I'm sorry I have been MIA on this blog lately, lots going on over here! Thanks Sarah, Suzy and the guest bloggers for picking up the slack for me.
I was recently walking on the bike paths of near my home and was struck by the number of parents who are pushing strollers and engaged in conversation on their cell phones. I have almost become immune to it until several days ago, I actually saw a Mom pushing a stroller and engaging in conversation with her toddler. I wanted to run up and give her a hug.
Why are we all so busy that we seem to think that our conversation on the cell phones is more important than engaging in conversation with our children and teaching them about their surroundings? Why do we choose cell phone conversation over eye contact with our children?
All parents want to provide their child the best possible education. Many people think of early childhood education as the function of preschool. Yes, a school setting can introduce and encourage social skills, but going for a walk with your child can be another kind of learning experience. You might just be trying to get exerecise or fresh air, but your child is taking in the environment with all of her senses. Your child is seeing, hearing, feeling and smelling all of it and much more. Your child is aware! She needs someone to give these items names and validate her experience. It may be tempting to use the walk with your chld as a time to catch up on phone calls and take care of some business, but next time, try turning off your phone and focusing on your child. Point out the sights, sounds and smells in your surrounds and in a simple way, explain what they mean. Add the sense of touch by slowing down enough to allow him to touch a flower or leaf, or if she can walk, let him out of the stroller to touch the "touchables". To a young child the world is magical and fascinating. Even the most mundane elements are exciting!
This also applies to your time in the car, as well. Besides the safety issues, there is a wealth of learning to be done in the car. Car seats place the young child high enough to see out of the window. Imagine what your child thinks when a tractor trailer or a garbage truck rolls by. There are so many things to see such as, traffic lights, fire trucks, ambulances and police cars. Time in the car is is a good time to sing songs together or just listen to your favorite tunes. Consider this a bonus of time that you can spend with your chld.
What is the benefit of turning off your cell phone and focusing on your chld?
The result of positive, sharing, parent-child communication is the strengthening of the relationship. Your child will know that she is important to you. This provides her security and self-reliance. You are also performing the act of teaching. You are the window to her world. As you introduce, describe and explain her world, you are enriching her life. You are your child's first and most important teacher. The memories you create with your child are worth far more than the phone call you might miss. Enjoy your child and make wonderful memories!
I have another friend, Tara, who I think is Super Mom! She has 3, no, THREE boys. Ben is 3, almost 4. Parker is 2, and Evan is almost 5 months old. She does a ton of fun stuff with her boys and they are so polite and well behaved. We have been friends since 3rd grade. I just love friends like that, they are so special!
Short and Sweet:
Some days you just have to play inside, and here is a fun activity!
Supplies: package of prepared pudding, 2 bowls, paintbrushes and spatulas
Rules: Keep it in tub area as much as possible.
AND
Don't make your brother cry!
I think the best part about doing activities like this, is making memories. You may be cleaning the tub for a while after, but pictures like this are priceless.
It feels like I haven't posted in forever!
Here is a little something for fun and a cookie recipe that really tells the meaning of Easter!
Egg Shakers:
Plastic Eggs
Hot Glue
Dried Pasta, rice, large sprinkles, dried beans, small screws, etc.
The boys loved shaking the eggs and hearing the different sounds! However, I used Tacky glue, and my kids ripped them open and mess when everywhere. So I think you should use hot glue or super glue to really glue these shut. And parent supervision is a must, just in case they do break open!
Speaking of parent supervision...
A bunch of our friends are having their second babies!!
And I learned a great tip in college. Teach the older children what toys are safe to come out and be around the new baby by using a toilet paper roll, paper towel roll, or even wrapping paper roll cut up. String yarn through it and hang it on your child's door. If the toy they want to bring out can fit through the roll... then it has to stay in the room. That way, little lego pieces and barbie shoes are not getting anywhere near your crawling baby.
Choke tube
Of course, you can always buy one, if you don't want to hang a toilet paper tube on your door!
And here is a great article about toy safety when you have some time.
And now back to Easter:
I found this cookie recipe on All Recipes.com and I really liked the idea of doing it the night before Easter with your children. I know my kids will be too young this year to really get it, but I am going to file this idea away for next year!
Place pecans in a resealable plastic baggie. Crush the pecans into small bits. Read John 19:1-3
Put 1 teaspoon vinegar into a medium bowl. Read John 19:28-30
Add egg whites to the vinegar. Read John 10:10-11
Sprinkle salt into the egg whites. Read Luke 23:27
So far, the mixture isn't very appetizing. Add 1cup sugar. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16. Beat with mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.
Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto parchment paper lined baking sheet. Read Matthew 27:57-60.
Place cookies in the oven close the door and turn the oven off. Read Matthew 27:65-66.
Go to bed. Read John 16:20 and 22.
In the morning open the oven and take out the cookies. Read Matthew 28:1-9.
***If you go to the link above, all the reviews say to add 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla in with the sugar. But what a fun way to teach the meaning of Easter! And the tomb was....
"You better watch out. You better not cry. Gog, is coming to town."
What animal says "Meow?".......Gog!
"Woof, woof!"...........Gog!
Gog=shark
Gog=monkey
Gog=fish
Gog=Lucy
Gog=flower
Gog=tree
Poor Carter.
He is in some budding stages of language development and everything comes out as "Gog!"
While, I love it and think it is adorable, I try to control my laughs as I often hear many "Rules" from teaching ESL (English is a Second Language) and Primary students roaming in my head.
What I love about the ESL and Primary methods is that they are just good in-your-pocket-tools for teaching language (and soooo much more) to anyone at any age! These came in handy in Norway, China and now on my 14 Month Old.
So here are some teaching tips that swirl in my head and how they can relate to encouraging language in your child:
1. Talk to and with your child! All. The. Time. and about everything you see.
2. Narrate what they are doing:
"Carter is in the tent!" "Mmmm....Carter loves to eat oranges!" "Awww, Carter is hugging Lucy." Give them the language that they don't have yet!
3. Correct by Modeling:
One thing you never want to do is "Nooooo, that isn't a gog, it's a cat." "Ha ha. Your saying it wrong. cat-t-t."
I've experienced this perfect example of what not to do while trying to speak Chinese. It can be very frustrating. I can't hear the difference in what they are saying and how I'm saying it. It sounds the same to me. And instead of learning how to say it properly, I think of how I can communicate without using that word. This is how the babes feel too.
What the good ole textbook say is that you should correct their language by modeling how to say it. A conversation will go like this:
C-"Gog! Gog!!!"
M-"Oh my, that is a cat!!! Look at that sweet cat! Do you hear the cat say meow??"
And with anyone learning a language...the more you hear it, the more you can hear it!
4. Read with you child! Keep it enjoyable.
They have very short attention spans, that grow with time. Stay at their limit. Then stretch it as their interest grows. Don't force it with a struggle! :)
Picture Walk:
If they only want to flip pages quickly. Do that and briefly talk about something in the picture. Right now, Carter has some books that he has been obsessed with for a couple of weeks. Those books we can read all the way through and he studies all of the pictures. Some newer ones he brings to me, we only flip through a few pages with me talking about the picture. This lasts all of 15 seconds until he is onto something new.
5. Repeat, repeat, repeat.
I'm sure every parent of a toddler knows this routine! There is no way around it! In every little thing they do, they like to do it over, and over, and over again. This is how they learn. Practice makes perfect.
So when you've passed the 100th tree and followed up his "gog" with a "tree" just know they are a bit closer to than where they started.
Here we are reading "Santa Clause is Coming to Town". Things to notice:
-I try to push him to read the Animal book but nooooo.
-He rejects sitting in my lap, so the video is upside down.
One of the greatest things about moving around to different countries is learning. We learn about other cultures, parts of the world and other languages. We learn what it means to sacrifice, miss people you love, and to depend on each other. And the thing that I think is most fascinating is that we learn how small and tiny we really are.
I've noticed quite a few things about parenting from living in abroad that I have found interesting and I thought from time to time, I could share a few.
So here we go...
A few about Norway:
You can let your kids play in the rain and snow. A famous saying in Norway is: There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing. And while teaching in Norway, I can now say I've been on recess duty in the cold rain and cold snow. They do have really neat weather gear to wear over their cute clothes though!!
Maternity leave can mean a YEAR! Even Daddy gets a great maternity leave, not quite as long though. Could you imagine?
Breastfeeding it is. Breastfeeding in public isn't weird and doesn't make people uncomfortable. And who needs a Hooter-Hider? I'll never forget going to lunch with a few of my teaching friends, who were all on their maternity leave. When I walked up to the restaurant I noticed the sidewalk was lined with empty prams (strollers). The place was filled with moms and babes! When the baby was hungry, up went the shirt and baby ate! Who knew?!
Side Note: Being the American that I am, didn't know what to do and where I could look! Ha ha! Send me back there now, I'd be a champ!
A tad about China:
After having a baby, mommy must stay in bed, without a shower and keep a hat on her hed for one whole month. Your mother-in-law feeds you tons of food. (This, however, was not my experience for having my child in China.)
They practice infant potty training. It is amazing! Our Housekeepers think I am crazy for constantly putting diapers on my child. One told me "You potty train your dog. Your baby is smarter than your dog. Diapers are very bad." Very true, point taken.
(I may post more on this later.)
Family is so important to Chinese people. Actually, many times, the Mother-in-Law will raise the child. (Only one child per family). I've been asked "How do you know how to raise a child?" That is a good question. Then I was suggested to hire someone who "knows what they are doing" to raise my kiddo.
They weren't being rude, by the way. Politeness can get lost in translation. They were trying to help a girl out!
Any who, if anything, I hope you know that when raising children, WE as mothers are in this together! All parents want the same for their children...a wonderful life.
A Big Picture Thought:
Our little family is preparing for our next big move. The only thing is, we don't know where it will be and don't know exactly when. What we do know is it will be by June 30th and it's not in our hands.
This used to be something that I would anticipate, worry about, and loose sleep over. However, one of the things I have learned on this journey is that when it is NOT in your hands, you do NOT stress over. Isn't that wonderful how it works like that!? I now see it as a huge relief to know that it is not up to me.
I'm sure, someone has told you before, to "Give it up to God!"
(HA! Easy for you to say!)
Usually, this is about something stressing and consuming that you physically can't make happen. But you want to be able to fix this problem so bad. Well, I feel like I can finally give it up to God and let him take control. It is much more reassuring to know He is in control of it anyway!! He will do a much better job than I any day!!
Here is what it says in the Bible about this:
1 Peter 5:7
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
Let's be honest, this is a great gift as a parent. God is good, that is for sure!
Jenni is an old college buddy of mine (Sarah)! She and I were both Chi O's at Texas A&M. She writes a fabulous blog about her precious family of three..errr four, including her Labrador, Aggie. She has an adorable son, Connor, whom I'm determined to make Carter's friend someday. I think one of the greatest things about reading long-time friend's blogs is watching everyone change and become "adults" with Big-People lives, like working, getting married, owning homes, moving, and parenting. Isn't growing up so much fun!?
Anywho, she is a really sweet mommy and I just love reading about so many of their sweet family moments.
With out further ado...(insert trumpet sounds!!) here is Jenni sharing a bit of how they love learning in the kitchen:
For several months now, my 19 month old, Connor, has loved to "help" do things. We regularly make Hummus in our house because he loves it so much! He has always been really interested in watching me make it, so why not let him help? He pulls a stool up to the counter and away we go. (Just be careful with your little one's fingers around the food processor blades!)
We talk about the different ingredients and using measuring spoons and cups as we put everything together. My assistant does slow things down a little and can sometimes make the recipe slightly messy, but the experience for both of us is worth it! Maybe someday he'll like to cook like his Daddy? His favorite parts to help with, of course, are pushing the button to blend and tasting the final product!
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed (reserve the liquid)
1 clove garlic (we use 2 tsp minced garlic in water)
1⁄4 cup olive oil,
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
a pinch of kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Optional: A couple of dashes of hot sauce (Mom and Dad like this extra kick, but we haven't tried it with Connor yet!)
Directions:
In a food processor, puree the chickpeas and garlic with the olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, and a pinch of salt until smooth and creamy.
Add 1 to 2 tablespoons reserved chick pea liquid as necessary to achieve the desired consistency.
Enjoy with crackers, pitas, fresh veggies, or if you are like my son, just with a spoon!
And here is a video of the little guy assisting with the final stage of our Hummus making during lunch one day. (He gets slightly distracted by the camera!)
