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Twelve Year Old Mood Swings And Rules To Live By

A Mom's Job, All you need is love!, Frustrated Mommy Moments, Teendom No Responses »

Feb 062012

If you have yet to live with a twelve-year old, please read the following post carefully. It could save your life or at the very least an unpleasant outburst of emotions, from you and the child you used to be able to tease.

Rule #1 Never look them directly in the eye when you know they are grumpy/psychotic. The glare from them can freeze you on contact.

Rule #2 When you are aware of said grumpiness, say as little as possible. Don’t try to fix it or make a suggestion. When needed to inform them of something important, make it very informal and indirect (while not looking at them) for example: “Lunch box is on the table.” Is much better than “Sweetie, I put your lunch box on the table by your backpack. Please don’t forget it.” That last statement may just make them leave their lunch box on purpose.

Rule #3 When later that day your twelve-year-old is happy, humming and the sweet child you remember DO NOT ASK THEM WHAT WAS WRONG EARLIER! They will revert back to grumpy. Just be happy that they are happy and get some hugs in while you can!

Rule #4 The rules change day by day and sometimes hour by hour. Do your best and remember that someday they will enjoy your company, help and support. At least I have been told this. I hope they just weren’t saying it to give me hope…..

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Kids Book Review: You Read To Me, I’ll Read To You

A Mom's Job, Adoption, All you need is love!, Books I Have Read, Homeschooling, Moments with Elle, Moments with Enu, Parenting, Reviews 3 Responses »

Sep 142011

Yesterday on our weekly trip to the library I found a fun new book that I thought Elle and I would enjoy. It turns out that Enu is in love with it and *bonus* it is a great bonding tool. The book is called You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You: Very short stories to read together by Mary Ann Hoberman and illistrated by Michael Emberly.

Elle is an emergent reader, reading on her own a bit, but still needing help. Reading with her can be fun or can be tedious depending on her level of stubborness at the time! What is so great about this book is that we are reading short lines together, which keeps her (and me) from getting bored. There are mostly rhymes which is great for new readers and writers and the book gets silly which means fun! Fun while reading is so important when they are young. We can’t make it a chore.

As I mentioned in a previous post, one of the reasons for homeschooling Enu was to give her some one on one time that she missed when she was little. This book offers a fun and easy way to spend that precious time with her. She missed the fairy tales and rhyming books. She missed the silly reading stories. She adores this book. We have reserved the other titles in the series: Very Short Fairy Tales and Very Short Mother Goose Tales and I am hoping to get them in time for vacation.

I get happy when I find something with multi-uses and this book fits the bill. I encourage all parents of emergent readers or parents of older-adopted children to check this book out at your library and give it a try.

Have you read this book with your kids? Is reading time bonding time for you all as well?

(Disclosure: I recieved no compenstation for reviewing this book, nor was I asked to review it. I borrowed my copy from the library. Amazon links are not affiliate links and I will not get any money from them.)

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