Book Review: I Love Dirt
Aug 29, 2008
Most of us (adults as well as children) don’t spend the time outdoors that our ancestors did in the past. Because of this we’ve grown rather disconnected from the wonders of nature. Research has demonstrated how beneficial being outdoors is for children’s mental & emotional well-being and yet we may still neglect this part of our lives.
Jennifer Ward has put together a marvelous little book that gives all sorts of creative ways to interact with and explore our environment. Most of her suggestions are simply ways to open our eyes to the details around us. She alerts us to things we may not have noticed before. I know I especially need this. I want to spend time outdoors with my daughter but I oftentimes don’t know what I should be doing out there with her. After reading her book I now have lots of options! Most of her ideas do not require any special equipment other than the five senses. While reading, several art/craft projects did come to my mind that would compliment nicely the activities she mentions. I appreciate how the book is organized by the seasons, so you can just turn to the section that applies to you at the time. In my efforts to live a more simple yet deep life, this book will be most helpful. I plan on purchasing this as one of my primary resources for Emma’s home-school Kindergarten this year.
Posted In: Green Living | Gardening | Parenting | Book Reviews • Comments (2)
Book Review: Goose’s Story
Aug 28, 2008
Here in an excellent children’s book that I highly recommend. It’s the story of a goose with one leg who struggles to survive and to fit in with the other geese. I love that it’s a true story! This book is inspiring for both children and adults. I even found myself tearing up at the end!
Posted In: Parenting | Book Reviews • Comments (0)
The Importance of Eye Contact
Aug 27, 2008
Life can become so busy sometimes that we mulit-task and tend not to make eye contact when speaking. This can be especially tempting when relating to our children. But the truth is, our children desperately need to make contact with us. This is true right from birth when a baby is able to bond with his parents through their loving gazes. Through our eyes we can convey approval or disapproval. It also gives us the chance to make a connection with our kids. It shows them they’re important and that we value what they have to say. I tend to fall into the trap of multi-tasking often and have to remind myself to stop what I’m doing and give my full attention to my daughter.
This is an important skill between adults as well. It can become easy to neglect sitting down with our spouses and having an eye-to-eye conversation with them. The day gets busy, we concentrate on getting our tasks done and find at the end of the day that we haven’t spent any quality time with them.
May we not neglect this valuable human connection.
Posted In: Parenting • Comments (0)
Veggies for Baby
Jun 10, 2008
While reading the other day I confirmed something I’ve always suspected but never looked into. My assumption was that what I eat while pregnant/nursing will set the stage for what my baby will prefer later. Research at the Monell Chemical Senses Center indicates that babies adjusted to foods quicker when they had been introduced to them before they were born. I guess this gives me one more motivation for eating healthily!
Once baby starts eating you can help them to like veggies by not giving in when they make a face or turn away from them. Research shows that if you keep trying to give it to them they will take it. With our daughter Emma we had her eat whatever we were eating. We would put portions of our dinner into a little hand-cranked baby food grinder. It was convenient to just throw the grinder in the diaper bag when we went out and made eating at home easier too because we didn’t have to warm up something special for her.
Source: Want to Raise a Fruit-and-Veggie Lover? Be Persistent
Posted In: Parenting | Pregnancy • Comments (0)
Time and Energy
Mar 19, 2008
"Housecleaning involves two things. It involves our time and our energy. What do our children crave most: our time and our energy. The American family has a problem when our floors and carpets receive more care and attention than our children.”
-- Brook Noel
Posted In: Parenting | Inspirational Quotes • Comments (0)
