Quotable Timeless Tuedays: LOVE

Posted on February 15, 2011 by viviankirkfield

Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan in 1898. On the...

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“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength…while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” –Lao Tzu

Have you ever read accounts of Herculean feats of strength and courage? I’ve come across news stories that relate how a mother lifted a car that had rolled on her child…and how a husband swam miles in frigid ocean waters supporting his wife until they were rescued. I truly believe that love gives us strength and courage.

“You come to love, not by finding the perfect person, but by seeing an imperfect person perfectly.” -Sam Keen

As a young girl, I remember sitting with friends, talking about what each of us was looking for in the “perfect” husband…did you have a list of attributes you wanted in a mate? What was on your list? The thing is, there is a perfect person for everyone…their imperfections may bother others, but not you.

“I love you, not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you.” -Roy Croft

We are made better by those we cherish…because we strive to be the best we can be for them…we wish them to think well of us and to respect us.

“In real love, you want the other person’s good. In romantic love, you want the other person.” -Margaret Anderson

When you really love someone, you want the best for them and you are willing to give them anything you have, if they need it. My husband and I enjoy sharing things…meals at restaurants, good books, our lives. I know some people don’t like to share food, even with those they love, but I’ll never forget an experience we had at a Dunkin Donuts in Connecticut over 35 years ago. We had been out all day shopping and needed to have a bite to eat before we drove home. We only wanted to grab something quickly, so we pulled into a Dunkin Donuts and went inside. Sitting down at the counter, we noticed the special of the day…soup, bread, coffee and a donut. Since I LOVE soup and hate coffee, and my husband LOVES coffee and wasn’t in the mood for soup, we decided to order the special and share it. The woman behind the counter got our food and set it before us. The soup was delicious and I pushed it closer to my husband, asking him if he would like to have a taste. As he picked up the spoon, the woman behind the counter remarked, “That’s disgusting!!!! I’ve been married 30 years and I’ve never shared ANYTHING with my husband.”

I think that was one of the saddest thing I have ever heard.

“Love is comprised of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.” -Aristotle

Yesterday was Valentine’s Day and across the web there were stories, pictures and messages about love.

I think the most important message we need to keep close to our hearts is that we shouldn’t wait until Valentine’s Day or any other “special” day to say “I love you” to people we care about.

I will end with a quote by someone who couldn’t see or hear or speak…but her words create a beautiful picture in our minds and epitomize what love is all about.

“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.” –Helen Keller

Valentine’s Day has come and gone…but children need to hear the words…I love you…on a daily basis. Stop by tomorrow for: What’s In Your Child’s Bookcase Wordy Wednesday. I’ll be reviewing a picture book I recommend in my new parenting book, SHOW ME HOW! BUILD YOUR CHILD’S SELF-ESTEEM THROUGH READING, CRAFTING AND COOKING.

Make-A-Meal Mondays: Valentine’s Day Special

Posted on February 14, 2011 by viviankirkfield

Esther Howland Valentine, circa 1850: "We...

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Do you remember your first Valentine’s Day card? Was it from a relative or a best-friend? How about your first “love interest” Valentine? Do you remember crafting Valentines when you were a child…cutting the red construction paper into heart shapes and gluing bits of ribbon or lace onto the handmade card?

The history of Valentine’s Day is clouded by various legends, but its roots are in the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, a fertility celebration. Pope Gelasius I made this pagan festival into a Christian feast day in 496 and he declared February 14 to be Saint Valentine’s Day.

However, it wasn’t until the 14^th Century that Chaucer linked St. Valentine’s Day with romance. In 1381, he composed a poem in honor of the engagement of Richard II of England and Anne of Bohemia. “The Parliament of Fowls” spoke of the royal engagement, the mating of fowls and St. Valentine’s Day.

By the 18^th Century, gift-giving and the exchange of handmade cards had become a tradition in England. However, it wasn’t until the 1850’s that the tradition of Valentine’s cards became widespread in the United States when Esther Howland, a native of Worcester, Massachusetts and a graduate of Mt. Holyoke, began to mass produce Valentine’s Day cards.

Do you still make your Valentine’s Day cards by hand?

A lot of people do try to make something special to celebrate this day of love. If you pass a bakery or candy shop, you will, no doubt, see windows and shelves filled with cakes, cookies, cupcakes and elegant confections in the shape of hearts, bows, and cupids.

For a healthier take on Valentine’s Day food, why not try this lovely HEARTS OF MOZZARELLA SALAD. This recipe is from the SHOW ME HOW! book, which provides 100 child-friendly healthful cooking activities. You can try it for lunch today or as a side salad for dinner.

HEARTS OF MOZZARELLA SALAD

You will need: 1 chunk of mozzarella cheese (about 1 lb), 2 Roma tomatoes, 1 Tb basis (dry or fresh), several leaves of romaine lettuce, 1 Tb balsamic vinegar, 1 Tb olive oil and 1 Tb Parmesan cheese.

1. Cut mozzarella into 8 slices, each about ¼ inch thick. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter or a knife to cut each slice into a heart shape. Put the excess cheese in a plastic bag in the fridge to save for topping on pizza, etc.

2. Slice each tomato into 4 slices and place a tomato slice on top of each cheese heart.

3. Arrange on a platter of lettuce leaves and sprinkle each serving with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, basil and Parmesan cheese.

I hope you’ll stop by tomorrow for a bunch of wonderful love quotations in Quotable Timeless Tuesday.

May you all have a wonderful Valentine’s Day…filled with Sunshine (even if it is raining) and Love.

The Day I Almost Changed My Mind About Becoming a Teacher

Posted on February 12, 2011 by viviankirkfield

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In May of 1967, I had graduated from college with a bachelor’s in early childhood education, completed my student teaching requirements, and passed the New York City teacher’s licensing exam. I was fortunate that the principal, of the school where I had done my student teaching had created a new kindergarten class for me that would start in the upcoming school year. I was excited and thrilled that my life-long goal of becoming a kindergarten teacher was finally going to be realized. In addition, I was to be married at the end of the summer, right before school started!

So, when the principal asked me if I would do some substitute teaching in June, during the last month of school, I jumped at the opportunity. I would be getting classroom experience as a “real” teacher…and I would be earning some extra money that would certainly be useful for two newly-weds.

The first call came one early morning in the first week in June. I would be taking over a second grade. As I parked my car (parking cars on city streets near schools is a whole other blog post topic) and walked into the school, my heart beat quickly…a little with nervous excitement and a little with happiness at embarking on this new journey.

Many schools divide each grade level into homogeneous classes…that is, most of the students in each class are at a similar learning level. The 2^nd grade students in the class I was assigned to were so smart and self-motivated …they almost didn’t need a teacher.

I walked into the room…the children filed in a few at a time…smiling at me…taking their seats. When everyone was seated, I introduced myself. From that moment on, the day was an absolute dream. The children knew exactly what they were supposed to be doing in each subject…and they did it…with very little direction from me. At the end of the day, I was convinced I was a natural…destined to be the best teacher ever!

When the phone rang the next morning, I answered it with a smile. “I’ll be right there.” This time I entered the classroom with confidence. I had been assigned to a fourth grade…even better, I thought.

Two boys walked in, pushing each other. Another was shooting spit balls out of a straw.

And it was all downhill from that moment on.

At one point, I sent one of the girls to the chalkboard with a basin of water to clean it off…one of the boys grabbed the basin and upended it over her head. Books were purposely dropped on the floor while another child was reading out loud. One girl began crying that her pigtails had been pulled by the boy sitting behind her. No one had done their homework…no one knew what lesson they had been studying. Very few had their books…and those that did were using them to hit any classmate within reach.

They were out of control…and I felt helpless to control them.

By the end of the day, I was almost In tears…convinced that I had been mistaken about my career choice.

When the phone rang the next morning, I ignored it. During the night, I had given a lot of thought to my experience. I decided that the money was not as important as the destruction of my hopes and dreams. I knew where I belonged…in early childhood classes. It was what I had prepared myself for and I wanted to be able to look forward to the new school year with eager anticipation.

I did go on to teach kindergarten and Head Start for many years…and I can honestly say that I LOVED every minute of it…from the lesson plans, to the story readings…from the field trips with two lines of boys and girls holding hands, gazing in awe at the museum exhibit or the animals in the zoo to snack time with milk and cookies.

I have so many fond memories of my teaching days…and I am thrilled to be able to be back in the classroom again. My SHOW ME HOW Story-Time Program for the local Pre-K and kindergarten students has enabled me to share the picture book stories and craft projects recommended in my new book. I was also able to share with the parents who attended the presentation on Thursday the importance of reading to young children, talking with them and participating with them positively.

If you have young children and need some story suggestions, great eco-friendly craft projects and easy-peasy healthy cooking activities, why not grab a copy. Head on over to my website where we’ve slashed the price to $22.50…that’s 50% of the cover price. It will be the best gift you could give to yourself and your preschooler.