Project 365 and the 2012 Positive Parental Participation Challenge

Posted on January 5, 2012 by viviankirkfield

Last year, bloggers on WordPress were given a challenge to write a post every day…it was called Post-a-day-2011.

This year, another daily post challenge has been issued by WordPress…Project 365. Why not Project 366 since 2012 is a Leap Year with 366 days? However, I guess if bloggers are able to write 365 posts in 2012, I’m sure they will consider themselves an unqualified success…I know I would.

I took part in the 2011 Post-a-day challenge and started out 2011 writing posts every day…this lasted about three months. After that I tried to post at least twice a week…sometimes I succeeded, but other times I didn’t. I take my hat off (or would if I wore one) to those bloggers who completed the task and made it to the end of the year, still posting every day.

For 2012, I am throwing my hat into the ring (even though, as I’ve already stated, I’m not wearing one) and will try to provide a post of value for every day.

In addition, I’m also issuing a challenge to every parent of young children. Make 2012 a year of engagement with your child! Read with your child every day! Be positive and consistent! Get back to the basics and spend time with your child doing fun-filled educational self-esteem building activities, like arts and crafts or simple cooking experiences. Keep a journal of the picture books you read and the activities you do. Share them here with us.

At the end of each month, there will be a prize of a picture book awarded to one family. During the year, any parent who is participating in the challenge and wishes to buy a copy of Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking will receive an additional $5 off my website price. I’ll set up a special PayPal button to reflect that discount. This award-winning book is a unique resource for parents and teachers…it pinpoints 100 picture books every young child should hear and then provides a story summary, parenting tip, simple craft project and easy cooking activity for each of the recommended titles.

Why should parents use Show Me How? The author of the Angelina Ballerina series says, “Parents will find inspiration in this delightful guide to reading and planning activities with young children.” And the creator of the Clifford the Big Red Dog series adds, “Show Me How is a wonderful resource for parents who care for their children and hope to better their reading and learning experiences.”

Parents…make this a fun-filled self-esteem building year for your child!

Join the 2012 Positive Parental Participation Challenge!

A small investment of your time will bring a great reward for your child!

The Show Me How program requires no batteries!

The activities are powered by your child’s imagination!

2011 in review

Posted on January 2, 2012 by viviankirkfield

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Syndey Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 9,200 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 3 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

My goal for 2012 is to post something of value for parents and children every day…a quote that inspires, a tip that might help make the day go more smoothly, an activity to be enjoyed by the whole family or a picture book review that will encourage parents to read with their children on a daily basis.

I’m also going to be working on two writing projects. The second book in the Positive Parental Participation series will be Show Me How! Celebrating the Holidays Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking. I’ll also be involved in creating an interactive board book series that helps toddlers learn their colors, numbers and ABC’s, The Balloon Man.

Now I have a big favor to ask. If you have a super cool holiday craft project that is quick and easy OR a child-friendly healthy simple holiday cooking activity, please visit my book website: www.positiveparentalparticipation.com and fill out the contact form. You can win a copy of the new book if your craft project or cooking activity is chosen to appear in the book!

I’m grateful for everyone who visited Positive Parental Participation in 2011…thanks also to all who left comments and kind words.

May 2012 be filled with joy, good health and love for all of you!

Show-Me-How Story-time with Miss Vivian Travels to New Hampshire

Posted on October 18, 2011 by viviankirkfield

For me, the greatest joy in the world is to be with those I love doing what I love.

So you can imagine how joyful I was this past week, spending time in New Hampshire with my daughter and her family…and visiting Toll House Preschool in Merrimack, NH where I read a picture book story and did a simple craft with my grandson’s class of three and four-year olds.

The children were seated on the floor in their story circle and as soon as Jeremy caught sight of me, he jumped up and cried, “You came to my school…you really came!” The teacher welcomed me and ushered me to her story chair. “What’s your name?” asked one of the children. “I’m Miss Vivian” I answered, smiling down at their eager faces. “I traveled here on an airplane so that I could read you a special story.”

The children sat, listening attentively, as I read Yes I Can by Sam McBratney. They loved hearing about the three animal friends who are having fun in the autumn leaves. When the three friends begin to argue and make fun of each other, Little Roo’s mother comes over and encourages each one to show what they do best. Little Roo jumps VERY high, Country Mouse catches his tail and Quacker Duck floats on a puddle. The friends compliment each other…they are learning to give respect and value their own and others qualities and strengths.

When the story was over, we talked about the different talents that each animal had and we all got up and jumped like Little Roo, turned round and round chasing our “tails” like Country Mouse and pretended we were swimming in a puddle like Quaker Duck. This activity helped the children get a little exercise after sitting so quietly for the story. It’s important to provide a good balance of activities for young children…if we try to keep them sitting too long, they will get restless.

The next activity for this preschool class was “centers” where the children can choose painting, clay, etc. This was the perfect time for some of the children to work on the simple leaf family craft project I had planned. Using leaves of different sizes and shapes, each child picked a few leaves to trace on the page. Each shape became a member of their family as they added hair and features and colored them in.

As the children worked on their project, they told me about their families and their pets. I’m always amazed at how verbal young children are…especially when they are relaxed and at ease…which seems to happen all the time when children are engaged in arts and crafts activities. Parents can use this time as they participate with their children to listen and learn what is on their children’s minds.

I’m sure the next time I return to New Hampshire, I’ll have the opportunity to visit with the children at Toll House Preschool again. The teacher told me she had never seen them sit so attentively for a story before. Although I believe in the policy of “No Rules…Just Read”, I also know that there are certain things we can do when we read a picture book to young children that will help make the experience more enjoyable and rewarding for both parent and child.

1. Find a comfortable place to read…child on your lap in a comfy chair or sitting side-by-side on the couch.

2. Make sure your child can see the pictures as you read the story.

3. Allow your child to point out things on each page and talk about them.

4. When the story is finished, encourage your child to retell the story as you turn the pages again.

These are some of the tips I give in my book, Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking. In addition to lots of story suggestions, you’ll find a matching craft and also a cooking activity for each recommended picture book.

PLEASE DON’T BE INTIMIDATED BY THE SIZE OF THE BOOK! Don’t think of it as a BIG BOOK…IT’S A BOOK WITH BIG IDEAS! Every parent and teacher who uses it says it makes planning and doing activities QUICK AND EASY!

“Kirkfield lays out a brilliant and simple program with activities that will inspire parents and teachers.” – Diana Loomans, best-selling author of The Lovables in the Kingdom of Self-Esteem and many other books

It’s available in the original print version with lots of lined spaces on every other page for recording your child’s memorable moments.

It’s also available on Amazon’s Kindle for those of you who don’t like a bunch of books taking up space in your home.

The gift-giving holidays are quickly approaching…there’s an online special on my website that can’t be beat…it would make the perfect present for any parent, grandparent, daycare provider, nanny, babysitter, nursery or preschool or kindergarten teacher.

To see the latest review of Show Me How by Lea, a homeschooling mom, please click here.