Awesome Girl.

As the year winds down, AB has undertake a new challenge: learning to ride a bike.

She has been the queen of optimism, while I try to maintain good cheer as I realize that running alongside your newbie cyclist is the mother of all core workouts. After one particularly good run, she grinned at me and said:

"I'm Annabelle the Awesome Girl and I'm never going to give up."

I promptly gave her a high-five and a kiss, then sent her on her merry way again.

Here's to having an "Awesome Girl" attitude in 2013.

Miss Independent.

Summer is (unofficially) over. AB is back in school. New teacher. New babysitter. New backpack. New kicks. In the mornings when I do her hair, she watches The Electric Company instead of Sesame Street. There is no hassle at the door with shoes because she can tie them herself. At drop-off, instead of walking her to her classroom door she requests that we say our goodbyes about 10 feet away from where her classmates line up because she's a "big girl" now and can go by herself.

This morning she said to me with a huge grin, "Aren't you glad that your child is growing up?" (I kid you not.)

Yes....and no.

It is rather incredible to see her able to do all this new things without my help. It makes me feel like I'm doing a pretty good job at this parenting thing. But at the same time, there is a slight sadness that she doesn't need me to help her do these things anymore. Then I see how excited she is about everything, and the sadness disappears.

As I watched her confidently walk away from me this morning, I had a moment where I thought, there is no going back.

Look out, world, Miss Independent is coming through.

Articles of Interest.

{Image via The Alantic}

A round-up of interesting articles about books, parenting, creativity, and education from around the web:

• 8 Great Picture Book Biographies - Reading Rockets 
• What Grown-Ups Can Learn From Kids Books' - The Atlantic
• Gear for a Stellar First Day of School - Daily Candy
• How to Read a Victorian Novel - Novel Readings
• Back-To-School Blues - My Brown Baby

Happy Reading!

Mommy Guilt Redux.

I feel like I should be Queen of Transitions at this point given all the various major life shifts I have made over the last 7+ years. Yet, with each one, no matter how much planning I do in preparation, it is a major shock to the system. While all of the changes have been for the better, it always feels not-so-awesome at the beginning because it's just plain different (which often translates into difficult).

The fact that AB is older is a bit of a double-edged sword. The good: We are able to have actual discussions about the changes and all the good things that will come from said changes. The bad: She is able to express her dismay about our being apart in a more mature (= more heartbreaking) way than ever before.

The tears, pleas, and letters (oh, the letters) leave me second guessing, as always, whether I am doing the right thing. I know that I am  and I know that I am going to feel guilty. But, I also know that she is going to be fine.

That I'm going to be fine.

That we're going to be fine.

Just as we have been every other time.

29 Ways To Stay Creative

{video via TO-FU}

29 WAYS TO STAY CREATIVE
1. Make lists
2. Carry a notebook everywhere
3. Try free writing
4. Get away from the computer
5. Quit beating yourself up
6. Take breaks
7. Sing in the shower
8. Drink coffee
9. Listen to new music
10. Be open
11. Surround yourself with creative people
12. Get feedback
13. Collaborate
14. Don't give up
15. Practice
16. Allow yourself to make mistakes
17. Go somewhere new
18. Count your blessings
19. Get lots of rest
20. Take risks
21. Break the rules
22. Don't force it
23. Read a page of the dictionary
24. Create a framework
25. Stop trying to be someone else's perfect
26. Got an idea? Write it down
27. Clean your workspace
28. Have fun
29. Finish something

Hey, Mom!

There were multiple times this morning when AB interrupted me while I was working. Normally, this would have driven me up the wall. But today, I found it endearing.

  

 

The Top 3 Interruptions:

  

1. Kiddo tucked the entire hem of her dress into her underwear. She strutted toward me as if on a catwalk: "Hey, Mom! Check out my dress. I like it like this."
2. Kiddo runs toward me with her favorite yellow cup, mouth full of carrots: "Hey, Mom! I made a snack. It's grapes, raisins, and carrots! It's soooo yummy AND it's good for me!!!"
3. Kiddo rushes in and plops herself next to me, pressing her tiny warm arm into mine and giving me a kiss (and a whiff of peanut butter breath): "Hey, Mom! I love you! Bye!"

  

Ditto, my love.

Book Review: Spark & Hustle

This week there have been an interesting set of articles about the lack of bestselling women business writers. While this may be true statistically, I found it odd because the majority of business books that I read are by women authors. Granted, not all of them are bestselling, but if you look for them, they are there.

One of the most recent business books I have read is Spark & Hustle: Launch and Grow Your Small Business Now by Tory Johnson. It was quite good. I’ve got a bunch of bright orange post-it notes sticking out of it marking concepts, ideas, and systems that resonated with me. The book delivers exactly what it promises in the title. It takes you through the initial idea of starting your own business to launching said business to scaling the growth of your business.

This book is like a small business mentor in a box. In addition to being the founder and CEO of Women For Hire, she is a contributing editor at Success magazine and a contributor for Good Morning America. Not to mention, a wife and mother. She provides plenty of examples both from her own business experience, as well as business owners who have worked with her. So, there is no question that Tory knows what she is writing about. She breaks down the daunting task of starting and managing your own business into actionable chunks. None of the concepts in the book are all that revolutionary (which is true of the majority of the business books on the market), however, her presentation is top-notch.

The best parts of the book were the sales and marketing, the “hustle” of Spark & Hustle. There are a great deal of books out there that help aspiring entrepreneurs to find the spark, but not as many that explain how to execute the hustle. The book covers a lot of topics including product manufacturing and launches, pricing, referral requests “cold calling”, pitching to angel investors, and creating a media kit, just to name a few. The author is honest about the work that is necessary to make your business successful, but definitely makes you feel like it is something that you can tackle. Each chapter ends with “Act Now”, a list of takeaways from the chapter topic that you can immediately act on.

So, if you have ever entertained the notion of starting your own business whether full-time or on the side (and really who hasn’t with this economy), Spark & Hustle is definitely a must-read.

It won’t come down to where (or if) you went to school. It won’t come down to how much (or how little) money you have in the bank. It won’t come down to who you know. It won’t come down to the dream you have. It won’t come down to all the noise and chatter. Your bottom line will ultimately come down to what you do….Don’t get bogged down in assuming you’re lacking this, that or the other. You have exactly what it takes to create the success you envision. Now it’s up to you to put it into action. – Tory Johnson

Book Review: The Great Big Book of Families

This book makes me super happy. It's a must read for ALL families. It should be in every classroom. It should be required reading in every elementary school. Yes, I feel that strongly about the importance of this book.

The Great Big Book of Families is fantastic. It is a celebration of all different types of families. It encourages a discussion with children about their families with simple text by kidlit veteran Mary Hoffman combine with cartoonist Ros Asquith's fun multicultural illustrations. This book covers everything from homes (some families live in big houses and some live in tiny apartments) to school (some kids are homeschooled) to vacations (some families visit other countries, some go on day trips, and some can't afford it) to feelings (some families are more expressive than others and most importantly, all families are happy all the time) and a great deal more. The Great Big Book of Families ends on the key point that families change due to a variety of things: jobs, feelings, marriages, divorces, births, adoption, etc.). The fact that your family looks one way today does not mean that it will not look a different way next year, next month, or even tomorrow.

AB and I had a great talk about the book. We talked about her friends' families, our own family and even made a family tree like the one in the book. While it may just be the two of us right now (as Mary Hoffman reminds us, "You can be a family with just two people"), her family is much larger than the two of us and there are a great deal of people who care about her even though she doesn't see or talk to them every day.

So, here's a challenge: Ask your child how they see your family today? How do they see their friends families? Their answers might (pleasantly) surprise you.

Articles of Interest

[image via Mothering]

A round-up of interesting articles about books, parenting, creativity and education from around the web:

• Why Women Still Can't Have It All - The Atlantic
• Sorry, Lego. THIS is What Awesome Toys for Girls Look Like - Girl Empowerment 
• Summer Reading List 2012: 10 Essential Books for Cognitive Sunshine- Brain Pickings
• Reinventing Education To Teach Creativity And Entrepreneurship - Fast Company: Co.EXIST
• Top Picks for Summer Reading: Graphic Novels with African American Characters  - School Library Journal
• Planting Peace on the Summer Solstice - Mothering

Happy Reading!

Empowering Video: Grasshopper

On Wednesdays, I share a video that facilitates empowerment because when you know better, you do better.

FYI: Entrepreneurs can change the world.

Proud Mama.

The past few weeks have been full of milestones big and small for AB. She successfully completed kindergarten, testing well above grade level. (While I hate the thought of my kindergartener being tested at all, it's a spoonful of sugar that she did well.)

Last week, she completed her Lego Robotics camp, rubbing elbows with 4th and 5th graders and holding her own. She even made a new friend, an 8 year old, whom she would trade books with during free time. (Yay, for bookish nerdy kids!)

In addition, she has completed two summer reading programs, receiving two awesome brand spanking new prize books: Smile by Raina Telgemeier & Muggie Maggie by Beverly Cleary.  

Proud mama = me.

Therefore, I am ready to let the summer fun of sprinkler dancing, beach excursions, quality time with the grandparents, and book picnics begin.

Articles of Interest.

A round-up of interesting articles about books, parenting, creativity and education from around the web:

• Music of Kindness: Playing Together Strengthens Empathy in Children - Creative Boom
• Does Computer Engineering Barbie Discourage Girls From Pursuing Math and Science?- GOOD
• A Mr. Rogers Mashup on the Importance of Make-Believe - PBS
• Sargent Shriver = The Epitome of A Good Man- Maria Shriver
• How to integrate literacy with STEM  - The Answer Sheet
• Author Nathan Englander Writes A Love Letter to The Moth - The New Yorker

Happy Reading!

Empowering Video: Cheryl Strayed

On Wednesdays I share a video that facilitates empowerment; because when you know better, you do better.

Fear, to a great extent, is born of a story we tell ourselves, and so I chose to tell myself a different story...

In the Week 2 webisode for Wild, the first selection for Oprah's Book Club 2.0, author Cheryl Strayed reveals how she overcame the fear that set in while hiking the Pacific Crest Trail solo and rewrote her own narrative.

Book Review: Lexie

Lexie is 10 years old and going to the shore for the first time since her parents' divorce. So this is her first time going without her mom. Shortly before she and her father arrive at the beach house, her father informs her that his girlfriend will be joining them. Lexie has only met Vicky two times. But, she's okay with Vicky maybe coming out for a day. However, when her father tells her that Vicky is staying for the whole week and bringing her kids, Lexie is not pleased. She was looking forward to a week of one-on-one time with her dad.

The reader learns through bits and pieces, comments and observations by Lexie, why her parents' split up. We learn of the effect that the demise of their marriage had on Lexie as she worries about her dad's behavior will lead to a fights with Vicky. After the first few tense moments, she comes to see that Vicky is different than her Mom. The things that would aggravate her mom don't necessarily bother Vicky. In addition, her father acts differently with Vicky. Things that Vicky says that would have caused a fight had Lexie's mom said them, he laughs off.

Lexie is not hoping for her parents to get back together. She has accepted that they will date other people. (she has a good relationship with her mom's boyfriend, George.) but she is not as accepting of having to share her dad with other kids. Yet, her resentment toward moody teenager Ben and sticky-fingered preschooler Harris (who prefers to be called Mack, like the truck) lessen as she spends more time with them.

My only complaint about the novel was that Lexie seemed to come around to quickly to the idea of her father's remarriage. Having a stepfamily sprung on you is a big deal. Yet after spending only a few days with these people, she's okay with it. But after having thought about it more, it does fit with Lexie's character. She isn't upset that her dad is creating a new family. She is angry  that he didn't talk to her about it. She got no warning, no heads up that her life was about to drastically change. The author does a wonderful job portraying the awkwardness of two single parents attempting to blend their families. It is also an illustration of the importance of communication with our children. While her father is waiting for the perfect moment to tell Lexie about his plans, she is left feeling out of the loop and abandoned because she doesn't know where she fits in.

Lexie by Audrey Couloumbis is a great summer read for any kid, but especially for kids whose parents are no longer together and beginning to move on with their lives.

Bonus: Illustrations by Julia Denos!

Articles of Interest.

A round-up of interesting articles about books, parenting, creativity and education from around the web:

• Feed Your Kids' Creative Spark with Engineering - PBS Parents
• Remembering Ray Bradbury - The Paris Review Daily / Wired / The Guardian
• Skipping School: Why One Mother Ditched Her Daughter's State Testing - Babble
• Ray Bradbury on Space, Education, and Our Obligation to Future Generations - Brain Pickings
• Is Fiction Changing, for Better or Worse? Have novels become more entertaining, and less of a cultural touchstone or a political voice? - NYT Room For Debate
• Want To Spark Your Creativity? Go Outside - The Cultured Seed

Happy Reading!

Empowering Video: Dr. Jane Aronson

On Wednesdays I share a video that facilitates empowerment; because when you know better, you do better.

Dr. Jane Aronson founded Worldwide Orphans Foundation to help orphaned children become healthy, independent and productive members of their communities. In this video from TakePart, she and actor Andrew Garfield talk about a recent trip to Ethiopia and how Andrew is helping further Dr. Aronson's mission.

Book Review: I Had A Favorite Dress

First things first, this book is fabulous for the illustrations alone. (Julia Denos is one of my favorite illustrators. I dare you not to love her work.) When I came across I Had A Favorite Dress by Boni Ashburn, I was extremely excited. Way more excited than a grown woman (mother or not) should be about a picture book. A little black girl! Pretty pictures! A crafty mother! Creativity! Happiness! More pretty pictures! I was in love with this book. Thankfully, AB humored me. She agreed that it was a very lovely book and that it might be a good idea to keep it. Her appreciation for the book has increased since she acquired a favorite skirt of her very own that she wears on Saturdays.

I Had A Favorite Dress is about an urban mini-fashionista with a favorite dress that she is,to her dismay, starting to outgrow. Her mother says, "Don't make mountains out of molehills, make molehills out of mountains." The little girl decides to make something out of the dress. So, her mother makes the beloved dress into a shirt. When the little girl tears the sleeve, the mother makes it into a tank top. When school starts, her mother makes it into a skirt. When skirts are deemed "out" and pants 'in", the mother makes it into a scarf. And so on, and so forth, until the little girl is left with nothing but a few scraps of the fabric that used to be her favorite dress. She uses the fabric in a collage of herself wearing her favorite dress, making it possible for her to wear the dress every day of every season.

It's a great story about a little girl being creative and resourceful. It also highlights the seasons (including seasonally appropriate clothing) and days of the week. And, oh yes, it has very pretty pictures. 

Articles of Interest.

A round-up of interesting articles about books, parenting, creativity and education from around the web:

• Are Enhanced E-Books Bad For Kids? paidContent
• The End of Brain, Child Magazine - Motherlode
• The World of Beatrix Potter - Steady Mom
• Artists Cover Philadelphia Neighborhood in Color - PSFK
• Lauren Child's New Girl Detective: Ruby Redfort - Telegraph
• The Best Interactive and Pop-Up Books of the Season - New York Times

Happy Reading!

Empowering Video: Adora Svitak

On Wednesdays I share a video that facilitates empowerment; because when you know better, you do better.

No matter your position or place in life, it is imperative to create opportunities for children so that we can grow up to blow you away.

Child prodigy Adora Svitak schools us on what adults can learn from children in her 2010 TED Talk.

bold ideas + wild creativity + optimism + high expectations = innovation

Book Review: Dog Loves Books

Now that AB has discovered the joy of chapter books, she tends not to look at picture books as much. But there was one in particular that caught her eye, Dog Loves Books by Louise Yates. I asked AB why she picked this one up, especially since she hadn't really seemed interested in picture books lately, and she said rather matter-of-factly, "I love dogs and I love books." Fair enough.

Dog Loves Books is a story about a dog who, well, loves books. He loves books so much that he decides to open up a bookstore. He works hard to set up the shop and is really excited for the Grand Opening. Unfortunately, no one comes. He putters around trying to keep busy until he finally gets a potential customer. Yay! But the woman thinks he's operating a tea shop and is not interested in books. After a long wait, another customer arrives. Yay! But the man is only asking for directions. So, to Dog's dismay, his first day is not turning out so great. But then he remembers that the best way to pass the time waiting for customers is to read. So, he gets lost in a few good books. Before he knows it, another customer arrives who is actually looking for a book. And since Dog is such a booklover, he know exactly which on to recommend.

The message of this book is that reading is not just a solitary activity. Sure, we read the books by ourselves, but then, we share it. If we loved a book, we tell everyone we can about it. We cannot shut up about it. We find threads of the books theme throughout our relationships and everyday existence. We benefit from other people being the same way. We love recommendations: blurbs on a book we picked up by chance, a booklist  the school librarian, the book review section of the newspaper, online literary magazines, or you-should-reads from friends/family/acquaintances/strangers. The sharing of a great book is part of the fun.

So, here's a challenge: share a book that you have enjoyed (or that your kiddo has enjoyed) with one other person. Spread the book love.

Articles of Interest.

A round-up of interesting articles about books, parenting, creativity and education from around the web:

• How A Books Is Born - GalleyCat
• Let's Go Reading in the Car - The New York Times
• The Top 10 Education Reforms Mom Congress Wants to See - Parenting
• New Research: Twenty-Something Moms are More Likely to be Single - ModernMom
• 50+ Ways to Explore the Great Artists With Your Kids - Creative With Kids
• Fisticuffs Over the Care and Keeping of Books - Book Riot

Happy Reading!

Empowering Video: Neil Gaiman

On Wednesdays I share a video that facilitates empowerment; because when you know better, you do better.

The old rules are crumbling and nobody know what the new rules are. So, make up your own rules.

Neil Gaiman's (Fantastic, Amazing, Wonderful) Advice 

1. When you start out on a career in the arts you have no idea what you are doing.

 (And this is a good thing.) 

2. If you have an idea of what you want to make, what you were put here to do, then just go and do that.

3.  A freelance life, a life in the arts, is sometimes like putting messages in bottles, on a desert island, and hoping that someone will find one of your bottles and open it and read it, and put something in a bottle that will wash its way back to you: appreciation, or a commission, or money, or love. And you have to accept that you may put out a hundred things for every bottle that winds up coming back.

4. Make mistakes. If you're making mistakes, it means you're out there doing something. And the mistakes in themselves can be useful....Life is sometimes hard. Things go wrong, in life and in love and in business and in friendship and in health and in all the other ways that life can go wrong. And when things get tough, this is what you should do. Make good art. 

5. Make your art. Do the stuff that only you can do.

6. People keep working, in a freelance world, and more and more of today's world is freelance, because their work is good, and because they are easy to get along with, and because they deliver the work on time. And you don't even need all three. Two out of three is fine.  

7. Let go and enjoy the ride, because the ride takes you to to some remarkable and unexpected places.

*

Needless to say, this speech is an instant classic that will go up there with David Foster Wallace's "This Is Water" and Steve Jobs' "Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish". The speech is chock-full of inspiration, regardless of whether you have a career in the arts or not. Your "art" is your thing. The thing that you do better than anyone else. The thing that makes your heart sing and time stand still. So, we should all take this advice (or rather, reminder) to heart. 

Go forth and do great things. 

Maker Faire Excitement.

Thanks to the wonderful folks at GE, I got complimentary passes to the Maker Faire Bay Area. I took AB and my sister. It was fantastic. We were able to see all sorts of things. Some of the highlights included:

• A great talk by Kipp Bradford, an engineering professor and   online tech editor at Make magazine, titled, "Where Are All The Black Makers?"
• The Bazaar Bizarre filled with tons of crafty goodness
• Holistic Hula Hooping, which is an great concept because after you hula hoop, you can help but be happy and have a bit of a brighter view of life
• Extremely tasty food (I had quite the love affair with my cheeseburger)
• The Pedal for Power Music Stage powered by volunteer pedalers
• A Trojan Horse built out of cardboard by PenfoldPlant

The best part about it was the welcoming and jovial atmosphere. Even if you are not an engineer-y, tech-y, STEM oriented type of person you couldn't help but marvel at the things that people had created. The kicker was that those people wanted to explain their creations to you in the kindest, least pretentious, most educational, inspiring way. The crafters wanted to explain their process to you, why they use the materials they use, and what inspired their pieces. It was truly a makers' fair. You walked away from it thinking, "Wow, people are really doing some amazing stuff in the world."

AB's excitement about everything made me excited for everything that she has the ability to do and learn. (It definitely made me certain that enrolling her in a robotics camp this summer was a good idea.) She likes to make things and she loves her HexBugs. Make even sells a kit for making a DIY version called BrushBots from a toothbrush, pager motor, and coin cell battery.

Kipp's talk about the seeming absence of "Black Makers" was really interesting. Not every awesome thing that happens in this world needs to be tied to race. Audience members commented that Black Makers are everywhere, but a lot of them don't want to be known for being a Black Maker, they want to be known for whatever product or device they are making or the creative solution they are providing. However, I think that he was making a valid point that it is important for young minority kids to see themselves reflected in their role models. Therefore, it is important to see prominent minority Makers, whether they be engineers, scientists, programmers, mathematicians or crafters.

Overall, Makeput on a beautiful event. Who knows, next year I may be tagging along with AB as a Young Maker extraordinaire.

Articles of Interest.

A round-up of interesting articles about books, parenting, creativity and education from around the web:

• Motherhood: Ecstatic, Frenzied and Exhausted - Huffington Post

• 10 Best Books for Thinking Parents - Parenting

• Developing Outdoor Creativity with Your Kids - Patch

• "Why Don't We Have Any Black Kids?": An Education System Divided - New York Times

• The Best Places for Mom Entrepreneurs to Work It - The Mogul Mom

• Dickens, Browning and Lear: What's in a Reputation?- Guardian Books

Happy Reading!

Empowering Video: For Mamas Who Rock Business

On Wednesdays I share a video that facilitates empowerment; because when you know better, you do better.

You defining success on your own terms is the best thing you can do for your kids.

I finished Danielle LaPorte's book, The Fire Starter Sessions, a few days ago. It is wonderful in both content and design. If you have any desire to lead a better and more fulfilling life, this is the book for you.  I felt like I was having "aha!" moments almost every other page. (Don't believe me? Check out her 30 Days to Fire Up Your Creative Genius series for the Huffington Post.)

So, for this week's video I wanted to share a bit of her magic specifically targeted at mothers. This is an older video from when The Fire Starter Sessions was an e-book & e-course, but it still rings true.

AB Pic of the Week.

Articles of Interest

A round-up of interesting articles about books, parenting, creativity and education from around the web:

• Are Moms Taking Over the Blogosphere? PSFK

• Writing in the Dark: Confessions of a Literary Night Owl - New York

• Are You Mom Enough? Why Attachment Parenting Drives Some Mothers To Extremes - TIME

• Mothers and More: Books About Families - Reading Rockets

• 11 Secrets of a Creative Mama (a.k.a How to Get Stuff Done w/ a Kid) - Goddess Leonie

• The Kid Lit World Remembers Maurice Sendak - School Library Journal

Happy Reading!

Empowering Video: Manifesting 101

On Wednesdays I share a video that facilitates empowerment; because when you know better, you do better.

Marie Forleo is awesome. She is incredibly inspiring. After I watch one of her videos I just want to go out and make things happen ASAP. In this episode from MarieTV, she discusses manifestation with Gabby Bernstein.

I am a big believer in (as cheesy as it sounds) manifesting your desires. (Hello, intentional living!)

MANIFESTING 101

1.Clarity

Get clear about your desire

2. Identify & Remove Obstacles

Recognize how you are blocking yourself and get rid of those limiting beliefs.

3. Be In The Know: 

Don't let outside junk taint what you know to be true. 

What you believe about yourself and your future will support you external experiences.

4. Patience: 

Those who are certain of the outcome can afford to wait and wait without anxiety.

To get a full taste of the awesomeness that is Marie Forleo, I encourage you to check out her free online training series.

Book Review: Mrs. Noodlekugel

Daniel Pinkwater's Mrs. Noodlekugel lives in a "cute little house" with a "cute little backyard". This is not so much out of the ordinary. However, all this domestic cuteness is surrounded by high rise apartment buildings. Nick and Maxine live with their parents in one of the numerous apartments in one of those tall buildings. Maxine notices the house and backyard from her window. As most city kids presented with green open space would, they decide to figure out a way to get down there. They ask the janitor who explains that the house and yard belong to Mrs. Noodlekugel and you get there by going through the boiler room. But he emphasizes that they should not tell their parents. Later that day, their parents insist that they are not to bother the nice old lady who lives in the house in the back. They are not to go into her yard, and especially not onto her porch. So, of course, Maxine and Nick defy their parents. They must go and see the house, yard, and old lady, for themselves.

They are met by the delightfully kooky Mrs. Noodlekugel , her talking cat Mr. Fuzzface, and four nearly-blind mice. After the kids willingly fess up to their parents about their visit to Mrs. Noodlekugel, they learn that she is their new babysitter. Their parents have used the oldie-but-goodie trick of reverse psychology. The kids go back the next day to bake cookies with Mrs. Noodlekugel. But baking cookies with Mrs. Noodlekugle turns out to be anything but ordinary. 

Mrs. Noodlekugel is a silly and simple story that was easy for AB to follow. It is a great book for kids who are transitioning from easy readers into chapter books. Adam Stower's illustrations were enjoyable, especially his depiction of Mrs. Noodlekugel as a plump grandmotherly type with a polka dot apron, striped socks and red sneakers. What kid wouldn't want to hang out with someone like that all day?

Mrs. Noodlekugel is a lovely new character with a fantastic name (AB gets the giggles each time she says it). We look forward to her next adventures.

AB Pic of the Week.

I give her a scooter and an open park lane.
The daredevil speed demon bursts forth.
Fearless.

Articles of Interest.

A round-up of interesting articles about books, parenting, creativity and education from around the web:

• A Father Creates Touching Time-Lapse Videos of His Kids Growing Up - Laughing Squid

• An Inspiring Letter from Keri Smith

• Backyard Science: Books for Youth Explorers - School Library Journal 

• 15 Amazing Playgrounds From All Over The World - Flavorpill

• Books to Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month - Reading Rockets

• "She's With Me": How a Lack of Resemblance Brought Mother & Daughter Closer: HuffPost Women

Happy Reading!

Empowering Video: Sarah Silverman

On Wednesdays I share a video that facilitates empowerment; because when you know better, you do better.

The worst thing that can happen for people who don't want women to be strong is that we help each other and become a force.

The Conversation with Amanda de Cadenet debuted last week. It was really good. 

The conversation with Sarah Silverman was great and I encourage you to check out the entire episode.

Good Copy + Bad Cop = Me

I wrote the following post during a particularly trying time of single mamahood back in 2009. Things have (obviously) improved 
over the years, but we do have our moments. 

The kid sure knows how to pull at the heart strings.

"I love you! I want you! I want yooooou!"

Granted these nuggets of undying devotion only come out with such passion when she is on a time out. When she sees that I am unswayed and not returning to her room, she turns on me.

There is a period of time where all I hear from her room are sorrow-filled ululations which quickly turn into cries for family members who cannot hear her. I am sure that if she had a clear concept of God and the heavens she would be appealing to them as well.

"I don't like you! I want Grandma! Grandmaaaaaaa! Grandpaaaaa! I want Uncle Briiiiiii! Aunt TTTTTTTTTT!"

But alas no one come to her rescue. Her cries simmer down to whimpers and sniffles which then settle into silence. A few moments later she will either emerge with tear-streaked cheeks, shuffle over to me and fling herself headfirst into my lap whispering a muffled "Sorry..." or I will peek my head into her room and find her asleep in bed surrounded by her stuffed animals with her blanket pulled up to her chin.

Whatever the outcome, I always feel a sense of triumph. "Haha, I win! You cannot beat me, little one. I am the adult here. Ha and ha!"

But here is the problem. I feel this every single time my discipline works. I can talk a mean game and I can carry it out too, but I am always surprised when it works. Perhaps it is because there is always the moment when in the midst of it, I want to give up. Thrown in the towel. Say, "Fine, have the daggone piece of candy!" or "Fine, wear your swimsuit and rainboots and nothing else to school. Who cares that it's snowing outside!" But I don't and that is usually when she turns the corner.

Multiple times a week I feel like we are acting out this scene from Kramer v. Kramer:

Ted: [while Billy brings ice cream to the table] You go right back and put that right back until you finish your dinner... I'm warning you, you take one bite out of that and you are in big trouble. Don't... Hey! Don't you dare... Don't you DARE do that. You hear me? Hold it right there! You put that ice cream in your mouth and you are in very, very, VERY big trouble. Don't you dare go anywhere beyond that... Put it down right now. I am not going to say it again. I am NOT going to say it AGAIN.
[Billy eats ice cream]
Billy: [Ted picks him up] Ow! You're hurting me!
Ted: OW! Don't you kick me!
Billy: I hate you!
Ted: You're no bargain either, pal! You are a spoiled, rotten little brat and I'll tell you right now...
Billy: I hate you!
Ted: And I hate you back, you little shit!
Billy: I want my mommy!
Ted: I'm all you got.

And I feel horribly. How can you feel that way about your own child? But I do. Well, I don't hate her. But I very strongly disliker her during those moments. Those are the moments when I wish I could just drop her on her father's doorstep and say, "Here you deal with her because I can't." And I imagine that you can probably do that in a marriage. Leave that kid with the other parent and drive off into the sunset for a little while and return when a cooler head has prevailed. But I can't do that.

So sometimes, I give myself a time out. I lock myself in the bathroom, turn on the shower as hot as it will go and give myself a stern talking to or say all the things that I wish I could say, but cannot because she's only three and a half for gosh sakes. Once the mirror has steamed up, I have usually deflated all my own hot air and am okay enough to open the door.

Where is AB during my time out, you ask? On the other side of the door vacillating between crying for me to come out and asking if I'm okay and if I accidently locked myself in the bathroom. When I emerge she is always quite happy to see me and willing to talk about what went wrong. She will give me a run through of the prior ten minutes, "Annabelle threw the books and Froggie and Mommy said to pick them up and Annabelle said NO! and was put on time out and then Mommy locked herself in the bathroom by axident."

Suffice it to say, while I have gotten much better at discipline over the past year, I am by no means a master. While it is clear that AB does not hold a grudge (with me anyway), I know that she is in no way being scarred by me being a consistent disciplinarian or, dare I say, a mean mom at times. I just wish that I didn't feel like such a baby about it myself. Hurt feelings have no place in motherhood, right? Kids are always going to say things that they don't mean. Heck, I constantly say things that I don't mean in my bathroom time-out rants. I feel like I am on an emotional roller coaster though. I go from sadness that she is so upset, then frustration that she thought she could get away with it, then anger that she thinks that I am so horrible that she requires some sort of stealth rescue mission, then relief when it is over which is quickly followed by the dread that it is inevitably going to happen again.

I need to grow a thicker skin. Pronto.

Book Review: Mr. and Mrs. Bunny - Detectives Extraordinaire! by Mrs. Bunny

Mr. and Mrs. Bunny - Detectives Extraordinaire! by Mrs. Bunny translated from the Rabbit by Polly Horvath is a great book. It is a funny book. It is a quirky book. It is an imaginative book. It is a book written by a bunny. (That fact alone should pique your interest.) AB and I spent many nights laughing over the silliness of this story.

Madeline is the responsible daughter of hippy, laid back to the extreme, irresponsible parents. One night while she is at work, her parents are kidnapped by foxes who are trying to ascertain the location of Madeline's uncle, a famous code breaker. After her uncle falls into a coma (and can therefore be of no help), Madeline hires Mr. and Mrs. Bunny, empty nesters who also happen to be detectives, to help her find her parents. Hilarity ensues. The story includes the following: purple platform disco shoes, Prince Charles, a Bunny Council, used dental floss, a Smart car, a hat club, a rubber factory, marmots, an Italian restaurant, gigantic bottoms (AB giggled non-stop over that one), and bunnies dressed like hound dogs.

This book is like old school children's literature. Stories written in an adult way yet including enough creativity and imagination that it was still perfectly suited for children. At times, Mr. and Mrs. Bunny - Detectives Extraordinaire! had a lovely Alice in Wonderland quality to it. I had great fun reading this to AB. The exchanges between the characters were hilarious. I often found myself cracking up as I read. Thankfully, AB didn't mind. In fact, I think it made her enjoy it even more.

My favorite line is some wisdom that Prince Charles shares with Madeline, "The richness of our lives depends on what we are willing to notice and what we are willing to believe."

Indeed.

AB Pic of the Week.

When I was pregnant, this is the image that I often dreamed of:

My little one, lost in a good book. 

"Hey, AB, it's time to go."

"Just one more page, Mom." 

It turns out that dreams do come true.

Articles of Interest.

A round-up of interesting articles about books, parenting, creativity and education from around the web:

• When Do Kids Stop Being Cute? Babble

• How Technology is Ingraining Creativity at an Early Age - PSFK

• The Book Review is Dead, Long Live the Book Review - Book Riot

• 10 Great Green Books for Kids - TLC Parentables

• Narcissism in Pink and Blue: Gender-Reveal Parties - The New Yorker

• Multiracial Children: Teaching My Children to Check The Latino Box on Applications - HuffPost Parents

Happy Reading!

Empowering Video: Sir Ken Robinson

On Wednesdays I share a video that facilitates empowerment; because when you know better, you do better.

"Creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson challenges the way we're educating our children. 

He champions a radical rethink of our school systems, to cultivate creativity

 and acknowledge multiple types of intelligence."

An animation of (my intellectual crush) Sir Ken Robinson's TED Talk

 on changing education paradigms.

Book Review - Charles Dickens: Scenes from an Extraordinary Life

Confession: I have yet to read a Dickens book in its entirety. (Though I am determined for Bleak House to be my first.)

I love Charles Dickens. I love his style. I love his back story. I love that his pen name was Boz. I love that he is a Victorian author. I love the word "Dickensian". Therefore, I have been in absolute heaven with the festivities going on in honor of he 200th birthday this year. I am fully on board with the Dickens 2012 mania*. When I saw the recent picture book biography, Charles Dickens: Scenes from an Extraordinary Life by Mick Manning and Brita Granstrom, I immediately picked it up. This book was the perfect way for me to share my obsession interest with AB. This book did not disappoint. Mick and Brita are a writing-illustrating duo that also happen to be married with four kids. Their illustrating style is reminiscent of Quentin Blake. (Interesting side note: He included their book, A Ruined House, in a list of his 50 all-time favorite children's books.)

Over the course of a week, this was our read aloud bedtime book. AB helped out by reading the dialogue. The authors use Dickens' own words to describe events in his life. Then using comic strips, they either describe a bit of Victoria Era history (i.e. what is a debtor's prison?) or tie the life event to one of his novels. They give just enough of the plot to get you interested in the book and then encourage you to find out the ending by reading the book yourself. The end pages provide an attractive map of "Dickens' London" including places that were instrumental in his life and prominent in his writings.

I didn't think it was possible, but this book has made me love Dickens even more than before.

*Check out podcast episodes about Dickens from Stuff You Missed In History Class, The Penguin Podcast, & The Guardian Books Podcast.