Rest?

This is not Cyrus having a rest. Oh no.
Rest Time is for the weak.
The unimaginative.
The restrained.

Rest Time is for those other three-year-olds, who do not live in my house, who gladly give their mothers an hour or so of peace. Rest Time is for those children with no imagination. For those who cannot see how marvelously fun it would be to take ones room apart toy by toy, and then venture into their brother's bedroom to dismantle his Lego creations.

Rest Time is for those who don't seek new discoveries, like how much toilet paper a toilet bowl can hold and still flush. Or perhaps what might happen if one sneaks out of one's bedroom and smooshes the toothpaste together with the liquid hand soap. Rest Time is for those who don't seek new horizons, like the top of their mother's wardrobe or the deepest reaches of treasures under his brother's bed.

Rest Time is for those who cannot see that the dirty clothes basket is indeed a boat waiting to be sailed across the hallway. Or that all the clothes in ones drawers could form a Picasso type picture when strewn across the floor. Rest Time is for seeing how long it will take Mommy to figure out that nothing like 'resting' is occurring. Or for seeing how long it will take her to abandon her Writing Hour, the word count, any looming deadlines and finally admit that she will get exactly no writing done at all today.

Rest Time is for turning beds into trampolines and Mommy's nerves into a plate of spaghetti...

No, this photo was not taken at Rest Time. This picture is Bed Time. A time when Mommy sits, has a cup of tea ( or glass of wine) and then creeps bleary eyed with her rose coloured glasses firmly in place into her son's room and imagines she would like another one.  Bed Time is for looking at that little face with those apple-pie cheeks and falling in love all over again. Bed Time is when all is forgiven, because look at him people. And tell me, could you stay mad?

What about you? If you write or pursue anything in life with kids in tow... how do you do it?

The Land of Two Year Old

I would like to introduce you to The Two Year Old.
Of course that is the common name for this species of human (yes, they are their own species) 
The scientific name is 'messandloudnomachineites' pronounced 'mess-and-loud-no-machine-eites'


ADAPTATIONS: 
These creatures are well adapted to live in their surrounds.  In fact they believe they are the 'centre' of their surrounds and become 'distressed' if given evidence to the contrary... like, for example, if called upon to share. This is an unknown concept in the mind of a Two Year Old and will produce banshee like screeches of "Mine! Mine! Miiiiiiiine!" 


Calls of  "bath time" or "dinner time" when The Two Year Old is clearly not ready to be washed or fed will result in displays of thrashing and wailing accompanied by the wild call of "Nooooooo!" 
A word they all speak very well.
"Please" and "Thank you" on the other hand... 


However this is not entirely their own fault. This species has only developed a radar for 'Me' 'Mine' and 'All-About-Me'. It is up to The Parent Body to expand these horizons... and the expansion is not often welcomed.


Other unique adaptations to their environment include the ability to eat anything... paint, glue, dirt, the dog... Unless of course The Parent Body spent any sort of time preparing a meal. The more time spent, the less likely eating will occur. Yet somehow The Two Year Old manages to sustain enough sustenance to wake the living dead if a toy is taken from them, a sibling looks at them the wrong way, or someone is on the phone and not paying attention... to them. They have an untapped capacity for screaming and crying, which may or may not be off set by The Cute Factor and their irresistible giggles.  Big eyes and dimples also help this species from being wiped out :)


HABITAT REQUIREMENTS:
They are easy to get along with... as long as your lipstick, the toilet roll, your computer, the TV remote and Big Brother's pens are not out of bounds. If these things are not made available on demand (or when The Parent's back is turned) then refer to thrashing and wailing mentioned above.


The Two Year Old doesn't ask for much. Just your time (preferably when you are busy) and attention (especially if you thought you get a nap in). And in return they provide... um... oh yes, that's right... sweet moments of cuddles and kisses and innocent "I love you" comments that can get you through an entire week of soiled pants and drawn on carpets. Well... maybe a couple of days then?


RESULTING DISCOVERIES: 
Scientist have yet to discover what makes this cute, alluring species so darn contrary, and have not yet provided The Parent Body with hard and fast rules for successful Two Year Old cohabitation.
The Parent Body long since stopped looking for answers to the puzzling behavior... due to the fact that they are now in search of their sanity... or the toilet roll... which ever... probably both.


Many households that have produced The Two Year Old are wondering one of three things; Why is the dog cowering under the chair? What happened to my free time? and How do I mold this Two Year Old into something resembling an 'Adult-I-can-Stand-to-Be-Around? 


Scientist merely scratch their head and leave the answering of such profound questions up to the Child Experts... you know the ones? The people with no children.


PARENT BODY
Parents of The Two Year old are easy to spot. They are the grey haired, slightly balding, saggy eyed people sitting in the corner shaking, rocking back and forth and repeating the phrase, "What do I do?" "What do I do?"


Siblings of the Two Year Old are also easy to identify. They have nailed their possessions to the wall and resorted to cowering under the chair with the dog for some peace and quiet.


Of course the most attractive feature of The Two Year old is that they cannot possibly stay two forever... sorry, no... it is their ability to love freely, with open pudgy arms and a smoochy sticky kiss.


WARNING:
Beware: Once in your heart, forever in your heart.
Love wisely and fully.
Love freely. (Add your pudgy arms and sticky kiss at own discretion)
And lastly remember, The Two Year Old is always sweet... when asleep. :)


The sun will rise tomorrow... on another day of trial and error in the Land of Two Year Old.


In the words of Star Wars... may the force be with you.

~

[Can you tell I am wondering where my own sanity went? ... and I haven't seen our dog in a while.]

Are you Cute Today?

[above photo is of Cyrus, my 2  year old] 

Me: Cy, are you cute today?

Cy: No, not today Mommy.

Me: Not today? Are you sure?

Cy: Yeah.

Me: Well, when will you be cute?

Cy: Ummm... (head on side and really thinking) I be cute tomorrow, okay?

Me:  Tomorrow? Not today then?

Cy: No. Mommy, I said I be cute tomorrow!

Me: Okay. You can be cute tomorrow.

Cy: No. I wanna be cute on... (thinking again)... Friday.

Me: Friday? So, not tomorrow? You'll be cute on Friday.

Cy: Yeah. Okay, Mummy? I be cute on Friday.

~ 

Yeah. Okay. Except that is a pretty damn cute conversation to be having with me today, don't you think? 

 ~

What about you? Got kids? What cuteness are they brightening your day with? 

Please, do share :) 

Do you tuck those conversations/moments away somewhere to slip into your writing one day?

No Hard Work Here

In a life before Stay-at-Home Mom I taught prep (4-5yr olds) and Year One (5-6yr olds). And no matter how busy the teaching days were I made sure we grabbed at least one book and enjoyed it, just for the hell of it.

It was very simple.

Take 30 odd children, add a few over sized cushions and find a spot away from other classrooms under a tree. Add a couple of great picture books and read.

There were two criteria for my book choices.

One- they must be fun.

Two- they must not be for the purpose of trying to teach kids anything.

I just wanted to read. I love to read aloud. Give me a book and a kid or two or three, and I will bring the voices the facial expressions. More importantly, I will bring me. And together, with those little eyes watching, we will weave enough dramatic magic to breathe life into that book.

And here's the big secret.

Ready?

It. Is. Not. Hard.

Parents used to ask me how I held the attention of 30 squiggly kids when they couldn't get their soccer playing, mud-slinging son to sit still for anything other than a feed. My answer was this. I am completely carried away by what I am reading.

I am in the moment. I am sold out to the words. I am who I am. Completely.

I am reading as much for me as I am for my little audience. I am not racing to the end of the book. I am not ticking a curriculum requirement box. I am not trying to fill in time. I am not even watching the clock.

I used to read last thing before the end of the day and when that bell went everyone, including me, went, "Ohhhh!"

Why am I sharing this?

Because I'd hate to think that you were missing the fun. And just quietly, I suspect that reading aloud makes you a better writer ;)

Grab a kid. (well, get permission first if they are not your own:) and a book that you like the look of. There is no right book. Only the book that interests you. Because if it interests you enough to read it then chances are you'll be enthused when reading. Then drop your inhibitions. Honestly. Kids really like stupid. If you feel stupid reading aloud then you are probably doing it just right. And it is only the kids watching anyway. What do you care? Have fun. Be a kid for as long as it takes you to get to The End. If that means you want to do all the voices then do them, if that means you'd like to sit quietly and share the word magic in a more settled way, then do that too. Don't try to teach. Just laugh and be laughed with. Whatever you do, Do. Not. Make. It. Hard. Work.

Now I am a Mom one of my favorite activities is still reading aloud. My boys love The Very Hungry Caterpillar's deep voice (you didn't know he had a deep voice hey! You didn't even know he had any lines to say in that book did you!) They love the tiny squeaky voice of the massive bear in 'Where's my teddy?' (I like that one too!) That voice still gets my eldest son giggling, and he has heard me do it for years.

The best lessons about reading and writing come when no one is trying to teach anything. You are just soaking up a great story. Enjoy. Soak it up. Get dripping wet in those words. :) Play. And watch the magic of reading happen. Then watch what happens when you go to write. Even if you do not write for children. Even if your tale is dark and serious. The magic still works.

What about you? Got any great tales of reading fun to share? What is the most fun you and a kid have had with a book?

BTW- children don't need to be young for this to work. I have also read aloud to older children who eventually crack under the pressure of fun and enjoy being read to again.

[image]

Sand Moments

My boy's giggling floats among the afternoon shadows in our backyard sandpit. The sand lives there too. Unless it's flying by the handful onto the surrounding brick work.

Rust flecked tip trucks drive haphazardly under the direction of little hands. Happiness echoes in the beeps, brumms, buzzes and bangs. Water bubbles over buckets carried to and fro, pouring over plastic farm animals that swim in the puddles that form.

I watch as the last of the sun touches their cheeks. Toes wiggle in the gritty wetness and t-shirts cling to the muck as I breathe in the deliciousness of childhood.

I sit down beside the ordinary moment and store the image, a still frame for the days when the sandpit sits alone. Knowing that afternoons melt quickly into twilight, I grab a bucket and join in the building.

The back yard sandpit seems a wonderful reason to need a bath.

What about you? What 'ordinary moments' have you taken the time to sit down beside recently?

Old: Imagery in Picture books

[Imagery: the use of vivid or figurative language to represent objects or ideas.]

Old, how you leave us before we have kissed you one last time.

I am enthralled with imagery. Language. And all things vivid and figurative. Words are many things to me. Friends. Warmth. Haunting. Light and dark. Amoral and Moral. Whatever they are in a piece of writing, I want my readers to feel... whatever they may feel. One things words are not is lifeless and flat. If you have loved, lost or lived then you have something to breathe into words.

And Margaret Wild's picture book, Old Pig, captures imagery in all its texture. I can't help but grieve... and breathe again. Her words command it of me.

TIME:

Granddaughter knew old. How she loved old. Old Pig knew granddaughter and together they loved.

"I hate corn and oats," Granddaughter always said. And Old Pig always replied, "Corn and oats are good for you. While I'm alive my dear, you'll eat them up."

At that, Granddaughter stopped complaining. She'd eat corn and oats for breakfast, lunch and dinner if it meant that old Pig would live forever.

But forever is that wave upon the sand of life... never forever, never.

DUST ALONE:

One morning old Pig did not get up as usual for breakfast.

"I'm feeling tired," she said. I think I'll have breakfast in bed...

While Old Pig slept, Granddaughter chopped the wood, cleaned out the fire grate, swept and dusted... she tried to whistle while she worked, but all she could managed was a lonely little oink.

The next morning Old Pig was still tired, but she made her self get up.

PENNIES:

Old pig returned her books to the library- and didn't borrow any more. She went to the bank, took out all the money and closed the account... she paid the electricity bill, the greengrocer's bill...

When she got home she tucked the rest of the money into Granddaughter's purse.

"Keep it safe," she said, "and use it wisely."

"I will," said Granddaughter. She tried to smile but her mouth wobbled...

"There, there, no tears."

DANDELIONS THAT FLOAT ON THE WIND:

"Now," said Old Pig, "I want to feast."

And feast they did. Around the town they walked...

"Look!" said Old Pig. "Do you see how the light glitters on the leaves?"

"Look!" said Old Pig. "Do you see how the clouds gather like gossips in the sky? ...

Can you smell the warm earth?

Let's taste the rain!"

STILLNESS IN THE CHAOS:

"Tonight, said Granddaughter, "I'd like to come into your bed and hold you tight. Would that be alright?"

"That would be very alright," said Old Pig.

So Granddaughter switched off the lights, and opened the window to let in the breeze, and opened the curtains to let in the moon.

Can you hear the music play?

She put her arms around old Pig, and for the very last time...

The last page of this book has no words. Just a picture of Granddaughter standing out under the sky, watching the world go by...

Beautiful.

If you need a moment to hold grief with your child over the loss of something or someone, I recommend this picture book and all its texture and imagery. Cry. Because that too is apart of life. And because words sometimes open doors that Little Ones find hard to push through on their own.

Enjoy. Even in sadness...

What about you? What words move you to tears? What picture books have you curled up around with your child and been very glad you did?

[PS- thanks to Katie for my five words: dandelion, time, pennies, dust and chaos. What? You didn't think I was going to just post my five words with a paragraph about what they mean to me did you? ? :) This post is what those words mean to me though- that counts right?]

[image courtesy]

Clover

Clovers are my silent friends, spread across the back yard like a rash, and still I love them. I haven't always had affections for weeds. I was once a Rose or Lilly girl. Pick me up in your clean car wearing your pressed shirt and take me somewhere nice. Beer, if the wine list mocks our modest budget. Then pave the way to kisses with daisies. But clover? No.

Then we went and made mini versions of ourselves and let them run around our backyard. We killed the clover, but we let the barefoot noise makers stay. We like them. Mostly. The first spring Husband was not quick enough to head off the clover onslaught our first born waded through the patches before I could stop him.

Bees, oh God. The bees.

My husband bloats at the mere whiff of them. I didn't want to conduct a home science experiment to see if my son would react the same way. I ran out after him, picked him up and tried to pull the fistfuls of clover out of his hands. "No! Mummy pretty flowers for you. I wuv you."

Suddenly roses paled in comparison.

We still spray the clover, but every spring my little boys beat us to at least one patch and ignore my objections to their shoeless wandering as they pad barefoot through the clover mound.

And every spring there will be at least one small vase stuffed with wilting clover beside my bed.

Isaiah calls them Mummy's favorite flowers.

I don't correct him...

I may one day have to explain why his girlfriend curled her lip and growled,

but not yet.

They are my clovers. For just a little bit longer.

Before us 2 Became 4

BEFORE US 2 BECAME 4...

Giggling never interrupted our morning sleep ins

someone picking me clover would not have been a wonderful gesture

We'd never kissed  chocolate coated chubby cheeks

Our bath water had not been dyed blue with food coloring

We didn't bake Play doh cakes, and then pretend to eat them

Seagulls were not called chickens

Ants were never called fugs

We didn't lick people's fingers clean

We couldn't recite the words to any picture books

And we never broke into spontaneous songs about wheels on the bus,

 just because one drove by

Thomas was someone I worked with, not a train.

Cars didn't have eyes or voices

Daddy was not a name I referred to him as

and the pleasure of someone calling me Mommy was unknown

 

I wonder....

What did we ever do

Before the 2 of us became 4?

 

 

 

Rhyme with me?

Monday Run-day by Nick Sharratt

I'm tired of being deep and meaningful and a snotty little WIP's (work in progress- writting you are currently working on) that is currently standing with his back to me in the corner refusing to speak. Of course this is an improvement from the fit the thing threw when I told him that this was the month. We are going back to the beginning. We are going to iron out the wrinkly sentences and cut the crap. We are going to lose whole paragraphs if need be. It won't be painless. But I am hoping it will be worth it.... You get that I am talking about my writing right...not the kids!

So, today I am taking a break from the land of 'Have-To-Think-Hard-I-Need-To-Post-My-Blog' and I am going to introduce you to my rhyming buddy Mr. Nick Sharratt and his too cute picture book for beginner readers. 

The words are few and far between, but oh so fun. they go like this...

Monday, Run-day

Tuesday, Snooze-day

Wednesday, Friends-day

Thursday, Grrrs-day

Friday, Tie-day

Saturday, Splatter-day

Sunday, Bun-day

Now... my turn... A Week of Editing...

Monday, Stunned-day (is that how much I need to get done this week? Really? Damn!)

Tuesday, Bruise-day (from head banging on desk over how far behind I already am with my writing/editing and it is only Tuesday)

Wednesday, Make-a-mends-day (sorry family, no Mamma hasn't left home. Just writing...)

Thursday, Stirs-day (brain finally thinking, writing happening, editing singing along nicely...you believe me?)

Friday, My-day. (Six year old at school, toddler at once a week day care. Hello writing all day! How are you? Gosh I missed you since last week!)

Saturday, What's-the-matter- day (nothing. It is Saturday. What could be wrong?!)

Sunday, Fun-day (writing, what writing? No, I'm not supposed to be editing anything. Did someone say beach?)

Your turn! (ah, my six-year-old can do this rhyming thing people. Doesn't even need to be about writing. Just pick a day out of your week and let me have it. Whatcha been up too? 

I've Created an Addict...

I've created an addict, a book glutton, a wordaholic... and I am unapologetic.

I started spoon feeding him books when he was barely 6 weeks of age. Truth be told this was not done out of some teacher notion of what would benefit him, but out of pure desperation. He was unsettled and I was...unsettled. Something about the language in books was soothing. A rocking chair by the window and a handful of board books seemed like good things to have when he was screaming and I was crying.

Then I discovered another use for all the picture books I'd religiously collected during my five years teaching the under fives. My son loved them. Two before nap time was not enough. So we increased the dosage to unashamed levels. Books when he woke, books while he ate finger food in the high chair, books in the car, books if he went potty, books before bed and then just books for the sake of books. We shared them together, under rugs, by lamp lights, next to the beach and, on one occasion, while he was getting a needle at the doctors.

By three he had such an affection for The Poky Little Puppy, that we all thought we might be physically ill if we heard him recite it again.

By four he wanted to 'read' every written thing we came across. Shops signs, street advertising, junk mail, words on the side of cereal boxes, even the tags on his clothes were not exempt.

By five he discovered that words were reliable little things that said the same thing, in the same way, every time you read the same sentence. He exploited this knowing and without my knowledge taught himself the alphabet and enough sight words to render the prep teacher's job (kindergarten if you are in the USA) a task already completed.

By six we had a problem. Picture books didn't cut it any more. Take home readers from first grade were read too quickly and that left, what....? Beginning chapter books? Enter reading suggestions from a friend with older boy children who are also book addicts.

Zac Power has come to live with us this year. Don't know him? He is saving the world people! One word, sentence and chapter at a time. He is not, however, saving my money. My son loves him and his adventures... a whole lot. And is chewing those books at the rate of one every three days. We have come to an agreement. One new book each Friday....if he behaves himself at school. So there might have been a few occasions where he had to re-read last week's book. (Are we the only parents using books to bribe, um, reward our child?!)

In short, I have created an addict. A boy who loves to read... almost as much as he loves to kick his soccer ball up on our roof.

I think on the whole, my work here is done.

What about you?
Got any budding little addicts in your house? And if so, what are you currently reading them?

A Book in Times of Need?

Now before I say more, I am not a counselor. I never have been and, as far as I can see into my future, I never will be. But I was a First Grade and Kindergarten teacher (Prep and Year One teacher if you are Australian :) and I do know a thing or two about little ones. Children are amazing, but they are not miniature adults. And life often throws up difficult, frightening, confusing or even terribly sad events. Children lack adult powers of reasoning, they don't see cause and effect the way we do and if they can't explain or understand something they often blame themselves. They also often struggle to explain what they are feeling or thinking or just embrace the fact that they are feeling anything at all. This is where the secure nook of a parent's arm and a trusted listening ear can make all the difference. Books are wonderful things. Period. But have you thought about using them with the intention of opening up conversation and speaking into difficult life events that your child might be going through?

The circumstance doesn't need to be particularly stressful in the eyes of an adult for it to rock you little dude's world. While you may be over the moon about another baby on the way, your child may have distinctly different feelings. Now if there are any psychologist/counsellors etc who want to weigh in on this issue then by all means, please do.  My point is simply that books provide a wonderful and gentle world for exploring feelings and events that may be completely confusing or even traumatic to a young child. 

Helpful Books

So I thought I'd list a few favourite books that I have read to both my own children and classes I have taught over the years. Beware... oh the wonderful and heartfelt discussions you may invite :)

Expecting a New Baby?

There's a House Inside my Mummy by Giles Andreae and Vanessa Cabban (Australian picture book)

Laugh out loud stuff! If you have ever wondered what a mother's growing belly and the experience of waiting and preparing for a new baby might look like  through the eyes of a three year old, then this is the book for you. Your children will love it too.

If I had a Dragon by Tom and Amanda Ellery

Having a new brother can be a difficult adventure. And perhaps a dragon would make a better play mate? So far my boys are enjoying being the 'dragon brothers' and I don't breathe fire too often!

First Day of School?

Starting School by Janet and Allan Ahlberg

A must read for tentative children and perhaps the odd tentative parent??? :)

Loss of a Grandparent or Other Relative?

Old Pig by Margaret Wild. 

Heartbreakingly gentle tale of the death of grandma pig. A beautiful story celebrating living, yet honoring the sadness of loosing a love one.

School Yard Bullying?

Just You Wait By Megan de Kantzow

A tale of standing firmly on your own two feet. I read this to my son when he was afraid of a particular boy at his school. We used the characters in the book to role play what he could do or say if he felt threatened.

Don't Fit In? Feeling Just a Little Bit Different?

Stellaluna by Janell Cannon (Australian picture book featuring fruit bats)

A fruit bat raised as a bird naturally feels a little displaced. This story embraces friendships across the boundary lines of differences. And along the way lovable Stellaluna learns to both accept and challenge her limitations.

Recovery from illness?

How do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon? by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague

A playful tale that might open up discussion about taking medicine, visiting the doctors or just a great story to cheer up your little one when they are unwell.

Feeling Something, but Not Sure What?

How are you peeling? Foods with Moods by Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers.

Funny stuff that could lead to serious conversation surrounding feelings. Identifying the various feelings of the different foods might be a non-threatening way to broach the topic of what might be going on with your child. My son enjoyed talking about why the various foods might be feeling the way they were feeling and what things in his life have made him feel that way. Great discussions :)

Tough Boris by Mem Fox

Yes boys can cry! Even pirates cry... and so do I.

Augustus and His Smile by Cathrine Rayner. One tiger's search for 'happy' and the simple things Augustus finds along the way that make him smile. A beautiful book of hope that might open up discussion on what it means to be happy and look after ourselves.

Of course there are so many other situations that arise in life and the titles I have listed are really just a few books off a much larger bookshelf, if you get what I mean :)

So, What About You? 

Any experiences with your little ones and a beloved book to share? Got any other great titles to suggest?

Cows that Type?

Click Clack Moo. Cows that Type.

Picture book by Doreen Cronin

The importance of words typed by the right kind of cow...

When being a cow without a blanket seems like an unfair lot in life, comes a tale of communication breakdown, leaders who don't and cows that won't...

Farmer Brown has some intellectually frustrated cows with cold hides. They have made their request. In a typed letter no less. All day long he hears them.

Click, clack, moo. Click, clack, moo.

The barn is cold. They'd like some blankets.

I've visited a barn in winter. I can understand.

Farmer Brown is a bit of a traditionalist. Cows give milk. They don't type letters. Fair enough. Not very opened minded, but farming is fairly straight forward. No need for divergent thinking. This is the way it has always been done.

Oh, how many Farmer Browns I have met! They are in charge, but they aren't reading their letters, if you know what I mean.

Poor Farmer Brown. Being a leader is tough. It's lonely at the top they say... and lonely at the bottom when you feel like a cow with no blanket.

The cows go on strike. Farmer Brown is the only one who didn't see thatcoming.

They type another letter. No milk today. Reasonable really. What else do you have to withhold when you are a cow who isn't being heard?

Click clack moo. Yet another letter is typed. The cows have needy friends. Friends who can't type. The hens are cold too. They'd like electric blankets.

Well, you may as well go for broke when you are not being heard. If you are a cow with no blanket, you probably do know some hens who, though they come from very different walks of life, still suffer with the cold on a blanketless night.

Farmer Brown gives no response. Ignore the problem. It will likely disappear. How wise those at the top can be.

Click, clack, moo.

Yet another letter. Now the hens are on strike.

No milk. And no eggs.

Farmer Brown finds a type writer of his own. Milkless, eggless farms are a bit of a problem, even for the Farmer Browns of this world. You can't ignore the cows and hens when you aren't getting what you need.

All be it late, Farmer Brown is going to lay down the law. They are cows and hens. They WILL give him milk and eggs. This is his farm after all. Yeah... I wonder how they will work for him.

Duck gets involved.

There is always one isn't there? The on looker who feels everything going down on the farm is their business. A 'do gooder' who takes it upon themselves to 'do good' with alteria motives. Watch out

for the duck in the midst of a problem...

The cows hold an emergency meeting.

Click, clack, moo. They will exchange their typewriter for electric blankets. Simple. Brains at the top could have thought of this.

Duck delivers the cows' letter. How helpful...

Farmer Brown gives in. No more letters, and he will have his milk and eggs... he agrees to the blankets.

Beast and foul are now warm in the barn. The masses are appeased. All creatures are happy. Peace reigns. Right?

Click, clack, quack.

The pond is quite boring, the ducks would like a diving board...

Here's my take on life.

If your cows are a typin' better see what can be done before the ducks get involved and you end up with a diving board in your pond. Farmer Browns should realize that cows may eventually find a type writer. The desperate often find a voice.

Those who can write, should. Every hen needs a cow willing to type up their cause. Stories need to be told. Letters need to be written. Farmer Browns need to know. Effects of decisions should be explored.

In short, the world is full of ducks and cows and hens, and a few Farmer Browns at the top. But words are mighty little things with great potential in the ...um...hands of the right kind of cow.

PS- I'm a cow. What about you?

Full version of this picture book, minus my... um... 'insightful' input, is available at Amazon.com. Your kids will love it too. Although little ones will get a laugh, try reading this book to older children. Just think of all the cows and hens and farmers you could chat about...

Writing Blabberings -The Games We Play with Words

Meaning is in the eye of the beholder.

I love words, I always have. I make it my personal endeavour to find creative uses for as many of them as I can. And I thought my word choices were imaginative... until I had children. Then I realised that I am a mere dwarf among the true giants of this language game.

My two year old has me beat hands down. He not only appropriates whatever word he feels inclined to use in the place of words that we might ordinarily choose, he also invents his own words.

Googies are blankets. Big Daddas are tractors. Heblicobta's are, no, not helicopter's, they are planes and some times birds. Butterflies are ants or really anything that creeps on the ground and moos are anything from horses to pigs. Interestingly, moos are never cows.

See, he is not restricted by all the language rules we adults rave on about and beat our heads in trying to follow. He just lets the words flow.

And while I am not advocating that we all start re-inventing the English language (although someone clearly needs to overhaul the English spelling system), I do think I write better when I stop trying to search for the 'correct' word and start fleshing out images in my head with normal words used in unexpected ways.

I love the quote by 'Pegleg3941' in the comments section on KM Weiland's blog.

"Forcing people to see common thoughts in uncommon ways is a lot of fun. The tough part is making people enjoy the times you play with their heads."

I couldn't agree more. And, yeah, I must admit I don't always enjoy the trip around the mountain we have to take to deceiver the meanings behind some of the words my toddler uses. Oh, he understand what he said alright. What the heck is Mummy's problem? He asked for a 'flocwif' ten minutes ago and still hasn't got what he ordered! I'm left madly searching through the fridge where he is pointing and stomping his pudgy legs crying, "flocwif!"

So, I guess all writers take the risk that their unconventional word pictures do in fact convey the image intended and not just a general angst whilst sending people on, um, searches through their fridge???

Oh, and by the way, a 'flocwif' is a sandwich. Just in case you ever find yourself looking for one.

Words Games for Parents

Hooking children on reading and writing. 

If you are reading this blog I probably don't have to convince you that words are pretty important little things. But children aren't born with this conviction. Chocolate before bedtime and needing a new toy at the shops: these are concepts they are born with an innate knowledge of. But the purpose of reading and writing is a vague concept to most kids. That's where we come in. It is up to parents, caregivers and teachers to make the point for literacy loud, clear and irrevocably poignant. Basically, without literacy skills we don't get on well in this world. Words are everywhere. Books are only one place your kids will encounter print, and thus only one means of exposing them to reading and writing. I used to doll out the following suggestions for encouraging literacy skills at parent- teacher interviews, but they are all yours now. Hope they are good food for thought.

Children under Five or Pre-Readers

• When reading... I'll start here soon as most people think of books when they think of words. Point to pictures. Make comments. Have a whale of a time. Babies get that this crazy thing we do with books called 'reading' is in fact a heap of fun. Later you can trace words with you finger. Even babies can see that when you say a word, you point to some funny marks on the page and it plants the first little seed in their minds that perhaps these pictures and text are actually linked. As children get older (two and up) start pointing out interesting marks near words (question marks, quotation marks, exclamation marks) there's no need to be overly 'teachy' about it, just point out the marks and see if your child wants to ask what they are. If they do, answer in a really simple way. For example,  "Oh, they are marks writers use to show someone is talking"- I use to call them 'talking marks'.
•  If a text repeats... play 'can you find this word' game on each page. 
• Have fun with book knowledge...Do crazy stuff like turn the book upside down or start reading from the back of the book. Your child should look at you like you have two heads and laugh and say, "No, Mummy, hold the book like this." Or, "No, Mummy, we start reading here." This is a great way to see what your child knows about text being read from left to right, how you hold books and where you start reading in a book. If they don't see any problem with reading a book backwards then you can say something like, "Oh silly Mummy. That's not the start of the book." Sadly I have seen many kids at the start of school not knowing how to hold a book or where to start reading. It's a dead give away that not much reading is going on at home. Some two year olds will be able to hold a book the right way up, but by three they should definitely know which way to hold a book and how to turn the pages. I have done silly stuff like pretending to read from the pictures. My son use to howl with laughter and say insightful things like, "No, Mummy, the pictures don't tell the words." And then he'd point to the words and say, "See, Mummy, here are the words." Great stuff for teaching about the point of words on a page and the difference between pictures and text. No, this is not immediately self-evident to children.
• Notice text...everywhere. When you are out and about try doing simple things like pointing out the words in familiar signs. Sadly, my son could read the words 'K-mart' and 'Target' before he was three. Hmmm...we might have gone shopping a few times! If you have boys, road signs and cars with text on them will be very intriguing. I never realised how many road signs  there were between home and Nan's until my son demanded I read them all to him all the time... thank goodness he got over that little habit.
• Mention that you are reading and writing... Saying things like, "Mummy can't park here because the sign says 'no parking,"or "Mummy's just writing a letter to Nan," or Mummy's making a shopping list, do you want to hold it in the supermarket?" All these comments build up a picture in your child's head that reading and writing are incredibly useful skills to have. Beware; you may find yourself doing a lot of 'reading' in public. My son used to make me read each item off the shopping list as we put it in the cart. And whoa to me if it wasn't on the list...
• Label stuff... Names on their bedroom doors, Lego labels on the Lego box, 'Jack's toys' on the toy box etc. I'm not suggesting you go writing on everything in the house, but some labels, especially their name, will help immensely with beginning word recognition and once again build the idea that reading and writing are useful skills. 

Children over Five or Readers

• Let the fun begin...when reading to them (you're still doing this, right?) start talking about meaning behind text. Just posing natural questions will do the trick. What do you think will happen next? Why do you think the pig did that? What would you do if you were (insert book charcters name)? These types of questions start to expose kids to the idea that books can and should be explored, thought about and questioned. Believe me, this is exactly the kind of skill your teacher is desperately trying to drum into them at school. Comprehension questions are boring, so don't make this a teaching type time, just have fun pulling apart plots and characters and making outrageous guesses about what you might do if you met a dragon or owned a magic hat etc.
• Involve your kids in the writing process. Writing thank you cards, addressing envelopes, making lists of things to buy or do, making wish lists for birthdays and Christmas, labelling their school books or belongings etc. Isaiah and I started this happy little game of writing each other a note before bedtime. We write it on the Magna Doodle beside his bed. He writes first and when I come to check on him before I go to bed I read his note and then write one back. He loves waking up in the morning to find out what I have written.
• Notice text and let them use it...by this I mean, you now have a little reader on your hands. Let them practise their skills in meaningful ways. Isaiah loves to do the self check out thing at the grocery store which involves reading the prompts. I also let him get certain grocery items and tell him to read the labels. When cooking I let him read the recipe, when trying to find a street, I ask him to help by reading the street signs. I involve him whenever I can in day to day reading and writing skills. After all daily life is where  I mostly use these skills.
• Play games with words whenever the mood strikes. A couple of Isaiah's favourite words games  are rhyming words, escpecailly nonsense rhyming words.( We have doctor Suess to thank for that!) I'll say 'goose', he'll say 'kfoose'. Silly, I know, but the skills of rhyming, word sounds, word families etc are never a waste of time. The other game he likes is 'find another word'. I'll say 'big', he'll say 'enormous', then I'll say 'huge' and he'll say 'massive'. The game goes until one of you can't think of another word that means the same as the original word. 'Half the sentence' is another crazy game we play. I start the sentence, he finishes it. My dog...has really huge blue legs. Or whatever other silliness you can think of. The point is to have fun and use words. Explore language and expose them to unfamiliar words while increasing their vocabs. I will admit I have increased my own vocab playing these games. Isaiah is getting very good at them and I can't just lose!
• Older kids might be interested in more meaningful discussions around text, especially where it concerns media and popular culture. The grade nines I used to teach wouldn't be caught dead with a book, but happily used their phones to text and sat on the net for hours. Older kids read, it just might not look like a book. If you stay connected to your kids you will find ways to stay involved with their worlds and thus encourage them as readers and writers. 

Have fun. Most important. Kids have inbuilt radars for 'work'. If that's what your 'games' become they won't be fun. Maybe none of these suggestions are for you. I simply encourage you to find ways to promote reading and writing outside of the classroom. Amazing things like 'fun', 'happy memories',  'building connections' and 'spending time together' will probably happen, if nothing else. What have you got to lose?

Goodnight Moon- Books Before Bedtime

It's that wonderful time of the evening. The stars are out, and your little ones are bathed, fed and almost tucked up in their beds. And in a perfect world, all that went off without a hitch! Your kids are now begging to be snuggled up and kissed goodnight, right? No?

Okay, mine neither. But, as both a teacher and mum,  I have a few suggestions about bedtime reading that might settle the troops and create some lasting memories of shared quiet time snuggled up with wonderful books. What could be nicer for children at the end of the day than your time and attention? I think most of us have discovered though, that such moments of stillness with our children cannot be forced. You can, however, provide the right setting, routine and an appropriate book. 

1. When do you read the bedtime story?

I have played around with this a bit over the years of raising my kids. I used to read to them before bath time, but found that having a good romp in the bath negates any effects of the soothing rhythms of my reading. Maybe that's also because their Daddy thinks bath time is a great time for uproarious laughter and seeing how wet the bathroom floor can get. ( You can tell who is in charge of bath time, hey) So I moved story time to immediately before bed. This works well with children older than one. But I did find that while I was still breastfeeding my youngest it was easier to let his nighttime feed be the the last event of the day (as it lulled him to sleep) and stories happened just before. It's up to you really, but I would suggest you chose a time as close as possible to bedtime and pick a moment that children have nothing else going on. In other words you are heading in the direction of bed and not merely filing in time in between the adds of their favourite show. I think routine really helps to establish this as a nightly event leading to sleep time. I also think it helps children to wind down and settle their bodies and minds at the end of the day.

2. Where do you snuggle?

I think where you read is just as important as when or even what you read. After all, you are not only wanting to focus your child's attention on the book, but you are wanting this to be a relaxing and quiet event. Needless to say then, (but I'll say it anyway), don't read in the kitchen, lounge room or any place that is super lit with overhead flood lights and plenty of other commotion going on. Personally I think bedrooms are perfect for nighttime stories. Pick a soft lamp light, a comfy chair or bed, gather the favourite cuddly toys and blankies and settle down to read. 

3. What do you read?

I would chose bedtime reading selectively. The latest story on some monster related theme (no matter how child friendly) will do nothing to promote a sense of security about being left alone in their rooms to sleep. Even some dinosaur books can leave little ones calling out long after their bedtime and mummy's and daddies crawling around under beds and opening cupboards to prove to their child that no creature from the book is actually living under there. Any story that your child loves is the right one to read, but if you want to add a quiet bedtime book at the end ,here are my suggestions.

• Kisses For Daddy by Frances Watts & David Legge
• Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
• Sleepy Bears by Mem Fox
• Time for Bed by Mem Fox
• How do Dinosaurs say Goodnight? by Jane Yolen & Mark Teague
• Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
• Mommy's Best Kisses by Margaret Anastas
• Sleepy-time Dance by Kathrine Grace Bond

For Older Children

As I have said on previous posts, keep reading to your kids as long as you are both happy for this to occur. Now that my eldest son has moved on past picture books we read one chapter of whatever book he is currently reading. I still focus on making this a quiet event, but we now spend a lot more time talking about the characters and how their stories related to our own. He asks plenty of questions, which often leads to chatter that winds down some interesting paths that have nothing whatsoever to do with the book we are reading. But I think that is the whole point. Books are a wonderful spring board for conversation and they often provide just the right sort of atmosphere for kids to ask questions they might otherwise shy away from. Life is plenty busy. I really milk this quiet reading time for all it's worth. There are precious few moments in the day for me to sit alone with my children without distractions and really focus on them and their thoughts and concerns. Bedtime reading is a wonderful distraction all of its own. I encourage you to indulge nightly and introduce your little ones to the art of stillness as you snuggle together to share the last event of their day before bed.

Following Dreams with Kids in Tow

About eighteen months ago my world fell apart. In truth it had been falling apart since I was a little girl, but I finally reached a place in my life where I felt able to deal with the abuse in my past. The journey wasn't pretty and in many ways I am still on it. But an interesting 'little' phenomenon occurred. I discovered that there was a person inside who needed things and wanted things. She had dreams, passions and unspoken desires. 

Ever since I can remember I have been writing. But I didn't think writing would pay bills or help me move out of my dysfunctional home. So I went to university and studied education. I became a primary (elementary) teacher, travelled the world and met lots of beautiful children. Teaching challenged me, made me search inside and grow as a person. I don't regret this career decision or the years I spent investing in the lives of children. Indeed I would not have been ready to embark on the kind of writing I now embrace. I would not have had the depth of character behind me to give myself to the words I now craft. But now, in my early thirties, I am finally acknowledging one of my greatest passions. No doubt the timing is perfect. 

The other day someone asked me if I was still teaching.  I could have said I am just a mother. But that would only be part of the truth. I have two amazing sons who rock my world, but there is more to the woman I am. So I proudly owned the fact that I now write.

At the moment I have only seen my work in magazines, but I have dreams of seeing my book in print one day. I'll post another day on that book and the story behind it, but today I wanted to muse about pursuing dreams with kids in tow and acknowledging the desires within us. I understand that there are seasons in life and that we mothers have limited time and resources. My children's needs come before my writing and editor deadlines are fitted around my family commitments. But life is shorter than we comprehend. 

How do we go about following our passions while raising our families? Do we simply put everything that matters to us on hold until our children are grown? Or do some things wait while others blossom? What is the balance between pursuing goals and motherhood? 

I am guessing that the answers will be as varied as our individual mothering styles, goals and desires. 

Personally one of my greatest fears is ignoring my inner dreams, under the banner of raising children, only to wake up one day and wonder who I am and what I want. But I also believe that God has all my days in His hands and that the right time for dreams to blossom will be His time. 

So, whether you are a writer or not, what to do you think about raising children and pursuing goals and dreams? What is the balance that works for you? And if you write, how do you make that happen? Does anyone else out there walk around with bags under their eyes some days because they were loving the latest chapter they were working on last night just a little too much? Hmmm... Let me know.