Books for Babies

I love books. I studied English Literature in college and my husband and I are avid readers (and let’s face it, these days I mostly have time for audio books, which are perfect for multi-tasking moms). So when I found out I was having a baby, one of the things I looked forward to most was reading to her.

There are so many great children’s books to choose from, and for my one-year-old, we’re in the board book stage. We were blessed with MANY people who gifted us books at our baby showers, as well as a cousin (mom to five) who blessed us with a huge hand-me-down board book library. Studies show that you should read to your child (even babies!) every single day, and that repetition is important. With Wrenn, we try to read some during playtime, and then before she goes to bed. (For parents who are curious about our routine – I know I love hearing about other peoples’ routines to get ideas – we drink a sippy cup of milk, then we read a book, then we rock for a few minutes and say bedtime prayers, then I lay her down in her crib, still awake but very sleepy.)

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Some of my favorite board books come from the Baby Lit collection. These books feature great works like Pride and Prejudice, Moby Dick, Wuthering Heights, and more. It’s all the books you had got to read in high school, but recreated as counting books, alphabet primers, etc. The pictures are gorgeous and modern – I hope to someday collect them all!

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I Love You So… is one of the sweetest books and has beautiful illustrations. I probably read this one to Wrenn more than any other, so of course I now have it memorized. I’ll take any excuse to remind her how much I love her.

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 Llama Llama Wakey Wake is just… fun. I love books that rhyme and are fast-paced (Wrenn loves to turn the page and has a SHORT attention span), and this one fits our needs perfectly.

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And then, of course, there are Dr. Seuss books. They’re whacky and rhyme and funny enough to keep me entertained. I love all of them, and plan to continue to expand our collection as she gets older. Maybe it’s nostalgia – I grew up with these books – or maybe it’s just that they’re THAT GOOD. Whatever the case, I love reading these to her.

What about you, dear readers? What books do you LOVE to read to your kids? Leave us a comment with the name of the book and the age of your child. I love getting new ideas!

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About Lionheart: Lionheart Children’s Academy is a non-profit Christian organization committed to excellence in early childhood education. We are passionate about equipping kids to be world changers, and supporting working parents who need quality, affordable care and education for their children.

Our first center is located at Lake Arlington Baptist Church in South Arlington.

At Lionheart Children’s Academy, we place a priority on our relationships with not only our children, but also our parents. We invite you to visit us in person and take a tour of our facility. We’ll answer your questions and then walk you through the enrollment process. To schedule a tour, please call us at 817-768-6865 or click here to schedule online.

To read more about Lionheart Children’s Academy, visit our website.

Keep The Shark From Circling

We’ve all experienced it: the bored child.

I’m not sure about yours, but mine literally walks around in circles whining. Sometimes the circles are around me, or the cat, or the dining room table. I’m laughing out loud thinking about the words I just wrote because, to the outside world, the scene really sounds like something straight out of Calvin and Hobbes. All the while, I’m remembering how torturous it can be when I’m just trying to make a healthy dinner to feed the precious growing girl who’s circling me.

Like a shark that’s about to devour its prey.

Here are a few things that work in my house to help keep the joy-filled shark from circling:

1. Relocate: Hide toys & make it a game to find them, rotate them by putting some away in the closet for a month then swapping them out every once and a while (mine loves to re-discover her old baby toys), or the favorite in my house… put inside toys outside.

2. Water: Sounds messy, and it can be, but it’s just water. I’ll take water over whining ANY day. I get two of the biggest Tupperware containers I have, put them on either side of my sink, put a towel on the floor, and a stool in front of the sink. Then add anything that’s not a toy but safe from the kitchen (spoons, measuring cups, plastic bowls) to the water. Instant and free water table!

3. The Big Helper: PJ loves to help me cook. Sometimes I have to pray for three extra doses of patience to make it happen, depending on the day, but it’s usually a fun memory! I let her use small cutting boards, smaller utensils, and pieces of what I’m cutting so she can mutilate till her heart’s content. This is a great way to spend some quality time together, cure boredom, introduce new foods, and practice motor skills.

Not everything works for everyone, but this is what works in our house (most of the time). What works in your home? Leave a comment… I’d love to hear!

 

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About Lionheart: Lionheart Children’s Academy is a non-profit Christian organization committed to excellence in early childhood education. We are passionate about equipping kids to be world changers, and supporting working parents who need quality, affordable care and education for their children.

Our first center is located at Lake Arlington Baptist Church in South Arlington.

At Lionheart Children’s Academy, we place a priority on our relationships with not only our children, but also our parents. We invite you to visit us in person and take a tour of our facility. We’ll answer your questions and then walk you through the enrollment process. To schedule a tour, please call us at 817-768-6865 or click here to schedule online.

To read more about Lionheart Children’s Academy, visit our website.

If Moms Played Like Three-Year-Olds

The other day, my three-year-old told me about playing on the playground with her friends. She was pretending to be the big sister and her friends were pretending to be the mom and the baby. Adorable, right? Also, I’m very excited about the imaginative and role-playing she’s engaging in!

She gave me the play-by-play. Walking up to them, she said, “Hey. Can I play with you?” They kindly replied, “Of course!”

And the rest was history.

If only life was that easy. I think, in some ways, it can be.

Picture us moms on the playground saying to one another, ” Can I do life with you?” and “Of course you can!” Think of what a sweet and genuine community of moms that would be. No judging, no comparing, no one-upping. Just doing life together, being real, encouraging, supporting, affirming, and helping one another be the moms we are wired to be.

Here’s a challenge: Next time you’re around other moms you haven’t met before, introduce yourself.

I dare you 🙂

One thing all moms have in common is the fact that we have kiddos. Whether we birthed them or adopted them, it’s one thing we share. An easy conversation starter is to ask about another mom’s kids. Talk about how old their kiddos are, what their names are, or how many kids they have.

Boom. Instant friends.

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About Lionheart: Lionheart Children’s Academy is a non-profit Christian organization committed to excellence in early childhood education. We are passionate about equipping kids to be world changers, and supporting working parents who need quality, affordable care and education for their children.

Our first center is located at Lake Arlington Baptist Church in South Arlington.

At Lionheart Children’s Academy, we place a priority on our relationships with not only our children, but also our parents. We invite you to visit us in person and take a tour of our facility. We’ll answer your questions and then walk you through the enrollment process. To schedule a tour, please call us at 817-768-6865 or click here to schedule online.

To read more about Lionheart Children’s Academy, visit our website.