Playtime. Downtime. Family Time.

In an article recently published online at KQED, an NPR Affiliate, Deborah Kris used these three words and the acronym PDF to highlight what kids need based on her conversations with Denise Pope, a senior lecturer at Stanford University's Graduate School of Education.

Here are a few highlights from the article:

(a) Playtime. Downtime. Family Time. (PDF) are crucial for the mental health of children. 

(b) Parents are encouraged to explore activities that maximize play, including taking advantage of local parks, pools, open gyms and other recreation centers. 

(c) Choice - "Let your child major in what they want to major in." In doing so, engagement will increase and students will learn at a deeper level because they are interested and more motivated to learn the materials. 

(d) Have a daily check-in that is tech-free focused around the student experience, their curiosity, and their lens. As Pope said, "We should be focused much more on: Are they resilient? Do they know how to cope with stress? Do they know how to get along with others? Do they know how to think outside the box and be creative?"  

Read the full article.