Kid – Pluto Blogs

Childrens Educational Software

Children’s educational software is widely available in schools, and to parents who want to make their home a healthy, learning environment for their kids. Even public libraries and museums, nongovernmental organizations and children’s hospitals have this software available.

Benefits of children’s educational software

By integrating technology into the learning environment, children’s educational software can make learning highly personalized. The child can manipulate the software to fully understand the concepts being taught. They do not feel judged, even if they are slow-learners. The software can repeat information an infinite number of times without a problem.

Children’s educational software also extends curriculum choice and helps develop multiple intelligences. For a very small investment, schools and parents can exponentially extend their current information libraries for kids. There is no need to build additional infrastructure or spend money on additional books. Everything is in one software package.

Children’s educational software can o help build learning ‘communities’ that are connected either physically or virtually. Such software is typically linkable to other computers (and therefore other users). Some functionalities allow students to interact, form teams, or simple help each other out.

Buying children’s educational software

You can acquire children’s educational software either off-the-rack from software specialty stores, or through special authorized educational resellers. For use in schools and other learning institutions, the manufacturer or developer of the software usually gives licensing discounts and extra after-sales support. You can buy campus and school agreements, either open or select licences, and student and teacher licences, among many others. More often than not, manufacturers and developers of children’s educational software give low-cost, comprehensive licensing agreements for the unique needs of primary and secondary educational organizations on an annual basis. They also offer volume-licensing arrangements exclusively to educational institutions, so that these schools can take advantage of significantly lower volume-based pricing.

Child Support

Child support is defined in many countries as the ongoing obligation of a non-custodial parent to a custodial parent, guardian, or caregiver to make payment for the support of children who are the result of a relationship or marriage that has broken down. The conditions for child support are often settled as a part of the arrangements of a divorce, dissolution, annulment, or marital separation of a civil union. It may also be arranged as a supplement or in addition to alimony or spousal support.

Child support is established regardless of the child being born within the confines of a marriage. Paternity or maternity has to be established for a child support obligation to be enforced by a competent court.

The idea of child support is founded on the policy that biological parents have the obligation to support their children, even when the children are not living with both parents. Child support is basically a proportion of the costs involved in raising the child. Financial support for a child by a non-custodial parent remains an obligation even when the other parent has been restricted legally from participating in the upbringing or in making decisions for the welfare of the child. In some jurisdictions, however, child support is typically tied to visitation rights of a non-custodial parent. Should the custodial parent refuse to give the other parent visitation rights, the non-custodial parent may ask the court to stop support payments temporarily. The non-custodial parent may also petition the court for additional visitation rights.

In some cases, the court allows the financial arrangements to be settled by both parents; however, in other cases, the court involves the state in the collection of financial support for the child in order to ensure a continuity of the child support payments. Also, in cases wherein the state is not involved in the collection of the payments, the non-custodial parent may petition for the court to order an accounting of the child’s expenses in order to ensure that the payments are solely being used for the support of the child.

Child Support Laws

Family divorce law in most states stipulates that judges may have flexibility in determining the amount of child support. Judges, therefore, also have the authority to go beyond the state guideline amounts as required by specific circumstances.

Income

Typically, the parent who earns more or has significantly larger assets is ordered by the court to shoulder most of the child support. If, for example, the parent responsible for raising the child earns more or has more assets than the non-custodial parent, then the non-custodial parent will be ordered to pay a lesser amount of support. This is still true if the situation is reversed. The standard of living enjoyed by the family before the divorce will be taken into consideration by the judge and, depending on the costs or standards, the judge may order the non-custodial parent to pay much more than the state guidelines in order to achieve the same standards for the children.

Unemployment, health problems, bankruptcy

If the non-custodial parent is unemployed, suffering from health problems or has declared bankruptcy, the judge is subject to consider the inability to pay support altogether and may suspend child support payments temporarily until circumstances change or until the parent finds a better job. After getting a better job, the judge may order the non-custodial parent to reimburse the other parent for the expenses incurred in those months that payment was suspended.

Split custody

Split custody is the situation wherein a child or children common between parents split the year between their parents such as being with one parent for the duration of the school year and spending the summer with the other parent. Another example of split custody is when one child lives with the mother and another child lives with the father. In cases wherein the parents opt for split custody, certain guidelines for child support may also be suspended. The judge will allocate child support based on what is already being paid by both parents each year.

Child Support Enforcement

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, there are about 68% of child support cases that have arrears owed in 2003, compared to 53% in 1999. This means that there are more non-custodial parents not being able to pay the assessed rates for their child support.

Non-compliance to Child Support.

In most cases, the non-custodial parent is the father and non-custodial parents who avoid or do not comply with their obligations for child support. These parents are termed deadbeat parents, hence the term ‘deadbeat dads.’ It is a stereotype or prejudiced characterization, which fails to consider that non-custodial parents are, sometimes, simply unable to pay the assessed rates assigned due to certain circumstances.

One study shows that in Illinois, 38% of non-custodial parents who do not pay child support claim that they do not have the money to pay; 23% said that their non-payment is an act of protest for the lack of visitation rights given to them; 14% complained that they have no proof of accountability that the money they give will be used solely for child expenses; 13% said they do not want anything to do with their children; and the remaining 12% denied parentage altogether.

State Intervention

Many states have taken to suspending an individual’s licensesx97for example, his or her business license, driver’s license, or contractor licensex97if there is a significant arrearage in child support payments or if the individual does not pay support consistently. This authority of license suspension, however, does not extend to professionals licensed by non-government agencies.

In other states, like Texas, for example, non-custodial parents with accrued payments of up to 3 months are required to make court-ordered payments, which will be deducted directly from their wages. They may also have their income tax refunds, lottery winnings, or money due from the state intercepted by enforcement agencies for child support. Non-compliance of a non-custodial parent to make child support payments may also result in a prison sentence of up to 2 years through a judgment of past due child support.

Child Support Calculators

Child support payments are now required by federal law to be set according to a guideline. These guidelines prevent the amount of child support being ordered in different courtrooms to differ greatly from each other. Most states have established formulas to be used in order to objectively determine the amount of support a non-custodial parent would pay a custodial parent.

Child Support Formula

The formula in determining the amount to be paid for support is based on the net incomes of both parents. In order to get the net income, mandatory expenses such as income taxes, Social Security and Medicare tax, union dues, and health insurance dues are subtracted from a parent’s gross income or the amount of income from wages and investments.

Aside from net income, there are also different factors considered in determining child support, such as the time spent with the child and the number of children between the parents. Special circumstances are also factored into the formula. These include extraordinary medical expenses, travel expenses for child visitation, special education needs, and uninsured losses.

Calculators

Calculations for child support are an important part of settlements after a divorce or separation. Using child support calculators allows couples to determine the appropriate amount to settle the issue of child support amicably.

It is still advisable, however, to consult with a licensed attorney regarding the child support calculations because the results of most calculators online are usually intended for situations wherein there is sole custody of the child (joint physical custody or split custody is not assumed) and are therefore only estimates that would most likely be different from the amount ordered by the court.

Child Support Calculator

Child Support Formula

The formula in determining the amount to be paid for support is based on the net incomes of both parents. In order to get the net income, mandatory expenses such as income taxes, Social Security and Medicare tax, union dues and health insurance dues are subtracted from a parent’s gross income or the amount of income from wages and investments.

Calculators

Each state has a specific formula for child support calculations. There are Web sites that offer child support calculators you can use to come up with estimates of the amount of child support required based on the information that you enter and on the particular guidelines used in your state. These calculators provide you with a step-by-step procedure for determining the amount and at the same time provide you with monthly reports regarding arrears on payments. It is still advisable, however, to consult with a licensed attorney regarding the child support calculations because the results of most calculators online are usually intended for situations wherein there is sole custody of the child (joint physical custody or split custody is not assumed) and are therefore only estimates that would most likely be different from the amount ordered by the court.

Child Development

Development is a life long process that starts right at birth. Soon after birth, a baby begins to communicate by crying. We respond by caressing, cuddling, kissing and making facial gestures. The process of a child’s development therefore starts right after birth.

A child cries to communicate his needs. He may cry due to hunger or pain, or his cry may be a primal response to the environment. Somebody may have suddenly made an unpleasant noise that may have disturbed the baby. Again the parental response comes in the form of feeding, hugs, cuddles or some soothing sounds to reassure a feeling of safety. The child learns to respond to these gestures by calming down. These reactions and responses are strengthened with the passage of time.

The child gradually learns to differentiate between the sounds of his parents and that of others, and understands which sounds are reassuring. Soon a sense of who is family and who is not develops. Human voices are also defined and distinguished from other sounds such as animals. Association between certain voices and food, milk, solace, love in security also begins to develop. When a baby cries because of hunger or insecurity, certain familiar voices have a calming effect.

As a child develops, there are certain activity and achievement stages that meter how levels of maturity, growth, etc. Child development information can help parents know where their child should be and whether or not they are expecting too much from a child. This information also helps parents know if there is something wrong. There are hundreds of books on the subject, as well as informative websites available.

Child Development Stages

Just two or three months following birth, the new born baby gets accustomed to your voice pattern and gestures, and the way you show your love to him, touch him or cuddle him. This is the stage when he starts identifying you through these gestures. His sense of touch and hearing starts developing. Your every tender touch, your every affectionate kiss fills him with reassurance and infuses confidence in him. He also develops a sense of self-importance and worthiness of attention when his small cry fetches you running with showers of kisses and hugs.

Sometimes it so happens that in spite of all your affectionate and careful responses to meet his needs, the child continues to cry and you are at a loss to understand the problem. Be assured his cries are not cause for worry. Quite possibly the child has acquired a new energy and his cries are a mere communication or an effort to release that energy – an occasion to be happy rather than sad. You rock or move the baby around giving him a sense of movement or motion.

With the passage of another three months he learns to identify vocal sounds and their intonation. You gave him his name soon after his birth and have been addressing him by that name. By the time he is six months old, he identifies himself with that name and responds accordingly.

Formerly, at the age of two or three months his responses to your affectionate calls would not attract his visual attention. In fact they would have been in the form of movements of his limbs, while he kept looking in a different direction. Now he responds to the call of his name by looking in your direction. He also visibly reacts to your show of anger or love by making appropriate movements.

By the time he is nine months old, he starts uttering human sounds, incomplete syllables, and fragmented but meaningful words. He starts acquiring linguistic awareness and skills of speech. He cannot only understand some words and sentences, but his vocal organs can make out some understandable word sounds.

Child Development Educations

Child development education is a continuous process of evolving different sensory and motor skills. Infants and young children learn through the movement of their limbs and the use of their senses. Without understanding the definition of gravity etc. they learn its meaning and implication in their daily activities. They also learn to move their body and maintain their balance. The parents at home and teachers at school must pay careful attention and monitor the physical development and education. At the primary stage, the child should be made to move in various ways and directions. Movement in fact is the key. It should include simple yet different activities like running, jumping and games. Care however should be taken to regulate these activities according to the medical reports of the child.

Once outside the school, there is community learning. Various games and sports are organized at community centers where competitions are also held. Here the parents of the child and the organizers should note that the child in not pushed into competitive sports against his natural aptitude and inclination. A pressure on the child, against his will, to participate in games and sports or in competitions may have harmful effects on his mental development. If he does not come to the expectations of his parents and peers, he may develop an inferiority complex, which will detract from his future quality of life and stunt his growth.

It must be noted that some children enjoy watching others play. In such situations you should let them seek their enjoyment simply being spectators. The basic idea is to keep them happy. The child may not like to participate in competitive group activities. There are good alternatives available. He should be encouraged to learn aerobics, fitness exercises and swimming designed to develop his muscles and body without any emphasis on competition.

There are certain other steps which can be helpful in making your child conscious of the need to grow physically and intellectually. You can encourage him to participate in simple, inexpensive and yet enjoyable individual, group and family activities of uncompetitive nature.

Child Development Centers

The problems of earning a livelihood often do not leave parents with sufficient time to devote to their children for their proper upbringing and development. This can prove very harmful because at this first stage, parents are the best teachers. The lack of time forces the parents to send their loved ones to the care of child development centers, which have proliferated to cater to the needs of such children. Although some of them are professionally managed, yet much that is desired is left out.

So before selecting a child development center, you should thoroughly check its working. It is always good to contact some of your friends and relatives who have admitted their wards to the care of the center you have selected. Is their child happy? Does he like going to the center on his own or is he forced or cajoled to go there?

Ideal child development centers are ones that pay individual attention to the children. These centers achieve this by devising activities in such a manner that the children learn while they play. They also provide for activities and curricula according to the age group of the children rather than just huddling all the children of different age groups together into one activity. These centers also devise such co-curricular activities that promote the educational, social, physical and emotional growth of the children.

Also, keep in mind that good child development centers organize the play activities in such a manner that children learn to work with team spirit, cooperate with each other and also learn to handle their differences. A good child development center should provide chances for the children to learn through art and craft programs as art promotes creativity and skills such as eye-hand coordination and muscular control. They can learn to express their feelings and their responses to their surroundings.