A Gratitude Ritual



(Rickydavid/Flickr)


The following is a guest post by Carla Molina of the blog, All of Me Now.

Last year, I jumped on the Facebook bandwagon for 30 days of gratitude in November. Everyday I'd post the things I was grateful for and also what my two daughters gave thanks for before bed. It provided some heartfelt and funny posts.

An old friend commented; she told me I was doing such a beautiful thing for my daughters and teaching them an important lesson. Her words really made an impact. It made me wonder why we only ever gave thanks during the month of November. And so, I ventured into creating a daily gratitude ritual.

We tried different things - giving thanks during a meal, while making dinner, during bath time, in the car - but what everyone naturally gravitated toward was giving thanks at bedtime.

Every night after the girls are snug in their pajamas, I turn out the lights and light a small candle. We each take a turn giving thanks for three things then blow out the candle. Once we've all had a turn, I light the candle one last time and we each make a wish and blow out the candle together. Most recently, my oldest has added her own little touch and, as the candle goes out, she whispers, "Let our wish come true."

There are nights when we're so past their bedtime, I want to skip it so I can get some work done while they sleep. Other nights I simply forget to pull out the candle. But my girls never forget. Every night they ask for it. I think it's a wonderful way for them to go to bed with positive feelings in their hearts.

This year I skipped the 30 days of gratitude on Facebook. It's become a yearlong tradition. And while friends can no longer share in the things we give thanks for, I know our daily practice has a much greater impact on the hearts of my daughters.

How do you encourage your kids to practice gratitude?

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Carla Molina is a freelance writer whose work has appeared on Latina.com, SpanglishBaby, Tiki Tiki Blog and in the soon to be launched Vida Vibrante. A Jersey girl gone New England, Carla is a homeschooling mom passionate about raising her two daughters by example. When she's not taking in a movie or devouring a good book, you can find Carla directing and producing her local Listen To Your Mother show which hits the stage in May 2013. Keep up with Carla at her personal blog, All of Me Now.

MommyMaestra's Thanksgiving Resources

I'm ending this week with a recap and reminder of all the Thanksgiving resources I've already shared here on MommyMaestra (and a few other places) over the last few years. This way you don't have to go digging around the blog trying to find them. Good stuff coming up next week!

PRINTABLES

Bilingual Thanksgiving Mobile - This mobile has proven to be one of the most popular fall printables that I've made. It is a lot of hands-on fun and preschoolers can even put it together with just a little help from an adult.

Bilingual Fall Activity Pack - Perfect for keeping your preschooler, kindergartner or first grader busy one day this week while you're working on Thanksgiving preparations.

Bilingual Bookmarks - Download this set of three bilingual bookmarks for free at my TpT store.

The Muppets' Road Trip Game - If you're driving long distances to visit los abuelos this holiday, check out this fun set of printables created last year for the premiere of the last Muppet movie.


HISTORY

Top 5 Thanksgiving Myths - How many of these myths did you believe were true?

Bilingual Resources for Thanksgiving - A great list of awesome resources, some in English and some in Spanish.

10 Ways to Teach Your Kids About Thanksgiving - 10 great ways to spend staying busy with your kids Thanksgiving week on Mamiverse.


BOOKS & CRAFTS

MommyMaestra's Thanksgiving Pinterest Board - Have you seen my board, yet? It's FULL of Thanksgiving goodness!!

Bilingual Thanksgiving Books - The giveaway is now closed, but the books are still wonderful!


RECIPES - Check out these Thanksgiving Week Specials...

Guavalicious...Turkey?

Pumpkin Empanadas

Butternut Squash Tamales

I Know the River Loves Me/ Yo sé que el río me ama

This book reviews is part of a series created in honor of National Picture Book Month. Some are new and some are not, but all of them are a visual feast - and the storylines aren't so bad either! Today's title comes from Children's Book Press, an imprint of Lee & Low Books...

Written and illustrated by award-winning artist, Maya Christina Gonzalez, I Know the River Loves Me/Yo sé que el río me ama embodies the need that children everywhere have to see their own faces reflected in the world around them. 

I had the pleasure of hearing Ms. Gonzalez talk at a conference several years ago, where she shared bits of her childhood and discussed how she never saw her own face in literature or Disney movies. Now as an adult, she has dedicated her time to creating pieces that show the beauty in diversity, and that reflect the faces of the audience for which they are written and illustrated.

I Know the River Loves Me her second book that she has both written and illustrated. The story line is so beautiful and strong with powerful imagery. It is about a young girl who walks down to meet one of her best friends - the river. In the flowing water, she finds acceptance, joy, and a reflection of herself. If only every child could find this perfect friend who loves unconditionally and mirrors their inner beauty!

The illustrations are wonderful mix of black-and-white and vibrant color. Throughout most of the book, only Nature is drawn in full vibrant hues, but both the speaker and her backpack full of manmade objects are drawn obviously lacking in color. I love the flowing movement of the water and how the girl's hair drifts softly in its current.

This book makes my kids want to run and jump in a river. And me, too, for that matter.

This book is perfect for parents and teachers who want to discuss with their children or students the following topics: inner beauty, interconnectedness, nature, self-esteem, and finding time to love ourselves.

Written with full text in both English and Spanish. Best for children ages 6 and up.

If you'd like to purchase your own copy of The River Loves Me/Yo sé que el río me ama, please visit the Latin Baby Book Club's online store. We have both new and gently used copies available.

Geography Awareness Week

Are your kids learning geography in school? Do you teach them about other countries at home? Can your child read a map? Does he know the cardinal directions? Can she read a compass?

I hope you answered yes to all of these questions - or at least one!

All week we are celebrating Geography Awareness Week, which emphasizes the importance of geography education and geo-literacy. This year's theme, Declare Your Interdependence, explores the ways in which we are all connected with each other. From the daily decisions we make to the clothes we wear and the food we eat, we rely on the hard work of other people in other countries to supply us with goods and services.

To help us all out, the National Geographic Education website has put together a Toolkit with resources and printables for hosting your own event, be it as a group or simply at home with your child. In addition, you can find activities, profiles, maps, videos, and more on their site.

They've also put together the interactive game, Global Closet Calculator, in which students discovere their own global network by rummaging through their closet to see where most of their clothes come from.

I've shared our geography study resources for elementary school before, but there are really so many wonderful geography-themed books, games, and websites out there that I thought I'd list a few more here.

IN ENGLISH

- Shake the States app This is so much fun and I am absolutely amazed how quickly my kids have learned where the states can be found in the US. If fact, a few months ago we were watching Jeopardy! and one of the questions was about a state. It showed an image of the state, and my daughter immediately recognized Iowa. Seriously, who recognizes that shape? (Sorry, Iowans.)

- The Amazing Pop-Up Geography Book (Amazing Pop-Ups) by Kate Petty and Jennie Maizels

- Got Geography! by Lee Bennett Hopkins and Philip Stanton

- Geography For Fun Projects by Pam Robson

- Brainbox All Around The World

- Name That Country Game


IN SPANISH

- Chile has put together what is without a doubt one of my favorite sites in Spanish. Mi Geografía is divided into three sections (Kids Ages 5 -10, Ages 11 - 17, and Parents & Teachers) that are filled with printables, videos, games, trivia questions and more. It is just so well done. Try it and see what you think.

- Dibujos para pintar is another good website with interactive games to teach geography.

- Como aprendi geografia/ How I Learned Geography by Uri Shulevitz

- El maravilloso mundo de la geografia by Kate Petty

The Cat In The Hat Knows A Lot About Christmas! {GIVEAWAY}

Do you have special movies that you watch to celebrate certain times of the year? For me, the winter holiday season (including Christmas & New Years) is never complete without watching It's a Wonderful Life. Oh, and of course I can't forget The Sound of Music and The Ten Commandments at Easter.

But I can't remember watching many children's shows, with the possible exception of Charlie Brown who always had some ubiquitous holiday special going on throughout the year. 

So I think it is exciting that PBS has announced that the first-ever Cat in the Hat Christmas special, THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT CHRISTMAS! is scheduled to air on November 21st. The adventure finds the Cat in the Hat, Nick and Sally on a journey around the world to help a lost reindeer find his way home to Freezeyourknees Snowland in time for Christmas.  On the way, the Thinga-ma-jigger breaks down, and they depend on a variety of animals – from African bush elephants to bottlenose dolphins to red crabs – and their remarkable abilities to help them make an amazing journey home.

My kids watched it already and it was awesome. We love the rhyming dialogue and the songs and the science. My kids are science and nature geeks (as befitting any former zookeeper's child), so of course they love The Cat in the Hat series which is written to introduce children to science concepts. And mixing science with holidays is even better. Take a look ...

This one-hour special premieres on Wednesday, November 21 on PBS KIDS, with encore presentations throughout Thanksgiving weekend and in December (check local listings).
But in addition to the show, PBS has launched a new online game Freezeyourknees, Follow Me, Please! featuring Ralph the Reindeer who is a long way from Freezeyourknees Valley. The Cat in the Hat is giving the lost reindeer a ride home when the Thinga-ma-jigger suddenly loses its power and makes an emergency landing. Only you can guide Ralph back to his family in time for Christmas – with help from some amazing animal friends! Grounded in an animal science curriculum, Freezeyourknees, Follow Me, Please! offers players three levels of game play, each level with its own animal-themed “Follow Me” challenge.

THE GIVEAWAY

PBS has graciously offered a THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT CHRISTMAS! Prize Pack that includes a DVD of the new episode, a copy of "Walkin' in a Sticker Wonderland!" (a new sticker book based on the show), and a Cat in the Hat mug. Wouldn't this be a great Christmas gift?

To enter this giveaway, all you have to do is leave a comment below. 

The deadline to enter is 11:59 EST, Monday, November 19th. The winner will be chosen using Random.org. and contacted via email - so be sure to leave a valid email address in your comment! (If I have no way to contact you, I'll have to choose someone else!)

And to increase your chances of winning, you can:

1) Follow PBSKIDS (@pbskids) on Twitter.

2) Follow the MommyMaestra FB page.

3) Follow me on Twitter and tweet the following: Win a Cat in the Hat Knows About Christmas Prize Pack from @LatinMami & @PBSKIDS http://bit.ly/ZcvrXw #giveaway

Don't forget to let me know by posting a separate comment for each entry!

By entering this giveaway, you agree to the Official Sweepstakes Rules. No purchase required. Void where prohibited.

¡Buena suerte!

Disclosure: I am a PBS Ambassador and received a sample prize pack and DVD to review.

This giveaway is now closed.

Tomorrow is Malala Day

Tomorrow has been designated Malala Day. Have you heard her story? Malala Yousafzai is the young girl in Pakistan who has been fighting for the education of girls in her country. in 2009, she began writing a blog for the BBC under a pseudonym, describing her life under the Taliban and expressing her thoughts about the importance of educating young girls. In 2010, the New York Times filmed a documentary about her and she became more vocal about her position. Desmond Tutu nominated her for the Interntaional Children's Peace Prize and she even won Pakistan's first National Youth Peace Prize.

In retaliation, the Taliban, who view girls' education is an obscenity, horrifically shot her in the head last month on October 9th. Ironically, their cruelty has only brought her greater fame and highlighted the cause for which she is fighting.

You can learn more about her story watching this video by ABCNews.com.

Her story is not uncommon. Across the globe, 32 million girls around the world are denied daily their right to go to a classroom and learn. But this issue often goes unnoticed. Too often the voice of girls and women are silenced, their education suppressed, because an educated woman is a powerful thing. We see the foolishness of war. Because of our role in our families, we seek peaceful relationships and cooperation among members. We are the voice of sanity in an insane world - and we are exactly what the world needs to settle differences and find common ground.

The Office of the UN Special Envoy for Global Education has taken up Malala's issue and are declaring November 10th a global day of action for Malala and all the other girls around the world who are denied an education. Tomorrow, Gordon Brown, Former British Prime Minister and current UN Special Envoy for Global Education, and his wife Sarah will travel to Pakistan to deliver to President Zardari their million-plus petition to make education a reality for all Pakistani children.

If you'd like to join me in showing support, you can sign the petition at www.iammalala.org.

A Night Time Story

In honor of National Picture Book Month, I'm happy to share a series of book reviews introducing you to some incredible picture books for children. Some are new and some are not, but all of them are a visual feast - and the storylines aren't so bad either! So let's kick off with a new title from Independent Publishers Group (IPG)...

A Night Time Story

By Roberto Aliaga, Illustrated by Sonja Wimmer

The perfect bedtime tale, A Night Time Story is a beautifully illustrated work about how every evening, the Night comes to tuck a little child in before bed. In her hands, she carries dozens of stories and picks new and exciting ones to tell each time, allowing the child to drift off to sleep and dream. From sweet stories at the fairground to mysterious stories in the desert, this little child can enjoy an endless number of dreams and make them his or her own.

Sonja Wimmer's illustrations are soft and whimsical, great for inspiring dreams in your own children. I love that the main character is drawn in such a way that it could be either a boy or a girl depending on who is reading the story.

Roberto Aliaga has written several childrens books in Spanish. Jon Brokenbrow translated it to English, and it appears to be a literal translation that seems to flow well, though a wee bit choppy in a spot or two.

This lovely picture book is just one of the titles IPG distributes from the Spanish publisher Cuento de Luz. It is available in hardback or as an eBook, and is also available in Spanish. Best suited for children ages 5 to 7.

I leave you with a couple more images from the book...

I Vote Because...

Are you voting today? I am. Because I believe in democracy. And a democracy can only exist when the people have a voice and use it.

A democracy depends on the education and involvement of it's citizens. The famous philosopher, Plato, basically held the position that uneducated people who did not learn about the government were more likely to fall victim to tyrants. If you don't know the rules or the issues, then someone can lie to you, forcing you (whether you know it or not) to do what they want you to do, instead of what is good for everyone.

Plato said that ignorant people will always obey tyrants.

And I would add that those who do not voice their opinion (even if they are wrong), risk being imprisoned by their own silence.

Everyone has the right to vote. It doesn't matter who you vote for (okay, yes it really does!), but I certainly wouldn't presume to tell anyone who they should vote in favor of. You're an intelligent person and everyone has the right to vote for whoever they feel has the country's best interest at heart.

I look at my personal Facebook page and see about half my friends fiercely in favor of one candidate/party, and the other half passionately supporting the other. Does voting one way or the other make them good or bad? No. It makes them human. It makes them people with free will and the right to make their own voices heard. I love them regardless of who they support because I know that what it boils down to is values and each person trying to elect the person they think will be best for the country. Some people only care about family values. Others are mainly concerned about the economy, while others are deeply concerned about health care.

I'll be honest and say that the top three issues that influence my opinion are:
#1 - The way I think people should be treated.

#2 - The education of our children.

#3 - And the importance of working together despite differences of opinion to find solutions that benefit the most people and our country as a whole.

Our country owes it to our citizens to provide them with caring, educated people in power who have a strong sense of social responsibility and justice.

It's up to us to put them in place. There are millions of people around this world who do not have the basic human right to vote for the person they think will do a better job leading their country. I would be sick to my stomach knowing that I treat my ability and opportunity to vote with indifference because I don't agree 100% with the candidates. Honestly? I can't think of a single person on the planet with whom I agree 100% on every issue. And I'm not so conceited as to think I know the right answer to everything.

Don't let yourself be led silently, or you may not find yourself in a very good place. You don't have to be rude or obnoxious or belligerent. You can be thoughtful and firm, always thinking of others.

Go out and vote.

And don't let anyone stop you.

The Final Rumbo al College Webinar Airs Wednesday

This is the final webinar in this four-part series. The bilingual webinars are free to all who register. Click here to sign up and watch.

Lingual: The Multi-Language Learning Application {GIVEAWAY}

There's a new multilingual app about to launch that parents and teachers should know about. Lingual is an interactive iPad application. The immersion game will be available as a free app possibly as soon as next month. With three language options, Lingual will teach English, Mandarin Chinese, and Spanish through both audio and text. I love that players will also be introduced to geography and culture through various maps and famous landmarks.

The application is designed by Tiny Factory, and they are using Kickstarter to help finish funding the last of their project. If you'd like to help them make Lingual a reality, consider becoming a backer. By contributing to this project, you have the option of receiving certain gifts associated with the game, such as flash cards, posters, and a glass copy of artwork found in the app. They've already raised over $4,000 of the $5,000 they need to get funding, so every dollar counts!

Here's a short video introducing the app...

THE GIVEAWAY

Lingual is offering one of their beautiful game art works printed in glass and signed by the artist to one MommyMaestra reader. Valued at $80, it is a treasure for any family.

This is for the collectors and the language education supporters. You will receive 1 8”x10” game play concept art signed by the artist and printed to glass. Glass print will be of a monument from an English, Mandarin or Spanish journey.

To win this giveaway, simply leave a comment at the bottom of this post.

The deadline to enter is 11:59 EST, Friday, November 9th. The winner will be chosen using Random.org. and contacted via email - so be sure to leave a valid email address in your comment! (If I have no way to contact you, I'll have to choose someone else!)

And to increase your chances of winning, you can:

1) Follow Lingual on Twitter (@catchlingual) and send them a tweet between now and Friday, November 9th, 2012.

2) Follow the MommyMaestra FB page.

3) Follow me on Twitter and tweet the following: Win a glass art piece from @LatinMami & @catchlingual #giveaway

Don't forget to let me know by posting a separate comment for each entry!

By entering this giveaway, you agree to the Official Sweepstakes Rules. No purchase required. Void where prohibited.

¡Buena suerte!

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post.

 

 

 

Thanks to the College Board

The College Board is one of the best and most comprehensive online sites for college-bound students and their families. Their goal is to ensure that all students have the opportunity to prepare for, enroll in, and graduate from college. They run a number of College Readiness programs including-

• Advanced Placement (AP®)
• SpringBoard®
• ReadiStep™
• CollegeEd®
• CLEP®
• PSAT/NMSQT®
• EXCELerator™

They also manage the SATs, SAT prep programs, and provide online tools like BigFuture, financial aid and scholarship search options, and a local/national college search.

The reality is that even though more Latino students are applying for and getting accepted to college, many are unprepared and lack the skills necessary to successfully navigate the system and earn a college degree. AP classes not only allow students to develop the skills they'll need for college classes, but they also give students the opportunity to get credit for college courses so that they can concentrate on other subjects or take more advanced classes once they enter.

There have often been critics of Latino students who take Spanish AP classes, but in fact this class is a great introduction to other AP classes and helps to build their confidence making them more likely to enroll in other AP classes. Unfortunately, many Latino students attend low-income schools that do not offer these courses. Teachers may require extra training and materials that schools cannot afford, or do not want to allocate. So the College Board advocates for these opportunities for students across the country.

If you know a high school student who is serious about college, take the time to direct them to the College Board where they'll find plenty of information to help them on their path to higher education.

Other Posts That May Interest You

• Top Five Reasons Why Latino Children Need to Go to College
  
  
• Hispanic Scholarship Fund Makes College a Reality for Latinos
  
  
• The Empowered Community College Student
  
  
• DSST Online Study Guides for High Schoolers
  
  
• CLEP Study Guides for High School Students

The Little Chefs eBook

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that I had been working on the Little Chefs Project. The project includes not only the Cook-Alongs, but also an eBook and recipes. I'm so pleased to announce that the Little Chefs eBook is now available online. This free, online book was written by 40 moms who share their tips, recipes, and ideas on cooking with kids.

As you can tell from the post my friend Becky shared yesterday here on MommyMaestra about the history of Calabaza en Tacha, I love learning about ways to use food and cooking to supplement school subjects. So my chapter in the ebook is focused on Teachable Moments, specifically on how to use food to teach history.

But the book also covers other areas and is divided into six chapters on the following topics:

- Feel Like a Kid Again
- Teachable Moments
- Everyday Fun
- Family Time
- Fun with Flavors
- Family Traditions

The book is not only a valuable resources with plenty of ideas on how you can use your kitchen with your children, but is also a visual treat. You can also find  the recipes mentioned in the book, and many others on Chef Boyardee's site. Before getting involved in this project, it never occurred to me that I could use Chef Boyardee cooking kits to create a variety of meals from a single boxed kit.

So far three Cook-Alongs have taken place, but there are still three more left! I hope you'll join us for these live recipe demos and online chats.

Enjoy this wonderful ebook. I know you'll find some great ideas to use in your own kitchen with your children.

Un abrazo...

Disclosure: I am working with The Motherhood and Chef Boyardee on the Little Chefs project.