Start Somewhere

Stop Waiting for Perfect

Blogging is one (but certainly not the only) area of my life that I put off getting started because I want to be sure I do it “just right.” The scrapbook stalled several years ago… the recipe binder needing organizing… the child’s closet needing cleaning… the craft… the repair… the garden… you get the picture. Fear of mistakes is a paralyzing feeling for adults and children alike, but the truth is, there are few situations that can’t be overcome by just getting started. Errors are rarely earthshattering and can often be creatively converted to masterpieces, but they’re hard on the ego.

A Gentle Push

Sometimes what we need is someone we trust to give us a gentle push (or a swift kick) to get us going. Knowing someone believes in you helps when you’re having trouble believing in yourself. Last week I was helping in B’s kindergarten class. The classroom next door had an incubator of chicken eggs just hatching and I got to take over a few students at a time to see the chicks. When they returned to the classroom, the teacher asked them to draw what they saw. They draw people and animals and objects every day on their reading papers, but for some reason, drawing the chicks they just saw was mighty intimidating. I walked between the tables to choruses of “I don’t know how to draw a chick!” and “Can you help me?” While my first instinct was to respond with, “Just try,” I knew that wasn’t going to get them past the artistic roadblock of trying to accurately capture a newborn chick in pencil and crayon. So I appealed to their sense of humor and reminded them that they did possess some expertise:

“Well, let’s see – chicks have a body and a head, and six legs, right?” [grumpy “no”s]“Oh no? Well I know they have long tails.” [annoyed “no”s with a few giggles]“And they also have big sharp teeth I think.” [exasperated “no”s and eye rolling]

Not baby chick day art, but art,
nonetheless.

Once they had to tell me what the chicks looked like (wings, beaks, feet, eyes) drawing them wasn’t such an enormous task. Were the drawings perfect portrayals of hours-old chicks? Not really. But they were sure adorable.

Start Simple

In Peter Reynolds’ The Dot, young Vashti experiences the same art paralysis. She doesn’t know how to begin. Her encouraging teacher advises her to make any mark on the paper. In a characteristically immature move typical of an uncertain artist of any age, she jabs angrily at the paper. Rather than responding with frustration, the teacher directs her to sign her mark and proceeds to frame and display it. Inspired by her teacher’s demonstrative show of confidence, Vashti creates a whole gallery of very creative dots that become part of a school show. The teacher’s lesson is not lost on Vashti – she repeats it to a peer who is awestruck at the show. This book is a lovely story to share with your own child when he or she is feeling fearful of a new undertaking, to read for yourself when you’re stuck before you’ve started, or to give as a gift to a special teacher or inspiring person in your life. We’ll be sharing it with B’s kindergarten teacher for Teacher Appreciation Week. 

Appropriate for preschoolers, primary grades, everyone!

By the way - Teacher Appreciation Week happens to coincide with Children's Book Week this year - hoping to share lots more about the books we're enjoying as the week goes on, but if I don't get the posts up, it's because I'm "perfecting" teacher appreciation gifts - check out the LittleSproutBooks Facebook Page.

Linking up with a massive Children's Book Week Linky - hosted by Reading Confetti, among others (Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas, Smiling Like Sunshine, Carrots Are Orange, Teach Preschool, and Toddler Approved)

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Un-Spooking

As I promised last week, I have a selection of Halloween “treats” to share this week. B has (thankfully) not found the allure of gruesome decorations or jump out of your skin scary movies. We put a decorative metal pumpkin with tiny cut-out swirls and a little flickering tea light on his dresser and he is thoroughly pleased with the degree of “spooky-ness.”  I am elated that he has no desire to dress up as some blood-oozing monster. He’ll be outfitted as an astronaut and enjoying Halloween in the way I’ve always found it most appealing: an opportunity to try on a new persona for an evening (and indulge in way too much chocolate)!

Silly, Not Scary

Both of my choices this week turn what might normally be scary characters and contexts into humorous and innocuous entertainment. Allison McGhee’s A Very Brave Witch takes the line of reasoning that witches might very well be afraid of humans! Told by a first-person narrator witch through the use of dialogue bubbles, the story begins by asserting that witches find humans terrifying. Our narrator, a curious young witch herself, decides to find out what exactly is so scary. After a flying mishap, she is assisted by some very helpful (and non-scary) trick-or-treaters. Their friendly exchange convinces her there is nothing to worry about, and she even takes one reader on a ride on her broom.

Iza Trapani uses a similar turn-the-tables approach in her counting book, Haunted Party. A ghost is the host at this party, which begins by counting up a parade of creepy creature guests: mummies, gobblins, werewolves, etc. Number ten is represented by trick-or-treaters at the door, which sends the creatures into a frightened fit. Count back from ten to one as the creatures take off and escape. After one last “Boo,” the final illustration shows the ghost relaxing on the porch littered with candy wrappers and trick-or-treat bags. While it is implied that the ghost scared away the trick-or-treaters, it isn’t explicitly stated, which makes it easy to select your degree of fright.

Appropriate for toddlers, preschoolers, primary.

B and T both get to have Halloween/Harvest celebrations at school on Monday, and I’m taking goodies for each to share – the non-sugary variety. So far my plan is tiny Halloween notepads from Joann’s with Halloween pencils for B, and stickers and spider rings for T’s younger group. Any other creative and brilliant suggestions?

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No Excuses!

(Please!)

First off, I need to acknowledge (without excuse-making) my absence last week – did you miss me? No Friday link-up – my apologies to anyone who came looking. I will offer an explanation, not an excuse: life got busy, and my writing, my blog, took a backseat. It was an intentional decision based on my priorities, but disappointing nonetheless. On the bright side, I’m back, life is marginally more under control, and the quiet on the blogging front was not an indicator of the quantity or quality of books we’ve been enjoying.

Worry-wart or Whiner?

I’ve complained vented before about B’s anxious tendencies: everything from refusing to get in the public pool for lessons (while diving to the bottom at home) to fearing costumed characters like Mickey or Smokey the Bear. While I work hard to alleviate his fears with explanation and preparation, a mom can only be SO prepared and can only give up SO much time for negotiation before she goes batty. Of course we like books that help with new experiences, and now is no exception.

Silly Scaredy!

My pick this week hits two REALLY important social-emotional points: some fears, while genuine, are downright unreasonable, AND being open to the unexpected can be very rewarding. Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend, by Melanie Watt is centered on Scaredy’s (genuine but unreasonable) fear of being bitten. He is afraid to make friends because they COULD be biters – like beavers, rabbits, or Godzilla. When he discovers a goldfish living nearby, he thinks he’s found the perfect friend: no teeth, not noisy or dirty, very predictable. After creating a detailed plan to win over his ideal friend, Scaredy’s efforts are thwarted by a curious and energetic dog. While initially terrified, Scaredy learns that the pup is not only friendly, but fun. And while he may have germs, teeth, and even a somewhat unpleasant odor, the dog makes an excellent friend. It’s been one of B’s favorite books recently, and I’m hoping the message is sinking in a little. The comical illustrations and quirky squirrel behavior are sure to incite giggles, but if those giggles also diffuse some tension and fear, it’s a double success. I’ve already requested the rest of the Scaredy series from the library – and hoping it makes an impression!

Appropriate for preschool, primary grades.

Tell me this fearfulness and excuse making is just a phase – then tell me what I can do to survive it!

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Feed Me Books Friday: C is for Clouds…

…and Cool, and Colorful, and Cumulonimbus

It’s “C” week in preschool, and it’s also been a tumultuous couple of weeks weather-wise. With the temperature and humidity peaks and valleys we’ve been experiencing, it seems like every afternoon has a thunderstorm lurking around the corner. I love our usual sunshine (I could never live in Seattle) but that makes the novelty of rain kind of fun! However, B was troubled by the ominous gray clouds, the crash of thunder and lightening, and how quickly the sun glinting off the sidewalks was replaced by puddles. So we turned to books for comfort.


Addressing the Cognitive Side:


We picked up several non-fiction titles from the library to help explain the various weather phenomena. The text was a little meatier than B is used to, but he ate it up. His natural curiosity coupled with the urgency of understanding the current weather made him eager to learn all the facts he could soak up.

Electrical Storms, by Liza N. Burby, is probably the most challenging text but the photographs are great. I think the way non-fiction picture books are often organized with bold headings is a great way to make the transition to chapters and explain how ideas are grouped together. It’s also teaching B some patience, as we don’t always read the whole thing at once, so we’ll decide to read x number of sections.

How Does a Cloud Become a Thunderstorm?, by Mike Graf, has questions rather than headings, and is thus written in a cause-effect style. B liked checking out all the photos, and I liked that several of the questions featured matched his queries exactly.


Flash, Crash, Rumble, and Roll, by Franklyn Branely, is targeted at younger kids, both in text and illustrations. The text is easier and a little more reassuring, and the cartoonish illustrations are fun, but B was disappointed at the lack of “real lightning.”


Don’t Forget the Social-Emotional:


Facts help make fears less scary, but they don’t do much for already rattled nerves. Including some soothing stories that featured storms allowed us to talk about the weather in a non-threatening, even pleasant way.

The Bears in the Bed and the Great Big Storm, by Paul Bright, tells the story of three young bears frightened by sounds they hear during a storm. They are soothed by their father, who harbors some anxiety of his own. While most of the sounds are explained by the weather, it turns out some of the sounds are made by a moose looking for shelter from the storm! I like the message that it’s worth investigating the unknown to conquer fear.


Before the Storm, by Jane Yolen, was appealing because it featured the same kind of wild-weather afternoon storms we’re experiencing. In it, the characters spend the afternoon wishing for a way to cool off, but once the rain begins, they are soon wishing for the sun to return. This story makes rainstorms seem less frightening and more desirable.


Going Beyond the Science

The final title we explored was Lightning and Rainbows: A Child’s Guide to God’s Wonders in the Skies, by Michael Carroll. Each weather feature (clouds, wind, thunder, etc) is featured on its own page and is introduced by a passage of scripture. Then the majority of the text on the page is devoted to a scientific explanation, with the final sentence referencing back to God’s purpose for each phenomenon. The final segment of the book is called, “God Calms Our Storms.” In this comforting section, Carroll reminds the reader that storms, both in weather and in our lives, will always pass.


Appropriate for preschoolers, primary grades, elementary


Do your little ones find rainstorms inviting or frightening? I’d love to get your take!


If you have a book recommendation this week, link it up!
Also, I'm considering planning themed link-ups (ie: bedtime stories, alphabet books, etc.) for some Fridays... thoughts?


 

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Welcome to the New Home of Feed Me Books Friday!

Feed Me Books Friday was one of the inspirations for my start as a blogger and for Little Sprout Books, so I am honored and grateful to give it a new and loving home. Originally the brainchild of Janna at The Adventure of Motherhood, Feed Me Books Friday has become a beloved and informative weekly meme. Though it will always be Janna’s baby, it has grown up and left the nest. She will nurture new and valuable projects over at Mommy’s Piggy Tales. I hope you’ll continue to make Feed Me Books Friday an event that inspires and evokes a love of reading and brings book-loving bloggers together!

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If you have Janna’s button on your blog, (or even if you don’t) I hope you’ll grab the new one from my site that will bring others here to share their books and get great recommendations.


Comfort for Big Changes

B with Care Bear in the airport.

Making changes for Feed Me Books Friday and trying to make long-time contributors feel welcome reminded me of the anxious feelings that arise during any transition. Many children have a lovey, a comfort object, a blankie, or a baby that brings them comfort in times of anxiety or change. My blankie from childhood is up in my attic, and it still imbues a sense of calm when I come across it. B has been attached to both a care bear and a baby, and had a brief affair with Mickey Mouse and Cat in the Hat. The comfort that a lovey provides is inexplicable to anyone else. A grubby toy or tattered blanket is priceless to its owner while seemingly undesirable to others. A lovey is a healthy tool as children mature in their social-emotional development, and many adults continue to find comfort in a special object, be it a favorite chair, a worn in t-shirt, or a treasured book.

B's baby even makes it into photo-ops!

 

To Each His Own

Both the value and individual importance of a lovey are conveyed by Where’s My Teddy by Jez Alborough. In this bouncy rhyming tale, Eddie has lost his teddy in the woods. He finds it a little creepy and is anxious to find his beloved Freddie and get home. He finds a teddy that resembles Freddie in every respect escept that he is enormous! As Eddie is trying to figure out what happened to Freddie and how he’ll get him home, a real (very large) bear approaches, clutching a tiny teddy (the real Freddie). Eddie and the bear are equally startled by one another and equally overjoyed to find their own teddies. They retrieve their beloved teddies and retreat to their beds, safe and comfortable at last. The rhymes and anticipation of the story will make this book a page-turner, but go back and spend some time studying the illustrations – there are many details to be discovered in the forest scenes.

Appropriate for: toddlers, preschoolers, primary grades

I hope you’ll link up with a recommended book post this week, or leave me a comment to tell me about a book you love, or maybe share your own lovey story.

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Good Clean (Teeth) Fun

Taking a Bite out of Anxiety

It’s no surprise that dental visits don’t top the list of fun summer activities for most kids, and B is often anxious and wary of unfamiliar experiences, so I started my preparation for the dentist’s office weeks in advance. I requested a few books from the library featuring friendly dentists, and I tried to add tooth exams to the routine when the doctor play-set was out. Both helped B feel more prepared and even brought some laughs to the experience.


Who’s the Patient Here?

We don’t have battles over oral hygiene with B; in fact, he’s quite particular about his routine. We brush in the morning when we get dressed and again after bath time. The before bed routine also includes floss and fluoride rinse, both of which he happily complies with. However, coming at him with shiny, noisy, and possibly sharp tools is quite another story. On his first visit to the dentist he was very cooperative about letting her “count” his teeth with a gloved hand. But when the tools came out at a later visit, all he was willing to share was a tight-lipped frown and a vigorously shaking head. This time I was determined it would be different. When I came across a doctor’s mask dress up accessory at Michael’s craft store in the dollar bin, I snatched it up. My theory: donning the mask and doing some exams of his own might make it less intimidating when B was in the chair.


Brushing Up on Dental Terminology

Of the dentist-themed books I checked out from the library, A Trip to the Dentist, by Margot Linn, was the stand-out favorite for both B and me. We also checked out Harry and the Dinosaurs Say “Rahh!” and Vera Goes to the Dentist. My complaint with the other two is that while all works out ok in the end, both introduce the concept of being fearful of the dentist and then show why the fear was unnecessary. Harry conquers his fear by imagining that his dinosaurs come to life and scare the dentist, Vera initially runs away from the dentist, who has to chase her down and convince her to return. I’d rather avoid the fear to begin with. A Trip to the Dentist introduces readers to the dentist’s chair, staff, and tools with a silly guessing game and flaps to reveal the answers. You can imagine the giggles that arise when you ask what the dentist will use to polish Annie’s teeth and the choices include a sponge, a bucket and mop, and a dust cloth along with the tooth polisher. The illustrations are simple pencil and pastel drawings, and make the tools and experience friendly and welcoming. Linn also wrote A Trip to the Doctor, and we may be picking that one up too!
Appropriate for: toddlers, preschoolers


Linking up with:


Come Play at the We Play link up
Tackle it Tuesday
What My Child is Reading this Week

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On Becoming a “Grown-up-Boy”

Tackling Fears

My oldest, B, had his fourth birthday recently (which is why my posts have been a little neglected – sorry friends!) He has decided that a 4-year-old is a grown-up-boy and he is not a “little boy” anymore. In fact, while interviewing him in his birthday journal (found it browsing Amazon – I’ll be posting about it once I get his b-day photos up), I asked him what he is scared by, and his response was, “I’m brave.” While I love that he feels that way about himself, it’s not exactly true… My little guy is troubled by noisy places, dogs, and dark rooms. The latter is one we’re working on a lot; I don’t argue that the dark can be scary, but I’d like him to realize he’s capable of turning on the light and making himself feel better, rather than winding himself up into a nervous tizzy. It would be ever-so-helpful if he could be a little braver about walking down a darkish hallway (in our own house) to the bathroom while I’ve got my hands full with dinner, baby, etc.

A Hazardous Imagination

One of the most entertaining cognitive developments in the preschool age range is the ability to engage in fantasy play. Unfortunately, the ability to distinguish fantasy from reality usually comes along a little later. Once, B was pretending to be visiting an aquarium. We were just sitting down to dinner and I asked him to join us. He responded that he couldn’t get to the table unless I made a hole for him to pass through from the aquarium. I pretended to cut and open a door, and as I did so, a wave of panic washed over his face. He went scurrying into the kitchen, where he cowered in tears. He seemed genuinely afraid, and told me he ran away because when I opened the door I let sharks out all over our house! With some comforting and assurances, we did make it to the dinner table, but I learned a lesson in the power of imagination. A parallel social-emotional development is the perception of the unfamiliar as potentially scary. There are certainly benefits to this development – a healthy dose of fear of the unfamiliar is protective. Dark makes most anything unfamiliar because we are less able to visualize our surroundings, so dark becomes scary.

As I said, we’ve been working on reaching for the light switch without panic. Other strategies have included keeping a flashlight by the bed, nightlights in the bedroom and bathroom, glow stars on the ceiling, leaving the light on in the fish tank, and even glow in the dark pajamas! Of course my favorite tool is a good book.

 Reading Our Way to Bravery


There are lots of books dealing with fears, particularly of the dark, and many geared especially to bedtime (when dark fears crop up most). I am especially fond of Switch On the Night, by Ray Bradbury, because it puts the power in your child’s hands to not only conquer the fear, but learn to appreciate the dark. The book begins with an introduction to a little boy who does not like night. He combats the dark with “lanterns and lamps and flashlights and candles and chandeliers,” and he never leaves his house at night. One night he is visited by a little girl called Dark who notices he is lonely because all the other children are playing outside. Dark explains that the switches the little boy is afraid of don’t turn off the lights, they switch on the night. She also introduces him to some of the more enjoyable night features he can switch on, like crickets, frogs, the stars, and the moon! The illustrations are detailed pencil drawings that beg to be studied, and they really make the night seem magical. By the end of the book, the boy has thrown away all his lights and can be found out on a summer night playing with the other children. We originally checked this one out from the library, but I liked it so much I ordered our own copy so that we can pull it out one in a while when we need a reminder that the dark is not necessarily scary.


Appropriate for (some) toddlers, preschoolers, primary grades.


Linked up with:

What My Child Is Reading

Tackle It Tuesday

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