Christine Carter, author of Raising Happiness, also promotes family dinner, and shares a wide array of advantages to sharing family meals, including: 1. better health 2. better grades 3. better emotional stability 4. better relationships 5. better chances of bypassing the use of alcohol, drugs, smoking 6. better vocabulary 7. better social skills
In the Holiday spirit, we have two beautiful ideas to share with you. One is for our TOG Parents and the other for our Little TOG Fans:
1. We loved this very simple, yet meaningful way of saying "Thank you". Please share it with your family and friends! It is a fabulous way to teach kids early on! We found it in a recent article from "The Associated Press":
"At Christmas, "Santa'' always fills my children's stockings with a mix of fun, edible and practical items. A few years ago, when my oldest child was beginning to write, my husband and I started the tradition of tucking packets of thank-you cards into their stockings.
We explained that Santa must have given them the cards so they would have stationery to write thank-you notes to family and friends for the gifts they had received. The cards are a wonderful reminder to my children that they need to express their gratitude to those who have spent time and money to buy and send them a gift. Usually there are cards left over to cover thank-you notes at birthday time as well."
It turns out (not surprisingly) that showing love and affection to your children is the most important predictor of the child's well-being. But, interestingly, some more parent-centered things are also very important when it comes to positive child outcomes. Specifically, the parent's ability to manage stress and the parent's relationship with significant others are numbers two and three on the list of important qualities for their child's success.
If releasing your inner child takes those moments when you "pause long enough to take notice of the wonders of the world," shouldn't there be enough of those this time of year to make this happen?
One of our favorites is Hug by Jez Alborough, about Bobo, a monkey who needs a hug. With just one word, he makes his way through the animals of the jungle until he finds just who he is looking for: his mother. The large board book size is perfect for sharing at laptime.
In another book about hugs between mommies and their animal children, Mommy Hugs by Anne Gutman shows the different ways that animals snuggle with their mothers in simple words and illustrations.
Amazon's review of A Book of Hugs by Dave Ross, says: Can you imagine what it would be like to hug a bear? An octopus? And how does that differ from a brother hug? Or a Great-Aunt Mary hug? Dave Ross and illustrator Laura Rader's A Book of Hugs explores the full spectrum of hugs with bright, cartoonish illustrations and winsome one- or two-line descriptions. "Fish hugs are very cold and seldom returned," for instance. As for tree hugs, "Some trees are easier to hug than others. Note: If you hug a pine tree too long, you may get stuck on it." In the back you'll find "Facts and Hints About Hugging," including "Never hug tomorrow when you could hug today."
If you prefer human hugs, two books by Karen Katz may fit the bill: Daddy Hugs and Mommy Hugs. These books are great for toddlers, and count from 1 to 10 the different types of hugs that Daddies or Mommies give their babies and toddlers.
