The Powerful You - ¡Tú El Poderoso!

Over the last year or so, I've been watching with a mixture of awe, surprise, and immense respect as young people - especially teenagers - across the country have discovered their voices and started to use them on a national stage. They are realizing that they have power in numbers and that their thoughts and opinions matter. They are becoming activists and changemakers demanding social reform.

I'm amazed because I think most children and young adults have trouble finding their own voice. The tween and teen years are such difficult ones, especially for young girls who really struggle with self-confidence and doubt. My own daughter entered high school this year. I watched her go from a self-confident, outspoken person to one who filled with self-doubt and a wavering self-image. It was a shock for me as a parent, who wanted to nurture her independent and self-assured personality.

That's why when I was asked to share the book, The Powerful You/¡Tú El Poderoso! (aff link), I immediately said, "Send me the book so that I can take a look." And I'm so glad I did.

I can't tell you how reading this book for the first time affected me. It truly does say exactly what I want all of my children to know. It is beautiful and empowering and expresses what I think most parents want to teach their children, even if they don't realize it consciously.

This book is plain and straightforward. It took me just a few minutes to read but affected me profoundly. The pages contain simple, yet powerful messages, such as:

• I can give you life, but I can't live it for you.
• I can teach you the difference between good and bad, but I can't make the decision for you.
• I can teach you about charity, but I can't make you be generous.
• I can give you liberty, but I can't help you to protect it.

You can't help but put down this book with a totally new perspective. It is loving and inspirational all at once teaching the reader that parents can provide us with all the tools they possess to help us through life, but ultimately, our life's path is determined by our own choices and whether or not we are wise enough to learn and use the tools our parents give us.

Communication between parents and teens is frequently difficult and (in some cases) very limited. Sometimes the relationship has become too strained. And some parents cannot put into words what they wish to convey to their children. This book is a wonderful tool to facilitate these conversations. I think it would be a beautiful birthday book for every teen or tween.

I love it so much, I've decided to buy two more copies so that each of my children can have their own copy when they are old enough to receive the important message of empowerment and taking responsibility for your own actions. 

And the added bonus that just puts this book over the top is that it is completely bilingual with full text in both English AND Spanish! 

I wish I could put a copy of this book in the hands of children everywhere. I wish it were required reading in school.  

The book was written and illustrated by a father-son team. I was reading about them and it made me even more determined to share this with MommyMaestra readers.

The author, Patrick Atkinson, is also a human rights activist. According to his website, he began his career by working with "war zone reconciliation and post-war reconstruction in several nations in Central America during the 1980s." Shortly thereafter, he dedicated himself to working on human trafficking issues in Southeast Asia, and then came back to Central America to establish several charities, including: 

• the ‘Institute for Trafficked, Exploited & Missing Persons’(ITEMP), one of the United States’ first contemporary anti-human trafficking groups.
• and The GOD’S CHILD Project, which is a nonpolitical international humanitarian organization that develops and administers health, education, family foster care, community development, and human rights protection systems in the world’s poorest nations. 

He has been knighted by the Spanish Legion(!) and has received numerous international awards in recognition of his dedication to human rights. And he's even the subject of the book: The Dream Maker by Monica Hannan. You can read more about his incredible life here.

Patrick's son, Ernesto "Neto" Atkinson, is the illustrator of this book. The illustrations are beautiful and complement the message very well. I was pleased to also see a bit of Hispanic culture reflected in at least one of the illustrations when I recognized a resplendent quetzal (found in Guatemala and several other Central American countries) flying across a page. Neto has a Masters in Art Therapy from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He's been described as an "artist who truly sees art as an active agent of change." I can see that he has learned the essential lessons his father describes in this book and has applied them to his own life to make a difference in the lives of others.

If you would like to purchase this book for your young adult, you can find it below on Amazon:

KIDDO TV

This is a sponsored post in collaboration with KIDDO TV. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

A few weeks ago, I received an email from a person asking me to take a look at their YouTube children's channel. This is a fairly common occurrence for me, so I clicked on the link without any great expectations. After watching one episode, I was a fan and knew it was a great fit for MommyMaestra readers. So I agreed to work with them to share their great content.

KIDDO TV is a YouTube channel dedicated to creating and sharing educational and entertaining videos for children. They have a number of shows for kids probably as young as 4 years old up to 12 years old (this is my own estimation based on watching the videos).

As a parent, I know how hard it is to use YouTube as a teaching tool with children because there is simply too much inappropriate content shared on the site. That's why I love finding original YouTube channels, such as KIDDO TV, that you can safely pull up and/or subscribe to without fear of commercials and links to videos not intended for children.

(TIP! Change your settings at the bottom of the page to "Restricted Mode" and lock it in place with your Google password. Then you will feel safer because it will screen out "mature" content that you don't want your child to see.)

Back to KIDDO TV - This channel is definitely worth checking out because all of the shows teach young children valuable lessons. Below is a short description of three of the different shows that are featured.

ART LESSONS

My absolute favorite series is ART LESSONS. Each video lasts approximately 15 minutes and is like sitting down in art class for an actual lesson. Miki is our teacher. With paint brushes sticking out of her hair and her fun apron, she's exactly what I think of in an art teacher. Miki is fun, thorough, and engaging as she encourages the children to create their own masterpieces using the techniques she carefully shows them. "It's not a mistake, it's just going to make a different picture," she says to one boy when he uses a little too much of one color. I simply love how she teaches children to not just make art, but how to look at it, too! I also think parents will like how organized the lessons are and how she clearly explains each step.

I also appreciate the diversity of the students on the show. In fact, the entire channel has a multicultural feel which appeals to me as a parent raising global citizens.

Here is the first video that I watched and that immediately won me over...



This series could EASILY be used as part of your child's homeschool art curriculum.  There are currently only 10 lessons/videos, so this would work mainly as an art supplement. As a homeschool parent, I would watch the lesson in advance, so that I would know what materials I'd need to purchase or prepare. And then your kids could simply watch the lesson on their own and complete the project.

Fitzy, the Monster

This animated series is for a much younger audience. The focus here is on introducing children to making healthy, responsible choices. The videos are much shorter - typically only a minute and a half. The idea of the 25 videos in this series is to teach a single concept, such as brushing your teeth, picking up toys, making your bed and so much more! 

As a parent, I would recommend watching one video a day together with your child and then putting what they learned into practice. I love how the messages help to boost your child's self-esteem and independence.

Stroosh

This show is a little more unusual. Again, it is geared for younger children and is about Stroosh, an alien who has awakened on Earth but he doesn't know who or what he is or where he came from. He befriends a young boy named Luca, who introduces him to the planet Earth using his handy "Lucapedia." 

I think this show is pretty engaging for young children because the main characters are all puppets. It is well done, but has very simple dialog for a younger audience. 

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There are several other series that are fun and instructional for children, but you'll have to visit their YouTube channel to learn more about them! I think you'll like how diverse each of the shows are - there's something for everyone! 

And if you visit their website, you can download and print coloring pages that feature characters from their popular shows.

10-Year-Old Sebastien De La Cruz Sings National Anthem @ Game 3 of the NBA Finals

I've been a fan of 10-year-old Sebastien de la Cruz ever since I saw him singing his heart out on America's Got Talent last year. He won my heart instantly - and no doubt thousands of others - with his amazing voice, charm, and sincere face.

Last night, Sebastien took his turn singing the national anthem at game 3 of the NBA Finals in his hometown of San Antonio. Once again, his beautiful voice has moved me to tears. He seems to be embody the hope and possibility found within all of our children. A bright future where their talents are supported and applauded, and their amazing contributions are appreciated.

Even when the fears of the uneducated rears its ugly head, Sebastien responds with grace and confidence. I ask myself, would my kids respond in a similar fashion? Or would they be intimidated? Afraid? Too hurt to respond? Angry? Moments like this remind me to teach my kids to love and believe in themselves and their heritage.

Bravo, Sebastien. But more importantly, bravo to his parents.

And in case you missed his singing the national anthem, here you go! Sing it, M'ijo!