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January 28, 2008

The Importance of Raising Your Children to Have Positive Self Esteem

Filed under: Articles — admin @ 12:11 pm

 

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In this day and age, people are plagued with self doubt, lack of self worth, and feeling insignificant. Parents struggle every day to put food on the table and pay the bills; there is often no time left to help their children grow into happy, healthy adults.

Children are cruel and often say hurtful things that can scar a young child’s psyche for years to come. When there is no positive reinforcement from home, the child often tends to allow the negative comments to take a hold and a belief system is born.

Every day on the television we see the horrors of daily life in which we are subjected to. More often than not, the evils that surround us go unmentioned in our own world due to the emotions that encompass them. Although we do not mean to, the effects of our hidden secrets, control our sub conscious mind causing a negative impact on the necessary outlook that we enforce. If we are unable to provide a positive attitude in which to offer our own children, they will more than likely grow up with the same lack of self confidence or esteem.

Although we can not always control our external environment and circumstances which surround us, we can have control over how we react to what is within our own walls. Our children are the number one most important asset that we are given. It is not only our duty and responsibility to ensure they are raised with a healthy ego, it should be our prime concern to ensure they know the power contained within maintaining a positive outlook on life.

If you allow your children to grow and mature as they have been ordained to do so, encouraging them to follow their own desires, creative activities, and innovative ideas, they will learn to believe in themselves regardless of what others may do or say. We can help our children learn to become leaders. We can help our children know what it feels like to stand proud over their achievements and remain strong and assured as they venture forth into another adventure.

We all have the power within us to decide for ourselves what type of people we want to be. We have the power to show our children that regardless of how dismal our surroundings, we can make a conscious effort to gain and hold onto the positive in everything, no matter how hard.

There is no measure for a child’s smile, a spontaneous loving hug, or the proud look of accomplishment on your child’s face when they are awarded for a job well done. All these can be yours to share if you can find the time to spend with your children teaching them the value of love, trust, honesty, and total acceptance for who they are. If you help to foster a resilient attitude within them, together you will be able to rise above and mature into healthy, happy people who will be able to handle anything that comes your way.


About the Author

Melanie Bremner is presently running and maintaining an online Family EBook Sales shop, and produces a weekly newsletter full of stories, facts and fun for the whole family.

Sign up for her newsletter and receive a monthly bonus. http://ebooks4families.biz

January 19, 2008

The Puddle People Hour 3rd Radio Show

Filed under: Podcast — Tags: , — admin @ 8:30 am

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Welcome to the Puddle People Hour!

Each show will include an interview or discussion related to children or parenting issues, a craft, songs, and a story.

Some of the resources that will be showcased on the show come from The Mother’s Survival Kit Series. If you would like your own copy of the book you can pick it up at http://www.pamsargant.com in the store. You can also find great gear in our Cafepress Store!

This is a kid friendly show, so feel free to cuddle your little one on your lap while you listen in.

Listeners (yes kids too with parental approval) are welcome to call in during the show with questions or comments. (646) 378-1633


 
icon for podpress  Puddle People Hour Show #3 [72:52m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download


Today’s Guest:

 

Katherine Reschke born in England, UK and originally trained as an elementary school teacher. She left the teaching profession to become a full time mom and has 3 children. She came to the States in 1999 and worked as a substitute teacher before training as a coach. Her ethos as a parenting coach is that her clients are the experts in their family and know the best answers once they are asked the right questions. She helps all her clients catch their children being good.

Her website is www.betterparentingcoach.com and her email is coach@betterparentingcoach.com


This is a story from public domain through Project Gutenburg Canada

The WOLF and the SEVEN LITTLE GOATS

THERE was once an old goat who had seven little ones, and was as fond of
them as ever mother was of her children. One day she had to go into the
wood to fetch food for them, so she called them all round her.

“Dear children,” said she, “I am going out into the wood; and while I am
gone, be on your guard against the wolf, for if he were once to get
inside he would eat you up, skin, bones, and all. The wretch often
disguises himself, but he may always be known by his hoarse voice and
black paws.”

“Dear mother,” answered the kids, “you need not be afraid, we will take
good care of ourselves.” And the mother bleated good-bye, and went on
her way with an easy mind.

It was not long before some one came knocking at the house-door, and
crying out,

“Open the door, my dear children, your mother is come back, and has
brought each of you something.”

But the little kids knew it was the wolf by the hoarse voice.

“We will not open the door,” cried they; “you are not our mother, she
has a delicate and sweet voice, and your voice is hoarse; you must be
the wolf.”

Then off went the wolf to a shop and bought a big lump of chalk, and ate
it up to make his voice soft. And then he came back, knocked at the
house-door, and cried,

“Open the door, my dear children, your mother is here, and has brought
each of you something.”

But the wolf had put up his black paws against the window, and the kids
seeing this, cried out,

“We will not open the door; our mother has no black paws like you; you
must be the wolf.”

The wolf then ran to a baker.

“Baker,” said he, “I am hurt in the foot; pray spread some dough over
the place.”

And when the baker had plastered his feet, he ran to the miller.

“Miller,” said he, “strew me some white meal over my paws.” But the
miller refused, thinking the wolf must be meaning harm to some one.

“If you don’t do it,” cried the wolf, “I’ll eat you up!”

And the miller was afraid and did as he was told. And that just shows
what men are.

And now came the rogue the third time to the door and knocked. “Open,
children!” cried he. “Your dear mother has come home, and brought you
each something from the wood.”

“First show us your paws,” said the kids, “so that we may know if you
are really our mother or not.”

And he put up his paws against the window, and when they saw that they
were white, all seemed right, and they opened the door; and when he was
inside they saw it was the wolf, and they were terrified and tried to
hide themselves. One ran under the table, the second got into the bed,
the third into the oven, the fourth in the kitchen, the fifth in the
cupboard, the sixth under the sink, the seventh in the clock-case. But
the wolf found them all, and gave them short shrift; one after the other
he swallowed down, all but the youngest, who was hid in the clock-case.
And so the wolf, having got what he wanted, strolled forth into the
green meadows, and laying himself down under a tree, he fell asleep.

Not long after, the mother goat came back from the wood; and, oh! what a
sight met her eyes! the door was standing wide open, table, chairs, and
stools, all thrown about, dishes broken, quilt and pillows torn off the
bed. She sought her children, they were nowhere to be found. She called
to each of them by name, but nobody answered, until she came to the name
of the youngest.

“Here I am, mother,” a little voice cried, “here, in the clock-case.”

And so she helped him out, and heard how the wolf had come, and eaten
all the rest. And you may think how she cried for the loss of her dear
children. At last in her grief she wandered out of doors, and the
youngest kid with her; and when they came into the meadow, there they
saw the wolf lying under a tree, and snoring so that the branches shook.
The mother goat looked at him carefully on all sides and she noticed how
something inside his body was moving and struggling.

“Dear me!” thought she, “can it be that my poor children that he
devoured for his evening meal are still alive?” And she sent the little
kid back to the house for a pair of shears, and needle, and thread. Then
she cut the wolf’s body open, and no sooner had she made one snip than
out came the head of one of the kids, and then another snip, and then
one after the other the six little kids all jumped out alive and well,
for in his greediness the rogue had swallowed them down whole. How
delightful this was! so they comforted their dear mother and hopped
about like tailors at a wedding.

“Now fetch some good hard stones,” said the mother, “and we will fill
his body with them, as he lies asleep.”

And so they fetched some in all haste, and put them inside him, and the
mother sewed him up so quickly again that he was none the wiser.

When the wolf at last awoke, and got up, the stones inside him made him
feel very thirsty, and as he was going to the brook to drink, they
struck and rattled one against another. And so he cried out:

“What is this I feel inside me
Knocking hard against my bones?
How should such a thing betide me!
They were kids, and now they’re stones.”

So he came to the brook, and stooped to drink, but the heavy stones
weighed him down, so he fell over into the water and was drowned. And
when the seven little kids saw it they came up running.

“The wolf is dead, the wolf is dead!” they cried, and taking hands, they
danced with their mother all about the place.


Paper Plate Space Ship

Materials:
- 3 Paper Plates
- 3 Plastic forks
- Tape/Glue
- Paint
- Markers
- Crayons
1. Take two of the paper plates and line them up bottom to bottom.
2. Glue or tape the two plates together
3. Take the forks and stick the end without the tynes into the plates for landing gear, make sure they are tilted out at a 45 degree angle
4. Tape the forks into place.
5. Take the 3rd plate and place it over the top to create a saucer
6. Tape or glue into place
(Another way to do this is to use yarn and a plastic darning needle to sew them together)
7. Decorate your space ship.

Make some variations on this. For instance, cut a door into the top plate that will open and close.


Popping Corn
Lyrics by Pam Sargant
© August 14, 2006

Pop, pop, pop, goes the popping corn
Pop, pop, pop, from night till morn
It popped so high
That it touched the sky
Still pop, pop, pop, goes the popping corn
I went to make some popping corn
All my friends they tried to warn
Not to use too much
Not to use too much
I didn’t listen to them at all
That little cup just looked too small
I put a bit too much
I put a bit too much
OH!
Pop, pop, pop, goes the popping corn
Pop, pop, pop, from night till morn
It popped so high
That it touched the sky
Still pop, pop, pop, goes the popping corn
I never thought such a small little thing
Could get so big and then take wing
I put in way too much
I put in way too much
The next time I am popping corn
I’ll listen when they try to warn me
Not to put too much
I won’t put in too much
STILL!

Pop, pop, pop, goes the popping corn
Pop, pop, pop, from night till morn
It popped so high
That it touched the sky
Still pop, pop, pop, goes the popping corn

 

January 16, 2008

Look in Beccascloset.org and find Miracles-of-Hope

Miracles of Hope Banner

For the third year in a row, Miracles of Hope, http://www.miracles-of-hope.com, is collecting Prom Dresses for Katrina Victims through Becca‘s Closet, http://www.beccascloset.org.

The Prom Dress campaign, for those who don’t know the story, began with Rebecca Kirtman, a remarkably caring 16 year old from Florida. In the spring of her freshman year at Nova High School, Rebecca started a dress bank to provide dresses and accessories to high school girls who wanted to attend their prom or homecoming but could not afford it. That year, Becca was able to collect over 250 prom dresses. Regretfully, Becca passed away in a tragic automobile accident on August 20, 2003, but her legacy goes on through the efforts of friends and family.

Last year Becca’s Closet and Sharon Stone’s organization, Planet Hope, helped Miracles of Hope with every single girl who contacted them for help. In addition, Planet Hope also donated two designer gowns, along with accessories of jewelry and perfume for the girls. Donations are accepted all year long, however, the deadline for this prom season is April.

Miracles-of-hope.com is helping direct collections to the areas who need help, for example, there is a group of 40 high school musicians who are going to New Orleans to give a concert and donate 100K worth of musical instruments. They contacted Miracles of Hope because a couple of the girls want to collect gowns so they are setting them up for their collection to go to a Becca’s Closet chapter in that area. Denise Marhoefer, founder of Miracles of Hope, also says that, “anyone who would want to collect and be responsible for sending them to the Katrina area can collect for me that way, I have people on the ground there who can distribute.” She goes on to say that she is concentrating on helping the hardest hit areas this year.

The Miracles of Hope Network is a fantastic organization dedicated to helping children all over the world. The description on their website states, “Miracles Of Hope Network is made up of child agencies, organizations, and celebrities world-wide, who are dedicated to the creation and restoration of good in the lives of children.” These agencies and organizations include: The Defense Foundation for Children, The Juvenile Defender, Healing Horses, Brainstormers INC, and 911 Gear.

You can visit http://www.miracles-of-hope.com and view a “RockYou” slideshow of the beautiful gowns. It is amazing to see one girl’s legacy touch so many hearts. The inspired spirit of humanity moves on.

If you would like to assist in this worthwhile project, please visit http://www.beccascloset.org to either find a chapter near you or start a chapter of your own. You can also contact Denise Marhoefer at defensefoundation@gmail.com for information about sending dresses directly to the Katrina area for distribution.

Written in collaboration with Mary Beth Marino, The Writing Editor, www.thewritingeditor.com

January 14, 2008

Puddle People Hour 2nd Radio Show

Filed under: Podcast — admin @ 12:41 pm

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Today I’m talking with two aspiring young writers, Amanda D. and Ashley A. of Florida. These two young ladies started writing within the last year and it was a joy to speak with them about their writing and then they even added some of their ideas about crafts. Thanks girls….you were both fun to have on the show.


 
icon for podpress  Puddle People Hour Show #2 [56:12m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download


Valentine Snowflake Heart Card

Materials:

  • Plain white paper
  • Red construction paper
  • Scissors
  • Markers
  • Glue

1. Take the white paper and fold in half
2. Cut out a half heart shape with the middle of the heart towards the fold
3. Fold the half heart down so that the top of the heart is in line with the bottom point
4. Fold in half again from left to right. so taht the outside curve of the heart meets the point
5. Fold diagonally
6. If you want you can fold diagonally again
7. Take the scissors and cut out shapes, Try cutting out half hearts
8. Open your heart and see what design you came up with
9. Fold red card in half if it is the large size, or leave flat if it is the small size
10. Glue heart to to front of the card.
11. Write your Valentine’s message around the heart
12. Decorate the rest of the card as you see fit


Make your own Glue

2 parts flour to 1 part water plus 1 tsp of salt
mix well
to make thicker add flour a little at a time
to make thinner add water a little at a time
save in airtight container



I gave my Love a Cherry (Riddle Song) circa 1850 (Traditional)
I gave my love a cherry that had no stone
I gave my love a chicken that had no bone
I gave my love a story that had no end
I gave my love a baby with no cryin
How can you have a cherry that has no stone
How can you have a chicken that has no bone
How can you have a story that has no end
How can you have a baby with no cryinA cherry when it’s a-bloomin it has no stone
A chicken when it’s piping it has no bone
The story that I love you it has no end
A baby when she’s sleeping has no cryin
nooo
A baby when she’s sleeping has no cryin



Rocking the Baby to Sleep
Music and Lyrics by Pam Sargant
© August 14, 2006
Back and forth
Back and forth
Rocking the baby to sleep
Forth and back
Forth and back
Rocking the baby to sleep
As I sit here rocking
And dreaming away
I wonder what life will
Hold for you someday
For as long as I live
Till time passes away
I will care for you
And I’m rocking the baby to sleepBack and forth
Back and forth
Rocking the baby to sleep
Forth and back
Forth and back
Rocking the baby to sleepMy precious little one
Asleep in my arms
I will make sure that
You come to no harm
For as long as I live
Till time passes away
I will care for you
And I’m rocking the baby to sleepBack and forth
Back and forth
Back and forth
Back and forth

January 9, 2008

Puddle People Hour 1st Radio Show

Filed under: Podcast — admin @ 6:58 pm

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Welcome to the Puddle People Hour!

Each show will include an interview or discussion related to children or parenting issues, a craft, songs, and a story.

Some of the resources that will be showcased on the show come from The Mother’s Survival Kit Series. If you would like your own copy of the book you can pick it up at http://www.pamsargant.com in the store. You can also find great gear in our Cafepress Store!

This is a kid friendly show, so feel free to cuddle your little one on your lap while you listen in.

Listeners (yes kids too with parental approval) are welcome to call in during the show with questions or comments. (646) 378-1633


 
icon for podpress  The Puddle People Hour Show #! [59:57m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This week’s show featured an interview with Kim Mutch Emerson, a business/life coach who has created a great set of inspirational CDs for children. Kim Mutch Emerson presents an audio life building tool just for kids! Kids Empowerment: An audio program for children to support and enhance all the best qualities for your children (self esteem, confidence, kindness, etc) while helping the negative disappear from their lives forever. If you are interested in these CDs send an email Kim at kim@writingpro.biz.


Resources mentioned in the show

windchime.jpg

Pop bottle lid wind chime

Materials Needed:
• 8 Pop Bottle Lids
• String
• 1 Margarine Container Lid
• Glitter (Optional)
• Paint (Optional)
• Plastic Pop Bottle Lid Liners (Optional)
• Beads (Optional)
• Buttons (Optional)
• Small jingle bells

The first step for this craft is a little preparation. You should remove the plastic liners from the pop bottle lids and wash them along with the lids. We are going to save the liners to decorate this craft or to use in another craft. Poke a hole into the center of each pop bottle lid and into the center of the larger lid. Poke ten holes around the rim of the margarine container lid, equal distances from each other around the edge and one in the center. You need 10 pieces of string about 8 inches long and 1 piece about 10 – 12 inches long.
The next step is the fun part. Get the kids to decorate the pop bottle lids and the margarine lid. Be creative with this. They can glue glitter and/or paint the lids. They can put beads or liners on the strings for decoration. Beads make better sounds.

Take every other string from around the edge of the margarine lid and tie them together to hang your wind chime. Thread each remaining string through a pop bottle lid and tie a small bell at the end.
Thread the longer string through the remaining three bottle lids. Thread the upper part of the string through the margarine lid. Tie it off with a good knot or a button.
Your wind chime is ready to hang.



Popping Corn
Lyrics by Pam Sargant
© August 14, 2006
Pop, pop, pop, goes the popping corn
Pop, pop, pop, from night till morn
It popped so high
That it touched the sky
Still pop, pop, pop, goes the popping corn
I went to make some popping corn
All my friends they tried to warn
Not to use too much
Not to use too much
I didn’t listen to them at all
That little cup just looked too small
I put a bit too much
I put a bit too much
OH!
Pop, pop, pop, goes the popping corn
Pop, pop, pop, from night till morn
It popped so high
That it touched the sky
Still pop, pop, pop, goes the popping corn
I never thought such a small little thing
Could get so big and then take wing
I put in way too much
I put in way too much
The next time I am popping corn
I’ll listen when they try to warn me
Not to put too much
I won’t put in too much
STILL!
Pop, pop, pop, goes the popping corn
Pop, pop, pop, from night till morn
It popped so high
That it touched the sky
Still pop, pop, pop, goes the popping corn



When I Grow up
Music and Lyrics by Pam Sargant
© August 14, 2006
My mommy asked me what would I be
When I grow up
When I grow up
I answered back as pleased as could be
I wanna be a train when I grow up
A train speeds along
The countryside,
Seeing all the sites
Giving people a ride
I’ll toot my whistle
And never stop
I wanna be a train when I grow up
My mommy asked me what I would be
When I grow up
When I grow up
I answered back as pleased as could be
I wanna be a truck when I grow up
A truck is shiny
With lots of wheels
When I go really fast
I can make them squeal
I’ll honk my horn
And never stop
I wanna be a truck when I grow up
My mommy asked me what I would be
When I grow up
When I grow up
I answered back as pleased as could be
I wanna be an ambulance when I grow up
An ambulance goes
So fast you see,
Cause that’s what the people
Really need
I’ll sound my siren
And never stop
I wanna be an ambulance when I grow up
I wanna be a truck when I grow up
I wanna be a train when I grow up
(You and your child can come up with many more verses)

Story: Meeting Drippin by Pam Sargant


©2008 Delaney Imaging