It’s summer vacation time! Parents, even when school is out, learning should still be on the agenda. Maria Antonia Pinon is director of the All Aboard Family Literacy Program at Miami’s Institute for Child and Family Health. She says research shows that if you don’t keep your child’s brain active during the summer break, they could lose two-and-a-half month's worth of math skills, and a year’s worth of reading skills. That’s an entire grade! The good news is – summer offers many opportunities to challenge a kid’s brain. Pinon is a big advocate of recreational reading, both by adults and kids. She says children learn by imitation. If Mom or Dad picks up a book, the child will follow suit. If the child can’t read yet, read to him! Any kind of learning, when attached to love, will create a habit. Also, summer is a great time to expose kids to difficult subjects in a new way. Anne Rambo is a family therapy professor and author of I Know My Child Can Do Better! She says that learning shouldn’t be all about flash cards and workbooks. Here are some of her suggestions, courtesy of the Miami Herald.
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