General | Playtime

Video Gaming Plus Smartphone Equals Digital Goodness

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Video gaming is big business. The industry has come a long way from the Atari 1600 (if you are old enough to remember those) and the first Nintendo. Video gaming offers gamers more options, greater graphics and more realism. Gaming has even come to smartphones.

With digital technology and phones such as the LG Android phone, gaming on cellular devices has really taken off. When gaming was first introduced to cellular devices, it was very limited. Old-style arcade or board games with limited graphics were the norm, but with digital smartphone technology and 3D graphics, the possibilities are endless. Gamers have their choice of where to play their games. Virtually almost any game that can be played on a gaming console can be played on a smartphone.

Smartphone companies are offering bigger screens with HD capability, as well as different keyboards to gamers. Supplementary controllers that attach to smartphones for gamers are starting to be offered.

Have a game downloaded to your smartphone that you do not have on your gaming console? No problem, hook your smartphone up to your TV and stream it. The same game you play on a smartphone screen can be played on the flat screen at home. The only drawback? If you are a gamer who routinely throws your console controller down when you lose, don’t try that with a $300 smartphone!

Who knows, in the future, gamers may not need their consoles. They may just need a smartphone, digital technology and 3D graphics!

Filed Under: General, Sports & Hobbies Tagged With: Atari, Nintendo, Video game

Teaching Children the Importance of a Dollar

Children nowadays just don’t understand the value of a dollar. They easily take for granted where their clothing comes from, who pays the bills and who is working to keep the family afloat. While this might appear to be the norm, most parents do not want their child growing up with this type of attitude towards money and finances.

Luckily, you can do a few things as a parent to prevent your children from developing this type of attitude towards money and finances. Here’s a look at some examples of what parenting experts have recommended parents do in this type of situation.

Monthly or Weekly Allowance

Parenting experts recommend that you give your children a monthly or weekly allowance for doing basic chores around the house. This allowance money can be used for buying video games, seeing a movie or purchasing some Apple Bottom Clothes.

It must be made very clear to the child that you will purchase necessities like food and clothing, but luxury items can only be bought with their allowance. This will require your child to learn how to save and they will soon value the importance of a dollar.

Require Your Child to Start a Savings Account

Requiring that your child start a basic savings account can help them learn the value of a dollar. When you give them their allowance, have them sit down with you and determine how much they want to put away in savings. This will help them learn budgeting, saving money and the importance of money.

Following these guidelines will help you teach your children the importance of money and learning how to save.

Filed Under: General

Teens and Dating

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Dating is one of the central aspects of a teenager’s life as they begin to explore relationships outside of family and friends. This is a time of memories, risks and parental guidance. This makes this time a more manageable one for both parent and child.

When teens start to date, they must have a good foundation on which to base their choices. This is why it is essential that parents start communicating with their teens early on about sex, relationships and making wise choices. When parents talk openly about these subjects with a teenager, there is a greater chance that the child will in turn come to them with questions and problems. It is better that they learn about these things at home rather than at school from unreliable sources such as friends. They are able to make better choices when they understand risks and consequences for certain actions.

This is important when hormones start to rage and emotions get out of control. Parents should also keep close tabs on their teenager’s daily activities and plans. Know where your child is going, who he or she is with and set a firm time to be at home. This helps you to keep tabs on your child and help to protect him or her from risky situations When you create an atmosphere of trust, open communication and establish boundaries your teenager will weather this time much easier. It also helps to reduce the worry you often have about the choices that your teenager is making.

Filed Under: Family, General, Parenting Tagged With: Adolescence, Family, Parent

The Milestones During the Younger Years

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There are several major milestones that parents will see during the younger years. These are times of celebration and change in a child’s life.

One of the first major milestones that parents will see as their child grows is the immense expansion in a child’s ability to communicate around the age from one to three. During this time, the child is absorbing everything that she hears, sees, touches, tastes and feels. This in turn spawns a huge need to communicate with parents and family regarding the environment and the people in it. The child will begin to form words, ask questions and even to express her own opinion about things. Coupled with this is the child’s struggle to deal with and express emotions. They may act out and are often not able to express their feelings in an appropriate manner. This is a time for parent guidance and patience.

This is where the next major milestone comes into play. Parents will see a major change in emotional control as children start to share, see things from another’s person’s perspective and to control his or her own behavior in certain circumstances. Children at this time seem to change on a daily basis as internalize everything they have learned. Parents can be better prepared for these changes by learning themselves about the various stages of development that a young child goes through.

Even with knowledge of these different stages, children will often surprise their parents at what they are able to do. Young children can benefit from having parents who work to be positive role models.

Filed Under: Child Development, General, Parenting Tagged With: Child, Home, Parent