posted January 28, 2001 10:09 AM         

Even as infants, babies Love to hear the human voice. They can distinguish their parents' voices from any other. Even if kept with another caregiver for hours each day, babies never lose the bond with their parent(s). Researcgh shows that by reading to our infants, we stimulate cognitive development (even though they may not understand the words we say). And, of course, as the child gets older, reading takes on a new meaning. This is the One time each day that ALL of our attention is focused on the child completely--no yelling at the cat to get off the sofa, no television blaring in the background, and no halfway listening to the child or ignoring him or her. All of your attention is directed at your child. This makes children feel special. It SHOWS them you Love them (which is so much more important than just saying that you do). And when your child asks you questions, or "reads" along with you, or wants you to read the samne book each night--pay attention to their needs. LISTEN to your children, and let them k-NOW that their opinions matter to you. Listen to them tell about their day in school, even if you would rather be doing something else, because it is important to THEM.

Of course, reading does something else for your children. It shows them the wonders of books. Linda showed us all that there are shortcuts to Enlightenment; these shortcuts are called BOOKS! What greater gift (other than Love) can you give your children than to open up the wondrous world of books for them!?!

------------------
Consider the circle, measure it please,
All its three hundred and sixty degrees.
Wasn't that fun, and haven't you found
You can do it again, the other way 'round?

Now that we know how many degrees,
Must be accounted for nice as you please
Here come astrologers, what do they say?
Divide the degrees in precisely this way.
Take thirty degrees for each of the signs
It makes a nice wheel divided by lines.

posted January 28, 2001 11:21 PM         

I call my daughter "pumpkin bunny" as a nickname. At least a few times a week I try to tell her stories surrounding "pumpkin bunny" and her adventures. Pumpkin Bunny started off as a Halloween story I made up for her, she was a little girl bunny who made her first Jack-O-Lantern this past Halloween, and loved it so much she wore it as her costume. She put the pumpkin over her head, so all you can see are her two teeny sparkling eyes and rabbit ears poking out the top of the pumpkin. Then she realized it got stuck, so she had to visit all the neighborhood animals, and they tried to get it off her head, but it wouldn't come off....well, the story gets to the point that she meets up with the great Green Fairy of the Wood and the great fairy turns her real pumpkin into a golden pumpkin helmet, and with it she can go anywhere.

Stories are great fun, especially when you find yourself making them up for your child and getting really into the story as you're making it up! I loved the stories my mother used to tell me as a child...she made up stories about this little skunk named Oreo and his sweetheart named Double Stuff

My mother also used to read to us The Little House on the Prairie books. Gosh, I loved those books My favorite book of all though, was a book by Tasha Tudor that was called "A Time to Keep" it was a book about the seasons and months of the year, and the illustrations flew off of the pages...family scenes from a hundred years ago in New England, with vignettes like frames around the corner of each page, with tree branches, sparrows, Easter Eggs, candy...

posted January 29, 2001 12:28 AM         

------------------
Consider the circle, measure it please,
All its three hundred and sixty degrees.
Wasn't that fun, and haven't you found
You can do it again, the other way 'round?

Now that we know how many degrees,
Must be accounted for nice as you please
Here come astrologers, what do they say?
Divide the degrees in precisely this way.
Take thirty degrees for each of the signs
It makes a nice wheel divided by lines.

posted August 04, 2001 06:24 PM         

MY best friend, Starlaine, has a niece named Emily.

Anyhow, Starlaine does not enjoy reading. She pretty much doesn't do anything but watch tv..

so far, she seems okay with Emily. but she refuses to even attempt to read parenting books, and she takes my suggestions as me trying to boss her around. And her mind set is, "well, SHE doesn't have a baby, *I* know what's best for her!" ..y'know, stubborn-parent mode.

Anyhow, I don't think her or her boyfriend read her any books at all. And I don't think I could even convince her to. Her mother has dropped out of highschool multiple times, has no job (she never has,.. I'm out of a job, but I've had a couple jobs before)

I'm just really worried. Also, she smokes, and so does Brad.. and she did all through her pregnancy, and beforehand..

It's all so very upsetting to me.

posted August 05, 2001 01:41 PM         

Would *you* have opportunity to read to this child? At least occaisionally? Babies/children remember acts of love *always*, even if they are few and far between - it sometimes is all they have and it can *see them thru*

I am certain no one ever read to me as a child, but I was well loved with lots of attention ~ *spoiled in love* I call it ~ and if I had no interest in reading when I was younger, I did finally discover a book about something I was interested in (Yes I Can - Sammy Davis Jr's autobiography - who knows why ) I've been reading ever since! I love it ~

Perhaps if there were examples of great reading in school, your neice might have finished and would know there are wonderful books stories to read! Text books are sooooo booooring and *dry* it's just Pathetic and sad

Perhaps you could discover a subject of interest for your neice and gift her with a book related to it? (by your story, I can see now she could *use* "Your Child's Self Esteem" ) It usually only takes one book that is personally interesting to someone to get them onto the next one, and so forth

~Princess

PS~ How about ordering one of those books that is written with the child's, friend's and family members' names inserted into the story? I can't imagine any mother not wanting to read/share a book like that with her child

------------------
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
"What is essential is invisible to the eye," the little prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember.

posted August 06, 2001 02:03 PM         

I beg to differ ... you have a whole *land* full of children - we call oursElves *Knowflakes*

~Princess

------------------
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
"What is essential is invisible to the eye," the little prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember.

posted August 06, 2001 03:35 PM         

I've seen my future me. Can someone tell me in the future to, A: stop smoking, B: use sun screen, C: Stop bleaching my hair?? !

..Well, not "me" in the future. "Me" in a future incarnation. Futurme drives me nuts! Well, I think it is, because I was thinking and wondering about who I'll be in the future one day, and I got a clear picture of her..
and a good idea of how she is.

posted August 06, 2001 09:55 PM         

Have a talk with your sElf ?

...YOu just did

~Princess

------------------
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
"What is essential is invisible to the eye," the little prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember.

posted September 02, 2001 05:08 PM         

I believe the reason for this is the fact I was read to, encouraged to read, and developed a love for reading as a result.

Never underestimate the power of reading to your children. It goes further than you imagine.

Ja ne!
Angelique