Kiddemy

Shouting at toddlers may feel like discipline, but neuroscience shows it can be harmful. Stanford research finds that yelling activates the same brain regions as physical pain, signaling danger to a child’s nervous system.

When a toddler hears raised voices, their brain interprets it as a threat rather than instruction. Stress responses surge, increasing heart rate, cortisol levels, and fear, which undermines learning and emotional regulation.

Repeated exposure to shouting can create heightened sensitivity and anxiety. The brain links anger and loudness with danger, making children more reactive or withdrawn in stressful situations.

Effective discipline relies on calm guidance and consistent boundaries. Using gentle communication, modeling patience, and redirecting behavior teaches children self-regulation without triggering fear responses. This approach strengthens trust and supports healthy brain development.

Understanding the impact of yelling reframes discipline. Toddlers need safe, predictable environments to learn, grow, and develop resilience. Recognizing shouting as a threat rather than instruction allows parents to guide behavior while protecting the child’s emotional and neurological well-being.

After a long break, keep these 3 R’s in mind and at the forefront of your practice.

Regulation: Long breaks disrupt routines and bring a wide range of emotions back into the room. Children need time and space to regulate, and honestly, you probably do too. Young children rely heavily on co-regulation with you, so start there. Take slow, deep breaths, and keep the classroom dim and the pace gentle (if possible). Be patient and kind to yourself and the children. Remember, movement is a primary way children regulate their bodies, so expect and plan for it rather than working against it. Don’t stress about jumping straight into curriculum.

Rhythm: Returning to a predictable routine matters, but flexibility within that rhythm matters just as much. Children are recalibrating. Build in more opportunities for free play within your blocks of time and allow extra time for transitions. This isn’t lost time, but rather, it’s how everyone settles back in.

Relationships: Connection is what anchors everything back together, and connection leads to cooperation. Prioritize check-ins, shared laughter, and time side-by-side. When children feel safe, seen, and reconnected, learning naturally follows. There is no rush and no race here. You and the children feeling good is the most important piece in all of this.

Wishing everyone a gentle, joyful start to the new year. ❤

ឪពុកម្តាយជាច្រើនឱ្យកូនលេងទូរស័ព្ទ ឬមើលទូរទស្សន៍ ព្រោះពួកគេរវល់ អស់កម្លាំង ឬត្រូវការពេលស្ងៀមស្ងាត់បន្តិច — នេះគឺជារឿងដែលអាចយល់បាន 💛
ប៉ុន្តែបើកុមារប្រើអេក្រង់ញឹកញាប់ ឬយូរពេក វាអាចប៉ះពាល់ដល់ការអភិវឌ្ឍរបស់កូនដោយមិនដឹងខ្លួន។

នេះគឺជាផលប៉ះពាល់មួយចំនួនដែលឪពុកម្តាយគួរតែដឹង 👇
📱 ការលេងទូរស័ព្ទ ឬមើលទូរទស្សន៍ច្រើនពេក អាចបណ្ដាលឱ្យ៖
❌ ការផ្តោតអារម្មណ៍ខ្លី
❌ កុមារខ្វះចំណាប់អារម្មណ៍លើសៀវភៅ របស់លេង និងការរៀន
❌ ការអភិវឌ្ឍភាសា និងការទំនាក់ទំនងយឺត
❌ ខ្វះចលនា និងសកម្មភាពរាងកាយ
❌ ខ្វះឱកាសអនុវត្តការគិតដោះស្រាយបញ្ហា និងភាពច្នៃប្រឌិត

កុមាររៀនបានល្អបំផុត មិនមែនពីអេក្រង់ទេ — ប៉ុន្តែពី ការលេង ការនិយាយ ការប៉ះ និងការធ្វើដោយខ្លួនឯង។

ដំណឹងល្អគឺ 🌱
កុមារមិនចាំបាច់ត្រូវការទូរស័ព្ទដើម្បីនៅស្ងៀមទេ។
ពួកគេត្រូវការ ការទំនាក់ទំនង ការចូលរួមសកម្មភាព និងការណែនាំពីមនុស្សពេញវ័យ។

👉 ក្នុងផុសក្រោយ ខ្ញុំនឹងចែករំលែក សកម្មភាពងាយៗដែលឪពុកម្តាយអាចធ្វើនៅផ្ទះ ដើម្បីឲ្យកូនរវល់ សកម្ម និងរៀនដោយគ្មានអេក្រង់។

💬 សូមខំមិនខាងក្រោម៖
កូនរបស់អ្នកនៅមុខអេក្រង់ប៉ុន្មានម៉ោងក្នុងមួយថ្ងៃ?

[English below] ***********************

Many parents give phones or TV to children because they are busy, tired, or need quiet time—and that’s understandable 💛
But when screen time becomes too frequent or too long, it can quietly affect a child’s development.

Here are some effects parents should know 👇
📱 Too much phone or TV time may cause:
❌ Short attention span
❌ Less interest in books, toys, and learning
❌ Delayed language and communication skills
❌ Less movement and physical activity
❌ Fewer chances to practice problem-solving and creativity

Children learn best not from screens—but from playing, talking, touching, and doing.

The good news? 🌱
Children don’t need phones to stay busy.
They need connection, activities, and guidance from adults.

👉 In the next post, I’ll share simple activities parents can do at home to keep kids engaged, active, and learning—without screens.

💬 Comment below:
How much screen time does your child usually have per day?

អូនៗធ្លាប់អត់ចង់ធ្វើ homework អត់?

The world needs this kind of education 🫶🏼🫶🏼

In Japan, early childhood education places far less emphasis on formal examinations than in many other countries. Until roughly the age of ten, children are generally not subjected to high-stakes academic tests. Instead, the focus of the early school years is on helping children adjust to group life, develop curiosity, and build a positive relationship with learning. Academic skills like reading, writing, and arithmetic are introduced gradually, without the pressure of ranking or constant assessment.

During these formative years, schools deliberately prioritize social and moral education. Children are taught kindness, empathy, cooperation, and respect for others through daily routines rather than textbooks alone. Activities such as cleaning classrooms together, serving lunch to classmates, and resolving conflicts as a group help reinforce compassion and responsibility. This approach reflects the belief that strong character and social harmony are the foundation for later academic success, and that nurturing thoughtful, considerate individuals matters just as much as intellectual achievement.