Search Results for: blog raising a reader

Joy’s Autism Blog is Helpful and Enlightening

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Sometimes, it can be very stressful to raise a child who has a special need. Being a parent can be extremely rewarding and satisfying one moment, and incredibly difficult the next, for all parents. Parents of children who are on the autism spectrum will be dealing with things that not a part of every parent’s experience. Joy’s Autism Blog describes one family’s experiences raising a child who has autism. This blog provides insights and answers that can help other parents who also are raising a child who has autism. One of the great things about blogging is that it allows … Continue reading →

Raising a Reader

My parents are avid readers and so are my siblings. I always have a book with me. I love to read. I have many books for Jessie and the foster placements. We make it a point to read every day. Some months ago my moms’ group held a luncheon presentation about A Mom’s Role in Her Child’s Literacy Apprenticeship. I wanted to make sure that I was doing everything I could to raise a reader, so I was very interested in this presentation. The speaker was Anne van Kleeck, who was a University of Texas at Dallas professor specializing in … Continue reading →

Mommy Blog Bashers

Have you ever considered that you could be helping a struggling single mom of four young children make ends meet each time you click on a link that leads to her blog? Earlier this year Oprah Winfrey devoted an entire show to the “Secret Lives of Moms.” It featured an audience full of women drooling at the chance to discuss the joys and pitfalls associated with raising the next generation. A portion of the episode spoke to a “new” kind of motherhood, in which women no longer suffer in silence about negative parenting experiences, mistakes and lack of maternal instincts. … Continue reading →

What Would You Like to See in the Adoption Blog This Next Year?

What Would You Like to See in the Adoption Blog This Next Year? This blog will be a little different. I’m asking for comments from you, my readers. What has been helpful to you in the adoption blog this year? What would you like to see more of? More personal experience and reflections? More informational blogs? I, for one, would like to see more comments by readers, both in the blog comments and in the forums. The forums are a great tool to ask questions which I can then address in blogs. As many of you know, I have two … Continue reading →

Book Review: Beyond Good Intentions: A Mother Reflects on Raising Internationally Adopted Children

At adoption conferences and web forums, one hears a lot from adopted persons and from parents wondering how to raise their newly-adopted children. Rarely, however, do you hear from adoptive parents whose children are now grown. (Presumably they no longer feel a burning need to attend conferences.) Cheri Register, author of the classic adoption book Are Those Kids Yours? supplies some of that perspective in her newest book, Beyond Good Intentions: A Mother Reflects on Raising Internationally Adopted Children. It is quite a different book than Register’s last book on adoption. Are Those Kids Yours? Was more personal, sharing some … Continue reading →

Teaching Kids Self-Denial

I recently attended a symposium which featured a presentation by a childhood behavioral “expert.” Regular readers of this blog know how I feel about so-called “experts,” but this guy had a host of impressive credentials, not the least of which included raising eight children into incredibly successful young adults. Plus, I was very interested in his topic: “Teaching Kids the Art of Self-Denial.” According to the expert, one of the most important “gifts” you can give your child as he develops into an adult is to teach him or her to “routinely deny himself immediate pleasures to achieve future good.” … Continue reading →

How Disney Chooses Park Attractions

After reading my posts on Disneyland California Adventure’s now-open Cars Land, a close friend and loyal reader (hi, Becca!) asked me what I really thought about the park. She knows my feelings on the “Cars” franchise, and thought that maybe I’m feeling more negative about it than I let on in my articles. I admitted that while I’m not super excited that Disney keeps choosing to promote “Cars” in the parks, I don’t really mind. I’d rather them open another “Cars Land” at Disney World, for example, than make a “Cars 3.” That led me to wonder about the process … Continue reading →

Summer Reading Series: Tyler Makes Pancakes!

Where do your kids think pancakes come from? A box? Your pantry? A non-stick griddle? IHOP? Thanks to Food Network chef Tyler Florence your pancake-loving preschoolers–and the rest of the family–can now get a crash course on the true origins of the humble flapjack. The celebrity chef recently added children’s book author to his resume with his debut page-turner, Tyler Makes Pancakes! The perfectly penned picture book is a delicious read with its age appropriate dialogue and kid-friendly illustrations. However, more than just making you hungry for a stack of piping hot pancakes, the book teaches young readers where popular … Continue reading →

What Your Habits Teach Your Kids

I’m filling in for Sara for a few days and I have to say, I’m a little nervous. What do I know about money that I can share with you? Since most of my life is consumed with raising my daughter to be a good person, and that includes someone who is fiscally responsible, I’ll start with what we are teaching our kids about money, and what we should be teaching them. Are your bills in a pile on the counter? A pile that keeps getting bigger and bigger while you ignore it? Are your credit cards maxed out? Do … Continue reading →

What Are My Days Like?

Home – based professionals are a diverse bunch, and I am very happy to be a part of the Home Business blog here at Families.com because it reflects the experience and insight of not just one, but three different home – based professionals. The diversity in our experiences makes it more likely that you, our readers, will be able to relate to the things that we talk about. For example, my co-blogger Richele McFarlin wrote this excellent post today about what she does all day, every day. Since families are so different and schedules and priorities vary greatly from one … Continue reading →