April 18th, 2011 by El Ed Mom

How can we galvanize teachers, educators, parents, students, unions & administrators to truly fight for better schools with real concessions; finally putting the needs of America’s youth first?  

http://www.facebook.com/momcongress

After attending the 2nd Annual Mom Congress 2011 Conference (#mc2011) in DC along with educational leaders, 2011 Mom Delegates from each state and 2010 Mom Delegate Mentors from across the country, I would love to know your thoughts on how to walk this tightrope without getting hung up on each political agenda?  For additional information or to join our voice, visit us at http://www.facebook.com/momcongress.

February 8th, 2011 by El Ed Mom

What an honor!!  I am so humbled to be included in this list of amazing Mompreneurs like Julie Aigner Clark, Heather Armstrong, Daniele Ayotte, Julie Dix, Dr. Amy Baxter, Jenny Ford and included with so many great friends like Lucinda Cross, Lisa Druxman, Debbie Glickman and Hannah Keeley…WOW!  Who is your favorite?  Or nominate your favorite Mompreneur at http://www.babble.com/mom/work-family/best-moms-entrepreneurship-how-to-start-a-business-with-baby/

February 7th, 2011 by El Ed Mom

Congratulations to my Green Bay Packers who continued to preserve and fight each and every week even to the last play of the Super Bowl to become Super Bowl Champions!!  WOO HOO!

January 24th, 2011 by El Ed Mom

Do you know of a deserving mom who is passionate about education?  If so please nominate her for the 2011 Mom Congress and join me in Washington DC in April to meet Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan!  Mom Congress has changed my life! Please pass this amazing gift forward and enter before 1/31/11

http://www.parenting.com/forward?path=node%2F123833

January 23rd, 2011 by El Ed Mom

I am traveling to Mayo Clinic with my Mom this week for her Colon Cancer but we will be watching our beloved Packers take on those Bears!

Go Pack Go!

And if the Packers win on Sunday….

Let’s Get Ready For The SuperBowl

Congratulations to my Green Bay Packers

December 17th, 2010 by El Ed Mom

According to UNICEF, “Nearly a billion people will enter the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names and two thirds of them are women.”  In America, two-thirds of students who cannot read proficiently by the end of the 4th grade will end up in jail or on welfare. Statistics show that children who don’t learn to read by age nine may never catch up. Learning to read is the key to changing our global world.

I remember learning to read.  I used the Dick, Jane and Spot books.

They were word picture association books with three words on each page.  They were perfect for learning to read. 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0448434113/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0448434040&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=06PHQAY1K1PBZATNZ3NM

http://www.amazon.com/Read-Dick-Jane-Go/dp/0448434059/ref=pd_sim_b_1

I think part of the problem for parents is that we are not professional teachers, who specialize in teaching children how to read and we might be using the “wrong” books to help our children learn to read.  As an author and publisher, I am shocked by the number of books that are labeled as “early reading” and yet are not using the appropriate “early reading” vocabulary by age group.   I love Dr. Seuss books!! They are fun and engaging and full of repetition and rhyming patterns, but unless they are part of the early reading series from Dr. Seuss, they are not always the best choice for word picture association and learning to read.  WHY? Because word association doesn’t always work with Dr. Seuss; he uses silly off-the-wall rhymes that don’t add up in a child’s head.  They would not automatically put together green eggs and ham, unless they already knew the book and the rhyme.   

Top tips for helping kids learn to read. 

1. Empower kids into the process with simple “early reading” books that use word picture association and stress word/picture connections.
2. Practice getting kids to draw one page word picture association, such as draw:  Tom has apples. 
3. Getting them to make the connection and guess what the next word is – Tom has…they can see the apples so they can say, apples.
4. Play games to get children to guess word association: if I say peanut butter, you say: __________.
5. Practice, practice, practice with the early learning books that specialize in word picture association and using words in the early learning vocabulary. 
6. Make it fun with lots of picture books with repetition and rhyming patterns that are geared to “early reading”. 
7. Read out loud time makes for better students.  Studies have shown that preschoolers who have frequent read–aloud time with their parents have stronger language skills later in life—including higher reading, spelling and IQ scores at age 13.

Have you pledged to help a child learn to read?  Visit www.target.com/reading to do your part to change our world!

December 16th, 2010 by El Ed Mom

It’s not too late to get your flu shot and protect your family from influenza.  Heidi and Megan had the option of the flu shot or the flu mist, but because the mist is a live flu strain and we are around babies, we opted for the shot instead.  Now that my girls are getting older they know the routine and request what it is they need:

Wash those hands long and often!

I can’t say it enough: Wash, wash, wash those HANDS especially if you are sick to help keep everyone else stay healthy!  Wash long and often, especially after touching your eye, nose, mouth; before and after eating; coughing and sneezing; and of course, after the bathroom.  I still listen to the sound of the water and if I don’t think it was long enough I will say definitely say something!

Make a Steam Room!

Shut the door, run the shower to create a warm sauna room upon entry.   The girls love soaking in the whirlpool tub or take an extra long shower that helps to open up clogged airways.  I have a television in our master bath room (my way of seeing the news without alarming my kids – especially during 9/11) so they enjoy watching TV as they soak in the whirlpool tub inside their steamy sauna room!

Hot Chocolate or Soup!

It’s a family tradition for hot chocolate and something to dip depending on how sick they feel: toast, graham crackers or cookies!  How about some Chicken Noodle Soup!  It really does work!

Gargle with Salt Water or Nasal Rinse

You know they don’t feel good when they request to gargle with a mixture of warm water and salt or a nasal rinse.  We have a nasal rinse kit from the drug store.  It has a salt solution packet that you add warm water; it comes with a spoon to mix and a special genie shaped bottle that you pour in one nostril to drain out the other nostril.  It sounds gross but it really does work.  Have plenty of tissue on hand because you will definitely be in need of blowing to clear and clean passages!    

Cuddle Time and a Movie or Book with Mom!

We curl up on the sofa and watch a movie or read books together for a few hours of cuddle time. I make them sleep for a few hours while I work in my home office and only after I feel that they got enough extra rest, I allow them to have homework, play, books, crafts, laptop, iPod and/or television time! 

Wash, wash, wash those HANDS and stay healthy for the holiday season!!!

What is your secret tip to keep your family healthy?? Leave a comment and keep us all healthy!

December 15th, 2010 by El Ed Mom

Gear up for your holiday shopping season with these amazing deals: 

http://bit.ly/dAEUUI

November 19th, 2010 by El Ed Mom

Do you think paying this University Professor a Million Dollar salary is outrageous or just good business? Leave a comment and let us know your opinion!

Clark Atlanta University’s president made a million in 2008. That’s outrageous

At the time, those moves provoked widespread controversy on campus – a group even took Broadnax to court – but they seemed necessary. Now, it turns out that the hatchet man who was cutting classes and hiking tuitions was paid more than a million dollars in 2008, according to a new survey in the Chronicle of Higher Education (via The Daily Beast). (Broadnax is 22nd on the list.) That’s simply outrageous.

2:33 pm November 15, 2010, by ctucker

When Walter Broadnax took the helm of one of Atlanta’s historically black colleges – Clark Atlanta University – in 2002, the school, he said, was in financial trouble. So he set about laying off professors, shutting down some programs and increasing the tuition.

Click Here to read more.

November 9th, 2010 by El Ed Mom

Fans of this site know that I am a huge fan of Mrs. P.  Parents no more excuses about finding time to read to your child, this free website does all the work for you with the amazing Mrs. P.  But now, Mrs. P has an interactive fairy tale book to help kids learn to read!  WOO HOO!!! Check it out…

MrsP.com Releases First Interactive Fairy Tale Book

Kids Learn Reading Skills in Conjunction with Free Website

MrsP.com, the popular, award-winning children’s storytelling website, announced the publication today of its first interactive storybook, which uses Internet technology in a new way to help kids learn to read.  Mrs. P’s Four Favorite Fairy Tales and Funny Stories collects in book form stories and introductions available on video at the free website and at the iTunes Store.  Children will be able to follow along in the book as Mrs. P, played by The Drew Carey Show star Kathy Kinney, reads the stories with them.

“I’m very proud of Mrs. P’s new book because of its unique ability to help young readers improve their skills,” said Kinney. “Children and parents can open the book and read along with me at my website.  We even have a Magic Dictionary at MrsP.com, so if kids comes across a word they don’t know, they can just pause the video and easily find out what it means.” 

Studies have shown one of the most productive ways for children to improve their reading skills, particularly for learning ‘sight words,’ is to see the words as they are read to.  “Everyone’s worried about the Internet making books and reading obsolete.  We’ve found a wonderful way to make them work together,” Kinney said. 

The new book includes “Jack and the Beanstalk” and “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” features 90 original color illustrations and offers new, comic introductions to the stories from Mrs. P. 

“Mrs. P’s Four Favorite Fairy Tales and Funny Stories” will be available to the public at Amazon and other booksellers across the country via online ordering.  Additional information, including a downloadable flyer, can be found at http://www.mrsp.com/Purchase.aspx

Ten percent of all MrsP.com’s after-tax profits from these sales will be donated by Mrs. P Enterprises, LLC to literacy organizations.

“Mrs. P’s Four Favorite Fairy Tales and Funny Stories”

ISBN: 978-0-615-39355-1 Binding: Paperback Trim: Color 8.5 x 8.5 in Pages: 126  and over 90 original color illustration Genre: Juvenile Fiction: Fairy Tales & Folklore – Anthologies Target Audience: Children ages 4 to 10

Cover Price: $19.95

Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Favorite-Fairy-Tales-Funny-Stories/dp/0615393551/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1288744154&sr=1-1

Also see Mrs. P’s special video about her new book: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKFak9xSmUQ

Photos and other info about Mrs. P can be found at her press site. http://www.press.mrsp.com/