To raise Happy, Confident and High Achieving kids, we as parents need to be involved in their life by, providing them with support, guidance and praise, independence to succeed, while giving them the room to fail and experiment. And one thing that we as parents always have for our kids is the gift of our time, be it at home or outside in school or activities.
My husband Sudeep and I are raising two high achieving boys Atiksh (8 years old) and Akshaj (15 years old).
Our 15 years old son Akshaj is a Published Author, is thriving in Academics, Music and Community Service Projects. Our 8 years old knew his Times table, when he was in Preschool. Atiksh who self-taught himself Addition and Subtraction Multiplication and Division is a great Pianist and has been playing Piano since he was 4 years old.
Despite both our boy’s early success, my husband Sudeep and I are realistic about where their talents may lead them and we realize the fact that the boys will eventually have to live in the “Real World”, where the trophies and accolades aren’t going to be a measure of self-worth.
So our priority always has been to raise Happy and Empowered boys, who are able to use their mind in understanding their strengths and thoughts to create: joy and success in their lives, which I know could have different meaning to each of the boy.
Following are the essential key elements for raising children to become motivated, successful and goal-oriented adults.
Follow their lead
For my son Akshaj, we followed his interest of writing, which was evident since he was 4. His passion for writing quickly shifted to become self-driven, and he published his first children’s chapter book “Super Mouse” at the age of 8. As a mother when I recognized Akshaj’s potential and flair of writing, I supported his increasing interest by finding writing workshops, writing contests and other platforms, where he can share his articles, essays or poems. Because, we wanted our boys to be well rounded, we also made sure to encourage their other interests which are Music and Math. Both boys started learning and playing piano at the age of 4.
Nurturing vs Pushing
As we all know, nurturing is when we follow our child’s lead and pushing, on the other hand is when we want our child to follow us or want him to do what we want him to do.
In our family’s case: We followed both our sons lead and supported their interests of Writing, Math’s and Music. Finding right platforms to nurture their interest and creativity like Math / coding workshops for Atiksh and Creative Writing workshops for Akshaj
Words of Encouragement
Encouraging your child literally means “putting in courage or belief” in your child. This support from parents enables them to “see” themselves as they are: competent and can achieve what they set their mind on. My youngest son Atiksh, now age 8, had his Piano Recital two years back. He was excited and really nervous at the same time. My husband Sudeep took him on a side with a smile on his face and pat on his back, Sudeep said, “Baby, you can do it! Mom and I believe in you”. He did it! He played 2 full songs for his recital just like that. Just those two sentences of encouragement made all the difference.
We help set achievable short term goals (Transfer of Power)
In order to empower our children, we allow them to have the power to make their own decisions. We do work together with both our sons to set short term goals. We sit down with them bi weekly to discuss how long it will take them to finish their Homework assignment / project, what days and time will they work on it. It does not work always work always as planned especially with my 8 year old. But, we try to let go and give them space to make mistakes and let them learn from it. Although we are transferring the power to them by letting them set their goals and work towards it, we still are there to provide guidance, support and love to develop their own confidence and self-esteem
Practicing Gratitude:
People often tell our son’s that your Mom is your biggest cheerleader. And,
Akshaj has always mentioned in several of his articles and TV interviews that unconditional love and support from his parents always keeps him motivated 🙂 This is an example, where we are actually practicing Gratitude by appreciating each other’s efforts and presence in our lives.
When we parent to encourage, support and love unconditionally, we raise children who live with deep feelings of self-assurance and pride. Through positive parenting, we are not just making an effort to remind them of their potential and abilities but, raising motivated, creative, self-aware, emotionally intelligent children. Our reassurance of love and support “no matter what”, surely keeps them motivated and gives them the strength and capability to pursue the opportunities that come their way.
Sacramento based mother to two boys. First Indian woman to be appointed as Parks, Youth and Community Enrichment Commissioner in the District. Serves on several Natomas Unified School District committees. She also made guest appearances on ABC 10 digital series “Moms Explain All” and “Three Moms and a Dad”. Has been Nominated for N Factor Community awards.
As many people continue to quarantine their families for the summer, the question arises about what to do with children. After all, the weather is beautiful and sunny. Most children want to get outside and enjoy the fun. However, this summer looks different because of the coronavirus. Thankfully, there are ways to make sure your little ones get outside (and OFF devices) and remain active this summer.
Consider the following ideas.
1. Rollerskating/Rollerblading
There’s nothing quite like putting on a pair of roller skates. Even though it’s not quite like the experience of flying, it can come pretty close. In order to maintain distance, take your children to a local empty parking lot. If you simply go to an area that won’t have any car traffic or foot traffic, it’s okay to let the children roam freely as they enjoy their skates or rollerblades for a while.
Be sure to provide knee pads and safety gear for the children as they roll around. Even though they might not want to wear the safety gear, they have to remain safe. Plus, the hospital isn’t necessarily the safest place to go during a global pandemic. If you can avoid any serious injuries by providing safety gear, it’s better to put those protocols in place.
2. Water Play
If you have some open space in the front or the back of your home, you can set up a water park at home. If you have little children, you can purchase a kiddie pool that’s inflatable. It can provide tons of fun. If you have big kids, toys like water guns will always go over well. You can also let everyone fill up balloons
3. Walking
After dinner each day, take your children out for a walk around the neighborhood. If you’re going to be in an area where you’ll come across a lot of walkers, make sure you all walk with your masks on. The evening hours are perfect because the temperatures tend to be a bit cooler. Lather sunscreen on everyone before heading out. After a simple mile or two, everyone will be ready to come back inside to relax. It’s a simple way to get some fresh air on a daily basis.
4. Biking
Biking is the perfect way to get kids to remain active and safe. They’re not staying in one spot for too long. They don’t necessarily need to wear masks if they’re in an open space where people aren’t around. It’s so important for children to wear their helmets and any other safety gear. It’s also wise to make sure the tires are in great shape. If you’re doing your best to make sure your children remain safe from the virus, you don’t want to drop the ball in neglecting the care of the bike tires that will be carrying them around.
5. No-Contact Sports
No-contact sports can be awesome for times when you all visit an open field. Pack a picnic basket and bring the entire family out to a local park where there’s a field. You all can enjoy no-contact sports like baseball. Don’t underestimate the beauty of simplicity either. Let the children play catch. Play with a frisbee for a fun time. Soccer and dodgeball are great options that you all can play as well.
When you’re going to a local park, it’s not uncommon to find a playground. Ideally, it’s best to avoid the playground altogether. If there are children already at the playground, avoid it all costs. If no one is currently playing there, bring disinfectant spray and wipes to cover all of the surfaces. It might seem like overkill, but it’s better to remain as sanitary as possible. While you all enjoy the no-contact sports in the open field, there are other ways to remain occupied when they’d like a break. In addition to enjoying the picnic food, bring other activities like puzzles, bubbles, and jump ropes.
Though it can be a very challenging experience to get children to follow the rules when it relates to remaining safe during the pandemic, make sure they’re not overwhelmed. As a parent, you can create experiences that will keep them safe as they continue to have fun. Even though you won’t be able to experience the summer in the way you might’ve planned, get creative. It’s still possible to have the most memorable summer yet.
This book may seem like it teaches about the sun but it is so much more than that. It is so important to encourage kids’ curiosity and questions. A child wondering about simple things can make for a great teaching moments and all our children can learn from each other’s innocent wondering of the world.
As we look at what is here and what is beyond, this book uses fun illustrations to help your child learn about themselves as well.
My kids and I specially enjoyed the different subject matters in this book, and that is provides a great educational tool for every child. This educational book is great for kids from age 5 and up and explores science, math, geography, and history.
As you read the book, kids learn many interesting facts as well as the values of family love and the desire to grow far beyond, through big thoughts.
You can get your copy of this interesting, learning experience here .
One day as we laid down on our sleeping bags and watched the sky. We saw the millions of stars out there and I started telling her about our galaxy and how, in our solar system, every planet orbits the sun. Then, I moved on to talk about galaxies that are much further than the sun. And even though the sun is high above the earth, the other stars are much further away from us. She seemed puzzled about the whole distance thing and then asked me that one question I was not able to answer immediately- “Daddy, can I be taller than the sun?”
I was stunned for a couple of seconds because I had no straight answer to give her. And it bugged me. Aside from an astronaut on a mission to another galaxy, which is possible, but has never been done before, is there another way to go beyond the sun? And then it hit me and the wheels in my brain started spinning. I decided to turn it into a story, which I’m happy to share with you. It’s called ‘Far Beyond the Sun’ and it talks about a boy who wanted to be higher than the sun and that wish takes him on a journey through history, geography, math, and science as he finds the way to achieve his goal.
About Dolev Zaharony:
Dolev is the founder of Squeedeal.com, an online e-commerce platform that supports nonprofit organizations. A tech marketer and entrepreneur by day – a writer and musician by night, Dolev started writing children’s books after his first child was born, as his children provide endless sources of inspiration. Their imagination takes him back to when he was a kid, connecting between unrelated things and blending them into a story. As a parent, he uses the same method in his stories, each time with a different message that will help children overcome the obstacles of life they have to cope with.
His next two books are in production now:
Milo the Albino Dino – about accepting the unique and different The Neighbor’s Ferrari – about materialism and finding the joy of life
Click here to find out more recommendations by us and if interested in a feature, email us at contact@raisingworldchildren.com
My eyes just swelled up when I started typing this. It’s been a little over 3 years that we lost our chirpy wagger, Tusky, a Pomeranian to an illness which rapidly overwhelmed her ever-so-energetic body.
The grief, the emptiness is still very fresh. We lost our pet when my now feisty 5-year-old was very little and understandably she has feeble memories of Tusky. Sometimes, she would see a picture and ask a few questions about her and why she is not around, questions, answers to which are not as simple as, ‘why does grandpa not have any hair’, jolts me out of my comfort zone.
I have been elusive to such questions as to what happened to Tusky or why is she not around. I have always shuddered when I thought how the young impressionable mind of a 5-year-old would react had we lost Tusky now. And as is said, whatever you try to shove beneath the carpet the most, might suddenly come and stand in front of you. Somebody said it so very bang on! My daughters’ friend from preschool very recently put their 10-year-old dog to rest and the news percolated to my girl. What started off as our effort to divert her attention from the grim realities of life to building the new LEGO bridge, took our family of 3 on a trip reliving the memories of Tusky, the slobbery kisses, the torn bed sheets {yes, unlike most dogs Tusky had her affinity towards chewing pretty bedsheets!}, the never used fancy food bowls {she had her ways of using our ‘katories’ instead} to illness and finally letting her go and embracing the happy memories.
The innocent questions like why did she have to die? Or did I do something wrong with her? Did you not take care of her? When is she coming back? All the questions resonate with everyone who has a pet or rather another four-legged child. I would be honest, initially, the questions were so in-my-face, that I had almost resorted to false comfortable statements like, ‘Dora went on a trip’ or ‘She ran away with her best friend’ or even worse, ‘she’s sleeping’. We actually started feeling bad about misleading a young mind and shielding her away from the truth fearing the subsequent grief and sadness.
A child however young has the right to grief, be sad, and miss their pet. The best support we could possibly give them is our patience rather than expecting them to quickly get over it. We told our little one, that Dora was not keeping well and that her body stopped working and she died. We were clear that we’ll not be shoving her questions into the cupboard and wanted the verbiage to be calm, composed, and direct. We had read up many child psychologists harping on avoiding vague terms and euphemisms like ‘sleeping’ or ‘gone away’. A friend of mine {who had recently lost her Great Dane, Cindy} suggested what she did when faced with a similar situation. She told her daughter that Cindy was not well and that God took her away so that she could get better and might someday return as a small cuddly pup to her. The idea was indeed ingenious and even had room for a future addition!
But I wasn’t sure if I could deal with all the separation agony again. Because all the pet parents out there, we all know with the joy of having a furry baby comes the latent fear of heartbreak, agony, and the feeling of void.
From the outset, we were clear about being truthful to the child and that we wouldn’t mask the adult emotions as well. We would show her that we were sad too and that being sad and missing her furry friend was absolutely normal and in fact completely appropriate emotion for the situation.
We as parents in the best interest of our child try to shield them and sometimes that means even in their grief we tend to hover around them.
Tusky – Copyright Ananya
Again, we do that because we do not want to leave them on their own. But sometimes, letting them be could be one of our approaches as well. I was sure my daughter would get over this sadness and all we could give her is time and our patience.
Ok, so can’t harp on this enough, we promised ourselves that we’ll encourage her to express emotions and honor her feelings. We would absolutely try not saying that it’s ok and quickly move over to a Dr.Seuss book. We would let her ask her side of questions and be respectful if she cries, howls, or just wants to be quiet for some time.
Grieving is a cathartic process; don’t press your child to overcome it because it’s been a long time. As I just mentioned our patience could be a great healer for their grief.
Stringing together the good memories and creating a poignant goodbye. We have this on our mind but we’re not there yet. Dora was not our pet but she was an important part of my daughter’s life. My girl, her friend, and Dora would often play together in the lazy afternoons after their 4K class. We have plans to put a picture of my daughter and Dora on our mantle but not just yet.
Ever since we came to know about Dora we had decided that bringing in another pet into the household would not be our way of compensating this loss.
We reminded ourselves that now might not be the right time to get another one, at least not right away. After all, we were not looking for a replacement. I’m sure many would agree with me!
After Tusky, we had always shuddered at the thought of bringing in another furry baby in our lives, the pain of separation is just too much to bear. Dora somehow had filled in that vacuum. And we were heartbroken to hear her news, it was a whole dejavu feeling just in a negative way.
Just a few hours later we broke the news of Dora’s death to my daughter, she was quiet. It was a bit unusual for a child who asks almost 10 questions in 10 minutes and tries to speak even in her sleep! We tried books. I read ‘The Rainbow Bridge …a Dog’s Story’ by Judith Kristen to her. At that point I am not too sure that she was processing much of what I read but she listened. We are reading the ‘Dog Heaven’ by Cynthia Rylant now and she has gradually started asking questions. Reading to her was my way of bringing solace and I’m sure there are tons of other ways.
Did you ever confront a similar situation? How did you cope with your child’s reaction? Tell us a bit about your experience and the way you chose to comfort your child. After all, we are all here to raise strong and resilient children.
Hey all, I am Ananya. After graduating from the University of Iowa with a Master’s in Strategic Communication in 2018 I took to freelancing. Currently, I freelance as a SEO Writer. Writing blogs on travel, lifestyle, wellness, and food is my jam though I would love to write a campaign critique on any given day! I write blogs, articles, and sales web copies for websites. And when I am not fretting over a delivery deadline or running errands, I am probably trying to keep up with my ‘always-so-energetic’ 5-year-old girl or indulging in a bit of self-love on the elliptical at Planet Fitness! I also hold a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and a MBA in Marketing, from India.
You’re starting a new and exciting job teaching science, but you aren’t sure how to get kids excited about science. The following are a few helpful tips that’ll make this goal more attainable.
Taking it Outside
One thing you can do is go outside. You can find science in nature, and you can use that to your advantage. Kids can learn about living organisms, or you can teach them about foraging. If you take science outside the classroom, you allow your kids to connect your lessons to everyday life.
This is exciting for kids who think science is not something you can take outside a book or classroom. Ideally, you want to go to a nature preserve where your kids can be guided by an expert. Doing this could help support the nature preserve by raising awareness since the kid’s parents are going to hear about the experience.
Let Them Create it
It would be a good idea to allow your students to create science. Something is exciting about being able to create nature in the palm of your hands. This is the reason kids get excited when they see their hairs stand when learning about static electricity.
You can take things much further with bigger projects. One of the most popular is the volcano project, but there’s so much more you can do in the comfort of your classroom. You could create stream tables in your classroom to help the students learn more about this world’s ecosystem. You’ll get to explore some of the biggest questions kids have about this natural world.
Take it Home
Another thing you can do to make science exciting for your kids is to allow them to take the lessons home. You are going to be asking them to experiment at home so that they can bring it back to you. Teach them a few things about science, and let their little minds figure out the rest.
You can come up with a list of interesting and safe experiments that your kids can do. Ask them to see which one interests them the most so that they can do it at home. Most likely, their parents are going to help, which is going to make this experience more fun for your kids. Have your kids present their experiments in your classroom. Doing this makes them little teachers at least for the day, which is exciting as well.
What Lies Beneath
A fun way to teach your kids about science is to lead them to discover what lies beneath. There’s so much science in everyday things that kids aren’t aware of that you can teach them. For example, you can teach them why a cake rises when you bake. This fun experiment doesn’t open up their eyes to things they didn’t know before, but it’s also just tasty.
You also teach them about magnets and how powerful they are. To most kids, a magnet is something you place on the fridge, but you know there’s much more to it. You know magnets are so powerful they can lift heavy items. Show them how and see their eyes brighten with excitement. Kids who don’t like science will see they can’t escape it because it’s everywhere.
Ask Questions and Wonder
General wonderment is going to help you get your students excited about science. You want to get them to see there’s always a question to ask. Talk about things you don’t know but are excited to learn about. Doing this is going to get your kids excited about their questions.
You also want to ask your kids about everything. If you treat your kids like scientists, they are going to start thinking they are. Ask them about their experiments, work, and why they like the superheroes they like. Every question you ask is important, and make sure you follow up. If you treat kids like their opinion matters, then their curiosity should grow.
These are some things you can do to excite your students about this subject. It might be a good idea to talk to other teachers in your department who have a little more experience to see what they’ve got to offer you.
In a time when we are so secluded, it is so much more important now than ever to teach kids about diversity and inclusion. For the danger is now more than ever for them to get a one sided view of the world, that is more a rainbow than just one color.
Today, I bring to you books by various authors from around the world who have written books that promote the same.
What is diversity?
It means understanding that each individual is unique, and recognizing our individual differences. These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies.
What is inclusion?
The action or state of including or of being included within a group or structure.
A global world view, building kindness and social skills all need a child to understand the essence of these two.
And what better way than books that are different in the WAYS they bring these topics forth.
For if we hope our children to grow to build a world together, to be allies of each other and stand tall, we want them to know all the above, from within.
Download our FREE ACTIVITY BOOK for helping kids build a global mindset early.
Created by an elementary teacher to educate and inspire, children will love learning about the Taíno culture through the retelling of their indigenous folklore, bringing an ancient cultureー and a young loveーto colorful life. This is a beautiful retelling of an old Taino legend about how the hummingbird was created. The way the story is retold is both easy for children to understand but not “dumbed down” either. I enjoyed the story and found the illustrations bright, colorful, and descriptive.
Join Neel and Maya as they tour India and celebrate festivals full of color and joy. You will be astounded by the various traditions and cultural traits the books in this series have. It is so wonderful to show a bridge between our US Diversity and the country of cultural origins and to show young people engaging in understanding their heritage. It was so well written to explain the celebrations.
This book takes kids to a world away and opens their minds to a cultural experience outside of their world. It’s an English book with references and details on real locations. This story takes children through the heart of the city, which is full of wonderful history and vibrant places.
This bilingual book is targeted at Mandarin Immersion students, but can be read by non-native speakers of Chinese.About the Author: Edna is a physician anesthesiologist and mom, who was motivated to write a bilingual Chinese children’s book, inspired by her son’s friendship after he enrolled in a Mandarin immersion school. She found a limited selection of books for this age group. So she created these stories to include English and Mandarin with pin yin, to facilitate different reading levels. Her stories celebrate friendship and cultural diversity.
Womagis is illustrated as an innovative template, displaying 18 languages simultaneously, as a multilingual frame. Each language changes its place from page to page, so the book is also a game, where you must look around in order to find your native tongue, just like a smart detective. It includes some activities to inspire parents and educators so they can work together with the children by creating a universe of adventures and games around the book. Womagis is a new book that inspires children to create their own language of tolerance and love, all in one story, all in one page!
Devin’s Discovery is a story about an ordinary boy who happens to wear orthotic braces. He realizes he’s not as different as he thought as he discovers there are many other children who need special orthotics and prosthetics to support them, too! A story of acceptance and embracing what makes us all unique, this is a book for EVERY child! Devin and his three friends represent four unique ethnic backgrounds, which adds to the elements of diversity and inclusion already portrayed throughout the story.
From the letter A to the letter Z, B is for Breathe celebrates the many ways children can express their feelings and develop coping skills at an early age. Fun, cute, and exciting illustrations, this colorful book teaches kids simple ways to cope with fussy and frustrating emotions. This book will inspire kids to discuss their feelings, show positive behaviors, and practice calm down strategies.
In this heart-warming tale about a mother and daughter, first-time author Kelly Vurinaris captures the beauty in human differences.She takes the reader through everyday experiences in the life of Chloe, a little girl with facial differences. Since she’s been going out into the world, Chloe notices people staring at her. To connect with others and break down initial barriers, she quickly discovers that she just needs to introduce herself. It helps kids identify that being different is okay, and that we are all people. It is the perfect story for parents or teachers who want to teach children about inclusivity, and how everyone has equal value no matter how they look.
Relocating to Israel is bound to be an unforgettable adventure for 11-year-old Megan, 8-year-old Noah, and their little sister, Elise. But a whole new country, backwards-written language, and leaving everything they’ve ever known? Should they be excited or terrified? While their dad starts his new job and their mom works out the details of the clinical trial for Elise who has Cerebral Palsy, Megan and Noah explore a nearby tunnel – discovering magic and cryptic messages. Noah’s excited about the amazing flips he can do, while Megan is certain the magic must be an incredible opportunity – but for what?
Beyond the Clouds
My book is about a girl named Kippi who goes to visit her grandfather in his cloud house after he passes away. She learns that even though he’s gone, he’ll always be with her, watching over her. I think it’s a very important topic for children, especially in today’s world.
How Our Skin Sparkles is a book of empowerment through acceptance, of self and others. With easy to read rhymes, sibling love and thoughts to explore, this story talks about how one can truly see everyone as they are inside. This book is a must have for any child who wants to learn a little more about themselves, the world around them and how we truly sparkle! The Raising World Children – Empowerment Series for books for global kids is geared for kids aged 3-10. Perfect for boys, girls, early readers, primary school students, or toddlers. Excellent resource for counselors, parents, and teachers alike.
How do you answer this question, when a child is ‘from’ multiple countries, can speak and understand many languages and is not living in the country they were born in? Children from seven countries each have a turn to answer in their own way. Each answer is correct, and yet still not the whole picture. When the youngest takes his turn, he shares a different view, one that has nothing to do with borders on a map.
Schneider the Spider is the biggest and brownest daddy longlegs in the woods. His big stature and spiky hind legs scare other spiders away. Sad and alone, Schneider finds an unusual friendship in a butterfly. Together, the duo flies around the lake and meets other unique and kind friends along the way. Schneider finds something special with all his friends and begins to accept his differences. This story sends a message that we are all different and unique. Schneider the Spider pairs well with any Character Building Curriculum to encourage kindness, compassion, appreciation, respect, attitude, and empathy.
Rexie is one cool dinosaur. He loves an epic imaginative adventure and he has one, every day of the week. Rexie has a bionic arm that he uses for daily tasks, like brushing his teeth. He doesn’t mind being a little different than the other dinosaurs. Although he may seem like a pretty ordinary T-Rex, he is extremely unique in how he views his world. Rexie and his sidekick, Dax, go to some exciting places and escape some powerful characters along the way. The Unstoppable Rexie is about being kind, being yourself, not letting any obstacles get in your way, and having some major laughable fun. Everyone can be Unstoppable, just like Rexie.
The Purple Grasshopper follows the journey of a quirky grasshopper who struggles with accepting that she is different. She tries to be like the other grasshoppers at first, but quickly learns the power of self-love and that friendship is abundant. Celebrating your uniqueness is not as difficult as it might seem!
Helix and Sammy live on opposite sides of the garden fence. When Helix discovers what life is really like on Sammy’s side, there begins an adventure of revelations and revolution. Every evening, best friends Helix and Sammy meet at the vegetable patch to feast on delicious lettuce. Shells is a book aimed at helping young children better understand systemic racism, the nature of privilege and the importance of standing up for equal opportunities for all.
Industrious honeybees are a great way to deliver the message that working hard and contributing to society are important. This book will offer great opportunities to parents to discuss the importance of bees to the well-being of the planet and all of us who enjoy it. This first book is about ‘making a difference,’ with the aim to show readers that we can all contribute to society in our own way. We don’t have to be rich or famous or like anyone else to make a difference. It is more important to be ourselves.
J.R. ‘s Biggest Fan shows the never-ending encouragement a mother gives her son. This heartwarming story teaches that with every failure, keep trying, believe in yourself, and you will always have the love and support of your biggest fan, your mom. It is critical for children to see diverse characters in a book to broaden their world view.
Aurora, a beloved mom to four young children, is determined to create memories with them in her childhood home in Rincon, Puerto Rico. One year, she plants an orchid with her children and spends the summer teaching them to tend to it in the hopes that it would grow into the beautiful plant she knew it could. As the days, weeks, months, and even years pass, Aurora teaches her children patience as they skeptically wait for the flowers to bloom.
Readers are left with a sense of pride in family, and also themselves. Sister Girl is easy to relate to and the message of not giving up can be received by anyone, at any age. The Sister Girl Collection is an empowerment tool to encourage young girls to be courageous, creative, and live productive lives. Each book teaches a new lesson, skill, or touches on exploring the world. Readers can grow with Sister Girl as they also experience new things in their own lives. Families can add this collection to their home library, sharing the stories and lessons for years to come.
My Journey with Jimmy
My Journey with Jimmy is a simple story about a girl who grows up befriending a boy from school of a different race named Jimmy. She expresses her appreciation of Jimmy’s kindness towards her over the years. As their friendship grows. she admires Jimmy’s helpful personality. When Jimmy decides to help others as a police officer she decides to follow his lead. This is a great story to start a discussion with early readers about diversity and civic responsibility. The story is written in meter and prose to make it easy for young readers to follow along.
Join 6 cute kids with beautiful curly hair in a colorful, fun story as they deal with the biggest daily hurdle for any toddler: What should I do today? mTargeted to children ages 0 – 4, it is a fun and engaging read that features simple wording, bright colors and whimsical artwork.
Winner of the global literary Author Academy Award and Royal Dragonfly Award, this book is a must for your personal library for growth as a parent. Aditi Wardhan Singh is a leading voice on growth mindset and cultural sensitivity. This book has heart warming stories, easy to implement ways and conversation starters that enable you to use your child’s strengths to make them independent, with good decision making skills. Building a global mindset that helps children stay rooted in their heritage and values.
This is the uniquely empowering guidebook to the bilingual / multilingual and multicultural parenting journey. It includes practical tips and ideas for even greater success raising confident and resilient kids of mixed ethnic backgrounds who can speak many languages.
To have us feature your book, email contact@raisingworldchildren.com .
Life today is not how it used to be years ago. The stress levels are astronomical, even for kids. This Yogi Superhero book series gives you the opportunity to help children build calm from the inside out.
We got these two books from the author to review and found it very interesting to say the least. What is specially nice is the way the author has explained the different poses in the simplest of ways.
Yogi Superhero
A Children’s book about yoga, mindfulness and managing busy mind and negative emotions
Key points about the book –
“Yogi Superhero” is an introduction to yoga for children ages 3-8.
A meaningful book which demonstrates mindful yoga poses and breathing exercise. The perfect picture book for parents, carers, and Yoga teachers. It teaches basic poses which help to self-soothe and self-regulate in our crazy world and help with managing negative emotions.
Easy to follow poses are perfect for a bedtime or morning yoga, or to be enjoyed as a bedtime read.
Readers will learn techniques for relaxing the body and the mind.
Book is based on the Yogi Superhero programme for children ages 4-12, delivered for the last few years, which combines passion for yoga and creative teaching.
Book Review
When we began reading the first book, my son loved that the superheros element was used in the book. He figures it would be very exciting for kids who love superheroes. It is so important actually to help kids learn about different concepts, but built around the things they love already. It makes imbibing things very easy.
Fun illustrations make this book a charm to read. I specially liked how the author has made it appealing to kids with describing each pose and connecting it to how yoga can make us feel. The steps to managing breathing was a great help to us and we found ourselves doing the actions along with the book.
The different kids in the book help make the book much more visually diverse. It is a book I imagine would be a must re-read for kids who you want to help imbibe calm into. Also, never hurts that yoga is one of the best exercises to do.
This colour book tells a story which allows children to understand that we are already a Yogi Superhero, we just sometimes forget about it.
Yogi Superhero Adventures in Nature ForestA Children’s book about yoga, mindfulness, kindness and managing busy mind and fear.
Key points about the book –
Basic yoga poses are related entirely to the forest story, they help to self-soothe and self-regulate in this crazy world and help with managing emotions.
An introduction to yoga for children ages 3-8.
Book is based on the Yogi Superhero programme for children ages 4-12.
Book Review
What a wonderful read it turned out to be.
In a forest, one wants to find the peace of mind that we all crave In our busy lives. The kids here inspired my little one to get into the poses with them. She specially loved that all her favorite animals have been mentioned. The colorfully bright illustrations made for a calming read. We again found ourselves doing the exercises as we read since they were so well explained.
My son loved that the story helps give simple techniques to deal with fear and anxiety. Breathing is such an important aspect of life but we don’t do it consciously. While reading this book, he came into the knowledge of how to be mindful of our breathes and stretch into the many poses that help us be more in sync with our body.
If your child has ANY fears or anxiety that you want to help them battle, this is the book for you.
Anna Smithers is a yoga teacher and yoga therapist for children and adults.
Poetry and writing were always present in her life. Even as six year old girl, she was creating the stories and drawing her own illustrations. Later in life, poetry took more serious direction, and she was using poetry to express her feelings and emotions. When she was 18, her poems were published in local and national newspapers and magazines. Some of these won competitions. However, life has taken her on a completely different journey. After Anna gained her degrees in Science and Business Management, she stopped writing.
It was only when she started Yoga that the inspiration to write returned to her.
In Womagis, her mom tells Olivia, she’s talking gibberish. What follows in a wondrous discussion about languages and how amazingly important it is to partake in multilingualism and create your own language even. Today we review Womagis USA. The book available to us in the United States.
If you would like your child to open up to learning new languages, this just might be the place to start. Experience many languages at ONE time. Multilingualism directly translates to a different way of thinking. When you have another language to use as a resource, it opens your mind and makes you more empathetic. Womagis USA gives you an opportunity like no other. To get a glance into what another language, one that you have not yet seen or even heard of feels like.
In today’s world where we are more divided than united, it is imperative we take every single opportunity we can to introduce our children to different worlds.
If you want your child to be a global citizen, this book is for you. Even if you do not understand the languages mentioned, it is a wonderful way to introduce your child the many ways different languages feel and read. To try to sound them out and let the story grow with you.
In every page, the position of each language changes places, making the book a game. This book really blows your mind though, in the fact that all the text is side by side.
Marta Villegas is the spanish children´s book author and founder of Womagis. Through this book, she hopes to help children build a world of their own. To get creative in their play and reading methodology.
This is one book when the methodology of story telling is more important to focus on when reading than the story itself. Consider it an experience and you will take more about it than just reading a book.
In short, she and her creative team, aim to shake things up!
Get your copy now!
Parents with different nationalities have the possibility to read Womagis with their children. Children that want to learn new languages can take their first steps with Womagis and in the process make them realize that there are other alphabets and cultures in the world, increasing their sense of tolerance.
At first glance, it is a daunting book. It is so important though, to stay with this book. I would say, this is a great book for kids 5+ and an interactive experience for kids with parents on the first read.
The final pages of the book are filled with activities that help kids get creative with building language blocks of their own. As for the languages themselves, you will find 18
We at RaisingWorldChildren.com, pride ourselves in finding books that break barriers and build a growth mindset that is global in nature. For more of our book reviews and lists, you can find them all here.
Eating disorders can emerge much earlier than you might expect. As the concepts of body image, self-confidence and identity begin to evolve, young people compare themselves to others and “ideal” images portrayed online in the media. In today’s hyper-connected society, children and pre-teens are conditioned to believe that certain body types and appearances are more acceptable than others.
The need to fit in and belong is inherently human, but children and pre-teens are more likely to validate themselves based on others’ approval. Those who are overweight or don’t fit a certain image may be bullied at school or online, which only reinforces the idea that who they are is not good enough. Being liked becomes equal to being pretty or fit, and children can start to develop the beliefs that lead to eating disorder behaviors early.
If you are concerned that your child or pre-teen may have an eating disorder, here are some telltale warning signs to look out for.
Avoiding Food or Eating Non-food Substances
In children under 12, one of the most common expressions of an eating disorder are food aversion. Children may frequently complain of a stomach ache, claim to be ill, or flat-out refuse to eat.
Children in this age may also begin to eat substances like dirt or soap, a condition known as pica. This behavior typically falls outside of their developmental stage, e.g. a 10-year-old eating chalk or paper vs. a 2-year-old curiously sampling a handful of dirt.
Digestive Problems
If your child or pre-teen uses the bathroom excessively or frequently complains of stomach aches related to constipation, they may be malnourished. These symptoms are also associated with changes in appetite or food consumption. This undernourishment may be because they are not eating enough or because they are purging what they do eat.
You should speak to your child and their doctor about these changes immediately. Early intervention is the most important factor of recovery in eating disorders. Eating disorder treatment facilities for children can help stop the progression of anorexia and bulimia into life-threatening stages.
Hoarding Food
Some children will hide food in their rooms or somewhere else so that they eat later. Others may try to conceal their lunches or other meals to convince parents they’re eating more than they actually are. Some children will restrict their consumption to virtually nothing while others fast for periods of time only to binge large portions later. They may make themselves sick afterward and attempt to “clean” their body of the food they’ve eaten.
Closely monitor your child’s food consumption and comfort levels when eating. Are they claiming to eat regular meals despite losing weight? Some children, especially pre-teens, can be quite crafty about disguising their eating disorders. parents have to do a bit of investigative work to truly get to the bottom of their behavior.
Being Overly Concerned With Their Appearance
Children begin to compare themselves physically to their peers around age 7. Pre-teens are even more worried about looking “cool” and fitting in with their classmates. However, if your child is extremely worried about appearing fat or thin, they may be struggling with an eating disorder. Keep in mind that beliefs precede behaviors; early anxieties can and often do turn into harmful behaviors when left untreated.
Remember to approach your child with love and concern. Do not force them to eat or scold them for their feelings. They are just as confused and pained by the experience as you. Eating disorders are not a choice, and they are not something that can be resolved by simply eating more or dieting. The best thing you can do in this situation is to reach out to your child’s doctor and a licensed psychologist right away.
: Anita is a freelance writer from Denver, CO. She studied at Colorado State University, and now writes articles about health, business, family and finance. A mother of two, she enjoys traveling with her family whenever she isn’t writing. You can follow her on Twitter @anitaginsburg.
Kids love school. Okay, maybe that is not always true, but education is an important part of their lives and will have a huge impact on their future. As parents, we have a responsibility to provide the education they need to further their knowledge and be successful in life. The best way to do that is by teaching your kids to love learning.
Starting Young
Teaching your kids to love learning starts by fostering their curiosity at a young age. Be sure to read to them on a regular basis. Pay attention to what type of books they ask for to learn what they are interested in and encourage that interest. For example, if they like animals take them to the zoo so they can see some in person. Youngsters also enjoy learning using music and games to keep them interested.
Incentives
Once the kids become school age, they may need a little more incentive to continue their studies. Be sure to compliment them when they are doing a good job. You may want to reward good report cards with candy or money. If they are staying busy with their homework, reward them with a dance break or video game time. As they get better, they will learn to take pride in doing a good job.
Researching Different Types of Schools
Some parents prefer to home-school their children, so they have more control over what their child is learning. That may be a benefit, but it will require a lot of resources, patience, and most of all time that a lot of us do not have. Most communities have private schools available, but they are often quite expensive. Public schools are often the best option. The Education Bug has a great comparison of the different types of schooling and the advantages of sticking with a public school.
It is important for kids to enjoy an education that is going to challenge them in a safe environment, moves them to success, and fosters their creativity. Teachers and parents should be able to work together and share in the responsibility.
But to make their education hugely successful, your kids need to be excited about it. They will be when they understand how important it is to their future and when it is an activity they can share with their friends with a sense of community. They can set goals, enjoy extracurricular activities, and be excited about their education.
“Books about skin colour at an early age are part of the problem. Kids make friends with other kids that they get along with. They don’t give a crap what colour skin their friends have. By pushing racial awareness on them, it actually makes them think about it. Can’t we just let them be young and free and innocent? ”
To THAT I answer …
The story mentioned is inspired by the experiences of myself and my other brown friends who are in diverse classrooms. Many of whom have come home to ask their mother WHY do I look different? OR why does my friend look different from us. And the parents have brushed aside the question with a laugh.
Kids see color. Everyone sees color.
We need to teach our kids EARLY that how they LOOK is NOT that which defines them. It’s not about teaching them about racism. It’s about instilling values that last them a life time so they can GROW into being people to stand by friends who may have different OPINIONS or LIKES than them.
My books (ones I have written and in the process) are bullying prevention and body positive on top of being diverse (since they from a brown person’s POV .
Racism is not a word you teach or NOT teach your children. It’s an attitude that you instill by choosing to NOT talk about the important topics. A child’s character is strongly built by the time they are 9/10. There is NEVER a perfect time to talk to them about the important things. You GROW into them as a family by talking to kids about little things like WHY skin colors are different. WHY someone chooses to wear a head scarf. HOW we can help our friends feel included in our games. HOW we can stand up to someone who pushes a friend around.
The “I don’t see color” is a false narrative. Every child sees color. MOST don’t let it affect their judgement of those around them, TILL they do. They imbibe it from the things we do NOT say and the thoughtless comments WE as adults pass on others appearances.
We want to ensure we keep nudging them in the RIGHT direction to keep building strong moral characters.
Books do NOT CAUSE Racism.. Quite the opposite actually. I don’t usually respond to or share negative comments but it’s important for those who MAY even think about this or are AVOIDING talking to their kids about important topics to “protect them”.
The truth is, even today MANY consider being “fair” to being superior. Specially to the older generation in India (I can speak only per my experience), who pass thoughtless comments on everyone’s appearance.
These thoughts have come to me as I made a Tik Tok using Priyanka chopra’s voice (Instagram.com/raisingworldchildren) . Priyanka Chopra herself was part of fairness cream campaigns that she now regrets. Just yesterday, some one commented that some indian jokes do not translate to other languages. I noted, it was because outside of Indian mindset body issues like baldness, being dark, being fat is NOT considered FUNNY. It appalls me how often I hear comments on others’ appearances with no regard for how it makes them feel.
When I go to India, I’m too fat and thus passed comments on , and others in my family are too thin so they are made fun of. And the amount of self deprecating comments I hear by people about their own appearance is CONSTANT! No one seems to remember the effect of such negative self talk has on kids.
THIS is why we need to empower our kids early with body positive conversation and acceptance of all as they are. Read the children’s book How Our Skin Sparkles with your kids.
To help your kids build NEW beauty standards, and accepting themselves as they are, you can find books on our website below.
COVID-19 has changed things in Austin and beyond. There’s no telling when everything will go back to normal, so you have to figure out how to be a parent to your newborn. The following are five things you can do to bond with your newborn during quarantine.
1. Skin-to-Skin Activities
One thing you can do to bond with your newborn during quarantine is skin-to-skin activities. Allowing your baby to feel your skin is soothing, and it helps your baby feel closer to you. This also allows both of you to smell each other. It may not sound like much, but you and your child give off a scent that helps you build a strong bond.
During quarantine, this is going to be a relatively easy thing to accomplish, but you can try a few activities that could help. For example, you can look for positions to hold your baby in online. For example, Silver Bee Photography who does newborn photography in Austin has a great selection of pictures to reference for practicing positions to have your baby in with skin to skin contact. Looking for references online is a great way to find perfect ways to provide skin to skin contact throughout the day.
2. Communication is Golden
While you are in quarantine, you can also do your best to make communication a priority. Your baby cannot understand you, but that doesn’t mean communicating with your baby isn’t important. You have to do your best to talk to your baby and to be as expressive as you can so that your baby can see your expressions.
It is important to make eye contact while you are talking to your child. In the beginning, you might have some difficulty talking to your little bundle of joy, but be patient with yourself. Quarantine is giving you time to get used to talking to your baby, so use it.
3. Doing the Back and Forth
Your baby needs to feel like you react to him or her. Communication involves at least two people responding to each other. This is something you can achieve with your baby, and it’ll help you bond with each other. Of course, your baby can only coo and may smile at some point.
These are the tools your baby uses, and you can use these tools to communicate with your child. When your baby coos, go ahead and respond with your own; every so often, initiate the coo and wait until your baby responds. Smile when your baby smiles at you, and initiate the smile every so often as well. Your baby will get better. Just give him or her some time.
4. Get to Playing
Games are important for your baby right now, and you can play all day long with your newborn during quarantine. All of this heavy interaction with your baby should help you feel good, and it should help your baby feel more connected to you. There are a lot of games you can play, from classics like peek-a-boo to just singing a song.
Of course, you also need to make sure you include games meant to teach your baby something. Newborns experience a lot through touch, so focus on games that’ll help your child with that. For example, you can tickle your child in different places around the body. You could also have your baby touch different surfaces so that he or she experiences new things every day with you.
5. Feeding is Sacred
Okay, feeding is not sacred in any magical way, yet it is pretty special. This is a time where your baby learns you are his or her caretaker. Your baby is getting nourishment from you, which allows your child to bond with you. Make sure every time you feed your child that you hold your baby as close as you can.
On top of that, you also have to make an effort to lock eyes with your baby and talk soothingly. Those who are breastfeeding are going to experience a bonus: oxytocin. This hormone is released during breastfeeding and encourages bonding, which is going to go a long way towards establishing a loving relationship between you two.
These are just some things you can do with your baby at home as you try to fight this pandemic and bond with your baby. Try some or all of these things during this quarantine.
Personality clashes can cause problems in relationships. This is especially true if you have an extroverted teen in a family of introverts. Extroverted teens can be seen as being needy or bothersome to introverted family members. Therefore, it is a good idea for the introverted family members to have a better understanding of the teenage child in order to let him thrive in his daily activities.
Avoiding Conflict
Take a family who throws their teenager a surprise party. They invited everyone in their dance class, grade, and even their cousins. They spend a lot of money and time planning this great party filled with food, music, and even a DJ. To their surprise their daughter spends half the time in her room crying. She tells her family she would have rather they saved their money and got her a Switch instead. The parents think she’s spoiled or ungrateful.
It’s important to note that the parents were wanting to do something extra special in this scenario for their child. They can’t understand why she wouldn’t think this was the best gift they could give her. This is because they are thinking about what they would have wanted to receive. To a shy or introverted shy, this can seem more like a nightmare of social anxiety than a time to let their hair down to celebrate. This is why even within your children it’s important to gauge their own personalities and yours. The parents and child are not doing anything wrong. However, the actions get lost in translation because of their different personalities.
Know Their Personality
While most people are classified as extroverted and introverted, there are actually 16 distinct different personality types. These personality types can be identified when the person takes an MBTI test or Myer Briggs Type Indicator. This self-report questionnaire will determine the specific personality of your teenage child. This will allow you to know how you can best personalize your parenting to ways that are better understood by extroverted teens. This can help them feel loved and understood, which will lead to better relationships.
Communication
People are able to thrive when they are allowed to be themselves. That’s why it is important for your teenage child to feel comfortable in his own shoes. As long as a teenage child is not hurting himself nor hurting others, they should be given room to explore their personality. This will allow them to have a happier upbringing and position themselves to be better able to interact with others as an adult.
Understanding
Many times families find themselves talking at each other rather than talking to each other. It is a good idea for family members to have a “no pressure” conversation with their teenage child. This will give you a better idea as to what motivates the child and what he really thinks. If the extroverted child is dressing in wild clothes, this may not be an act of rebellion but an emulation of the child’s favorite Youtuber or musical act. Knowing why your teenage child acts in a certain way will create a better sense of understanding with the entire family.
Shared Experiences
Every once in a while, the family should engage in an activity with all members involved. Sometimes this will require family members to step out of their “comfort zone.” However, exploring different experiences can help create a better sense of understanding with each personality type within the family.
By understanding the exact personality of a child and their motivations, a family can be in a better position to raise happy extroverted teens.
Kara Masterson is a freelance writer from Utah. She enjoys Tennis and spending time with her family.
As a teenager myself, I have some prime expectations from my parents, which I am sure are common to most of the teens today.
Successfully raising a ‘teenager‘ is no simple task. It requires a lot of patience, time and attention. I often refer teenagers as “Whiskey in a cup” because of how complex yet manageable they are. Every parent aims at raising their children into happy adults, who are capable of having the best that life offers them.
Here I have listed for you some of the things that teenagers want every parent to know.
Give us your Love, not your thoughts
Teenagers are full of spirit, they possess their own dreams and yearn for a nourishing environment that helps them grow. Trust their capabilities and do not impose your incomplete dreams on them. All we want, is to grow individually and become the person we are meant to be. We want our parents to stand strong, while we shoot through towards our future.
Hear us out
We have so much to talk about, right from our first crush to our stupid lengthy assignments or about the fights we’ve had or the betrayal stories. Sometimes we need no advice nor any guidance but all we need is a listening ear. We want you to become our ‘go to’ person.
Express love, Appreciate us often
We realize your immense love for us but a gesture from your side really makes our day bright. Having love for us and not showing it, is as good as wrapping a present and not giving it. Sometimes we can plan a day together to do our favourite things or maybe you could write me a letter; we just want things beyond normal conversations on the dining table.
Try not to criticize our actions
We know the importance of an elder correcting us when we go wrong, but if it isn’t done in the right way it may just lower our spirit. Do not correct us in front of our extended family or peers, we feel insulted and it negatively impacts our relationship. Also, do not criticise us too often, we expect your encouragement in all our endeavours.
Answer our questions
No matter how silly, inappropriate, stupid or serious it may sound, please ensure that you have cleared the doubt that arose in our bustling mind. It avoids our dependence on an improper source to find the answers we are looking for.
Keep a track of our mental health
Unfortunately, a lot of teens suffer from anxiety, depression and other mental disorders. As teenagers, we want every parent to know that merely praying for our mental health isn’t sufficient, empathize with us. We require you to keep a track of our mental health by communicating with us everyday, this helps us navigate our negative emotions and find better solutions.
We don’t need a superman to save us from difficulties, we want to face them. So we aspire to be strong enough to stand for or against whatever and whenever, alone or together.
Mansi Lisha Pinto, a 18 year old who is currently pursuing a career as a Chartered Accountant. Her passion for writing started during her school days and developed thereon, from winning small competitions in School to Writing plays for the College. You may read her content on Instagram @she_writes_18 or contact her directly at pintomansi@gmail.com
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Sacramento based mother to two boys. First Indian woman to be appointed as Parks, Youth and Community Enrichment Commissioner in the District. Serves on several Natomas Unified School District committees. She also made guest appearances on ABC 10 digital series “Moms Explain All” and “Three Moms and a Dad”. Has been Nominated for N Factor Community awards.
This book may seem like it teaches about the sun but it is so much more than that. It is so important to encourage kids’ curiosity and questions. A child wondering about simple things can make for a great teaching moments and all our children can learn from each other’s innocent wondering of the world.
Dolev is the founder of 
Mansi Lisha Pinto, a 18 year old who is currently pursuing a career as a Chartered Accountant. Her passion for writing started during her school days and developed thereon, from winning small competitions in School to Writing plays for the College. You may read her content on Instagram @she_writes_18 or contact her directly at pintomansi@gmail.com