This koala teaches kids to cope with change

How do your children cope with change? Does it cause negative behaviors? Children appreciate a predictable routine and change can certainly be worrisome.  Whenever you know that change is coming, help your child with some advanced warning and discussion.  Of course, many of the most stressful changes come without any notice. What should parents do then? 

Bright Horizons Family Solutions, a leading provider of early education and preschools, offers these tips for helping your kids to cope with change: 

• Keep as much the same as possible
• Answer all their questions
• Expect that some regression may happen
• Be accepting of grieving

If you are looking for a new bedtime read for your young child, I have a lovely suggestion. This book is especially awesome if you are experiencing change that is affecting the family. Look no further than this Scholastic favorite. The Koala Who Could features Kevin, who lives his life clinging to the same tree. Trying anything new is just too scary for poor Kevin, so he misses out on the fun with friends on the ground. Then change happens. Just like it inevitably happens to us humans throughout our lives. Does fluffy fearful Kevin adapt to change? Well, read the book and find out. 

Trailer for "A Wrinkle In Time" with Oprah Winfrey

Disney's A Wrinkle in Time opens in theaters everywhere on March 19, 2018!

Through one girl’s transformative journey led by three celestial guides, we will discover that strength comes from embracing one’s individuality and that the best way to triumph over fear is to travel by one’s own light. Disney’s “A Wrinkle in Time” is an epic adventure based on Madeleine L’Engle’s timeless classic. The amazing cast includes Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, and Zach Galifianakis.



Like A WRINKLE IN TIME on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WrinkleInTimeMovie/ 

Follow A WRINKLE IN TIME on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wrinkleintime/

Visit the official A WRINKLE IN TIME website here: http://movies.disney.com/a-wrinkle-in-time

Keep reading fun over the summer!

To help keep children reading over those hot summer months, Scholastic launched the Summer Reading Challenge nearly ten years ago to provide a fun way for parents to keep reading exciting for kids over the summer. Children can log reading minutes online or on their mobile devices over the summer and their reading minutes count toward their school total. Thousands of schools participate each year for a chance to break the World Record of Reading. It is an entertaining and interactive challenge for those summer months!

image: Scholastic.com

On the website, the Scholastic Parent section also includes a Daily Digest with book lists, reading tips for kids, book reviews, and more. 

How about books for kids who hate school? Or how to host a book swap party? 

Our household loves to read and we are fans of the Scholastic organization. If you are struggling for ideas over the summer, click on over to the treasure-trove of suggestions, tips, and fun. 

Childhood classic "The BFG" coming to theaters

“The matter with human beans," the BFG went on, "is that they is absolutely refusing to believe in anything unless they is actually seeing it right in front of their own schnozzles.”
― Roald Dahl, The BFG

The BFG is a beloved Ronald Dahl children's book about a big friendly giant and his new friend Sophie. It is a book with character, adorable dialogue, and some memorable quotes. I am excited to say... the Steven Spielberg-directed film The BFG is coming to theaters on July 1st! 

This trailer was just released a few weeks ago. Enjoy!

Summer reading plan: Kid-Friendly Non-Fiction #GASummerRead

My daughter is a natural-born reader. She learned early and has always found true enjoyment in words. She reads brochures from travel stops, age-appropriate magazines, picture books, fiction chapter books, and non-fiction books. She reads to her baby brother and to us. She reads a lot on vacation too!

For some children, reading is more of a chore than a preferred leisure activity. Summer may mean prodding and pushing and steering the kids away from the TV or video game system. While some down time is important over the summer (we certainly watch our share of TV), it is also important for them to continue honing their reading skills, both for reading ability and comprehension of story structure and facts. 

Our summer reading plan focuses on kid-friendly non-fiction. Here is a sample plan if you are looking for ideas for your kids: 

2 Science + 2 Biography + 1 big book of fun facts

Science non-fiction books: 
Some of our favorite science non-fiction books are from Usborne Books. They have a "beginner" and a "discovery" selection of books like Cats, Dogs, Snakes, Bugs, Ocean Animals, Night Animals, Weather, and Trains. We will make sure we read at least two of these selections this summer. 

Kayla is on a new adventure in her second book, "Kayla The Great Goes to Washington"

Kayla the Great is back in a new adventure!

Kayle the Great is a beautiful and inquisitive multicultural child, the star of Atlanta author Stephanie Davis' children's book series. In the first book, Kayla The Great And The Magic Red Dress, Kayla cannot find her very special dress and embarks on a mission to locate it. The new book, Kayla The Great Goes To Washington, was just released and it is available now!

Kayla The Great Goes To Washington begins with an unhappy Kayla, when she learns that her family is not going to Fun World for vacation as she expected. They are traveling to Washington D.C. instead. Kayla is very disappointed, but on her trip and during a visit to the White House, Kayla meets some important people - can you guess who? Let's just say, her family vacation turns out to be pretty cool after all.

The timing could not have been more perfect for us, because we just returned from our family spring break trip to Washington DC! Just a few days after arriving home, the book was in the mail, much to the delight of my own great, book-loving daughter.

Author Stephanie Davis created Kayla the Great to help ensure diversity in children's books. The first two books are available now, with a third book coming soon! Stephanie is also available locally for book readings and signings. Schools love her!

Follow @SmartSweetKayla on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to keep up with her adventures.

Getting to know local author Stephanie Davis #books

Smart and confident women know how to get things accomplished. Atlanta PR pro and children's book author Stephanie Davis saw a gaping hole in the industry and is making her mark with her Kayla The Great series featuring a spunky multicultural little girl. I shared a review of Kayla The Great and The Magic Red Dress with you recently, and I also had a chance to interview the author.

Being a professional in "real" life with a love for writing on the side myself, I am in awe of her accomplishments and her go-get-'em attitude. Read the interview with Stephanie Davis below, and stay tuned for more on the new Kayla the Great book publishing soon! 

Stephanie, what inspired you to write children's books?

I love writing and I love children. A few years ago, one of my family members gave birth to a baby girl. I wanted to buy the baby a book as a gift. I searched far and wide, and I was so surprised at the lack of female lead characters in children's books. I was even more disappointed to learn there were very few characters of color. I had the idea of Kayla The Great years ago, but after I realized there was a huge lack of diversity in children's books, I decided it was time to bring her to life. My intent was not to make a grand statement with my books. Kayla The Great is here to represent the world we live in. And I really wanted children to fall in love with books. I wanted them to enjoy reading and see images of themselves and others in books. 

Is Kayla modeled after you as a child or any child you know?

Kayla The Great is the combination of little girls I've met throughout my life, my nieces and my little cousins. She's also loosely based on me. 

Kayla celebrates girls, diversity, and uniqueness! #books #multicultural #giveaway

photo: Kayla The Great website

Books, books, books. My first grader is obsessed with reading books! No complaints, here. As a mom and fan of reading myself, I love to encourage her thirst for written entertainment and knowledge. She enjoys books of all kinds from picture books, to fantasy fiction and non-fiction biographies or science topics.

One of the newest books we have come across is Kayla The Great and The Magic Red Dress. Six-year old Kayla The Great is an energetic biracial girl who lives with her family in Atlanta, GA.(Amelia loves that we share the same home city!). Kayla wears bright, colorful outfits and her favorite dress, a red one, is the subject of the first book in the new Kayla The Great series. Her favorite dress? It goes missing! And Kayla must embark on an important mission to locate it.



photo: Kayla The Great website

The author, Atlanta-based Stephanie Davis, created this bi-racial little heroine because she saw a need in the children's book industry. Did you know that less than 4% of books feature Latino children? And less than 2% feature an African-American child? A recent study from University of Wisconsin reported those facts. And the presence of multicultural content in children's books has not increased in the past 18 years! Take one look at my blue-eyed, light brown-haired girl and you will see she is not of minority ethnicity, but it is just as important for white children to enjoy stories about all races and cultures. How else will we continue to evolve in our acceptance and love for others? Amelia does not see differences at age six and I hope she grows up just as color blind through all of her years.

 Kayla The Great and The Magic Red Dress is an ideal story book for ages 5-8 of any race or ethnicity. The character is a fun-loving heroine and it is enjoyable to "follow" her on her mission to locate her favorite item of clothing. And if you read and love this book? Stay tuned, because the next in the series is coming out soon! Kayla The Great Goes To Washington will be available February/March 2015. Follow Smart Sweet Kayla on Facebook for all the latest info.

WIN TWO COPIES OF KAYLA THE GREAT - one each for your child and a friend
Share the love of girl power and diversity! You can win two copies of Kayla The Great and The Magic Red Dress - just enter via the simple Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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I am a blogger ambassador for the Kayla The Great series. I was provided compensation to share information with you about this book and the upcoming new release. All opinions are 100% mine.

Winter Reads! The Complete Gillian Flynn: Gone Girl, Dark Places, and Sharp Objects #books

Winter is the best time to catch up on reading! I just completed over 1,000 pages of reading. A couple months ago, I downloaded The Complete Gillian Flynn on my Nook reading app. I had heard a lot about Gone Girl, and figured I would take a chance on reading all three of her books. The complete collection includes Gone Girl, Dark Places, and Sharp Objects.


barnesandnoble.com

Gone Girl (2012) is the most well known, I believe, as it was made into a major motion picture in 2014 starring Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, and Neil Patrick Harris. Gone Girl tells the story of a wife's disappearance, a husband's infidelities, and the complex issues and personalities that usually stay behind closed doors. I felt like the book began somewhat slowly and I was unsure that I was going to like it. However, I distinctly remember a point in the story that hit me, hard - and I did not want to put it down from that point forward. The twists and turns and intriguing writing made this a quick and engrossing read.

Dark Places (2009) follows a mess of a 32-year-old, her life thrown into disarray at a young age because her family was murdered. Down and out and desperate for money, she begins meeting up with a "kill club", people who fancy themselves amateur detectives who meet and discuss famous murder cases. Reluctantly, she begins to see things differently and embarks on a mission to discover the truth. Dark Places was good, but my least favorite of the three. I felt like it was slow in places, although the storytelling did leave me guessing throughout. I was not as glued to the pages as with the other novels, but like the main character, Libby, I wanted to know what really happened.

No-Sew Girls' Wonder Woman Costume for School or Halloween

Amelia needed a book character costume for a school parade this week. Having already purchased her a Halloween costume from the store, I did not want to have to buy another. Because she is "too old" for princesses these days, my grown-up first grader insisted on a Wonder Woman costume.

She placed the book "I Am Wonder Woman" in her pink backpack and filled out her story map to share with the class. After a trip to the fabric and craft store, I got to work making a no-sew costume for the occasion. Luckily, I had some of the materials in my sewing box at home (Velcro and no-sew hem tape) so this custom costume was under $20.

CAPE:  Red smooth/satin fabric (1 yard should do it); Heat-N-Bond hem tape, Adhesive Velcro dots.

Cut the cape to size. Don't cut a perfect rectangle, it should taper smaller towards the neck to flow properly down the back. Like a pyramid with the top chopped straight across. Use an iron and Heat-N-Bond to hem the edges so the cape won't fray. When hemmed, use strong adhesive Velcro dots to attach the cape around the neck.

Awesome books from a 1980s childhood (that kids should read today!)

I was born just before the 1980s (shhhh, don't tell!), but I started reading and loving books in the middle of kindergarten. I think back to my small private elementary school and our weekly trips to the library. It was such a welcoming and cozy space with carpet, tables, and shelf after shelf of books to transport us into worlds we could only imagine.

Do you remember some of your favorite books as a kid? I absolutely do. There were a few that I read over and over again and checked out more than a few times. These are the books I want to find again and share with my children.

#1 - 3 -- Shel Silverstein books. Enough said. Where The Sidewalk Ends, A Light In the Attic, and The Giving Tree are beloved classics. I especially liked Silverstein's silly poetry.

Riveting winter read - and the movie coming soon! #Divergent

Do you know how I judge if a book is really, really good?

If my husband reads it.

He is not much of a reader, but a few series have really caught his attention: Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, and now the Divergent series. We are really getting into the dystopian fiction genre - it's fascinating to imagine a future world with new and twisted political structures, struggles, and identities.

I highly recommend the books, but if you are not a reader? Then never fear, the movie is almost here! The final theatrical trailer has been released for Divergent!

Click here for Divergent movie trailer

Read the books also, though! Really, SO riveting. I don't think you will be disappointed.

A board book for young children in glasses - #kickstarter

I have written 29 posts with the label "eyes".

Most are related to the chronicles of our experience with strabismus and eye muscle surgery. Last year was a whirlwind of heartache, stress, and a virtual roller coaster of hope vs. hopelessness. The Little Four Eyes support group provided the hand-holding that I needed, and I continue to follow the journeys of others around the globe via this amazing group.

Today's post is written by a dear guest, the founder of the Little Four Eyes site and group. 

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A board book for young children in glasses
Ann Zawistoski

I am a librarian, but even before becoming a librarian, I was a lover of books. I’ve always thought books could be a wonderful way for anyone to explore new ideas and situations, and to feel a little less alone in whatever it is that we’re facing.

Your greatest thing ever

(This week, I am giving myself a holiday break and pulling up some favorite posts from 2011. Enjoy!) 

Thank You Bear

In my advertising life, I spend hour after hour searching for the best places to reach the most relevant audiences. Every client, every product has a target audience. You don't speak the same way, or to the same people, for every brand out there. I have come to realize, especially with the power of social media, that we are all our own brand. We all have a "unique selling proposition". We all have an audience.


This morning, I was reading a book to my little sweetie. It is more than just an adorably-illustrated children's book. I think it has a very useful life (and business) lesson:
know your audience.

Velma G has glasses too

Friday afternoon - an event for which we have been waiting in anxious anticipation for nine long weeks. We're going back to the pediatric ophthalmologist! Amelia has proudly (and adorably) worn her pink glasses for nine weeks. She says they help, but she tends to tell us anything helps (perhaps so we will leave her alone). We still see the eye crossing. She still makes funny head tilts. This mama is ready for a plan C. Probably back to surgery? We will see. I have my questions ready. I hope the doctor has enough time in his schedule for us! I plan on grabbing his undivided attention for a while.

Until I have an update, why don't you pop over to the beloved Little Four Eyes Site to read my latest post: a review of Velma Gratch and the Way Cool Butterfly.

WW: Best poetry ever

I cannot wait to share Shel Silverstein's brilliance with my daughter! I remember school library days, checking out Where The Sidewalk Ends and A Light in the Attic over and over and over again.

Pure genius.
Smiles in a book.

If you give a mom a minute

If you give a mom a minute, she will glance around the room.

She will see the crayons have been spilled all over the kitchen, so she will toss them back in the bin.

After she tosses them in the bin, she will notice the lid is missing. So she will scour the house until she finds the lid, wondering how on earth it got under the couch.

When she pulls the lid from under the couch, she will notice half a year’s worth of crumbs underneath. So she will get out the vacuum.

When she gets out the vacuum, she notices the laundry hasn’t been moved from the washer. So she grabs the wet laundry and stuffs it into the dryer.

As she’s stuffing it into the dryer, the phone rings, so she runs to answer it. As she’s running to answer the phone, she nimbly scoots some toys out of he hallway with her foot.

“Hello?”, she answers the phone to confirm the next pediatrician’s appointment. As she hangs up the phone, she will remember the vacuum.

As she hauls the vacuum downstairs, she notices the cobwebs on the hanging light above. She makes a mental note to tackle those another day.

Once the crumbs have been vanquished from underneath the couch, a child tugs on her arm.

“Mommy!!! I’m hungry!”

It has only been one minute.

Wonder what Mom could do with fifteen minutes?


Loved this week's prompt!

If you give a Mom a Blank…a post written in the style of the children's "If You Give A Mouse A Cookie" books

Know your audience

In my advertising life, I spend hour after hour searching for the best places to reach the most relevant audiences. Every client, every product has a target audience. You don't speak the same way, or to the same people, for every brand out there. I have come to realize, especially with the power of social media, that we are all our own brand. We all have a "unique selling proposition". We all have an audience.

If you are reading this post, you are part of my audience. You came here because you and I have something in common. Maybe I tweeted something that peaked your interest. My family, friends, other online moms, and coworkers are also part of my audience. I say what I say and write what I write with my all-encompassing audience in mind.

This morning, I was reading a book to my little sweetie. It is more than just an adorably-illustrated children's book. I think it has a very useful life (and business) lesson:
know your audience.

"Thank You Bear", written by Greg Foley

Little Bear finds a little box.

He immediately thinks, "my friend Mouse would love this!". He excitedly begins to walk, looking for his little mouse friend. Along the way, Bear sees many other animals. They are not excited about the little box.

Bear begins to doubt himself. Perhaps, this little box is not so special after all?

Until finally, mouse comes along.
And do you know what? Mouse thinks the box is the greatest thing ever!

Bear let the other animals get to him. He allowed doubt to creep in, and a sadness followed. But he had a target audience all along. He knew what mouse would like. He knew his true friend.

You also know, deep in your heart, your true audience. The audience that will support you through thick and thin. Don't let others on the outside cause you doubt. Because in the end, your audience, your loved ones, are the people who will never let you down. They truly understand your greatest thing ever.

Real Moms (like me!) Love to Eat

I am a mom who loves to eat. I have a sugar addiction and adore the convenience of not-so-healthy foods. And yes... I have put on a couple pounds. I find myself rationalizing but I'm not fat and I'm smaller than most American adults and I don't even wear double-digit clothing sizes.

Blah, blah, blah.

The reality is, I need to think about my health as well as my size. I want to be able to keep up with my energetic daughter for years to come. I do not want to succumb to a heart attack at age 47 (or anytime).

I think I have discovered a way to boost my enthusiasm for a better lifestyle. This winter, SocialMom and certified health counselor Beth Aldrich will release her new book, Real Moms Love to Eat.

In the book, she helps moms to undergo a gradual lifestyle change towards better eating and provides several weeks' worth of meal ideas and tips.

She does not tell us to go on a drastic diet.

She does not tell us to go hungry.

She does not expect us to have three extra hours each day to implement challenging strategies.

She does not take on a "I know better than you" persona.

It is a realistic guide for moms just like me... balancing moms. Moms who could stand to lose a few pounds. Moms who loathe exercise. Busy moms. Moms who know their health is important, but time and fatigue often get in the way.

My daughter is the light of my life.
If she goes for a run in the park, I want to run with her.

I am going to be nicer to my body.

And I'm publishing these words where the whole world can read them...
so hold me to it, people.

If you are a blogger, be sure to check out the Food Affairates Program to help celebrate the new book!

For more info:  http://www.realmomslovetoeat.com/

Or follow @realmomsluv2eat on Twitter

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I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Beth Aldrich - Real Moms Love to Eat blogging program, for a chance to get 3,000 My SocialMoms Rewards points. For more information on how you can participate, CLICK HERE

Monster in the house

My little girl is a monster!

A pretend one, thankfully.

She has been practicing her "rooaar!" ever since reading the new children's book, Rufus' Roar.

Rufus is a very large red monster. He is gentle and always polite, but whenever he speaks, the humans only hear his "rooaar!". When he sets out for a treat to calm his rumbling tummy, Rufus quickly finds himself in lots of trouble. All because of a teeny misunderstanding.

My three-year-old daughter loves books, but many fall to the bottom of the book bin if they just can't hold her attention. The bold and colorful images and emotion-filled story of Rufus captivated her from the start. It was wonderfully age-appropriate for her, but may also be enjoyed at much older ages when they can read for themselves. We read Rufus' Roar together three times that afternoon. And we've read it daily ever since.