Sunday Post: Village…It Takes a Village to Raise a Child

Posted on June 24, 2012 by viviankirkfield

Jake at Time after Time has a Sunday Post Challenge and every week he provides a theme…this week’s theme is VILLAGE.

According to the dictionary, a village is a clustered human settlement or community. The small photo above shows some of the buildings on Star Island, part of the Isles of Shoals off the coast of Maine. During the summer, weekly Christian conferences are held, and the island is filled with people seeking a respite from the hectic pace of city life. During their time there, children become part of the wider community. The saying, it takes a village to raise a child, originally an African proverb…Ora na azu nwa…and later the title of a book by Hillary Rodham Clinton, becomes a reality.

Although it certainly does help to have the assistance of others, the primary responsibility for raising a child falls to the parents. Food, shelter, love, early education, rules, discipline, values…these are the basics that every parent is expected to provide.

One of the most important things a parent needs to insure is that the child is living in a safe environment. Summer is here and the temperature rises. But before you open those windows, please check these window safety tips. Did you know that over 4000 children are injured and wind up in the emergency room every year and about a dozen die from window falls?

According to Pediatrics.about.com, to keep your children safe, in addition to close supervision, you should also:

not allow your children to play around windows, even if they are closed, since they can be hurt if they fall through the glass of a closed window
not rely on screens to keep your kids from falling
consider installing landscaping under windows that might cushion a fall
install windows that can open from the top, instead of the bottom, if possible
keep furniture away from windows, so that your children aren’t tempted to climb on them
teach your children about window
planning safety

Keeping young kids happy, engaged and busy during the summer months can be a challenge. Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking is a one-stop guide and activity book. Using it this summer will help prepare the younger ones for preschool and kindergarten…six and seven year olds will love the craft projects and cooking activities and may be able to read some of the stories themselves…this will help to prevent the academic slide that often occurs during the summer months. Grab a copy at only $19.95 (over 50% off the cover price) for yourself, a family member, neighbor or church summer school. Lined sections on every other page provide a place for notes or comments…the book can become a journal of your child’s progress and activities throughout the summer.

Are you wondering if the book really works? Check out these recent reviews: http://nrhatch.wordpress.com/2012/05/31/show-me-how/

http://creatingcuriouskids.wordpress.com/2012/06/14/summer-fun-shortcut-show-me-how/

http://yourfamilybookclub.wordpress.com/2012/06/02/book-review-show-me-how-build-tour-childs-self-esteem-through-reading-crafting-and-cooking-by-vivian-kirkfield/

By the way, this is my 299th post! I started blogging almost two years ago. As a novice, I knew nothing about anything blogging. When I look at the posts I did in the fall of 2010, I realize how much I’ve learned. My next post will be #300…I’ll have to think of doing something special to celebrate…any ideas?

Want more information about Jake’s Sunday Post?

http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/

And here are some other bloggers who are doing Jake’s Sunday Post:

http://scrapydo.wordpress.com/2012/06/24/sunday-post-village/

It Takes A Village to Raise A Child – Don’t Be Ashamed (tinystepsmommy.com)
It Takes a Village {Recipe: Cheesy Potato Fries} (sweetnicks.com)

Sunday Post: Famous Movies…The American President…A Father’s Day Tribute

Posted on June 17, 2012 by viviankirkfield

Jake at Time after Time has a Sunday Post Challenge and every week he provides a theme…this week’s theme is FAMOUS MOVIES.

It seems that the whole world has a fascination with movies. In this country, we host the Academy Awards…and present the coveted “Oscar” to dozens of actors, actresses, directors, producers and others who are involved in creating the visions we enjoy at the theater.

With a tip of my hat (wait a minute while I put one on) to all the fathers who are reading this and with a thought to the upcoming American presidential elections, I’ve chosen one of my favorite movies about a president, THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT, starring Michael Douglas and Annette Benning. Not only is it my favorite movie about a president…it is also in my top 10 favorite movies in any category.

The first time I saw it, I wanted to nominate Michael Douglas to be the REAL American president. Ethical, yet human, and not above making mistakes, the character he portrayed was willing to do ALMOST anything for what he believed in…and was able to listen and process what he had heard and then change his mind and his tactics, if necessary, FOR THE GOOD OF THE PEOPLE.

Ahhhhh….isn’t that why we elect a president…to look after the good of the people in our country?

The American President was a loving father and a thoughtful lover…he puts his love and concern for his daughter above everything and the scene where he tries to order a bunch of flowers for Annette Benning is priceless.

I’ve seen this movie quite a few times…and never tire of the hope it inspires in me. I do believe that each president we elect really does want to do his best for the country…and I understand that politics and the economy and the world situation often get in the way of each president carrying out their original plans.

The election for President of the United States is coming up in November. I hope that everyone who is eligible to vote will examine the issues and the candidates and then exercise this precious right…people in many other countries would die (and some do) to be able to have a say in who governs them. As parents, we need to be good role models for our children…by voting, we are teaching our children to be involved citizens.

For more great parenting tips and a whole bunch of quick and easy activities that will keep your little ones busy and happy all summer long, you can get a copy of my book, Show Me How! In the last week, there have been a couple of new reviews of this great parenting resource: Kirsten over at Creating Curious Kids did several of the activities with her own children…http://creatingcuriouskids.wordpress.com/2012/06/14/summer-fun-shortcut-show-me-how/ and Tom over at Your Family Book Club was happy to recommend as a great way to spend quality time with your kids this summer…http://yourfamilybookclub.wordpress.com/2012/06/02/book-review-show-me-how-build-tour-childs-self-esteem-through-reading-crafting-and-cooking-by-vivian-kirkfield/.

Want more information about Jake’s Sunday Post?

http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/

And here are some other bloggers who are doing Jake’s Sunday Post:

http://cyclingrandma.wordpress.com/2011/09/08/west-side-story-911-anniversaries/

http://cuoreq.wordpress.com/2012/06/16/sunday-post-movies/

http://lucidgypsy.wordpress.com/2012/06/16/the-sunday-post-famous-movies/

Photo credits: Mount Rushmore – Ed Menard Ranger

SUNDAY POST : Famous Movies (jakesprinters.wordpress.com)

Sunday Post: Water…and Some Summer Water Safety Tips for Parents

Posted on June 12, 2012 by viviankirkfield

Jake at Time after Time has a Sunday Post Challenge and every week he provides a theme…this week’s theme is WATER.

WATER: provides a wonderful intergenerational recreational opportunity.

WATER: gives parents a chance to help kids master skills and develop an appreciation for preserving nature and the environment.

WATER: Kids and water go together like peanut butter and jelly…it’s cooling, refreshing and so much fun!

With the official start of summer only several days away, kids will be home and enjoying many water-related activities. Water is one of the most ominous hazards your child will encounter because young children can drown in only a few inches of water, even if they’ve had swimming instruction.

Here are few important water safety tips to keep in mind from the American Academy of Pediatrics:

Be aware of small bodies of water your child might encounter, such as bathtubs, fishponds, ditches, fountains, rain barrels, even the bucket you use when you wash the car. Empty containers of water when you’re done using them.
Children who are swimming—even in a shallow toddler’s pool—always should be watched by an adult, preferably one who knows CPR. The adult should be within arm’s length, providing “touch supervision” whenever infants, toddlers, or young children are in or around water. Empty and put away inflatable pools after each play session.
Enforce safety rules: No running near the pool and no pushing others underwater.
Don’t allow your child to use inflatable toys or mattresses in place of a life jacket. These toys may deflate suddenly, or your child may slip off them into water that is too deep for him.
Be sure the deep and shallow ends of any pool your child swims in are clearly marked. Never allow your child to dive into the shallow end.
Backyard swimming pools, (including large, inflatable above-ground pools), should be completely surrounded with at least a 4-foot (1.2 meters) high fence that completely separates the pool from the house. The fence should have a self-closing and self-latching gate that opens away from the pool, with the latch at least 54 inches high. Check the gate frequently to be sure it is in good working order. Keep the gate closed and locked at all times. Be sure your child cannot manipulate the lock or climb the fence. No opening under the fence or between uprights should be more than 4 inches (10 cm) wide. Keep toys out of the pool area when not in use so that children are not tempted to try to get through the fence.
If your pool has a cover, remove it completely before swimming. Also, never allow your child to walk on the pool cover; water may have accumulated on it, making it as dangerous as the pool itself. Your child also could fall through and become trapped underneath. Do not use a pool cover in place of a four-sided fence because it is not likely to be used appropriately and consistently.
Keep a safety ring with a rope beside the pool at all times. If possible, have a phone in the pool area with emergency numbers clearly marked.
Spas and hot tubs are dangerous for young children, who can easily drown or become overheated in them. Don’t allow young children to use these facilities.
Your child should always wear a life jacket when he swims or rides in a boat. A life jacket fits properly if you can’t lift it off over your child’s head after he’s been fastened into it. For the child under age five, particularly the non swimmer, it also should have a flotation collar to keep the head upright and the face out of the water.
Adults should not drink alcohol when they are swimming. It presents a danger for them as well as for any children they might be supervising.
Be sure to eliminate distractions while children are in the water. Talking on the phone, working on the computer, and other tasks need to wait until children are out of the water.

Children love to mimic the behavior of their parents…use this to your benefit and always follow good water safety rules yourself and your children will naturally copy you.

I hope parents (and others who know people with young kids) will check out my book for great summertime activities that the whole family will enjoy! Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking is a treasure-trove of classic picture book suggestions, quick and easy eco-friendly arts and crafts projects and simple healthful child-friendly recipes that will make planning for the summer a snap! Check out this recent review from Tom at Your Family Book Club. His library in Katona, Iowa is receiving a copy of Show Me How! The book is available on my website or on Amazon.