Self-Confidence Archives - Akili TV https://akili.tv/category/self-confidence/ The Number 1 TV Station For Families! Wed, 21 May 2025 09:40:07 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9 https://akili.tv/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/cropped-Akili_Favicon-1-100x100.png Self-Confidence Archives - Akili TV https://akili.tv/category/self-confidence/ 32 32 5 Ways To Help Build Toto’s Confidence https://akili.tv/5-ways-to-help-build-totos-confidence/ Tue, 25 May 2021 07:38:02 +0000 https://akilikids.co.ke/?p=1149 ‘Parents need to fill a child’s bucket of self-esteem so high that the rest of the world can’t poke enough holes to drain it dry.’ Alvin Prince. I remember growing up, my mom always used to let me have conversations with her colleagues whenever we met, especially if it was based on something I strongly…

The post 5 Ways To Help Build Toto’s Confidence appeared first on Akili TV.

]]>
‘Parents need to fill a child’s bucket of self-esteem so high that the rest of the world can’t poke enough holes to drain it dry.’ Alvin Prince.


I remember growing up, my mom always used to let me have conversations with her colleagues whenever we met, especially if it was based on something I strongly believed in. She would let me ask the questions and would not interrupt. And then on our way home, she always told me how proud of me she was that I was able to hold my own with her friends. 

And I would say, “But this thing I said wasn’t right and they had to correct me”

And she would say, “But you learnt something new, yes?”

And I would say, “ Yes!”

How Did This Help Me? 

Well, as a shy young girl, my mother’s efforts towards building my confidence as a child have largely impacted the confident conversationalist that I am today.(Thanks mom!) So now, what are some of the other ways we can help build toto’s confidence?

1.Ask Them For Their Advice and Opinion. 
Yupp! Whether it’s what to cook for supper or what outfit to wear. Ask your kiddo for their opinion. Why is this important? You may wonder… As adults, when someone asks us for our opinion, we feel valued. The same applies to children. It makes them feel like they matter. 

For instance, in one of my nephew’s favourite shows on Akili Kids! Esme and Roy. Esme, a monster sitter, is always asking Tillie how she feels about certain games and activities. This in turn makes Tillie feel valued and appreciated. 

2. Let Them Lead.
 
It’s not easy! I constantly find myself taking over my nephew’s game, telling him what to do and how to do it. I am learning to take a step back and let Leshan call the shots during play time. This helps him believe in his abilities as he is given an opportunity to lead and make decisions. Kind of like how in, A Day As, on that episode where Skye, gets to spend the day with a designer from Akili Network, it was quite interesting to see Fitz allowing Skye to try out her own ideas and how empowered she felt as a result. (Go Fitz!) 

This takes us to our 3rd tip

3. Allow Them To Fail.
Naturally, as parents, we always want our kids to succeed and get things done correctly right from the first trial. Unfortunately, this is not possible. One way of building toto’s confidence is by being patient and allowing them to try, try again because when children develop expertise, it can grow confidence in their knowledge and build upon their self-worth.  Read more on this here.



4. Resist Comparing Toto to Others.
As Kanye West famously said, there’s always going to be someone who is better than us. But that does not mean we shouldn’t appreciate ourselves for who and what we are. Same, same with our children. The only way they can grow to appreciate their own unique talents and abilities is if we (try really hard to) resist comparing their capabilities others. Pretty much like how Bob the Builder, does it. Check it out, you may get a tip or ten. 

Then maybe you could come back and share what works for you? 

We’d be delighted to hear! 

The post 5 Ways To Help Build Toto’s Confidence appeared first on Akili TV.

]]>
What Does Consent Look Like For Children? https://akili.tv/what-does-consent-look-like-for-children/ Thu, 15 Apr 2021 06:35:15 +0000 https://akilikids.co.ke/?p=1126 Have you ever tried taking a child from their parent’s arms or hugging your niece who’s grown so much since you last saw her and they blatantly refused? I wonder what you did next, did you go ahead and forcefully take them from their parent’s arms as they cried in protest or did you respect…

The post What Does Consent Look Like For Children? appeared first on Akili TV.

]]>
Have you ever tried taking a child from their parent’s arms or hugging your niece who’s grown so much since you last saw her and they blatantly refused? I wonder what you did next, did you go ahead and forcefully take them from their parent’s arms as they cried in protest or did you respect their choice?

Today’s piece is largely inspired by an episode of Ubongo Kids that tackled consent. Yes, consent does not only apply to adults, but to children as well and it’s never too early to start talking to kiddos about consent because they also have emotions and opinions.

So What Exactly is Consent?

Consent is the permission given for something to happen or agreement to do something. Respecting a person’s own boundaries as well as the boundaries of others.

Consent largely involves communication and respect. 

It could be verbal or non-verbal. 

And most importantly, consent does change from time to time. One moment toto might refuse to give you a hug and before you know it, they are running to your arms.

Why is it important to teach children about consent?

First, it helps kiddos understand that their emotions are valid. In addition, children from a young age need to also understand that they have the ability to make decisions especially those concerning their bodies. 

So next time instead of telling toto to give aunty or uncle a hug, you could ASK THEM whether they would like to give a hug. And most importantly respect their response, however unexpected it may be. 

Secondly, helping toto understand what consent is means they will respect other people’s boundaries and especially their peers’ and that way, the next time they are playing and their friend asks them to stop doing something or starts stepping back (consent could be verbal or non-verbal) they will do just that!

Consent also largely involves encouraging your child to speak up when something feels off and even more important, BELIEVING them when they do. And why does this matter, you may ask. Because it helps build trust between you and toto. 

These are crucial conversations that we need to start having with children. And just like it was played out in Ubongo Kids where Kiduchu was rightfully upset at her friends and strangers who constantly touched her hair without her permission, and Nuru was feeling violated because strangers were randomly pushing his wheel-chair across the road without asking him and Amani was agitated by people who were always touching her skin; children have rights and boundaries that need to be respected.

How do you teach your kiddos about consent? 

The post What Does Consent Look Like For Children? appeared first on Akili TV.

]]>
Keeping Up with Boi: Mum Amechoka! https://akili.tv/keeping-up-with-boi-mum-amechoka/ Thu, 18 Feb 2021 12:57:59 +0000 https://akilikids.co.ke/?p=1001 (Boi walks towards the kitchen to catch up with his mum after binging on his favourite shows from the Teke Teke Haiya Block. Do you remember Boi mentioning them?)  Mum, umeshindaje? Boi asked.  Nimeshinda poa, Boi. Why do you look concerned? I replied.  “You seem tired, especially because Keni was up all-night crying, and I could hear you ‘bembeleza’ her and now you’re washing the dishes. What time do you rest mama?”  Boi asked while holding my hands.  …

The post Keeping Up with Boi: Mum Amechoka! appeared first on Akili TV.

]]>
(Boi walks towards the kitchen to catch up with his mum after binging on his favourite shows from the Teke Teke Haiya Block. Do you remember Boi mentioning them?) 

Mum, umeshindaje? Boi asked. 

Nimeshinda poa, Boi. Why do you look concerned? I replied. 

“You seem tired, especially because Keni was up all-night crying, and I could hear you ‘bembeleza’ her and now you’re washing the dishes. What time do you rest mama?”  Boi asked while holding my hands.

 

Self-care is something I really struggle with. 
 
 

I tend to find it difficult to put my needs ahead of others.  
 
 
And therefore, normally can’t acknowledge that I need help. Giving control over to someone else, when I know I can do it eventually, is hard for me. I guess in a way it feels like failing, even though I know I am not. Do other mums also experience this?  
 
Perhaps I am too much of a perfectionist. 
 
Or maybe it’s the fact that I am usually just too tired to give myself the attention and care I require. 
 
After all, the kids always come first, right?

 

As I held Boi’s hand, these were the thoughts that I struggled to admit to myself… 

I felt sad that Boi could tell I was not okay. Moms, can you relate to this feeling? 

“Baba, kusema ukweli, I’m a bit tired and a break would do me good. Can we hang out today? Just us two?” I asked. 

“Sure, Mummy! Let’s get ice cream and watch My Better World on Akili Kids! TV…I like the show because it teaches me how to be a good boy!” Boi Remarked. 

Sounds fun! Let’s do it. I smiled as we headed to the living room with a big bowl of Vanilla ice cream in my hand! 

As I sat down watching My Better World, I couldn’t help but think of other simple self – care activities-tired mums like me could do. 

A quick search online and these are the ideas I stumbled on: 

In short, our kids need us healthy and strong. So, mama…tujaribu kidogo tusijivunje Mgongo. 🤗 

That said, please let us know in the comments section which self-care activity you’ll be trying today! 

The post Keeping Up with Boi: Mum Amechoka! appeared first on Akili TV.

]]>
Nywele Ngumu, Nywele Steelwool…. https://akili.tv/nywele-ngumu-nywele-steelwool/ Wed, 10 Feb 2021 13:35:43 +0000 https://akilikids.co.ke/?p=990 ‘Na hii nywele yako sasa tutaifanyia nini?’ my mum asked as she helped me pack in preparation for the new school year. It would be my first time to join a boarding school and her biggest concern was my hair! According to her it was too kinky and would be a challenge to maintain.  She…

The post Nywele Ngumu, Nywele Steelwool…. appeared first on Akili TV.

]]>
‘Na hii nywele yako sasa tutaifanyia nini?’ my mum asked as she helped me pack in preparation for the new school year. It would be my first time to join a boarding school and her biggest concern was my hair! According to her it was too kinky and would be a challenge to maintain. 

She worried that if we left my natural hair open, I would have trouble combing and keeping it neat since I was always having it plaited. But she was sure Wambo, her salonist who she trusted with her life, would have a solution to all this. After all, she was the one who had given her a perm in the early 90s and had been servicing it since then. 

 I dreaded visits to Wambo’s Salon. I hated the pulling, occasional yanking of my hair and neck in all directions as Shiko tried to comb it. Don’t get me started on the plaiting that took forever, which was always accompanied by Shiko’s constant complaints about the volume of my hair, ‘Na uko na nywele mingi ngumu, ni kama steelwool!’.  

Did it have to be this painful? Was this every little girl’s experience? I wondered. 

We visited Wambo’s salon and I ended up relaxing my hair. According to her this would make my hair more manageable. Sixteen years later, I shaved the permed hair, started rocking my natural hair and I am loving it! I no longer find it hard and difficult to manage. Although I have to say it has been a journey. I have had to unlearn a lot of what I believed to be true about my natural hair growing up. 

Looking back, I wish I had grown up hearing more positive things about my glorious natural kinky hair. It is important to let little girls know that their natural hair is beautiful just as it is. It is not hard, it is not untidy, it is not ugly and most of all, it is not difficult to manage. It is beautiful just as it is. 

And I believe that this all starts with the content they consume, especially in this age of technology. When I was growing up, I didn’t get to watch cartoons or kids’ content that had characters who had hair like mine. 

But now with my weekends being spent baby-sitting my nephew Lesho, it gives me so much joy to see him watch Akili Kids! and see characters rocking their natural hair. I am happy that little girls in Kenya get to see Kiduchu and Kibena of Ubongo Kids who look just like them. Not forgetting Rosa, Abi and Grace of My Better World who also rock their natural hair! This without a doubt, is what we have been waiting for!

What inspiring messages do you give your kids about loving their natural hair? Let us know.

What inspiring messages do you give your kids about loving their natural hair? Let us know.

The post Nywele Ngumu, Nywele Steelwool…. appeared first on Akili TV.

]]>
Children’s Social-Emotional Wellbeing: Why It Matters https://akili.tv/child-social-emotional-wellbeing-why-it-matters/ Thu, 27 Aug 2020 10:15:48 +0000 https://akilikids.co.ke/?p=640 When you watch Akili Kids! with your children, you can look out for moments where a character has a trait you would like your child to emulate, like honesty, and take a moment to have a conversation with your child about it. Ask a question like:

The post Children’s Social-Emotional Wellbeing: Why It Matters appeared first on Akili TV.

]]>
Imagine you are 4 years old and you are given the choice of either eating one sausage now or receiving two sausages if you wait. What would you do?

 

Picking the one sausage now is known as instant gratification, whereas waiting to receive the two sausages later, is called “delayed gratification” and for kids, this is an important skill of self-management, which is a pillar in social-emotional learning.

 

As a parent, you probably spend a lot of time doing what’s best for your children. From taking them to good schools to making them eat their vegetables, making sure they brush their teeth, are taking their vitamins, and drinking enough water; you also fiercely protect them. Unknowingly, some parents do so at the sacrifice of their positive social experiences, which is not good for their development.

 

This is understandable, given we are in a world where academic skills are often viewed as the priority and social-emotional skill development may not always be at the forefront of most parents’ and even teachers’ minds. Did you know that years of research has shown that social-emotional skills are crucial for children to become successful both socially and academically?

 

According to Psychology Today, there are five core skills that are widely recognized as critical social-emotional skills:

  • Self-awareness: the ability to recognize your emotions and understand the links between emotions, thoughts, and behaviors.
  • Self-management: the ability to control emotions, thoughts, and behaviors.
  • Social awareness: the ability to take other people’s perspectives and demonstrate empathy.
  • Relationship skills: the ability to build and maintain healthy relationships.
  • Responsible decision making: the ability to make good choices about your behavior and interactions with others.

These are all really important skills we want our children to have! There are also additional benefits of having these skills: that they can help children to persist when faced with challenging tasks; to effectively seek help when they need it; and to be thoughtful in their actions. Importantly, these social-emotional skills can be taught.

 

At Akili Kids! we believe in the value of introducing and promoting social-emotional learning for children and we do so through many of our programs that have social-emotional storylines and situations.

 

Our programs provide opportunities to learn and discuss social-emotional topics, such as kindness, respect, friendship, cooperation, and decision making. Here’s a list of the shows that support the development of healthy, happy, and well-balanced children:

Miffy's Adventures

When you watch these shows with your children, you can look out for moments where a character has a trait you would like your child to emulate, like honesty, and take a moment to have a conversation with your child about it. Ask a question like: “What did you think of that character’s behavior?” Or give some positive reinforcement of their own traits, like, “That character tells the truth, just like you!’’. It’s a great way to strike up a conversation about values and behaviors with your child.

 

Keep learning together and look for opportunities to practice these skills. All your efforts will pay off in a big way for years to come as your kids build their confidence, maturity and healthy relationship capabilities, all from developing social-emotional awareness skills. TV Schedule

The post Children’s Social-Emotional Wellbeing: Why It Matters appeared first on Akili TV.

]]>
The Challenges of Being a Rastafarian Mouse https://akili.tv/the-challenges-of-being-a-rastafarian-mouse/ Tue, 11 Aug 2020 13:29:11 +0000 https://akilikids.co.ke/?p=620 I try really hard to be kind, thoughtful and friendly, and share those values with all the other kids who watch my TV show. But many times, there are people who see that I’m a Rasta, and think because of my accent or the color of my hat, that I am a bad mouse.

The post The Challenges of Being a Rastafarian Mouse appeared first on Akili TV.

]]>
Wagwan!

 

I just wanted to clear the air, Mon.

 

I’m 10 years old, and me and my friends are the children of loving, kind and mellow families. My Dad works two jobs and my Mum works a job and takes care of the house and us kids, and they are both the best parents a mouse could have. My parents are also Rastafarians and raised me to be one too.

 

My friends and I look after our neighborhood. There’s always a mystery to be solved, and kindness to be given. We find misunderstandings every day! Sometimes a neighbor thinks they are the victims of theft, or that another neighbor is a criminal, only to realize that they misplaced what they were missing! Or sometimes, miscommunication can lead to frustration. There are even times when a person is judged by the way they look, not by their behaviors or actions.

 

I try really hard to be kind, thoughtful and friendly, and share those values with all the other kids who watch my TV show. But many times, there are people who see that I’m a Rasta, and think because of my accent or the color of my hat, that I am a bad mouse. I’m not! My friends and I are important parts of our community, and while some may look at us and say we’re bad and we’re trying to turn other kids into Rastafarians, we have a different perspective, Mon.

 

We think everyone on this planet is special and deserves to be treated with fairness and kindness regardless of their religious or cultural beliefs, or the color of their fur. We kids are just trying to be the best mice we can be, and want to make you laugh, make you think, make you realize all people have goodness in them. We also want to help you solve problems, think about things critically, and use logic instead of emotion when it serves.

 

We understand some people don’t like Rastas. Some people don’t like mice. Some people don’t even like kids! My friends and I realize this, and we hold no grudges. Even if you don’t like us, we understand. It’s sad, because kids, no matter what their parents believe, should have an opportunity to grow up without learning prejudice. If you think we are bad mice, then your kiddos will grow up thinking we are bad mice, and without even getting a chance to know us.

 

I’ll leave you with this thought: do you ever feel like people don’t like you because of who they think you are, but they never take a moment to get to know you? I sure do.

 

Peace.

Rastamouse TV Schedule

The post The Challenges of Being a Rastafarian Mouse appeared first on Akili TV.

]]>
How to Raise a Successful Child: Part Three https://akili.tv/how-to-raise-a-successful-child-part-three/ Sat, 04 Jul 2020 09:32:10 +0000 https://akilikids.co.ke/?p=475 If you can help a child to live in a growth mindset, it’s a gift that will serve them well for the rest of their lives. Your child can do anything they put their mind to, but in order to actually do it, they need to imagine and believe that they can succeed. Akili Kids! can help...

The post How to Raise a Successful Child: Part Three appeared first on Akili TV.

]]>
(GM) x (I) = ∞ (IP)
Growth Mindset (GM) x Imagination (I) = Infinite Possibility (IP)

In this part of the series on How to Raise a Successful Child, I’m going to talk a little bit about a learning moment I had a couple of years ago. I read an amazing book called, “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success ” by Carol Dweck, PhD. What caught my attention was that she discovered the concepts outlined in the book while researching behavior patterns in young children.

She was assessing the behaviors of children trying to solve mechanical puzzles. She noticed that some children, if they didn’t immediately succeed in solving a puzzle, would easily give up. They would say things like, “it’s too hard”, “I can’t do it”, “I don’t like puzzles” or “puzzles are stupid”. They would just decide they weren’t capable of doing it and leave it at that.

There was another group of kids however that had a different reaction. Instead of being put off by the difficulty, they found the challenge fun and interesting. When questioned after a few minutes of attempting to solve a puzzle, they said things like, “this one is tough”, “let me figure this out”, or “okay, that didn’t work, maybe if I do this”. The outcome: this group of children actually solved the puzzle, regardless of how long it took, and recognized how accomplished they felt upon completing it. Some of these kids even asked for more puzzles!

She called the behavior where a child felt his capability was limited and gave up easily, the fixed mindset. The behavior the other child exhibited, to try until the puzzle was solved, she called the growth mindset. She also suggested that adults also operate within these mindsets, that a mindset develops as the child grows. Dr. Dweck went on to say that we all operate from both mindsets but can choose which one we want to work from. The book proposed that these behaviors can be shifted from one to the other. I then thought, “how can I help my own kids with this newfound information?”

My Experience 

A few months ago, I bought my son a rather complex Lego-type building set. When he first opened it, he tried it for a little bit, then got quickly frustrated, huffed and puffed and gave up. Of course, I got mad because I spent money on it, and while it may have been difficult, I knew that he was capable of building the set. But he was against it, and every attempt I made to get him to try was met with whining and frustration, then at one point he even stormed off and slammed his bedroom door (he got into a lot of trouble with me for that). I put the building set away and didn’t mention it again.

 

A Few Weeks Later: 

My son was bored, and I suggested that he try the building set. He immediately resisted, got defensive and then angry with me, that I would even suggest that he would try to build it! “It’s too hard”, It’s poorly made” and “I can’t do it”. Sound familiar? I let the building set rest again. Fast forward to yesterday.

My son exclaimed he was bored again, and I told him to try the building set. This time he grabbed it, brought it to the living room, (I was excited!) but right after opening it, he remembered his frustration and immediately started huffing and puffing again, getting angry. And I didn’t help, because I said, “You are not even TRYING!” and he said, “YES I AM!” and stormed off to his room and slammed the door. I took a couple of deep breaths, regrouped and went upstairs. I went into his room, sat down and said, “Do you know what my job is?”
“To be my Dad”, he said.
“And what’s the main thing I need to teach you?”, I asked.
He said, “I dunno”.
I said, “The thing I need to teach you, the thing I really want you to understand, is that you can do ANYTHING. Anything you put your mind to. You know that building set? Are you really going to let it beat you? Do you think it’s better than you? Smarter than you? Are those little plastic pieces going to get the best of you?”
“No.”, he says begrudgingly.

Then I left his room so he could think about what I said. 10 minutes later, he was back at the building set and started over at the beginning. He shifted his mindset. He was good enough, he was worthy. That set was not going to best him. And I didn’t have to yell or get angry.

What I realized was that it wasn’t so hard to help him switch from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset if I framed it correctly. In this case his view of himself was stronger than his fixed mindset. He made the shift without me exacting a punishment or berating him for him giving up. It would have been really easy to get angry with him, but my anger wasn’t going to shift his mindset, it would have pushed him deeper into his own fear.

mindset mindmap

How Imagination Supports the Growth Mindset 

I think a growth mindset is driven by a powerful imagination. For example, if a child imagines they can successfully solve a puzzle, it can be a major step to actually solving the puzzle. Real success against a difficult problem, starts with imagining success. Of course, people accidentally succeed all the time, but that most often isn’t enough to reproduce success.

With a growth mindset a human can actually do anything they put their mind to. Why is that? Because the most difficult tasks are the ones that bring us the greatest reward. It’s not easy to be a doctor, or start a business, or even finish school if your home life is difficult. As we get older, our lives do not get easier, they grow more complex and the challenges become greater.

If you can help a child to live in a growth mindset, it’s a gift that will serve them well for the rest of their lives. Your child can do anything he puts his mind to, but in order to actually do it, he needs to imagine and believe that he can succeed. Akili Kids! can help with “imagination” part, but you can help reinforce the most important part: belief that they can do whatever they imagine! TV Schedule

The post How to Raise a Successful Child: Part Three appeared first on Akili TV.

]]>
How To Raise a Successful Child: Part Two https://akili.tv/how-to-raise-a-successful-child-part-two/ Sat, 27 Jun 2020 09:41:42 +0000 https://akilikids.co.ke/?p=472 Continuing the series on How To Raise a Successful Child, I thought it important to address the challenge of fear and its impact on learning. “Would my child learn more if they were not afraid?” Well actually, yes, they would...

The post How To Raise a Successful Child: Part Two appeared first on Akili TV.

]]>
“It is impossible for a human to learn if they are afraid.”
~ Dr.David H. Rose,
Award-winning Neuropsychologist and Educator

Continuing the series on How To Raise a Successful Child, I thought it important to address the challenge of fear and its impact on learning, that I learned after many years of working alongside Dr. David H. Rose, who has a deep pool of knowledge and experience in the science of the brain, children, and teaching. Something he told me one day, formed the basis of much of my own professional belief system: it is impossible for a human to learn if they are afraid.

 

Think about this. If a human is afraid, they have one of two absolutely normal reactions: fight or flight. You are afraid and you either become hostile or you want to run away. Perfectly normal and expected. How can you take in and process new information if you are in fight or flight mode? Well the short answer is, you can’t. You’re not going to remember or be able to synthesize anything except how to survive. You can’t learn new things if you’re in survival mode.

 

Now if this is true for adults, imagine what it feels like to be a child and to be afraid. In fact, there is a lot to be afraid of and it isn’t just about survival. Let me list some examples and let me know if any of these invoke memories:

  • Fear that you are going to be bullied
  • Fear that someone won’t like you
  • Fear that you’re not good enough
  • Fear that you will lose the competition
  • Fear that you will fail the test
  • Fear that you won’t understand a concept and you are supposed to
  • Fear that things at home aren’t perfect
  • Fear that you’re going to disappoint your parents
  • Fear that your teacher will be angry with your performance

This is a short list of opportunities to be afraid. Do you think your child may think about any of these fears? I bet you probably had some of these and many more. Imagine how stacked the deck is against kids, when they are going through any (if not several) of these thoughts, for them to concentrate? For them to take what they’ve learned and be able to apply it while in any mode of fear is incredibly difficult. I won’t even include the challenges that happen when a child hits adolescence (oh it is terrifying when your body and hormones are changing too).

How do I Address My Child’s Fear? 

“Would my child learn more if they were not afraid?” Well actually, yes, they would. Imagine what a very young child is like, how wondrous the world is to them, and how every day is full of learning moments, couched in exploration and play? Well there are quite a few things that help us return to this state of receptivity, even as adults. Play. Entertainment. Fun. Love. Creativity. These are moments that generally aren’t part of the taught school curriculum, but if you think about reducing the barriers to learning, you might introduce some creativity or love. It’s very hard to be afraid when you are having fun or being entertained.

 

Let me bring all this back to Akili Kids!, what we are hoping to do and why we are doing it. If a child loves Bob the Builder, and is entertained and delighted, they are not afraid at that moment. A message of sharing, task persistence or empathy is much more surely delivered through this medium, than to try to forcefully explain to a child that they must share (and they are afraid of you!). By modeling ideal behaviors and keeping kids in the “fun mode” (a very un-scientific description) you increase the probability that they will retain the message.

 

In summary, every day we think about messaging and content for children, how to keep them engaged, excited, entertained, and receptive. In order to do this right, we have to bring kids to a place where that fear does not exist, and where their imaginations can run free and unhindered. Only then, in that moment, can we serve them with foundational learning messages that could help them their entire lives. TV Schedule

The post How To Raise a Successful Child: Part Two appeared first on Akili TV.

]]>
How To Raise a Successful Child: Part One https://akili.tv/how-to-raise-a-successful-child-part-one/ Tue, 16 Jun 2020 09:12:00 +0000 https://akilikids.co.ke/?p=470 When we nurture a child’s whole being, we open doors to endless possibilities ~Susan Wright Are you familiar with the concept of a well-balanced diet? Essentially saying that if you want to be healthy, there are foods you need to eat from all the food groups; meat, fish and beans for protein (building muscle); rice,…

The post How To Raise a Successful Child: Part One appeared first on Akili TV.

]]>
When we nurture a child’s whole being, we open doors to endless possibilities ~Susan Wright

Are you familiar with the concept of a well-balanced diet? Essentially saying that if you want to be healthy, there are foods you need to eat from all the food groups; meat, fish and beans for protein (building muscle); rice, bread or chapati for carbohydrates (energy); vegetables and fruits for vitamins (to protect from disease); milk, butter and cheese with calcium (for bone density). It is common knowledge that if you follow a nutritional diet, you’ll be healthy and grow stronger.

 

How About a Well-balanced Child?

There are many people who think that a child with a good future is best measured in their academic success; if a child gets straight A’s on their school reporting card, they will by default be “successful”. However, what if a child’s score in school was only one part of defining a well-balanced child? What types of measures would we look at to tell if our children were healthy, happy, and well-balanced?

It’s important to think about the well-being and development of all parts of a child, especially because these determine the future of our children more surely than top grades in school.

Does your daughter have a strong sense of who she is and what she is capable of? Does she eat well, take exercise and visit her physician regularly? Does she have healthy friendships and relationships with other children and adults? Does she solve problems and think critically about situations, looking for the best strategy for success? Does she understand what feelings are, know that it’s okay for her to feel mad or disappointed if a situation warrants it and stand up for herself? Does she practice empathy and patience with her friends and with herself? Is she freely creative, drawing and building, singing, dancing or writing? Is she encouraged to read for fun, to try out science experiments at home, to use her imagination?

 

Imagination…

These are all important parts of a whole child, and from my perspective, the word “imagination” is one of the most powerful tools a human being has. For just a moment, I want to explore the value of imagination. What can a powerful imagination do for her? It can be the doorway for an amazing successful future. What if she was the person to imagine electric cars? Imagine how to carry humans to Mars? Maybe she could create ways to harness new forms of energy? What if she wrote and directed the next “Star Wars”? Or what if she became a prominent neurosurgeon and saved hundreds of lives? If we give our children the tools to unlock their futures, and teach them how to use them, we significantly increase their probability of success.

What We Believe

We at Akili Kids! believe that every child has potential, and can grow into a beautiful, valuable, productive and happy human being. The programming we choose and our approach to content is to find wonderfully entertaining content, ensure that it contains learning outcomes, and that it will connect personally with Kenyan children.

The learning outcomes we support are not all academic, and some are immeasurable from a testing perspective. But we want to ensure that children are exposed to all the ideas that they may not be exposed to in an academic school environment, and while we are all about “supplemental” learning (not school) we consider this learning essential to growing well-balanced children. The children of Kenya deserve no less than the best. This is why we exist – to entertain, engage, and offer moments of inspiration and imagination to all the children in Kenya.

The post How To Raise a Successful Child: Part One appeared first on Akili TV.

]]>
Why Are They Repeating Their Shows? https://akili.tv/why-repeat-shows/ Thu, 07 May 2020 08:19:18 +0000 https://akilikids.co.ke/?p=387 While adults can easily pick up new information from a single exposure, when kids ask to watch the same movie they’ve already seen a hundred times or read the same book before bed for the 10th night in a row, it might just be their way of learning the storyline.

The post Why Are They Repeating Their Shows? appeared first on Akili TV.

]]>
You are a parent and you see your children watching a TV program, that they are completely engaged with. Suddenly, you notice something. It seems like it’s the same episode they were just watching earlier that day, or maybe it was a few days ago, or maybe last week or last month. You notice it and become irritated. ‘Didn’t they just watch that episode? Why would that channel repeat their programs so much? My kids need something NEW to watch every day!

To quote Vanessa LoBue Ph.D., from an article last year in Psychology Today, “…while adults can easily pick up new information from a single exposure, when kids ask to watch the same movie they’ve already seen a hundred times or read the same book before bed for the 10th night in a row, it might just be their way of learning the storyline. And although it might be boring or even annoying to do the same thing over and over and over (and over and over) again, this extra practice might be just what children need to learn new things.”

What we now know from research is this: kids can benefit from repeated exposure to content, while adults can easily pick up information from a single exposure. Reading a book repeatedly, even if it is the same book, can give you a better understanding of the storyline.

 

Let’s Think About This For a Second

Have you ever read a book or watched a movie and realized you missed something the first time around? In learning, oftentimes the first exposure is introductory and builds basic ideas of the storyline and background knowledge. The next exposure can provide character development knowledge, as well as motivation nuance and perhaps comprehension-related moments that may have been missed (e.g., “I wonder how she was feeling when she made that decision?”). But there is another really important factor in repeated exposure to content that isn’t about academic knowledge; it’s a tool to develop self-confidence and creates comfort.

 

Children Live in Unpredictable Worlds

Situations can often change dramatically around children and they have very little to no control over their environment (or their own safety and well-being for that matter). Knowing what is going to happen is comforting. Being able to speak along with that line or sing along with that song is empowering; it’s a demonstration of knowledge and expertise that children rarely get to own or articulate to others. Repetition can provide a foundation of knowledge and a confirmation that they, the child, knows something. It can give a child agency and make them feel like they are experts.

When children develop expertise, it can grow confidence in their knowledge and build upon their self-worth. A considerable amount of good can be done by watching that program again, whether it’s today or it is in a month! Confucius says, “Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace.” Confucius was one smart cookie.

It should be noted that as children grow and develop, repetition can get boring, and rather than supporting their development it can become an annoyance. This is natural, and one of the reasons that on-demand video platforms exist – a ten-year-old child may have a very different perspective on repetition than a 5-year-old child.

 

Our Approach at Akili Kids!

We at Akili Kids! have launched our channel primarily with programmes that will appeal to younger children and the repetition you may notice is intentional. More shows for older children, that do not repeat as often but have the same great values, are being introduced over the next few months. We are adding more programming, original and locally developed, and finding shows from around the world that are incredibly entertaining, but also have educational value, something we call a learning outcome.

We want your kids, our kids, to love our programmes and someday realize they learned something really important from watching our shows, whether it’s the name of a shape or how to pronounce that tough vocabulary word, or to describe their favorite cartilaginous sea creature (a shark?). We want kids to feel like experts, grow their self-confidence and self-worth, and develop imaginations that can help influence and grow Kenya, even change the World.

To think, that could all start with the fact that they have repeated watching a program!Jesse Soleil,
Co-Founder, Akili Network

Awesome related article:

TV Schedule

The post Why Are They Repeating Their Shows? appeared first on Akili TV.

]]>