new posts in all blogs
Viewing: Blog Posts Tagged with: parenting, Most Recent at Top [Help]
Results 1 - 25 of 333
How to use this Page
You are viewing the most recent posts tagged with the words: parenting in the JacketFlap blog reader. What is a tag? Think of a tag as a keyword or category label. Tags can both help you find posts on JacketFlap.com as well as provide an easy way for you to "remember" and classify posts for later recall. Try adding a tag yourself by clicking "Add a tag" below a post's header. Scroll down through the list of Recent Posts in the left column and click on a post title that sounds interesting. You can view all posts from a specific blog by clicking the Blog name in the right column, or you can click a 'More Posts from this Blog' link in any individual post.
Great advice here for the parents of an only child. i especially like the section on promoting the effort taken rather than putting all the focus in the result.
Today there is much more stress on our children to meet a higher standard. They are multitasking more than we ever needed to at their age. We as parents need to help them by focusing on the effort taken rather than just the end result.
http://parentsplaceorg.blogspot.com/2013/03/raising-only-child.html?m=1
Some social behaviors of some children can be very challenging and tough to deal with, day to day. Every year, teachers get a new group, new challenges and new experiences. And, that is what makes my job filled with excitement- both good and bad.
What I realize is that nurturing a child is not possible by one person, it requires the whole family, friends, teachers and circle of trustworthy people around. And, this is what I keep telling my co-workers at school - communicate, communicate and more communication ! Well, yes, if everything is going good with your child then you have different prospects, life is easy and you are very lucky !
It is tough when your child gets easily excited and challenged by other children in the classroom or in a friend circle. Montessori philosophy defines the relation between a child and the environment as
sensitive periods. It is a series of stages that a child goes through from birth to 6 years.
| Age | Sensitivity |
|---|
| Birth to 6 years | The absorbent mind: the mind soaks up information like a sponge. Sensory learning and experiences: the child uses all five senses - touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing - to understand and absorb information about his or her environment. |
| 1.5 to 3 years | Language explosion: a child builds his or her future foundation for language. |
| 1.5 to 4 years | Development and coordination of fine and large muscle skills, advanced developing grasp and release skill spawns an interest in any small object. |
| 2 to 4 years | Very mobile with greater coordination and refinement of movement, increased interest in language and communication (they enjoy telling stories), aware of spatial relationships, matching, sequence and order of objects. |
| 2.5 to 6 years | Works well incorporating all five senses for learning and adapting to environment. |
| 3 to 6 years | Interest in and admiration of the adult world: they want to copy and mimic adults, such as parents and teachers. |
| 4 to 5 years | Using one’s hands and fingers in cutting, writing and art. Their tactile senses are very developed and acute. |
| 4.5 to 6 years | Reading and math readiness, and, eventually, reading and math skills. | | | | | | | |
|
|
See, during 3-6 years child is sensitive to the behaviors of adult. They want to do whatever adults do. So, most of the challenging social behaviors we deal with children are coming from adults. Well, the tough question is where do they see all that hitting, kicking, shouting and using bad words when parents don't do any of those things ! Could be anything? Our plan of action should be instead of wondering where the behavior is learned, we should concentrate on how to stop this behavior in a child. Few steps to make the tough easy-
First step -Communicate expectations with a pinch of love. Tell the child that you love him/her when you are mad at him/her. Be absolutely firm and strong in drawing your expectations to your child, but please, do not forget to tell your child how much you love him/her in between. Try hard to throw your anger away and reach out to your child with your arms wide opened, with your mouth full of soft spoken words of expectations. Children are smart, they see through you, they see your love and your anger at the same time.
Second step -Create various activities. You know your child the best. Keep your child focused with different activities, sport or music !
Third step - Take help. Reach out to people who may know better than you, who are more experienced. Teachers, friends and family and even a simple stranger like a librarian at your library will give you few tips !
Fourth step -Be in love. No matter how frustrating things are at your work, your personal life or at your social circle, do not loose faith in love. Let your eyes speak love. Let your child see that deep down you believe in love and that he/she is a part of it.
Fifth step -Patience.
Cheers ! Stay happy :)
I went to a friend's home yesterday. It was so good to spend some time to play with her 10 months old baby boy. In the process, my friend offered me to feed some fruit to her little one. I was delighted to feed him the banana puree. She handed me this small little oval shaped container with tiny little spoon. I was looking for which brand is the baby food (just my curious mind). And, she said it is home-made !
It was amazing to see how simple it is to make the baby food at home now. She said it took her few minutes to blend fruits in the blender and store it in the fridge for days. It is fresh and ready to eat. The best thing about Baby Bullet is, it comes with tiny containers and spoons, just ready to go. And, I am sure these fruits would be consumed by babies before they get spoiled.
I remember, when I was an assistant for the infant group at a Montessori school in 2007, parents would bring popular brand's little bottles of fruit puree. I wondered, if one can do this at home ! Well, when you are rushing for work early morning and figuring out what to remember to take for the baby for the day care, it can become crazy to make fresh food everyday.
Baby Bullet does it for you. CLICK to see how simple the process is !
0 Comments on Baby Bullet as of 2/22/2013 1:31:00 PM
Dear Diary:
All he ever wanted was to connect with them.
When we found out we were going to have sons, Kevin did what most fathers do: he fantasized about doing guy things with his sons someday. He would teach them things, he would grow close to them, he would have little buddies to hang out with.
That hasn’t really happened. Oh sure. Our sons love their father (probably more than me since he’s so much more rational with them than I am and plus – I’m a girl), but I don’t think Kevin feels like they are as close as he would like them to be. It’s taken him years to really find common ground with them. Kevin is a fix-it sort of personality. He enjoys challenges. He likes puzzles. He takes a hold of a problem and doesn’t let go until he figures it out and then conquers it.
I call him my bulldog because he simply doesn’t let anything go. (Which, on one hand, is a good trait to have because stubborn people are generally more successful simply because they don’t give up. But on the other hand, you have to learn when to quit because after you’ve reached a certain point, that point where you know in your heart it’s not going to work, it just becomes a waste of time and life is too short to beat dead horses).
But our boys aren’t interested in the same things as Kevin – not really. They could care less how to monkey rig a problem, or make something last longer than it was intended to last. They don’t care about creative maintenance solutions – they would rather just go out and buy something new than figure out what the problem is.
(They come by that mentality honestly. *ahem*)
They aren’t fascinated with problems or problem solving. (Kevin is an accountant and enjoys figuring out logical solutions to messy presentations).
They could care less about cars.
Or cooking.
Or music. (Though Jazz does love his saxophone, he’s not really interested in the type of music that Kevin loves – grungy guitar rock-type songs).
They don’t give a rat’s behind about yard work. Or house maintenance. (Though they should and will whenever they get to the homeowners stage one day).
Our sons are spoiled, entitled and have never really had a tough day in their life. And we take total blame for that. We molded them. We protected them. And they will have a rude awakening one day, I’m sure.
Reality is not all about rainbows and unicorns. Am I right?
So, when the boys saved up enough money to upgrade their computers (they both work with Kevin and Kevin pays them minimum wage and swears that he couldn’t run his business without them because he’s getting more and more clients) and bought customized parts to build bigger and better gaming computers and asked for Kevin’s advice on what to buy and then spent hours in the kitchen together putting those parts back together again, Kevin was in absolute heaven.
Finally. He found common ground. Finally. He found something they were all interested in and could bond over together.
He was happy. He told me he was happy. His actions spelled happiness. And it warmed my heart to see all three of them grow that much closer.
I have reached a point in motherhood where I am no longer inside their world: I’m outside looking in. It’s a weird position to be in considering I was one of those helicopter moms who wouldn’t allow their boys to say “BOO” unless I gave them permission to say “BOO.” In some ways, I miss those days. I miss my little boys who looked to me for guidance and relied on me to take care of them.
But mostly, I glad those days are over. I’m ready for them to take the reins of their lives and ride their choices into the sunset. I’m ready for them to meet adulthood without me hovering in the background. I will always be there for them if they need me, but I no longer wish to be the first person who they turn to if they have problems.
They are no longer boys, they are men. And they need their father now more than ever to teach them HOW to become men. It’s Kevin’s turn to take the parental reins and though one small part of me is sad, most of me is fascinated by the changes I see almost on a daily basis. I find myself in an interesting situation now: I’m the parent on the other side of the looking glass now. Though my job as their mother will never be complete, I think I’ve played my last mothering card – we’re using a new deck now and it’s Kevin’s turn to deal them a new hand.
It warms my heart to see Kevin so happy to take over. He eagerly took on that responsibility yesterday when he helped Jazz put his newly built computer back together again and their father/son conversation left me feeling warm, safe and secure inside – they are both in such good hands. Kevin is an excellent father – I couldn’t have prayed for a better father to my sons. He’s patient, kind, and considerate. He openly tells them he loves them, and is not embarrassed about the admission.
I think Kevin has solidified that father/son connection he craved.
Filed under:
Dear Diary,
Parenting 
By: Kirsty,
on 2/7/2013
Blog:
OUPblog
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
*Featured,
Health & Medicine,
Social Sciences,
Sociology,
child custody,
child maintenance,
children,
custody,
divorce,
fatherhood,
journal of public health,
mental health,
motherhood,
Norway,
parental contact,
parenting,
public health,
shared custody,
simone frizell reiter,
the norwegian child act,
parental,
frizell,
parent’s,
Add a tag
By Simone Frizell Reiter
According to Statistics Norway, around 10,000 children under the age of 18 in Norway experience divorce every year. These numbers do not take into account non-married couples that split up. Therefore, in reality far more children experience parental separation.
Status of knowledge
Focus has been on the adversity of parental divorce, emphasising the support and safety an intact family gives. The child may experience conflict, neglect or parental alienation, and insecurity about who belongs to the family. Not only the separation itself but also the period preceding and following the divorce may disturb the child’s well-being. Several studies show that parental conflict, that may be harmful to the child, is perpetuated even after the divorce. However, other studies show that when the parents are able to reduce the level of conflict after the divorce, the divorce is not exclusively negative if the child is moved from a family situation with conflicts to a more harmonious one. Society’s attitude toward divorce has changed as divorce has become more common. Prejudice and stigma are less pronounced. A natural assumption is therefore that mental problems related to divorce are also reduced. However, more recent studies conclude that adults, who experienced divorce in childhood, have more mental health problems than adults from intact families.
Divorce and reduced parental contact are closely linked. Children with loss of parental contact after divorce report more mental health complaints compared to children with preserved contact. Lack of attention, support, and economic insecurity may explain some of the negative effects of a parent’s absence. However, even when provided with at step-parent after divorce, these children report a lower level of well-being than children with preserved parental contact. Biological parents therefore seem to be of particular importance. Regular and frequent contact with both parents after divorce may also reduce the potential harmful effects of parental absence as seen in sole-custody households. Parental support is an important, independent risk factor to children’s sense of achievement and well-being. It is shown that as children’s relationship with their fathers weakens after divorce, they also lose contact with paternal grandparents and stepfamily.
Studies show that when divorce is followed by strong conflict, children may be used as a weapon between the parents. In such conflicts contact with one of the parents may be limited or brought to an end. The child is forced to ally with one of the parents, and suffers from the psychological stress this causes.
What is the concern?
Family law in Western societies generally aims at preserving dual parental contact for the child after divorce. This is also the aim of the Norwegian legislation. The Norwegian Child Act states that the parents may come to an agreement on where the child should primarily reside. However, if the parents cannot agree on this, the court has to decide which one of the parents the child should stay with. In practical life this has, in most cases, been the mother, while the father has been reduced to a weekend parent. Due to this, the experience in Norway is that when it comes to loss of parental contact, children of divorce primarily lose contact with the father. This effect is in some cases strengthened by the primary caregiver intentionally sabotaging the other parent’s visitation rights. To prevent this, the Norwegian legislation has sanctions, but these are very rarely used. A suggestion has been to introduce shared residence as a preferred solution after parental divorce, and that parents who sabotage this agreement may get restrictions on their contact with the child.
Most parents choose to take an active role in their child’s upbringing, and only a small group is absent, either by choice or circumstances. Therefore, social benefit systems have built in mechanisms to compensate the lacking of the absent parent by high financial contributions to sole providers left alone in charge. The downside of these benefits is that one of the parents can gain financially on monopolising the contact with the child and in some cases the sole provider actively sabotages or reduces the other parent’s contact, only to gain financially. This mechanism is strengthened by the Norwegian child maintenance system, where the level of economic support is linked to the amount of time spent with the child. Parents who share the custody in equal parts do not pay any child maintenance to each other. The combination of the systems has turned many fathers in to “child maintenance machines” because the mother would lose so much financially, sharing the custody of the child with the father. The benefits therefore undermine the aim to gain shared custody, and deprive the father of the possibility to have a close relationship with his child.
The concept of “parental alienation syndrome” is used to describe the condition where the child is alienated against one of the parents. If the government wants the children’s voice to be heard in custody conflicts, they must take into account that the child is already involved in a process of demonization and slander of one of the parents. From the literature, we know the term folie à deux. The government should be careful not to act in a game that can be characterized as folie à troi (madness shared by three).
In practice, it is difficult to have an equal amount of contact with both parents unless the child lives in two places equally. What is important to consider is whether advantages of maintaining a close relationship with both parents outweigh the disadvantages of having to change residence, for instance every week or every second week. Equally shared legal custody is not the same as having the child living in two residences fifty-fifty.
The experience is that the Child Act’s intention of parental agreement on a solution of custody between equal parties does not work. This is because the court, when presented the case, is legally bound to choose a single residence and almost exclusively chooses the mother.
On the basis of this knowledge it is important that the government puts effort in protecting the child’s right to have contact with both parents. This work must be as unprejudiced as possible. It is not acceptable that we continue with a practice in which the legislation allows the systematic favoring of one part in conflicted divorces.
Simone Frizell Reiter is a PhD candidate in the Department of Clinical Medicine at the University of Bergen, Norway, and the author of the paper ‘Impact of divorce and loss of parental contact on health complaints among adolescents’, which appears in The Journal of Public Health.
The Journal of Public Health aims to promote the highest standards of public health practice internationally through the timely communication of current, best scientific evidence.
Subscribe to the OUPblog via email or RSS.
Subscribe to only health and medicine articles on the OUPblog via email or RSS.
Image credit: Divorce and child custody. By Brian Jackson, iStockphoto.
The post Two parents after divorce appeared first on OUPblog.
Once a child gets hooked on reading, it’s hard to get them to put a book down. They won’t come to dinner. They stay up late. You can’t get them to watch TV or play video games. On road trips they stop asking “Are we almost there?” They smuggle books into the bathroom, creating long lines, impatient siblings and unfortunate accidents. The problems are endless.
One method that has had limited success in our household is to simply ground them from books when they sneak a read when they’re not supposed to. However, I’ve heard there are much more effective ways to stop kids from reading. High on the list is, if they ask you to read to them, refuse. Tell them you don’t have time. Put them off until you’re done watching your favorite TV show and hope they’ll get tired of waiting. Better yet, tell them books are dumb.
Other top ways to kill a child’s interest in reading is forbid trips to the library. Don’t let them choose what books they want to read. Only let them read books you like. Of course, that’s not a good idea if they like the books you like. So, better yet, force them to read only books that they hate. That will really convince them that books have nothing to offer.
If you’re lucky enough that none of your children have caught the reading bug, be sure to never let them catch you reading. That would be a catastrophe. They might get the idea that reading is fun, educational and even interesting. Then before you know it, they’re addicted to reading and the battle to get them to stop begins.
Last week I read the children’s picture book,
Happy Like Soccer by Maribeth Boelts and illustrated by Lauren Castillo. All I can say is “Wow!” I loved it. It really took me by surprise. It’s not really a soccer story at all, like you would suspect, but rather a very moving and emotionally powerful story of a young girl and her love for her aunt.
Told in a very simple and honest manner, Happy Like Soccer gives a brief, yet poignant glimpse into a young girl’s difficult, but happy life. Yes, there is a soccer element to the story, but it has many other more intriguing layers to it; new friendships, loneliness, hardships of a poor family struggling to get by, overcoming disappointment, a young girl’s initiative and courage to change a tough situation into a positive one, and the dedicated love between a young girl and her aunt
The ink and watercolor art enhance and fit the mood of the story perfectly. Happy Like Soccer is a great story and read-aloud between parent and child!
Find Books that Appeal to Children's Unique TastesEvery child's tastes are different. Too often adults, and even kids’ peers, try to push their own reading interests onto them. Sometimes I would get frustrated when I would see the classics pushed onto one of my sons because it was driving him to boredom and a dislike for reading. Ironically, I would often try to get that same son more interested in reading by finding adventure books and fantasy books for him to read. He liked them okay, but they weren’t his thing. That was puzzling to me since I loved those books and so did my older son. Ultimately, I discovered that he really enjoyed reading about sports. For awhile he read sports books, but now most of his reading is in the sports section of the newspaper or on web sites, and that’s great, because he’s reading.
All my children are readers, but they all have different tastes, which range from the classics to fantasy and adventure to contemporary thought provoking literature and to non-fiction or historical books. Many times children don’t consider themselves readers simply because the world’s supposed view of what reading is doesn’t mesh with their own. The other day my adult niece mentioned that she’s not a reader and that she’s read probably less than 5 books in her life. She listed the books, which were all fiction, but then went on say how she loves to read books that you can learn about things, such as rock climbing and similar things. She’s definitely a reader.
The key is to give children choices in their reading. Just because they don’t want to read the classics or the latest bestselling novel, doesn’t mean they’re not readers. It’s a mistake to force our own interests or likes on them. Instead, we need to help them discover the books or other reading material that will appeal to their unique tastes.
For more insights on the importance of finding books that target children’s specific interests, take a look at the following Librarian Booktalks:
Also, take a look at these resources for book ideas for children.
Image courtesy of Photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Let Your Children See You Reading
The way that children feel that others think about reading’s importance affects their own reading attitudes. If children rarely see their parents read, they gain the perception that reading is not too important. It develops an attitude of “Why should I read, you never do?” The opposite is true as well, the more children see their parents read the more important it becomes in their minds. This can be especially true for boys in father-son relationships. Whether it’s from cultural or social influences, research has shown that many boy “non-readers” view books as feminine or uncool. That same research shows that as boys see their fathers reading (or other significant male role models, such as grandfathers, uncles, brothers, and teachers), they more than likely will overcome this perception.
Regardless of whether you’re talking about boys or girls, the idea is that children need positive role models that will inspire them to read. When they constantly see you enjoying a variety of good books, it sends the message that “Reading is fun!” “Reading is cool!” “Reading is important!” “Reading is just what I need!”
Want your kids to be readers? First, be a reader yourself.
Who gives heavy, blunt instruments to toddlers for Christmas?
I'm pretty sure this is what inspired "The Lord of the Flies."
My
Making-Merry-on-the-MiniGeoboard Kits are a hit.
And as far as homemade gifts go, how simple is this?
A block of sanded wood.
A bag of screws and nails.
Yarn and rubber bands.
All packaged up and ready to be assembled.
We wrapped a hammer and screwdriver kit for Sugar Snack, too.
He's in Fix-It Heaven,
stomping around the house,
adjusting all the screws.
I keep waiting for the doors to fall off
with the next
ACHOOO!
I don't know how safe a gift of nails
and screws is for the preschool crew.
I've tried to remind them to keep the sharp points
away from mouths, noses and electrical openings,
but you never know.
It helps to have ample adult supervision
when you're dealing with all those hammers.
So, let's just have a proviso here:
For crafty, writing, or artsy tips,
visit me with gleeful abandon.
For safe parenting tips,
go to
someone else.
Happy New Year, my friends!
May it be gloriously rich in the simple joys
and surprisingly glad in all the rest.
Books:
Tools by Taro Miura
Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann (Safety tips AND cuteness)
New Year's Note to Self, short version:
Put first things first and take a writing/blogging sabbatical for a couple of months.
New Year's Note to Self, long version:Yes, Heidi, you are a poet & teacher who practices her arts blah blah blah, but you are also a parent--the parent of a kid who has distinct executive function challenges that keep getting more pronounced as life gets more complex. But just like you told said kid, when you know what your strengths and weaknesses are, you don't sit back and say, "Oh, these things are hard for me so don't expect me to do them well."
Instead, top to bottom ed/psych testing is an opportunity for
everyone to practice using their strengths to develop their weaknesses. Right? So you the parent need to model this.
Weakness: responding flexibly when things don't go smoothly, efficiently and according to schedule.
Strengths: "goal-directed persistence," organizational and time-management skills.
You the parent need to temporarily clear the decks and free up some time and attention to focus on this child who needs extra frontal lobe in order to cope with the demands of 4th grade. If you keep doing everything you're doing all at once, there's no frontal lobe to spare for him.
The poetry will still be there in 60 days. (Heck, it holed up and hibernated circa 1985 and then popped out full of spring sap 15 years later. Not to worry.). But two months is a long time in the life of a 10-year-old who needs more patient reminders and less frantic screeching about missing homework and undone chores.
So, give it two months and see where the family gets. Check back in around March 1. "Everything will be all right in the end. If it's not all right, it's not the end."
Love,
Heidi
By:
Faith Pray,
on 12/19/2012
Blog:
SACRED DIRT
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
kids,
perspective,
good books,
crafty,
great books,
parenting,
Christmas books,
thankfulness,
christmas,
picture books,
holidays,
Add a tag
We take Christmas as we find it.
Big or little. Rich or poor.
Our December began with a broken car.
Growing kids bursting out of their coats and socks and shoes.
And a skinnier piggy bank.
So we're doing homemade this Christmas.
And humble, homemade gifts won't hurt us a bit.
In light of so much sorrow around us this year,
all we have is gratitude.
The messes don't matter.
I am unspeakably thankful for these eight small hands,
alive and healthy,
for the joyful chaos that surrounds them,
for my imperfect, half-finished jumble,
the light, the squeals, the squabbles.
The egg carton bells.
Popsicle stick snowflakes.
Trying on wreaths as hats.
What matters is already surrounding us.
Love encircles us,
wraps us in glowing strands,
and though it doesn't magically take away the sorrows
of our broken world,
Love is the thing that will mend us.
It anchors us when winds and sorrows come.
Smooths out the wrinkles in our weary, bleary furrows.
Makes us small candles to give courage in the dark.
Simple, homespun gifts may not be sophisticated,
fancy, or exactly on everyone's wish list,
but they are offerings of love.
and I'm okay with that.
Because love goes deeper than wish lists.
Christmas began with a gift
wrapped in old clothes and straw.
A humble gift.
A love gift.
Love to you, my friends.
Love.
Connecticut. Haiti. Japan.
Rwanda. Middle East.
Love to you.
Picture Books We're Enjoying this Week:
The Christmas Tapestry- Patricia Polacco
Christmas in the Barn- Margaret Wise Brown, Barbara Cooney
A Child is Born - Elizabeth Winthrop, Charles Mikolaycak
Gleam and Glow - Eve Bunting, Peter Sylvada
Christmas with the Mousekins - Maggie Smith
The Little House Christmas - Laura Ingalls Wilder, Garth Williams
One Wintry Night - Ruth Bell Graham, Richard Jesse Watson
The Joy of A Peanuts Christmas - Charles Schultz
By:
Administrator,
on 12/2/2012
Blog:
Margo Dill's Read These Books and Use Them!
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
Book Club Possibility,
Davidson Lela,
Elementary Educators,
Helping Girls and Women Around the World,
High School Teachers,
Middle School Teachers,
Preschool to 1st grade teachers,
Helping Women and Girls around the world,
Parenting,
Parenting tips,
Add a tag
I’m so happy to welcome back my writing friend Lela Davidson (Blacklisted from the PTA) with her second book with another hilarious title, Who Peed on My Yoga Mat?. Need a Christmas present for a mom who needs a good laugh–look no further because you have found it right here. I have laughed as hard at this second book as I did the first one! And I got the chance to talk to Lela a bit about her book. Here’s what she said:
Margo: Welcome, Lela. I’m so glad to have you back with your second book on what it’s really like to be a parent and being able to laugh about it! How would you say this book is similar to Blacklisted from the PTA? How’s it different?
Lela: Thanks for having me! Yes, this book is very similar to my first book in that it is made up of short essays that can be read while you are sitting in the carpool line or pretending to do yoga. The kids are older now, so there are fewer stories about babies and toddlers.
Margo: It’s funny how we forget those baby and toddler times–I think that’s why people have more than one child. . . If readers accidentally missed the chance to read Blacklisted from the PTA, can they start with Who Peed On My Yoga Mat? Do they have to be read in order?
Lela: No, they are fully independent! All of the essays in both books are stand-alone reads. I hope new readers will want to go back and discover my first book.
Margo: I’m sure they will! Do you have a favorite essay or section in your new book? If so, which one and why?
Lela: I have a few pets, and most of them are the ones that star my husband. Marriage is just so hard. It’s easier when you laugh about how hard it is. 
Margo: That is such a nice way to say it: “starring my husband!” Not only do you talk about parenting, but you also discuss what it’s like to be married and a parent in the section, “Marital Bliss.” Based on your essays, communication is key (along with calendar scheduling!). What are a couple tips you can share with readers about how to handle your spouse and your kids?
Lela: Oh, my. I don’t think I handle them. I think they handle me. Everyone in the family is good at something different; so, yes, I keep the calendar. I keep food in the house and the kids on their dental schedule. I do 643 loads of laundry every week. These are the basics. Everything else is over-achievement.
Margo: Completely agree! For my readers that are also writers, what tips do you have for getting a series of essays published–whether they are about travel, parenting, teaching, etc?
Lela: It’s just like money: “Watch you pennies, and the dollars will watch themselves.” Work on publishing one essay at a time until you have enough with a common tone that can be called a collection. I have been published hundreds of times in parenting magazines all over the US and Canada. Write an essay, and then get it out into the world. Over and over and over.
Margo: Great advice! Thanks for stopping by. Now let’s clue readers in on the important stuff–where can they get a copy of Who Peed On My Yoga Mat? And where can they find out more about you?
Lela: Thank you! This is fun. Who Peed on My Yoga Mat? is available on Amazon and my website, www.leladavidson.com. My website is a great place to find out more than you ever wanted to know about me, watch my book trailers, and read my blog. Thanks!
For two years I’ve been Tweeting the hashtag #bedtimepicks to share the picture books I’m reading to my kids that night. For two years some folks have joined in, yet all have dropped out.
Then I realized: YOU HAVEN’T BLOGGED ABOUT THIS FOR TWO YEARS?
What is wrong with me? (Don’t answer that!)
So I now triumphantly propose we get moving with this hashtag! It’s a simple way to share and discover great picture books. (And if you read chapter books or middle grade novels to your kids, of course, those count, too!)
In the evening, tweet something like this:
Then click on the hashtag to see what other parents and caregivers are reading.
VOILA!
TWO YEARS IN THE MAKING!
If you’re in, let me know in the comments. And please blog about it to spread the word.
Now quick, let’s all play catch-up!
By:
jrpoulter,
on 9/28/2012
Blog:
Jrpoulter's Weblog
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
Animals,
accident,
change,
children,
death,
family,
friendship,
grief,
J R Poulter,
loss,
moving,
Muza Ulasowski,
natural disaster,
parenting,
Teacher Resource,
Add a tag
Muza Ulasowski, my wonderful collaborator, has created a fabulous FB page for our picture book, “The Sea Cat Dreams”! Muza’s wonderfully life like illustrations have perfectly captured the story in a way I could never have envisaged! She has truly captured the story’s essence! Here are some samples:
The story is about coping with life impacting change something that can happen planned [as in a house move] or completely unplanned [as with a natural disaster, accident, death etc]. Coping with change, as child/family psychologists and counselors all say, is something that has a profound impact, especially on the young. As with grief, adults are often too preoccupied with the change and its ramifications to be able to take in how the children, who are being impacted by change, are managing or not managing in the new setting/situation.
The cat in the story moves, accidently, from one environment & family on a farm, to another very different one, aboard a fishing boat. He is then impacted further by the loss of a master he has come to love. But this is not the end. He moves through his life’s dramatic changes; firstly, by grieving, something we need to encourage each other and especially children, to do. He then reaches out to, shares with and cares for others also affected by loss, in this case, the fisherman’s widow. He gradually accepts his new life situation, not for a moment forgetting what has happened, but treasuring the wonderful memories he has.
The process of grieving must be acknowledged and the grieving child/adult be allowed to express their grief or sense of loss at the change in their lives and encouraged to do so. Let them talk, let them share as much as they need to. Highlight the constructive aspects, positive elements, e.g, wonderful memories of a dead friend, relative or pet. If the impacting change has involved a move – be it to a different school, to another suburb, another state, another country – encourage the keeping of contacts where possible, assist with the making of new contacts and the sharing of the process of moving and resettling, especially any humorous incidents.
The hope in writing this book, was to help children talk about their own stories of life changing events and to recognise, that whilst change is not always pleasant, we can become stronger for it and be better able to reach out and empathise with others experiencing its many faceted impact on their own lives.
See it here: http://utales.com/books/the-sea-cat-dreams
By:
Faith Pray,
on 8/31/2012
Blog:
SACRED DIRT
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
dressing up,
birthdays,
good books,
great books,
parenting,
gifts,
costumes,
cake books,
gifts for kids,
failure,
parties,
Add a tag
Birthdays for one small Two
and two big Sevens
all in one whippy whirlwind of a week.
Whew!
With such a mouthful of birthdays,
we partied nice and mellow...
except for... the big girl cakes...
Uh.
A few words to the wise:
Betty Crocker
invented cake mix for a reason.
The reason?
She had twins plus two toddlers
and could not juggle kids and kitchen.
My attempt turned out two overly dense
six-layer rainbow pink berry chocolate cakes
with floppy, sloppy frosting...
sound yummy?
hmmmm.
I have learned from my mistakes.
From now on, I will stick to wordy, artsy things
and leave baking to the Big Whisks
and their foodie blogs.
Goodbye, high rise glorious
skittle skat roarious.
It's cupcakes from now on.
Five days later, Birdy's birthday began
with a houseful of pink balloons.
Heaven!
What else does a newly two need?
A frilly dress-up,
a home-sewn crown
fuzzy old chenille in a soft new quilt,
giggles
and some really easy cupcakes from a stress-free mama
and a
Yummy Cake Books:
The High Rise Glorious Skittle Skat Roarious
High Pie Angel Food Cake - Nancy Willard, Richard Jesse Watson
The Woman Who Flummoxed the Fairies - Heather Forest, Susan Gaber
Round is a Mooncake - Roseanne Thong, Grace Lin
Clever Jack Takes the Cake - Candace Fleming, G. Brian Karas
Mud is Cake - Pam Munoz Ryan
Thunder Cake - Patricia Polacco
Moon Cake - Frank Asch
Babycakes - Karma Wilson, Sam Williams
The Fairy Tale Cake - Mark Sperring, Jonathan Langley
What are your favorite yummy books?
By:
Katie Cusack,
on 8/21/2012
Blog:
Scribble Chicken! Art and Other Fun Stuff
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
fly,
fun,
horse,
Illustration,
illustrator,
line,
line art,
living,
parenting,
park,
pet,
picture,
picture book,
plane,
play,
playing,
rabbit,
ride,
rider,
social,
stuffed toy,
toy,
Add a tag
Doug Lucas, author of The Flats Teacher's Test, is my guest today with a post about why he wrote a book that one reviewer called "an explosive story...crossing the boundaries...behind the doors of the educational system". To all my teacher friends and parents, this may be worth your time.
The Flats Teacher's Test is ONLY $4.99 for Kindle (or FREE for Prime users) and you can get it here - http://goo.gl/9q9Ff
What made me write The Flats Teacher's Test?
Well in answer to that question you would have to understand my relationship with and pride I take where my daughter is concerned. If you've met my wife, this becomes a clearly understandable statement.
My wife is that rare breed of intelligent woman who decides what she wants for herself, knows how she intends to live her life and also takes no crap from me. With a combination like that…why wouldn't I dream of having a daughter?
I've got to admit that I was less than thrilled when my daughter started growing into a beautiful young woman. I felt she should've set her sights somewhat higher than some of the low life types of cretins(none of whom were good enough for her I'll add) she dated. My nasty wife would remind me, that daughters tend to date boys like their fathers. This is not true of course and I will hold the gentle, loving, hard working man(only guy she ever dated that I now like) my daughter married as an example of just why this isn't true.
Sis became enamored with school at age four. We lived in Marine Corps housing while I was stationed at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina. The Department of Defense elementary school, which served the families stationed at MCRD Parris Island and the nearby Marine Corps Air Station of Beaufort was located two blocks from the base house we were assigned. I can't count the number of times my wife would force our two sons out the front door for school…only to find Sis had already left out a window or the back door heading the same direction as her brothers.
Left with a wagon loaded with "her" books, pencils, crayons and of course a snack.
I watched as her dream of becoming a teacher took root, grew, and became a reality. I observed her work through a few bad educators, more than one tenured professor and several courses in college she hated in pursuit of her dream. In the process she never lost sight of who she was, where she was going and what she intended to do after she got there.
I also watched her battle cancer and pursue her Master's Degree at the same time. How can you not be impressed with that type of desire and drive?
I spent the entire time after she started teaching teasing her. The forward of my book fairly describes some of the alleged abuse I heaped on her. She's as tough as nails and gives as good as she gets; no man will ever brow beat that woman.
I spent my last tour of duty in the Marine Corps as a Recruiter. That's much the same as saying most mothers put me in the same category as "Chester the Molester." It also required me to visit every school in my area(did I mention I had three counties?) regularly.
Once Sis threw out her challenge(it's in the forward of the book) I decided to take what I knew already and add to that knowledge, just to prove her wrong once again.
I really wish I had been right and will admit(but not to Sis!) that I wasn't.
I combined the most common tales I was told into fiction based on facts. I was reminded that we still have some great folks beating their heads against brick walls in an effort to make a difference. In the process they are forced to swim in the cesspools: of politics, violence, stupidity, parental apathy, and government constraints that all but doom them to failure.
If you can get a teacher to tell you what is really going on in our schools, you'll hear horror stories that make vampires, murder mysteries and war stories seem like a five year talking about their last birthday party.
Do I paint with a broad brush? Yes I do and will admit it. What I will also admit is we have some school systems that work, you just have to search to find them. Even the good ones have deadwood they can't replace…until after the deadwood retires. The problems I found are over simplified in my book and I know that. What I also know is the deadly triad of unions, government and local politics are a major understated part of the problem.
The solution is easier said than done: fire the failures, let the true teachers do their jobs and stop telling ourselves everyone can or should go to college. Schools today are partly rated on their percentage of students to college…not how many of that number really go on and earn a degree. Also not considered is how many who do receive a degree, are able to make a living with their expensive education.
We look at the percentage of a school's population who do pass some sort of state assessment exam as the benchmark for how effective the school really is. This practice forces school systems to stress(and sometimes teach to) the test. There's more…much more that goes into why our schools are failing and will get worse in the future if things aren't changed.
Parents and communities are the only answer I think could make a real change and turn our schools away from the brink of failure. But most parents won't even set down and check their child's homework…"if" the child was assigned homework. Most high school students are shocked when they start college…shocked they have to do much more than attend classes and pass a few test.
The PTSA's and School Boards are mostly filled with the same folks. Compare a PTSA meeting to the Band or Athletic booster clubs meetings and then tell me which have the most parents attending. You can get more folks to attend a school play than parent/teacher's conferences. If you doubt that statement ask any teacher.
At the start of this ramble, that more than a few will find contain grammar mistakes, I talked about my daughter. Will She ever become an educator waiting to collect a retirement? Not a chance in hell could or would that ever happen. But I've watched her go from a starry eyed first year teacher to a seasoned professional. What scares me is there aren't as many folks with the drive and determination she has teaching.
When she says, "I'm thinking about leaving teaching"well this nation is in deep Kimchi.
If we destroy the desire of teachers to teach (note I said teacher and not educator) we have lost more than we'll ever know.
About the author: After retiring from the Marines I went to work for the Pennsylvania State police as a Forensic Photographer. I liked that job a lot because it was, for the most part, very quiet and peaceful—you might say dead-end. After working at that for a few years I became interested in Forensic video analysis. I think my main reason for interest in that field was as a way of proving to my father I could make a living watching television. I am now totally retired from all forms of work, with the exception of those small requirements my wife now inflicts on me—tasks preformed for little or no pay, I might add. My lovely and gentle wife added to this blend of joy and frustration by acquiring an attack dog for home security. Very few people have the slightest conception of the sense of failure a former Marine achieves as he walks behind a six pound miniature Yorkshire Terrier, appropriately named Trouble. With the profits from my book sales, I hope to be able to afford a “pooper scooper.”
About the book: A great teacher is a rock jutting from and sometimes engulfed by an ocean filled with the rip tides of passion, ineptitude, arrogance and ignorance. They are protruding spikes of granite which cannot be eroded easily. These are the teachers who make every effort against tremendous odds to polish young minds into the building blocks of society. Great teachers are awe inspiring in their efforts to create excellence and their influence is powerful, extending beyond even their own lifetimes. A fortunate few of us have had exceptional teachers who gifted our lives with knowledge as they challenged us and created a need to meet the potential of what we might achieve. These individuals changed the way we thought, possibly sent us down a career path or simply gave us a passion for learning. A passion which will move forward with us for all of our lives. All of us have encountered educators. More than a few of these educators started out to become teachers, only to be crushed at some point in their career. Those individuals have lost the desire to teach. Once this desire was destroyed, they ceased to care about anything but themselves and their retirement. A number of these educators can and should be faulted for their effort to instruct their students. There are more than a few teachers who've simply been beaten into submission by the very system they drove themselves to become part of. Most of those teachers who've been destroyed by our education system, toiled under the constraints of weak administrators. Administrators who care more about the system and the political realities of their own success, than education. For this type of administrator the people on the front lines of education and the children they strive to entice, excite or simply drag kicking and screaming into an academic environment are of little or no consequence. This type of administrator creates educators out of gifted teachers. In the process, they destroy the gifts and fervor for knowledge that could have been passed to future generations. I invite you to wander through the very foundations of our education system and spend a few hours with a few truly great teachers. When you finish I'd ask you to answer one very simple question, "Would I be a great teacher or end up an educator?"
If you are seeking insight into and are concerned about the future of our education system, then please have a look at The Flats Teacher's Test - http://goo.gl/9q9Ff
Surely this is a joke?!?!?!?!?
Surely people are not this stupid?!?!?!?
Wow. Just wow.
Filed under:
Parenting,
random stuff 
By:
admin,
on 5/28/2012
Blog:
Litland.com Reviews!
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
Adults,
Book of the Day!,
Catholic,
Christian,
Summer/vacation reading,
advanced reader interest,
authors & guests,
book club,
ethics/morality,
generations,
history,
homeschooling,
new release,
non-fiction,
teachers/librarians,
teens,
Annunciation,
bedtime stories,
bible,
bible stories,
birth,
book,
book of the day,
book review,
book reviews,
Catherine Hickem,
character,
character education,
children's,
children's books,
children's lit,
Christmas,
classroom ethics,
death of child,
disabled,
disabled child,
education,
Evangelical,
family,
gifted,
gifted education,
God,
grief,
Hickem,
holiday,
homeschool,
Jesus,
kids,
literature,
loss,
Marian,
Mary,
Memorial Day,
morals,
motherhood,
mothers,
mothers day,
Orthodox,
parenting,
priest,
psychology,
psychotherapy,
raising children,
reader,
reading,
reflection,
review,
single parenting,
summer,
teach,
teaching,
teen,
therapy,
vacation,
virtues,
Visitation,
ya,
young adult,
young adults,
Add a tag
Hickem, Catherine. (2012). Heaven in Her Arms: Why God Chose Mary to Raise His Son and What It Means for You. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson. ISBN 978-1-4002-0036-8.
What do we know of Mary?
What we know of Mary’s family is that she is of the house of David; it is from her lineage Jesus fulfilled the prophecy. Given the archeological ruins of the various places thought to have been living quarters for their family, it is likely the home was a room out from which sleeping quarters (cells) branched. As Mary and her mother Anne would be busy maintaining the household, with young Mary working at her mother’s command, it is likely Anne would be nearby or in the same room during the Annunciation. Thus Mary would not have had a scandalous secret to later share with her parents but, rather, a miraculous supernatural experience, the salvific meaning of which her Holy parents would understand and possibly even witnessed.
Mary and Joseph were betrothed, not engaged. They were already married, likely in the form of a marriage contract, but the marriage had not yet been “consummated”. This is why he was going to divorce her when he learned of the pregnancy. If it were a mere engagement, he would have broken it off without too much scandal.
Married but not yet joined with her husband, her mother would prepare her by teaching her all that she needed to know. This is further reason to assume that Mary would be working diligently under her mother’s eye when the Annunciation took place.
We know that her cousin Elizabeth’s pregnancy was kept in secret for five months, and not made known until the sixth month when the Angel Gabriel proclaimed it to Mary. We know Mary then rushed to be at her elderly cousin’s side for three months (the remaining duration of Elizabeth’s pregnancy), and that this rushing appeared to be in response to Elizabeth’s pregnancy (to congratulate her), not an attempt to hide Mary’s pregnancy. Note how all of this is connected to Elizabeth’s pregnancy rather than Mary’s circumstances. As Mary was married to Joseph, he likely would have been informed of the trip. Had the intent been to hide Mary, she would have remained with Elizabeth until Jesus was born, not returned to her family after the first trimester, which is just about the time that her pregnancy was visible and obvious.
So we these misconceptions clarified, we can put Mary’s example within an even deeper context and more fully relate to her experience. We can imagine living in a faith-filled family who raises their child in strict accordance of God’s word. The extended family members may not understand, and certainly their community will not, so Mary, Anne and Joachim, and Joseph face extreme scandal as well as possible action from Jewish authorities. But they faced this together steep in conversation with God, providing a model for today’s family.
Although sometimes scriptural interpretations are flavored with modern-day eye, overall this book will be more than just a quick read for a young mother (or new bride, or teen aspiring to overcome the challenges of American culture, or single parent losing her mind). It is a heartwarming reflection with many examples that open up conversation with God. As an experienced psychotherapist, the author’s examples are spot on and easy to relate to. We do not need to have had the same experiences to empathize, reflect, and pursue meaning; we see it around us in everyday life. As such, a reflective look upon these examples can help one overcome an impasse in their own relationship with God and also open the reader up to self-knowledge as Hi
Truth At Heart by Anju Gattani A writer’s life is hard. A woman’s life is tough. But a woman-writer’s life is grueling. I’m not saying this because I’m a woman or a writer--in actual fact, I’m both. I’m saying this because I’ve watched my children grow, get better and stronger with age, and have pretty much always been there for them 24/7. I’m saying this because I’ve watched my manuscript grow from one story to a series of books, become better and stronger with age, and have pretty much always been there for it 24/7.
I pack (and still do) my kids’ lunches every morning. I listen to their problems, their issues at school, and wave goodbye with promises of “Today’s a new day!” I listen to my husband’s problems, his issues at work and empathize with the tiring routine (now) of flying out every Mondays, returning on Thursdays and wave goodbye on Monday again with promises that “Today’s a new day!”
For nine long years I waved everyone off with enthusiasm, encouraging them to make the best of the rat-race in life. It didn’t matter if we were living in Australia, Singapore, India or the US, the walls and decor simply changed. The neighbors and friends grew with each move. But the door I’d close, the burden of a lonely manuscript waiting to be completed and the uncertainty if I’d ever become a published author were constants. I’d sit with my characters and wonder… will they ever be real like the family I waved goodbye to every morning? Would they also have stories of their own to share? Would they raise issues that would need thought, analysis and empathy? Would they ever become real or remain cardboard?
The more I rewrote and shared this with women friends, the more I realized
DUTY AND DESIRE, the debut in my ‘Winds of Fire’ series, wasn’t just fiction but women’s fiction. But when women, I barely knew, came up to me at random and repeated the dialogues and themes underlying my fiction I realized I wasn’t just writing women’s fiction, but realistic fiction. I waved new friends off with the promise I’d let them know when the manuscript was finally a published book.
The manuscript is now a published book, in hardcover, digital format and available worldwide.
I still pack school lunches. I still listen, empathize and preach “Today’s a new day!” I still have another manuscript – another constant – waiting to be completed. And I have come to realize this is the burden of being a woman. We don’t just carry our stories but the stories of those around us.
Some are able to put the words on paper.
Others choose to keep them inside.
But no matter what the decision,
women are the same world-wide.
* * *
Anju Gattani, fiction author, freelance journalist and former news reporter, has been published for over 2 decades in leading Asian and US publications.
3 Comments on Friday Speak Out!: Truth At Heart, guest post by Anju Gattani, last added: 6/30/2012
It's three months until we move, but in the spirit of
making hay while the sun shines, I've begun casually, nostalgically sorting and packing a few things. In a pile of books in the parlor I came across a collection of Anne Sexton's poems. Opening randomly, I read--and burst into tears.
Daisy doesn't care for horses, but she
is 13, and I see this moment coming.
Pain for a Daughter // Anne Sexton
Blind with love, my daughter
has cried nightly for horses,
those long necked marchers and churners
that she has mastered, any and all,
reining them in like a circus hand -
the excitable muscles and the ripe neck -
tending, this summer, a pony and a foal.
She who is squeamish to pull
a thorn from the dog’s paw
watched the pony blossom with distemper,
the underside of the jaw swelling
like an enormous grape,
Gritting her teeth with love,
she drained the boil and scoured it
with hydrogen peroxide until pus
ran like milk on the barn floor.
Blind with loss all winter,
in dungarees, a ski jacket, and a hard hat,
she visits the neighbors’ stables,
our acreage not zoned for barns,
they who own the flaming horses
and the swan-necked thoroughbred
that she tugs at and cajoles,
thinking it will burn like a furnace
under her small-hipped English seat.
Blind with pain, she limps home;
The thoroughbred has stood on her foot.
He rested there like a building;
He grew into her foot until they were one.
The marks of the horseshoe printed
into her flesh, the tips of her toes
ripped off like pieces of leather,
three toenails swirled like shells
and left to float in blood in her riding boot.
Blind with fear, she sits on the toilet,
her foot balanced over the washbasin,
her father, hydrogen peroxide in hand,
performing the rites of the cleansing.
She bites on a towel, sucked in breath,
sucked in and arched against the pain,
her eyes glancing off me where
I stand at the door, eyes locked
on the ceiling, eyes of a stranger,
And then she cries…
Oh! My god, Help me!
Where a child would have cried “Mama!”
Where a child would have believed “Mama!”
She bit the towel and called on God,
And I saw her life, stretch out…
I saw her torn in childbirth,
And I saw her, at that moment,
in her own death,
And I knew that she knew.
******************************
Poetry Friday is hosted today by Tabatha at
The Opposite of Indifference, where she's sharing some of the poems exchanged through the Summer Poem Swap she has organized. I'm participating and will have at least three to share next Friday--thanks, Tabatha!
By:
Administrator,
on 7/26/2012
Blog:
Margo Dill's Read These Books and Use Them!
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
Book Club Possibility,
Davidson Lela,
Elementary Educators,
Helping Girls and Women Around the World,
High School Teachers,
Book Giveaway Contest,
Parenting,
Parenting tips,
Parenting young adults,
Add a tag
I am very excited to be a part of Blacklisted from the PTA‘s birthday party! I first met the author, Lela Davidson, at the Missouri Writers’ Guild conference in St. Louis in April. She’s a riot, and I liked her immediately! When I read the title of her book and saw the subject matter was not your typical parenting book, then I knew I had to have it.
I read it and laughed and smiled all the way through. You see, I, myself, am not a typical parent–I’m not that into crafts (I do like to scrap book, though), I don’t bake, and I don’t like to cook. Sometimes, I let my toddler eat meals in front of the TV, watching Family Feud or Big Bang Theory, and I take her everywhere with me, including to Weight Watchers and writing conferences and critique groups. As a matter of fact, she is lying here beside me in the bed sleeping while I write this blog post because she woke up from her nap when I took a shower, screamed her head off, and when I laid down with her to calm her down, she fell back asleep. So, I grabbed my computer and started blogging. . .
Anyway, back to Lela, you will love this book. You will want to buy two copies and give one to a friend. You COULD win one if you leave a comment for Lela and me below (she is giving out e-books OR hard copies). You can tell us WHY you are the type of parent who might be blacklisted from the PTA OR why you are Mrs. Cleaver from Leave it to Beaver. You can ask a question or just leave a comment like, “Sounds like a good book.” As long as you leave it by Sunday, July 29 at 8:00 pm CST, you are entered to win. If you have a mailing address outside the United States, you may only have the choice of an e-book.
Here’s my review of Lela’s book:
Take some time to see how one real, honest mom deals with forgotten piano recitals, date nights with her husband and those pesky questions children always ask at the wrong moments. Lela Davidson shares the stories of her motherhood experience in several hysterical, true essays in the book, Blacklisted from the PTA.
Davidson states in her introduction that she didn’t plan to write this book. She wanted to write a novel: “one of those quirky romantic titles that get made into a movie starring Reese Witherspoon or Kate Winslet.” She said she didn’t know how to do that, so she set out to learn. While she was learning, she wrote the essays in this book.
“All I seemed to be good at was sitting on the driveway drinking boxed Chardonnay and talking to my friends,” Davidson writes. “So that’s what I wrote—the stories that made us laugh.”
And that is exactly what these stories do—they make you laugh. They also make you realize that you’re not alone. Every mother has the idyllic dream of how she’s going to approach her babies and handle motherhood. She looks back at her own childhood and says either, “I’m going to be just like my mom,” or “I will never do that to my children.”
No matter what you’
By:
jrpoulter,
on 7/30/2012
Blog:
Jrpoulter's Weblog
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
Australian Children's Book Awards,
Awards for literature,
books,
children,
children's books,
children's literature,
children's stories,
creative arts,
Crichton Award,
Fiction,
grief,
illustration,
inspiration,
Library resource,
Literacy,
loss,
parenting,
picture books,
Reading,
review,
Reviewing,
separation,
step parents,
story books,
Writing,
Anil Totop,
book creation,
Central City Library,
children's book,
J R Poulter,
Journey of a Book,
Lynelle Westlake,
Lynn Priestley,
Mending Lucille,
Michelle Richards,
Michelle Tofts,
Ozan Tortop,
Peter Allert,
picture book,
Prue Mason,
Sarah Davis,
SCBWI QLD,
SHeryl Gwyther,
Add a tag
The set up, which I thought would only take an hour, stretched to all morning. Coordinating the set up of an exhibition this size with so many ‘exhibitors’ had Michelle Richards, the Brisbane Central Library’s exhibition coordinator, running a million directions at once, advising as to ‘how [it was something new to a lot of us], finding stands and suggesting modes of display, and generally guiding us all through to ‘VOILA!’ – one fascinating and very varied exhibition!
But there was more – not just the glass cases to set up, but hanging around to do the hanging! this was not as straightforward as it sounds. We had to somehow attach our paintings to fine dangling wires and – here’s the worst part GET THEM TO SIT $#@*# STRAIGHT!
Click to view slideshow.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/05/opinion/sunday/raising-successful-children.html?_r=1
View Next 25 Posts
.jpeg?picon=2747)
.jpeg?picon=893)
This is wonderful! It's about time someone had the courage to stand up and be vocal about this horrendous problem.
Well, somebody had to speak up.
Aaaand... What you restrict and forbid is what kids reaaaally want.
So, parents whose children can read, but never do? Try forbidding reading for awhile. Buy some really interesting books and tell them that can't read them until they ________________________. Reverse psychology 101.