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Archives
Turn off the TV—Tips for Families
Just when you think it can’t get any worse, it does—television, that is. One of the best decisions I made years ago for myself and for my family was to cut down on television drastically. At first this may seem like a daunting task, but with a few simple tips, parents find it’s much easier than they suspected it would be.
Get Some Sleep
About 70 million Americans experience sleep problems ranging from chronic sleep disorders to sporadic sleep troubles. Studies show that just one night of insufficient sleep can affect memory, productivity, and even the ability to carry on a regular conversation. In my work as a writer, researcher, and humanitarian, with several radio interviews a week, I can’t afford to not be at my mental peak, and chances are you can’t either. Long-term sleep deprivation can have serious effects such as higher risk for high blood pressure, depression, heart attack, decreased immunity, obesity, and diabetes. As you can see, getting enough sleep should be as much a part of your health regimen as eating well and exercising. Fortunately, by making a few adjustments to your diet, you can improve the quality of your sleep.
Americans Need to Make More Friends!
Statistics are showing that Americans have fewer friends than they used to, according to a recent study, “Social Isolation in America,” which was published in the American Sociological Review. The authors found that the number of Americans who feel they have someone with whom they can discuss important matters dropped by nearly one-third from 1985 to 2004, and the number of people who said they had no one they could discuss such matters with tripled to nearly 25 percent of Americans. The authors suggest the cause for this decrease in intimate friendships may be longer work hours and the increased popularity of the Internet and television.
My Interview in Amsterdam-Holland
This was a fun interview! Charlie Valentino of glutenfreegroove.com found me through a search on the internet and asked if he could interview me. He then sent me the questions and we had a blast form that point on. His questions were fun and so was his interview!
He placed my replies up and here they are for your reading pleasure.:
Tina Turbin
Danny the Dragon Contest Winner – February!
William Morris is my February contest winner for a Danny the Dragon gift basket full of fun stuff from Danny the Dragon. Here is what William and his family had to share about his winning a basket like this:
I’m sending Danny the Dragon a picture of me. I hope he can come to my house soon. I love him.” Thank you Tina! -William Morrison Age 4
Q and A session with a HS in Albany, New York
I am often asked many queston on the radio, in a school, or libarary about the many aspects of writing, the book itself, the characters etc. I decided to share a Q and A emailed to me which I had with a HS in Alabany. My answers are after the numbered questions short and sweet but I share my sincere opinion as an Artist and Author to everyone below these questions-especially aspiring writers.
Mom’s Talking About 6-Year-Old Handcuffed and Committed in School
Times have been slowly but surely changing and it is stories like this that really can hit home as to the NEED for teachers and school officials to have some of their control taken into account. As a mother of three, and American citizen and a humanitarian I can not believe acts like this can not only occur but that they are. This is a story for every parent to read and every family to understand.
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Encourage Social Skills in Children: Danny the Dragon Author Offers Tips
One of the ways parents can increase involvement is by supporting their child’s education and helping him achieve academic success. An important part of this, which parents don’t often think about, is teaching your kids the social skills they’ll need to succeed in school. Here are some tips for parents on how they can send their child to school with the social skills they need to successfully interact with teachers and other students.
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Children Need Good Literature
The fact that kids need good literature is not a new one. Just look at the number of awards available in the United States alone to reward authors for superb children’s literature. The long list of such awards includes the Newbery Medal, Caldecott Medal, Coretta Scott King Award, and Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal. With such an extraordinary effort made to celebrate good children’s literature, there must be something important about it.
Danny the Dragon – A Judge’s Commentary
Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy was entered in the 17th Annual International Self-Published Book Awards. Below I am sharing with you a wonderful, professional judge’s commentary on the book:
“What a terrific cover illustration! Danny the Dragon is wonderfully drawn and is sure to appeal to kid readers; Skipper and Jimmy are wonderfully drawn, too. The interior illustrations are as wonderful: bold, bright, comical, full of amazing detail, quirkily fun – wonderful for the story and wonderful on their own. The story itself is delightful. What child wouldn’t be intrigued by a talking shell – that turns out to house a talking dragon? Kids will love that the mother very calmly and casually invites Danny and Skipper to stay for dinner and even agrees to let the dragon spend the night. (They’ll wish their own moms would be so accommodating.) Danny is loveable and polite (a nice, subtle lesson in manners for the kids reading this book); Jimmy and Sally’s reactions to his appearance in their household ring true (it’s also nice that they’re shown, without comment, cleaning up after themselves – a nice lesson for kid readers that is done subtly enough to not seem like a lesson). The story sets up itself for a series of future adventures. Children will enjoy reading about Danny again and again.”
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