“We’ve brought together some of our most beloved literary characters to rally people behind the Book People Unite movement and help get books in the hands of kids who need them the most. Join the movement at bookpeopleunite.org”

by: Reading Is Fundamental

3 teachers, 3 clues I learned…

On teacher appreciation day (Tues 5/8), I usually think back on my most inspiring teachers, wishing that I could thank them for everything they taught me:

Mr. Walker from Harrington Park Elementary School:
He taught me to write from my heart.  I learned to use writing as a powerful tool to express my point of view.

Mister Fred Rogers:
He taught me, through television, that I can believe in myself.  I also learned how powerful an educational tool television can be.

Dr Rosemarie Truglio at Teachers College, Columbia University (now at Sesame Workshop) taught me about the research on children and television as well as how to maximize the creative to teach.  She gave me the confidence to write my first show, The Magic Library, which turned into PBS’ Super Why!.

What makes the great teachers great is pretty simple to list but it comes with incredible characteristics that would better any parent as well. After all, a strong correlation exists between the growth that goes on inside a home & the learning the continues outside of it.

My list of traits to be an effective teacher, which also holds true to be a great parent, would include the following:

• Belief, Care & Respect for their students & a Strong Understanding of who they are
• Passion for their work
• Creative & Flexible method of teaching

So, go hug a teacher, and thank them for everything they do!

The USS Intrepid Air/Space Museum (NYC) recently won the bid to acquire the Enterprise for permanent display at the carrier museum on NYC’s West Side.  So last week, NASA’s Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, a 747, brought the space shuttle to New York City.

The NASA/Intrepid folks wanted to historically welcome the Enterprise to NYC, so to promote the Enterprise’s arrival, they had it flown up the Hudson River at a relatively low altitude – mounted atop the 747 – while passing her future home, the Intrepid Museum.

A friend just shared these incredible pictures with us & we wanted to share them with you (absolutely no Photoshop/editing was done on either).  If you’ve ever witnessed one of these flyovers, let us know all about it and for more incredible information on all things NASA, be sure to check out their comprehensive site.

Can’t get no satisfaction in your relationship? Individual & Relationship Coach, Rhona Berens, PhD, CPCC, is a Parent Advocate dedicated to parents’ well being. Rhona’s insights on nurturing a strong, happy & healthy relationship first, which makes for a better parent, resonates with me.  I recently asked her for her “3 Clues” that we need to employ, and as you’ll see, I took her advice for a spin!                      -Angela

Coming up with 3 Clues to Parents’ Daily Relationship Satisfaction is like coming up with 3 healthy foods that every kid will eat. But, since I believe good things come in 3’s, here’s my take on 3 tips to enhance relationship (& personal) fulfillment:

Clue #1: FOLLOW THE 10% RULE

When we try to remedy a problem—like not feeling as close as we used to or want to—we often look for a big solution: e.g., a no-kids vacation; do-or-die weekly dates. What happens? We get overwhelmed by the planning or disappointed when our major efforts don’t cause a major shift in our relationship.

Instead of giving your all, come up with 1 or 2 easier options that take just 10% effort. Why?

(i) When time & energy are at a premium, 10% is about all we can spare

(ii) Because 10% is doable, so is our follow-through and

(iii) If 10% effort helps us connect a little, we might try 10% again. String a few together and we’ve got 100% improvement in how close we feel.

AS:   We can do 10%!  To me, this was like telling myself just work out for 20min…. & then that always turns into a few more minutes, which leads to a few more days.   Our 10%: dinner & drinks just us at the dining table after the kids went to bed.  So nice, like a date…but 10% of the effort. 

CLUE #2: HONOR RIGHTS

Nope, not civil or legal ones, the “I’m as right as you are” kind. It’s human nature to think our perspective & way of doing things (laundry, supervising homework, fill-in-the-blank), is the right way. Yet, in relationships there’s no one right way to do things. If you replace proving you’re right with appreciation for each other’s differences, you enhance mutual respect & closeness.

Still feeling bugged by your spouse’s approach? Nix the criticizing & get genuinely curious: What inspired you to do it like that? What’s important to you about this issue? In other words, stop instructing and start asking questions that enhance understanding (which isn’t the same as agreeing).

AS:   Why is it so hard to do this with a spouse?  It makes so much sense to talk like this with my girls or to write such an approach into my scripts.  But with each other, it comes out as “Why, on Earth can’t you put the dishes in the dishwasher vs the sink?”  So I tried, “Tell me what’s going on here?” & you know what I found out?  This is multi tasking.  Dishes in sink.  Help girls with homework.  Come back & put them in dishwasher.  I felt like a heel.  But an understanding one. 

CLUE #3: ADMIT & MODEL

Our lives are so busy and our plates so full, that parents—especially moms—are multitasking experts who, often, feel guilty about doing things that aren’t kid-focused (in truth, what we feel is shame, but that’s another matter). While guilt’s hard to avoid, it wreaks havoc on relationships & self-care. Instead of letting guilt stop you from spending quality-time with your spouse (or yourself), admit its power.

Instead of complaining about how you can’t do it all, tell your mate what you’d be doing with him (or her) if guilt weren’t a factor. Then, consider this: Research shows that happy parents (with themselves & each other) raise happy kids. So reread Clue #1 and start modeling relationship satisfaction so your kids will know what a great one looks like & how to create it themselves one day. If you don’t teach them, who will?

AS:   Okay, so at night I make my mental lists of all the things I’m supposed to do, forgot to do, feel bad/guilty about what I didn’t do.  Instead, I said them out loud to Greg.  Magic happened.  He took some off my plate, commiserated with me about some & added his own to make me feel better…showcasing a happy, healthy relationship bc at the end of the day that is exactly what we want for our girls, above all else. 

Thanks, Rhona!

With more than 20 years’ experience as an educator and professional mentor, Rhona Berens is a dynamic speaker and inspiring Individual & Relationship Coach. Sign up for Rhona’s free blog-posts at www.parentalliance.com and receive her “5 Quick Tips to Connect” as a thank you.

After a few short years, I finally approached “the thought of” weeding out my tech drawers.

There are many that kvetch or become slightly confused about today’s onslaught of software & hardware choices. But was it much different back in the “Do I get the SE or the SE/30 with 32mb” days?

Today, a large portion of my desire to stay technologically current is so that my kids won’t surpass me. That day is undoubtedly around the corner and it’s also when I’ll be referring to myself as “your old man” to them.

It’s true that technology seems to move a little quicker today but while the jargon has changed it’s no more confusing than the days of the floppy.

After all, choice is good.