Quotable Timeless Tuesdays: COMPANIONSHIP

Posted on March 22, 2011 by viviankirkfield

Image via Wikipedia

“Tell me thy company and I will tell thee what thou art.” – Miguel de Cervantes (whose famous book…that every student taking 4th year Spanish has to read…details the travels of an old man with his faithful companion)

As infants, our companions were our mothers and fathers and older siblings.

“Without love, what are we worth? Eighty-nine cents! Eighty-nine cents worth of chemicals, walking around lonely.” – Benjamin Franklin

As children, our world expanded to include friends, classmates, teachers and relatives.

“We have lived and loved together.

Through many changing years,

We have shared each other’s gladness,

And wept each other’s tears.” – Charles Jefferys

As adults, we often choose someone to be our life-long companion.

“To get the full value of joy, you must have someone to divide it with.” – Mark Twain

But whether it is a long-standing marriage or a friendship between children, it is the companionship that is the foundation of the relationship.

“Sexiness wears thin after a while and beauty fades, but to be married to a man who makes you laugh every day, ah, now that’s a real treat.” – Joanne Woodward

My husband and I have been married over 43 years, and I can tell you that a sense of humor is so important in a marriage or in any relationship between two people, be they husband and wife or parent and child.

“The first duty of love is to listen.” – Paul Tillich

Listening is one of the cornerstones in the Positive Parental Participation approach to parenting. Young children have a lot to say and they need to be heard. When we listen, we validate their self-worth and help build their self-esteem.

To find 99 more gentle parenting tips like the one above, visit my website and check out my parenting book on sale till April 9^th. This shortcut for busy parents lays out a simple, easy-to-use program of books to read and fun-filled educational activities. This is a MUST HAVE book…and the 50% off sale makes it a CAN HAVE book! SPECIAL BONUS: Purchase a book for an automatic entry to win a selection of craft supplies for your preschooler or you can leave a comment on this post to tell me why you’d like to win the prize…please make sure you leave your email so I can contact you if you are the winner. Winner will be announced April 10^th.

Please stop by tomorrow for What’s In Your Child’s Bookcase Wordy Wednesday.

Quotable Timeless Tuesdays: World Read-Aloud Day Special

Posted on March 9, 2011 by viviankirkfield

Image via Wikipedia

“You may have tangible wealth untold,

Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.

Richer than I you can never be –

I had a mother who read to me” –Strickland Gillilan

Tomorrow, March 9^th, is World Read-Aloud Day.

Around the world, organizations will be promoting the importance of books and reading aloud to children.

“The stories of childhood leave an indelible impression, and their author always has a niche in the temple of memory from which the image is never cast out to be thrown on the rubbish heap of things that are outgrown and outlived.” – Howard Pyle

It’s hard to believe that there are many places in the world (and even here in the United States) where children have NO books. I support a literary outreach program (www.bessthebookbus.org).

“No entertainment is so cheap as reading, nor any pleasure so lasting.” –Mary Wortley Montagu

I’m not a big TV fan…most of the time I would rather read a book than watch TV. But sometimes we are meant to watch something to see something special and that is what happened last night. During the episode of The Bachelor, Brad and Chris visited The Henna School, a preschool, in South Africa, in need of many things. The Bachelor team donated some much needed equipment and funds…I’ve just sent them an email asking if they would like several copies of SHOW ME HOW! I’d love to donate my book because I think it would help the teachers provide the children with fun-filled educational activities…reading aloud the picture books, doing the simple craft project and perhaps participating in preparing the easy healthful recipes.

“Reading is to the mind, what exercise is to the body.” –Richard Steele

Why is it so important to read to your child?

“The art of reading is in great part that of acquiring a better understanding of life from one’s encounter with it in a book.” –Andre Maurois

So, when should you read to your child?

“The time to read is any time…no apparatus, no appointment of time and place is necessary.”– Holbrook Jackson

And what books should you read to your child?

“A house without books is like a room without windows.” –Heinrich Mann

If you visit my website, you can purchase a copy of SHOW ME HOW, the unique resource that pinpoints 100 picture books every young child should hear. In honor of World Read-Aloud Day, I’m extending the half-price sale for another month AND there will be a WINNER of a CRAFTY EASTER BASKET, filled with safety scissors, non-toxic glue, construction paper and MORE. If you buy a copy of SHOW ME HOW! BUILD YOUR CHILD’S SELF-ESTEEM THROUGH READING, CRAFTING AND COOKING between now and April 9^th, your name will automatically be entered in a drawing for the PRIZE and it will be mailed to you in time for your child to have it for Easter. Several people ordered copies during this past week, so I will be entering their names as well.

Please stop by tomorrow for WHAT’S IN YOUR CHILD’S BOOKCASE WORDY WEDNESDAY. I’ll be reviewing another classic, ANGUS LOST.

Quotable Timeless Tuesdays: FAITH

Posted on March 1, 2011 by viviankirkfield

Image by George Eastman House via Flickr

Young children are filled with faith.

“When I look at the galaxies on a clear night, when I look at the incredible brilliance of creation, and think that this is what God is like, then instead of feeling intimidated and diminished by it, I am enlarged…I rejoice that I am part of it.” –Madeleine L’Engle

They believe all kinds of outrageous stories…the tooth fairy, the Easter bunny and so on.

“All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

They trust that their needs will be met by their parents…food, shelter and love.

“The heart that is generous and kind most resembles God.” –Robert Burns

They hold out their small hands for us to guide them along the path we choose for them.

“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” –Helen Keller

If only we, as adults, could retain that childlike trust and faith.

“Faith is a bird that feels dawn breaking and sings while it is still dark.” –Rabindranath Tagore

They say that with faith, all things are possible.

I truly believe that and I know that it is especially important for parents of young children to have faith…as they raise their children in this difficult and often dangerous world.

Faith in themselves.

Faith in their children.

Faith in a Creator, Higher Power, Universal Being…call it what you will…it will give you strength and peace of mind.

“I would rather err on the side of faith than on the side of doubt.” –Robert Schuller

Please stop by tomorrow for WHAT’S IN YOUR CHILD’S BOOKCASE WORDY WEDNESDAY for a review of another picture book every young child should hear from the 100 titles recommended in SHOW ME HOW! This is a book that will help you with the difficult job of parenting…providing you with gentle tips and awesome activities. If you click on the link above, it will bring you to my website where you can purchase a copy for half-price so you can begin reading, crafting and cooking with your preschooler…building self-esteem, developing pre-literacy skills and creating a life-long parent child bond…just 15 minutes a day can shape your child’s future Sale ends on March 9…World Read-Aloud Day. WE ALL NEED A CHEERING COMMITTEE AND PARENTS ARE A CHILD’S MOST IMPORTANT FANS!