly being stimulated all day this can actually negatively impact their social and academic development.

What is your parenting style? Are you open to adjust your approach?

As we can see from these various sources of research, children in most families, regardless of ethnic backgrounds, respond well to set expectations from their parents.  They also respond well to warmth and reassurance rather than shame and force.  If parents can adopt these supportive parenting styles and balance their involvement in their child’s education, extra curricular activities and free time then their children will have a good chance to succeed in both academic and social situations.

If you are considering whether or not to place your child into French Immersion the following post may be helpful to you.  There are a variety of positive outcomes of French Immersion programs as well as some challenges.  If you are concerned that your child will have difficulty keeping up in a French Immersion environment, French Immersion tutoring is also available and can be very helpful.

The benefits of French Immersion programs

Higher test scores:

In the year 2000 research done by the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) shows that students in French Immersion programs have significantly higher reading test scores than students who were in non-immersion programs.

More diverse learners:

Students in French Immersion programs tend to have a more diverse approach to learning and a greater appreciation of different cultures.  This is especially beneficial for students living in Canada where both French and English are the official languages.

Higher employment rates:

According to the 2006 census the employment rates for bilingual Canadians who are proficient in both French and English is higher than the employment rates of Canadians who speak only one of the official languages.  This is significant, and is a major reason why parents choose to enroll their children in French Immersion programs.

Economic benefits:

Another noteworthy statistic from the 2006 census is that Canadians who achieve bilingual status have a higher average income than those who only speak English or French.  This is true not only in Quebec but in a total of 6 of the provinces.

The challenges of French Immersion programs

Lack of resources for students with special needs and learning disabilities

Ideally teachers should be using various teaching strategies to accommodate all of the students in French Immersion classrooms. However, the issue in most French Immersion classrooms is that there are not always the resources to address all of the students’ needs.  According to Dr. Callie Mady once we identify the barriers that prevent students with learning disabilities from getting the proper instruction, then we can address those issues “with the goal of moving forward to greater inclusion of students with learning disabilities.”

Lack of retention of the French language

Students tend to lose their French language skills within a few years of leaving the French Immersion programs due to lack of use.  Surveys have shown that the percentage of Canadians with the knowledge of a second language (French) drops from 18.3% for students ages 15-19 to 9.4% for adults ages 25-29.

Additional learning support and French Immersion Tutoring

Removing students from French Immersion programs isn’t always the best solution

Although the common concept is that if students are struggling academically in a French Immersion school then they should be switched into an English only classroom.  Research shows that this is not always the best solution and that students who are switched into an English only classroom will end up doing worse than if they had stayed in French Immersion. Research by Fred Genesee shows that students with learning difficulties end up doing about the same in English classrooms and French Immersion classrooms.

How can French Immersion Tutoring help students in French Immersion programs?

One way to address the need for additional learning support is to arrange for students to meet regularly with a French tutor.  There is French Immersion Tutoring available that supports what the student is learning in the classroom.  French tutors can provide students with additional instruction and activities geared specifically toward that student’s particular learning needs.  Students with learning disabilities will benefit from personal French tutoring regardless of if they are in a French immersion program or in a core French program in an English speaking school.

Since French is one of Canada’s official languages, even if your child is not in French Immersion, chances are they will still study French at some point.  Regardless of whether you decide to put your child into a French Immersion program or not you will still have to consider what you can do to facilitate your child’s language learning.  Extra language practice outside of school is important to becoming fluent in French, so anyway you can encourage language practice is helpful!