13 Things Every Working Mom Deserves to Hear

by Gabby CullenMarch 5, 2024

Being a working mom doesn’t come with a guidebook, and if there were a secret formula for perfecting the parenting trifecta of home life, career, and kids, we’d be all over it. The good news is that there are millions of other working moms out there—you are so not alone. In honor of multi-tasking women everywhere, we’ve rounded up 13 things that each and every one of them should be reminded of on a regular basis.

1. Quantity isn’t always quality.

Even when you don’t log hours with your kids every day, the tiny moments are what really matter. Talking with them on the way to school, setting up a nightly routine that includes a twice-weekly family dinner with no exceptions, reading aloud before bed, setting aside time on the weekend just for the family—that’s when those real memories get made.

2. Pinterest is for looks.

Guess what? That class full of kids is going to love those store-bought cookies just as much as they would a from-scratch version. (They’re cookies—what’s not to love?) While you may feel like the other moms are more crafty, more creative, and more put-together, just remember what you had to do this morning to get everyone where they needed to be on time.

3. You’ll never get it all done (and that’s okay).

That pile of clean laundry sitting on the couch? Kids can just as easily find what they need by digging through it as they can if it’s folded and put away. Better yet, show your kids how to fold those clothes themselves. And speaking of chores, here’s a definitive list of which ones kids can do independently, broken down by age. You’d be amazed at what they’re capable of handling.

4. It takes a village.

There’s a reason people can’t get enough of this proverb. If you have family nearby that’s willing to help out, consider yourself lucky. If you don’t, don’t be afraid to lean on friends for help. A ride to after-school activities, a last-minute playdate, a pick-up in the morning, all of these things make a difference. Just be sure to return the favor (when you’re able) to help another parent in your circle.

5. It’s okay to delegate.

Did you know that being a mom is the equivalent of working 2.5 full-time jobs? Somehow we are not surprised. Ask your partner to do an equal share of the drop-off/pick-up/social calendar organizing/lunch-making madness that is raising kids. And, if you can afford it, opt to outsource menial tasks (e.g., grocery delivery) that can take a backseat to more pressing to-dos.

6. Your kids will be fine at daycare.

Daycare is a tough one, but we promise that moments after you leave, your kid will be bonding with their teacher over Play-Doh and Disney. Think of the positives: They’re learning, getting a ton of social interaction, and will be absolutely thrilled to see you at the end of every single day. Check out our list of other tips for making the daycare transition as easy as possible for everyone.

7. You’re setting a great example.

From your awesome work achievements to the way you collaborate on projects to how you value other people’s time and opinions, you’re modeling the behavior you want to see in your kids (in their case, on the playground, in the classroom, and at home). Make sure you share what makes you proud, and tell your kids why you need to meet deadlines or be on time for meetings. It helps them value your time more, too.

8. You’re going to miss moments, and that’s okay. There will be more.

This one can be heartbreaking. Luckily, these days, there are plenty of ways to stay updated on your kids’ lives, whether it’s through a private photo-sharing app like Tinybeans, through a school program like Class Dojo, or by having a nanny or daycare staff send you visual updates. Be sure to bring up anything you saw during those precious minutes after work!

9. You are a good mom.

Say it with us: “I am a good mom.” You are working hard and providing for your family. Your family is better because of you. In fact, a Harvard study found that kids of working moms grow up to be just as happy as kids with stay-at-home moms and that girls, in particular, benefit from having a mom who works.

10. It’s not easy, but it does get easier.

When they’re babies, it seems like they’ll never make it out of [insert stage that is taking forever]. But they do—we swear. And that first week of daycare that feels like agony? It will pass. It may not happen all at once: There will be days when you just won’t want to be apart from your kid, but as your children grow and become accustomed to a routine, it will get easier.

11. Don’t forget to fill the well.

Okay, not those words exactly. But you know what we mean. Your mornings might feel like a mad dash and your evenings a flurry, but you can’t keep giving from that seemingly bottomless well of mom without refilling once in a while. It could be as simple as taking 15 at work to run out and grab your favorite latte and taking 60 seconds to destress before you walk back in the door.

12. You look incredible today!

Maybe you envy the mom who gets to wear sweatpants all day. You know what? It’s a good bet she digs the grown-up clothes you get to wear that she never has reason to. No matter which fit you’re sporting, you have moments where you look damn good—and we’re not just saying that.

13. You don’t love your kids any less than a mom who stays at home.

And don’t listen to anyone who tries to tell you otherwise.

The Best Sunday Night Family Tradition to Start in 2024

by Amy TectorDecember 15, 2023

Writing down and saving one thing everyone is grateful for each week leads to an amazing New Year’s Day reveal

One of our favorite family traditions was inspired by—of all things—a half-remembered episode of Oprah. On Sunday nights, my husband, daughter, and I take a couple of minutes after dinner to write down one thing we are grateful for from the previous week. Sometimes it’s a hassle to find paper and pens. Sometimes we’re not in the mood because we want to get the dishes washed or flake out in front of New Girl. But most Sundays, we make the small effort to jot down something good.

The payoff for this tiny delay in our TV viewing is that on New Year’s Day, we read all those notes. While one of us might be nursing a hangover, another riding a sugar high, and the third frantically decluttering in the hopes of starting the new year off “right,” we gather at the kitchen table and take turns unfurling and reading aloud. It’s a small, low-key way to remember the things that made us happy over the past year and to start the next one filled with family memories and thankfulness.

Our entries are not always very original or deep. Many are variations of “I am grateful for the delicious dinner we just had,” “I am grateful for Daffodil (our dog),” and “I am grateful for my family.”

Still, the process reminds us of mundane events from the past year that we’d otherwise forget. Remember when we were briefly obsessed with spiralizing vegetables? Remember how we played badminton every day after dinner in June? Remember that October walk in the woods when the leaves were just spectacular?

The tradition also marks bigger moments. When Ottawa was hit by a big tornado-like windstorm called a derecho, whole swaths of the city lost power for up to a week. The dividing line between those who had power and those who didn’t was literally the street next to us. We continued to have electricity, and our gratitudes from May—“I am grateful for electricity,” “I am grateful for wifi,” and “I am grateful for the fridge”—reflect that.

There are seasonal ones as well: lots of talk of skating and hot chocolate in the winter, the departure of the snow and the arrival of longer days in the spring, thankfulness for the beach and swimming in the summer, and remarks on the beauty of the autumn landscape in the fall. Our little scraps of paper are tangible markers of the passage of time and remind us of our links to those moments.

It’s not all connections to Mother Earth, however. Our favorite TV shows make frequent appearances: “I am grateful for Only Murders in the Building” was a common refrain.

The nice thing about the tradition is that I keep all those scraps of paper, and we can go back and reflect on years past. Our 2020 and 2021 gratitudes are reminders of the fear and preoccupations of the COVID-19 pandemic. We were grateful for Zoom calls with family, puzzles, board games, badminton matches, negative Covid tests, elaborate meals, and eventually—at last—vaccines. While the pandemic was, and is, incredibly challenging, the gratitudes from that time are a snapshot of an extraordinary moment in history that also brought us closer together.

The little tradition pays off in multiple ways. It allows us to take a small pause in our week to come up with something to be thankful for, which has real, measurable health benefits. And every January 1st, it brings our family together in a shared tradition, generating laughter, reflection, and a sense that we (the three of us, plus Daffodil, of course) are a unit that experienced the past 365 days together.

Plus, you never know what surprises will surface. This past year, we rented out our house for a few days in July. When we unrolled our gratitudes on January 1st, we discovered one written by an unfamiliar hand. “I am grateful for the lovely home we got to stay in for a few days.” It was a little shocking and weird to think our AirBnB’ers had snooped in our gratitude bowl, but it was also sweet and funny—kind of like the gratitude experience itself.

Amy Tector is an archivist and novelist in Ottawa, Canada. Her latest novel, Speak for the Dead, comes out in March 2023. You can follow her newsletter at amytector.substack.com.

The Importance of Reading Aloud (Even When You Don’t Want To)

By Colleen Carroll, EdD

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

July 3, 2023

You’ve heard reading aloud is critical to your child’s success and you strive to get it in most nights when you can. Sometimes, though, it’s just hard to put in the time. You work long hours, you’re tired, homework went on forever or after-school activities ended late and you just want to skip story time tonight. For all the many reasons why that seems like a good idea, here are five solid reasons in favor of reading aloud consistently (just 10 minutes!) when you need a little motivation.

5 great reasons to read aloud to your child

Modeling fluency skills: Children need to hear adult, skilled readers model what good fluency sounds like when they read aloud so they can copy that sound. A reader is fluent when the words flow together well and are not choppy or slow. The more you can model how the words should flow well together when you read (as well as stopping at periods, pausing at commas, and obeying the other punctuation marks too) the better your child will pick up this skill.

Modeling language and vocabulary: books are amazing for increasing children’s understanding of language and learning new vocabulary words. Even simple children’s books often have a rich vocabulary that is not in our everyday conversation and therefore children do not hear it. In order to know a word, it needs to be used, in context (in the story) and so reading aloud is the perfect way to share new words with children.

Sharing quality time together: In the craziness that is life these days, we often don’t have more than 10 minutes a day of quality time to spend with family members. Reading books aloud together creates this time and allows us to be in the moment with our children, enjoying their company as well as a good story and it also builds memories that will last a long time.

Make a statement: “We value reading.” When we do it together every day, we are telling our children that reading is important in our home, and it’s a habit that is a part of our lives. When we skip days or find too often that we allow other excuses to take the place of reading time, we are sending our children the message that reading takes a back seat to those distractions and that message is powerful.

Relaxation: Reading is a relaxing activity. By choosing to read aloud at night before bed, we are winding down each day in a relaxing way in a way that screens such as cell phones and iPads don’t allow for.

Monica, mom to 11-year-old Zane, says this about reading aloud, “It’s often very easy to slip into a million reasons why we can’t make time at night to read a book together. Once we started allowing ourselves to be distracted, it just got even easier. However, we knew that was not going to help Zane with reading so we promised each other that reading aloud would come first. Since we made it a top priority, we don’t let each other miss our nightly story and Zane’s teacher has told us that his reading has improved in school.”

If you’re finding it hard to get in the time, strive for just 10 minutes a night. This is enough time for a short picture book, or chapter in a simple chapter book, and will ensure you don’t let distractions get in the way of this time together. Then on nights that are less busy, work towards reading for 30 minutes together. I promise it will be one of the best ways you can spend time as a family.

Colleen Carroll, EdD

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

I am passionate about helping families raise children who LOVE to read. I created Innovative Reading to provide easy activities to moms and dads who have children that dislike reading and that struggle to read. Together we can help your child become a confident and happy reader with only 10 minutes of time a night. (www.InnovativeReading.com)

Plant a Love of Reading with Acorn

by Kenzie KramerSeptember 15, 2021

One day you’re reading board books to your baby (while he or she simultaneously tries to chew on them). The next thing you know, that little one has grown into a big kid who’s ready to read independently. Scholastic’s early reader line, Acorn, is perfect for children ages 4-7. Here’s why kids (and their parents!) love them:

The Format Is Fun!

Each book contains three to five short stories about endearing characters. Kids can read the stories in a row or in any order they’d like. FYI: Giving kids this simple choice in how they read creates a sense of accomplishment. In addition, each page contains vibrant full-color illustrations—making them inviting and accessible (not intimidating!)—and text is easy to read and its humorous tone is a crowd-pleaser for silly kiddos. Some of the books have color-coded speech bubbles, just like graphic novels. This feature helps introduce dialogue, making reading aloud even more entertaining.

They Build Confidence

It can be a challenge to find early chapter books that kids actually enjoy. Acorn make them feel confident in their reading abilities and encourage them to keep going! Activities at the end of each book maximize the reading experience with “how-to-draw” instructions and writing prompts (hello, future authors and illustrators!). These extension activities give kids additional ways to engage with the characters, while offering parents insight into their reading comprehension.

There’s a Series for Every Reader

There are 12 series in the Acorn line, with more in the works. From friendship to magic, the wide array of genres makes it simple to find a just-right read for your kiddo. There’s even a “horror-lite” series on the list for kids who like spooky stories, called Mister Shivers! The Dragon series by Dav Pilkey (author of Captain Underpants and Dog Man) is a fan favorite. BFFs Unicorn and Yeti are great for those who love magical creatures. Princess Truly is an empowering series about a young girl. And Hello, Hedgehog is an adorable friendship series focused on achieving big childhood milestones and helping pals overcome fears.

No Levels, No Problem.

Kids are used to seeing levels on their books. Not on these! Although books align with leveling guidelines, Acorn doesn’t put levels on the covers to keep kids from feeling pigeon-holed. They meet kids right where they are on their reading journey.

They’re Educator Approved.

Acorn executive editor Katie Carella was a teacher herself! She saw how difficult it was to find high-quality, interesting early readers for her students, which inspired her to create this line. Teachers across the country are big fans—making sure their classroom bookshelves are stocked with Acorn essentials! “The format made it feel similar to the higher-level books they see their older siblings reading, such as Captain Underpants and Dog Man, so they were excited to read it by themselves,” says a first-grade teacher, Sharon.

Learn more by visiting scholastic.com/Acorn

Artwork:

Princess Truly © by Amariah Rauscher
Hello, Hedgehog! Art © by Norm Feuti
Dragon Art © by Dav Pilkey
Moby Shinobi Art © by Luke Flowers
Unicorn and Yeti Art © by Hazel Quintanilla
Crabby Art © by Jonathan Fenske.
Bumble and Bee Art © by Ross Burach

-Jessica Solloway

Should We Continue to Celebrate Dr. Seuss?

By Gay Cioffi

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

March 5, 2021

Photo: Josh Applegate on Unsplash.

In the past, March 2nd, the birthday of Theodor Seuss Geisel, well known as a picture book author, Dr. Seuss, was a cause for celebration. During my years as the Director of the Little Folks Nursery School in Washington, DC, on this day, children were asked to bring in their favorite Dr. Seuss books for sharing and reading aloud. Children and teachers made red and white striped “Cat in the Hat” hats. And to add to the festivities, I took the opportunity to cook up some ham and eggs —I mean green eggs and ham—to everyone’s delight!

While many were shocked by the announcement yesterday to cease publication of six of Mr. Geisel’s books, I believe that we have even more to celebrate, with this decision by Dr. Seuss Enterprise, the keeper of his legacy. Some may cry “cancel culture” at the news of this choice. But, I, for one, applaud it and appreciate the greater awareness brought to his past instances of racial stereotyping.

How can we be more sensitive to this type of transgression if we don’t point it out when we see it? In Theodor Geisel’s case, racist and anti-semitic depictions can be found in drawings from his college days, his early cartoons, and long before he became a successful children’s book author. When delving into his early work, there is no mistaking his ugly and hateful depiction of Blacks, Asians, and Jews; it is indefensible. More subtle insulting imagery of non-whites in his children’s picture books resulted in the decision to discontinue their publication.

Like all humans, artists are flawed…and full of contradictions. Still, we can “call out” their harmful mistakes while acknowledging their positive contributions. And moving forward, we all can learn from and make a more significant effort to represent all book characters with dignity and respect while acknowledging when someone falls short.

In Mr. Geisel’s case, his later attempts to instill tolerance, diversity, and compromise in books such as The Sneetches and Other Stories, published in the late fifties, can be embraced and appreciated. In The Lorax, published in 1971, readers are introduced to environmentalism and the importance of taking care of our earth. So, like Dr. Seuss himself, who grew and changed with the times, our consciousness can be broadened as well, if we welcome an honest look at the expression of others. We can take the good, leave the bad, or at least acknowledge how wrong and damaging degrading representation can be.

As an educator, parent, grandparent, and human, I know that representation is important. When children do not see themselves in books or see depictions that are negative, no matter how subtle, true damage is done. When they see others represented in a negative way, those thoughts and feelings are internalized. We all have a responsibility to think critically and call out such representation.

While I approach the idea of censorship with caution and a genuine concern for free speech and the exchange of ideas, I don’t see how the discontinuation of these six books affects either free speech or an exchange of ideas; if anything, it encourages reflection and discussion.

I am not buying the notion that we must endure offensive imagery or language because of nostalgia or the risk of censorship gone too far. Lies, hateful and hurtful visuals can and should be named. Some are more worried about being called “PC” or politically correct, than undoing the damage caused by white supremacy and white privilege. If that is where the concern lies, there is more to worry about than a publishing decision by an organization that is, after years of consideration, trying to get it right for our future and the future of our children.

In my view, it is the past acceptance or obliviousness to the subtle and not-so-subtle racist messages in books, television, movies, and advertising that contribute to the disease of racism. It isn’t the only factor that feeds it, but it plays a role, and acknowledging it as such is a step in the right direction.

Like the Dr. Seuss Enterprise, I look forward to a new chapter.

This post originally appeared on Should We Continue To Celebrate Dr. Seuss? www.littlefolksbigquestions.com.

Gay Cioffi

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

I am a parent and grandparent with over four decades of experience in early childhood education. I share my passion, wisdom and experience, with parents and the people who care for and about children at Little Folks Big Questions, where we're out to answer the questions parents face in today's world.

The Secret to Raising Successful Readers

By Kate Jerome

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

March 1, 2021

Photo: Little Bridges

Did you know that reading aloud is the single most important activity you can do to help a child succeed in reading? It’s true! And here are just four of the many reasons why.

1. Builds Vocabulary
Young children learn words primarily through listening. Obviously, conversation plays a big role but reading picture books offers more rich and diverse language than child-centered conversations alone. And don’t worry about kids understanding every word. Just hearing the words in context is helpful.

2. Increases Focus
Unlike watching TV, being read to delivers a slower pace of ideas. Children learn to listen and concentrate as you explain the unfolding events of a story. Over time, this can help increase a child’s attention span.

3. Encourages Bonding & Creativity
There’s no question that your voice is the one that makes a difference! Snuggling up for a good read helps a child feel secure which allows her or his imagination to soar. Even books that seem beyond a beginner’s comprehension can mesmerize a child because of the rhythm of your language. Reading aloud to grandchildren is especially impactful in strengthening multigenerational relationships.

4. Fosters a Life-long Love of Reading
According to Jim Trelease, author of The Read-Aloud Handbook, “Every time we read to a child, we’re sending a ‘pleasure’ message to the child’s brain.” This creates a happy association with books and reading. Further, an enjoyable read-aloud experience often encourages a beginning reader who might be having difficulty mastering early skills.

There’s no way you can make a mistake reading aloud to a child. But here’s a tip. Before you read a book to a young child, experts often recommend you take a “picture walk” through the pages. This allows you to set the stage for reading by pointing out the setting. You can also ask your “Little” to make a prediction about what might happen next.

The beauty of building a strong read-aloud culture in your home is that it lasts for such a long time. Even when children can easily read on their own (9-11 years old), they love to listen to a book being read—and discussed—with them. My own sixth grade teacher knew this well. Each day after lunch she would sit at her desk in the front of the classroom and patiently wait for us thirty breathless kids to wind down our rowdy recess personas and give her our rapt attention.

At first we were insulted by the whole notion. How could the senior leaders of the elementary school submit to such a juvenile practice? Little did we know that after just a few days we would be absolutely hooked! To this day I remember her animated voice as she toured us through the classics. My personal favorite was A.A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh in which a bear “of very little brain” obsessed about honey while teaching us all a thing or two about the important art of friendship.

When the class moved on to junior high level, the quiet regret of so many of us was that we had to leave our read-aloud time behind. In retrospect, I’m quite sure that those lovely hours spent appreciating the written word was one of the contributing factors that led to my own love of story—and my career as a children’s book author.

Remember, you don’t need a special occasion to read with a child. Parents often establish a bedtime routine with children but there’s no reason you can’t enjoy a read together any time! And time is also not a factor. Even a 15 minute ritual can reap major benefits.

So enjoy the read-aloud experience…and just watch the benefits grow!

Kate Jerome

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Kate Jerome, a seasoned publishing executive and award-winning children’s book author, is co-founder of Little Bridges, an innovative company dedicated to creating products that foster enduring multi-generational experiences, including themed, intergenerational activity kits with content and activities designed to encourage interactive experiences and meaningful conversations based on family traditions and history.

5 Tips to Get Your Kids to Read Everyday

By LaToya Jones

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

August 6, 2020

Photo: SeventyFour Getty Images via Canva

School’s back and kids are transitioning from a long summer of spare time to an unusual new school year. Getting my kid back in full swing—an alternating school schedule, new teachers and homework—has been far from easy. But when it comes to books, having a reading routine built a productive reader who no longer complains when it’s time to read.

If you have trouble getting your child to open up a book, here are five ways to help your child start reading each day.

1. Find the Right Book. There’s evidence that proves reading books has many benefits, so choosing the right one is important. One of the best ways to get kids reading is by finding out what type of stories they’re interested in. A great way of finding this out is by what they watch on TV.

Many kid shows and movies, like Nickelodeon and Disney, have collections of books written before the movie came out. Your child may love comparing it to the show and read the next book in the series. You can also get a book in a genre that relates to what your child watches.

If you’re a family who doesn’t watch TV much, visit the library and grab a book in each genre to find out what your child likes best. Some examples are realistic fiction, fantasy, science fiction, adventure and mystery. Your child’s teacher can also suggest interesting books that are based on your child’s reading level.

2. Set a Schedule. Make it a habit every day at the same time to have your child read. A daily schedule helps create structure and guides your child to slowly take the initiative to start reading independently without you telling them to.

Figure out the best time of day your child will do the best reading. Is it after breakfast, before homework or right before bed? To find out, do a test run for a week by having your child read for 20 minutes a day at different times.

Make sure to pay attention and take note of your child’s mood, how well your child does when stopping an activity to read and how attentive your child is while reading.

3. Find the Best Place for Reading. The right environment can set-up the mood to make it comfortable to read. Some areas around the home can be at a desk, on the couch, chair, floor or bed. Reading outside can also be an excellent spot.

Depending on the child, reading in different areas around the home may help your child continue to read every day without getting bored. The library and coffee shops may also be great places for storytime.

Music or sound while reading can be soothing for some kids. Try some vocal-free tunes or white noise to see if this helps your child stay engaged.

4. Read with Them. You are your child’s best example. Show them you also enjoy a good story by reading with them.

You can both read silently or enjoy the same book together by taking turns reading aloud to each other. Afterward, talk about the characters and what each of you finds exciting in the story.

5. Reward and Praise Them. There are many ways to congratulate your kids on the amount of reading they accomplished. Rewarding them with something they love may keep them motivated.

Your praise can encourage them to continue reading. Take your child toy shopping for doing a great job. Give extra time on their phone or video game. Take away one of their chores for a day. Have them choose what type of reward they want.

Getting your child reading everyday may take some time and patience, but by putting these five things into practice, your child will be on their way to an enjoyable love of reading.

This post originally appeared on Medium.

LaToya Jones

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

I'm a professional writer and mother of one middle school student living in the midwest. I worked in Health Information Management for 15 years before becoming a freelancer. Outside of writing, I'm reading the latest James Patterson's Alex Cross novel, planning the next beach vacation with my son and streaming my favorite shows on Netflix.

Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy Launches New Podcast for Kids

by Jennifer SwartvagherMay 11, 2020

Former First Lady Barbara Bush had a lifelong commitment to learning. The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy is launching Mrs. Bush’s Story Time podcast on May 11, 2020. Taken straight from archived audio from the former First Lady Barbara Bush’s radio program which originally aired from 1990-1994, the new podcast features archived audio recordings of Mrs. Barbara Bush reading aloud with special guests including Winnie the Pooh, Daffy Duck, Big Bird and Oprah, among many others beloved characters.

Bush and her special guests share classic stories, such as Jack and the Beanstalk, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, The Ugly Duckling and Corduroy.

This new podcast for families will feature original recordings from the radio program of the same name. Mrs. Bush’s Story Time began as a radio program co-produced with the Philadelphia-based Children’s Literacy Initiative and ABC Radio and originally aired from 1990 to 1994 while Barbara Bush served as First Lady of the United States.

“We’re thrilled to bring Mrs. Bush’s legacy to life in a new, modern format that supports and furthers her commitment to lifelong learning,” said Barbara Bush Foundation President and CEO British A. Robinson. “Mrs. Bush was fond of saying that the home is the child’s first school, and we’re all spending a lot more time at home these days. Now more than ever, we hope this podcast can help bring families together around reading and storytelling.”

Reimagined for the present day, the podcast also features new content including introductions from Mrs. Bush’s daughter and Foundation Honorary Chair Doro Bush Koch, literacy tips from former First Lady Laura Bush, and memories about childhood reading experiences shared by best-selling authors Delia Owens, Jesse J. Holland, Susan Orlean and Eric L. Motley.

“I’m so glad that another generation of families will have a way to connect with these classic stories and beloved characters – with a little help from my mom,” Koch said. “Her advocacy for family literacy wasn’t something she just talked about – it was a value she practiced, whether she was reading to me and my brothers before bed or sharing her passion with children around the country through these radio broadcasts.”

—Jennifer Swartvagher

All photos courtesy of The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum

Check Out These Learning Resources Amid Coronavirus School Closures

Disney to Donate Excess Food After Coronavirus Closures

The AKC Offers Fun & Educational Activities for Young Dog Lovers

by Jennifer SwartvagherApril 30, 2020

Our pets are happy that we are spending more time with them. Now that the kids are home, they can spend more time doting on them. The American Kennel Club has released fun and educational tools for the young dog lovers in our lives.

From crafts to books to song and dance, there is something for everyone. They have even created a schedule for parents trying to maintain structure and consistency during the day.

If your kids love reading and they love dogs, the AKC has curated a list just for them. Maybe they can even take turns reading to the family pet. Reading aloud is a great way for beginning readers to practice, and the animals love the attention.

There are lots of ways for kids to stay active with their dogs from playing catch to running around in the yard. The AKC has come up with a list of fun activities from creating dog art to baking treats.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Pixabay via Pexels

Special Guests Announced for “Mondays with Michelle Obama”

by Jennifer SwartvagherApril 19, 2020

What if we told you Michelle Obama was coming over to read a story to your kids? Every week. Well, she is…thanks to the Read Together, Be Together initiative. Penguin Young Readers, Random House Children’s Books, and PBS KIDS.

On Mon., May 18, former President Barack Obama, will join Mrs. Obama to read The Bear Ate Your Sandwich, written and illustrated by Julia Sarcone-Roach.Then, on Mon., May 25, Sunny and Bo, the Obama family’s canine companions, will be on hand when Mrs. Obama reads Can I Be Your Dog?, written and illustrated by Troy Cummings.

Read Together, Be Together is a nationwide movement that celebrates the importance and power of the shared reading experience between a child and their adult caregiver. Reading aloud every day is one of the most effective ways to foster early literacy and is important for building language skills. First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, in support of this initiative will launch a “Read-Along” effort in collaboration with Penguin Young Readers, Random House Children’s Books, and PBS KIDS on Facebook and YouTube.

Obama says, “As a little kid, I loved to read aloud. And when I became a parent, I found such joy in sharing the magic of storytelling with my own children—and then later, as First Lady, with kids everywhere. At this time when so many families are under so much stress, I’m excited to give kids a chance to practice their reading and hear some wonderful stories (and to give parents and caretakers a much-needed break).”

Mondays with Michelle Obama (#PBSKIDSRead, #ReadTogetherBeTogether) will be livestreamed simultaneously on PBS KIDS’ Facebook page and YouTube channel, and on Penguin Random House’s Facebook page, and will remain available for viewing on demand on all of those platforms immediately thereafter.

The eight books Obama will read are:

Apr. 20, 12 p.m. ET

The Gruffalo

Written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler

Apr. 27, 12 p.m. ET:

There’s a Dragon in Your Book

Written by Tom Fletcher and illustrated by Greg Abbott

May 4, 12 p.m. ET

Miss Maple’s Seeds

Story and pictures by Eliza Wheeler

May 11, 12 p.m. ET

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

By Eric Carle

May 18, 12 p.m. ET

Giraffe Problems

By Jory John; illustrated by Lane Smith

The Bear Ate Your Sandwich *with a special surprise guest*

Written and illustrated by Julia Sarcone-Roach

May 25, 12 p.m. ET:

Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

Written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss

Can I Be Your Dog? *with a special surprise guest*

Written and illustrated by Troy Cummings

A suite of activities, tips and resources for each of the books that Obama will read are available at www.readtogetherbetogether.com, and companion literacy resources are available on pbskidsforparents.org.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo/video courtesy of PBS KIDS & Penguin Random House

“Captain Underpants” Author Dav Pilkey Is Hosting Weekly Virtual Drawing Lessons

Take a Look: Levar Burton to Host Weekly Story Times for Kids, YA & Grownups

ML Interest Tag: reading-aloud

The Best Sunday Night Family Tradition to Start in 2024

Writing down and saving one thing everyone is grateful for each week leads to an amazing New Year’s Day reveal

Related reads

The Importance of Reading Aloud (Even When You Don’t Want To)

By Colleen Carroll, EdD

5 great reasons to read aloud to your child

Colleen Carroll, EdD

Related reads