May 14 2009
Always exciting when another mom blogger features me - and it’s even a bigger coup when it’s The Safety Mom, Alison Rhodes!
Please, feel free to head over to The Safety Mom by clicking on the image above and take a peek at what I have to say!
May 13 2009
May 11-17 is Children’s Books Week! Here our my favorite 20 children’s books!! Tell us your favorite children’s book and one lucky winner will win a set of our three books!
Here is a list of some of my favorite children’s books:
Now, be sure to comment with the name of YOUR favorite children’s book and you’ll be in the running for a FREE set of my Let’s Get Ready books! Winner will be chosen on Monday, May 18th.
May 12 2009
I love this post and had to share!!! I could relate to it on so many levels and I also had to share your beautiful song too!
In honor of Mother’s Day, I wanted to share this song that I wrote for my children. It’s about life and love! Enjoy!! ~ Angie Ruark: http://www.angieruarksblog.blogspot.com/
May 11 2009
Ram Tool, Inc. is my husband’s family business and I am so proud of their slideshow and article in the New York Times!
Please click here to read the article.
Please click here to see the slideshow.
May 07 2009
Where does your family go on vacation? Is it to busy, crowded places? Have you ever see a lost child? Has your child ever gotten lost? What would you do if your child got lost on vacation? What would your child do if he got lost on vacation?
Does your luggage have better identification than your children? Why is that often true? Is it because we think kids can talk for themselves? If your child is lost, would he know the right information and be able to communicate it to others? This information is even more important when on vacation because you are not near home, the information is very different than usual. The best solution is for your child to have the phone numbers and other important information written down in an identification bracelet, tag or card.
Children are infinitely more precious than luggage and therefore they need some sort of ID at all times, especially when on vacation. The best way for a lost child to be returned quickly is for them to have all the information needed to reach you, written down and on them. There are many different styles of child identification. You have to pick what will work best for your child and the situation. There are stickers to go inside shoes, shoe tags that go on the shoelaces, ID bracelets, ID tags that can be attached to the child’s cloths, and ID cards that can be carried in a pocket
The ID should contain all the information needed for the child to get in touch with you. At a minimum it should include: mom and dad’s cell numbers, grandparent’s number(s), and your hotel phone number. Give it some thought and see what you think your child would need if they were to become lost. Then, put that information in writing and put it on your child in some form.
One word of caution, don’t put your child’s name on the outside of bracelets, bags or clothing. This would give a stranger the opportunity to speak to them by name, making some children feel like the person is not a stranger since they knew their name. All the information can be written inside the bracelet or tag so that it can be looked at only if needed. Small children need to be taught what being lost means. One way to describe it is if they can’t see mommy or daddy. Then they need to be told what to do if they are lost. One suggestion is to teach them to look for another mommy with kids to ask for help.
You can find these and many more child safety products at Chicks & Cubs. Our child safety products are reasonably priced, starting at just $8.00.
Vacation Blessings to you!
For more information, visit Cynthia’s site at http://www.growing-up-fast.com
May 06 2009
It’s the greatest day of your life: the moment the life force from the depths of your belly finds way into the vast real world. The moment you have longed for is finally here, to actually hold and hug with your arms the little wonder that the universe has granted into your life. But something is different, something you can’t put your finger on.
This is the journey for all who have experienced Are We There Yet?, a book that gets to the core of what parents experience in situations just like you. It will be months, maybe years before someone can help you put your finger on it: your beautiful wonderful miracle child has autism.
In a way, it can be a relief - to know that your child is not the “bad seed” or a natural troublemaker. It can be a relief to know that it isn’t a lack of love for you that they admonish those hugs you so desperately want to give them. It is because they simply cannot process such strength of emotion and love as they process data. But the relief is lost with the knowledge that your child will face most things alone, in a world that no one else can quite understand. It’s their world and as their mother or father, you will be their greatest protector, most valued teacher and ultimately their greatest student.
In a compelling account of personal experiences, Are We There Yet? helps parents, grandparents and friends understand that different is not bad. There are ways to learn how to cope, not only for parents, but also for your autistic child. Parents are their children’s biggest advocates and with their undying love and compassion, an autistic child can develop well beyond their social stigma.
Yes! Autistic children can do great things, are capable of great love and have insights into the world most of us would never stop to ponder. It’s all about a viewpoint and when you sit down on the ground and take a look at what they see, you begin to understand. Are We There Yet tells the journey of autistic children but doesn’t stop there. It gives you the insight as their parents to take a breath and start to understand and go on the journey with them!
Contents
Part I - Diagnosis
Part II - Treatment
Part III - Diet
Part IV - Family
Part V - Social Community
Part VI - Family Stories
Part VII - Additional Resources
For Testimonals and to see what awesome FREE gifts you will receive when you purchase go to:
http://www.autismarewethereyet.com/autism-book.html
10% of all proceeds will be donated to Give Autism The Boot
Also as a side note 10% of all sales from Heal Yourself Talk Radio and Heal Yourself Magazine for either Guest Speakers or Advertising will be donated to Autism Speaks.
Heal Yourself Talk Radio and Heal Yourself Magazine reached over 1 million people last year! Think of what that kind of exposure can do for your business! We are certain this year we will reach over 2 million people by the end of the year!
It is our desire to reach out to as many people as possible to spread the word about healing of the mind, body and spirit.
MOTTO: Desire it, Believe it, Accept it, & Receive it
May 05 2009
Kindergarten is becoming a challenging place to be. As researchers learn more about how the young brain grows, we understand the incredible window for learning we have with children who are 0-5 years of age. And we are right to make sure that our preschool children have many positive, natural, integrated opportunities to learn. They can learn more than we ever realized before. But learning is not equated, as many believe, with strict memorization and drills. The best learning at this age is all about play. Young children grow at a rapid pace not only intellectually and cognitively but also emotionally socially, and physically. While they are practicing their oral language skills with friends, they are also learning socialization skills that will serve them when they are older, not to mention self-regulation and participation.
Drs. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek and Roberta Golinkoff have written (Rodale Press, 2003) an incredible book I believe every preschool teacher, kindergarten teacher and parent should read. It is called: Einstein Never Used Flashcards. In it, these experts who have been studying young children for many years, state:
- children who are prematurely pushed into regimented academic instruction display less creativity and enthusiasm for learning in later years.
- children who memorize isolated facts early in life show no better long-term retention than their peers.
- children who learn through play also develop social and emotional skills which are critical for long term success and health.
Their last chapter begins: “Albert Einstein was a great mind, not because his mind had assimilated vast quantities of information but because he was a great thinker — his greatness was all about process.”
Our efforts with preschool children today may be well-intentioned but I have seen just in recent months and weeks how this overemphasis on too much rigor in isolated academic skills can have sweeping impact: in a recent poll I conducted of kindergarten teachers, half of them said that creativity was not at all important among skills children needed when beginning school in order to be successful.
I find that a terrible reflection of where kindergarten is going. The answer is not to “water down” first grade and turn it into kindergarten or even worse to water down kindergarten and turn it into preschool. The answer is for more people to understand what is developmentally appropriate so that our children develop a stronger, healthier, love of learning and curiosity in the world. Some view “developmentally appropriate” as an excuse for babying children. It is not that at all. The National Association for the Education of Young Children has incredible information on their website about that term and its application (www.naeyc.org). Not teaching in a developmentally appropriate way is what has driven us to producing children who are not fascinated with the “figuring out”. Those children sadly, for the most part, will believe the myth that learning stops when you leave the classroom.
In this world more than ever, we need creative thinkers and those who can analyze, synthesize and evaluate wisely. Those future leaders who will be in charge of such things are now our children. Let’s protect their learning by remembering that the best learning is in real-life contexts, there is a great place for “more than one right answer” creativity, that the process is as important as the product ,and that the process is where most of the learning happens. The whole child needs nurturing; balance and a interactive, fun approach to learning is key.
For more information, visit Cathy at http://parentsandkidsreadingtogether.blogspot.com/
May 04 2009
One of the first things I like to suggest, when trying to determine a “next step” in my career path, is to do some personal inventory and introspection before making a move. The following is a great “starting list” to get your brain thinking about what moves you.
Grab a pen and paper, and jot down the first answers that come to mind after you read each of the following six questions:
Now, try to begin compiling all of the information on your favorite topic or area of expertise that people seem to want help with. Here are a list of topics/areas that came to mind as I sat and did the same brainstorming.
Do any of them spark an interest with you? And if not, I’d bet that at least ONE of them leads to a subject that does. Take a look!
TOPICS
See where I’m going? The options and ideas are endless. So let me ask you, where are YOU going? What are you going to do with your life, at this exact moment?
I can’t wait to hear some of your ideas, and remember, if you ever want to bounce something off me, just e-mail me at Kristi@saturdaymorningsuccess.com and let’s brainstorm!
To your dreams and success,
Kristi
May 01 2009
Traveling with kids and keeping them adequately entertained can be a challenge. Since my kids were little, we’ve had two bins wedged between their seats in the mini-van. One held all those little gizmos you get in happy meals as well as crayons and paper for early artistic endeavors. The other held books so we all could enjoy some quiet time. My favorites to include were those little board books - nice and sturdy, easy enough for small hands to handle, and resistant to the juice box spills that occurred frequently.
I just finished reviewing a couple of books that are great for young traveling readers, whether taking a day trip in the car or boarding an airplane for a trip across the country. Let’s Get Read For Kindergarten! and Let’s Get Ready For First Grade!, written by Linda Desimowich and Stacey Kannenberg, contain pages of age-appropriate learning, conveyed with such bright, friendly colors and easy-to-read lettering that they’re sure to hold the attention of young ones during many trips.
Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten! focuses on such basic learning principles as upper case and lower case alphabet letters, simple words and sounds, colors, shapes, numbers, opposites, seasons, and parts of the body. However, what I really liked were the activities the child could do by themselves or through conversation with the adult driver. For example, “Let’s Read a Story” asks if the child can identify the beginning, middle, and end of the story, using the visual clues provided.
Let’s Get Ready For First Grade! advances the learning by focusing on vowels and consonents, word families, prefixes and suffixes, compound words, punctuation, counting, simple addition and subtraction, even the solar system. Like its counterpart, the book features “Let’s Read a Story,” but this time asks slightly more advanced questions about the characters and plot that begin to build critical thinking schools and literacy.
These softcover books are easy for young ones to handle and perfect for traveling with kids. What I especially liked was that the entire book is laminated, meaning it can be spilled on, held onto with sticky fingers, be splattered with a dollap of dripping ketchup, and thrown up over and simply be wiped clean and ready for the next round of reading. The books are also lightweight and flexible, making packing in a tote bag or suitcase extra easy.
Perhaps the best endorsement came from my 10-year-old daughter, who saw the books sitting near my computer and started to read through them. Although too old for the contents, she remarked about what a great idea the books were and that the subject matter was perfect for those age groups. Basically she summarized her critique in one word - “sick” - which in pre-teen talk I’ve learned means “really, really cool.”
For each book purchased 10% of profit is donated to charitable organizations. If you’re interested in purchasing the books and more information, visit Cedar Valley Publishing.
To find out more about the Traveling with Sanity Mom, Anne Witkavitch, please visit her blog at http://www.travelingmom.com/blogger/.
Meet Mom & Publisher
Stacey Kannenberg
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