Weekend Reads 10.4.14

Articles:

Self-Care for Highly Sensitive Moms {Abundant Mama} 

This was an eye-opener for me!

“A group where my introverted voice doesn’t stand out in a crowd made me feel like I wasn’t really connecting with anyone at the table or in the room.  It took a long time for me to figure this out about myself.  I wanted to be that mom with a gang of girlfriends.  I wanted to do things and go places. I wanted to be a part of the action.  Because that’s what I thought self-care was for moms. That’s what the glossy magazines and movies make you think.”

Toddler’s Speech and Language Development: What to Expect {Playing with Words 365}

No, toddlers shouldn’t be speaking perfectly, and there’s certainly a wide range of “normal”, but knowing when to seek an evaluation and get early intervention can make a huge difference for kids.  Here’s a great reference from a Speech Language Pathologist.  (Speech Language Pathologist.  Try saying that 10 times fast.  Ironic, isn’t it?)

Dresses to the Beat of Her Own Drum {Today’s Creative Mama}

To me, this was about so much more than just clothes, but on how we sometimes get our own identities and self-worth entangled with that of our children.

“Was it embarrassing to go out in public with her wearing nine different hair bows, mismatched clothes, and two different shoes? ABSOLUTELY. At first. Because I still had my own pride intertwined a little bit. I felt that her outward appearance somehow reflected on me: as a person, as a woman, as a mother.”

Exercise is ADHD Medication {The Atlantic}

Interesting science, served up with a large helping of dry wit:

“In a 2012 TED talk, Ratey argued that physical exercise “is really for our brains.” He likened it to taking “a little bit of Prozac and a little bit of Ritalin.” As a rule, I say never trust anyone who has given a TED talk. But maybe in this case that’s a constructive way to think about moving one’s body. But not the inverse, where taking Ritalin counts as exercise.”

Activities:

Pizza Box Airport {Paging Fun Mums}

I love the idea of this light up landing strip for block area play!

Best Kid’s Picture Books to Inspire Art {The Artful Parent}

The title says it all!

12 Art Projects for Toddlers {TinkerLab}

A great list for play dates, preschool, and slow afternoons!

Some Extras I’m Excited About:

 The Book with No Pictures* by BJ Novak — I just ordered my copy of this book, so it will be a few days before I can vouch for it completely, but after watching this clip of BJ reading his book to a classroom full of kids, I had to have it!  I love the silliness of it, but the kicker is that it’s a brilliant way to teach concepts of print and the power of the written word!  I’ll be sure to let you know once I get my hands on it! (*Amazon Affiliate Link)

Parenting with Positive Guidance Ecourse Relaunch — I’ve been refreshing my ecourse and making some improvements, and I can’t wait to share it with you next week!  Those of you who have already purchased the ecourse in the past will have immediate access, so be sure to shoot me an email if you don’t see a sparkly message from me in your inbox within the next week!  Those of you who haven’t purchased the course in the past, but who would like to get the first word when it’s ready (along with a sweet early bird discount), drop your email address in here.

Enjoy your weekend!