Parenting Press E-zine

News for Parents — January

Dear Friends of Parenting Press,

Welcome to the January issue of our electronic newsletter for parents. Our goal is to provide you with interesting and useful information in a format that’s quick and easy to read—and FREE. We welcome your comments, both about the newsletter content and its format. To get the newsletter delivered, you can sign up for an e-mail subscription.

January 2008

IN THIS ISSUE

WHAT’S NEW?
FEATURES
POTPOURRI
COMING ATTRACTIONS
- How Fathers and Sons Influence Each Other Throughout Life
- Learning to Advocate for Your Child in School
- Left Brain, Right Brain Revisited: Thinking Styles and Parenting

I. WHAT’S NEW?

Be the Boss of Your Body

Free Spirit Publishing is launching a new series on self-care for kids 8 and older. “Be the Boss of Your Body” emphasizes what we can do to control pain, stress or insomnia. As “Be the Boss of Your Sleep” points out, being healthy means much more than having a physical body that is fit and well. “Being the boss of your body means taking charge of all three [body, mind and spirit] to help yourself deal with common problems and feel your best,” explain authors Timothy Culbert, a pediatrician, and Rebecca Kajander, a nurse practitioner.

This series introduces the concept of balance, which the authors define in kid-friendly terms. If you’re balanced, your mind is full of positive thoughts and emotions. You feel confident, loved, grateful, proud and safe, organized and able to focus your attention. You have warm fingers and toes, your breathing and heartbeat are regular, the palms of your hands are dry, and your muscles are relaxed. If you’re balanced, you’ll have such spiritual characteristics as a sense of peacefulness, the ability to appreciate beauty and enjoy nature, and you feel connected to and loved by others.

“Be the Boss of Your Sleep” helps kids understand:
- why we need sleep (to take a break from stimulation, for example),
- why we might have trouble falling asleep (being afraid, maybe),
- why we sometimes can’t stay asleep (a stuffy nose, for example), and
- why some people are sleepy during the day.
It also describes typical effects of sleep problems:
- less energy
- less coordinated
- negative thoughts
- lousy moods
- anxiety
- less interested in life
- unable to appreciate beauty
Among the exercises in the book are instructions for “Belly Breathing,” to make it easier to slide into sleep, “Imagine That,” to create positive, soothing mental images or jettisoning negative thoughts, “You’re the Coach,” how-to’s on positive self-talk, “Self-Suggestion,” which explains how to use your thoughts to change how you feel, “Aromatherapy,” “Acupressure,” and “Massage.”

The book closes with tips for parents on encouraging kids, and on understanding that children may need to manage sleep differently than their parents do. Books are available separately ($8.95) or as part of a “Be the Boss of Your Body” kit ($19.95). The kit includes a biofeedback card that helps users measure their stress level, a “stress ball,” carbiner, acupressure tool, pinwheel to use with breathing exercises, and other aides.

Top of page
Celebrate! January Birthdays

As the holiday excitement wanes, keep the winter blues away by continuing to celebrate. In fact, you could have cake and candles almost every day this month if you want to observe the birthdays of Paul Revere, Betsy Ross, Ben Franklin, Louis Braille, Jacob Grimm and Martin Luther King Jr.

Here’s a suggestion: bake a double batch of cupcakes the first week of the month, pop them in the freezer, and take out enough for your family each day you want to celebrate a birthday. Besides cake and candles, read (or have your children write) a quick bio of the birthday person.

There’s all sorts of other projects you can do as part of these birthday festivities.
- Read Longfellow’s “Paul Revere’s Ride” and then check the National Endowment for the Humanities web site to answer the question, “How accurate was Longfellow?”
- Check an encyclopedia at the library or on the Internet for photos of the different American flags, starting with the one supposedly crafted by Ross.
- Have each member of your family research a different one of Franklin’s inventions and discuss how this portly statesman might have tried out these innovations. (Can you imagine him testing swim fins? Did he use an odometer with a horse and wagon? How do you suppose he made the first pair of bifocals?)
Another day, create your names in Braille by pressing a pen point into paper, or read one of the Brothers Grimm stories like “Cinderella,” “Hansel and Gretel,” or “Rapunzel.” Older kids may want to research how these folk tales have been revised through the years to be gentler and more moral; a National Geographic web site has some of the early versions.

Most communities have events to observe King’s birthday. In addition, consider the example of cities and states that are asking citizens to use the day for community service. In Bloomington, Ill., for example, the city is sponsoring “A Day On! Not A Day Off!” to honor King’s philosophy that “everybody can be great, because everyone can serve.”

For Jan. 18, “Winnie the Pooh Day,” observe the birthday of Winnie’s author A.A. Milne by reading some of Milne’s stories—maybe with a teddy bear picnic! Or, pull on rubber boots as Christopher Robin used to do, and stomp around in the puddles in Hundred Acre Wood. Teenagers (or baby boomers) may be interested in the biography of Milne (see www.wikipedia.org, which says that Milne’s country cottage was later the home of a member of the Rolling Stones) or the memoirs of the real Christopher Milne, which are discussed at The Page at Pooh Corner.

Top of page
Taking the Fifth

This month we wrap up our fifth year of “News for Parents,” and as we launch the sixth year, we look forward to your comments regarding what you like best about the newsletter and what topics you would like to see covered in future issues. To share your thoughts with us, please use this form.

Top of page

II. FEATURES

Tips for the month

Each Saturday, Parenting Press posts a new parenting tip and the previous week’s tip is moved to the archive. The topics planned for January are:

January 5 — When Your Preschooler Hits the Baby
January 12 — Really Great Tips on Disciplining Children Without Damaging Self-Esteem
January 19 — Preventing Sexual Abuse
January 26 — Keeping Secrets and Keeping Safe

Top of page
Family Fun Ideas — Family Face Bingo

click for larger view

Here’s a game that everyone can play, whether or not they recognize letters! All you need are copies of family photos (include pets and friends, if you like) that are the same size. You can also use different photos of the same people (say, at different ages). Create bingo cards like this, making sure you arrange the photos differently on each card. If you have many photos, each card does not need to have every photo. Put a copy of each photo in a bag or other opaque container—just make sure no one can see the photos in it.

Game rules: Explain what a “bingo” is: a straight line, covering the four corners or, for the very patient, a blackout. The bingo caller will pull out a photo and show it so the rest of you can mark your cards if you have that image.

Variation: for family reunions, include old photos that show homes, cars, and schools, too.

Top of page
Community Service: Therapy That’s Fun!

Our usual goal with this column is to suggest ways that you can model the concept of sharing and giving back to your community. There are other practical advantages to community service, too. Kids can use these projects to meet school or youth group requirements for community service and to start building resumes that they’ll use when applying for first jobs or college.

New Year’s resolutions provide an opportunity to make commitments, and one we’re suggesting is helping stroke victims with projects that you also enjoy. When the “News for Parents” editor’s neighbor recently had a stroke, we learned about all the activities that can help people regain mental and physical skills: playing cards and board games such as Scrabble, folding origami, making balloon animals and crocheting. How can you find people who need your help with such activities? Contact the local hospitals that provide outpatient therapy, respite programs for stroke patients, support groups for patients’ families, occupational and speech therapy clinics, and such support organizations as the National Stroke Association.

Top of page
Raise funds with a Parenting Press Book Fair

Would your school or group like a new fund-raiser?

For years Parenting Press has been offering its carefully written books on child guidance, problem-solving and dealing with feelings through preschool Book Fairs. Now our Book Fairs are being expanded to schools, churches, child-care programs, parenting groups—any organization that can use parenting and children’s books.

More information about our Book Fairs is posted online. We have posted a copy of the brochure, an explanation of how much you can earn with a Book Fair, a step-by-step guide to make Book Fairs easy and fun to organize and downloadable promotional materials.

Top of page

III. POTPOURRI

Special of the month—Celebrate with Maribeth Boelts

This special has expired.

Top of page
Does the newsletter work properly?

We would like this newsletter to be interactive—a place where we can ask for your opinion on what we are doing and what information people who live or work with children would like to see from Parenting Press. We would also like you to tell us what information and books you need and want.

We welcome your comments on the format and content on the feedback form. Thank you!

Top of page
How to receive (or send) a no-cost subscription to this e-zine.

We hope you have enjoyed PARENTING PRESS NEWS FOR PARENTS.

Subscribing: If you were referred to this newsletter by a friend or colleague, you can have it delivered by signing up for an e-mail subscription (there’s no cost). If you received the e-mail edition from Parenting Press, you are already subscribed.
If you enjoyed the newsletter, don’t hesitate to tell your friends. If they wish to continue receiving the newsletter, they will need to subscribe.

If you are a parent educator, feel free to tell your colleagues, students, or friends who might be interested.

Thank you!

Top of page
Reprinting e-zine articles in your newsletter.

If you publish a school, preschool, day care or parenting newsletter, you are welcome to reprint articles from this e-zine. Simply include our copyright notice with a phrase such as

Reprinted with permission from Parenting Press News for Parents, copyright © 2008. For a free subscription, see www.ParentingPress.com/signup.html.

And please mail a copy of your newsletter to Publicity Department, P.O. Box 75267, Seattle WA 98175-0267.

Top of page

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To get the newsletter delivered, you can sign up for an e-mail subscription. January 2008 IN THIS ISSUE WHAT’S NEW? Be the Boss of Your Body Celebrate! Taking the Fifth FEATURES Tips for the month Family fun ideas—Family Face Bingo Community service—Therapy That’s Fun! Book Fair Materials Available Online POTPOURRI Special of the month—Celebrate with Maribeth Boelts Feedback: Does the newsletter work properly? How to receive your free subscription to this e-zine Reprinting articles in your newsletter COMING ATTRACTIONS How Fathers and Sons Influence Each Other Throughout Life Learning to Advocate for Your Child in School Left Brain, Right Brain Revisited: Thinking Styles and Parenting I. WHAT’S NEW? Be the Boss of Your Body Free Spirit Publishing is launching a new series on self-care for kids 8 and older. “Be the Boss of Your Body” emphasizes what we can do to control pain, stress or insomnia. As “Be the Boss of Your Sleep” points out, being healthy means much more than having a physical body that is fit and well. “Being the boss of your body means taking charge of all three [body, mind and spirit] to help yourself deal with common problems and feel your best,” explain authors Timothy Culbert, a pediatrician, and Rebecca Kajander, a nurse practitioner. This series introduces the concept of balance, which the authors define in kid-friendly terms. If you’re balanced, your mind is full of positive thoughts and emotions. You feel confident, loved, grateful, proud and safe, organized and able to focus your attention. You have warm fingers and toes, your breathing and heartbeat are regular, the palms of your hands are dry, and your muscles are relaxed. If you’re balanced, you’ll have such spiritual characteristics as a sense of peacefulness, the ability to appreciate beauty and enjoy nature, and you feel connected to and loved by others. “Be the Boss of Your Sleep” helps kids understand: why we need sleep (to take a break from stimulation, for example), why we might have trouble falling asleep (being afraid, maybe), why we sometimes can’t stay asleep (a stuffy nose, for example), and why some people are sleepy during the day. It also describes typical effects of sleep problems: less energy less coordinated negative thoughts lousy moods anxiety less interested in life unable to appreciate beauty Among the exercises in the book are instructions for “Belly Breathing,” to make it easier to slide into sleep, “Imagine That,” to create positive, soothing mental images or jettisoning negative thoughts, “You’re the Coach,” how-to’s on positive self-talk, “Self-Suggestion,” which explains how to use your thoughts to change how you feel, “Aromatherapy,” “Acupressure,” and “Massage.” The book closes with tips for parents on encouraging kids, and on understanding that children may need to manage sleep differently than their parents do. Books are available separately ($8.95) or as part of a “Be the Boss of Your Body” kit ($19.95). The kit includes a biofeedback card that helps users measure their stress level, a “stress ball,” carbiner, acupressure tool, pinwheel to use with breathing exercises, and other aides. Top of page Celebrate! January Birthdays As the holiday excitement wanes, keep the winter blues away by continuing to celebrate. In fact, you could have cake and candles almost every day this month if you want to observe the birthdays of Paul Revere, Betsy Ross, Ben Franklin, Louis Braille, Jacob Grimm and Martin Luther King Jr. Here’s a suggestion: bake a double batch of cupcakes the first week of the month, pop them in the freezer, and take out enough for your family each day you want to celebrate a birthday. Besides cake and candles, read (or have your children write) a quick bio of the birthday person. There’s all sorts of other projects you can do as part of these birthday festivities. Read Longfellow’s “Paul Revere’s Ride” and then check the National Endowment for the Humanities web site to answer the question, “How accurate was Longfellow?” Check an encyclopedia at the library or on the Internet for photos of the different American flags, starting with the one supposedly crafted by Ross. Have each member of your family research a different one of Franklin’s inventions and discuss how this portly statesman might have tried out these innovations. (Can you imagine him testing swim fins? Did he use an odometer with a horse and wagon? How do you suppose he made the first pair of bifocals?) Another day, create your names in Braille by pressing a pen point into paper, or read one of the Brothers Grimm stories like “Cinderella,” “Hansel and Gretel,” or “Rapunzel.” Older kids may want to research how these folk tales have been revised through the years to be gentler and more moral; a National Geographic web site has some of the early versions. Most communities have events to observe King’s birthday. In addition, consider the example of cities and states that are asking citizens to use the day for community service. In Bloomington, Ill., for example, the city is sponsoring “A Day On! Not A Day Off!” to honor King’s philosophy that “everybody can be great, because everyone can serve.” For Jan. 18, “Winnie the Pooh Day,” observe the birthday of Winnie’s author A.A. Milne by reading some of Milne’s stories—maybe with a teddy bear picnic! Or, pull on rubber boots as Christopher Robin used to do, and stomp around in the puddles in Hundred Acre Wood. Teenagers (or baby boomers) may be interested in the biography of Milne (see www.wikipedia.org, which says that Milne’s country cottage was later the home of a member of the Rolling Stones) or the memoirs of the real Christopher Milne, which are discussed at The Page at Pooh Corner. Top of page Taking the Fifth This month we wrap up our fifth year of “News for Parents,” and as we launch the sixth year, we look forward to your comments regarding what you like best about the newsletter and what topics you would like to see covered in future issues. To share your thoughts with us, please use this form. Top of page II. FEATURES Tips for the month Each Saturday, Parenting Press posts a new parenting tip and the previous week’s tip is moved to the archive. The topics planned for January are: January 5 — When Your Preschooler Hits the Baby January 12 — Really Great Tips on Disciplining Children Without Damaging Self-Esteem January 19 — Preventing Sexual Abuse January 26 — Keeping Secrets and Keeping Safe Top of page Family Fun Ideas — Family Face Bingo click for larger view Here’s a game that everyone can play, whether or not they recognize letters! All you need are copies of family photos (include pets and friends, if you like) that are the same size. You can also use different photos of the same people (say, at different ages). Create bingo cards like this, making sure you arrange the photos differently on each card. If you have many photos, each card does not need to have every photo. Put a copy of each photo in a bag or other opaque container—just make sure no one can see the photos in it. Game rules: Explain what a “bingo” is: a straight line, covering the four corners or, for the very patient, a blackout. The bingo caller will pull out a photo and show it so the rest of you can mark your cards if you have that image. Variation: for family reunions, include old photos that show homes, cars, and schools, too. Top of page Community Service: Therapy That’s Fun! Our usual goal with this column is to suggest ways that you can model the concept of sharing and giving back to your community. There are other practical advantages to community service, too. Kids can use these projects to meet school or youth group requirements for community service and to start building resumes that they’ll use when applying for first jobs or college. New Year’s resolutions provide an opportunity to make commitments, and one we’re suggesting is helping stroke victims with projects that you also enjoy. When the “News for Parents” editor’s neighbor recently had a stroke, we learned about all the activities that can help people regain mental and physical skills: playing cards and board games such as Scrabble, folding origami, making balloon animals and crocheting. How can you find people who need your help with such activities? Contact the local hospitals that provide outpatient therapy, respite programs for stroke patients, support groups for patients’ families, occupational and speech therapy clinics, and such support organizations as the National Stroke Association. Top of page Raise funds with a Parenting Press Book Fair Would your school or group like a new fund-raiser? For years Parenting Press has been offering its carefully written books on child guidance, problem-solving and dealing with feelings through preschool Book Fairs. Now our Book Fairs are being expanded to schools, churches, child-care programs, parenting groups—any organization that can use parenting and children’s books. More information about our Book Fairs is posted online. We have posted a copy of the brochure, an explanation of how much you can earn with a Book Fair, a step-by-step guide to make Book Fairs easy and fun to organize and downloadable promotional materials. Top of page III. POTPOURRI Special of the month—Celebrate with Maribeth Boelts This special has expired. Top of page Does the newsletter work properly? We would like this newsletter to be interactive—a place where we can ask for your opinion on what we are doing and what information people who live or work with children would like to see from Parenting Press. We would also like you to tell us what information and books you need and want. We welcome your comments on the format and content on the feedback form. Thank you! Top of page How to receive (or send) a no-cost subscription to this e-zine. We hope you have enjoyed PARENTING PRESS NEWS FOR PARENTS. Subscribing: If you were referred to this newsletter by a friend or colleague, you can have it delivered by signing up for an e-mail subscription (there’s no cost). If you received the e-mail edition from Parenting Press, you are already subscribed. If you enjoyed the newsletter, don’t hesitate to tell your friends. If they wish to continue receiving the newsletter, they will need to subscribe. If you are a parent educator, feel free to tell your colleagues, students, or friends who might be interested. Thank you! Top of page Reprinting e-zine articles in your newsletter. If you publish a school, preschool, day care or parenting newsletter, you are welcome to reprint articles from this e-zine. Simply include our copyright notice with a phrase such as Reprinted with permission from Parenting Press News for Parents, copyright © 2008. For a free subscription, see www.ParentingPress.com/signup.html. And please mail a copy of your newsletter to Publicity Department, P.O. Box 75267, Seattle WA 98175-0267. Top of page E-mail this page to a friend Visit our web site Browse our CATALOG on-line or order a copy.
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