Never Underestimate the Power of a Good Book

I have one child that is in elementary school.  This child is intelligent (did you expect me to say anything else???), but I noticed that this child was having trouble with math.  This is hard for me to wrap my head around -- I admit that freely.  I'm a math nerd.  In fact, I'm just a few credit hours away from a major in math, if that gives you a clue.  Trust me when I tell you that I was NOT the ideal choice to step in as the tutor.  Math is something that was fairly easy for me to grasp (until Calculus III and Partial Differential Equations), and I didn't have the patience to move through the areas where my child needed help.

Seeking information, I sat and talked to one of my neighbors (a teacher) for over an hour about the situation.  I shared my frustrations.  She listened.  I asked for help, fully expecting to hear things about flash cards and practice tests.  Instead, this was the first bit of advice my neighbor offered:

"Read out loud with your child for 30 minutes every night.  Take turns reading pages if that's what you have to do to get started, but start reading out loud and see where it takes you."

huh?

My child is having problems with math, and you want me to read?  And where am I going to find another 30 minutes in my day to do this?

I figured it couldn't hurt.  My child spent some time most days reading silently.  Part of me took this as a challenge.  I doubted.  How could reading out loud help? 

But it has.... and very quickly, I might add.  My child took to the activity quickly.  I thought I would have to dig in my heels to get to 30 minutes.  To my surprise, my child didn't want to stop.  It is not unusual for us to read together for 40-45 minutes. 

I've seen my child's math grades -- and confidence -- increase significantly in just a few short weeks.  And the complaining about different things (and people) at school has decreased quite a bit.  It is no longer like pulling teeth to find out something good that happened during the day.  Actually, all of the grades have come up.  I'm not the only one to see positive changes.  My child's teacher told me that my child has been much calmer and more attentive in class.

My child's teacher told me that there are all kinds of studies out there that document these results.  Could it be that my child needed that interaction with me on so many different levels?  Maybe my child understands a little better that I am an advocate, and that I have their best interests at heart.  Perhaps this activity nurtures my child on a different level... a level that may be so much more important as we approach the teen years. 

One of the sweeter surprises for me in this is how much I'm enjoying the books, too.  Years of diapers, nursing, and lack of sleep put my joy of reading on the back burner.  This activity lets me share one of my joys with my child.  We talk about the characters and what we would do if we were in the same situation.  We talk about what we think will happen next in the book.  It opens up opportunities for us to talk about other things that are important.

I know that we've all probably watched a little more TV than usual with the Olympics airing over the past couple of weeks.  They will end in a few days.  My suggestion to you is to pick out a book with your child and start reading it together.

You never know what will happen... it just might become a great new habit.

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Got a Picky Eater?

My sister had a baby three months after I had my first.  As they grew, I would sit in amazement as I watched her child eat two full jars of baby food at each sitting.  For me, it was a good day if my child decided to consume half a jar.  I didn't have any concerns -- my child was developing normally and growing well.

A few years and a couple more kids down the road, I'm still amazed at what kids will (and won't) eat -- and the steps we will go through as concerned parents to make sure that their little bodies are getting what they need to grow strong and healthy.  Even though the pediatrician reassures me that a child will not let himself or herself starve, it's frustrating when you see their appetite disappear.

So what do you do when this happens, especially when it is a toddler?  By the time a child is around 4, it's easier to explain to them that they need some "healthy growing food" and can't have snacks all the time.  Toddlers are another story.  Here is what I've done when my kids go through one of those spurts where their appetite isn't there:

1. They still want to drink.  When my kids were young, they weren't big fans of cow's milk.  So, I would give them a sippy cup with some not-from-concentrate juice, reduced fat coconut milk (beneficial fats), and some whey protein powder (vanilla flavored).  That way, I knew they were getting some decent nutrients and not loading up exclusively on sugar.
2. Try something new.  I know it sounds strange, but now might be a good time to experiment.  My kids were crazy for fresh berries and avocados.  I started offering these as soon as my kids were capable of mashing them up and swallowing them.  To me, they are a great transitional food from baby food to table food because they are very soft.  I also fed my kids bananas (mashed up until they had a few teeth) and whole milk yogurt.  As always, check with your health care provider first!
3. Stay consistent, and watch for a pattern of behavior.  I have a friend whose toddler wouldn't eat a meal, but about an hour or so after the meal would want to have some sort of snack because he was hungry.  When my friend stopped offering a snack food and instead, reintroduced the food that had been refused at mealtime, the child learned that he was going to get to eat what was in front of him.  He started to eat more at the actual meal time.  My friend's mind was more at ease, and she had some more free time.

Keep in mind that an aversion to a specific food might be your child's way of letting you know that food doesn't agree with them.  If you have serious concerns, please contact your doctor or health care provider for advice that is specific to your child.

I'm curious, though.  What did you do when your kids didn't want to eat?  What was the one food you could always get them to eat, no matter what?  I'm looking forward to your responses!

Battling Cabin Fever?

After my last post, it dawned on me that while we're looking forward to Spring, we still have a few more weeks of indoor activities to conquer.  Many of us have experienced more 'snow days' than usual, and our creative juices for indoor activities might be tapped.  We love our kiddos, but there is only so much we can think of to help them stay amused when they are as sick of being stuck inside as we are.

If you have a good idea, please pass it on!  The parents that read our blog will welcome the fresh ideas and may have a few to pass on to you, too.

Spring is Just Around the Corner...

At least that is what I tell myself as I watch the snow fall and my children go stir crazy with cabin fever.  At least we aren't bogged down under feet of snow like some of you are in other parts of the country, but I'm ready for warmer temperatures and green leaves on the trees.  And a few flowers would be nice while we're at it.  But I digress...

I have another question for you:  What kind of Springtime activities are you planning with your kids?  Will you plant a garden?  Will you plant flowers or vegetables?  How about some sort of sports team?  Soccer?  Baseball or softball? 

What will you do to get out and enjoy the fresh spring air after one of the harshest winters we've had in awhile?  What do you like the most about Spring?

I'm looking forward to your enthusiastic replies and suggestions!

Getting Orgnaized

It’s that time of year again. You know what I’m talking about – the time of year where we've made promises to ourselves that we are going to make changes: lose weight, pay off debt, be better at something, quit a bad habit, get more organized. You get the idea.  And we are far enough into the year that many of us have gotten off track.

My challenge this year is to get more organized. Some people are naturally organized and can keep things miraculously clean. I'd like to think that is me, but this isn't a perfect world, and I don't want to lie to you.  I have "organization spurts" where I can focus and get something in order, but then I get stuck.  Makes me human.

I already have some systems that work. There are areas in my home that are still overwhelming, though. The biggest area – PAPER! I have a child who brings home tons of school papers every day. I have bills, magazines, things that I need to keep for tax purposes, memories to store for future generations. I’d like your input and advice. Here are a few questions:

1. How do you decide what to keep and what to toss?

2. How do you store what you keep?

3. Do you have a time limit for how long you keep something?
4. If you don’t keep every school paper (and I know you don’t), how do you dispose of the unwanted ones so that tender feelings aren’t hurt?

5. What is your best organizing tip in general?

I look forward to your replies. Have a great day, and happy organizing!

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