Oh Where, Oh Where Have I Been?

Yes, there has been a serious case of blog neglect going on over here lately. Let me fill you in on all of the many excuses that has been the case. :)

1. I started my MLIS at Wayne State in the Fall of 2012. I'm currently wrapping up my degree and things are all coming together.

2. I "beat" Metabolic Syndrome X, and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and became pregnant with baby number two this past November. She's due to arrive pretty much any time now. Really, take a peek.

3. We're closing on our first home in the next 2 weeks! So we're packing, packing, packing.

4. I'm still working, and parenting my beloved 4 year old, and trying to be a "good wife" and not a grumpy, whiny, pregnant one.

So there you have it. The many aspects of blog neglect. :)

Early Lit Tip Tuesday- Make It A "Something" Kind of Day

Magnets for purchase on Etsy.com
by artist Jen Skelley

Every day is an opportunity for your child (and you, believe it or not) to learn something new. So why not make every day a "something" kind of day?
How to you make a "something" kind of day? It's easy!

• Pick a topic. Letters, Sounds, Numbers, Colors, Shapes, etc.
• Then break it down even further.
• Pick a letter of the alphabet, pick a sound (ck, ch, long a, long e, etc.), pick a number, pick a color, pick a shape.
• Then, focus on that one topic for the rest of the day, the rest of the week, the rest of the month. However long you and your child choose to do so.
• Make it fun! Wake your child up, and declare, "It's "circle day today! Let's find circles today!" Maybe dress them in a corresponding color, or a shirt that has a matching shape on it. Print off a coloring page, and color it in the color of the day, or cut the shape of the day out of construction paper, or trace/color the letter or number of the day. The options are endless!

For example, Little Man and I are currently working on his colors (he has his letters and numbers pretty down pat). And colors for him, like the can be with other children, are hard to learn. With so many different shades and hues, it's hard to know what is green, and what is yellow sometimes.

So today, at our house, it's green day. Little Man is wearing a green shirt. So any time that I see green today, I'll ask Little Man if he sees any green and give him the opportunity to identify it (we might even play an actual game of iSpy). If he can't find it, I'll point it out to him. It is through every day activities such as this that children learn and retain information.

What something are you and your child going to focus on today?

Review: Mayim Bialik's Beyond the Sling

As promised, I started Beyond the Sling: A Real-Life Guide to Raising Confident, Loving Children the Attachment Parenting Way by Blossom and  Big Bang Theory's beloved Mayim Bialik (she's got her Ph D. in neuroscience now, if you haven't heard, the woman is SMART!).

Anywhoo, Bialik is a self-proclaimed "green" and "granola" mama. So I knew what I was getting into when I picked up her book. I say this because, I'm typically an "eye-roller" when is comes to the Granolas. I am the opposite of a Granola, at least by most measures of the term. I had a scheduled c-section, I breastfed until my lady bits just couldn't take it anymore--and couldn't establish a supply (read stopped for my convenience), fed organic baby food until we just couldn't afford it anymore (WIC only provided non-organic for us while my DH was unemployed), we eat a standard American diet including beef, I use disposable diapers, and my son plays with gasp, PLASTIC toys--some of which are even from China, double gasp. 

Image from treehugger.com

But, after reading Bialik's book, she (almost) has me as an "Attachment Parenting (AP)" convert, at least I feel a little more "crunchy" after some shifting of my thoughts on certain topics. What is attachment parenting? From what I glean from Bialik's book, attachment parenting is a form of parenting naturally, where you use your primal instincts to raise your child, providing the ideal attachment to the mother, and sense of security for the child. Some of the things that AP parents practice are:

• "Natural, drug-free birth
• Breastfeeding
• Sensitivity to your children and their needs
• Bonding through touch
• Co-sleeping
• Be an available parent
• Positive discipline, i.e. no spanking or other forms if corporal punishment
• Balance of the child's needs and your own" (Beyond the Sling, p.10)

Bialik goes on to back up all of these practices with scientific evidence from reputable sources like the AAP.  But all of the beliefs are rooted in the fact that these are all practices that our "cave people" ancestors did, and most Non-Western communities still do as the norm.

Her argument for natural childbirth, and VBAC (vaginal birth after Cesarean) has me really considering establishing a natural birth plan for when I have my next child. And her honest approach to breast feeding and her tips for establishing breast feeding support, have given me the power to actually WANT to breastfeed, where as before, I viewed it as an obligation to my baby.

With my next child, I also hopeful to be an avid "babywearer". My son, was diagnosed with colic, but it is evident to me in hind-sight that he was just a "high-needs" baby
\ that wanted to be held a lot. I was of the school of thought that you can hold a baby too much, and that the only way to establish independence is to put them down. Bialik's emphasis on a baby's "wants are their needs" for at least their first year of life, really changed my mind on this. I truly believe that if I just would have worn my son, and kept him close, that he would not have been such a screamer and I wouldn't have ended up with post-partum depression.

I also endorse Bialik's take on buying limited amounts of "baby-stuff", and staying away from "unnecessary medical intervention". However, there are some portions of her book that I disagree with.

For starters, Bialik does not let her children watch TV or movies. The book seems to illustrate that her main reasoning for this is because it encourages consumerism in children. I.e. they see Dora on T.V., so they are going to want the Dora doll at the store. Though the AAP doesn't approve of limited T.V. watching until after age 2, my son has been "watching" T.V. since about 3 months. I view the T.V. as a learning tool. My son ONLY watches educational television, with no commercials, with one exception. Disney movies, specifically Cars. It was evident in my son's ability to sign around 9 months that the Baby Signing Time DVDs encouraged his signing. It is also evident in his ability to count to 10 and name all of the letters of the alphabet before the age of two, that watching shows like Team UmiZoomi and SuperWhy are encouraging his alphanumeric skills. Does he point out all of the stuff in the store that has Lightening McQueen and Dora on it? Sure he does, but do I buy all of it for him? No. Because that is part of effective parenting too, that is, teaching kids that they can't always get what they want.

I'm also not totally on board with Bialik's takes on pressure and discipline. 

Overall, Bialik's Beyond the Sling is a great book, and well argued. It really got me, a not so crunchy mama, thinking, and provided me with a very well-reasoned, and honest approach to this alternative way of parenting. To be honest, I couldn't put the book down, in part because I find this style of parenting so fascinating (Bialik's second son being "potty-trained from birth" and the topic of Elimination Communication was a jaw dropper.), and because I now wish that I could parent in such a fashion (I think I would have to develop a WHOLE new idea of patience). Overall, I give this book 5 out of 5 stars for it's honest, real-life application and it's ability to open my eyes, and leave my judgement behind. 

"What Are You Reading?" Thursdays-One Foot, Two Feet

I've decided to start a new weekly meme, aren't you lucky?! On Thursdays, I'll be featuring a link-up called "What Are You Reading?" (Fun Blog Badge coming),  for you to share with others what you're reading to your kids, or even what you're reading yourself. The most important thing is that you're reading! Here's my post for this first week. Link-up and leave a comment at the bottom. Can't wait to see what you're reading!

This morning's read to Little Man

Early Lit Tip Tuesday-Don't JUST Read a Book

Reading to your child is one of the best ways to prepare them to read on their own, as well as develop a love of reading--so that maybe you won't have to twist their arm totally off to get them to read in high school.

If you are currently reading to your child. THAT'S GREAT! *HIGH FIVE*
And if you are not, I encourage you to start.
Here are a couple tips to consider, to make sure your child is getting the most out of a book that they can.

If you are reading a counting book, read the words on the page, and then reinforce the numbers by counting the items on the page.

If you are reading a book about colors, read the words on the page, and then reinforce the colors by naming the items that are that color on the page.

If you are reading a rhyming book, read the words on the page, and then reinforce the rhyming words.

In today's fast paced society, parents sometimes rush through a story just so they can "get it done" and "have read to their child", but it's important to remember to slow down. The techniques mentioned previously do not take up all that much more time, and the amount your child can learn from them is infinite.

After all, what could be more important than slowing down, spending quality time with your child, and preparing them for a lifetime of learning?!

26 Years Young?

Image borrowed from
litendeavors.blogspot.com

Today, is my birthday. I turn 26 today. Greater than a quarter century, 4 years less than 30. Yes, that is how I'm measuring time these days. I think that's because I feel SO OLD most days. Some of the reasons I feel SO OLD I'm proud of, others, not so much. For example-

At 26, I never would have dreamed that:

I would celebrate my 4th wedding anniversary with a much better guy than my high school sweetheart.


I would have the most AMAZING, GIFTED, ADORABLE, 2 year old son (that serenaded me with the most precious rendition of 'Happy Birthday' I have ever heard this morning).


That I would have such a passion for promoting literacy in young children.


That I would be on the verge of entering grad school to obtain a degree in library and information science.


That I would be a fledgling blogger.


That I would be an aspiring children's book author.


That I'd STILL be trying to find my way financially.


That I'd be in bed by 10p.m. on BOTH Friday and Saturday nights, while my friends that I hardly ever see are out partying at the bar.


BUT it is through these "dreams" that I'm deriving my goals for my 26th year.

I am going to spend as much time with, and enjoy, my son and my husband as much as possible.


I am going to make time to see my girlfriends more often.


I'm going to apply to grad school this fall.


I'm going to put as much energy into my blog, as I do into watching TV. (That's kind of a lot. LOL)


I'm going to start actively writing and revising my children's book--and pandering it out to publishers. And stop making excuses that I don't have an illustrator for my story.


I'm going to find a way, through writing and/or promoting literacy, to provide for my family! (If you have opportunities, send them my way. wink. wink.)


I guess there's just one thing left to figure out, WHAT I'M GOING TO GET MYSELF! :) 

Child Actors Grow Up To Be Parenting Book Authors?

Okay. So maybe I've been living under a rock. But, I just discovered (while trolling Amazon for free Kindle books) that Mayim Bialik is not the only child actress to write a book on parenting. Punky Brewster, aka Soleil Moon Frye also wrote a book on parenting (not that she has a degree in Neuroscience or anything else that I'm aware of)....hummmm....maybe I'll be looking into this too....not to say that I'll believe anything that a celeb puts my way, but it is interesting to see how/why they are raising their children--particularly because we all get to watch and see if it worked!

Disciplining a Two-Year Old

Little Man turned two not too long ago, and if the "Terrible Twos" really do exist, he is expressing them quite vibrantly.

Since he was able to grasp the concept of time out (and even before), we've used the Jo Frost "Supernanny" approach to discipline.
Her approach is such:
Warning
Time Out-Explain why they are in time out and leave them for their age in minutes
Ask why they were in time out
Ask for an apology
Give hugs and kisses

But now, Little Man has gotten plain old sassy. I can't even tell you how many times I sit him in the timeout seat and he screams "Muma! Shut-Up!" (Yes, I know that he's heard this "somewhere" before), or I'm "Shhhhhh-ed", or he just sits there in defiance and screams. It's annoying. He's also started to get out of the chair, at which point I've been restarting the timer.

BUT.

He RARELY is this defiant to his father.

So I'm on the hunt for a new disciplinary action plan.

Image borrowed from
kveller.com whom
 Mayim regularly writes for.

A couple weeks ago, I was watching The Talk on CBS and Mayim Bialik was on. I have so much respect for Mayim. She started as a "child actor" on Blossom, didn't let fame totally F up her life, got married had two kids, got her PhD in Neuroscience, and now acts on The Big Bang Theory. Pretty cool lady, pretty cool story if you ask me.

Image from glam.com

Anyhoo, when I found out that she had published a "Searsesque" book about parenting called Beyond the Sling: A Real-Life Guide to Raising Confident, Loving Children the Attachment Parenting Way, I was dying to check it out. I know that both Mayim and her good friend Sara Gilbert are both pretty "granola" when it comes to raising their kids, and I have been far from such, but I at least want to see what she says. Heck, if it fixes Little Man's crazy defiance problems--I'll listen to anything she has to say! I got a copy of the book from the library, sorry Mayim--but I'm quite a bit of a frugalista, and I'm starting it tonight. I'll let you know what I think! Stay tuned!

Free Alphabet Coloring Pages from LeapFrog

For those of you that don't know, I'm kind of a fledgling couponer. I FINALLY made a binder because of the great binder tab dividers that Freebies 2 Deals has on thier page, saving me all of the effort! So I subscribed to thier e-mail notifications, and thanks to one of those e-mails, I was linked to these adorable alphabet coloring pages from LeapFrog.

This is just the letter A....

But you can print the entire PDF file with all of the letters and animals by clicking here.

Happy Coloring!

Early Lit Tip Tuesday - How children view movement

Comprehending movement can be difficult for a child. The concept of wind: you can't see it, but you can feel it, can be particularly difficult. This video gives a brief explanation of how children comprehend movement and some tips to aid in your child's comprehension. 

Valentine's Day Song and Fingerplay!

Will You Be My Valentine?

To the tune of "The Muffin Man"

Oh, will you be my valentine?

My valentine? My valentine?

Oh, will you be my valentine?

And love me every day?

Oh, yes, I'll be your valentine.

Your valentine. Your valentine.

Oh, yes, I'll be your valentine.

And love you every day.

My Valentine Heart

When I say I love you (Point to lips)

It comes from my heart (Hand on heart)

You hear it in your ear (Point to ear)

And it sounds very smart (Point to head)

I love it when you're proud of me (Stand very tall)

You say it all day long (Stretch arms wide)

And when I hear you say it (Point to ear)

My heart sings a merry song (Hand on heart)

Stay Tuned, Today was just a preview. I'll have more fun Preschool and Early Lit fun tomorrow!

Fingerplay Friday- It is Snowing



Image borrowed from:
stopviolenceuw.wordpress.com

Since the vast majority of the US is about to be hit with a major cold snap, and may of us will be seeing snow, what better than to use snow as the basis of a Fingerplay!

"It is snowing, it is snowing, (Make snowing motion with hands)
All a round, All a round, (Hand at brow, look "all around")
I need a hat, I need a hat, (Motion as if you are putting on a hat)
On my head, on my head" (Point to head)

(Continue with motions, changing the winter gear you are putting on, and the body part you point to.)

"It is snowing, it is snowing,
All a round, All a round,
I need earmuffs, I need earmuffs,
On my ears, on my ears"

"It is snowing, it is snowing,
All a round, All a round,
I need mittens, I need mittens,
On my hands, on my hands"

"It is snowing, it is snowing,
All a round, All a round,
I need scarf, I need a scarf,
Around my neck, around my neck"

"It is snowing, it is snowing,
All a round, All a round,
I need boots, I need boots,
On my feet, on my feet"

"It is snowing, it is snowing,
All a round, All a round,
I need a coat, I need a coat,
On my body, on my body"

Wordless Wednesday - Baby's First Trip To The Hospital

I've been MIA for a while now because life's been one heck of a mess. Since Jan 1st, there's been stroke, cancer, broken bones, surgery for bones and cancer, job loss, and hospital stays. So to segway back into normal bloggy life, here is one of my most precious photos, from probably one of the worst times of my life.

Note: I covered up his little hospital bracelet (that's why it looks weird). I didn't want any creepers stealing his info.

Early Lit Tip Tuesday- Children Take Words Literally

Early Lit Tip Tuesday is back in action! Have you missed it? Here's this week's tip from the ECIC:

Early Literacy Activity Cards-Resource

Image borrowed from kwachtman.wordpress.com

I came across a site called Family Literacy Expertise, they are a Canadian non-profit and have an immense resource of early literacy activity cards based on familiar children's books. If you are looking for a kids book with activities pre-pared with it, or have a kids book and are looking for activities to accompany it. This is a great site to check out.

Some of the books they have listed are:

A Big Fat Enormous Lie	My Family's Changing
A Child's Treasury of Nursery Rhymes	My Friends and Me
All Together Now	Nose to Toes
Alligator Baby	Number One, Tickle Your Tum
Amazing Grace	On Your Potty
Andrew's Loose Tooth	Pajama Time
Baby Faces	Peek a Who
Barnyard Dance	Peekaboo Baby
Big or Little	Red Ripe Strawberry, Little Mouse and the Big Hungry Bear
Can't You Sleep Little Bear	Shoes from Grandpa
Clap Your Hands	Sleepy Little Mouse
Finding Kate's Shoes	Stellaluna
Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed	Stop Picking On Me
Five Little Monkeys Sitting In a Tree	That's Good That's Bad
Five Little Monkeys With Nothing to Do	The Bear Went over the Mountain
From Head to Toe	The Grouchy Ladybug
Good Night Gorilla	The Itsy Bitsy Spider
Goodnight Moon	The Kissing Hand
Guess How Much I love You	The Mitten
Hands Are Not For Hitting	The Princess and the Potty
Hiding	The Very Busy Spider
I Can Blink	The Way I Feel
I Have to Go	Touch and Feel Animal Kisses
I Love You So Much	Touch and Feel Bedtime
I Miss You	Touch and Feel Mealtime
If You Give A Moose A Muffin	Touch and Feel Pets
If You Give A Mouse A Cookie	Two Eyes A Nose & A Mouth
If You Were My Bunny	Up to the Skies and Down Again
I'm A Little Teapot	Very Busy Spider
I'm As Quick As A Cricket	Very Hungry Caterpillar
Jessica's X-ray	Where the Wild Things Are
Lifetimes	Where's My Teddy
Little Mouse, Red Ripe Strawberry & The Big Hungry Bear
Makeup Mess

The Case For The Written Word: Why YOU should be reading

Watch This. No. Read It!

By Lauren Duzbow
O, The Oprah Magazine  |  From the June 2008 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine

 

In our high-speed-connection world, why bother to read when you can get it all electronically? We make the case for not closing the book.

When you can see Atonement in two hours and 10 minutes (enacted by the very appealing James McAvoy, no less) or listen to it on audiotape, why bother working through the 371-page novel? For that matter, why trudge through the newspaper when you can turn on CNN? Why puzzle over a manual when you can YouTube the instructions? Everyone knows the book is always better than the movie, but is there any real advantage to getting your information by reading it?

Yes, according to neuroscience—your mind will most definitely thank you.


This article is part of Oprah.com's 2011 Feel Good Challenge. Join now—and move closer to the life you want!

Just like muscles, the brain benefits from a good workout. And reading is more neurobiologically demanding than processing images or speech. As you're absorbing, say, this article, "parts of the brain that have evolved for other functions—such as vision, language, and associative learning—connect in a specific neural circuit for reading, which is very challenging," says Ken Pugh, PhD, president and director of research of Haskins Laboratories, which is devoted to the science of language and affiliated with Yale. "A sentence is shorthand for a lot of information that must be inferred by the brain." In general, your intelligence is called to action, as is greater concentration. "We are forced to construct, to produce narrative, to imagine," says Maryanne Wolf, director of the Center for Reading and Language Research at Tufts University and author of Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain. "Typically, when you read, you have more time to think. Reading gives you a unique pause button for comprehension and insight. By and large, with oral language—when you watch a film or listen to a tape—you don't press pause."

The benefits of all this mental activity include keeping your memory sharp, your learning capacity nimble, and your mind basically hardier as you age. No one's advising that you toss the DVD player—or books on tape, which, Pugh says, provide more work for your brain than seeing a movie—but print should take up part of your life too. A literate mind is a more complex one. "There's a richness that reading gives you," Wolf says, "an opportunity to probe more than any other medium I know of. Reading is about not being content with the surface." Even when it is superficial (what's a plane ride without a little celebrity gossip?), indulging in a tabloid beats watching TV—just processing the words boosts the brain. "If you had your druthers," Pugh says, "you'd rather be reading."

Keep Your Mind Sharp

• 4 ways to remember what you've learned
• This is your brain on happiness
• 11 empowering ways to strengthen your brain

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/health/How-Reading-Can-Improve-Your-Memory#ixzz1dosfhj3Q

Now now something for the adults: Kids books that adults will love too

Early Lit Tip Tuesday Week One

For the next 42 weeks. I'm going to be showcasing a YouTube video featuring early literacy and/or early education tips. And lucky you, you get to start with week one! Enjoy!

Goldfish Car Wash Commercial, Imagination and Early Literacy in the Media

I was so impressed when I first saw this commercial. If you don't know already, imagination is a MAJOR tool in encouraging early literacy, and this commercial is the epitome of how we should all be fueling our children's imagination.

But don't take my word for it! Watch!

It's September, and it's time for Michigan Reads!

Every September, for the past several years, The Library of Michigan has partnered with Target to "provide librarians, early childhood educators, parents, and caregivers with ideas to help children develop literacy skills through play-based activities" (Michigan.gov/mde), via the Michigan Reads! program and this year is no exception.

The Michigan Reads! program is targeted to reach children from preschool to early elementary, and to show parents just how important (and rewarding) it is to read to small children. But if you're not from Michigan, don't worry, you can participate too! All you have to do is pick up a copy of the book and read it, it's that easy to get involved.

For September 2011, The Library of Michigan has selected Memoirs of a Goldfish by Devon Scillian and illustrated by Tim Bowers. Memoirs of a Goldfish is "written as a diary. A goldfish takes the reader through his passage from a quiet life in solitude to each addition to the fishbowl and the changes his life undergoes. As the bowl becomes more crowded, the goldfish must confront his feelings about each of his new neighbors until finally he is alone again, which presents a new set of feelings."

Memoirs of a Goldfish holds many opportunies for parents to turn the the simple act of reading with thier child into a learning experience. Given that Memoirs of a Goldfish, is a book centered around feelings, this may be the perfect time for you and children to discuss different feelings, and when those feelings occur. This conversation may assist parents and children in bringing up the topic of bullying, or other situations in which feelings can get hurt, and how to deal with them.

The story also is a fun way to showcase the importance of writing things down, in a diary or otherwise, as a way to cope with different emotions, and even as historical record. You might want to take the time to craft a journal with your child, or encourage your child to tell you about or write a story about their day.

Photo from maryinhb.blogspot.com

And if niether of those topics seem to peaque your interest, there's always the allure of the different aquatic creatures. It might inspire a trip to the local pet store, or even a nature preserve to investigate the types of fish and other aquatic creatures that live all around us, both in tanks, and outdoors.

The Michigan Reads! program has an entire (printable PDF) handbook, to go along with Memoirs of a Goldfish. It contains everything from tips and tricks for parents, to activity sheets and suggestions for the kiddos. So be sure to check it out.

To obtain a copy of Memiors of a Goldfish, check out your local library, and if it becomes a favorite pick up a copy at your local bookstore or online at Amazon.com.