Barefoot Stories

Is my Kindle a book?

2012-01-19T00:09:00.000-08:00

I haven't been posting because I've been too busy with my 2 Kindles. Yup. One old fashioned 3rd Gen. that I like to use for reading and the other is my new toy, the Kindle Fire. My real dilemma goes beyond whether it is morally reprehensible for a true lover of books to own a Kindle (of course it is) or how much to let my kids play with my new Fire (I don't even let my husband play with it).

Here's my actual problem:

The nearly 18 month old baby calls my Kindle a book. She actually calls the Fire "bubbles" because of that silly bubble app she gets to play with sometimes (it's really dumb but super fun, the best kind of app). But when we have snuggle time (i.e. breastfeeding a toddler) I immediately reach for my "book" (Kindle 3). The trouble started when she looked at me, questioningly, and said, "bubbles?" I said, "no honey, that's mommy's...um...book. No bubbles. The bubbles are on my other Kindle."

I understand that there are about 15 things inherently wrong with this whole conversation, knowing, as you do (in my narcissistic reality), that I'm a Charlotte-Mason-inspired,-Classical-Education-fan-with-a-slight-bend-toward-unschooling kind of momma. If you have no idea what any of that meant, just know that I obsess too much about what matters to me and how I will ever teach it to my kids.

So here is my actual, actual problem:

1) Why am I reading when I should be making eye contact with my child or singing or teaching her the a-b-c's or something useful? Frankly- because it's about the only chance I have to read these days.

2) Why do I need 2 Kindles? The answer is actually another question: Why do I feel a need to explain the difference between the two to my toddler? The real answer of course is that I don't like major reading on a backlit screen and the old Kindle just doesn't do what the Fire does.

3) Is it really a book? I'll leave the answer to this one to the experts. The debate rages on.

In the meantime, you can follow my reading trends on Goodreads. There's an android app for that.

Homeschool kid confesses: I don't like books.

2011-11-22T07:22:00.001-08:00

My five year old daughter told me the last week that she doesn't like books. Seriously? We read at least an hour every day, what with school reading, bedtime reading and in between reading. Probably more than an hour a day. I never thought I'd be seeking advice on how to instill a love of reading in MY kid. I feel like a dentist who just found a cavity in my own child. I sell children's books for crying out loud.

My first instinct:
PANIC

WHAT? Of COURSE you love books! Of COURSE you're just saying that because you don't want to hear me read the books I've picked out, right? Right?

But she told me she doesn't like reading on her own, either. *sigh*
more panic.
more mayhem.
more self-inflicted pain and suffering.

Then I decided to get to the bottom of the problem.

"Mom, we just have too many books. And they're boring. I like books about how to do things, and science books and stuff."

Ah ha. Panic over. She's ready for harder books. And it's time to downsize.
We spend a great deal of time in the non-fiction section of our children's library, but I do still pick up picture books now and then for the four year old we watch a few days a week, for our baby, and for the five year old, too.

I was able to explain that reading is a gateway to independent learning. That when she is able to read on her own she will be free to learn about things that are interesting to her and she can learn them in her own way. I explained that most of the books we have we are saving until her baby sister is ready for them. Said five-year-old is truly beyond most of them.

In the meantime, we took a little break. I didn't push it. I skipped the library one week *gasp* and played charades one night instead of bedtime stories. So what. Go ahead- put me in homeschool jail.

We finished reading "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" today. We charged through a couple chapters because she wanted to finish it. She's excited about our library trip, tomorrow. She's been reading on her own, more. Maybe she just needed a break and maybe I'm a good mom for stopping to listen.

Just curious:
How do you handle disturbing revelations like this? Do you panic, like me, or are you more gracious?

Small hands, big world

2011-10-25T22:27:00.000-07:00

When I feel I've lost my way and am out of touch with what lives outside my window (which actually happens to me quite often- several times a day, usually), we all head outside. Regardless of the weather. Sometimes it's a walk around the neighborhood or a more organized activity like a hike, but most often we just hang out in our yard, enjoying the space we inhabit. Sometimes we just stay in our pajamas.

Nature Journaling in dinosaur jammies

One of my favorite things to do with my five year old is Nature Journaling. We started when she was four, loosely following Anna Comstock's Handbook of Nature Study (also available free in a digital format of your choice).

I keep a backpack prepared for her with her binoculars, magnifying glass, colored pencils and journal. The backpack usually lives in the car because it's the most common place I am when I wish I had it with me. And yes, my Anna Comstock is actually in the car right now, too.

Journal, binoculars, magnifying glass, pencils and a subject to study

My Grace-Girl has drawn pine cones, butterflies, flowers, rocks, grasses, and, most recently, sunflowers. I had her pick a specific flower to draw and study. She went to work looking at it from all angles, examining it, understanding it. First she drew the heads and leaves of the multi-headed sunflower, then she drew the entire plant as she saw it. We counted stems and leaves as well as flowers. Here's the finished work.

Pages from the journal

Of course I had some books from the library on the topic in anticipation of the moment and we read them before we came out. Back inside we finished our study of the sunflower with a nice craft I made up with cut out pictures of the plant's life cycle separated by arrows circling a sunflower we pasted together with bits of paper and actual sunflower seeds. Fun.

But back to Nature Study. Here is Baby Rain experiencing her natural world.

Baby nature study

It was warm this day and she had been playing in the hose water while sister worked on her journal.

I'm mostly writing this to encourage myself not to forget to get outside, regardless of the weather or the incessantly needy state of my house (or my blog). This is not what we do everyday, but it's what I strive to do most days. :) Thanks for listening. For more inspiration, check out this amazing blog with great Nature Journal challenges.

Workboxes!

2011-10-18T21:51:00.000-07:00

Our work-boxes- a versatile rolling cart

I usually shun the word "work" when engaging my kinder-kid in home learning, but it's just so catchy: "Workboxes." She absolutely loves the workbox method. She asks for it. Recently she asked if they use workboxes at NASA training camp (she's contemplating becoming an astronaut).

As a homeschooling parent, my top tools for teaching are books, hands-on activities, and real-life stuff. But it's fun to add in these tools and tricks to help make learning fun and a well-rounded experience for the kids. My Grace-girl (5) needed some help becoming more independent (i.e. let mom walk out of the room for two seconds to make sure the baby isn't eating the pet fish). I think workboxes are a great way to do that. Also, repetition is key with the grammar stage and where I lack in repetition, I know these games and activities will help pick up the slack.

We only use our boxes a few days a week when I'm busy with projects, planning or cleaning and she needs a few hours of review time (great for practicing new things we learn together on other days). There are only six boxes, but that seems to keep my kid busy for hours. She likes to take her time. The pink box on top is her "tool box" where I put pencils, dry erase markers, or whatever else she will need for her activities. She looks at the activity, decides if she needs a tool, then goes for it. Yay for independent thinking and learning!

Practicing word-family recognition

After reviewing just about every blog that talks about workboxes, I decided to invest in some folder games (with the help of a friend's laminator) and wound up making my own number cards that detach by velcro and reattach to the "done" card (on top of the boxes in the above pic- though I later mounted it on the side of the rolling cart). Couldn't find any I really liked online.

Here are some things I've put into her boxes:

Domino math. I laminated the worksheets (one for adding, one for subtracting) and include the dominoes in the box.
One game that uses clothespins (great for manual dexterity training).
Several write-on/wipe-off writing mats that I'll usually rotate through (just one at a time- I'm not crazy about them, but they seem fun for her).
A mini-book project that will become part of a larger lapbook (we love lapbooks, too- check out this post).
A movement oriented activity, like a series of our favorite Yoga Pretzel cards, for her to get some wiggle time, often accompanied by a snack.
Reading flashcards or a reading book with a little card that says, "with Mommy."
A fun cut and paste project or puzzle book. This one was fun, thought not terribly educational. It's good, I think, to end with something fun.

I usually space out the difficult items involving reading and writing between easier ones (or ones that utilize a different skill, like cutting and pasting). The downside is that she is quickly outgrowing the folder games I made a few short months ago. Perhaps it's time to think about swapping with a like-minded mama...

Share your experiences, fellow home-educators! What systems do you use and why?

What the heck is a lapbook?

2011-09-20T14:45:00.000-07:00

A short year ago I was wondering the same thing. So, being the Barefoot Adventurer I am... I found out. At first I thought it seemed a little cheesy. Just a folded file folder? With a bunch of stuff glued inside it? But then I began to grasp the larger picture. A Lapbook is a great way to gather a bunch of info about one topic and put it a format that is easy for a child to explore and understand. And it's pretty much free. Which I love. And since your kid put it together they will want to, theoretically, look at it from time to time to remember what they did.

Dads doing Math

So I decided to do our first lapbook when we went to the Oregon coast this past summer. We were traveling with my sister and her family who also homeschool, so I knew they'd have some homeschool work planned, anyway. I started googling lapbooks about the Ocean and found TONS of stuff. Mostly I used templates from this site which focuses on a great book with which I was already familiar, Hello Ocean. I explores the ocean through the lens of the five senses. Great book.

Each morning we spent a couple hours doing school work. Most of our time (with my Kinder-kid) was spent reading books together about the ocean. Lots of non-fiction and fiction alike. I couldn't possibly remember all of them. We did some math and reading exercises then we worked on the lapbook.

The open lapbook

The Tide-pool mini-book (connected with a brad)

Counting by fives and tens

The five senses mini-book

If I had it to do over, I would have printed some of our pics of the beach and included nature journals we did as well as writing down the names of all the books we read on the back of the folder. Overall, it was a great experience! Try it out. Do you lapbook? Share your experiences?

The cheapest, free-est way to organize your homeschool life EVER.

2011-09-13T20:57:00.000-07:00

In a typical fit of organization that comes every September, I decided to get things sorted out at my house. As is typical of me, I reviewed every possible way of doing calendars, chores, and everything else and then decided to come up with my own thing. Everything I used I had on hand except printer ink, cardstock, and printer paper. It was spurred on by an offer from a friend to use her laminator (thank you!). I decided to use the calendar we have been using (the only thing here that really cost money), but to hang it in the kitchen on our laundry room/pantry door (it faces into the kitchen and is visible from the kitchen table). I wanted to have this be our homeschool calendar-center where we also could check in about chores and daily activities. If you look closely you can see our Bible verses we're currently working on (Psalm 100) above the schedule on the right side. This is obviously for me, not for her, as she's not reading quite that well, yet. It is nice for her to have the visual reminder, though.

I put together a laminated daily schedule sheet with laminated activities and velcro to put them all on the schedule. I opted not to use pictures, mostly because I didn't want to spend time doing it, and it would have made the activity cards too long and too... well... cluttered. I used an outline-style font and colored them in myself and glued them onto black cardstock before laminating (cute, huh?)

I also organized a chore chart system that I thought would work best for us. It's space-saving, flexible and easy to use. My Grace-girl (5) and I both enjoy the mystery of drawing a stick and finding your chore rather than having it all laid out all the time. Either way the fish gets fed, right? Hers have pictures as well as chores. Some of my favorites: "Tidy bedroom." "Get dressed." "Help mommy fold laundry." "Be a cheerful helper."

I didn't have any popsicle sticks (we make our own popsicles) or I would have used that system. I did have enough sticks for a system that I hung in the office to manage screen-time- similar to our chore envelopes. I give her about 50 minutes a day to start with (in 10's and 20's), though it often disappears throughout the day as she chooses to spend time doing other things. Like somersaults. When we're trying to leave to go somewhere. Now.

I know this will all stop working after a few months, but at least when we're ready to come back it will be there. Taunting me. Haunting me. But ready for me. Remember: the key is to do what will work for you and your family: figuring this out seems to be the hard part. What system works for you? Why is it so darn important, anyway? (my husband would probably like to know why I can spend hours on this little project but the kitchen remains a disaster) Share your thoughts!

Homeschooling in Central Oregon

2011-08-02T01:33:00.000-07:00

I recently published an article about home education here in Central Oregon. I was able to highlight three families with different styles and reasons for homeschooling and also provide lots of info about homeschooling in general.

Here on my blog I have many more resources listed under the "Our Homeschool" page including a list of favorite books that led me to homeschooling and a quick synopsis of some of the more popular styles or philosophies of home education.

Through an informal survey of almost 100 home educators in Central Oregon, I was able to create a comprehensive list of local activities available to homeschoolers including a list of things that folks wish were available (there was some overlap, so I'm hoping people will read this blog to find out about what they are missing!).

I truly enjoyed hearing the stories of why people choose to home educate as well as the styles they employ and the joys and difficulties they encounter on the way. Enjoy the article here and find more resources here!

photo credit: True North: Central Oregon Parenting

Like giving books for birthdays?

2011-07-25T22:51:00.000-07:00

Some kids don't get much for their birthday. That's why I'm excited about what Barefoot Books is doing. They've launched a new campaign:

If you buy Bear's Birthday through the month of July, Barefoot Books will donate a book to Birthday Wishes, an organization that gives birthday presents and parties to kids who otherwise wouldn't get any. Great stuff, right? This is relevant to me right now as both my kids and my husband will be celebrating their birthdays in the next month.
You can also send a free birthday e-card to the bear-lover in your life! Fun!
Did I mention there's a huge summer sale going on right now, too? (through Aug. 15, 2011)

Barefoot Books works with Books for Africa, Ecolibris, First Book, and several others. If you want to be a responsible consumer, think about where you buy. Supporting companies that make a difference in the world (not because it's good for the bottom line, but because it's good for the planet) makes a lot more sense than just walking into a Walmart and picking up the first thing you see.

If you'd like to make the leap, check out my website or find other gifts that promote community uplift, global awareness and corporate responsibility.

Teaching kids to give back-

2011-05-31T22:31:00.000-07:00

The Fairyland Cupcake Kids

As I was planning a big garage sale this summer at my house, I had a friend offer to come over and keep the kids busy running a lemonade and cupcake stand. Great idea! She also had the fabulous idea of giving the proceeds to a local charity. We chose Neighbor Impact, because they have a facility in the town where we live, and because they do tangible things like give food to people and help families find housing.

I advertised the event on Facebook, Craigslist and by pink signs, and included the information about the lemonade stand.

The garage sale and the lemonade stand were a hit! The local paper even came and took a picture. Can you tell we live in a small town? The girls made big bucks in their princess dresses, even though most of the time they were playing in the back yard. I guess the moms did some work, too. The following week we took the girls to get a tour of the facility. It was great to see what the charity is doing in our community and how they are appreciative of even the smallest offering.

I'm pretty sure we ate most of the cupcakes ourselves. On the other hand, I think the average donation at the lemonade stand was at least $1 over the price of the item. So our girls learned that people like to give. Other things they learned:

Money- counting it, identifying it, making change
The value of a cupcake (i.e.- don't eat all the merchandise)
How to greet a customer
Sharing with friends
How sweet it is to "give back."

Cereal Science: What's in your breakfast cereal?

2011-04-19T20:31:00.000-07:00

I LOVE teaching my kids things. I love the "aha" moment that inevitably follows and I love the challenges they lay before me. The other day we were sitting at the breakfast table with Kashi multigrain puffed cereal (which is tasty and healthy, so I don't mind mentioning it on my blog). I was picking out the puffed rice for my 8 month old when I realized there is a list and a picture of all the grains on the back of the box. I immediately took out a handful of puffed goodness, piled it up on the table in front of my 4 year old and turned the box to her. She got it right away.

"Mommy- which ones are which?"

I read the names and descriptions of each of the grains and seeds and we spent the next 15 minutes sorting and discussing them. We sorted by size, shape, color, taste, texture and general puffiness. It was a beautiful moment. It was a learning moment.

Every day is full of moments like this one. Totally out of the scope of any curriculum (there might be one out there I don't know of that includes Kashi grain recognition as a skill set), this moment still stands out to me as a reason (albeit a rather "fluffy" one, pun intended) why I love to homeschool. If we were running late for the bus, this moment would not have happened. A clarification: kids who take the bus in the morning can find time in their day to make such observations, of course. I'm just happy we can be more flexible.

Down the road I look forward to more nutrition talks around the breakfast table, in the grocery store, and in the garden. I'll keep you posted.

Story + Story = Math lesson

2011-03-18T00:17:00.000-07:00

It's no secret that I prefer storybooks to textbooks. The classical style of education tends to appeal to me because of it's inherent ability to steer clear of textbooks. Of course, there is a time and place for textbooks, but I don't see the point when you're home educating a four year old. So, recently I found myself seriously lacking passion for teaching math concepts. I mean- it's pretty easy stuff, but it takes time to soak in. Addition, subtraction, counting by 2s, 10s and 20s... ordination, patterns, etc. SO. I did what I always do- fled to the library for help. Gotta love the juvenile non-fiction stacks.

The Mission Of Addition by Brian P. Cleary (in his "categorical" series) is a wonderful example of introducing addition to young kids and older kids who need a reminder of the basics. Cleary has written dozens of great books that teach solid concepts through story.

Subtraction Action, by Loreen Leedy, is a great story about ways we use subtraction in the everyday world. Leedy also wrote a book about addition, among others, but I haven't had a chance to use it, yet.

Oh- and I'll let you in on my last secret. I love to do an entire day of homeschooling with a stack of books from the library and a magnadoodle. For math we sometimes play "copy-cat." I write an equation and she copies it and figures out the answer. She can use her fingers, legos, toys, blocks, anything to add and subtract. The more we go over these basic equations, the more she remembers the answers without having to figure them out every time.

So, math is fun, again. Next week we're revisiting telling time. And another study on money is coming up, soon. I'll let you know how the magnadoodle thing works out when we get to algebra.

A visit to my kitchen

2011-02-28T23:11:00.000-08:00

The heart of our home is definitely the kitchen. Our house is small and the kitchen is constantly inhabited. Sometimes children are eating or playing with playdoh. Usually I'm cooking something in there that involves chopping a crazy amount of vegetables, but my husband also loves to live in our kitchen. His great culinary passions are cake and beer. Yes. Cake and beer. He studied Chemistry in college and seems to enjoy the precise work involved in these two activities.

My style is completely opposite. I never use a recipe. I enjoy creating something out of food.

He always uses a recipe, at least the first few times he makes something. He will practice over and over again to make sure he gets it exactly right. His famous Buckwheat Pancakes are truly amazing because of this character trait.

Our little Grace-girl loves to help. Most kids get excited about the same things as their parents. We have lots of fun together.

When things go well in our kitchen, it is when we all work together. The girl helps. I get to decorate the cake. We all enjoy sharing it with friends. Here is some fruit of our kitchen labor.

Thanks for drooling. I know I still do! When it comes down to it, I want my kids to know what it means to cook from scratch. Whether it's soup, cake or just smoothies, my kids definitely know the joy of home-made.

When Home and School Play Nice

2011-02-07T20:10:00.000-08:00

This morning we did:

cuddle on the couch
eat breakfast
practice a reading lesson on the couch for 1/2 an hour
enjoy an hour-long math lesson armed with only a Magna Doodle and some legos (it also involved jumping on the couch)
work on making valentines

This morning we did not:

wake up to an alarm clock (who needs one when you have a baby?)
drag the baby out of bed in the middle of a nap to go somewhere
get dressed before 10 am
watch t.v.

I'm not saying all this to gloat. Some days are pure chaos with temper tantrums, tears, and tyrannical tendencies. Some days it's all I can do to get the movie turned on and the kid parked in front of it before I collapse on the couch for a few more minutes of sleep. I write the encouraging days down to give me something hopeful to read on those days. I hope you have happy days to reflect on, as well! Share them so you don't forget!

When does mommy read?

2011-02-01T21:41:00.000-08:00

I laughed at myself, today, when I realized I have a book hidden in every room of this house. You never know when you might have a moment to escape! I spend a lot of time talking on this blog about what I'm reading to my kids. Well, here's what I am reading these days:

In the Bathroom: There's always a Time magazine or National Geographic nearby when I need my space. However, this week I've found myself reviewing an old favorite: Dr. Sears' The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby form Birth to Age Two. It's such a great book! I know I can look it up online, but sometimes it's nice to look in a book.
In Bed: I've been keeping my Kindle by my bed. Currently I'm reading Dan Brown's new book. It's all fun, people. I don't believe a word of it. :)
By the couch: I'm catching up on a book I should have read a long time ago. It's called Ptarmigan Telegraph. It's about the history of Christian radio station KICY, in Nome, AK. My maternal grandfather was instrumental in starting the station, so it's fun to read about it.
In the office: It's all business in here. If I have a moment to read when I'm not at the computer, I'm reviewing the book I'm using to teach June to read, The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading. I don't use it as a textbook, more just a guide. Works great for me! Or I'm checking in with other homeschooling books I like (check out my homeschooling tab on this blog)
In the kitchen: I'm always reading a cookbook or two. The Vegetarian Epicure, or The Super Baby Food book. Of course, my Bible lives in the kitchen, too and I steal my moments with it, when I am able.

What are you reading, friends? I'd love to hear what reading material sits by your bed, or on your kitchen table.

Don't YOU have a dream, Mommy?

2011-01-18T00:53:00.000-08:00

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

How do you explain the significance of this holiday to a 4 year old?

Maybe you don't need to.

Maybe she just needs to witness her mama sitting in the car in the parking lot at the grocery store, crying her eyes out to the tune of,

I have a dream

that my four little children will one day live in a nation

where they will not be judged by the color of their skin,

but by the content of their character.

Maybe it's enough. Dear God, please let it be enough. Let this man's life stand as a witness not just to racial prejudice, but also to moral and economic injustice. Let my kids see the better world they live in, instead of the worse one.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

Then I remembered standing in my kitchen, the night Barack Obama was named the next president of the United States and I turned to my husband and said, "this is an amazing moment in history, and here we are standing in the middle of it."

Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.

I remember a class full of Navajo kids. We sang Jesus Loves me in Navajo. I still remember the syllables, carefully burned into my memory. But mostly I remember wishing that I could live in the dorms like the other kids.

We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.

Fast forward to that parking lot, again, today. I found myself doing the cliche...
"Martin was kind of like Jesus, honey. He didn't get to come back to life, but his story will never end."

My husband finally turned off the radio and we went in to buy our new running shoes and bananas and whatever other inconsequential stuff was on our list today.
But I hope my girl will remember. Today is about a dream. What's your dream?

I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.

Epiphany- or "Christmas ain't over yet..."

2011-01-04T15:07:00.000-08:00

This past fall I decided we were going to celebrate "Epiphany" this year. Also known as 3 King's Day, Epiphany is rarely celebrated in our country, but still widely known other places. Epiphany means (among other things) "sudden appearance" or "divine manifestation." Epiphany falls on January 6, 12 days following Christmas Day, and is now celebrated as the day the wise-men apparently made their appearance in Bethlehem to visit the Christ Child. We know now that it probably wasn't until a few years later that the wise men actually came to Judea, but this is still a fun holiday to celebrate.

In our little homeschool classroom, I've been using Epiphany as an excuse to get back on track with school this winter. There is an urban legend that tells us the 12 Days of Christmas song (counting the 12 days leading up to Epiphany) is really a subversive song describing basic Christian doctrine. Whether it is or not, this is a great opportunity to teach little ones about the Christian faith. After taking too much time off for holiday travel, I needed some inspiration. So, here's what we've been doing:

Studying the basic tenets of our faith using the song (and the book, above). We've been learning that a Partridge in a Pear Tree can also symbolize Jesus on the Cross... so on and so forth.
After we sadly demolished our Christmas tree (a New Year's tradition we have involving a bonfire), we began to create an ornament for each of the 12 Days of Christmas to hang on our little lemon tree (you could use a branch or houseplant, too). For example, we made a little scroll with four birds on it to symbolize the 4 calling birds (symbolizing Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and their gospel stories).
There is a ton of material online to help teach the subject of the 3 Wise Men, including the great story of Artaban, the 4th Wise-man, who was waylaid in his journey by people who needed his help. We've been using his story to learn about ways we can help others in need. The Russian folk tale of Babushka (top of the page) is another great story relating to the same concept.
This has been a great opportunity to review the numbers (forward and backward) 1-12 and practice writing them! We're also revisiting the calendar as we count the days to Epiphany. We could add in some astronomy, too, but I didn't get that organized this year.
Finally, we plan to end our study of the 12 Days and Epiphany with a little 3 Kings party! We'll dress up as kings and queens, have a picnic (indoors) of travel food like hummus, dried fruit, etc. and we'll act out the story of the wise-men greeting the Christ-child. We'll make sparkly stars to take home as a reminder of the journey the wise-men took and we might even do a little map of our trip (if I get motivated). The children will leave with small gifts.

Do you celebrate Epiphany? What does your tradition look like? How do you extend your holidays to last a little longer? How do you teach your children about faith? I'd love to hear your thoughts! Blessings~ Tori

Little Star

2010-11-10T12:00:00.000-08:00

This seems to be my week for book reviews (check out my other blog)- which I would happily do anytime, by the way! Part of living a "Barefoot" life, one that thrives on intention, creativity and community, is reading lots of books! The latest book from Anthony DeStefano reminds me that Christmas is just around the corner. We adore Christmas at our house, so I'm always happy to find a new book to add to our Christmas book box.

This story is about a little star who struggles to be noticed by the other stars until one day he, the unlikely hero, notices the One, an unlikely savior. Little Star recognizes that greatness is not determined by your size or importance, but by who you are born to be, and he gets to reap the benefit of that lesson. It is nice to find a unique Christmas book with such a great lesson to learn.

I enjoyed the idea of this book, though the illustrations unevenly alternate between looking old-fashioned-dark and overly-cartoonish. Maybe they are just not my style. DeStefano attempts to weave a tale of triumph that resonates in some parts but is sidetracked in others ("twinkle-talk"?) by some awkward moments (I doubt a star would keep a baby warm) and formulaic plotting.

My resident children's book expert (4 year old daughter) seemed unimpressed and did not ask to read it again, though we did our usual "unpacking" of the story, which she enjoyed.

All in all I think it is a sweet, fairly biblically accurate book, and I know it will make a great gift under the tree for the little book lover in your life.

The Halloween Conundrum

2010-11-01T00:51:00.000-07:00

I did trick-or-treat once or twice in my childhood, it just wasn't a big deal. I don't feel like I missed anything. As an adult I'm turned off by the commercialism, the candy and the greed that permeates this holiday, BUT I can't deny the fact that it is the one holiday that really promotes community. When else do you get to wander around your neighborhood, knocking on doors, and not one gets slammed in your face? So... I've been struggling with whether or not to celebrate Halloween in our family for a few years, knowing that we could buy some time while our eldest was so young. My husband has no moral issue with it, leaving the decision up to me. Yikes. But this year I've finally reached a decision (I know you are all waiting with bated breath).

The answer is "yes."

Now for the Why:

Halloween builds community. We live on a corner lot, across from a park, under a streetlight, in a very family-oriented neighborhood. I knew there would be lots of kids out, tonight. Every parent who came to the door with their kids now knows we live here. They saw that we have two girls, our house isn't perfect, and we care. They are learning to trust us. If there is one thing that my husband and I feel called to do, it is build community where we live. Love God, love people. As a homeschooling family I don't want to be completely isolated (and we definitely are not) from the neighborhood kids and the world around us.
My desire not to do Halloween was entirely too wrapped up in worrying what people think of me and confusing myself in the process. Ok. Maybe I was passing a little judgment, too, if I'm honest with myself.
Jesus loved the un-lovables. He probably would've hung out with that werewolf kid from down the street, too. Not that he would have gorged on candy, but I like to think he would at least give something out at his door.
We can hold our moral ground as a family and still have fun. We know where we draw the line for our kids, and that's the only line we need to worry about. The kids will be exposed to "scary" stuff. That's life. And honestly, I don't think Halloween is half as insidious as Christmas. Don't hate me for saying that, I do LOVE Christmas.

I'm fairly certain we are all familiar with the "why-nots" of Halloween. I just thought I'd share a little of my process in working through this tough topic. You know what's best for your own family, right?

We limited our small kids to one community event and handing out candy at our door. Our focus is definitely on fall and the changing of the seasons, and has always included pumpkins, pumpkin patch trips, leaf jumping and more. I suppose each year will add more excitement, a line drawn a bit further down the road, and more discussion about the meaning of Halloween. In the meantime, stay posted for my overly passionate dissertation on Block Parties! Coming soon- hopefully next summer, straight to you from the lady who over-thinks everything.

Planet Homeschool

2010-10-06T23:34:00.000-07:00

Somehow my homeschool classroom has become centered around science. It must be what interests my eldest student most (the youngest being a mere 10 weeks old), since she's managed to finagle all sorts of unit studies out of me (how do strawberries grow? Why do trees lose their leaves? I want to learn about being an astronaut! I want to be a doctor... etc.). You can learn reading, writing and arithmetic using just about any subject, but it's easier to create interest around those things when the subject is fun for the student. Recently we've been learning about space, mostly because I wanted to teach about calendars and time, so we had to understand how time works, first. I divided the awesomely vast subject into a few days (we could have taken a whole year):

1) Planet Earth- from the inside out- rocks and minerals, continents, basic geography, etc. Very basic overview. We reviewed our volcano study from earlier this summer, too.

2) The planets and our solar system- names of the planets, the name origin, how planets orbit and spin, etc, time and weight, gravity, etc.

3) Stars and other bodies- primary focus on constellations and space exploration.

NASA is an amazing resource online, but not the only one, that shows actual video and interactive activities about space exploration and our solar system. A simple google search yields many great sites for kids.

Of course, we read lots of books at our house. So here are three of my favorite storytelling books, one for each day above, about space. Every subject in school deserves good stories!

1. Whole World This is a Barefoot Books rendition of the old classic song. The focus here is on stewardship and also on the various environments of our planet. The song is catchy, of course, and the illustrations quirky and fun. It opens the door to all sorts of discussion about what our planet is all about and how we can practice planetary stewardship. There is also a workbook to accompany the book, but it's a little advanced for my darling student.

2. Star Seeker is a Barefoot Books title that truly is a journey- beautiful illustrations of the planets and a lyrical story that keeps the imagination going long after the book has ended. The end notes have tons of scientific data about our solar system and beyond, successfully linking story to science. Hooray!

3. Zoo in the Sky is a great book about the constellations. My daughter used this book to develop her own constellation pictures, which is actually quite easy for a four-year-old since they can be fairly abstract. Again, lots of info at the back to blend science and story. This book has great illustrations showing actual star placement within the constellations.

Of course we read lots of non- fiction books, too, about astronauts, planets and space. I can't wait to revisit this topic when we come back to it in a few years! And a year is 365 days, a day is 24 hours, an hour is 60 minutes, a minute is 60 seconds, etc... what better way to learn about time than through stories? Happy storytelling!

Princesses and Dragons

2010-09-11T21:11:00.000-07:00

Princesses and Dragons abound in our house. If a day goes by that my four year old doesn't dress up as a princess, I assume she's sick. We play Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, and many others including an old classic- Sleeping Beauty. Sometimes (ok- OFTEN) I get very tired of playing out these stories with her (though Cinderella does like to help with chores). I'm always in search of new ways to re-create the old tales. Here's my pick of the week: Snoring Beauty. It's not a Barefoot Book, but it is absolutely wonderful to read again and again. The classic tale of Sleeping Beauty is waylaid by a hearing-challenged fairy who turns the curse of "death by pie-wagon" into "sleeping dragon" who can only be awakened by a "quince" rather than the traditional "prince." The story is hilarious, the illustrations are perfectly matched to the story. The funky fairies absolutely steal the show: Hexus and Blexus, Nostrilene and Umpudine, Fleabitis and Tintinnitus, and Fred (who wasn't really a fairy, but no one had the heart to tell him). So, if you're tired of playing princess, try out Snoring Beauty.

Do you have a Tiger inside?

2010-07-23T09:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I chased my daughter around the house, trying to trap her under a plastic laundry basket. She insisted that she was a tiger who needed to be caged. The growling, showing of claws and pouncing verified her identity. She was clearly seeking a safe place to feel "tiger-ish," but I don't want her to be caged... I want her to be free. How to do I teach my daughter that her "tiger" feelings are ok?

I've been blessed with a kid who has a lot of feelings. Or that's how we describe it. Some would say she's also a "sensitive" child. This means we encounter lots of tantrums, some harsh words and actions that require tough consequences, and an overabundance of goofy fun! Knowing that soon she'll be sharing her life with a baby sister, we've been encountering more than the usual outbursts from our deep feeler. We've just finished a little homeschooling unit about Fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) in which we also discussed trees, family trees and lots of other fun stuff. Our last "fruit" we studied was "self-control."

Here are some things I used to discuss self-control with my almost-four-year-old:

In preparation I found this great behavior template from the NASP (National Association of School Psychologists) about teaching young children self-control that helped me think about what exactly I wanted to teach and how I would teach it.
We listened to The Music Machine song about self-control. We've been adding a new song for each "fruit" and discussing what they mean.
We read the book "Emily's Tiger" by Miriam Latimer. This is a great Barefoot Book about learning self-control and understanding your feelings before they control you! We talked about some of the coping skills Emily's grandmother helped her learn. And she saw that there are safe people in your life who want to help you learn to cope. Another great book about self-control is "Pinkalicious" by Elizabeth and Victoria Kann (not a Barefoot Book). It's more about controlling your desires than your feelings, but still great. We also discussed Adam and Eve in the garden and their lack of self-control when faced with temptation.
I helped my daughter make little monster faces, each expressing different feelings. We talked about what her body feels like when she's feeling these different things and then we hung them up on the back of her door in her room. When I send her to her room to take some space (not a time-out- it's not a punishment, just a chance for her to calm down), she can look at her monsters and decide how she's feeling (happy, sad, angry, lonely, etc.). Then we can discuss what happened with a better point of reference.
Of course we did actual school work! Careful cutting and pasting, working with her writing and reading, and math skills all require great self-control and discipline.

How do you handle the issue of self-control in your family? I'd love to hear more ideas, as I'm sure the topic is far from exhausted in our house!

Homeschool Activities in Central Oregon

2010-06-10T00:18:00.000-07:00

This is a comprehensive list of all the activities available to homeschooling kids in Central Oregon as shared by homeschoolers who live here. I've included links, where available. Below the list I've also included a wish-list, and a listing of the co-ops and active support groups here in Central Oregon. This information was gleaned from a survey of nearly 100 families in Central Oregon who currently home educate. If you see anything I missed, please comment and I'll add it in! Enjoy! These are all Local Resources, except one or two that are online only, but important enough to include, here. I hope you will share this list with others! Enjoy!

Activities:

4-H
Animal husbandry
Art Shows
Art Station
Audubon Society classes/programs for kids
Awana
Bend Science Station
BLM classes
Book Club
Boy Scouts (and Cub Scouts)
Business Operation (family or personal)
Campfire USA
Cascades Mountaineers
Central Oregon Community College (many homeschoolers attend some college classes in high school)
Church Activities
Dance - including ballet, tap, jazz, flamenco, Irish dancing, hula and many more- (there are several studios throughout Central Oregon and a few private classes offered to home schooling families available through the co-ops or the online groups- contact me for more info)
Equestrian activities (many options here as well including camps)
Foreign Language study (there are many local group classes available through the online groups or in the co-ops)
Forest Service classes and opportunities
Gardening
Geo-caching
Girl Scouts
Gymnastics
High Desert Museum (volunteer opportunities abound for homeschooled children)
Homeschool Field Trip Group
Homeschool National Honor Society
Homeschool Ski days (group rates)
Individual sports (mountain biking, trail running, skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding, etc.)
Khan Academy (online only, a great resource for learning math concepts)
Knitting and sewing groups
Language Studies
Lego Robotics
Library- Deschutes County, Crook County
Loyal Sports
Martial Arts
Marksmanship (rifle, archery, etc.)
MBSEF (Mount Bachelor Sports Education Foundation)
Music classes/lessons- various sources are available for all types of instruments including voice (contact me for more info)
The Nature of Words -literary event
Observatories (Pine Mountain and Sunriver)
Online resources (too many to list- whatever you’re looking for it is probably out there- there are forums, discussion groups, blogs, teaching resources, free online curricula, etc.)
OSU Extension Services
Parks and Recreation activities (available in various towns and cities throughout Central Oregon)
REI classes
Roots and Shoots
Science Fair
Speakers for Jesus
Speech Competition/Judging Competition
Sunriver Nature Center
Theater Programs (The Bridge School of the Arts in Redmond is geared towards home educating families but there are also several other community theater and children’s theater groups in Central Oregon)
Wild Heart Nature School offers outdoor experiences for children, teens, and adults.
Winter recreation- Mt. Bachelor, Hoodoo, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling...

Wish List (as wished for by my local home educators):

Gathering space (specifically for homeschool events)
Homeschool Resource Library
Homeschool Resource Store
Math Club (my husband tutors upper-level math and may be interested in getting this started)
Museums (more and better)
State funding for the arts
Support groups for specific styles of teaching (I.e. Charlotte Mason, Waldorf, etc.)
Symphony Halls (more and better)
Tutoring Center

Local Coops and Support Groups:

The Bridge School of the Arts and the Bridge Co-op Classes (Redmond)
Central Oregon Christian Home Educators (COCHE)
Central Oregon Homeschoolers of Redmond (COHR)
Central Oregon Open Learners (COOL)
Classical Conversations (Redmond and Bend)
Crook County Home Educators
LaPine Christian Home Educators
Friday School Co-op in Bend

Mama, why is the sun hot?

2010-03-23T20:29:00.000-07:00

If you aren't familiar with They Might Be Giants and their "Here Comes Science" album, it's time to hop on board! Of course, they've done lots of kid albums, but there is just something about their quirky, punky rhythms and lyrics that have always cheered me up. And I'm a grown up. My husband thinks he would have gotten a lot more out of school if they'd taught science through songs like this... I tend to agree! June loves "the sun song" and so do we. So we had to share one of favorite creative ways to teach using story and song with you all. Enjoy our science lesson for the week. Oh- you can get the album on i-tunes and see more of the videos on YouTube.

"O" is for Octopus

2010-03-01T15:19:00.000-08:00

This week we embark on the adventure the letter "O!" In my homeschool, we usually do two letters a week (mostly as a review for my pre-reader). I enjoy picking out special books for the letter of the day and hiding them until the day they are to be unveiled. This Wednesday we will be cutting out a capital "O" and small "o" to glue on a page, then we add stickers, glue pictures and write the words that we can think of that start with "o." Then we will learn about Octopuses and the Ocean in general as well as owls and the color orange. We will make yarn octopuses as well as doing some pre-writing activities (dot-to-dot, this week). There is a plethora of great resources online for such things, but nothing beats a good book in the hand.

Along with few great books I ordered from the library, and one or two I had on hand (Owl Moon, of course!), I also plan to incorporate Barefoot Books' brand new Octopus Opposites. Barefoot Books always does such a great job of introducing educational themes in a creative way. I'm grateful to be part of such a great company! Hey- you can be, too! Right now is a great time to join us as an Ambassador. Sell books, buy them for yourself at a discount, and make a little cash on the side. Or forge ahead into a business that can supplement your family's income. It costs zero dollars to sign up as an Ambassador- this company allows you to invest, grow and build your business at whatever pace feels right for you. Click on the banner, below to find out more. Join my team and enjoy all the benefits of living Barefoot with me by your side!

...Ode to a laminator...

2010-01-27T21:09:00.000-08:00

I apologize for being absent

my life has become "grab and go"

with one child beginning to homeschool

and the other just starting to grow

2 months of winter still waiting

and my printer is near out of ink

there must something to help simplify

if I could just sit down and think

I could use some glue, or a giant grater

I'd settle for an amicable alligator

I could use a heart, a hello or some help

but all I really need is a little laminator.

2009-12-30T21:50:00.000-08:00

Doctor June and the Tales of Anatomy

2009-11-09T21:50:00.000-08:00

My three year old daily inspires me with endless hours of blogging material. Her latest obsession is the human body. She's trying to decide whether she'd rather be a pediatrician or an internal medicine doctor when she grows up. Last night when I was tucking her in I found myself describing the entire male and female reproductive systems (But why? Mommy, why?). Long story short, I've decided that even Anatomy and Physiology deserve a good story. Finding the subject in the form of a teddy bear was a little unexpected, however.

Said daughter is fully knowledgeable about different types of cells in the body and what they do, but especially white blood cells (it is cold and flu season, after all). As she puts it, "white blood cells find and gobble up things that don't belong." An unfortunate accident with a friendly teddy bear led my daughter to discover that teddy bears only have white insides. The following conversation ensued:

"Why are his insides white, Mommy?"
"Maybe it's his blood cells that make his insides look white. But it's probably just his stuffing."
"Why doesn't he have red blood cells?"
"Maybe because he's not alive, so he doesn't need red blood cells to carry oxygen around his body."
"Oh. Why does he need white blood cells?"
"Teddy bears are a great comfort when you're sick. He wouldn't want to get stuck with a virus, would he?"
"Oh."

The discovery that teddy bears actually fight viral infections has yet to be published in a medical journal, but I'm sure the research is well underway. Didn't they spend a bunch of research money on why chicken soup makes you feel better when you're sick? Why not teddy bears? In the meantime, I feel a story brewing about a heroic bear who assists children in fighting viral infections simply by being snuggly.

2009-10-28T00:14:00.000-07:00

My Fairy-Tale Life...

2009-10-13T06:26:00.000-07:00

I must start with a confession: Last week we let our 3 year old daughter watch Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.” I normally don’t encourage such behavior, but it seemed like harmless fun at the time. Family movie night quickly turned into a week-long obsession with Belle and Beast. Being the non-conformist mama that I am, I wasn’t content to let her watch it over and over again, so we went to the library at checked out classic fairy tale versions of Beauty and Beast (of which there are many!). We discussed the differences between the books, we looked at pictures, but mostly we acted out the story. Storytelling can be a great way to infuse a little fun into your otherwise normal (read: boring) day- here’s what my day looked like, today:

7:00 am- My daughter tells me she is the Beast and I am Beauty. Ok. If that is any indication of how the day is going to go, at least I’m prepared.

7:30 am- Beast eats all his oatmeal (because Beasts need to be strong to be fierce).

8:00 am- Beauty helps Beast pick out some beautiful courtly clothes for the day.

8:30 am- Beauty vacuums while Beast begrudgingly dusts and helps vacuum (because a clean castle is a happy castle). Singing helps us along.

9:30 am- My daughter tells me that I am now the Beast and she is Beauty. Was it the vacuuming that turned me beastly?

10:00 am- Beast convinces Beauty that the castle is being attacked by dragons. Beauty climbs into her chariot while the horses and Beast whisk her off on a nice 2 ½ mile jog through the forest. Beast is happier with a little exercise.

10:30 am- Beauty runs with the horses then rides her bike (“it’s NOT a horse, Beast, it’s a bicycle!”) around the neighborhood with Beast in hot pursuit.

11:00 am- Beauty finds a baby who needs a home and invites her to stay in the castle while Beast makes lunch and tidies up.

1:00 pm- As we settle down for naptime books, my daughter says, “I’m just June now and you‘re just Mommy.” “Oh Good- I’ve kind of missed being Mommy. But I had fun, too!”

Not every day will be the perfect pre-school day. Neither of us were in the mood, today, for counting, letters or anything structured. Besides, the house looks clean. We got our exercise. And we had fun.

Mission accomplished.
Maybe tomorrow I’ll get to be a dinosaur.
I like dinosaur-days.

2009-10-09T07:53:00.001-07:00

My Story... a work in progress

2009-10-01T19:46:00.000-07:00

Blogging has forced me to be a little honest about myself: Apparently, I'm not perfect. Sad, but true. I'm not unique in this; I am a mom. Here are some of my top issues:

1) Parenting: I'm not a fan of being forced to parent someone else's kid because they don't feel like it (of course I don't mean you, silly!). I am, apparently, a big fan of standing on a soapbox and preaching about it.
2) Junk food and sugar: It's a special treat. That doesn't mean they should serve it at every event where children are welcome to attend. Would the world collapse if someone offered a 3 year old a carrot stick? If they're hungry enough... well, you know how that goes.
3) Commercialized toys and other junk: Don't we have enough to shield our children from without having to be worried about lead paint, choking hazards and commercialization? I say, let them play with blocks and read books. It won't kill them to be the last kid on the block to play Rock Band.

That's enough ranting for one day. I enjoy the simple things and I want my kids to enjoy them, too. Is that too much to ask? How about you? Is there something in your world that drives you to the edge of crazy? Or beyond? I'd love to hear about it!

Live Local, Love Local!

2009-09-26T00:13:00.000-07:00

There was sad news in our town, today. Our local children's museum doesn't have the funding required to continue. This makes me a little angry, people! It's past time for us to band together; we are moms, husbands, sisters, cousins and friends and we are all neighbors. We need to support the institutions and non-profits that matter in our lives! Even the most solid organizations are suffering right now. Who sponsors those free craft days in the park? Who puts children's activities at every family-friendly festival? Find out, and show them some love this week! Free advertising on your blog, an event that highlights or raises money for them, or just a shout-out on Facebook can make a big difference in our small world. Nuts and bolts ideas? Here's one: I'd love to help you organize an online fundraiser using Barefoot Books. I can donate up to 25% of online sales towards the organization of your choice... just contact me and I'll get to work for your community! It's never too late to see how one person can make a difference. Now go, make magic happen!

If you haven't read it, yet...

2009-09-05T15:27:00.000-07:00

This is an amazing book! The Jesus Storybook Bible is a great Bible for kids of all ages (my mom loves it as does my 3 year old). Whether you read the Bible for the cultural experience or because of your faith, this is a great addition to your bookshelf! Sally Lloyd Jones is a wonderful storyteller and gives these classic Bible stories a twist that is irresistibly fun and easy to read. Artist Jago maintains cultural accuracy (sometimes hard to find in Bible books for kids) with a beautiful color palette and style that holds the attention of even more rambunctious toddlers. Good news- The Jesus Storybook Bible is being re-released as a deluxe edition with an audio cd featuring David Suchet. Some samples are available on the website. There are some publicity contests going on, so check it out on the website and join in! If I win I promise to share with you all!

2009-08-20T14:32:00.000-07:00

2009-08-04T22:01:00.000-07:00

Check out this great new video that just came out... Barefoot Books is a publishing company committed to more than just books- it's a whole lifestyle. We care and want to make a difference in the world, which is why I love my job! Watch the video and come see me at my website!

2009-07-15T14:58:00.000-07:00

2009-07-09T15:18:00.000-07:00

Bedside Storytelling

2009-06-29T23:48:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things about my addiction to children's books (not just Barefoot Books!) is the great storytelling I encounter. The books that stand the test of time, and the test of patience, are the ones that are great stories. Barefoot has MANY in this category (Mama Panya's Pancakes, Herb the Vegetarian Dragon, and hundreds of others). Some of the best stories come from our own imagination. Often, at my daughter's bedtime, I find my own eyes closing. Reality blurs with imagination, and I sometimes find it is easy to conjur a great tale.

Tonight my daughter requested a story about a horse (lately we've been giving her a choice of an animal and allowing the story to unfold naturally. Lately she's been choosing a horse). Daddy told the story, tonight. Here it is:

Once upon a time there was a horse. The horse lived on a farm with a barn, stables, fields and many other animals. The big strong horse worked hard for the farmer, year after year, plowing diligently in the fields, day after day, never complaining. The farmer always gave him the best oats and brushed his coat every day. The horse believed that he was made for this: for hard work, great rewards, and a gentle life. One day, the farmer said to the horse, "would you like to go run in the pasture?" The horse tossed his mane. "I never thought of it, before," he replied. "But I suppose I could try it." So, with a kind smile, the farmer led the old horse to the wide open pasture and released him. The old horse began with a pleasant trot, enjoying the sunshine and open space. Then he saw a bluebird. The little bluebird said, "oh great horse, I bet you can't run faster than I can fly!" So the horse began to chase him. He ran faster and faster, pushing his limits, breathing harder and harder, sweat glistening on his flanks. He chased the bird across the pasture where he finally met an open gate at the other end, leading out into a deep green field, surrounded by forest. But the mighty horse stopped. The horse remembered the farmer. He remembered the farmer's kindness, always giving him the best feed and gently brushing his coat every night. The mighty horse tossed his head and turned. He ran back to the farmer at the other end of the field. The farmer greeted his old friend with a smile. "Why did you come back?" The horse replied, "I ran all the way to the other end of the field. I realized for the first time that I was made for this, to run free. The air tasted sweet, the sky was blue, but I remembered you. Your kindness, always giving me the best oats, and your gentleness, brushing my coat every night. I thought maybe I ought to come back and keep working for you as I have all these years." The farmer lovingly stroked the mighty horse's nose. "Ah, old friend, your time plowing is through. You passed the test and came home to me. It's time to do what you were made to do. Go run." The horse tossed his head, turned and ran and ran and ran. Running free, as he was made to do.

Here's an amazing collection of magical horse stories from Barefoot Books, for the nights when your imagination needs a rest, or for an endless number of other good reasons.

Go Barefoot! Ir descalzo hoy!

2009-05-14T12:41:00.000-07:00

Are you wanting to introduce the kids in your life to a little multiculturalism? Time to "Ir Descalzo" con "Barefoot Books!" Those of you who also live in small towns know how challenging it is to find ways to introduce other cultures to our kids. Barefoot Books offers a huge variety of books about other parts of the world. We have a great selection of books about Africa, Asia, Latin America, China, India and the middle east. Recently at an event someone asked me about books specifically geared towards multiculturalism. Our Barefoot collection of books in Spanish came to mind first. Our sing-along books, like "Cha-Cha-Cha en la Selva" (Animal Boogie) and "Mira Quien Toca Calipso" (Creepy, Crawly Calypso) are an easy and fun way to introduce your children to the Spanish language. And you can learn the songs along with them! We also have many other Spanish language books available on my website. The best news of all is that we may soon have some books translated into French! As Barefoot Books grows, so does our passion for multiculturalism, global understanding, and our role as caretakers of the planet and our children. Go Barefoot! Ir descalzo, hoy!

Some other fun ways to introduce your kids to cultural diversity:

Make a trip to a big city for a cultural festival. While you're there, make it a point to have some cultural experiences. Visit ethnic neighborhoods, try their food, listen for other languages being spoken and teach your kids to seek out experiences that are unfamiliar.
Plan a cultural "stay-cation." Do some research on a particular culture. Borrow books, make costumes, and cook food that reflect that culture. Involve your kids and have a party! Invite friends and make it a community event. (check out our "Mama Panya's Pancakes" for a great Africa-themed book with lots of great food ideas!)
Your local library probably has travelogues or at least videos of journeys to far away places. Surprise your family by renting one and having a movie night around that video instead of the usual Hollywood blockbuster.
Consider hosting a foreign exchange student in your home. If your kids are old enough to hang out with them, this is a particularly rich experience, for the whole family.

Go Barefoot at http://BarefootTori.com Enjoy!

Out of the Mouth of Babes

2009-03-10T00:22:00.000-07:00

Parenting is hard enough without all the confusing messages out there. We adopt a style when our babies are young, but most parenting books drop off around age 2. Part of living a Barefoot life, for me, is creating a healthy, happy, nutritional soil for my daughter's emotional, spiritual and physical growth. A child-centered approach can be tricky, especially with the inundation of glossy-one-paragraph-theories that are so popular right now in the parenting world. I was just beginning to notice a second grey streak in my hair when a new book arrived on my doorstep, thanks to the moms at Mother-Talk and Mom Central.

Author Dyan Eybergen is a pediatric psychiatric nurse, but she's also a mom. This is obvious by the practical wisdom in her book, Out of the Mouth of Babes: Parenting from a Child's Perspective. Dyan has delivered a gently constructed book directing the parent to "develop an understanding for how a child sees and feels about a given situation, to listen to and respect your child's point of view, and to attune to a child's individual needs and personality, and parent him accordingly." Prosaic and situational, but practical, this book was the perfect read for rare stolen moments throughout my day. One particular afternoon I landed smack in the middle of Chapter 7: Discipline. We always strive to use natural consequences at our house, and Dyan had plenty to offer in this vein. By the end of the day I was implementing some new ideas. Simple. Commonsense. Why was I not doing this, already?

For example: Dyan suggests that when giving a time-out to a child, you should not give them warnings beyond the first recognition of misbehavior. I had fallen into a particularly nasty trap of warnings with my daughter. I can proudly say I am recovering from this illness and enjoying the fruits! My daughter is also learning t0 practice self-quieting during time-outs and is recognizing when she is ready to rejoin the activity at hand without an arbitrary time-limit.

This books offers a refreshing reminder to recognize your child's uniqueness and suggestions on tailoring your parenting to fit the individual child. Clearly, the author has been down the road of "one size does not fit all" parenting and she now offers her wisdom to the rest of us. One of the best parts of this book is the collection of children's quotes throughout. I'll leave you with a couple:

"If you won't let me have a cookie before breakfast, how am I going to grow any bigger?" -Talen, age 4
"I don't want to go on time-out. Maybe you should go back to babysitting school." -Kohan, age 6

Books for Africa

2009-02-19T22:58:00.001-08:00

Some of us are called to travel to far-away lands and some of us go reluctantly, but most of us can hardly get out of our driveway. The good news is that we live in a global culture that reaches us where we are. Part of our mission at Barefoot Books is to spread literacy and cultural understanding. We have recently partnered with an amazing program called Books for Africa and I couldn't help revisiting this fantastic organization.

The mission of Books For Africa is to end the book famine in Africa. Since 1988, Books For Africa has shipped more than 20 million books to 42 African countries and put books int0 the hands of those who need them the most: children who long to explore the world in ways that only books make possible.

Through my website, you are able to choose from six select Barefoot Books which will cost you only $3.00-$5.00, each. The books will be shipped from a central warehouse directly to schools, libraries and resource centers across the African continent. These books were chosen because of their emphasis on African stories, wildlife and culturally relevant artwork.

Check out this video to learn more about this wonderful organization:

The Bedtime Story

2009-01-16T23:20:00.000-08:00

"Once upon a time..." the little voice starts

holding her bear close to her heart

The words blur together, toddler style,

the pretend little story makes me smile.

I know all the lines, from beginning to end

Each night she begs me, "Mommy, again!"

The story shifts, the characters change

Like a thought almost lost, or a song out of range

There's a bear, a porcupine, spider or dog

Maybe princesses, dragons, or a shape in the fog

High towers, meadows, mountains, or home

No place is too far for a story to roam.

Back to the bear, clutched close to her chest

he loved her story, the very best, yet.

Both have a drink, two songs and a kiss

It's easy to see how these moments I'll miss.

"And that's the end of the story."

Read, Kiddo, Read!

2008-12-09T22:53:00.000-08:00

Hey children's book fans- thanks to Mother Talk I've just heard about a great new site out there for those of us who aren't already tied into knots over our online commitments. READKIDDOREAD is a good source of book recommendations for the under 18 crowd, spearheaded by James Patterson, New York Times bestseller in both children's and adult fiction books. I have to admit that I'm not super impressed with the selection of picture books and younger books (and no Barefoot Books!), but the recommendations seem to fill a mostly empty niche: modern, edgy and relevant. There are many great books for young male readers, an audience often under-emphasized, from "Action/Adventure/Mystery" to "Just the Facts" (non-fiction). No book is off-limits, including graphic novels and fantasy genres. I've never been a huge fan of potty humor, but the Captain Underpants series has been unequivocably successful and not every kid can be expected to go straight for Odysseus. Patterson's mantra seems to be: if it gets kids reading, its good reading for kids. He's not alone in this sentiment. READKIDDOREAD has an impressive board of educators, writers and publishers of children's literature that influence the direction of this site.

Patterson isn't just thinking about kiddos; there is also virtual community associated with this site. The user-friendly discussion groups, open blogs and other features make the site more tantalizing for grown-ups than your average book-review (you'll find me there as Barefoot Tori). Though it's still in it's infancy, I hope READKIDDOREAD will grow to fill its niche as more people join, add reviews and discuss the joys of reading! I'm already on Goodreads and several other virtual communities, but the specific nature of this site drew me in. Encouraging kids to read seems to be the hot new topic among my friends, from My First Book to Books for Africa, there's a lot happening in the world of children's books! Kick your shoes off and dive in!

Barefoot Beats on the Beach

2008-11-18T13:48:00.000-08:00

The unseasonably warm Autumn here in Central Oregon is putting a certain rhythm in my step and some sunshine in my heart. I've seen this video around the internet, so I have to take a moment to remind my faithful Barefoot friends that Barefoot Books has a partnership with Putumayo World Music. We sell all their "playground" and "dreamland" cds as well as several others. This version of "Five Little Monkeys" is on the Animal Playground CD. Kick off your shoes and check it out! *caution* this is a contagious little song!

Barefoot Tips: Traveling with Kids

2008-10-23T21:40:00.001-07:00

Hello Barefoot friends!
This time of year always brings up memories of sleeping in the back of the station wagon (before seatbelt laws), cool crisp mornings at Grandma's house and the special thrill of spending time with family. My parents may have a different memory: trying to fit everything into the car, breaking up back-seat fights and endless potty-breaks. As a Barefoot Mom, I try to keep both perspectives in mind as we plan for our holidays. Here are some helpful tips to guard the joy in your holidays:

1) Set realistic expectations- Be ready to change your plan as needed. Being a caregiver requires a certain amount of flexibility. If traveling by car, give yourself a day of leeway. If traveling by plane, bring snacks, books and be early. Everywhere. Try not to overschedule your days and allow your children to assist in the planning process.

2) Be prepared- Carry a first aid kit, blankets and warm clothing. Stash some granola bars and water in your car. Have a map or GPS handy. Check your car's fluids and tire pressure at regular stops, especially if it's an unfamiliar vehicle.

3) Get a child's perspective- What will be the hardest part of the trip for your little ones? Is it the change in structure, the long periods of sitting, or just being in close proximity to an annoying sibling? Help them enjoy the trip as much as you do by heading off conflicts before they happen!

Here are some great Barefoot options for keeping kids happy on the road:

We All Go T raveling By Paperback Book & Music CD $9.99
Written by: Sheena Roberts
Illustrated by: Siobhan Bell

Siobhan Bell's colorful hand-stitched illustrations and the accompanying Music CD by popular singer Fred Penner are sure to get children singing along happily. This book brings together the things your young child sees out the window with a fun song that will make time fly on the road. We have many book and music cds that will entertain your kids for hours and will have you singing along before you hit the state line!

My Travel Journal: A World of Activities $9.99
Includes to-do lists, book lists, maps, games, word searches and more! Any young traveller (recommended age 7 and up) would love to carry this journal along on their travels. We also have lots of great puzzles, puppets!

Barefoot Books also carries re-usable vinyl sticker play-scenes that will keep younger hands busy for hours, like our Map of the World and On the Farm play scenes. Only $8.99. Pup pets and puzzles are a hit, too!

Tired of the same old coloring books? Ready to foster creativity and literacy skills in your children? Take a look at our new activity books! Dotty Spotty Doodles and Zig Zag Zebra each contain 24 pages of activities for kids: mazes, coloring pages, seek-and-finds, free-drawing and more! Only $6.99.

Of course there are zillions more books, puzzles, puppets and even FREE printable activity sheets on my website! Now is a great time to stock up for your holiday travels. Enjoy a 10% discount when you click the banner at the top of this blog. I hope you are celebrating the autumn season, wherever you live. Jump in some leaves with your kids, and remember to...

Live Barefoot!

When a Story is More than Just a Story

2008-10-10T23:52:00.000-07:00

I realized recently that Storytelling can be much more than a way to pass time or something to do when there are no books around -- however improbable that may be since I'm the Barefoot Books lady. I have many memories of lying in my own bed as a child listening to stories, my eyes fighting to stay open against the pull of my imagination.

A few weeks ago June was accidentally exposed to a scary part of Finding Nemo. The scene where Nemo's dad and Dory run into the sharks having a support group meeting is a little disturbing at first glance: all you see is rows and rows of shark teeth and there are definitely scary undertones. We explained carefully that the shark was not going to eat anyone and he was, in fact, a good shark who chose to be gentle with his teeth. Which is true. We skipped the next part where he got a taste of Dory's blood and went berserk.

For the next few weeks June kept asking for stories about sharks and Nemo and fish in general. After endless renditions of gentle sharks seeking approval from family members who just don't understand and some tales of improbable friendships, June finally let it go. She still likes to hear "Nemo Stories" but has moved back to her safe and always available "Princess June" stories.

Storytelling is such a great exercise for my brain as well as June's. Trying to remember the rules of a good story often get me into trouble. Spontaneous storytelling is just more fun! June has an incurable habit of "steering" the story by inserting a who, what or where in the middle of my story. If you've ever tried to tell a story about a fish, a princess, some cookies and a pumpkin patch, you know what I'm talking about. So, here's to late autumn nights in dark bedrooms when sleepy eyes fight against dreamtime and here's to moms and dads who tell stories to their kids. Keep up the good work! Somewhere in that unfathomable childhood imagination, there is some serious work going on. Character building, acceptance of differences, and a greater understanding of the world may be just one story away. Now that's Living Barefoot!

Fun ways for Moms to Go Barefoot!

2008-09-18T15:31:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite things about being a mom is getting to know other moms. I'm involved with MOPS, Mothers of Preschoolers. Our group is comprised of 50+ women who meet twice a month for much-needed Mommy time! If there's anyone who understands the pressures of being a mom, it's Barefoot Books. This company began because two moms wanted to be able to stay home with their kids, while doing something challenging and worthwhile that would contribute to their children's creativity and intellectual development. We moms like to get together outside of MOPS, sometimes with our kids and sometimes without. So, here are some fun ways MOPS can go Barefoot!

1) A Barefoot Playdate~ Kick off your shoes and dance to a Barefoot beat! I've never met a kid that didn't love to boogie with Animal Boogie! Sing-along with other fun books, or just let the kids play. I have puzzles, puppets, musical instruments and activity sheets as well as lots of fun books for kids to browse. While the kids are busy, moms can get started with some early holiday shopping or enjoy some everyday multitasking as we chat, eat, drink and laugh together.

2) Moms Night In~ Brew some coffee, tea or cocoa, or have some yummy mixed drinks, and put your shoes up, Barefoot style! Enjoy hearing a beautiful folk-tale or two while sipping on a yummy beverage. Feel your creativity being reborn as you daydream your way through our catalog and display items with complete relaxed, childless leisure.

3) Barefoot Storyteller Workshop~ Leave your littlest ones at home, or come alone, and learn about the art of good storytelling. We'll have fun while learning about the construction of a good story, what works and what doesn't, how to engage your children in your stories, and some practice storytelling! Buy and browse fun books now that you're excited about good stories!

4) Barefoot Puppet Fun~ Invite some creativity into your life with puppets! Watch a little puppet show with your kids then help them create some puppets of their own out of household items and generic craft supplies. Read or sing a few stories and browse the books!

5) Barefoot Art Class~ Wear your grubby clothes, kick off your shoes and meet together in an outdoor space for some creative fun! We'll paint murals, sculpt with clay, and express our creative side while singing along to some fun Barefoot tunes. Moms can kick off their shoes along with the kids and get their creative juices flowing!

If you love these ideas and want to implement them in your own mom's group or community, contact me and we'll talk!

Jumping into Fall with a Little Leap Forward!

2008-08-27T13:42:00.000-07:00

I just received a box of Barefoot Books in the mail...this sentence makes me happy in so many ways. Beyond the obvious, that I love books, I'm also really excited about what Barefoot Books can mean to our children and our communities. Living Barefoot is about so much more than buying or selling books. Living Barefoot can also mean encouraging a budding poet or artist, not just in our children, but within ourselves. Our new chapter book in the young fiction category is a read that will inspire musicians, artists and cultural revolutionaries, alike. Little Leap Forward: A Boy in Beijing is about a young boy growing up during the cultural revolution when it must have felt that the world had turned upside down. The New York Times Sunday Book Review did the book justice by recognizing "how Little Leap Forward bears witness with the eye of a poet, the ear of a musician and the transformative imagination of a storyteller."

This book is more memoir than fiction, and author and musician, Guo Yue, tells a beautiful story of a young musician feeling his way through a tumultuous cultural song.

Barefoot Books continues to stun me with it's cultural awareness, environmental consciousness, and an inexorable eye towards what children love, and always within the framework of amazing art and well-told story. As always, you can find these books and much more on our website.

Here's a video of Guo Yue reading an excerpt of the book and talking a little more about his childhood. Enjoy!

Once upon a time...

2008-07-28T13:18:00.001-07:00

Once upon a time there was a girl who kept a flashlight under her pillow. Once upon a time there was a boy who had a fort, stocked with his favorite books. Once upon a time you had a story, too. Take a moment to watch this introduction to Barefoot Books and see if your story is a Barefoot story. Maybe you'll remember the feeling of grass between your toes or bark against your feet. Maybe you'll start keeping a flashlight under your pillow, again. Maybe you'll begin to see your own children build forts of pillows and blankets as your tv becomes dusty and outdated. Dream a Barefoot dream.