“Study: Young kids better with tech than 'life skills' - CNET News” plus 1 more

Study: Young kids better with tech than 'life skills' - CNET News

Posted: 19 Jan 2011 05:54 PM PST

A survey of online mothers found that more small children can play a computer game than ride a bike. The Digital Diaries study from Internet security firm AVG said that 58 percent of children aged two to five know how to play a "basic computer game" compared with 52 percent who know how to ride a bike. Sixty-three percent can turn a computer on and off, and 69 percent can use a mouse. By contrast, only 20 percent can "swim unaided," 11 percent can tie their shoelaces without help, and 20 percent know how to make an emergency phone call.

The study polled of 2,200 online mothers of children between two and five years old in the U.S., Canada, the EU5 (U.K., France, Italy, Germany, Spain), Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, according to AVG.

Other interesting findings are that 25 percent know how to use a browser, 16 percent can navigate between Web sites, 15 percent know at least one Web address, and 19 percent know how to operate a smartphone or a tablet. On the analog side of life, 39 percent know their home address, 27 percent can make their own breakfast, and 37 percent can write their first and last name.

The study also found that mothers older than 35 are "marginally better at teaching their children life skills," which the survey defines as non-tech skills like making breakfast or riding a bike. The study also concluded that "there is no tech gender divide between young boys and girls. As many boys [58 percent] as girls [59 percent] can play a computer game or make a mobile phone call [28 percent boys, 29 percent girls]."

While I guess it's great that kids are so tech-savvy, the study points out that they may not be getting the "life skills" they need in other areas of their lives. In an interview, AVG's Tony Anscombe said "Because we (adults) are so connected, maybe what we don't understand is what we're actually doing is connecting our children the same way, and it's becoming normal for them and maybe we're ignoring some of those life skills as well."

Anscombe added, "as parents there is a digital responsibility to be had. We need to look at making sure that we give our children a balanced life and a mix of both life skills and technical skills."

What we don't know from this data is how children might have done with life skills in the pre-computer age. I did come across a document (PDF) from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission that suggests that ages four and five are when it's appropriate for kids to "ride small bicycles."

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php
Five Filters featured site: So, Why is Wikileaks a Good Thing Again?.

Kid’s bowling shoes: The simple buyer’s guide - YAHOO!

Posted: 10 Jan 2011 11:03 AM PST

This article was produced by a member of the Yahoo! Contributor Network, where users like you are published on Yahoo!

As a parent, one of the common requests from any child that begins to participate in any sport is the dreaded, "I want new equipment!" It's a given, but it's a necessary evil, despite the costs. What's more, debating the pros and cons of certain, individual pieces of equipment can be a daunting task. This is especially true, as it pertains to the individual sport of bowling and its decades-old dilemma: ball or shoes? For most, the answer is: footwear!

When choosing bowling shoes for kids you want to consider a few things first before your purchase. First, determine how serious your child is about bowling. If they're not sincerely dedicated, you're destined to relinquish a hearty chunk of change for a top brand name like Dexter, only to have your child quit and retain a very costly pair of bookends.

That being said, if your know child is serious and sincere; you should spend ample time considering a good-quality, hard-use, name brand like Dexter. The following options are considered some of the best kid's bowling shoes in recent creation.

Glo-Alien by Etonics: Ideal for beginning bowlers, the Glo Alien bowling shoes deliver the right balance of comfort and durability. It features a soft, synthetic upper shoe with elastic tongue straps, essential for a secure fit. The rubber outsole is coupled with "Perfect Slide" technology for a longer, safer and more controlled slide. These shoes retail for around $30-$40 on sites like Amazon and Ebay.

Youth Cranium by Dexter: The Cranium is a soft, yet durable, man-made shoe featuring a modern, glow-in-the-dark skull, for the "hip" bowler. The foam-padded tongue and micro-fiber slide soles create a comfortable, aesthetic shoe with advanced performance. They retail around $55-$60 and are available from Dexter Bowling.

Youth Rental by Dexter Bowling: Created to look and perform like a standard rental shoe, yet comfortable enough to be a sneaker, the Youth Rental holds true as one of the most affordable, high-performance, youth bowling shoes on the market. Sold at prices near $25-$35 from Dexter bowling and websites like Amazon and Ebay, the Youth Rental make buying bowling shoes for finicky kids a simple process.

Remember, whether your child remains an occasional bowler or makes the lanes a permanent second home, understand the importance of choosing the proper bowling shoes. They can and will contribute to the quality, performance and enjoyment of your child's game.

-SOURCES-

Glo-Alien by Etonics, http://www.amazon.com/Etonic-Little-Glo-Alien-Youth-Bowling/dp/B002GYWA7O

Youth Cranium by Dexter Bowling, http://www.dexterbowling.com/Product.aspx?ProductID=4999

Youth Rental by Dexter Bowling, http://www.amazon.com/Dexter-Bowling-Youth-Rental/dp/B002UGE9L8/ref=pd_sim_shoe_2

*Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.