Tag Archives: Positive Parental Participation

Holiday Shopping Shows Marketplace Gender Shift

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holiday shopping shows gender discrimination shift,positive parental participation,show me how build your childs selfesteem,vivian kirkfield

We may be in the 21st century, but many parents will still be making gender discriminating toy purchases this holiday season.

Girls get dolls and baking sets and jewelry-making kits.  Boys get trucks and Lego sets and model kits.

But, according to Dr. Susan Levine, chairwoman of the psychology department at the University of Chicago, “Playing with blocks, puzzles and construction toys helps children with spatial development and children with better spatial thinking are more likely to go into mathematics, engineering, science and technology.”

And playing with dolls encourages boys to develop a nurturing personality that will be crucial in building strong relationships later in life.

My top ten holiday gift recommendations for young children include dolls, blocks and puzzles…with no gender discrimination.  I’ve always believed that block play is important for both boys and girls.

Toy companies are always ready to jump on board if they feel it will result in more sales.

build and play barbie from timetoplaymag,Vivian Kirkfield,Show Me How Build Your Childs Selfesteem,positive parental participation

Photo courtesy of timetoplaymag.com

Mattel, the maker of Barbie…and Lego…have teamed up to produce the “Barbie Build ‘n Style” construction set…in pink, of course!

A recent New York Times article discussed this new Barbie construction set that may encourage dads to interact more with their daughters.  And in my book, anything that promotes positive parental participation is a good thing!

Show Me How Build Your Childs Selfesteem, Vivian Kirkfield,parenting advice,craft activities,child-friendly recipes

Jump into the New Year with an activity plan for your young children.  Use Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking for fifteen minutes every day…read a picture book story or do a quick and easy craft or invite your child to help prepare a simple healthful recipe.  You’ll find story suggestions and craft and cooking directions on every page of this award-winning resource for parents and teachers.  If the book doesn’t make planning activities easier, please contact me to return it for a full refund of your purchase price.

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Sunday Post: Concept…Are We Teaching Our Children to Gossip?

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are we teaching our children to gossip,positive parental participation,show me how build your child's self-esteem

Jake at Time after Time has a Sunday Post Challenge and every week he provides a theme…this week’s theme is CONCEPT, which the dictionary defines as “a guiding general principle that determines how a person behaves.

 

What concepts…or guiding principles…are we teaching our children?

Is gossip one of them?

I watched an old Andy Griffith Show last night called, “Opie’s Newspaper”.

Young Opie has trouble getting customers for the little newspaper he and his friend have published and his dad advises him to use the daily city paper as a model and write stories that will be of interest to the general public.

Looking through the city paper, Opie realizes that the stories that are of interest to the adults in his town are the ones filled with scandalous gossip…so, in his little newspaper, Opie reports all the tidbits from conversations he has overheard.  Fortunately, his dad reads what he has written before many of the town’s residents get a copy and they destroy the newspapers before anyone’s feeling are hurt.

His dad asks him why he wrote such stuff.   Opie replies, “When I put in the nice stories, nobody wanted to buy it.”

That episode was filmed over fifty years ago…but times certainly haven’t changed.  If anything, they have gotten worse.  Many people LOVE to hear juicy tidbits about famous people.  It seems that hearing horrible things about ANYONE seems to be a national pastime around the world.  That’s why all of those court shows and expose shows like Jerry Springer and Morey Povich are so popular!

As parents, we have to remember what the pencil maker said to the pencil before he put it in the box, “Everything you do will always leave a mark.”   Our children are like a piece of blank paper…and the concepts or principles we teach will have a lasting impact on them and will determine how they behave.

As Opie’s Aunt Bea said, “If we want the boys to behave better, we’d better set them a better example.”

What example are you setting when it comes to gossip?

 

show me how build your child's self-esteem, positive parental participation

Are you done with your holiday shopping?  Do you want to make a positive impact on your young child?

Please remember that Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking is a super cool book and makes a PERFECT GIFT:

  • For parent, teacher, grandparent or daycare provider of children ages 2-8!
  • Provides 100 classic picture book story suggestions!
  • Gives a summary, age-appropriate craft and simple recipe for each title!
  • A great resource for fun-filled educational self-esteem building activities!
  • No fuss or muss…everything is quick and easy!
  • Buy the book today and help several children’s organizations!
  • We donate a portion of the proceeds to Reach Out and Read, JDRF, KidsAreHeroes, Books for Africa and BesstheBookBus.
  • 45% off the list price!  Check the prices on Amazon, Alibris and ABE Books…everyone (except the publisher, MoneyPenny Press) is charging MORE for USED copies!
  • There is a special PayPal button for Canadian residents!

“A wonderful resource for people who care for their children.” – Norman Bridwell, creator of the Clifford the Big Red Dog series

“What a lovely book! Parents will find inspiration in this delightful guide.” – Katherine Holabird, author of the Angelina Ballerina series

“I wish Show Me How had existed when my children were young.” – Suzanne Williams, author of the Princess Power series and over 20 other books

“Show Me How is an must-have resource for parents and teachers.” – Marilee Gruber, kindergarten teacher and grandmother

“Fun and practical for anyone fostering self-esteem in children.” = Joan Fleischer, co-founder of Creative Arts Therapy Center, New York City

“Invaluable tool for children to become life-long readers and lovers of books.” – Dr. Jodi Harap, clinical psychologist, Chicago, IL

Don’t wait…buy your copy today to make sure you get it in time for the holidays!

Show Me How is also available from the publisher (MoneyPenny Press, Ltd.) on Amazon and Amazon Kindle, for U.S., Canadian and international customers.

time after time, positive parental participation

Want more information about Jake’s Sunday Post?

http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/

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Universal Children’s Day: A Plea for Children’s Rights

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Photo courtesy of: http://www.siteunspecific.com/?p=1936

Today is Universal Children’s Day.

On December 13, 1954, the General Assembly recommended that all countries institute a Universal Children’s Day, to be observed as a day of worldwide fraternity and understanding between children.

It also recommended that this day be devoted to promoting the welfare of the children of the world.

Then, on November 20, 1959, the Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child.

And, in 1989, the Convention on the Rights of the Child was held.

During the last seventy years, there have been lots of meetings…lots of declarations…lots of conventions…and lots of talk about the rights of children.

So why are there are still millions of children living in poverty, denied the right to a safe home, clean water, adequate nourishment and an education.

Children’s author Susanna Leonard Hill often has creative writing prompts and contests to inspire and motivate…last week she encouraged us to choose a special day or holiday to write about.  I choose Universal Children’s Day…and, although the poem is not a bright and sparkly one, it truthfully relays my feelings.

Universal Children’s Day

In a hospital bed, a young girl fights for her life (to get an
education is the right of every child).

Charred wood structures, the remains of homes destroyed by
terrorists (to live in a safe home is the right of every child).

The cries of the little boy whose feet are bruised and
blistered because every day he walks three miles to gather the family’s water from a tainted pond (to drink clean water is the right of every child).

The gall of bitterness (to be brought up in a spirit of tolerance,
friendship, peace and universal brotherhood is the right of every child).

Tenderly touching and soothing every child’s heart…if only I could.
(to grow up in an atmosphere of love and understanding is the right of every child).

Universal Children’s Day

 

There are many worthwhile organizations, working diligently to remedy this situation.  Some give food, others help build homes and wells, and many send volunteers to give medical or other assistance.

As we sit down to celebrate Thanksgiving this Thursday, perhaps we can ponder how each of us can help in this effort.  It doesn’t matter whether you reach out across the ocean and donate money, goods or services to children in other lands, or you concentrate on local children’s issues.  Let’s follow the advice of Nike and “JUST DO IT!”  The children of the world deserve it!

Another thing our children deserve is our time and our positive parental participation.  Family life during the holiday season often assumes a frantic pace.  Here are a couple of tips that may help keep things in balance and harmony:

  • Don’t over-schedule activities…less is more.
  • Do eat healthy…avoid too many sweets or processed foods.
  • Don’t over-spend…no one needs the latest electronic gadget or toy.
  • Do take time out to walk/exercise…it’s a natural mood-enhancer.

 

I wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving!  If you haven’t already seen the Thanksgiving related YouTube videos I recently did, here are the links:

http://youtu.be/jMvyNgM2wiM

http://youtu.be/16smIG3Vdoc

http://youtu.be/AkgA-AW5Rl4

I’ll be sharing Christmas/Hanukkah related stories and crafts for the next few weeks of Show Me How Picture Books and Crafts for Kids…next Sunday: Gift Bear for the King!  I hope you’ll check it out…and pass the word along.

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