Toolbox of Temperaments

Birth of this Blog

As a mother of two young children, teacher, and librarian, I am always on the look out for quality literature to help children maneuver through their daily array of emotions. I am very lucky to be friends with savvy parents, bibliophiles, and early childhood professionals. Whether talking  about anger, a new sibling, or sportsmanship, I have found children's literature to help act as the catalyst to  the conversations we should be having with our children.

Although  I envision this blog to focus on bibliotherapy for parents and children, I don't want to limit our discussions to just lists of books. I have come across great websites, games, and DVDs as well.  I look forward to hearing about what books, games, or resources have worked for your family.  Some of the resources may not speak to you or your children. That is OK. No two "Toolboxes of Temperaments" will be alike since our children are all unique and special individuals. Hurdles that my family have had to overcome may not resonate with yours. Glean what you need from this, share your thoughts and suggestions, and remember to celebrate your child today!

Bob Shea's New Picture Book!

"UH-OH, Baby!"

Any parent of a busy toddler can relate to "UH-OH, Baby!"  by Nancy Coffelt. The charming story is  illustrated by Scott Nash. I know that I can relate when I see my toddler teetering at the kitchen sink wanting to help with the dishes...or when she insists to take the dog for a walk.  The dialogue in Coffelt's story is very simple.  Baby Rudy's vocabulary echoes what he hears from his family on a daily basis: UH-OH!, No and Wow.  Rudy is a typical toddler who wants to take part in what the big people are doing--especially when it is his mother's birthday!  As his mother opens gifts, you can hear "Wow!" from the family members. Little Rudy has his hands clasped. He has a little gift too...a ladybug. As soon as Rudy gives his token of love to his mother, it flies away. Mom says "UH-OH!" and Rudy is not amused.  "No, UH-OH Wow!" He wants the gift to be a permanent fixture for his mother. Yet Mother Nature got in the way. Maybe a block tower will work better. Rudy could build it super high for his mommy. Mother does look awestruck as Rudy wheels in his block tower--especially for her. It inevitably crashes.  Rudy laments "No, Uh-Oh! Wow!" Rudy explores a menagerie of activities and creations to show his mother. As we know, nothing in the toddler world is elegant. There will be a lot of UH-OH's. Rudy, though, is the "Wow!" for his family. His mishaps and attempts to be a part of the festivities is the most charming gift of all. Children will enjoy the comic-book styled illustrations as well as hunting down the ladybug on each page.

REAL School Gardens

via www.realschoolgardens.org

What a great organization.

The Decline and Fall of the English Major - NYTimes.com

In the drift away from the humanities, we risk losing something essential in ourselves.

They can assemble strings of jargon and generate clots of ventriloquistic syntax. They can meta-metastasize any thematic or ideological notion they happen upon. And they get good grades for doing just that. But as for writing clearly, simply, with attention and openness to their own thoughts and emotions and the world around them — no.

That kind of writing — clear, direct, humane — and the reading on which it is based are the very root of the humanities, a set of disciplines that is ultimately an attempt to examine and comprehend the cultural, social and historical activity of our species through the medium of language.

via www.nytimes.com

Food for thought... An argument for the importance of the Humanities for our college bound kids.

Go to Sleep, Go to Sleep: Collection of Calming Activities for Kids - Kids Activities Blog

via kidsactivitiesblog.com

Great ideas. Especially when your children are transitioning away from naptimes but still need quiet activities to relax their busy little bodies.

Zoe's Room (No Sisters Allowed)

"Zoe's Room (No Sisters Allowed) by Bethanie Deeney Murguia caught the eyes of both my daughters. The youngest loved the glittery accents on the front cover. My oldest felt that she could relate to what the story was most likely about.   "Zoe loves her room, especially at bedtime. Every night after Mama reads her one book, gives her one kiss, and turns out the light...Zoe turns it right back on. There is so much to be done. She builds empires. She explores uncharted territory. She sets the table for morning tea with the royal court (Murguia, 2013). Zoe loves her sanctuary as well as the freedom to move around within it past her bedtime.  However, life must change. Zoe's baby sister is too big to share Mom and Dad's room. It is now time to move in with Zoe. This is difficult for Queen Zoe. She loves her castle. Mom and Dad remind Zoe that she must be very quiet for her baby sister and new roommate. Zoe realizes the hard way (a.k.a. waking up baby sister) that there will be limitations to star gazing, block building, and tea parties during the night hours. Luckily kids are pretty resilient. Zoe learns to snuggle and find nighttime rituals that will suit both of them. There is enough room in Zoe's life for two queens. Even if your children do not share bedrooms, this is a great book to introduce the general concepts of sharing and meeting each other halfway. My oldest has had to learn to "lend" some of her toys to her baby sister at bedtime. It makes her baby sister feel like a queen. And thankfully as my husband puts it...your sister isn't on another continent. You can have your stuff back in the morning.

Book Review: Into the Minds of Babes: How Screen Time Affects Children from Birth to Age Five* | A Teacher Mom

via www.ateachermom.com

My current read.

Drink Pouch Brigade� | TerraCycle

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via www.terracycle.com

I love Honest Kids juice packets, but I have been feeling guilty about throwing them away rather than recycling them. I just discovered that TerraCycle will recycle them for you. They will provide you with shipping labels and the empty containers will be recycled into fashion wear and home products! Great idea!

Book Review — “Princess Recovery: A How-To Guide to Raising Strong, Empowered Girls Who Can Create Their Own Happily Ever Afters”

I love this book from Dr. Jen Hartstein! I’m told the first 35 years of parenting are the most difficult. I tend to agree. Today’s parents face the extra challenge in our culture of wading through the omnipresent Princess Culture with their daughters (and maybe sons). Some little girls are drawn to frilly and princessy things, and that is a wonderful part of childhood for the young imagination to explore.

But there is another side to princesses. It is often called ”Princess Culture”, and is defined by the obsession of all things pink, hyper-girly, beauty-focused play, and a sense of entitlement. Lacking from this is the idea of teaching girls to be confident, competent, and able to rely on themselves. It leaves our girls with a skewed sense of the world and their place in it. 

 

via blog.pigtailpals.com

I really enjoyed "Cinderella Ate My Daughter." My new read" Princess Recovery" tackles the same subject. Perfect read for anyone worried about little girls in today's complex society.

People Reading Skills

"You Will Be My Friend!" by Peter Brown is a great book to introduce the concept of "people reading" with your child.  Some children seem to have more difficulty than others to "read" whether other children feel like playing or not.  Peter Brown's story  introduces little  Lucy--a spunky bear in a pink tutu. This picture book is illustrated stylistically to feel a little like a comic book.  The story begins: "Lucy was very excited when she woke up. Mom! I've decided to make a new friend today! Isn't that exciting? That IS exciting, Lucille. But how do you plan on finding a new friend?  Mom, the forest is crawling with fun critters. Surely ONE of them will want to be my friend. This is going to be GREAT! "(Brown, 2011).  Lucy can't wait to find a friend so she can cartwheel, have picnics, climb trees, dance, and go swimming. Little Lucy is sure a zealously ambitious little girl. However, her exuberance turns off some of the other wildlife. Lucy first encounters a frog.  With such frenzy and excitement, she jumps into the pond.  However, the wild splash scares him away. Lucy climbs a tree to find a friend. Instead, she accidentally barges into a giraffe's breakfast.  This encounter won't work either. Over and over, she tries to befriend a skunk, ostrich, and other animals. My favorite page is with Lucy in a pink tutu screaming amongst flamingos. "DOES ANYBODY WANT TO BE MY FRIEND?!" The story ends happily with a pink friend in a green polka dotted bow tie. Children will celebrate Lucy's patience and persistence.  A bear and a flamingo may not seem to have a ton in common--but it works for them!  Parents may chuckle at the tongue in cheek illustration of her new friend.  His polka dot tie alludes to some possible flamingo quirks.  Lucy is special, outgoing, and determined.  A pink flamingo with a polka dot tie was able to see beyond her initial difficulty in connecting with others to find a perfect playmate.