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moms
Vitamin D Can Prevent Children’s Flu
Many studies have recently come out singing the benefits of the super-nutrient, vitamin D, which helps to activate immune cells. It’s recommended that children get 400 IU daily of vitamin D. What’s unique about this nutrient is that you can get it just by enjoying some sun; sunlight triggers production of it in your skin. Unfortunately, a lot of kids aren’t exposed to enough sunlight, so they’re not getting enough of this important nutrient. It’s important that you provide vitamin-D rich foods such as fortified milk and juices, cheese, eggs, and salmon in your child’s diet. A glass of …
Rounding Out Your Child’s Homeschool Education
One of the benefits of homeschool is giving your child the opportunity to pursue his own hobbies and interests. I find that homeschooling tends to require less time each day than traditional schooling. Usually, three to four hours of lessons is plenty, and your child can use the rest of his day to take a computer class at the local college, playing community sports, doing volunteer work, etc. It is very important to make sure your child gets plenty of interaction with peers and other adults as well to build the social skills, which are necessary in life as …
Healthy Eating for the Kids—Easy Tips
It all starts with some planning. It’s best to create a menu for the week with healthy recipes that take thirty minutes or less to prepare, unless you know you’ll have more time available for cooking. There are many easy, healthy recipes available online which you can prepare in a snap. Homemade cooking is the best way to ensure the family will be eating right. Even healthier TV dinners can be packed with sodium. When you prepare your own food, you are in control of it. You can add powerful nutrients by throwing in some wheat germ oil, …
Speaking Out about Parental Involvement
Parents often ask me how to make their own family more like Jimmy’s in Danny Meets Jimmy. One answer is being actively involved in their children’s education and lives. Research on the effects of parental involvement shows a consistent, positive relationship between parents’ participation in their children’s education and their children’s academic performance. Studies show also that parental involvement is associated with lower dropout and truancy rates. There is no question anymore that parental involvement positively impacts the education of children. Parents often ask my how they can increase their involvement. If their children attend school outside the …
Library Visits with the Kids—Some Helpful Tips
There’s nothing like good, old-fashioned visits to the library to get your kids interested in reading and encouraging them to become avid readers themselves. You can start bringing your children to the library as early as infancy—around six months of age, or when they start to become interested in looking at the pictures in books. Make sure your baby is well-fed and well-rested before your trip so he’ll be able to enjoy himself and you’ll find it easy to keep his attention on the books you’ll show him. For infants and toddlers who are still interested in putting any …
Is Reading to Your Young Child Really Necessary?
Research continues to support that reading benefits children of all ages in a variety of ways. According to studies, reading helps build your child’s vocabulary, helps develop his imagination, and increases his ability to communicate. In fact, there is a direct relationship between how many words an infant hears in a day and his language skills, even his IQ. That being said, reading is crucial in exposing your baby or young child to a variety of words. The images and colors in children picture books and illustrated books also stimulate the imagination. This is part of the reason why I …
Danny the Dragon Featured at the “Children’s Book Review”
The popular website “Children’s Book Review” posted a most wonderful “showcase” about my Danny the Dragon. Not only does the showcase feature my own personal insight about the book, but it also includes a lovely response towards the book from a well-known celebrity. Click here to read the showcase. Tina Turbin
Danny the Dragon Contest Winner for November!
Leah Naumec was the winner of the October contest as part of the October Danny the Dragon Gluten-Free cupcake party hosted by Tina Turbin in Florida. She received a Danny the Dragon gift basket loaded with goodies and Danny the Dragon give-aways! I am very pleased to also share Leah’s story. Her mother briefly shares what it has been like to raise a child with celiac: A new mom, feeding journals, diaper journals, sleep schedules… all trial and error! Leah’s precious life started with a week in the NICU, but as a fighter she bounded out and has been that …
Ways to Get Your Kids Reading
First of all, start young. Studies show that reading to your child should begin before the age of six months, as soon as they’re able to enjoy the images and pictures inside of their books. Collect some board books, either buying them at the bookstore or getting some hand-me-downs from friends and family. All children have varying attention spans and you should keep in mind not to push too far past these limits in their attention and not force them to read, as children tend to dislike things they are forced to do not on their own determinism. Every child …
A Mother’s Role is a Valuable Asset to Our Society
Chances are, you have an idea of just how important you are as a mother in your household. For instance, what if you were to go out of town for a week? Who would get the kids ready for school, take them to soccer or ballet, help them with their homework? And could you imagine the state of the house after such a length of time? As helpful as your spouse or children may be, without having Mom around to spur them through their daily chores, how often would they do the dishes or remember to take out the trash? …