Is the Tooth Fairy Leaving Money Under Your Pillow?

Posted on October 27, 2011 by viviankirkfield

Do you remember putting a baby tooth under your pillow at night and waking up in the morning with eager anticipation to see how much money the tooth fairy had left in place of that tooth?

Do your children carry on this tradition?

I remember those loose baby teeth, hanging on by a thread, my tongue pushing them this way and that.

I remember going to sleep wondering what the tooth fairy would leave for me.

I remember the joy when I discovered a quarter under my pillow.

But as adults, losing teeth is not an event that calls for celebration!

How can we keep our teeth in good health?

Dentists recommend that you:

Brush your teeth twice a day
Floss daily
See your dental care professional at least once a year
Limit snacks, especially sugary ones

Do you have a favorite brand of toothpaste or mouthwash? The shelves in the grocery and drug stores are loaded with many different brands of toothpaste, mouthwashes and other products used for oral hygiene. How do we know which are good for us and which can actually harm us?

Parents have an especially important job when it comes to helping their children make good oral hygiene a habit. Even before children have teeth, they can be brushing their gums with a very soft brush with a very small head. Keep toothpaste out of reach, as well as any other oral care products. If toothpaste is used, the parent should put it on the brush. Make up a brushing-our-teeth song and sing it while your child brushes. Before bedtime and also after breakfast are two important times for young children to brush their teeth. Pediatricians often recommend that parents use a clean soft damp cloth to wipe off a very young child’s gums and teeth. Check with your pediatrician or dental care professional for more tips that will keep your child’s mouth and teeth healthy.

Brushing teeth should become an established part of your child’s bedtime routines. Another important part of that routine is the bedtime story. There are so many books available…which ones should you choose? For summaries of 100 picture books every young child should hear, you can pick up a copy of Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking, now at more than 50% off for a limited time only on my website or on Amazon. Give yourself and your child a gift this holiday season that will build self-esteem, develop literacy skills and strengthen the parent-child connection long after the wrapping and ribbon are thrown away.

Want to read what the Dallas Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation has to say about Show Me How? Click here.

Every page you turn will provide a great picture book summary, a simple craft project and a healthful child-friendly cooking activity…IT’S QUICK AND EASY & ONLY $19.95! This is an ONLINE SPECIAL ONLY…safely purchase on my website through PayPal or on Amazon.

Kids Are Heroes, Too! How Can We Help?

Posted on July 2, 2011 by viviankirkfield

The catastrophic events in Japan occur…and we read about a young child who donates her allowance to help the victims.

A village in Africa is without clean drinking water…and we hear about a child who collects money so that a well can be dug to provide fresh water for children he has never seen.

Children often amaze us with their acts of selflessness. Sometimes, they seem to see the bigger picture and are willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish what needs to be done.

I recently discovered a wonderful organization that focuses on recognizing these wonderful children and encouraging others to become involved in their communities and in causes that they believe in.

According to the Kids Are Heroes founder, Gabe O’Neill:

“Kids Are Heroes is a non-profit that empowers, encourages and inspires children to become leaders through volunteerism and community involvement. We do this by showcasing and supporting children who are making a difference through their selfless acts of giving.

We teach children to follow their passions at an early age. This will instinctively stay with them throughout their entire lives.

Kids are indeed heroes and each has the power to change the world.

To see how kids are making a huge impact and to see how YOU can become a hero, click on

Meet the Heroes

and then click on the Meet the Heroes tab.

Our kids are digging wells in Africa, helping orphans in India and building homes in Haiti.

They are recycling and cleaning up their neighborhoods, helping their local animal shelters and making life better for their neighbors.

And guess what? They are ALL just like YOU!”

Kids Are Heroes is a grassroots effort…if you believe that it is important to encourage young children to contribute to the community and to the world while they reach out and help others, please visit the Kids Are Heroes website, find out more about this fantastic organization and help build the Kids Are Heroes Day Wall. Show Me How’s brick is already there!

I already donate a portion of Show Me How book sales to JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) and to www.Bessthebookbus.org, a family/children’s mobile literacy outreach program. When I wrote the book, I intended to find three organizations that were child-centered in the areas of health, literacy and the environment. I’ve been missing the third…and I believe I have found it in Kids Are Heroes!

As parents, we are responsible for helping our children become good citizens of the world. Encouraging your child to take part in community service events, such as cleaning up a local park or play area, is one way. Listening to your child’s ideas is another…children often have wonderful suggestions on how to make life better for others. Kids Are Heroes was founded by Gabe O’Neill because his daughter, MaryMargaret wanted to help animals.

One of the cornerstones of Positive Parental Participation is listening to your children with respectful attention. All too often when we are busy, we push young ones aside because we feel we have more important things to do. After you read some of the stories of the child-heroes, you may change your mind.

Spend some quality time with your children today! If you are looking for great activities to do with them, pick up a copy of Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking. Click on this link to my website and you will be able to purchase a signed copy at 50% off the cover price. For only $22.50, you will have a tremendous resource of 100’s of easy craft projects and simple recipes and picture book summaries and parenting tips. And if you want to buy two copies, each is only $20. This is a value-packed book and a great gift idea for a parent, preschool or kindergarten teacher, nanny, babysitter, grandparent, daycare provider or early childhood education student.

“I wish Show Me How had existed when my children were young.”

– Suzanne Williams, author of Princess Power series and over 30 other books

“What a lovely book! Parents will find inspiration in this delightful guide to planning activities.”

– Katharine Holabird, author of the Angelina Ballerina series

“A valuable, timely and timeless book…it’s sure to be a family favorite.”

– Sheila Glazov, author of What Color Is Your Brain

“Show Me How offers us a great tool to help our children become people of kindness.”

– Mary Newquist, Assistant Principal of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School, Selma, TX

“This book is an incredible resource for families wishing to foster their children’s sense of self-worth.”

– Dr. Jodi Harap, Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Chicago, IL

“SMH Is a well-planned learning tool full of engaging, educational and family-oriented activities.”

– Peggy Hicks, MA, Special Education Teacher, Colorado Springs, CO

The summer has just begun…don’t let another day go by without this award-winning book by your side.

Is It Too Early To Begin Planning For The New School Year?

Posted on June 25, 2011 by viviankirkfield

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I know that summer has just begun. Many of us are thinking of poolside parties and frozen pops and Fourth of July parades.

But if your child is starting school in August, or if there were problems adjusting to the classroom routine last year, it’s not too early to think about how you can insure a smooth transition from home to school. This holds true for older children as well as for those of preschool age.

What can parents do during the summer to prepare for the new school year?

1. Have an upbeat, matter-of-fact, positive attitude about school.

2. If your child has not been there yet, arrange for a visit before school starts.

3. Connect with parents of other children in the class and have play dates with your child’s classmates…children feel more at ease when they see friendly faces in the classroom.

4. If you don’t have a routine in place for bedtime and getting-ready-for-the-day-in-the-morning time, put them in place now. Make it a habit to discuss plans for the next day in the evening and lay out clothes and anything else needed the night before. When school starts, your child will be used to getting things ready and you won’t have that last minute rush in the morning to find the missing shoe or backpack. Regarding bedtime, please make sure you are allowing plenty of time for your child to get ready (brush teeth, wash, lay out clothes and necessary items, story-time, etc.) and still be getting to bed at a reasonable hour. I know that it is tempting to let young children stay up later, especially in the summer, but when school starts, it will be a difficult habit to break…and young children need more than 10 hours of sleep at night.

5. Make sure your child is eating a good breakfast in the morning…when school starts, this will be even more important. And what is a good breakfast? My younger son loved pizza for breakfast. Some children might prefer eggs and toast, cereal with fruit and milk, French toast and bacon or pancakes with fruit toppings. How about peanut butter and banana on whole wheat bread for a highly nutritious breakfast?

Do you have some super breakfast menus that your children love? Please share! We all need fresh ideas.

Many times, children who are fussy eaters become better eaters when you let them help out in the kitchen. If you are looking for some easy child-friendly recipes, Show Me How! has one hundred of them and teams each cooking activity with a picture book suggestion and an easy eco-friendly arts and crafts project. Head on over to my website to take advantage of the Jump Into Summer Special…50% off the cover price. The book makes a great gift for any parent, grandparent, expectant parent, babysitter, nanny, daycare provider, preschool teacher…and there is an additional discount if you buy two copies…only $20 per copy! You will be getting two copies for less than the cover price of one! And, if you order by June 30^th, we are including a bonus sheet of self-stick gold stars that can be used on goal charts and more!

Studies show that the quality time you spend with your young children now has a positive impact on their school performance in later years. This is a great opportunity to get a wonderful resource you can use on a daily basis, year after year. Show Me Howis an award-winning book endorsed by parents, teachers and national organizations such as the JDRF. To be in your children’s memories tomorrow, you need to be in their lives today. This is a book that makes it easy and fun to be in your children’s lives today! It is the ONLY book you will need to buy to plan educational, self-esteem building activities for your preschoolers. Don’t put it off until tomorrow!