Sunday Post: Solid like a Rock

Posted on July 15, 2012 by viviankirkfield

Jake at Time after Time has a Sunday Post Challenge and every week he provides a theme…this week’s theme is SOLID.

The dictionary defines solid in several ways: substantial, durable and strong…the Colorado Rockies fit that description perfectly!

The dictionary also defines solid as: faithful, constant and honest: a relationship between partners must have these components if it is to succeed. My husband and I will celebrate our 45^th wedding anniversary next month!

Solid can also be defined as competent, conscientious and united…happy are the children whose parents are solid in this way.

If you are not feeling as if you are on solid ground when it comes to choosing activities that can help build self-esteem and develop stronger literacy skills, please take a look at my award-winning resource for parents and teachers… Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking

The book will be featured on Diane Hower’s local NBC affiliate morning show (Grand Junction, CO) at 6am to 7am Mountain Time on Tuesday, July 24^th http://www.nbc11news.com/news/misc/50648692.html and will be reviewed on her blog: http://bookwisdombydiane.blogspot.com/.

I hope everyone will tune in and I’ll try to post the show’s highlights on my blog next week.

Want more information about Jake’s Sunday Post?

http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/

And here are some other bloggers who are doing Jake’s Sunday Post:

http://cyclingrandma.wordpress.com/2012/04/04/happy-58th-anniversary-mom-dad/

http://inspirationimport.wordpress.com/2012/07/14/mario-balotelli-a-solid-man-any-day-of-the-week/

http://imexcited.wordpress.com/2012/07/14/sunday-post-solid/

http://bodhisattvaintraining.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/sunday-post-solid/

http://p0nky.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/sunday-post-solid/

http://playamart.wordpress.com/2012/07/14/solid-jakes-sunday-post-challenge/

http://thethirdeyeworld.com/2012/07/15/a-testament-of-love/

http://jmeyersforeman.wordpress.com/2012/06/28/bath-abbey-bath-england/

http://motherwifestudentworker.wordpress.com/2012/07/14/weekly-sunday-post-solid/

http://theurgetowander.com/2012/07/15/sunday-post-solid/

http://restlessjo.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/sunday-post-solid/

http://perceptionsofareluctanthomemaker.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/sunday-post-solid-a-mothers-love/

http://shaanthz.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/sunday-post-solid/

http://tostir.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/sunday-post-solid/

http://rondomtaliedraai.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/sunday-post-solid/

http://36beauty5.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/sunday-post-solid/

http://africatoalgarve.blogspot.pt/2012/07/solid.html

http://catbirdinoman.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/sunday-post-solid/

http://francineinretirement.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/sunday-post-solid/

Animal A to Z Picture Book Recommendations for Great Summer Reading

Posted on July 13, 2012 by viviankirkfield

Summertime gives us a wonderful opportunity to get outdoors. Kids love hiking in the park, going down the slide and playing ball at the playground, building sandcastles at the beach…sometimes it seems as if they have a boundless well of energy. But even kids need to sit down in a cool spot to relax…that’s the perfect time to get out the books!

If you have young children, what will you are reading with them? Studies show that reading to kids on a daily basis helps children succeed in school as it helps develop their literacy skills, build self-esteem and strengthen the parent-child connection. What’s even better is that it is SO MUCH FUN for the kids and the adults!

Here’s a list of wonderful picture books…all about animals (a favorite subject for most kids) from A to Z. Most can be found for FREE at your local library…I hope every parent is taking advantage of the amazing summer programs available at many libraries.

I’ve added a link if I found a review and activities for that particular book…many of the reviews are mine and a few of the links will take you to a review done by one of the contributors to Susanna Leonard Hill’s Perfect Picture Book Friday posts. If you need any other picture books for summer reading and beyond, please check out her Perfect Picture Book page.

ARMADILLO: Milo Armadillo by Jane Fearnley
BEAR: Gift-Bear for the King by Carl Memling
CAT: Millions of Cats by Wanda Gag
DINOSAUR: Dinosaur vs. The Library by Bob Shea
ELEPHANT: Babar by Jean de Brunhoff
GOLDFISH: Gilbert Goldfish Wants a Pet by Kelly DiPucchio
HORSE: Indian Two Feet and His Horse by Margaret Friskey
IGUANA: I Wanna Iguana by T.E.Watson
JELLYFISH: Joy the Jellyfish by Kristen Collier

10. KANGEROO: Yes We Can! by Sam McBratney

11. LLAMA: Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney

12. MOUSE: Frederick by Leo Lionni

13. NEWT: Newt by Matt Novak

14. OWL: Owl Moon

15. PIG: Sloppy Kisses by Elizabeth Winthrop

16. QUAIL: Looking After Me by Denise Leroy

17. RACOON: The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn

18. SHEEP: Can’t Sleep Without Sheep by Susanna Leonard Hill

19. TIGER: Leo the Late Bloomer by Robert Kraus

20. UNICORN: Unicorn! Unicorn! By Geraldine McCaughean

21. VOLE: The Vole Brothers by Roslyn Schwartz

22. WHALE: Pipaluk and the Whales by John Himmelman

23. XIPHIAS (SWORDFISH): Swimmy by Leo Lionni

24. YAK: Kami and the Yak by Andrea Stenn Stryer

25. ZEBRA: How the Zebra Got Its Stripes by Justine Fontes

Badge created by the talented Loni Edwards

I also wanted to add a note about a great creative writing activity going on right now…Susanna Leonard Hill has organized Summer Short and Sweets…if you have been thinking about writing for children and want to get your feet wet, this is the perfect opportunity. The kid lit community that gathers there is generous, helpful, caring and inspiring.

60 Not-to-be-Missed Picture Books (February) (delightfulchildrensbooks.com)
Proud Kids, Proud Books: Little Island Picks Kids’ Comics for LGBT Pride (comicsalliance.com)
The Vole Brothers (bctla.typepad.com)
We Give Books and Jumpstart’s Read for the Record to Set New Digital Reading Record (prweb.com)
Picture book illustrators featured in Himeji (japantimes.co.jp)
Rubbing shoulders with Harry Potter’s publisher, poverty porn & other gem moments (Part 1) (mummumstheword.wordpress.com)

Sunday Post: Silence…Should Children Be Seen and Not Heard?

Posted on July 8, 2012 by viviankirkfield

Jake at Time after Time has a Sunday Post Challenge and every week he provides a theme…this week’s theme is SILENCE.

I’ve only “heard” true silence twice in my life…twenty-five years ago while parasailing and last year while skydiving. Silence…the absence of sound or communication…is sometimes helpful when one needs to collect one’s thoughts or ponder an important decision.

But should we apply this to our parenting approach…following the old proverb that says…children should be seen and not heard?

I don’t recommend it.

Why not?

Children need opportunities to tell us what they think and feel.

Children need time to interact with their peers.

Children need to form strong friendships in those early years in order to develop healthy relationships later in life.

These activities don’t call for silence…they call for open and honest communication.

What activities do you have planned for your kids this summer? Summer is a perfect time to read picture books to young children! Children who are read to at an early age are more successful in school. I’ll be posting an A-Z list of some of the best in my next post.

For great story suggestions and quick and easy activities for kids, you might want a copy of Show Me How!