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Saturday, 02 August 2008 10:01 |
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When my son was only a few months old, I was fortunate enough to
be invited to a scrapbooking party. I had no idea how much fun
putting together a few pictures could be! Immediately, I was
hooked. I had been taking pictures constantly since the day my
baby was born, and now I finally had something to do with them
all!
Even though I take most of my photos with a digital camera, I
really enjoy putting the "real" pictures down on paper. It is
almost "therapeutic" for me. After a long day, and my son is put
to bed, this is my time to devote to his scrapbook - and it is
fun.
I"m no master of the creative arts by any means. In fact, my
pages are pretty simple. But I have learned a few tips along the
way that have made my scrapbooking a success to me.
*Journal - The reason I enjoy putting pictures in scrapbooks is
that it allows me to write down what was going on in the
picture: where we were, what we were doing, what I was thinking
at the time - all the things that I know I won"t remember 20
years from now! I try to take notes on journal paper while the
images are fresh in my mind. That way, when I"m ready to sit
down and create a page, I can add the journal notes. Plus, I
want this to be a gift to my son that he can look back on when
he"s older. The more notes I write in his book for him, the more
special it will be.
*Include a range of topics - I try to make pages of neighbors,
our home, and friends of the family in order to preserve the
memories of people and places that may change over time. I never
thought much about doing this until we moved out of town. But
now I can put together a page with pictures from the house my
son was born in, the neighbors we had when we lived there, and
the friends that we visited in that town. Since my son won"t
remember these things, he will have the stories and pictures to
enjoy.
*Add special keepsakes to the book - I"ve included pages from
his favorite books (that he has ripped out!), his hospital
bracelet from when he was born, cards he has received for
special occasions, even his first knit cap! The great thing
about scrapbooking is that it doesn"t have to just be pictures!
Your local arts and crafts store can offer many options to help
you include odd-shaped items or things that are just too
precious to put glue on. Items such as plastic sleeves and
pocket folders can serve this function and are a great asset to
your memory book.
And for those of you who only have a digital camera, or just
prefer to do your scrapbooking on your computer, I recommend you
read David D. Deprice"s article, "Family Album in the Digital
Age" at http://www.youngparentsmagazine.com/articles
/Family-Album-In-The-Digital-Age.htm for more information on
"computerizing" your memory book.
Most importantly, make it fun! If your kids are old enough to
help with the project, let them! This is a great activity that
kids and parents alike can get enjoyment from. You will be
preserving precious memories while giving your children the gift
of your time. Best wishes and Happy Scrapbooking!
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Thursday, 05 June 2008 10:01 |
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Whilst most parents recognize the benefits of introducing their
children to books at a young age, the sheer number of books
available can make the selection of appropriate titles a
daunting task. The following pointers should be considered when
buying or borrowing books for your toddler.
Firstly, remember that reading should be fun both for your child
and for yourself. The Text should be lively and easy to follow,
with only one or two sentences per page, so that the story
progresses quickly.
The rhythm of the story is also important. Read a few pages of
the story aloud, or at least say them in your head. Stories do
not have to be in verse, but should sound light and pleasant,
rather than sober or preachy. If written in verse, check that it
flows smoothly.
The appearance of the book is also important. Remember, children
use the pictures to help them interpret and understand the
story. The pictures should be attractive to your child. For most
children this means big pictures with bright colors.
Consider buying books which focus on subjects your child is
interested in. A truck loving boy may not enjoy a book full of
pretty fairy pictures. remember, however, to try to expose your
child to different subjects - whilst your truck lover may not
come round to fairies, you may be able to interest him/her in
dinosaurs.
A common trap to avoid is the presumption that the price of the
book is an indication of its quality. There are very many cheap
picture books which offer excellent text quality and a great
many expensive books which will fail to appeal to toddlers.
Wise selection of books for your toddler can help to foster a
love of reading in your child which will last a lifetime.
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Tuesday, 22 January 2008 03:00 |
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First Prayers for Children Book Review – My First Book of
Prayers by Claire Freedman Reviewed by Lisa M. Hendey
If you’re looking for a great gift for a young child in your
life, take a look at My First Book of Prayers (Kregel Kidzone,
November 2004, hardcover, 32 pages) by author Claire Freedman.
This book, aimed at children ages four through eight, features
prayers for just about every occasion a child could encounter at
home or school. The prayers are written in contemporary
language, underscoring the fact that prayer is indeed a true
conversation with God.
Each page of this book features one to three prayers,
interspersed with adorable illustrations by Alison Atkins,
showing children and their families in a variety of situations.
Atkins bright artwork is a lovely compliment to the upbeat and
positive tone of this book. Prayers for people in need, for
pets, for saying thanks or sorry, and much more are included.
The book’s inside cover features a lovely dedication page where
the giver of the book can inscribe the name of the recipient and
the date of the occasion. However, waiting for a special
occasion to give this book to a beloved child would be a mistake
– any day is a great day to give the gift of prayer!
For additional information on My First Book of Prayers visit
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0825472962/digitalcropper-
20
Lisa M. Hendey is a mother of two sons, webmaster of numerous
web sites, including http://www.catholicmom.com and
http://www.christiancoloring.com, and an avid reader. Visit her
at http://www.lisahendey.com
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