Date: Nov 6, 2016
Yesterday, I introduced a new game to Kay. So, as you can see, he is trying to solve the puzzle. But he got few mistakes.
Of course, Jay has played it long time ago. But did no play it for a long time too.
And this is the first game I allow him to install on his mobile phone.
Surprise!!! Yes, Jay has been using a smartphone for a year, but there is no games until now.
They are playing Sudoku.
I recalled when I first get my iPhone back in 2006, this is the game I played the most.
It is a simple game, but challenging.
This is how I teach them…
1. If you have mistakes when you play the game, that means, you have “higher chance” to make mistakes in your math exam or math test. Think about it. You not suppose to make any mistake in the “Easy mode”.
2. Your eyes have to constantly scan the rows, and columns. As well as the square of 9 too. Your eyes have to be sharp when playing this game. That is why when you are in “Easy” mode, you cannot make mistake. I give them an analogy, “If you are in the battle field, and you are a scout and your job is to scan the enemy, if there are 8 enemies and you reported 7. You make a mistake. But this mistake will cost you because, the unaccounted one, can easily kill your platoon from the dark. So, that is the “mistake” we cannot have. I further illustrate the “iron ring” from my Canada engineering school. This ring is to remind engineer must always do the calculation correctly. If not, people will die because of the iron bridge collapsed. The “iron ring” is made from the iron bridge that collapsed due to mis-calculation in design phase.
3. Next, I am teaching them “Algorithm”. How you solve this Sudoku problem. You have a routine and process. Once you stick with that process, you are likely to solve it. Start from 1, 2 and 3 scan the numbers lines and columns until 9, and then, go back to 1 again. If you do not follow the process, the steps you will likely lost count and start to make mistakes.
Now let’s talk about the kids having the smartphones.
Kids use smartphones for two things.
1. They thought they are doing social networking, but they are actually doing anti-social activities. They cannot see it themselves. And it has to be the parents to guide them. The most easy way to guide them is, try not to use your smartphone and read messages all the time in front of them. Monkey see monkey do. May be do your best, 70% talking to them, 30% see Whatsapp message when you eat with them. That is why bringing story books, bringing board game to lunch and dinner is important activities to play with the kids. Not all parents are perfect, so, try your best. Make sure you aware about this problem, before you scould them “you guys playing too much on your iPhone, etc etc.”. Very important!
2. Rules and regulations. To own and use an iPhone, you must comply to the following. Sorry, there will be no games installed on your iPhone. If there are, it shall be Sudoku or any kind of games that can provide brain stimulations. Just imagine a smart phone that has 1 game. And with that 1 game, the child has no choice he will play because of “nature”. So, he will become focus, and skillful at it and at the same time, stimulate their brain.
3. Also, for me, I never look at their messages. Let the kids have their own privacy. This is very important as it is the basis of our human rights. Even if you scare they mix around with wrong crowds, and learn the bad things… hey, every one has to go thru this phase. Checking on their phones is not the way. Talking to them from time to time is. Discuss openly on the topic such as Suicide case, or the student got caned because taking upskirt photos which is wrong. Ask them, what is the topic their Whatsapp group is chating. So, hopefully, you get your quality time spent with your kids and thus build the strong trust between you and the child.
4. Deal with addiction. There are again, two kind of addiction. I) A pure desire to play games on the smartphone. II) A pure desire to “win” the games when playing the games on the smartphone. The formal is easy to tackle, load them with a lot of interesting things to do, so that they spent lesser time on iPhones. Or don’t install the games at all. If you give the phone, and you download games for them to play, so, you cannot complaint them for getting addicted to it. So, kids need to learn why they should not be addicted to these games. I am more afraid of the second addiction. Once you are at the game, you want to best it. You not playing it for killing time, but you want to best it. That can be dangerous, as this can evolve into bad habit, such as gambling. Gambling can be a bad addiction too. And if you think about it… hey, if you train from young to beat the odds, when you grow up you can have slightly higher chance to become a gambler. As for becoming others, such as drugs addicted or even taking obscene photos of others are not the right thing to do. So, they are in P4, so it is right time to discuss about these issue. Make sure they burned into their head, “this is the wrong thing to do”. Technology can do wonder things. Once you have it, you need to be responsible using it.
5. Remember, at the same time, kids must have their fair share of their happy childhood. Only happy childhood days can make the kid great! They will have lesser chance of becoming bad. If the kids is sad about something, and they are not open up their mind to talk about it, then, you have to watch out. Try change some of the strategies of raising your kids. Make sure they get their happiness first. Then, you can talk about care, trust and others.
Always remember, kids at this age, monkey see monkey do. So, if you don’t want your kid to pick up any bad habit, start from today, try not to do those habit yourself.
