Let’s Get Ready with Cedar Valley Publishing

As many of my avid followers to this blog have come to realize, I have been getting back to the basics of life by taking some much needed time to recharge, rebalance and get back to making my family my number one priority.  Being a solo mom entrepreneur for the last 8+ years has meant many sacrifices especially for my husband and kids, now ages 12 and 10.  By taking some time off and putting our family first I am truly thanking them for being the best family on the planet for allowing me to follow all my hopes and dreams! 

Kids are so smart!  They saw that I had become a workaholic!  They challenged me that I had become addicted to checking my emails and all my favorite social media sites, especially Facebook and Twitter and sadly they were so right.  Truthfully, I was spending 18 hour days in our home office trying to get through my 500+ daily emails, all my social media posts and trying to keep this blog going daily and it was starting to take its toll!  I wasn’t as happy as I knew I deserved to be!! 

Now that my kids have entered the world of cell phones and social media, I am glad that I went cold turkey to set an example in our house that phones and Facebook have a place in our lives but they need to be in used in moderation.  I didn’t want to be one of those parents who goes to their child’s sporting event but spends the entire time on their phone or blackberry!  I must admit that I rarely did that!  Instead, I was guilty of being tied day and night to my email, Facebook and twitter! 

Are you addicted to your cell phone, Facebook or Twitter page?  Tell us your story!

I am in St. Louis today talking about getting ready for Kindergarten at the Parents as Teachers Conference.  Parents you are your child’s first and foremost teacher and this organization is a great resource for you! Check it out:  www.parentsasteachers.org

Nothing makes me happier that seeing kids reading my books!!! Check out this review!! It makes my heart sing!

Check out 4 Fabulous Familes and the book review they did for Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten.  Here’s a little snippet of it – please visit their website HERE to read the rest of this wonderful review:

I recently won some books from the Let’s Get Ready series by Cedar Valley Publishing. As an aspiring teacher myself, I have been working with my girls for some time on their kindergarten readiness skills: letter recognition, shapes, colours and memorizing our phone number in particular. I am absolutely delighted with these books.  https://4fabulousfamilies.blogspot.com/2009/10/cedar-valley-publishing-review.html

1. Tell your child everyday that you love them!
2. Hug and kiss your child in the morning and at night!
3. Have open-ended conversations with your child each and every day!
4. Read together!
5. Laugh together!
6. Play together!
7. Be together!

I was in bed, 8 years ago with Heidi, 2 and nursing Megan, 2 months old, when Mike called with the 911 news!  I was heart broken, dazed and so sad for all those families and friends that had just been touched by evil.  May we never forget!

I will never forget the day I was finally hooked on reading. I was blessed by the presence of my friend Mary Isham one day in 9th grade.

Yes, you read it right. It took me until 9th grade to finally love reading. I wasn’t a born a reader, nor was a child-bookworm.

Even my school librarian knew I dreaded school assignments that forced me to check out books and report on a particular subject—or any subject at all. I was not a struggling reader, but I never found an interest to read anything beyond my homework assignments; which had too much reading in and of itself.

So, back to that glorious day in 9th grade…

I was walking into the school library and noticed my friend Mary Isham having an animated conversation, mostly to herself, as she openly expressed her concerns with the librarian. She was a cute and bubbly girl, dressed in her cheerleading outfit for the big game that night and seemed to be having some sort of problem.

I walked closer and overheard Mary tragically exclaim, “I can’t bear to part with it, I just can’t, you know.  I can’t stand the thought of it being put back on the shelf and no one reading it – I have checked it out three times and have read it over and over for weeks and the thought of it all alone waiting for someone to read it makes me sad.”  Mary spots me walking in and gushes, “Stacey save me!  This is such a great book and I have to turn it in today and I hate to see it sitting on the shelf alone, please, please take it and check it out…it is such a great book.”

I remember her words vividly.

That was it! 

I couldn’t believe that someone could love a book so much that she was having such a dramatic scene about returning it to the library,

So, I figured it must be good, right?  As pleaded, I took the book and checked it out.  I went home, rushed to my room, and opened its first page. I was hooked!

I even missed the football game that night.

When it was time to return it, I checked out another Victoria Holt romance book and the librarian smiled as to say something about that being a life changing event for me.

I didn’t appreciate it until now. Yes, being hooked on reading became a life-changing event for me.

Thank you Mary Isham!

What’s your favorite book? What title can cause you to get dramatic and overly-animated?

Well, whatever book it is, please introduce that book to your child, friend, family member or co-worker.

You never know, it might be a life-changing event for them too!

Copyright 2007-2009 – Stacey Kannenberg, Cedar Valley Publishing, Author of Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten! and Let’s Get Ready For First Grade!

Care to share your favorite book with us?  What about a favorite author or series?  Reading can be a wonderful life-altering experience; the right book can be the key that unlocks the door.

Homework for Parents…

• Stop, Drop, and Listen!
• Unload the backpack/homework folder with your kids daily.
• Read with your kids every night for 15 minutes.
• Play repetitive games with your kids.
• Ask open ended questions to help your kids communicate.
• Be involved in school activities and join your PTA/PTO!

7 Things Kindergarteners Need to Know…

At the beginning of the school year, kids will be asked to:

1.    know the uppercase alphabet and name the letters out of sequence or mixed up, such as: B, D, X, K, J, M, O, etc.
2.    know the numbers to 10 and identify the numbers out of sequence or mixed up, such as: 2, 5, 9, 8, 1, 3, 4, etc.
3.    identify basic colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple.
4.    identify basic shapes: circle, diamond, rectangle, triangle, oval, and square.
5.    identify basic coins: penny, nickel, and dime.
6.    count objects to 10.
7.    show how far they can count toward 100.

During the year, Kindergarteners will need to know…

• both upper and lower case letters, in order and out of sequence
• numbers to 30, in order and out of sequence
• more colors and shapes, including hexagon and octagon
• more coins, such as quarter and dollar
• their name, address, and phone number
• how to get dressed themselves for outside play
• how to use the bathroom independently

…in order to make that first year a success!

2009 © Stacey Kannenberg, Cedar Valley Publishing, autora de ¡A Prepararse Para Kindergarten!, Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten!,  Let’s Get Ready for First Grade!

July 4th is the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.   This date has been set forth, throughout history, as the day that America gained independence from Great Britain.

Throughout the years, it has come to be known as the day of family, picnics and fireworks.  Fried chicken with potato salad, parades and American flags waving proudly in our skys.

As we get ready to celebrate July 4th tomorrow, please hold the thoughts and prayers of those who have, throughout history, fought to preserve freedom for America.  The men and women everywhere who hold their passion for these United States of America so close to their hearts that they are willing to give everything, including their lives, to uphold the standards and words that were written down and witnessed by our forefathers 233 years ago.

Help your children understand that the party isn’t just about the fun, family and fireworks. 

It’s about freedom for all.

And, with tears in my eyes, I will proudly stand to recite The Pledge of Allegiance….and sing The Star Spangled Banner so that I, too, may show how thankful my family and I are – to be free.

1. Empower the kids to be involved in packing and planning and being a part of organizing your trip!
2. Purchase small travel-size dry erase boards and plan some activities using them such as:
   • The Drawing Game:  draw a cow, draw an octagon, draw a car, draw the number 48, etc.
   • The True or False Game:  Have kids put a T for True or an F for False to a series of family questions such as:  Grandma Martha used to drive a motorcycle; Aunt Beth is adopted; You have 4 first cousins; etc.
   • The Person, Place or Thing with 10 clues Game:  Select a category between, person, place or thing and write down the answer and have the kids ask clues to figure out the answer.  For example – for a person, the kids might ask, do I personally know this person or is it someone famous?
   • The Yes or No game:  Ask questions and the kids will write yes or no – Do you like pizza?; Would you like to scuba dive someday?; Might you be a teacher?; Sail the ocean?; Travel to the North Pole?
   • Perfect for Tic-tac-toe and hang man games!
3. Bring books for quiet time reading for the kids to enjoy.  Set the timer and tell the kids it is quiet time to either take a nap or read! Of course our books are perfect for kid fun or playing school or teacher in the car:  Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten!, the Spanish/English of iA Prepararse Para Kindergarten! or Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten!
4. Bring travel-size colors and a coloring book with a tray to do activities!
5. Purchase blank books in the dollar bin and create travel journals documenting the trip.  Purchase some vacation-themed stickers and allow the kids to either use the camera to take some pictures or get them cheap disposable cameras that they are in charge of using!
6. Print off the computer start and stop maps to where you are going and let them draw points of interest that they have seen along the journey!
7. Bring electronic devices, if they already use and a DVD for movie time!
8. Bring prepacked healthy snacks ready to go to keep the kids happy!
9. Crank up the radio and sign along together to your family favorites!
10. Share family stories about how they will be seeing on the trip or about how Mom and Dad met, some of the things Grandma and Grandpa used to do and stories when Mom and Dad were kids!
11. Pack travel-size cold water for the kids, put them in pull-ups to avoid accidents in the car seat or plane, bring wipes for quick clean ups and toilet paper for emergency stops!
12.  Have an extra change of clothing with easy access as well as favorite stuffed animals and blankets to encourage sleep time.
13.  Count to 25 by finding 25 white cars; 25 red cars, trucks, cows, etc.
14.  Before you leave home, guess the number of VW Bugs you will see along the way or Smart Cars or Windmills or flags and start counting.
15.  Play “I Spy” something red, something red, white and blue or something moving, etc.

Happy traveling with kids!