Parenting Blog Award: The Positive Parental Participation Blog Award

Posted on December 6, 2012 by viviankirkfield

The Positive Parental Participation Blog Award

Awards are a great way to let someone know they have done a stellar job! At the Academy Awards ceremony, actors and actresses covet the golden Oscar. Thoroughbred horses and their jockeys train fast and furiously to win the blue ribbon and flower-encrusted wreath.

Bloggers also have their own ways of giving ‘props’ to other bloggers…’The Very Inspiring Blogger’, ‘The Sunshine Award’ and the ‘The Versatile Blogger’ are only a few of the many awards a blogger can receive. Usually, the bloggers who receive the awards have to list a number of interesting things about themselves…and then pass the award along to a bunch of others.

During these past two years, I’ve connected with many wonderful people. I’ve created a special parenting blog award (I hope I’m allowed to do that)…The Positive Parental Participation Blog Award. This is an award that recognizes a blogger who exemplifies the tenants of Positive Parental Participation:

Encourages children to love books and reading
Believes that young children need to play in order to learn
Supports positive parental participation

I’m sure my list would run off the page if I included all those who deserve this award…so I’m starting with just nine special bloggers.

Susanna @SusannaLeonardHill: Your Perfect Picture Book Friday list is an AMAZING resource for every parent and teacher of young children…your summer school visits with your daughter provided a lovely view for all of us on parenting the growing child.
Milka @PerfectingMotherhood: I love your dedication to providing your young children with books and creative experiences…somehow you’ve found a wonderful balance of being there for them and giving them space.
Marilou @SpanishPinay: I’ve enjoyed following your new-mom journey…Little Spanish Pinay is a lucky little girl…you are a wonderful mother…working hard to provide a positive loving environment for your precious child.
Ella @MyMemorableChildrensBooks: I connected with you when I first started blogging and you have continued to impress me with your dedication to getting books into the hands of young children. Your birthday book giveaway, wonderful book reviews and sharing of information about various book freebies that are available are all great resources for parents.
Kirsten @CreatingCuriousKids: I met you through Susanna’s PPBF and Julie’s 12×12 and was immediately struck by how involved you are with your children’s lives…you provide amazing activities for them, you help at their schools, and you share your passion for books and reading with them. Your latest post also shows how you are encouraging them to care about others and reach out to help in their own small ways. When they are adults, they will be caring about others in BIG ways, I know!
Elizabeth @MirthandMotivation: You were my first blogging ‘buddy’! Your posts never disappoint…they are always filled with peace, hope, inspiration, amazing photography, beautiful verse and wonderful quotes. Your blog is enjoyed by people all over the world…you are a great writer, a talented photographer and a caring human being!
Chris @BookDads: We connected a while back when you graciously reviewed “Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking” and then you invited me back as a guest poster. You empower moms and dads as they travel the parenting road…you also promote the love of books and reading and you do a stellar job…I love that!
Emily @mummumstheword It was a happy day when I linked one of my parenting/importance of picture books posts to yours, Emily! I’m so proud of your tremendous success with your children’s books…you are helping so many with the beautiful stories you tell! And I’ve enjoyed your honest and humorous posts that relate your first-time parenting adventure with your beautiful son.
Susan @Kindergarten&PreschoolforParentsandTeachers I’m loving the Google+ HangoutsonAir that I am doing with you, Susan! Your blog is an amazing resource for parents and teachers…your books are must-have’s for anyone with young children…and you are a wonderful mother. I always know there will be a post brimming over with great ideas when I visit your blog.

Please go and visit these special bloggersl…your time will not be wasted! I hope these nine amazing people will want to pass along the Positive Parental Participation Blog Award to other bloggers who are encouraging children to be lovers of books and reading and believe that children need to play in order to learn and parents need to participate positively with their children.

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What’s in Your Bathtub?

Posted on January 8, 2012 by viviankirkfield

Did you know that today is National Bubble Bath Day?

There are many products you can use in your bathtub to create a lavish bubbly soak.

As a mom, I definitely enjoy the pampered feeling of relaxing in a tub.

But a child’s view of taking a bath is often a completely different story.

If your kids aren’t thrilled with bath-time and don’t want to stay in long enough to get clean, here’s a great recipe for bubble blowing liquid from my book that you can make in a jiffy. When your children take a bath, give them a plastic container of the bubble stuff with a wand to blow the bubbles with and you will probably have to pry them from the tub, fingers all wrinkly, because they won’t ever want to get out.

Homemade Bubble-Blowing Magic

You will need: ¼ cup baby shampoo, 1 cup water, plastic container with a lid and a pipe cleaner.

1. Gently mix baby shampoo and water in the container.

2. Bend one end of the pipe cleaner to form a loop…small loop – small bubbles…big loop – big bubbles.

3. Dip the loop in the mixture, remove carefully and blow gently through the loop.

Lots of other bloggers are writing about National Bubble Bath Day.

Vera at Lady and the Blog

Kailybaby at HairDare

Chrissy at IndieBizChics

Michelle at Studio 5

The Daily Sip by Bottlenotes

Kristy, Seattle Holidays Examiner

Have a Happy National Bubble Bath Day!

Don’t forget about the 2012 Positive Parental Participation Challenge…snuggling up with your little one after the bath is a perfect time to read a favorite picture book story. Susannah Leonard Hill’s Blog is a great place to find the right title. Or you could grab a copy of Show Me How and get 100 classic picture book summaries and lots of quick and easy activities.

Celebrity Reveal on the Importance of Reading

Posted on January 7, 2012 by viviankirkfield

Image via Wikipedia

Have you signed up for the 2012 Positive Parental Participation Challenge by posting a comment on my blog?

Reading is one of the most important activities you can do with your child. Even if you only have a few minutes a day, grab a picture book and sit down with your child and read.

Here’s what several celebrities have to say about reading.

“A love of books, of holding a book, turning its pages and looking at its pictures goes hand-in-hand with a love of learning. Once a child learns how to use a library, the doors of learning are always open.” – Laura Bush, former First Lady of the U.S.

“There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all.” – Jacqueline Kennedy, former First Lady

“The more you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr. Seuss, children’s author

“My advice about reading is to do a lot of it.” –Stephen King, author

“Reading is the key that opens doors to many good things in life.” – Ruth Bader Ginsburg, U.S. Supreme Court Justice

“If you have a question about anything, the answer can be found in a book.” – Bill Cosby, comedian

“Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.” – Emilie Buchwald, author

Reading with children is fun for everyone…the reader and the listeners!

If you need some help choosing which picture books to read with your children, you can ask your local children’s librarian, visit Susannah Leonard Hill’s blog or one of the many other websites that deals with children’s literature or pick up a copy of Show Me How that will give you the story suggestions along with craft and cooking acitivities.