The word "parent" is not just a noun. It's also a verb.
“I am your mother, and I have the scars to prove it,” I thought. “I gave birth to you myself.” The more I thought about the grueling adoption process, the three failed adoptions we had had previously, and one of the roughest, first 18 months of life on record, I felt fairly secure I could call myself a mother. Moms, after all, endure it all. And, live on to fight another day. Here we all were. Living, happily, still fighting.
No. Just no. The premise of the idea: that every color is suitable for every person, is wonderful! Yes! This is exactly what we want to be teaching from the earliest age possible. Colors are, in fact, genderless. However (and I mean however in the strongest possible form of BUT possible), one actually has to carry through on a plan.
Two quick bite-sized reviews featuring books that teach numbers and colors in Spanish.
Moreover, although Cordell has handsomely captured the feel of the Mister Rogers brand (yes, brand) he has not captured the Rogers spirit. At times the pages suffer from “too much going on,” perhaps an attempt to compress a life well-lived into 40 pages.
Oftentimes, I find myself in a classroom of English Learners having to explain how many different sounds the letter “A” can make in the English language. I see their eyes roll into the back of their heads, I’m left to explain: “there is no rule, it’s just English.” This book, ostensibly a children’s book, can teach everyone a thing or two.
Alexa, how go friend house and not germs?” My heart sank. My incredibly resilient, almost four-year-old had had enough of sheltering in place.
Pink Monster teaches us that with some work, you can transform your surroundings into a place where you feel comfortable. With some work, you can surround yourself with people who value you. Those are lessons that are never too early to learn.
Now, I want you to stop and think about all the pressure that we are currently under; these pressures are not ordinary pressures—these are not ordinary times. When you get into an argument—and we all get into arguments—ask yourself: if I had done this dumb thing, would I want to be forgiven? Is this thing so massive, that it’s worth holding on to? I’ll wait.
I am not, by the way, advocating free Get Out of Jail cards. What I am advocating is grace. It’s all about degrees. Don’t set a standard for your partner that you’re not willing to set for yourself. Don’t set too high a standard for yourself either.
Oftentimes the concept of kindness is hard to grasp for young minds. If you need proof, look no further than adults who don’t understand the concept. This book goes a long way in helping to explain kindness to everyone.