WOW,, I love the way they grow and continue being the greatest persons they know how to be!!
Friday, October 30, 2015
Wath a difference one year can make...
WOW,, I love the way they grow and continue being the greatest persons they know how to be!!
Monday, October 13, 2014
Sharing Great article around "smart or not so smart kids..." ??
How can we adults categorize and say our kids are smart or Not so smart??
I have always wondered what the word "smart" really means and more important what does it mean to our children?
I have learned these words in English: Book smart and street smart but are we leaving something out.... shouldn't there then be words like physically smart OR art smart? I think the word is miss used and the word we should really use the word "talented"
As a Mother of 2 and one daughter with slight dyslexia this has been very much talked about and addressed word and term to use in our family. Last year when then my 8 year old daughter came home in tears from school after only 2 days into third grade:
"Mom, I am not stupid!! I am smart and I can read, I am just not as fast at it as everybody else!!"
This is from a child who knows "all practice make better" ever since she started learning to zip her zipper and tie her own shoe laces. She was and is always the one to come up with an unusual solutions to a problem and showing great signs of creativity in technical and visual assignments, so what would be the "smart" word for this kind of child?
This will be a reoccurring subject in my blog posts I am sure!! ;-)
--Mia van Beek
As This article and video below will tell us.... we all learn differently and we all start the same but have different talents:
The way I praised her effort took a little effort on my part. If I hadn't known better, I might have just said, "Clever girl!" (Or even "Here, let me help you with that.") What's so bad about that? Read on.
Stanford researcher Carol Dweck has been studying motivation and perseverance since the 1960s. And she found that children fall into one of two categories:
Kids with a fixed mindset believe that you are stuck with however much intelligence you're born with. They would agree with this statement: "If you have to work hard, you don't have ability. If you have ability, things come naturally to you." When they fail, these kids feel trapped. They start thinking they must not be as talented or smart as everyone's been telling them. They avoid challenges, fearful that they won't look smart.
Growth mindset: 'The more you challenge yourself, the smarter you become.'
Kids with a growth mindset believe that intelligence can be cultivated: the more learning you do, the smarter you become. These kids understand that even geniuses must work hard. When they suffer a setback, they believe they can improve by putting in more time and effort. They value learning over looking smart. They persevere through difficult tasks.
What creates these beliefs in our kids? The type of praise we give them -- even starting at age 1.
The research
In one study, Dweck gathered up fifth graders, randomly divided them in two groups, and had them work on problems from an IQ test. She then praised the first group for their intelligence:
"Wow, that's a really good score. You must be smart at this."
She praised the second group for their effort:
"Wow, that's a really good score. You must have tried really hard."
She continued to test the kids, including presenting them with a choice between a harder or easier task.
Kids praised for their effort tended to take the challenging task, knowing they could learn more. They were more likely to continue feeling motivated to learn and to retain their confidence as problems got harder.
Kids praised for their intelligence requested the easier task, knowing there was a higher chance of success. They lost their confidence as problems got harder, and they were much more likely to inflate their test scores when recounting them.
Later, Dweck and her colleagues took the study out of the lab and into the home. Every four months for two years, Stanford and University of Chicago researchers visited fifty-three families and recorded them for ninety minutes as they went about their usual routines. The children were 14 months old at the start of the study.
Researchers then calculated how often parents used each type of praise: praising effort; praising character traits; and "other praise" that has a neutral effect, like "Good!" and "Wow!"
They waited five years.
Then the researchers surveyed the children, now 7 to 8 years old, on their attitudes toward challenges and learning. Children with a growth mindset tended to be more interested in challenges. Which kids had a growth mindset? Those who had heard more process praise as toddlers.
I give more examples of ways to praise effort in my book, Zero to Five: 70 Essential Parenting Tips Based on Science.
Can you unfix a fixed mindset?
I got an email from an inner-city high school teacher. "Is it too late to learn algebra, or third-person singular conjugation, or rocket science if you didn't [develop a growth mindset] when you were 4 years old?" she asked.
Dweck had the same question. So she took middle-schoolers and college students who had fixed mindsets. She found that the students were able to improve their grades when they were taught that the brain is like a muscle: intelligence is not fixed.
It's not too late -- not for your kids, and not for you. Salman Khan of Khan Academy is on a mission to let you know it. He created an inspiring video, based on Dweck's work, titled "You Can Learn Anything":
The message: The brain is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. The way you exercise your brain is by embracing challenges, practicing skills, learning new things. As Khan puts it, "the brain grows most by getting questions wrong, not right."
Which is why, when my toddler was trying to snap her own buckle, I needed to encourage her to take on the challenge by saying, "Almost!" and "Try again" instead of "Here, let me do that for you."
Pass it on
Sharing is caring, as they say. "If society as a whole begins to embrace the struggle of learning, there is no end to what that could mean for global human potential," Khan writes.
So pass it on!
I have always wondered what the word "smart" really means and more important what does it mean to our children?
I have learned these words in English: Book smart and street smart but are we leaving something out.... shouldn't there then be words like physically smart OR art smart? I think the word is miss used and the word we should really use the word "talented"
As a Mother of 2 and one daughter with slight dyslexia this has been very much talked about and addressed word and term to use in our family. Last year when then my 8 year old daughter came home in tears from school after only 2 days into third grade:
"Mom, I am not stupid!! I am smart and I can read, I am just not as fast at it as everybody else!!"
This is from a child who knows "all practice make better" ever since she started learning to zip her zipper and tie her own shoe laces. She was and is always the one to come up with an unusual solutions to a problem and showing great signs of creativity in technical and visual assignments, so what would be the "smart" word for this kind of child?
This will be a reoccurring subject in my blog posts I am sure!! ;-)
--Mia van Beek
As This article and video below will tell us.... we all learn differently and we all start the same but have different talents:
Why Some Kids Try Harder and Some Kids Give Up
by Tracy Cutchlow
My toddler struggled to buckle the straps on her high chair. "Almost," she muttered as she tried again and again. "Almost," I agreed, trying not to hover. When she got it, I exclaimed, "You did it! It was hard, but you kept trying, and you did it. I'm so proud of you."The way I praised her effort took a little effort on my part. If I hadn't known better, I might have just said, "Clever girl!" (Or even "Here, let me help you with that.") What's so bad about that? Read on.
Stanford researcher Carol Dweck has been studying motivation and perseverance since the 1960s. And she found that children fall into one of two categories:
- Those with a fixed mindset, who believe their successes are a result of their innate talent or smarts
- Those with a growth mindset, who believe their successes are a result of their hard work
Kids with a fixed mindset believe that you are stuck with however much intelligence you're born with. They would agree with this statement: "If you have to work hard, you don't have ability. If you have ability, things come naturally to you." When they fail, these kids feel trapped. They start thinking they must not be as talented or smart as everyone's been telling them. They avoid challenges, fearful that they won't look smart.
Growth mindset: 'The more you challenge yourself, the smarter you become.'
Kids with a growth mindset believe that intelligence can be cultivated: the more learning you do, the smarter you become. These kids understand that even geniuses must work hard. When they suffer a setback, they believe they can improve by putting in more time and effort. They value learning over looking smart. They persevere through difficult tasks.
What creates these beliefs in our kids? The type of praise we give them -- even starting at age 1.
The research
In one study, Dweck gathered up fifth graders, randomly divided them in two groups, and had them work on problems from an IQ test. She then praised the first group for their intelligence:
"Wow, that's a really good score. You must be smart at this."
She praised the second group for their effort:
"Wow, that's a really good score. You must have tried really hard."
She continued to test the kids, including presenting them with a choice between a harder or easier task.
Kids praised for their effort tended to take the challenging task, knowing they could learn more. They were more likely to continue feeling motivated to learn and to retain their confidence as problems got harder.
Kids praised for their intelligence requested the easier task, knowing there was a higher chance of success. They lost their confidence as problems got harder, and they were much more likely to inflate their test scores when recounting them.
Later, Dweck and her colleagues took the study out of the lab and into the home. Every four months for two years, Stanford and University of Chicago researchers visited fifty-three families and recorded them for ninety minutes as they went about their usual routines. The children were 14 months old at the start of the study.
Researchers then calculated how often parents used each type of praise: praising effort; praising character traits; and "other praise" that has a neutral effect, like "Good!" and "Wow!"
They waited five years.
Then the researchers surveyed the children, now 7 to 8 years old, on their attitudes toward challenges and learning. Children with a growth mindset tended to be more interested in challenges. Which kids had a growth mindset? Those who had heard more process praise as toddlers.
I give more examples of ways to praise effort in my book, Zero to Five: 70 Essential Parenting Tips Based on Science.
Can you unfix a fixed mindset?
I got an email from an inner-city high school teacher. "Is it too late to learn algebra, or third-person singular conjugation, or rocket science if you didn't [develop a growth mindset] when you were 4 years old?" she asked.
Dweck had the same question. So she took middle-schoolers and college students who had fixed mindsets. She found that the students were able to improve their grades when they were taught that the brain is like a muscle: intelligence is not fixed.
It's not too late -- not for your kids, and not for you. Salman Khan of Khan Academy is on a mission to let you know it. He created an inspiring video, based on Dweck's work, titled "You Can Learn Anything":
The message: The brain is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. The way you exercise your brain is by embracing challenges, practicing skills, learning new things. As Khan puts it, "the brain grows most by getting questions wrong, not right."
Which is why, when my toddler was trying to snap her own buckle, I needed to encourage her to take on the challenge by saying, "Almost!" and "Try again" instead of "Here, let me do that for you."
Pass it on
Sharing is caring, as they say. "If society as a whole begins to embrace the struggle of learning, there is no end to what that could mean for global human potential," Khan writes.
So pass it on!
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
2014 summer experiences
A commitment to my self is a minimum of 30minutes moving every day, I am now into my 7th week and already feel stronger with more energy,, but have to say the first 2 weeks was filled with clumsiness and terrible coordination with body and mind,, ha ha luckily it turned around!! This inspiration to change comes from seeing my Mother's struggle Physically with simple things during our visit in Sweden!
Also learning to treat myself for nice dinners, as any single parent can relate to , "how fun is it to cook for your self?" When kids are not around it's easy to ignore what we eat and especially to make it look delicious!
... trust me it doesn't happen every night ,,, but I'm learning
We did get a new family member this summer, Meet Bella!!! THE CAT that choose to live with us ;-) Long story short:
She wandered inside our place late one evening and didnt wanna leave, after a week we found her owner (who lives 2 blocks down) he says "I don't like the cat anyhow so you can have her,,, hmmmm ok I guess then we have a new pet!!
She is now officially ours AND the Boss around the house, if I don't give her food first in the morning she will Bite my ankles as a reminder,,, ha ha ha
WE love her and we know her LOVE is mutual!!
My little sister and her girls enjoyed a warm Swedish day at "Skärgården" .... more trip to Sweden events to come in separate post!
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
How can we parents stimulate our kids creativity?
Found this wonderful article through PBS kids, read and be inspired --Mia
| Creativity and Play: Fostering Creativity |
 Creativity is the freest form of self-expression and, for children, the creative process is more important than the finished product. There is nothing more fulfilling for children than to be able to express themselves freely. The ability to be creative can do much to nurture your children's emotional health. All children need to be creative is the freedom to commit themselves to the effort and make whatever activity they are doing their own. What's important to remember in any creative activity is the process of self-expression. Creative experiences help children express and cope with their feelings. Creativity also fosters mental growth in children by providing opportunities for trying out new ideas and new ways of thinking and problem solving. Creative activities help acknowledge and celebrate the uniqueness and diversity of your children as well as offer excellent opportunities to individualize your parenting and focus on each of your children. Opportunities for Creativity To fulfill your children's need for creativity and self-expression, be sure to provide activities that are based on their interests. Learn how to listen closely to what your children are saying. Offer your children a range of creative materials and experiences: drawing, painting, photography, music, trips to museums or zoos, and working with clay, paper, wood, water and more. Provide your children time to explore materials and pursue their ideas. Don't forget to give them time to talk these ideas over with other people, both adults and children. Varieties of Experience Look for ways to provide multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, and other community experiences for children. The more variety of experiences children have in their lives, the wider their range of creative expression. The more personal experiences your children have with people and situations outside of their own environment, the more material they can draw on to incorporate in their play. Creativity Traps Some parents and teachers have a hard time encouraging creative expression, even though they understand and appreciate its benefits. Maybe they don't feel creative themselves or are uncomfortable with the mess and materials. It's best to let your child tell you about their creation rather than guessing. Try not to judge, evaluate, or compare your children's creative expressions. A little assistance and direction can be helpful, but be careful not to interfere with your children's creative explorations. Fostering the Creative Process In order to foster the creative process, encourage your children to make their own choices. Give them frequent opportunities and lots of time to experience and explore expressive materials. What your children learn during the creative process is most important. Show your support for the creative process by appreciating and offering support for your children's efforts. Independence and control are important components in the creative process. This is especially true when working with children with disabilities. Creative Play One of the most important types of creative activity for children is creative play. Creative play is expressed when children use familiar materials in new or unusual ways, and when children engage in role playing and imaginative play. Nothing reinforces the creative spirit and nourishes a child's soul more than providing large blocks of time to engage in spontaneous, self-directed play throughout the day. But many parents misunderstand and underestimate the value of play in the lives of children, forgetting that play fosters physical, mental, and social development. Play also helps children express and cope with their feelings. Play helps develop each child's unique perspective and individual style of creative expression. In addition, play provides an excellent opportunity for integrating and including children with disabilities. Avoid dominating the play. Play should be the result of the children's ideas and not directed by the adult. Try to foster your children's abilities to express themselves through play. Try to help your children base play on their own inspirations, not yours. Your goal is to stimulate play and encourage children's satisfaction in playing with each other or by themselves. Pay attention to play, plan for it, encourage it. Learn how to extend children's play through your comments and questions. Try to stimulate creative ideas by encouraging children to come up with new and unusual uses of equipment. Try to remain open to new and original ideas and encourage children to come up with more than one solution or answer. Avoid toys and activities that spell everything out for your children and leave nothing to the imagination. http://www.pbs.org/wholechild/parents/play.html |
Monday, April 15, 2013
March 2013 exciting travels.....
Winter came in March to Virginia with heavy white beautiful snow! I Followed up with a trip to NYC for friends and the Jewelry trade show, Formia Design decided to take the step into new technology in welding.
My dear friend Katherine and I on her roof in NYC
EASTER then banged on the door,,,, to make sure the bunny didn't miss any blond van Beek girls he came a few days early,,,, you never know if he makes it to Jamaica!
Monday, February 11, 2013
Spoiling our kids or is it just frequent special moments?
In memories of myself growing up there was these special moments of joy of playing "a recorded of the tv movie" to be seen for the maybe tenth time on a Friday evening,,,,,, now,,, find your self one on the lap top or the IPad,,,,
Nellie has a tendency to bring it one step further,,,, to be noted after I found her.... that was her LAST time with treat and electronic on the toilet ;-)
then it is about the bubbles in the tub,,,, if my mother then actually got the "real" bubbles and not just soap,,,,
Treats of all kind even if it is for a special moment seam to have changed in the shape they come in,,,, now longer a pale, leaning, messy looking, homemade birthday cake and no longer the ice cream stays with one topping.....
so is all this so bad because it used to be different at one point in the past ,,,, this is a brand new generation with brand new expectations and access ???
I think as long as we keep our minds in a loving, friendly, excited and caring state and teaching our children to still fully appritiate and remember what they might have or not, and share the special moments with them so that they remember us parents as present for them in their future memories!
Then I think we can even remove the ice cream totally to fit more toppings!!
Be there for your children and share their time with them, that's not spoiling our children,,,
is my thought of the week!!
family pendantFriday, February 1, 2013
I am back into blogging ;-)
A new year has started and so has a new beginning of my blog
dont know yet whats going to be placed here but hoping I can share tips up downs of being a working mother of two! A lot have happened since last posts we keep going forward, my youngest daughter Nellie has turned 6 and I look at her with amazement over her creativity , sense of humor, stubbornness, strong opinions and constant giving of love
sending a strong and full with LOVE thought over to my Mother right now recovering from her spinal surgery since Tuesday, I wish so much I could have been closer to her and helped her through the pains and worries, Jag alskar dig , Mamma
At work Formia Design I now have not only one co worker "Joan" who is "my rock" in the office and keeping myself and our client's updated with every detail
At the work bench there is now also Jordan who eagerly working his way through his training, he brings his calm, strong sense of detail and new way of looking at things, I am excited to see what future holds for him ;)
........more about them is to come in near future!
All these changes and help at work will hopefully get me a tiny bit more time to enjoy the motherhood and start creating new ways of bringing Formia design into the future!
A story to be continued...... is the fact of a order shipped out yesterday to a very famous, funny and well respected actress...... I am hoping to post her response and feedback very soon.....
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