Give the valuable gift of reading

Hello to all you happy holiday shoppers and those reading blogs to avoid shopping!

I want to take a moment to tell you about the amazing company I work for that has been in business for over 25 years, Reading with TLC.  Reading with TLC is a wonderful company dedicated to teaching children the indispensable skills of phonics and reading.  We have an amazing program called ‘Lively Letters’ and if you are a teacher, speech language pathologist or a concerned parent with a child and/or children struggling to read, you will want to click HERE.  This program is vital for anyone with the need to teach a struggling reader of any age!

I have read all the testimonials that we receive and I have witnessed firsthand how fun and successful the program is.  It is fantabulous!  Now sound that out phonetically!  Lol.  Yes, I know it is not a word! I make up words all the time, but that is a story for another day.  I am now a proud affiliate of Lively Letters so if you want to learn all about the program click my affiliate link and let’s get acquainted!  🙂 Happy Shopping!  Happy Holidays!  Happy Reading!

 

Book review: ‘How to raise great kids’

I am blessed to receive so many emails from readers, companies and generally cool people.  So many, in fact, that I simply don’t have time to review all of the products and requests that come through the pipeline.  Not the Alaska pipeline.  But the blog pipeline. Back on Thanksgiving Day 2016, I got a really nice email from Jim Gromer. And yes, you read that correctly.  It was Thanksgiving Day 2016 and I am just getting to this review.  I am embarrassed to admit this delay but I wanted to do this one and it took me far longer than it should have.  However, I am trying to raise great kids and I guess that is where the majority of my time goes.  To parenting and work, laundry, etc.  Well, you know the drill (total pun intended with the Alaska reference!)  We are all multitasking, right?

Anyway, my point is, sometimes, in a few sentences or so, you can tell someone is a kindred spirit; that you really have to take a longer look at this inquiry. That, if this person had been in your high school or was your neighbor, you would be friends.  I am like that.  I am intuitive about people.  At least, most of the time.

So let me tell you about the book ‘How to Raise Great Kids’ and how you can get it.  You can click that link ahead of time or you can wait and I can tell you what I like about it.  This book has tips for learning, games and general all around fun with your children.  What I loved about the concept was the onus was put on the children to be great…..raise great kids.  I like that.  Then some of the pressure is off…..it becomes a partnership and both parents and children are responsible for their greatness.  And the children are expected to be respectful, have fun, gain self-confidence and more.  Now, I know you are thinking, ‘I know everything about parenting….what could I learn?‘ Trust me, you don’t know everything.  None of us do.  And the minute we realize that, we become better parents instantly.

There is nothing better than a great book....well, a great book signed by the author!

There is nothing better than a great book….well, a great book signed by the author!

This book is filled with tips for communication, hygiene, safety, instilling faith and confidence in little ones and the list goes on.  The chapters are short and filled with great suggestions.  If you are parenting or know a parent or are invited to a baby shower, this is a gem of a book.  Here’s the link: How to Raise Great Kids…..don’t be like me and wait.  Enjoy!  Parent away!  And the author’s advice and my advice:  cherish every minute of it….yes, parenting can be really fun!  It sounds like an oxymoron but it is not!

Oh, and here’s my favorite line – “Life is messy but when you cherish the golden moments and power through the inevitable tough times, you give your family a fighting chance to leave a positive legacy.”  Sage advice from Jim Gromer!.

 

Countdown to Autumn

I think it is time for a countdown, right?  Because let’s face it, I have been slacking big time this summer.  I have countless emails I need to return and for that, I am truly sorry.  It is rude not to return an email and so the rudeness meter at blog command headquarters is off the charts. My trips to the pool with my kids this summer has been off the charts also.  Early in the morning.  Late night swimming.  Sunshine. Cloud cover.  Threat of storms.  Was that a plane or thunder?  Hmmm….maybe we should get out now?  I always think, I will never be able to replace this time again.  The laundry will be there and the rug that needs a good vacuuming but some day they will be off with their friends and I will be glad I made time for fun.

I read one book in it’s entirety. I started about 5 others and quit because of some interruption.  My daughter read 19 books and 2 novellas.  Yes, you read that correctly.  And she tells me there is still time for more.  There is about one week left to summer.  Last night the temperature was in the 50’s.  There were no bee stings.  No tick bites.  But I did get a black beetle stuck in my ear.  I am not kidding.  And they bite. Multiple times.  He finally came out but it felt like he was still in there a week later. It sounds funny but it is a pain that is hard to describe.  So you can stop chuckling now!!

Like most of you, I have two sad students looking over the list of supplies they need and not giving one thought to how much all of this is going to cost!  Are they really going to need 20 #2 pencils in one year?  Or even in a lifetime?  5 subject notebooks.  2 pocket folders.  3 hole punched paper.  Who knew there were so many numbers in the supply list?  My wish for all the returning students is they make a few friends, learn some new things and enjoy every minute of it!  Happy Back to School!