Tag Archives: Family

Sunday Post: From a Distance…Parenting Solutions

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

Are you wondering how I will connect this theme to an aspect of parenting?

Family dynamics are constantly in a state of change.

We shouldn’t expect everyone to get along all of the time.

Siblings do fight…and parents do disagree.

 

Hopefully, harmony prevails in your home most of the time.

If it doesn’t, perhaps you want to change that.

Do you feel like you are constantly yelling at your kids?

Are you dealing with a family issue that seems to be getting out of hand?

Sometimes it ‘s helpful to take a step back.

FROM A DISTANCE, we can view the situation from a different perspective.

When we are in the middle of the problem, it is hard to think clearly.

Here’s a thought:

  • Take a time out…tell your child or significant other that you need a few minutes.
  • Go for a walk…family walks are a wonderful bonding activity…but walking alone allows you to think without distractions.
  • Consult a professional…an objective observer can guide the conversation or help with alternate responses.

To strengthen family bonds, why not plan activities that the family can do together. 

We had an evening reading time when our children were small.  Books are enjoyed by children of all ages and the older ones still love being read to.  They also like to read to younger brothers and sisters.

Here’s a plan:

  • Set aside some time after dinner for family reading.
  • Children need to see their parents reading for pleasure.
  • Choose a picture book and read it with your young child.  If you have older kids, they can take turns being the reader.

If you need help picking great picture books: Show Me How!

Or visit Susanna Leonard Hill’s Perfect Picture Book page.

 

Schools are opening all over the country and we’d like to give a free copy of Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cookingto your favorite school or classroom.  Nominate your child’s school or other childcare facility in the Show Me How School Initiative by leaving a comment and telling us why you’d like them to have this book.  If you don’t have young children, but know people who do, please tell them about the free book their child’s school can receive!

Have you checked out the new book by children’s author Marty Banks?  The Adventures of Tempest & Serenais a wonderful chapter book for readers ages 7 and up.  I reviewed it the other day and want to remind you about the free download…Sunday is the last day for that!

Want more information about Jake’s Sunday Post?

 http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/ 

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Sunday Post: Solid like a Rock

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

 

The dictionary defines solid in several ways: substantial, durable and strong…the Colorado Rockies fit that description perfectly!

 

The dictionary also defines solid as: faithful, constant and honest: a relationship between partners must have these components if it is to succeed.  My husband and I will celebrate our 45th wedding anniversary next month!

 

Solid can also be defined as competent, conscientious and united…happy are the children whose parents are solid in this way.

If you are not feeling as if you are on solid ground when it comes to choosing activities that can help build self-esteem and develop stronger literacy skills, please take a look at my award-winning resource for parents and teachers… Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking

 

The book will be featured on Diane Hower’s local NBC affiliate morning show (Grand Junction, CO) at 6am to 7am Mountain Time on Tuesday, July 24th   http://www.nbc11news.com/news/misc/50648692.html  and will be reviewed on her blog: http://bookwisdombydiane.blogspot.com/.

I hope everyone will tune in and I’ll try to post the show’s highlights on my blog next week.

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/2012/04/04/happy-58th-anniversary-mom-dad/

http://inspirationimport.wordpress.com/2012/07/14/mario-balotelli-a-solid-man-any-day-of-the-week/

http://imexcited.wordpress.com/2012/07/14/sunday-post-solid/

http://bodhisattvaintraining.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/sunday-post-solid/

http://p0nky.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/sunday-post-solid/

http://playamart.wordpress.com/2012/07/14/solid-jakes-sunday-post-challenge/

http://thethirdeyeworld.com/2012/07/15/a-testament-of-love/

http://jmeyersforeman.wordpress.com/2012/06/28/bath-abbey-bath-england/

http://motherwifestudentworker.wordpress.com/2012/07/14/weekly-sunday-post-solid/

http://theurgetowander.com/2012/07/15/sunday-post-solid/

http://restlessjo.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/sunday-post-solid/

http://perceptionsofareluctanthomemaker.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/sunday-post-solid-a-mothers-love/

http://shaanthz.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/sunday-post-solid/

http://tostir.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/sunday-post-solid/

http://rondomtaliedraai.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/sunday-post-solid/

http://36beauty5.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/sunday-post-solid/

http://africatoalgarve.blogspot.pt/2012/07/solid.html

http://catbirdinoman.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/sunday-post-solid/

http://francineinretirement.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/sunday-post-solid/

Love Makes the World Go Round

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They say that love makes the world go round.

It definitely makes going round the world more pleasant!

Love is an essential element in our lives.  We can share our feelings with those we love on Valentine’s Day, of course.  But we can and should also find ways to say “I love you” to parents, children, significant others, friends, family members, pets…on a daily basis.

One way to say I love you to your children is to share past experiences with them.  Earlier this week, I did a guest post on Bob Brody’s Letters to My Kids blog, sharing with my children how I met their dad. 

Dear Jason, Peter and Caroline,

 Your future dad and I met as freshmen in college. I sat in front of him in English 1.1 and he sat in front of me in Social Science. Both of us were dating other people pretty seriously. And so for the first two months of the Fall semester, we were just classmates who spoke with each other as we walked into or out of the room.

Then came November 22, 1963. The intercom crackled. “The President is dead!” a voice declared.

For several moments no one reacted. And then everyone did. Screaming. Crying. Young men pounding their fists on their desks.

As we all exited the classroom, your future dad was right behind me.

“I’m going to walk home!” I exclaimed to no one in particular. “I can’t face sitting on the bus squashed between hordes of people!”

“I’ll walk with you,” the voice behind me said. “Where do you live?”

As it happened, we lived only four streets away from each other.

By the way, there are some girls who look fantastic even when they cry. If only I were one of those. Whatever eye makeup I was wearing was smudged and probably dripping onto my cheeks and chin. Plus, my nose was red and my skin blotchy. Hardly attractive!

No matter. Your future dad and I walked and talked for over an hour till we reached my house. And when we looked at each other, I know we saw into each other’s souls and we wanted to walk and talk together forever.

Our relationship grew stronger and closer during that next semester. By the summer, we were dating each other exclusively. We got married as soon as we graduated from college. And our relationship has flourished ever since. To this day, we remain the most loyal of soul-mates.

Out of tragedy, then, came an unexpected opportunity for love. In a sense, sad to say, it took a death to bring you all to life. We’ve never forgotten that, and we never will. And neither should any of you.

Love,

Mom

Children love to hear about how their parents met.  They want to know about their parents’ childhoods…did dad get into trouble for misbehaving in school…did mom play with dolls or tag after an older brother.   Kids enjoy hearing about when they were babies.  Writing letters to your children helps give them the knowledge of experiences and strengthena their feeling of belonging…a very important component of self-esteem!

What kind of letters will you write to your children or other loved ones?

Please come by tomorrow for Perfect Picture Book Friday!

VOTING DEADLINE: If you have the time, please visit Susanna Leonard Hill’s blog where you can VOTE for one of the six finalists in the Unlikely Valentine Contest…I’m honored to be among those six…but I can honestly say that there were dozens of awesome stories and poems entered…what a talented community of writers!  The poll closes Thursday, February 16 at noon…so hurry over, read the six Unlikely Valentine stories and VOTE!