hello lovely child

Culinary Adventures of Fathers Who Cook for Their Families? Hmmmmm. I love how utterly different this book is.

Inside are tips and recipes for everyday and gourmet from a bunch of fathers who cook for their families.

Here's the catch. The said fathers boiling water all just happen to be A-list writers. Yep. The fellas in Man With a Pan entertainingly share kitchen tales and toils, providing us the opportunity to try their tried and true recipes.

Editing by John Donohue, Man With a Pan is not your mama's cookbook. In fact without a single glossy photo of a roasted chicken or creme brulee, the book succeeds at fabulous FUN. 

It's fun to read about what chef Mario Batali prepares at home when no one's looking or what Stephen King suggests when you don't feel like cooking.

In addition to engaging tales, there are more than 60 recipes and cartoons from the New Yorker (Donohue is also a cartoonist!).

Fathers who feel at home or terrified in the kitchen will especially love this title, but everyone deserves a look.

Practical ideas to help your child become more organized.

715 words

New breakthrough resource for kids on the autism spectrum.

by M. Ranard, M.Ed.
610 words

Every once in a while, a new book comes along that makes you go OF COURSE because it is so very genius in its simplicity and usefulness. That is exactly how I responded upon discovering Point to Happy: A Book for kids on the Autism Spectrum (Workman Publishing, 2011) by Miriam Smith and Afton Fraser.

As a professional counselor and academic tutor for students with various special needs, I was thrilled to find this interactive resource for parents and kids on the autism spectrum to share and find joy in.

Why It’s a Breakthrough Tool

The authors, a mother and daughter, were frustrated with their search for a way to help Fraser’s son, who is on the autism spectrum. ASD children are often challenged daily in their attempts to communicate effectively and can benefit from visual support such as friendly photographs. So, these women, taking matters into their own hands, brought Point to Happy to life.

The book, so ingenious in its simplicity, features clear text and photos of children and is meant to be read to the child. The book includes an attached soft molded hand on a wand pointer (and what child doesn’t love a magic wand?) so children may focus as they select appropriate pictures. For example:

POINT TO HAPPY. POINT TO SAD. POINT TO HUG. GIVE ME A HUG.

Children learn to identify every day objects, become familiar with daily rituals such as going to bed and rising in the morning, and how to choose what to eat. Point to Happy teaches children to describe polite language, say when he is thirsty, and recognize colors of the rainbow.

A Book to Help ASD Children Find Their Voice

Toni Giannone, Communications Disorders Specialist and founder of The Speech Academy says “A positive response to a picture story is often an ASD child’s first attempt at communicating with others.” As these children learn to better communicate what they want, need, and feel they are able to better decode social situations. As Giannone says “As your child begins to find his ‘voice,’ he becomes happier and more confident.”

Consider Temple Grandin’s thoughts about her experience as an ASD child and how Point to Happy addresses a gap:

“Many people with autism are visual thinkers. I think in pictures. I do not think in language. All my thoughts are like videotapes running in my imagination. Pictures are my first language, and words are my second language. Nouns were the easiest words to learn because I could make a picture in my mind of the word. To learn words like "up" or "down," the teacher should demonstrate them to the child. For example, take a toy airplane and say "up" as you make the airplane takeoff from a desk. Some children will learn better if cards with the words "up" and "down" are attached to the toy airplane. The "up" card is attached when the plane takes off. The "down" card is attached when it lands.” (autism.com)

Learn More About ASD

The logo for the Autism Society of America is a picture of a child embedded in a puzzle. The Autism Research Institute says “Most of the pieces of the puzzle are on the table, but we are still trying to figure out how they fit together. We must also keep in mind that these pieces may fit several different puzzles.”

Point to Happy (Workman, 2011) is a small but important step in helping some of those children embedded in the puzzle.

To learn more about the prevalence, symptoms, and treatment for kids on the Autism Spectrum, visit autism.com.

M. Ranard has a husband, two children, and a master’s in counseling. Find her at hellolovelychild.blogspot.com and hellolovelyinc.blogspot.com.

Resources:

The Autism Research Institute. www.autism.com

Smith, Miriam and Afton Fraser. 2011. Point to Happy: A Book for Kids on the Autism Spectrum. Workman.

10 Tips to Help Because Names Really Do Matter.

by M. Ranard, M.Ed.
730 words



Are you or someone close to you expecting a baby? Congratulations! Choosing a name is one of the most thrilling and potentially stressful duties on your long list of preparations. Stressful because names matter!

Expectant parents today are much more adventurous in terms of naming their children. There are endless trendy, traditional, Biblical, and unorthodox picks to choose from, yet it still seems many parents remain reluctant to break away from the pack in choosing a name for their baby. That’s why maternity floors are full of bassinets marked “Madison” and “Jake.”

The Beauty of Traditional Names

While traditional names may sometimes lack “cool factor,” they make up for it with their solid history. Author of Bring Back Beatrice! Jennifer Griffin would like to see more folks choose traditional names and not feel shy about ignoring trends. Griffin says good names are “names that will stand the test of time, reflect your values, and bring joy to your child” and that “You can’t go wrong with something traditional, no matter how popular the name becomes.”

Since trendy names get vogue for awhile then disappear, it is a good idea to think long and hard before using them. Traditional names are not always in vogue, but Griffin compares them to heirlooms. In other words, even if a traditional name like Emma rises in popularity, since it has stood the test of time, Griffin says your child will be better off in a classroom full of Emmas than a classroom full of a trendy name that fell from favor.

Smokin’ Hot Right Now

* Names with exotic letters. Especially X, Y, Z, J, K, V, and W. Names with more than one of these letters are fashionable right now. Examples: Maddox, Vivienne, Elijah, Olivia, Wyatt.

* Old New England names. Examples: Hannah, Sophia, Noah, Benjamin, Gabriel.

* Unisex names. Examples: Peyton, Jorday, Taylor.

* Frankennames. Mashed up names like Ashlynn, Jayla, and Kyler.

* Names from pop-culture. Characters on TV and in films as well as the names of actors.

10 Tips To Decide On the Best Name

After reading Griffin’s book, I came away with a newfound respect for the baby naming process. These are her suggestions organized in ten smart tips.

1. Give your child a tie to the past. Consider family names of beloved relatives and cultural traditions.

2. The big three. Will the name stand the test of time, reflect your values, and bring joy to your child?

3. Think meaning. Think about how you will answer your child when he asks you someday why you chose his name.

4. Think nicknames. If you’re torn between a traditional and trendy name, one option is to use the trendy name as a nickname.

5. Think contrast. “Better to pair two or three-syllables with a single-syllable last name or a short first name with a long last name.”

6. Consider the American Express card test. Rule out names that are too long to fit on plastic.

7. Think monograms. RAT doesn’t look great embroidered on a spa robe.

8. Consider the school playground. You can probably remember certain kids who were teased mercilessly because of their name.

9. Don’t forget your last name. The name needs to make sense with your last name. If your last name is long, complicated, or exotic, it may be wise to give your baby a short and easy first name.

10. You don’t have to sacrifice the trendy name you love. If there’s a trendy or unorthodox name you adore, use it for a middle name.

Does the Name You Like Pass the Flaky Test?

This is excellent advice from Bring Back Beatrice! because it is grounded in reality and puts into perspective for parents that their little bundle of joy is going to be an adult someday with a real job. Here are three of Griffin’s tests for flakiness.

*"Imagine your child saying 'Ladies and gentleman, I’d like to welcome you aborad the aircraft. I’m your captain…'"

*"Imagine your doctor tells you that you need to see a specialist about your condition and hands you a business card. Imagine your child’s name on that card with a medical specialty below it."

*"Imagine a political advertisement with your child facing the camera saying, 'I’m…and I endorse this message.'"

The writer? Agonized with her husband for days in the hospital when their second child was born before finding peace with the Biblical name they chose. She has a master’s in counseling, a freelance writing career, and blogs at hellolovelychild.blogspot.com and hellolovelyinc.blogspot.com.

Resources:
Griffin, Jennifer. 2011. Bring Back Beatrice! Workman.

5 Clever Crafty Books With Projects to Create With Kids

by M. Ranard, M.Ed.
650 words


Now that my sons are teens, except for gingerbread houses around the holidays, it’s not easy to get them crafting. But young kids adore creating anything, and the developmental benefits of art and crafting are endless (fine motor skills, imagination, math, abstract thinking).

There are some great new books on the market that at first glance may not have you thinking the kids and I could DO this! But if you leaf through them and let their magic soak in, you will be convinced there are projects here that kids will adore.

Whimsical Fashion

The author of a new book of clever clothes and accessories says her projects are "for kids who explore and giggle and run wild," which basically has our names written all over it (although "jog wild" may be a tad more accurate considering the knees today).

Chock full of personality and whimsy Sew Tina: 30 Cute Projects and Adorable Décor Items for Kids by Tina Givens includes the author’s signature go-with-the-flow method. Inside are flying pigs, soft books, puffy necklaces, and swing-y dresses made for twirling. Givens' imagination combined with Lynne Harty's dreamy photography will have you and your children swooning.

Creative UPcycling

Fabric Remix: Repurpose and Reecorate by Sandy Stone will steal your family’s heart with its sewing and upholstery projects. Ever spied moneybag pillows? What a genius project for older kids! And doesn’t every parent DESERVE a shopping cart hamper with vintage laundry bag?

Stone teaches us how to turn vintage fabric, recycled clothing, and old furniture into stylish projects (some of us are more skilled at dragging the stuff home than repurposing it). Another favorite project from the book: vintage scarf pillows which make such a unique statement with such little effort.

Holiday Gifts

Unless you’re the bionic crafter you’ll need time to complete those handmade goodies so perfect for holiday gifts and decking the halls. Some awesome new books are perfect for gearing us up.

Vintage tablecloths or tea towels become sensational new items in Craft Challenge: Dozens of Ways to Repurpose a Tea Towel by Nathalie Mornu. Mini skirt? Check. Japanese baby doll? Totally! Doggie backpack? Yes, please. The projects inside this volume of innovative deliciousness will inspire you to create projects using all those sweet linens you snag for pennies at yard sales and the flea market. Even if you and the kids are shy about sewing, you are destined to fall in love with this eco-friendly guide for repurposing old textiles.

Felt Fabulousness

Another nifty book to get ready for the holidays is Big Little Felt Universe: Sew It, Stuff It, Squeeze It, Fun! by Jeannette Lim. If you have never worked with felt, you’re in for a surprise. These super sweet projects in Lim’s book won’t break the bank and kids will adore them.

I am partial to the girly girl felt purse project complete with cherries appliqué and squishy felt lipstick, and you may sigh upon glimpsing the fruit topped cake—YUM! In all you’ll find 12 “felt sets” containing easy projects to make for your squeezing enjoyment. Bonus: the patterns are mostly full-sized so no enlarging required.

Fa La La La Felt: 45 Handmade Holiday Decorations by Amanda Carestio is for those of us who aren’t expert seamstresses but love the idea of crafting festive felt projects. From gift tags to wreaths to thrifted holiday trees, your brood will have a blast making the season jollier with handmade goodness.

If you choose only to make one project from Fa La La La Felt consider Gingerman and Sugar Friend on page 68. You will feel as though you’ve hit the holiday jackpot with this clever felty guide, and your friends and family will have you begging for their own Sugar Friends.


Beyond adorable and guaranteed to bring ear to ear smiles, be sure to check out the projects in these irresistible new books!

The writer? A lover of felt and vintage fabulousness, a freelance writer, and blogger at hellolovelychild.blogspot.com and hellolovelyinc.blogspot.com.

Resources:
Carestio, Amanda. Fa La La La Felt: 45 Handmade Holiday Decorations. 2010. Lark Books.
Givens, Tina. Sew Tina: 30 Cute Projects and Adorablel Décor Items for Kids. 2010. Lark Books.
Lim, Jeannette. Big Little Felt Universe: Sew It, Stuff It, Squeeze It, Fun! 2011. Lark Books.
Mornu, Nathalie. Craft Challenge: Dozens of Ways to Repurpose a Tea Towel. 2010. Lark Books.
Stone, Sandy. Fabric Remix: Repurpose and Redecorate. 2010. Lark Books.

4 Cool Crafty Reads for Parents

by M. Ranard, M.Ed.
600 words

We have heard it from their teachers and reading experts, but it can be tough to put into practice. To help our kids become better readers, it’s important to model reading at home. If we set an example and allow our kids to catch us reading—even if it’s just a recipe or magazine—we are in essence setting the stage for compliance.

We all get too much screen time these days, especially just before bed, and quiet time spent reading is a much healthier way to unwind. Fiction is great, but it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, so I found some fun nonfiction titles that go down easy and inspire along the way.

Add Style to Your Home
Kaari Meng has fashioned a book of cool projects guaranteed to inject the romance of France into our homes (we can dream!). The French Inspired Home contains handmade ideas which nurture any dreams you may harbor of living in a cozy cottage in the countryside someday.

From beaded light covers to clothes hanger adornments (these are so luxuriously simple yet charming!) Meng inspires us to embellish our homes with the timeworn and organic touches of French-inspired living.

Even if you typically shy away from crafting, The French-Inspired Home will sufficiently fill up your senses and perhaps re-ignite a passion for thoughtful decorating or collecting vintage wares.

Create Cool Stuff from Crap
And because I personally can't pass up a vintage ware, Fabric Remix: Repurpose and Redecorate by Sandy Stone stole my heart with its sewing and upholstery projects made easy. Ever seen moneybag pillows? Totally genius on page 60. And don't we NEED shopping cart hampers fitted with vintage laundry bags to make laundry time dreamier? Because I’m not so sure I can exist any longer without one.

Stone teaches us (and I am a pathetic sewer!) how to turn vintage fabric, recycled clothing, and old furniture into stylish projects, and you’ve got to admit this is an awesome lesson for your kids.

Apparently my skill is dragging vintage wares home—it’s the repurposing part that always trips me up. Another one of my favorite projects in Fabric Remix is the vintage scarf pillow which makes such a powerful statement with a little effort, needle, and thread.

Make Unique Fashion
Chock full of personality and whimsy Sew Tina: 30 Cute Projects and Adorable Décor Items for Kids by Tina Givens includes Givens' signature go-with-the-flow method. Inside are flying pigs, soft books, puffy necklaces, and swing-y dresses made for twirling. Givens' imagination combined with Lynne Harty's dreamy photography sucked me right in, and I plan to put my insomnia to good use with a few of these stylish DIYs!

Learn from Creative Minds
Projects from these great new titles don’t require a fancy art room, but are you ever curious like I am about the studio spaces of brilliantly creative artists? Where Women Create: Book of Inspiration allows us to peep without breaking any trespassing laws.

Twenty-three amazing women are profiled in this volume by Jo Packham and Jenny Doh, and we are invited to discover their influences and processes which are as diverse as their charming creations. Tips for organization, exercises to fuel creativity, and personal reflections join breathtaking photography of beautiful work and workspaces.

Turning the pages of all four of these inspirational books will accomplish more than you know. You will be afforded the simple pleasure of escaping to inspiration nirvana for a few hours, you may rediscover hidden reserves of creativity, and you will be making a critical difference at home as you model the healthy habit of reading.

The writer? A lover of nonfiction, wife and mom, freelance writer, and blogger at hellolovelychild.blogspot.com and hellolovelyinc.blogspot.com.

Resources:

Givens, Tina. Sew Tina: 30 Cute Projects and Adorable Décor Items for Kids. 2010. Lark Books.
Meng, Kaari. The French Inspired Home. First Paperback Edition, 2011. Lark Crafts.
Packham, Jo and Jenny Doh. Where Women Create: Book of Inspiration. 2010. Lark Books.
Stone, Sandy. Fabric Remix: Repurpose and Redecorate. Lark Books.

The glory of your almost-teen.

by M. Ranard, M.Ed.
590 words

If you are a parent of a tween, you may be watching your child bid goodbye to a good measure of childhood wonder and innocence every day. You may even be feeling some grief about that. The adolescent and tween years can feel like unfamiliar territory for kids and adults alike. You both may experience growing pains and apprehension about the approaching teen years.

But there is plenty to celebrate in the “between years,” and not everything about the younger ones was rosy! So often as parents we quickly develop amnesia for the stuff from their early childhood that drove us absolutely nuts.

So the following lighthearted reminders may help to keep your thoughts optimistic about tweens.

1. Children in the double digit years do a significantly better job vacuuming. Not that a toddler can’t Swiffer like a bandit. Just sayin’.

2. Eleven-year-olds legally can’t drive. Hallelujah, they are not yet driving which means you can possibly sleep semi-peacefully at night for a few more years.

3. Cue the confetti—Go, Diego, Go has left the building! Sure there is a wealth of good children’s programming on the air, but there are also theme songs and quirky characters we won’t miss one little bit.

4. Tweens are generally better readers than preschoolers. What a relief you are not expected to read the literature they are assigned for English class (which is uber cool since Othello is not your idea of “downtime” after work).

5. They don’t grow out of their clothes every two weeks. Shelling out $20 for the band t-shirt they will wear for two years is an easier pill to swallow than the $20 onesie which fit them for less than a month.

6.  Physically, they are growing stronger and they know it. Glimpsing your tween’s joy and skill on the football/soccer/baseball field invigorates your soul.

7. Tweens still crave your affection. Which is why every once in awhile when they cross the room just to bend and give you a hug, your heart grows three sizes.

8. They are developing a killer sense of humor. So that hilarious youTube they showed you makes you laugh out loud and may even elevate your status to coolest cat in the office.

9. Traveling—especially in the air—is no longer an exercise in mental cruelty. Remember when the threat of an in-flight tantrum driving every passenger on board to the brink of insanity kept your anxiety sky high? Over. Plugged into an iPod or busy with Sudoku spells far less mortification.

10. The diaper bag has vanished. Sippy cups, diaper genies, and rectal thermometers are history.

11. Let's face it, you look more put together these days. Suddenly you and your spouse dress more fashionably as a matter of THEIR survival.

12. You have a bit more time. Your dream of seeing Europe, taking up golf, or reading the classics? It’s possibly within the realm of possibility now.

13. There are less wrestling matches at bathtime. And when they’re sick, they may no longer have to be straightjacketed to force grape-flavored medicine down the hatch.

14. Meaningful discussions mean personal growth. Watching an age-appropriate movie with them now provides an opportunity to discuss meaningful topics—a chance for both of you to grow and connect.

15. This may be your first chance to catch your breath and reflect on their childhood. Finally there are a few minutes to scrapbook (or print hard copies of digitally stored baby photos!), leading you to fall in love with your tween all over again.

The writer? A hopeless romantic. M. Ranard has a husband, two children, and a master’s in counseling. Visit her at hellolovelychild.blogspot.com and hellolovelyinc.blogspot.com.

12 Good Reasons to Let Us Eat Cake

by M. Ranard
370 words

It’s the little things, as they say. Those assorted small victories—triumphs even—that only fellow moms can truly appreciate and equate with baked goods. I’ve come up with a list of personal favorites that are decidedly one-off, and sure, a bit twisted but always keepin’ it real. And if you can claim these mom victories, then it’s only fitting you get your just desserts. I mean props. Okay, desserts AND props! Deal?

The point of composing a list of triumphs for moms is (a) because many awesome mommy coups somehow get overlooked and (b) to supply you with a chuckle because life can be hard. If like me you occasionally experience seasons of feeling discouraged or a lack of gratitude, perhaps your brain needs tickling. Maybe you need a nudge to recover laughter again. These TRIUMPHS may be just the ticket:

1. You dragged yourself to the market to buy half and half for the kids’ french toast as opposed to lazily substituting that frozen breast milk.

2. You got through the entire day without being barfed on once.

3. Even though it was a temptation, you did NOT ask the delivery man to “please please just keep an eye on my baby in the exersaucer for 4 minutes while I shower.”

4. You remembered to empty your teen’s pockets of an iPhone and his 4th school I.D. before throwing in a load of laundry.

5. After helping your 5th grader prepare for the physical science exam, no one required traction or reconstructive surgery.

6. Everyone under the roof has clean underwear for tomorrow.

7. One of your kids commented “Your eyes don’t have that scary bugged out look like yesterday, mommy.”

8. You did not accidentally impale yourself on a transformer carelessly left near that puddle of urine you slipped on entering the loo.

9. Appearing relaxed and put together at storyhour at the library, no one complimented you on the "adorable grandchild."

10. When your 7th grader brought home his midterm grades, you didn’t respond with “we’re going to have to let you go.”

11. Your facebook status sounds nothing like Charlie Sheen’s.

12. Your slice of chocolate cake and last diet soda remained hidden the entire day.

M. Ranard has three backup stashes of Peanut Butter M&Ms, a husband, two sons, and a master’s in counseling. Visit her at hellolovelychild.com and hellolovelyinc.blogspot.com.