What’s In Your Child’s Bookcase Wordy Wednesday: HOOT AND HOLLER

Posted on March 16, 2011 by viviankirkfield

A sketch titled "Owls of the Yosemite Reg...

Image via Wikipedia

Friendship…something human beings cannot live without.

Today’s story recommendation is about friends who learn the importance of voicing their feelings about each other.

Written by Alan Brown

Illustrated by Rimantas Rolia

Holler, a big owl, and Hoot, a little owl, played together every night in the woods. They were both shy, and neither friend spoke of how he felt about the other. A storm separated the two owls and each worried that he would never find his best friend. A wise old owl advised Holler to call out loudly for Hoot. Although Holler was very shy and had never been able to raise his voice, he found the courage to call very loudly…and Hoot heard him! They found each other and were overjoyed and were finally able to express their feelings of love.

How difficult it is to express one’s feelings sometimes! We can help our children by being good role models…don’t wait for a special occasion to tell your child that you love him. Children need to know they are loved every day of their lives. And, although the verbal confirmation of your love is important, you need to show your child as well…with Positive Parental Participation!

Yesterday’s Quotable Timeless Tuesday’s post was all about friendship…but I saved one for today because it fit so perfectly with the story of Hoot and Holler and not telling our friends how we feel about them.

“Do not save your loving speeches,

For your friends till they are dead.

Do not write them on their tombstones,

Speak them rather now instead.” – Anna Cummins

In the same way, please don’t save your praise and loving words for your children…speak them every day. The tragic events in Japan give voice to our awareness that each day is precious and tomorrow is not guaranteed.

For more gentle parenting tips and 99 other picture book recommendations, please visit my website where you can pick up a copy of SHOW ME HOW! at half-price AND enter to win a FREE Crafty Easter Basket filled with craft supplies for your preschooler.

Please stop by tomorrow for Healthy Habit Thursdays.

Quotable Timeless Tuesdays: Friendship…Japan or New Jersey…It’s Not The Where, It’s the Who!

Posted on March 15, 2011 by viviankirkfield

“The friendship that can cease has never been real.” –St. Jerome

How long have you known your best friend?

“My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me.” –Henry Ford

I’ve know my best friend for 62 years. We lived in the same apartment house when we were toddlers and, although she moved “across the water” from New York City to New Jersey when we were in the second grade, we have continued that special friendship through snail mail, phone conversations, email and occasional visits.

“It is not so much our friend’s help that helps us as the confident knowledge that they will help.” – Epicurus, Greek philosopher

“Without friends, no one would choose to live, though he had all other goods.” – Aristotle

“The bird a nest… the spider a web…. man friendship.” – William Blake

The above three quotations give us a good idea of why we even need friends. They are our support in times of trouble and our companions in times of joy.

“Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together.” –Woodrow Wilson

With the recent tragic events in Japan, there has been an outpouring of news coverage and blog posts expressing concern and offering help to those affected. I’ve been struck by how easily and quickly people can become friends during times of disaster…and equally amazed at how many of those friendships hold fast long after the tragedy happened.

Being a good friend does not always come naturally. It is a skill that can be learned and it is an important one to teach young children.

So what advice would I give parents regarding teaching young children about friendship?

The following three quotations contain advice from wiser minds than mine.

“Never injure a friend, even in jest.” – Cicero

“Friendship with oneself is all important because without it, one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” – Mother Teresa

Please stop by tomorrow for WHAT’S IN YOUR CHILD’S BOOKCASE WORDY WEDNESDAY. I’ll be reviewing one of the 100 recommended titles in my book that highlights friendship. If you visit my website, you can take advantage of the half-price sale AND enter to win a FREE Crafty Easter Basket, filled with craft supplies for your preschooler.

Cinema Sundays: My Picks of Great Flicks: VIVA CUBA

Posted on March 13, 2011 by viviankirkfield

Mass-produced colour photolithography on paper...

Image via Wikipedia

Most countries and communities have emergency plans in place, but the earthquakes and tsunamis in Japan and their far-reaching effects on the rest of the world are natural disasters on such a large scale that they were impossible to plan for. Japan, and the other areas affected, will have to accept help from many different countries and organizations in order to provide what is needed for the survivors and to make the cities habitable again.

Perhaps that is the silver lining in this cloud of disaster…perhaps, as Dr. Robert Schuller used to say, this is an opportunity for heroes to step up to turn “scars into stars”…a chance for neighbor to help neighbor and people who don’t know each other to become friends.

Friendship is my theme for this coming week…and my movie pick today is “VIVA CUBA”…a past winner of the Cannes Film Festival.

In VIVA CUBA, we have a modern-day Romeo and Juliet. Filmed in Cuba, the 2005 movie is in Spanish, with English subtitles. It tells the story of Malu, a young girl from an upper-class family and Jorgito, a boy whose parents are poor socialists, but proud of their family’s social standing.

When her mother decides to leave Cuba, Malu and Jorgita run away, trying to reach the other side of the island where Malu’s father lives. They hope that he will refuse to grant permission for Malu and her mother to leave Cuba, therefore enabling Malu and Jorgito to remain friends. When the children and all the parents are finally together however, the parents use the opportunity to continue arguing and fighting, ignoring the children and their concerns.

The film won 34 national and international awards and explores the question of emigration and the effects on children who have to leave friends and extended family behind. I don’t think this is a “family” movie…but it is definitely a movie for parents. In my opinion, this was the ultimate movie about friendship…but I think it is also a film with a wake-up call to parents who are separated, divorced or just not getting along. When children are involved, we need to make them aware of what is going on (they already know much more than you think) and give them the opportunity to voice their questions and concerns.

We need to encourage our children are to offer their opinions and voice their questions and concerns without the fear of being judged or yelled at. This builds their self-esteem and enables them to feel comfortable coming to us with their problems. For 99 other gentle parenting tips like this one, please check out my new book, now on sale for HALF-PRICE on my website. When you purchase a copy of the book, you are automatically entered in the drawing for a CRAFTY EASTER BASKET filled with craft supplies for your preschooler. If you’d like to enter to win with purchasing, just fill out the contact form on my website.