As a parent, one of the topmost priorities in my life is to give my kids a good education and see them grow into happy, fully functional adults. Parenting skills are not something we inherit or are just born with. For some, educating their kids in the same way their parents taught them might be good enough, but times change and what worked 20 or 30 years back is likely not as ideal in today’s environment.

Here are some of the best books I’ve found on parenting. There are many subtopics, and if your child has particular traits that you identify early on, it pays to read books about those particular challenges, and also seek help when needed.

1. Emotional Development and Discipline:
   • Raising a Secure Child
   • No-Drama Discipline
   • The Whole-Brain Child
   • The 5 Love Languages of Children
   • How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk
2. Parent-Child Communication and Collaboration:
   • Raising Human Beings
   • The Explosive Child
   • Parenting with Love and Logic
   • Siblings Without Rivalry
3. Happiness and Well-being:
   • Raising Happiness
   • How Children Thrive
   • Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids
   • The Danish Way of Parenting
   • The Happiest Kids in the World
4. Managing and Understanding Challenging Behaviors:
   • Parenting the Strong-Willed Child
   • Lost at School
5. Passing on Life Lessons
   • A Gift to My Children: A Father’s Lessons for Life and Investing

While I stress the importance of reading books and similar resources to help develop parenting skills, you should also approach parenting with an open mind and be flexible. When your gut feeling tells you that it is worth trying a new approach, it’s usually worth a shot. Books can only get you so far, it is the parent that knows their child best (if they are spending enough time with them in the first place), therefore being willing to think outside of the box is also an important skill to have when bringing up children.

I’ve personally found that having a like-minded peer group of parents is also very helpful, especially when you need support on a particularly tough situation that you feel unable to handle. Schools also play a crucial role, so make sure you make the right choice for your kids, else you might find yourself fighting a losing fight against the school’s teachings and friends’ peer pressure.

In today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world, it’s no secret that coding has become an essential skill for everyone, including children. The ability to code can open up a world of opportunities, from creating apps and websites to developing software and even designing robots. In this article, I’ll share my journey on teaching my kids how to code and include useful resources for you to check out as a parent.

First of all, why is coding so important for kids to learn? For starters, coding helps children develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. When kids learn to code, they learn how to break down complex problems into smaller, more manageable pieces. This kind of thinking is useful in all aspects of life, from schoolwork to personal relationships.

Coding also promotes creativity and innovation. By learning to code, children can bring their ideas to life and create things that have never been seen before. They can design their own games, apps, and websites, or even build robots and other cool gadgets.

Another important reason to teach kids to code is that it’s a highly sought-after skill in today’s job market. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of software developers is projected to grow 22% from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. By learning to code at a young age, kids can set themselves up for a successful and rewarding career in the future.

When I was in my teens, software development was not yet a very respected career path, the internet was still in its infancy, and my parents were somewhat worried about my obsession with computers and coding instead of being interested in more traditional subjects and professions. Of course, today the world is completely different, and software developers are among the most sought-after people and are highly paid.

Early Exposure to Coding Principles

For toddlers and young children (ages 1-6), there are also plenty of coding toys and games available that can help introduce them to the basics of coding. Examples include the Code-a-Pillar by Fisher-Price, which teaches kids sequencing and logic skills, and the Ozobot, a small robot that kids can program using color codes.

Of course, other logic-based games will also help. For example, with my kids, I used a lot of puzzles (from 1.5 years) as well as introduced them to draughts and chess around the 4-year mark.

Parallel to that, I used non-screen-based resources that are more directly related to coding. As parents, we wanted to limit screen time for our kids, and thankfully there are some pretty good toys that help to introduce kids to programming without needing a screen.

Learning Resources’ Coding Critters Go Pets Scrambles the Fox was a good first intro to teach my kids that we can build electronic devices that follow certain routines. In this case, the fox follows a line that can either be drawn or assembled using the provided cards.

Also from Learning Resources, Botley is a coding robot that is designed for children aged 5 to 9, however, I used it with my son as early as 2.5 years old. It is a fun and interactive way for kids to learn the basics of coding and problem-solving. Botley comes with a remote control that children can use to program Botley to move around, avoid obstacles, and perform various tasks. Botley also has sensors that can detect lines and objects, allowing children to create obstacle courses and mazes for Botley to navigate. The programming occurs with little cards that you use to create the logic of your program.

Online Learning Platforms for Kids

Here are a few online tools and platforms that are useful in helping kids start their coding journey. I’d say the online platforms are good for kids aged 7 and upwards.

Hatchcoding

Hatch is an online coding platform designed specifically for kids, with interactive lessons and games that make learning to code fun and engaging. Hatch offers a variety of courses, from beginner-level coding to advanced topics like web development and game design. Parents and educators can also track their child’s progress and provide guidance and support along the way.

Scratch

Another great resource for teaching kids to code is Scratch, a free online platform developed by MIT that allows children to create interactive stories, games, and animations. Scratch is easy to use and offers a variety of tutorials and resources to help kids get started.

When choosing toys for your kids, it’s important to consider their interests, abilities, and developmental stage. Look for toys that are age-appropriate, safe, and durable. Avoid toys with small parts that could be choking hazards for younger children, and be sure to read the labels and instructions to ensure that the toy is suitable for your child.

Here are the toys that my kids enjoyed the most:

Newborn to 2 Years

For the early years we were very inspired by the Montessori method of teaching, which also incorporates a certain style of toys. In this method toys are mostly made of wood, are educational and tend to have pleasant colors rather than the garish colors seen on some plastic toys.

While we opted to keep our children home for the first 3 years of their childhood, we opted for hiring a qualified tutor who would come home every day to educate them and thus guide them in their early education and play. Hiring the tutor was one of the best decisions we’ve made with our kids, especially after I saw how many cheaper nannies treated the kids when out and about in Barcelona.

I personally dislike the cheap sounds many Chinese toy sets make and have therefore stayed away from them. Both kids were never really big fans of soft toys, and we ended up being gifted a bunch of those that just lay about unused.

• Baby Einstein Drums
• Baby Einstein Musical Toy
• Baby Einstein Baby Dj
• Mattel Mega Blocks
• Woom 1 bike (see notes further below)
• EverEarth Workbench
• Wooden puzzles
• Various Lego Duplo sets
• Educational animal toys
• Animal magnets
• Tangram shapes puzzle
• Wooden kitchen
• Chicco Rings
• Play Doh
• Janod City and Jungle puzzles
• Pretend Doctor Kit
• Tomy Tractor
• Dobble
• Melissa & Doug Cars & Trucks
• Small metal cars (no brand, made in China)
• Trash Truck (son was in love with them)
• CAT Dump Truck
• Various kinds of flash cards (Russian and English)
• Vtech tiny touch remote
• Play tive junior activity cube
• Woomax hammer bench
• Tegu Swivel Bug
• Tegu Vehicle wooden magnet blocks
• Montessori busy board
• Playmobil my first train
• PlanToys Crocodile
• Lego Duplo Train
• Kitchen cutting board and vegetable set
• Janod Magnetic Tiles
• Woomax Xylophone
• Goula Fruit Puzzle
• Vtech baby laptop (not used much)
• Theo Klein 8793 Racing Car
• Learning Resources Tac-Tiles

We put a strong emphasis on art and physical dexterity as well, so I bought a collection of different balls for them to play with, which they used extensively. For the art aspect, we bought a multitude of coloring books, plain drawing paper, and various painting media such as watercolors, crayons, pencils, chalk etc.

2 Years Onwards

From around 2 years of age onwards, I started to really enjoy building with my son. I found this really enjoyable as I rekindled my lost love for building things with my hands and experimenting with electronics. I was a huge Lego fan as a child, but later on I shifted entirely to playing computer games and forgot all about building physical objects.

Some of the sets in the list are recommended for much older kids, but I have found that if you have the time to play with kids, you can do some really advanced things. You’ll just need to find the most appropriate way to get them involved, and more importantly, make sure that they are not harmed by incorrect usage of the toys (e.g. swallowing small parts, or injuries due to unsupervised play with electronic parts like motors, batteries etc).

• Woom 2, 3 onwards
• Learning Resources
  • Scrambles the Fox
  • Botley 2.0
  • Fox in the Box
  • Construction Kit
• Connetix (better than Magnatiles)
• Snap Circuits full set
• Meccano Sets
  • Tractor set
  • Buggy with friction motor
  • Police car with R/C
• Lego Technic Sets
  • Buggy 42124
  • Rally Top Gear 42109
  • 4X4 X-treme Off-Roader 42099
  • MINDSTORMS Robot Builder 51515
• Nene Toys Sudoku
• Diset Sudoku
• Wooden traffic signs
• Addo Play Wooden clock
• Djeco Step by Step animals
• Play tive cash register
• Waytoplay Highway
• Wooden abacus

You also need to take into consideration the differences in character and interests between kids. My son displayed an amazing capacity to concentrate for longer periods right from a very young age, whereas my daughter had more of a wild streak so it was easier to do more physical play with her rather than tasks requiring a lot of sitting down and thinking. This diversity was also great for me as I got to explore more activities rather than simply repeating the same things with both kids.

While as a parent it’s a good thing to strive for a sense of equality between kids, for most people it is simply natural to be more interested in doing things the first time around, hence the first child has an advantage. On the other hand, parents tend to experience a sensation of being much wiser in their behavior around the second kid onwards, and may also have gotten rid of that over-protection instinct or unhealthy fear of the child getting hurt in some way or another. This usually works to the advantage of the younger siblings as they get a bit more freedom. All this to say that each kid’s experience and your interaction with them as parents will necessarily be different.

The Montessori Method

Montessori is an educational approach that was developed by Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori in the early 20th century. It is based on the belief that children are naturally curious and capable learners who are driven to explore and discover their environment.

In a Montessori classroom, children are given the freedom to choose their own activities and work at their own pace. The environment is carefully prepared to allow children to learn through hands-on exploration and discovery. Materials are designed to be self-correcting, so that children can learn through trial and error without the need for explicit instruction.

The Montessori approach emphasizes the importance of developing a child’s independence, self-discipline, and self-motivation. It also places a strong emphasis on respect for the child’s individual interests and learning style.

Why We Chose Balance Bikes

Donating Toys

Donating old toys to a worthy cause is a great idea. There are many organizations that accept toy donations, such as toy drives run by schools or local charities. These donations can help bring joy to children who may not have many toys of their own. Additionally, donating old toys is a great way to declutter your home and make space for new items. It’s also an environmentally friendly way to dispose of items that you no longer need. Overall, donating old toys is a kind and generous act that can make a big difference in the lives of others.

In Barcelona, I recommend donating to Ilusions Solidaries.