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…Valentine’s Day Special

Posted on February 13, 2011 by viviankirkfield

Early 20th century Valentine's Day card, showi...

Image via Wikipedia

My husband and I love watching movies.

We rarely go to the theater.

Instead, we frequent the shelves of our local library which offer brand-new-to-DVD movies, as well as many treasured classics and a great collection of foreign films…all for free! Our local stores also have red boxes (and black boxes and perhaps other color boxes as well) which are vending machines that disperse a wide range of movie DVD’s for the cost of $1.00 per night.

Looking back, I remember going to the movies on a Saturday with my older sister or several friends. Fifty cents was the admission price…and you got to see a double feature, newsreel and several cartoons…at the end of the showing, you were allowed to remain in the theater and see it all again! Clutching a precious quarter in my hand, I would approach the concession counter and make my selections…weighing the cost of bonbons (chocolate covered vanilla ice cream balls…five or six to a narrow rectangular package) against the box of spearmint leaves and jumbo popcorn which together cost the same as the bonbons. Once in a while, the bonbons won out…I really loved them!

With Valentine’s Day so close, I’d like to recommend a movie (actually two…one is the sequel) that will warm you heart and remind you that there are many types of love and many ways to show it.

It may surprise you that both are “Christmas” movies…but perhaps that is not so surprising…under all the commercialism of the Christmas season these days…the message is still about abiding love.

The Christmas Shoes, and its sequel, The Christmas Blessing, are both movies on my not-to-be-missed list. With top performing actors, both will make you smile and cry with joy…and both will remind you of what is really important in life.

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! Stop by tomorrow for Make-A-Meal Mondays…and something special for Valentine’s Day.