Cyber Savvy Mom

Fostering an interest in STEM topics at an early age is an important element of a child's ongoing education

BY JOAN GOODCHILD, CYBER SAVVY MOM

Many studies stress the importance of K-12 STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education. The benefits of incorporating STEMs lessons early in a curriculum include getting young thinkers to feel comfortable with scientific thinking, creative problem solving, collaboration and inventiveness.

Olu Ibrahim saw a need in Lowell to educate more children about skills and careers in technology. The need is unquestionable, she notes. In fact, Ibrahim says economic forecasts predict that by 2024, 80 percent of the top 10 most in-demand STEM jobs in the Greater Lowell area will be in technology. Now, as Executive Director of the non-profit Kids in Tech, her organization offers education that serves disadvantaged kids and offers interactive, free after school programs in computers and technology.

“Our programs focus on helping kids develop the necessary tech skills and aptitudes to participate in and be future leaders of the 21st-century innovation economy,” she said.

“The goal is to make a difference and impact change.”

Since its founding in 2016, Kids in Tech has offered programs at four different sites serving low-income kids in the Lowell area and is growing. Ibrahim says the organization plans to offer programs in more communities across the region and around the country in the future.

But Ibrahim says her work on STEM advocacy goes beyond regional boundaries. Every child and family can use more STEM in their lives. She encourages parents in communities everywhere to advocate for more STEM-based curriculum and support, regardless of location.

“Work to create local STEM ecosystems--your STEM ecosystem can be made of schools, afterschool programs, summer programs, science centers and museums, for example, that together constitute a rich array of learning opportunities for young people,” she said.

She also recommends community members advocate for policy changes to the local school board and work with STEM advocacy organizations to drive statewide STEM policy measures.

Ibrahim said parents are their child’s biggest advocate to remove “pre-existing cultural attitudes” around the STEM field, including who can or should learn these skills.

“Many parents feel anxious or lack confidence in their own STEM knowledge; something that may be passed onto their children,” she said.

Be mindful of your language and the message you are sending about your own experience with STEM topics and work and strive to connect STEM learning in school to the home.

Ibrahim recommends introducing STEM “in the context of developmentally-informed, playful learning—like block play, gardening, and exploring puzzles—which engages their own and their children’s curiosity and wonder.”

STEM skills are in high demand, and STEM industries are expected to grow significantly in the future economy. Engaging and interesting kids now in these areas can set a foundation that will likely serve them well in the future.

Do you have a question or a story suggestion for Cyber Savvy Mom? Contact me at joangoodchild@cybersavvymedia. com.

Ibrahim has these suggestions for getting kids interested in STEM

Encourage questioning. Asking questions sparks curiosity and that is what having a STEM mindset is all about.

Make career connections for your kids. Allow your child to see a link between something they are passionate about and a career. Nothing beats passion.

Seek out STEM extracurriculars. Visit a museum, enter a science fair or an engineering competition.

Watch STEM educational programming. Documentaries and tv shows on STEM topics can pique your child’s interest in the fields.

While families have made positive adjustments to accommodate work from home arrangements, balancing jobs and child care continues to be a challenge

BY JOAN GOODCHILD

When schools and office spaces suddenly closed one day during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March, most households were forced to make quick changes. For working parents, it meant not only shifting to long-term workfrom-home arrangements, but also figuring out how to get work done while assisting children who were learning remotely.

The mix of school, work and childcare in one household was a difficult adjustment, to say the least. For many during those first few harried months of COVID-19, getting through the end of the year with remote schooling was simply a matter of anxiety-filled survival.

“Trying to find a balance is incredibly difficult, if not impossible,” said Kelly Molter, a Shrewsbury mother of two children in third and sixth grade. “We're trying to be fully functioning employees while being there to support our children – each of which require our full attention. It's just not sustainable.”

The Molters made some changes to get through remote working and schooling in the spring, but hoped the pandemic would be over by the start of the new school year. By mid-summer, faced with the reality that the pandemic was far from over, they made the choice to have both children learn remotely, and buckled in for the long haul.

“Back in the spring we quickly threw workspaces together. But during the summer we made sure that everyone would have a dedicated workspace. We ordered desks, office and school supplies, additional charging cords, blue light blocking glasses. At the moment it seemed a little like overkill, but it turned out to be a really wise decision,” she said.

With dedicated workspaces in place, it is a little easier. But Molter admits that she still struggles with finding balance. She wants to give her all for her employer, but then feels guilty when her kids need her attention navigating their online learning.

Molter is far from alone in feeling this way, according to Daisy Dowling, a career coach and author of “Workparent: The Complete Guide to Succeeding on the Job, Staying True to Yourself, and Raising Happy Kids.”

“For years, all of us have been encouraged to think of ‘worklife integration’ as the goal, and gold standard. But now, that ‘integration’ has become a complete blurring of personal, professional and parenting lines,” she said. “If you’re working at home, you’re living at work – and you may also be full-time teaching, too. As a result, most of the working parents we teach and coach report tremendous stress and looming burnout – there is no ‘off.’”

This year’s work-from-home and teach-from-home blend is having a negative impact on parental careers, particularly the careers of mothers, according to some research.

While working mothers have always struggled with some bias in the workplace, the pandemic has exacerbated that. In the attempt to accomplish a near impossible task of being available to both a job and a child all day, it is causing friction with employers.

The recently released 2020 Women in the Workplace Report by LeanIn.org and McKinsey & Company examines the state of women in corporate America and surveyed more than 300 companies and more than 40,000 employees in professional jobs. Study authors found that mothers are more than twice as likely as fathers to worry that their performance is being judged negatively because of their caregiving responsibilities.

Other surveys find working parents do not feel their employer understands or offers the necessary flexibility during this time. According to a Monster. com survey conducted in August, 27 percent of working parents responded with “disagree” when asked if they feel their employer is supporting them during back to school time.

Dowling said without regular in-person contact in an office, communications between workers and their employers have declined, if they’re occurring at all.

“A significant percentage of the parents we counsel report not having had any direct, frank, constructive or forward looking conversations with their managers and/or colleagues about their efforts to manage work and caregiving simultaneously, and this is eight months into the pandemic. It’s essential to have those conversations in an upfront, yet solutions-focused way,” she said.

Dowling also counsels employers that small actions can make a big difference in the eyes of their workers. Companies that want to keep employees happy should make an effort to be mindful of what working parents are going through at the moment.

“One organization I spoke to recently has a new policy that meetings can only start 5 minutes past the hour, to accommodate parents who are dialing young kids into distance learning programs at the same time. Managers should be conscious of setting and respecting boundaries. Try to avoid sending messages outside of business hours, or if you do, label them as ‘For Monday,’or ‘FYI only’ so parents don’t have to be quite as hyper vigilant about work.”

There’s no question that lessons have been learned in the nine months since parents were first launched into the work-from-home/teach-fromhome conundrum. But there is likely still a long way to go on the road to a solution to the virus, and many families continue to struggle with balance.

If you haven’t already, set boundaries, advised Dowling.

“That might mean setting specific work hours, turning devices off at certain points in the evening, or setting a hard stop to the school day or school work after 3 pm. It is essential to be able to have that distinction, and sense of completion. To say: ‘I’m done with work, you’re done with school.’”

Laura Burgess, a Hudson mom of a fourth grader and ninth grader, works as assistant dean of the School of Management at Clark University in Worcester. With one child fully remote and another hybrid, she feels it is a luxury now to be able to go into her office on campus once a week, something that wasn’t allowed in the spring.

“Going into the office really makes a difference,” she said. “It gives me a day to feel like my old self, really focus on work, and also connect with students and colleagues in person — following many safety protocols — which is nice.”

For Burgess, another key to her sanity is a schedule that allows her to mix work with family time.

“I blocked off key times on my calendar on days I'm home and in charge of overseeing schooling. For example, my oldest has a lunch break at 11 a.m., so I don't schedule anything from 11-11:30 so I can join him for a walk and just chat about his day so far during his break.”

Molter and her husband, Brian, also find planning and scheduling makes life much easier. But she will be the first to tell you, it is still extremely hard on most days.

“Our daughter's weekly lesson plans are emailed in advance so we print off worksheets and get organized on Sundays. My husband and I try to touch base each morning and review our meetings for the day to make a plan. But most days inevitably go off the rails and we're still scrambling from one thing to the next.”

It’s crunch time for college applications.Should your senior include the pandemic experience in their college essay?

BY CASEY NEAR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COUNSELING FOR COLLEGEWISE

The normal process of applying to college has been upended by the pandemic, but one thing that remains constant is the need to write college essays. Beyond lists of achievements and activities on a college application, the essays allow admissions officers to get to know a student and view further into the type of person they are and want to become by pursuing a higher education degree.

This year, many students and their parents are wondering a similar question about these essays – does the pandemic belong in them? Or, do you need to mention it in your application at all?

The answer is both yes and no, because like everything when it comes to applying to college the answer must be based on personal experience.

COVID-19 affected everyone in the world, and, at the same time, no one experienced it in precisely the same way. Students can write about COVID in their personal statement, but they need to be sure to follow the rules of a good college essay: make sure that the essay is detailed enough that the student’s unique experience is really clear, and that it’s written in the student’s own voice.

Beyond the personal statement, it’s important to remember that there are other places to share about your life this year. In fact, there’s a specific COVID-19 question on the Common App for this exact purpose: to detail how your life may have been upended by this. If you have an update about this year -- be it losing a loved one or a parent or guardian lost a job – this is the place to share those details.

It’s also OK to leave this COVID section blank. Since COVID-19

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impacted everyone around the world, it will be part of the broad context of admission evaluation at every college this year. That means it's okay for students not to mention it in their applications at all. Nobody is going to forget students are applying to college during a pandemic.

Because the pandemic so profoundly impacted student’s abilities to participate academically, socially and athletically at their high schools this year, colleges will be taking that into account throughout application evaluations. Most schools moved online or to take-home packets during the pandemic, and a lot of schools changed their grading policies too.

For any university that asks for a school profile, the university will know about grading changes, and how a high school was impacted, because high schools will communicate that information to colleges and universities. And admissions will keep this in mind when reviewing applications.

Colleges also know that the SAT and ACT tests were canceled for hundreds of thousands of students, and as a result many colleges have gone test optional for this year’s applicants. If students decide not to submit test scores on their applications, there is no need to explain why.

Many “typical” activities also look different this year because of the pandemic, and that was largely outside of students’ control. What colleges would love to know is what students did with the opportunities that were in their control. The activities section of the application gives students the space to describe how they spent their free time during the quarantine. And here, there is no wrong answer. If a student spent the quarantine baking because a life goal is to open a bakery after earning a business degree, then that is great. Hobbies have always been valued (indeed, MIT has long asked, “what’s something you do just for the fun of it?”), so sharing something you do, well, just for the fun of it is also always encouraged.

Overall, what students need to remember is that college applications are an opportunity for them to introduce themselves to colleges, explain their passions and their goals. And that does not have to be defined by the pandemic, but it is okay to explain the impact it has had, if the student so chooses.

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BY AMANDA COLLINS BERNIER

For Bill Barnsley, life is better as Santa Claus.

The Sturbridge man so adores playing Father Christmas, he’s practically become Santa over the years. He wears his hair in wavy gray locks and a long beard covers his face all year round.

But being Saint Nick wasn’t even on his radar until three holiday seasons ago, when his manager at Walmart volunteered him for the role during one of his shifts. When he slipped on that red suit, Barnsley found it carried tremendous impact.

“There are things I can do in that suit -- connections I can make and memories I can create -- that would be impossible otherwise,” he said. “It’s really a magical thing.”

As any parent knows, it’s a magical thing for kids, too. Despite a trying year, American families remain strongly committed to maintaining the warmth and joy of Christmas this holiday season. A recent national survey found that 92 percent of American parents with children under 10 years-old want to hold on to holiday traditions as much as possible this year. And while a COVID Christmas might mean skipping that annual photo on Santa’s lap, there are still ways children can greet Kris Kringle -- 2020 style.

Barnsley is one of hundreds of Santas working this year with JingleRing, a platform offering live, virtual visits with Santa (and Mrs. Claus, too!), from the comfort of your couch. Starting at $19.95 for a recorded message and $24.95 for a live call, the experience includes a video recording and a photo from the call, and can accommodate up to four guests (ahem, grandparents).

These virtual visits, which can also be booked through sites including Cameo, Hire Santa, Santa’s Club, and Chatbooks, are exploding in popularity. And while seeing Santa on screen might feel different, in some ways, the trend could be for the better.

“A typical meet and greet with Santa means getting the kids dressed, fed and all in a good mood -- all at the same time,” said Barnsley. “Then you wait in line for two hours, take a quick picture and go.”

The digital visits are preplanned, take place in the familiar comfort of home, and can be customized to families’ specific wants and needs. JingleRing, for instance, allows you to choose the language Santa speaks, his ethnicity, whether they want a “faith-based” visit, one where Santa reads kids a story, or brings Mrs. Claus.

Santa’s coming to retailers on screen, too. At Yankee Candle Village, the flagship store in

Deerfield where Santa usually arrives by helicopter to much fanfare, the jolly old elf will be streaming from his workshop in the North Pole. For $10, guests can walk through a magical winter wonderland and enjoy a live video visit with Santa. Greenscreen photos with Santa and a personalized candle label are included in the experience.

Santa won’t be visiting the department store Macy’s this year, either — ending a nearly 160-year-old tradition. The chain’s 2020 Santaland instead is on their website, featuring holiday-related activities at home.

Other venues that Santa frequents are offering tweaked face-to-face visits. He’s still appearing at Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s, retailers known for their annual Santa experience. “With countless activities cancelled and many families dealing with added stress, we feel it’s more important than ever to provide some free Christmas magic and help safely create cherished holiday memories,” said Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris.

But this year’s free visits are contactless with a plexiglass shield between Santa and the kids. All families will complete temperature screening with a non-contact thermometer prior to entering Santa’s Wonderland, and online reservations are required.

Simon Property Group, which owns nine properties in Massachusetts including the Auburn Mall, Solomon Pond Mall, Emerald Square and the Shops at Chestnut Hill, is offering sociallydistanced holiday experiences that encourage reservations, wearing face masks and other health and safety procedures in order to keep families – and Santas – safe.

Of course, families can always turn to the old socially-distant tradition of sending letters to Santa in exchange for one back. The U.S. Postal Service has relaunched its annual Operation Santa campaign. Letters can be addressed simply to SANTA CLAUS, his official Postal Service address is preferred:

SANTA CLAUS 123 ELF ROAD NORTH POLE 88888

Write your full name and address in the upper left corner and apply a first-class stamp in the upper right. Letters will populate the USPSOperationSanta.com website, which opens for letter adoption on Friday, Dec. 4. Letters received before Dec. 15 are most likely to receive a response from a Santa volunteer.

Holiday celebrations may look a lot different this year, but the tradition of taking a holiday family photo continues, and will likely take on even more importance.

Whether you’re sending out hundreds of foil-embossed prints or deferring to digital this year, you want photos that capture the heart of your family.

“There’s quite a bit that goes into creating an amazing, yet natural holiday photo,” said Debi Cramer, founder and photographer at Plymouth-based commercial and fine art studio ThirtyEighth Avenue Photography who’s offering on-location front porch holiday photos this season.

Planning on taking your own family photo? Here are her insider secrets for stunning holiday photos:

Coordinate outfits color-wise. For example, if one person is wearing red plaid, make sure other family members are also wearing red or a complimentary color. Avoid wearing metallic. Solid colors such as white, red, green, gold and black are best. In groups of four, only one person should be wearing plaid or a pattern. And yes, coordinating pajamas work just fine. Don’t be afraid to incorporate textures by wearing a shearling jacket or polar fleece.

If you’re outdoors, don’t shoot into the sun as it washes out the photo. Campfire shots are not recommended as it’s difficult to frame people around a fire, plus there’s a lot of smoke and the glow affects lighting. If you’re indoors, use a flash to avoid a yellow tinge and shadows in your photo. Also, leave any lit candles or lamps out of your holiday shot.

Simplicity is key when it comes to backdrop. Limit what’s behind you. Multicolored lights on a Christmas tree in the background works well as the lights will fade out. Another great backdrop example is the side of a barn at a Christmas tree farm. Or, just the trees in the background (check your viewfinder to ensure it doesn’t appear as if branches are coming out of the top of someone’s head). If you wanted to get more elaborate, consider the tree backdrop with everyone seated on the tailgate of a red pick-up truck.

Mind the spacing between family members as they often stand or sit too far apart. Remember to leave enough space above people’s heads in the photo too. Otherwise, when the photo is framed, it cuts across the tops of heads. If you’re indoors, keep it simple and take a tight shot. No need to show the entire home in the photo. Again, be aware of any background items that make it appear too busy or as if the item is part of someone’s shoulder.

Try to avoid the stiff “super posed” portrait of yesteryear. If a large family is gathered, make sure that everyone is looking at the camera. Mind all hand, arm and leg positioning. Raising an arm or waving is not only distracting, it may block another’s face in the photo. In a photo with five or fewer - hugging, holding hands and engaging with one another appears natural.

The family photo can be fun and celebrate the season with some very simple props. The easiest prop is clothing such as scarves, hats and mittens. Other tasteful props include a nostalgic wooden sled, ice skates tied together and dangling over a shoulder, someone holding skis up or ski poles (pointed down).

A holiday photo really serves as a memory and marks a special moment. You may want to refrain from “cheesy” photos of pets adorned with holiday lights, or dad wearing a Grinch costume, or play-fighting with those ski-pole props mentioned above.

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