Cinema Sundays: My Picks of Great Flicks: Academy Awards Special Edition

Posted on February 27, 2011 by viviankirkfield

Classic Photo from 1937 Academy Awards at the ...

Image by ExperienceLA via Flickr

Tonight many people will be glued in front of their televisions, watching the Academy Awards presentation.

All across the country (and probably in other parts of the world), there will be Oscar-night parties and other celebrations to honor the winners (and losers…how can they be “losers” if those nominated were among the top 5 of all actors, actresses, movies, etc. for the entire year?).

My husband and I don’t go to the movies very often.

We actually LOVE watching movies, but don’t like the cost and inconvenience of going OUT to the movies.

So we got most of our movies for free from our local library or for $1 from Red box vending machines.:)

This past week, for President’s Day, I’ve written several posts that examine HONESTY, and how it relates to parenting.

So, my movie pick for today is GET LOW with Robert Duvall, Bill Cobbs, Sissy Spacek and Bill Murray. Although not one of the Academy Award nominees in any category, it’s a film well worth your time.

The movie examines the life of a man who has a secret he has kept to himself for many years. He takes up the life of a hermit and finally connects with the world only because he wants to arrange a “funeral party”, inviting EVERYONE and ANYONE who has a story to tell about him…but his real reason is that he knows he is going to die soon and wants to reveal the truth…so that he can rest easy.

Look at the word DISEASE…it’s made up of two parts: DIS (meaning not) and EASE (meaning at rest or at peace or functioning smoothly).

When we are not at peace, we are much more prone to getting sick.

Children start out in life being innocent and honest and forthright. Some begin to practice deception and dishonesty because they learn that when you tell the truth, if the truth is something unpleasant, you will likely get into trouble.

One of the cornerstones of Positive Parental Participation is listening to our children without judgment. Please don’t think this means that children don’t have to be responsible for their actions. A second cornerstone of this parenting approach is to consistently expect children to accept the consequences for what they do.

The gentle parenting tips included on every other page of SHOW ME HOW! BUILD YOUR CHILD’S SELF-ESTEEM THROUGH READING, CRAFTING AND COOKING are one of the coolest parts of the book. Do you worry that your children will not grow up the way you want them to? Are you concerned that peer pressure may influence your children to misbehave or stray off the path you would have them follow?

Use the book with your child for just 15 minutes a day and you will be amazed at the positive results! Head over to my website and grab a copy for half-price…only $22.50!

What will you get for $22.50?

100 story summaries of picture books your child needs to hear.
100 simple eco-friendly craft projects you and your child will enjoy doing.
100 child-friendly healthful recipes you and your child will have fun preparing together.
100 gentle parenting tips that will inspire you and give you confidence in your own parenting abilities.
365-day money-back guarantee.

Children grown and don’t need a copy for yourself? Pick one up as a super Mother’s Day gift for a new mom, working mom of preschoolers, homeschooling mom or dad or as a great gift for someone you know who is a preschool teacher, daycare provider, babysitter or nanny. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to spend this special time with your young children…even if it is just 15 minutes a day.

Please stop by tomorrow for Make-A-Meal Mondays!

What’s In Your Child’s Bookcase Wordy Wednesday: TOUGH EDDIE

Posted on February 23, 2011 by viviankirkfield

Advertisement featuring "El Presidente&qu...

Image via Wikipedia

When you were a child, did you ever keep information about yourself or your family hidden from your friends? Do you now?

While I’m not saying we need to blab on and on to friends and acquaintances about all the personal stuff in our lives, I do think that it is healthier to at least be honest about your likes and dislikes.

Let me relate a really FUNNY story about what happens when you don’t tell people how you feel…I think many of you will be shaking your heads in recognition of a similar experience.

When my husband and I were first married, my mom invited us for dinner. Now, although she was an adequate cook, I wouldn’t put her meals in the “gourmet” category. I’m not sure why she chose this particular recipe…she did make a fantastic roast beef…and her homemade mac and cheese was out-of-this-world!

The table was set with her best linen tablecloth and the china and silverware that she only used for “company”…everything looked beautiful!

We sat down and she brought in a large platter of chicken and tomatoes, garnished attractively with sprigs of parsley. After everyone had taken some, we began to eat and my husband, wanting to make a good impression, complimented her on the delicious meal. “What do you call it?” my husband asked. “Chicken Momma Mia,” she replied. At the end of the meal, my husband again raved about how delicious it had been, but on the way home, he admitted that he hadn’t really enjoyed it…and I agreed that it had been somewhat bland.

Fast-forward to a few weeks later…we had received another invitation to have dinner with my parents. Again the table was beautifully laid…and again my mother brought in a platter of…you guessed it…CHICKEN MOMMA MIA! This time my husband was a little less enthusiastic with his compliments…but I guess the damage had been done…and we were served Chicken Momma Mia several more times before we told my mother that perhaps the next time, we could enjoy one of her other culinary creations.

This is what happens when we are not honest with others. I’m not saying one should be brutally honest…just the word “brutal” tells you that this is not a nice kind of honesty. We can be honest without being nasty or rude or hurtful…but we should be honest.

Parents especially need to be honest with their children and in front of their children…we are their role models and they ARE watching us, all of the time…even when we don’t think they are paying attention or listening. We want them to be honest…with themselves, with us and with others.

The picture book I am recommending today is one that is matched with a simple craft project and an easy healthful recipe in my new parenting book. TOUGH EDDIE shows how even young children hide their likes and dislikes in order to “fit in”.

TOUGH EDDIE

Written by Elizabeth Winthrop

Illustrated by Lillian Hoban

Eddie loves to wear his cowboy boots and thick leather belt. He enjoys building with blocks and playing with his friends, Andrew and Phillip. Eddie also likes playing with his very own dollhouse, but he keeps it hidden from his friends because he believes they will make fun of him. However, he discovers that his friends would like to play with it also and that they respect him and like him as he is, no matter what he is playing with.

If we encourage our young children to pursue their own individual interests…whether or not those interests seem to be the norm, we are telling them that they are likeable as they are. Feeling good about oneself and liking oneself are important factors in the development of a good self-image. In addition, a child with a strong positive self-image is less likely to be influenced by peer pressure into doing what he knows is wrong.

If you’d like to have 100 story summaries like this one at your fingertips…hop over to my website, where you’ll find SHOW ME HOW! on sale right now at half-price. Each of the 100 story recommendations is accompanied by an eco-friendly craft activity and a child-friendly recipe! Are you a parent or teacher or grandparent of a preschooler? Or do you need a great gift for someone who needs a shortcut to planning activities with their young children. Grab a copy…it comes with a money-back guarantee!

Quotable Timeless Tuesdays: Honesty

Posted on February 22, 2011 by viviankirkfield

Image via Wikipedia

Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom. –Thomas Jefferson (1762-1826) 3^rd President of the United States and author of the Declaration of Independence.

Yesterday was President’s Day. We honored two of our outstanding presidents, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. One of the most famous stories connected with George Washington is the one about the cherry tree.

Honesty is the best policy. If I lose mine honor, I lose myself. – William Shakespeare, English playwright.

When asked by his father what happened, young George supposedly replied, “Father, I cannot tell a lie. It was I who chopped down the cherry tree.” Although researchers are pretty sure that the story of a young George Washington cutting down a cherry tree in his father’s orchard is false, the message behind it remains true, even today.

One of the hardest things in the world is to admit you are wrong. And nothing is more helpful in resolving a situation than its frank admission. – Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881) British Prime Minister.

For me, however, it is really important to look at honesty as it relates to young children.

We must make the world honest before we can honestly say to our children that honesty is the best policy. – George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) Irish playwright.

As parents, we want our children to be honest. We want them to come to us with their problems and concerns. If we ask them what happened or how they are feeling, we believe they should honestly communicate with us.

Pretty much all the honest truth-telling in the world is done by children. – Oliver Wendell Holmes.

I think children start out being entirely honest…they don’t know about evasiveness and lying. When does it start? How do they learn? Why do they lose that innocent openness they are born with?

We tell lies when we are afraid…afraid of what we don’t know, afraid of what others will think, afraid of what will be found out about us. But every time we tell a lie, the thing that we fear grows stronger. – Tad Williams

We need to be good role models for our children when it comes to honesty. Equally important, we must encourage our children to come to us by being non-judgmental.

Does this mean we can allow our children to do as they please? NO, I don’t think we can!

Should we refrain from disciplining our children when they have misbehaved or acted inappropriately? NO, I don’t believe we should!

1. Children need rules…parents, please be consistent.

2. Children need to have consequences for their actions…parents, please be consistent.

3. Children need to learn responsibility…parents, please be consistent.

Please stop by tomorrow for WHAT’S IN YOUR CHILD’S BOOKCASE WORDY WEDNESDAY. I’ll recommend another picture book from SHOW ME HOW! BUILD YOUR CHILD’S SELF-ESTEEM THROUGH READING, CRAFTING AND COOKING. For the price of a couple of hot dogs and sodas at the ball game, you can own a copy of this unique resource that will help you build your child’s self-esteem and make planning fun craft and cooking activities a snap! Stop by my website and grab a copy at half-price!