Why do competitions/contests work?

If your child shares a passion for an academic subject, sport or music, I recommend entering them in contests or bees or music festivals. The opportunity to participate and to put them in the company of other kids who share the same passion makes your kid appreciate what they are doing a lot more. For example, if your child enjoys Chess, find a local chapter where your child can practice and learn with other kids. If your child loves Geography or Math or Spelling, try to find a club or association that conducts these bees for younger kids.
It also instills a sense of competition and a spirit of sportsmanship while still teaching them to advance their skills. If they win, they feel proud of their achievement and want to do more. Even if they lose, treat this as a wonderful teaching moment where you can talk to them about trying harder, to never ever give up and to think positive. These are life's lessons and so teach them sooner than later.

How can I buy Organic and still save money?

I wish I knew earlier about the benefits of organic food. We prefer to be vegetarians. Only three years ago did I learn about which set of vegetables and fruits are high in pesticide content. Surprisingly, some of our favorites are on the top of the list. For instance, apples, strawberries, cucumbers, spinach, celery are high up on the list. So, in order to keep my grocery bill within our budget, I ensure that I follow the recommendations. Also, I do save money by not buying a lot of pre-packaged foods which carry a lot of preservatives, artificial colors and flavors.

I make sure that the following items on my grocery list are organic.
Dairy products--eggs, milk, cheese
Fruits- Strawberries, apples, peaches
Vegetables-Spinach, cucumbers, carrots

Please check this link for more information about what foods are higher in pesticide content...http://www.foodnews.org/fulllist.php. Also, check out your local farmers markets. Buying locally grown produce helps the environment. Talk to your local farmers about their farming practices to learn more about how they take care of their crops and land.

Have fun shopping!!

How to use Episodic memory to retain more facts!

Right from when my kids were very little and could hold a crayon, they have loved to doodle and progressed quickly to drawing. My daughter is an artist and has received awards for Art. I explain a lot of difficult concepts with ease if I can draw it, enact it or teach them in a place like a museum with props and pictures. My kids prefer it that way! So, last month when we were talking about "The Greenhouse Effect" and the role it plays in global warming, I used pictures and drawings to explain it. My kids learned about Carbon DiOxide when they were 3 years old when I explained Photo Synthesis to them. It may be hard to believe but young kids can learn anything! Later we learned about chemistry and how molecules are formed. So, when we discussed the Greenhouse effect, they were able to understand it very quickly.

Similarly when we talk about the eclipse, we not only draw but enact it as well. My daughter acted like she was the planet Earth and my son was the Moon and I was the Sun. We positioned ourselves like in an Eclipse.

What we are doing here is using our the Episodic Memory which is part of our Long Term Memory to help retain facts for a longer period of time. Episodic Memory is location and event driven and therefore, when we use props, locations, actors (ourselves) and/or experiences to teach new facts to children, children will retain these facts for a longer time.