Jacqueline's Weekly Newsletter 🤍

Hi Everyone!

Let’s dive right in! As promised, I’m excited to share a few shows we occasionally watch with our kids. As I mentioned in the last email, we keep screen time limited, but when we do indulge, we prioritize educational content with muted tones and gentle transitions.

This was a conscious decision my husband and I made, and it’s been working wonderfully for our family.

Our kids get to choose a show on Saturdays, and aside from that, we rarely watch anything during the week—unless it's something quick and strictly educational. Just the other day, my oldest had questions about spider webs, which led to an impromptu learning session. It was such a fun way to bond with the kids while learning something new!

Why We Avoid Flashy Cartoons

We’ve intentionally steered away from fast-paced, flashy cartoons for a few key reasons:

1. Brain Development: Bright colors and rapid scene changes can overstimulate a young child’s brain, making it harder for them to focus during calmer, everyday activities.

2. Attention Span: Studies suggest that fast-paced cartoons can contribute to shorter attention spans. Quick transitions train the brain to expect instant gratification, leading to frustration in real-world situations where things don’t move as quickly.

3. Emotional Processing: Flashy cartoons often move too fast for children to process emotions or connect with the story. Slower-paced shows give them the space to engage emotionally and build empathy.

By choosing shows with muted tones and gentler transitions, we allow our kids to engage thoughtfully, helping to develop longer attention spans and a deeper understanding of the content.

Some of Our Favorite Shows

Most of these are available on YouTube:

• Little Bear

• Franklin the Turtle

• Yeti Tales

• Preschool Prep

• Storytime Family (Read Aloud)

• Otto’s Tales

• Barney

• Fat Cat Books with Mike

• Science Max

• Kids Academy

• TEDx Talks Kids

• Cosmic Kids Yoga

We also love podcasts! One of our top picks is:

• Froggy the Gator

And for apps, we highly recommend Sherwood Kids for great stories and fun shows!

What I’m Focusing on This Week

This week, I’m all about recovery workouts with a focus on auxiliary muscle stabilization. Strengthening these smaller muscles has some great benefits:

• Injury Prevention: Strengthening supportive muscles can prevent injury by promoting a balanced muscular system.

• Improved Stability: These muscles help with balance and stabilization, especially during dynamic movements.

• Enhanced Performance: Working on smaller muscles improves overall performance by allowing your primary muscles to work more efficiently.

These workouts are slow and controlled, which is key to activating those smaller muscle groups.

I hope you find these recommendations helpful! I’d love to hear from you—what are your kids’ favorite shows, or what are you working on this week? Feel free to comment, DM, or email me!

Wishing you a wonderful week ahead!

With love,
Jacqueline