The Magic of Reading

Dianthus!!  The magical unicorn trapped in the tapestry came to life – not only in the Magic Tree House book, Blizzard of the Blue Moon - but for our young reader on a visit to the Cloisters in New York City where the circa 1495AD woven masterpiece graces the hall today.

Our daughter’s expression cannot deny the power of words coming to life. And no children’s author makes history come more alive than Mary Pope Osborne. She is a literary hero in our home, a master wordsmith, prolific and creative, funny and warm.

Anyone who knows me knows Children & Literacy are paramount:  http://www.biancatyler.com/childrenliteracy.htm
Our little one started reading the Magic Tree House books in 1st grade.
For her 7th birthday, my mother gave her the entire set. She was thrilled!

Dad & the Birthday Girl are checking out each book.
Book stands & baskets throughout the house, this series commands a special shelf on her favorite bookcase in her room.       

It helped, too, that our daughter was 7 when Jack’s little sister, Annie, was 7 in the series. And when our little one turned 8, Annie was just turning 8!

Annie’s brave and smart, kind and loves animals. She’s a delightful role model for any little girl. Jack is bright and funny, loves to research and jots handy notes in his journal. I have found boys are entertained by the series as much as girls are…and that’s a great first step in fostering a lifelong love of reading. 

Every book has been a joy to read. For 1st & 2nd grade, our daughter participated in the Governor’s Challenge reading over 2,000 pages each summer. Much of it, of course, the exciting Magic Tree House stories. And when she had to tell the Governor what her favorite book was it came as no surprise that it was a Magic Tree House story!

        

It’s been fun taking her to places she’s read about – the Cloisters to see the unicorn tapestry. The 1930s structure resembles medieval abbeys and is situated on the northern tip of Manhattan island. It’s breathtaking views overlooking the Hudson River and the gardens surrounding it make the trip simply wonderful.

                    The Cloisters house over 5,000 European medieval works of art from the 12th – 15th centuries. It is under the care of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Cloister’s Library contains over 15,000 volumes of books.

 

Our next trip was to Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts after reading Magic Tree House #27, Thanksgiving on Thursday. The stories of Squanto, Priscilla, Governor Bradford, the pilgrims & the Native Americans came to life through words only Mary Pope Osborne can weave. As we sailed into the harbor, we tried hard to imagine what the pilgrims were thinking in 1620 as they approached land.

Next roadtrip…Valley Forge – Jack & Annie’s story with General George Washington, Revolutionary War on Wednesday, book #22.

And from there, any family trip we can drive to…Gettysburg, Sturbridge, the Titanic exhibit at Mystic.

The Bright SpotTM  – If you are looking for a wonderful series for your young reader, I highly recommend the Magic Tree House series. The wind started to blow. The tree house started to spin…

Airlifted St. Patty`s Day!

Today the world celebrates St. Patrick’s Day. I love the festivities, I love being in parades, I love Ireland having studied at Trinity College in Dublin, and I love that even though I’m not Irish, everyone can be Irish for the day. But there is a special reason for a few of us to celebrate: 7 years ago today our son helped save the life of his schoolmate. They were 14 years old.

It had snowed a few days earlier and a bunch of boys went sledding at school. But part of the steep hill had iced over during the night. His friend’s sled flew across the ice and he lost control slamming his head into a brick wall.

The boys didn’t want to get into trouble at school and panicked. They thought it best to get their buddy inside without telling anyone. Our son stood up and said no. He ordered one kid to run and get adult help. He told another to call 911. He ripped off his coat and wrapped it around his friend who was in shock. He told the rest of the boys to not move him at all. His friend received a plate & 37 metal staples in his head. The doctors at the hospital where he was airlifted said had he been moved, he would have died. The immediate actions to get help, warmth and stay calm saved his life.

Our son had learned emergency care in Scouts. He knew it was right to risk reprimand from the school administrators rather than risk someone’s life.

The Bright SpotTM – Both boys are 21 now. We are so proud of them ~ fine young boys grown into fine young men.

More about our son: http://www.theletstalkmom.com/tea-talk-momversations/the-making-of-a-superhero/
Credit: Associated Press

Live & Let Love

I was finishing up a really great day trip with my daughter & one of her closest friends. The girls met more than 6 years ago in a baby lapsit music program. The little friend’s grandmother was with us on this particular day and my husband called to see when we would be home.              

“It shouldn’t be more than an hour now,” I said and we each finished with “I love you very much, too.”

The grandmother turned to me when I hung up. “I didn’t mean to listen in but it was really nice to hear you talk like that with your husband.”

To me, it’s just normal. My husband and I are tender & loving in our daily routine. It’s good for us & it’s good for the children. Affection is part of their daily life, and I hope that their partners one day in the far future are just as loving & warm.

I remember advice from some folks when I first married: “Don’t call your husband at work, just let him just do his job.” “Don’t tell your husband you love him all the time, he’ll bore of you.” “And don’t be overly mushy, guys don’t like it.”

But I grew up in a loving home with smoochy parents & grandparents and I went with my gut. To me, men are just as deep as women are and most people, I believe, desire attention, recognition & hugs.

And what I find is that many people wish they had a more loving relationship. Or that they connected more with their spouse.

It’s really not hard. It’s the little things that add up to the wonderful bond between you & your significant other.

A brush past your partner with a soft touch across the shoulders. A little kiss as you pass in the kitchen or while your husband is working late into the evening. I leave him notes in his briefcase, he’s left me notes in the pantry, across my computer screen, in my coat pocket or the bottom of a soup pot!

Arm in arm when you walk, hand holding when you talk, a little text here & a little Google Chat there. It all adds up.  Communication – touch, voice, writing – text or by hand. It all matters.
And nothing beats the kiss! 

 

Don’t think your kids don’t notice. They want that comfort of a loving environment.

Of course, when they’re preteens, a kiss might evoke a look of disgust or even a groan, but in reality, it gives your children quiet inner peace to know their parents are close & loving and, with a divorce rate of nearly half of all marriages nowadays, don’t underestimate the great security it gives them.

So reach out to your partner. Physically & emotionally. And have fun!   

It will not only be super for your relationship, but it will teach your children what a loving family is and what a great partnership looks like.

And the kindness your children experience they will share because they know it as their norm.

   

The Bright Spotâ„¢  – You already know your children model your behavior.

You have the power to mold their framework for a loving marriage and a connected family structure in their future.

 So go on now…smooch the daylights out of your kids and your spouse!  Happy Parenting!™

Imagine

Imagine not knowing where or WHEN you were born. Imagine being left in a shoe box as a baby. Imagine being crippled and abandoned. This is a must-see, heart-wrenching, totally inspiring video that will put your life in perspective.

My husband sent it to me and told me to get the tissues ready. I sat in my studio and watched in awe. Before the end of the video I was on my feet clapping, crying, clapping some more – full of joy, delight, hope.

Give yourself a moment in your day & truly brighten it with this video. Bravo, Emmanuel!!!! Bravo to the mother who saved him and his brother!!!! Click here to enjoy:

Hurricane Irene Pushes My Bright Spot!

Hurricane Irene ripped through metro New York and coastal towns in our area destroying homes and businesses. Our schools are closed for an extra week because of all the downed trees and power lines on the bus routes. Many people were left without power for a week; all I kept thinking about were the elderly, the disabled and all the Moms who have babies and toddlers to care for in the dark with no water. It also made me think very deeply of the 6-year-old little girl and her family we sponsor in Africa and how limited their resources are with power and water. It makes their plight and struggle for survival really hit home.

We were one of the families who were flooded; we had no power, no communication services, no running water. We’re on well water and when the power goes, so does the pump. Toilets don’t flush, oh, joy! Throw in a period the night of the hurricane and it can pretty much go downhill from there.

But Phillip was my hero, as usual, driving back & forth downtown filling gallon after gallon of water jugs. Sure, we prepared – we filled the tub – but at 2.5 gallons of water to flush, it doesn’t last that many days! He bought a load of Poland Spring and at first I felt so guilty flushing it down the toilet – literally! We used the “refilled” jugs for that and the remaining bottled spring water for drinking & brushing.

But before we could get downtown, we 1st we had to get out of our road – again Phillip & our son were my heros! A tree blocked our road. Neighbors were stuck. We’re far in the back country, near the horse farms and golf courses.

   

We are not a priority area, so I knew workers would not be clearing the end of our road for a while.

 

So in rain and heavy winds, my men cleared the way. I snapped pics, Little Petal supervised. A grand team effort in a time of family & neighborly need.

 

We had our battery-operated radio and listened to the radio station we air from weekly – WSTC & WNLK – it was the only outside communication we had. And we had dark chocolate-covered graham crackers – a must-have during this dodgy week!

With no electricity, time seems to pass more slowly. My stomach was still achy, brushing teeth was a misery trying to not waste the bottled water while cleaning the toothbrush, night came way too quickly and I just wanted to wash my hands!

My buttons were being pushed and I had to push back – I had to find my Bright SpotTM and make it a grand adventure! (See Mission: Bright Spot - 3rd flower tab in the nav bar above).

Finding your Bright SpotTM is not an easy task. The effort comes in times of adversity. But I decided to turn my situation into something great and memorable. We became pioneers and turned the hurricane recovery time into family fun time.

So what exactly was the Bright SpotTM in all this?? We all drove to my Mom’s house (my sister’s family had no power either) for hot showers, home-cooked dinner and good times all together. Then we bought dozens of battery-operated tea light candles and used them for the den, bedrooms, hallways, staircase, etc. It was very pretty. We had our 6-year-old pick out her favorite brand new flashlight and she played with the cats – chasing the little spot light here, there and everywhere. Our little one stayed in our room and we made shadow puppets on the ceiling with her new flashlight. We had friends over and in daylight hours played family games like Chutes & Ladders, Candy Land and I Spy.

We watched crazy men with bike helmets play golf on a flooded course – hello???

And because we had to eat out every day, I didn’t have to cook! And that means NO dishes…which in itself is its own Bright SpotTM!!

Encourage and They Will Excel

I don’t push my children. I encourage them.

My husband and I give them opportunities to learn, create and excel and they, in turn, do just that in their own time. Nothing irks me more than ballpark parents screaming at their children from the sidelines.

Our son wanted to become a volunteer member of the firefighter team and Parkour free-runner and our daughter loves ballet, theatre, music and tennis. Those are their choices and we support them and are proud of them.

 Check out that swing at 3-years-old!

Our daughter’s principal just read the Kindergarten parents a children’s book at the Parents’ Orientation called Ruby in Her Own Time by Jonathan Emmett. It’s about a little duckling whose egg hatched later than her siblings’, she swam when she wanted to, quacked when she wanted to, left home when she wanted to and came back on her own time (the college reference, says the principal).

The principal wanted to point out to the parents that some Kindergartners are learning their alphabet while others already read but all the children will eventually read. In their own time.

Some kids walk earlier, some later. The point is – they walk.

I believe in that philosophy. With great love and encouragement, I hug and kiss my kids and tell them how proud I am. Ultimately, in the end, they will find what they love to do and I will be there to help them pursue it.

This leads me to this fantastic video (link below) I saw earlier this evening on YouTube with my husband, Phillip. If more parents looked at who their children are rather than what they want them to be, the world might be a happier, more content place.

This video is so beautiful and so inspirational, I hope you take the few minutes to enjoy it and then share it with your friends. It’s about a “bird-chasing” dog who was trained to do one thing since birth but ended up doing something else.

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=BGODurRfVv4 

The Bright Spot   – if your “dream-chasing” child wants to pursue something, encourage them, help them, give them the opportunities to reach those dreams. And tell those screaming ballpark parents to get a grip; childhood is so short, let your children revel in it. Chase the birds…and your dreams, too!

 

A Beacon of Love

It may seem so obvious. Turn the lights on when your teen is out.

But to me it’s more than just a safety issue.

It’s a beacon from home when he rounds the corner on his way back from the firehouse or walking with his buddies. It’s a glow from the porch lights that says “Welcome, you’re back!” It’s a light that shines from our home that embraces him upon return.

 

To him, it’s probably just a light thing and he switches it off without thinking when he enters the house.

But ages from now, I hope it will be a warm memory of the early years in his life when coming home was a comforting feeling; I hope it gives him a content sentiment in his heart…

…that when he turns on the lights for his teens many years from now, may he remember his Mom and Dad waiting for his safe return to our cozy home so many years before.

I love you, Honey. You are one of my most Brightest Spots  in my life. 

I’m going now to turn the light on. Love, Mom

It Was A Bittersweet Day Today

Today was a bittersweet day for me. Our Baby Button ~ Little Petal ~ got on the school bus heading to Kindergarten.

 

 

Of course, she was beaming and waving. But I didn’t know I would burst into tears when I watched the tail end of the bus drive down the road.

Phillip gave me a great big squeeze even though we both knew they were tears of joy and the bittersweet reality that our youngest was growing up.

Dad and I put her on the bus. Superhero Big Brother and I greeted her upon return.

If you’ve ever had to do this, you know exactly what I mean.

The Bright Spot?  Having a network of incredible friends who lift you up in good times, bad times, sorrowful times, joyous times and the transitional times. 

 I’m attaching some lovely e-mails that I received from Moms and Dads today:

Oh, how I remember the first days of many new beginnings for my daughter. They are so precious. Of course, you know she will be fine. How great it will be when she returns from her day to share her stories about new friends and experiences. My little one turned 30 on July 17th, and can I just tell you there is still never a dull moment. I love it! Rosemarie

I just shared this with Cheryl and she was crying…Robert starts 1st grade on Tuesday…
Miss you!  Enjoy the last days of Summer! Robert

B – I remember those days as if they were yesterday. Your tears are tears of joy, you’re raising a bright child who will always make you proud. Victoria started her 3rd year in college, I still take the first school day picture. Enjoy these little pleasures of life! Karen

I know exactly how you felt. When I dropped my kids off at school, they ran inside all excited, leaving me crying at the door. You’ll be fine, my friend. Janet

Mazel Tov!  Your little girl is becoming quite a young lady. I know that these are tears of joy!  I am so happy for her and for you. Smile…these are the happy milestones we can enjoy and treasure. Nancy

Oh B… she was so adorable on the bus (and in the class, I just know it)! Enjoy every minute…. and tears are ok  Shelli

What a wonderful essay for a wonderful life – you & Phillip have given her the strength to excel in her exciting life ahead. Be proud and enjoy the ride. Love, Jim and Linda 

Hey girl….I understand you, it was definitely bittersweet with my daughter, too, because now she needs me even less. In a way, I’ve been caring for her the longest…but now the needs are new and different…hang in there…these were some of my best memories.  ;-)   hugs to you all! c and lz

No tears….the best is yet to come! A new chapter in both your lives. It is going to be amazing, I promise. Love u all, Lilly

For me the hardest thing was when I dropped Katrina, my baby to Kindergarten. I cried so much. It is normal. It is so hard to start losing control and let our kids start getting pushed around from the world!!!! Very hard. Anitta

Ahhhh… Where did the time go!! She seemed very excited for the first day of school. She was ready MOM…. It is always harder for us moms. L

Life is full of precious moments. You just have to know that they can’t pass you by.

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