Featured Guest, Author at Raising World Children

15 Unique Adventure Chapter Book Series Kids LOVE!

If you have a kid like mine who has a certain kind of liking for books, ie fantasy and adventure, below books are perfect. Remember, you can get most of the below books on

Kindle Unlimited, which is available for 1.99 for 3 months now.

Addison Cooke and the Treasure of the Incas

Full of laugh-out-loud moments, danger, excitement, and nonstop action, Addison Cooke and the Treasure of the Incas is sure to strike gold with kid readers. This funny, action-filled series is perfect for adventure-loving fans of Indiana Jones and James Patterson’s Treasure Hunters!.

Ranger’s Apprentice Series

The international best-selling series with over FIVE million copies sold in the US alone!

They have always scared him in the past – the Rangers, with their dark cloaks and shadowy ways. The villagers believe the Rangers practice magic that makes them invisible to ordinary people. And now 15-year-old Will, always small for his age, has been chosen as a Ranger’s apprentice. Here is the fantasy adventure that launched the Ranger’s Apprentice series, an epic story of heroes and villains that has become an international phenomenon. Perfect for fans of J. R. R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, T. H. White’s The Sword in the Stone, Christopher Paolini’s Eragon series, and George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire series.

Below is the Book 1

John Flanagan Complete Ranger’s Apprentice Series 12 Book Set.

Magic Tree House Series

Magic Tree House: Adventures with Jack and Annie, perfect for readers who are just beginning chapter books. The #1 bestselling chapter book series of all time celebrates 25 years with new covers and a new, easy-to-use numbering system!

Boxcar Children

One warm night four children stood in front of a bakery. No one knew them. No one knew where they had come from. Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny are orphans. Can they find a home where they can stay together as a family? Quite old fashioned, exciting, lovely stories, well written in a simple and easy to read format. My 6 year old son was delighted to be reading a proper book with chapters, understanding it all and not needing very much assistance with any of the language. A great find to encourage a love of reading.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Bestselling series takes the art of being wimpy to a whole new level. Let’s face it: Greg Heffley will never change his wimpy ways. Somebody just needs to explain that to Greg’s father. You see, Frank Heffley actually thinks he can get his son to toughen up, and he enlists Greg in organized sports and other “manly†? endeavors. Of course, Greg is able to easily sidestep his father’s efforts to change him. Greg and his family and friends, who make the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books a must-read for middle school readers, are back and at their best in this hilarious new installment of the series, which is sure to please current fans while attracting new ones.

Piper Morgan

In this charming new chapter book series, eight-year-old Piper Morgan is adjusting to a new home and all the new places and faces she meets along the way, as she and her mom look for the perfect place to plant their feet. But during Piper’s debut as a Little Explorer, her high kicks and pointed toes don’t go quite as planned—and after causing a dance disaster, she has to prove to everyone—especially queen of the Little Explorers, Lexie—that she belongs in the spotlight.

Whatever After

When Abby – plus her three best friends – land in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, they are ready to follow the Yellow Brick Road to find their way back home. But they’ll have to acquire some brains, heart, and courage along the way to avoid the Wicked Witch of the West…and will they get to meet Dorothy? This second Special Edition is longer and packed with extra magic!

Ariol

Graphic novels for kids. If you’re from the neighborhood, you surely know ARIOL, the little blue donkey with round glasses. He’s fulfilling his greatest dream today: being invited to Petula’s, the young cow he’s secretly in love with. But the obstacles are mounting! Petula’s dad, a fearsome bull from the South, and Petula’s big brother, a sixteen-year-old calf raised by his mother, do their best to run interference. Will Ariol make it to Petula’s room, at the end of the hallway on the right, to play Thunder Horse and Princess Filly?

Aru Shah – Pandava Series

Best-selling author Rick Riordan introduces this adventure by Roshani Chokshi about twelve-year-old Aru Shah, who has a tendency to stretch the truth in order to fit in at school. While her classmates are jetting off to family vacations in exotic locales, she’ll be spending her autumn break at home, in the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture, waiting for her mom to return from her latest archeological trip. Is it any wonder that Aru makes up stories about being royalty, traveling to Paris, and having a chauffeur?

Black Lagoon Adventures

Introduce your early readers to the original Black Lagoon stories, and give your independent readers a thrill with the chapter books in the Black Lagoon Adventures. Both the original series and the spin-off, written by Mike Thaler and illustrated by Jared Lee, feature the central character of Hubie, a new student who enters a haunted elementary school and faces menacing monsters, fierce animals, and bullies. These fun-filled, spooktacular titles by Thaler, who has written more than 250 books for children, are perfect for young readers with monster-ous imaginations.

Wings of Fire

My son’s favorite these days, it is A thrilling new series soars above the competition and redefines middle-grade fantasy fiction for a new generation! The seven dragon tribes have been at war for generations, locked in an endless battle over an ancient, lost treasure. A secret movement called the Talons of Peace is determined to bring an end to the fighting, with the help of a prophecy — a foretelling that calls for great sacrifice. Five dragonets are collected to fulfill the prophecy, raised in a hidden cave and enlisted, against their will, to end the terrible war.

Weirdest and Weirder

With more than 12 million books sold, the My Weird School series really gets kids reading! Perfect for reluctant readers and word lovers alike, Dan Gutman’s hugely popular My Weird School series has something for everyone. Don’t miss the hilarious adventures of A.J. and the gang!

A-Z Mysteries

Z was just the beginning! With A to Z Mysteries® Super Editions, chapter book readers keep on collecting clues and solving mysteries with Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose. Now with over 8 million copies in print, this classic kid-favorite series is back with a bright new look! Welcome to summer camp for detectives! The kids can’t wait to spend a week following clues and learning about the science of crime solving.

Half Upon a Time

Life’s no fairy tale for Jack. After all, his father’s been missing ever since that incident with the beanstalk and the giant, and his grandfather keeps pushing him to get out and find a princess to rescue. Who’d want to rescue a snobby, entitled princess anyway? Especially one that falls out of the sky wearing a shirt that says “Punk Princess,” and still denies she’s royalty. In fact, May doesn’t even believe in magic. Yeah, what’s that about? May does need help though–a huntsman is chasing her, her grandmother has been kidnapped, and Jack thinks it’s all because of the Wicked Queen . . . mostly because May’s grandmother might just be the long-lost Snow White. Jack and May’s thrillingly hilarious adventure combines all the classic stories—fractured as a broken magic mirror—into one epic novel for the ages.

Five Kingdoms

Adventure awaits in the Five Kingdoms—come and claim it in this start to a new series from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Fablehaven and Beyonders series. Cole Randolph was just trying to have a fun time with his friends on Halloween (and maybe get to know Jenna Hunt a little better). But when a spooky haunted house turns out to be a portal to something much creepier, Cole finds himself on an adventure on a whole different level.

Defiant or Disabled? Understand Your Child’s Tantrums

When your child has a tantrum, you may assume that they are just being troublesome. However, if the tantrums are happening regularly or past a certain age, it could be a sign of a larger problem. The child could be frustrated at the world around them. Here are 5 ways to understand your child’s tantrums better.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

ADHD is a disorder common in children that causes them to lose focus and get restless. When forced to sit still while feeling this way, it can cause them to become extremely frustrated. They may start to get out of hand when they aren’t allowed to explore on their own. They may need additional breaks when doing something.

Communication Disorders

Some children aren’t able to communicate their feelings as well as other. They may have physical problems saying certain words. This in itself can be problematic. They may also just have a limited vocabulary or feel unheard. It’s good to help your child by getting them a speech therapist. You can also help by being patient when they try to speak. You can also make a point to stop and listen when they try to tell you something.

Autism Spectrum

Some children fall on the Autism spectrum. These children can have issues with communication like above. They may also have behavioral issues and emotional issues as well. The first step is to verify if your child is actually on the spectrum. To do this, you should go to a behavioral health clinic to get advice from the professionals.

Brain Development Delay

A tantrum can actually be a sign of a brain development problem. The brain simply might not be developing as quickly as the other children. In some cases, the child’s brain may never develop quite as much as the other children. This can cause frustration for the child.

Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)

DMDD is a relatively new diagnosis. These children are more than just moody at times. They may have multiple tantrums a day for multiple days in a row. They may also have extremely long tantrums. This can be a sign of trouble in the future, so you want to tackle the problem right away.

If your child has a disorder causing tantrums, the first step is to get a proper diagnosis. Talk to a professional today to learn what might be causing the problem and how you can help it.

Kara Masterson is a freelance writer from Utah. She enjoys Tennis and spending time with her family.

Making Unschooling a Way of Life for My Child

I armed myself with global degrees which gave me the privilege of accumulating knowledge and exposure over the years. My heart was filled with pride for being able to have achieved what many aspire to do and felt lucky and grateful too.

It should have made me happy and very successful in every aspect of my life, but the result was contrary.

My accolades and degrees surely got me the job and a respectable position in the society and family. It gave me the confidence as a young woman to take on the world and be independent in many aspects, yet something was amiss. The constant churning within me was always seeking for something more.

It was only when my daughter was born the journey of witnessing my inner truth and transformation began. As every parent, I was also concerned and worried about academics and the the school she may join.

However, being an educationist I was aware of the merits and de-merits of the system, and was conscious of it’s impact on children’s growing up years. The two roles pulled me in different directions and led to the search for alternatives within our society; and the best suitable option for us as a family. I discovered novel systems of Waldorf/Homeschooling/Unschooling and started exploring the education world.

I invested my time researching online, talking to people in the community, reading books on such topics and upgraded my understanding on the subject. The term Unschooling baffled me as much as it excited me and I investigated further into the terminology. I started reading profusely about it on the net, joined various Facebook pages of Unschooling/Homeschooling, TED talks, podcasts and many more resources to guide me through. I started finding answers to the dilemmas within me but they also added to the confusion. As parents we are plagued with self-doubt at every step of the journey as we want to give the best to our children.

However, we decided to march along and discussed extensively as a family, living through our fears. We discovered help groups in our vicinity, gained experiences which supported our belief system further.

Now, as an unschooling family we had the freedom to paint our canvas with a riot of colours. But, with freedom comes responsibility and we were very much aware of the same. Rejecting the available academic boards, not sending her to school what were we thinking and what was next?!

Even with the right kind of support there were numerous questions hovering around, not just within us but from the outside. The neighborhood, extended family overwhelmed us with their fears too, which were valid and kept us on our toes. How will we instill discipline if everything revolved around the child, what about her social skills, how will she learn to read/write and the list continues.

Observing our daughter grow and unfold as any other child of her age, helped us settle down with our feelings slowly. It has essentially been a journey through peaks and valleys of reassurances and doubts. During her play dates, the inevitable comparison between children emerged. However, when we saw our daughter know/learn the same concept of colors maybe a month later, our fears resolved.

This is when we realized an important fact of moving forward lay in overcoming our conditioning, and leave the rest to time. Gradually, we have witnessed the immense need from her to learn and know more from her environment. She chooses to read the books at her will and asks us to do the same when she feels, her curating different objects from wooden blocks comes from what she hears/observes in her environment. The varied age group from uncles/aunts, help workers and everyone she comes in contact with forms her source of developing social skills.

Unschooling is a way of life, a space to be! As parents we had to find and create ways to make our daughter’s learning process fun. With the knowledge that a child is born with instincts to learn we guided her journey by providing the essential instruments to learning. We discovered ways for her to acquire life skills without books and an organization.

To give shape to our thoughts I initiated a group of unschoolers (The Tribe) who would meet twice a week and engage in activities which were led by the children themselves. Free play and allowing sensory development through interaction with nature and peers served as a solution to begin with. Travel within the city and beyond gave us wings to fly and connect with families who believed in the same philosophy. We found our larger family in the wider world too.

It is a child centered journey for every family, observing life closely. We believe in developing life long skills and competence to live it through. It does not talk about competing with others but focusing on self accomplishment and confidence. Each family may have their prescribed definition of growth and success and may follow essential steps to accomplish that.

Though, we exist as a minority group across the country, yet it is heartening to see the force grow rapidly. There are several organizations based on principles of democracy, allowing the child to be, make mistakes and learn, follow their passions instead of fitting into a mold for all. Places like Bengaluru, Pune take the lead with initiating such communities with Mumbai and Delhi following suit. In a country like India, which is obsessed with degrees and certificates “An Unschooling Expedition” may appear to be a mirage but a reality for many families like us. We are committed to a holistic growth of our daughter through the journey of Unschooling with the biggest unlearning of letting go of our worries about the future.

As an out of the box approach, it is an effort to savor their innocence for a longer period and see them grow into happy individuals.

Ashita Narang Gautam is a mother to a 3 yo unschooler, residing in Mumbai, India. An arts based therapy practitioner and special educator by profession, at the moment a full time unschooling mom. I indulge in writing blogs for the unschooling group, The Tribe(created for my daughter and others). I enjoy reading and listening to podcasts on unschooling/education, going for walks, listening to music and my time in silence-meditaion (whenever possible).

Create a Roadmap for Ivy League Oriented Teens

Students who plan to attend Ivy League schools likely around know that they have a great deal of work to do and a sometimes difficult road ahead of them. However, you still need to provide these youngsters with a solid map. Failure to do so could mean that they become seriously overwhelmed or that they miss important steps in reaching their goals.

Speak with Advisors

Gaining professional advice specific to your children’s individuals goals is imperative. For example, you could speak with your children’s guidance counselors about the specific schools that they want to attend and how their current portfolio is looking in terms of getting into those schools. You should also look for opportunities to meet with advisors at the universities.

Prepare for Standardized Exams

Know what standardized exams the universities that your children are applying to prioritize. If your children have already taken the exams, you then have an idea of where they starting from in terms of scores. Many districts and local libraries offer classes to help students earn better grades on these exams. You can also purchase books so that your kids can practice more when they are at home.

Choose the Right Classes

Helping your teenagers to navigate what classes to take is an important part of the plan. While you don’t want them to feel overloaded with extremely difficult courses, they also need to demonstrate that they can handle the workload of Ivy League institutions. Enrolling in some courses for college credit or classes designated as advanced placement is certainly wise. College Prep High School students are trained to think ahead in their education. Think about having them enroll in classes that are directly attached to their intended majors or fields of study.

Bolster the Portfolio

Chances are that virtually all applicants to Ivy League schools are going to have high grades. Good grades aren’t enough by themselves to get your children into these institutions. You also must encourage them to have a balance in their lives. For example, participation in volunteer opportunities and joining clubs or team sports could help to bolster their chances of acceptance into an Ivy League university. You want to encourage your children to stand out from the other applicants.

Your children might feel as though they want to give up at points. Another pivotal role that you will play is encouraging them not to give up. Remind them of the successes that they have had along the road so far in order to help them build motivation to continue on the journey.

15 Educational Shows for Elementary Aged Kids on Youtube

YouTube gets a bad rap from a lot of folks. Parents tend to think the massively popular video platform is only good for cat videos, toy unboxings or zoning out on Minecraft channels or video game playing , but there are actually a ton of excellent, high-quality educational shows and channels available on YouTube.

Many are great for motivating elementary students, gearing up interest in art or music in tweens, or brushing up on complex math or science concepts. YouTube can be an asset and a boon to your child’s learning. Make sure you use it in the right way.

Hows & Whys of Using YouTube Safely for Kids

Curious to know what some of these unmissable educational shows are?

The Brain Scoop

Chicago’s Field Museum has created a YouTube channel called The Brain Scoop, which engages kids with such videos as “Why Did King Tut Have a Flat Head?” and “The Human Biology Collection.”

Houston Zoo

If your child has an affinity for animals, check out the Houston Zoo YouTube channel. YouTube often gives kids (and adults) access to many popular educational attractions that are too far away to visit in person.

SoulPancake

The SoulPancake YouTube channel dishes out a menu of “brain batter” about art, culture, science, philosophy, and more. As the site proclaims, “We make stuff that matters.”

SciShow Kids

This phone show started in 2014 and is hosted by Jessi and Squeaks, her robot rat. Twice a week they answer fun and complex questions like “Why Does Ice Cream Hurt My Head?” and “Why Do We Cry When We’re Sad?” Making science fun and accessible, SciShow Kids is a wonderful choice for screen time, supplementing school lessons or finding answers to your kid’s endless list of questions.

It’s Okay to Be Smart

Produced by educational stalwart PBS Digital, It’s Okay To Be Smart encourages curiosity and host Joe Hanson makes learning fun with kid-friendly topics like “Flatulence and You: It’s Okay to Fart” and “How Poop Shapes The World.” It’s not all about poop though; he also tackles serious scientific concepts about climate change and the properties of light. Part science magazine, part science instruction, It’s Okay to Be Smart is perfect for tweens and teens wanting to know more.

Flocabulary

Flocabulary uses hip-hop to teach everything from language arts to history, for all ages. Covering topics ranging from the original 13 colonies to how to manage anxiety. Flocabulary teaches standards-based lessons in a fun and memorable way.

The King of Random

“Imagine a cross between MacGyver, James Bond and the Myth-busters” sums up The King of Random pretty well. With fun experiments, host Grant Thompson pushes the envelope of “don’t try this at home” and shows kids top-tier science in a safe way.

Home School Pop

Whether you homeschool or not, Homeschool Pop has a lot of great kids videos. Uploads include:

“Oceans of the World”
“Antonyms”
“South Carolina for Kids”

Homeschool Pop!’s learning videos are geared toward kids from Kindergarten to 4th-grade level. Precocious preschoolers will also learn from these videos.

Coma Niddy

Host and rapper Mike really likes science. Every month, Mike releases a new science-themed rap song and they are all awesome. He covers everything from deep space to scientists of color. This show is a great choice to complement middle school core sciences.

Free School

Biographies, history, geology, oceanography, mythology, are all topics Free School tackles on their kids YouTube channel. Free School’s videos can be used with younger children, but they are best for kids in 3rd-6th grades.

Peekaboo Kids

The Dr. Binocs Show is geared toward kids in elementary school. Peekaboo Kidz’ channel has Nursery Rhymes and Alphabet Songs for younger siblings.

TED-Ed

TED-Ed (from the nonprofit responsible for TED Talks) is committed to creating lessons worth sharing. On this channel, kids can be challenged by perplexing riddles, or they can investigate nature or ponder such subjects as “questions no one knows the answers to.” While most preteens will love this channel, many of the videos are appropriate for younger kids as well.

Smart Girls

For older kids, check out Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls channel. It features the requisite DIYs that kids love, such as how to make fizzing bath bombs, for example, but also provides profiles of inspiring women, including astronauts and scientists, not to mention manners tutorials and videos designed to inspire girls to become involved in social issues such as climate change.

MinutePhysics

This is a great YouTube channel that’s focused on teaching kids about physics. Uploads include:

“Is it Better to Walk or Run in the Rain?”
“Immovable Object vs. Unstoppable Force”
“What Is Gravity?”

This channel is best-suited for kids who are in the 3rd-6th grade age group, but some of the more general videos will be enjoyed by 1st and second graders.

Mike Likes Science

Mike Wilson uses his rap lyrics to teach kids about science and math. Uploads include:

“Slope Formula”
“The Internet of Things”
“Black Scientists Who Changed the Game”

The content of Mike Likes Science’s videos is best geared for preteens and above.

Dealing with Social Anxiety and Negative Lables

Stephanie Parwulski has a lifelong love of children’s literature. She is the author of Beatrice and the Sunflower Gift and is excited to be on this journey of writing her own books. Through her words, she hopes to provide encouragement, hope, and understanding.

She lives in Buffalo, NY, where she works as a preschool teacher and enjoys spending time with her family and friends. Stephanie is also dedicated to raising awareness about mental health by sharing her personal experiences with social anxiety and grief through her writing.

Tell us a little about yourself and your family.

I have always been an avid reader, which fostered a love of writing within me, too. I profoundly enjoy working with children, for their perspective on the world inspires me. I am a preschool teacher, and I also help out at an elementary school during their after-school program. In addition to storytelling, I love to sing, garden, take walks in nature, and be a champion of kindness.

My immediate family is central to my life. My dad and brother are my amazing support team, and the three of us love to go on adventures together. Sadly, my mom passed away unexpectedly in September of 2014. Her unconditional love still lives on for each of us, and she is the primary reason I write. All of my stories are dedicated to her, in honor of her memory.

Which cities have your lived in/ visited in your lifetime? Which is your favorite?

I was born, grew up in, and currently live in my beloved city of Buffalo, New York. I have always felt a deep affinity for my hometown, because I feel it is a hidden gem that may get overlooked by larger cities. I love that Buffalo celebrates the arts in all forms – architecture, art, literature, music, and theater. I also love the sense of community that I feel here, especially the passion we have for our sports teams. Lastly, Buffalo’s proximity to Niagara Falls and Canada allows my family and me to see a natural wonder of the world and another country with frequency, which is an amazing opportunity.

What brought you to what you do?

My yearning to provide others with uplifting messaging and help them process difficult emotions in a sensitive, understanding manner is what inspired me to finally share my story. I give all the credit to my brother, who gave me an encouraging push and helped me to believe in myself and my reasons for writing.

4. What current cultural trend disturbs you the most? How do you think we can work towards betterment of it?

I want to help diminish the power of stigmas/stereotypes. I realize how demeaning a negative label can be, and I want to join the conversation to help replace the current negative labels with positive ones. For example, I would encourage others to use “people first” language and find the positive when describing others.

What is one personal challenge you have overcome growing up?

A personal challenge I face is generalized and social anxiety. For a little over a decade, I have been learning to manage my social anxiety, and I am grateful for the strides I am making along this journey. 1.) My parents were always accepting of me. They never thought of me less because I have social anxiety. 2.) I am enough. No matter if I plateau on a particular day, my value is intrinsic and cannot be taken away. 3.) My writing has also helped me feel more comfortable expressing myself, allowing me to connect with others and help them feel less shame in opening up about their invisible battles.

Losing my mom at such a young age and unexpectedly has forever changed my life. In everything I do, I aspire to honor her memory and help others who are grieving find hope.

Share with us two parenting hacks that have made your/child’s life easy.

I am not a parent yet, but I hope to be one day. In working alongside children at a preschool and elementary school, there are observations I have made that I believe are important to apply to parenting/childcare. 1.) Validating how children feel is essential to helping them identify their self-worth. If you bend down so you are at eye level with them and listen intently to what they have to say, the children will understand how much you care. 2.) Be engaging. If the children observe your enthusiasm as you share in their activities with them, they will be more inclined to participate and try new things.

What projects are you working on next?

I am currently working on a middle-grade fantasy novel about the art of storytelling and the need for men and women to work together to bring about positive change. Even though I feel picture books can be appreciated at any age, I wanted to try to write a piece that was more suitable for my older readers.

What is one thing piece of advice you would give to children?

I would encourage children to always believe in kindness and be promoters of kindness along their journeys in life.

Tell us three things that are on your bucket list?

I want to find my soul mate.

I want to visit Japan.

I want to keep writing stories.

What 3 books/movies would you say changed your life?

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott – Through this book, I was able to find kindred spirits in Beth and Jo March.

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee – My brother and I had the honor of meeting Min Jin Lee when she visited Buffalo in March of 2019. Her writing is breathtakingly beautiful and emotionally profound. She definitely is an inspiration.

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn – This is a beloved book from my childhood, and one that still resonates with me today. I have always believed that the love from our loved ones guides us and stays with us no matter the distance that may separate us, and this book conveys this message so beautifully.

11. Do you have any advice for our readers?

I hope that everyone can find what they love and pursue that in life. I feel so honored to be on my dream path, and I hope that everyone can be on theirs, too.

You can find Stephanie at —

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorStephanieParwulski/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/steph_p_author

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Lessons Purim – the Jewish Festival Teaches Kids

It’s a Jewish holiday that is celebrated on the fourteenth and fifteenth day of the Jewish month of Adar, which usually coincides with the Gregorian month called March. There are many lessons Purim, the Jewish festival can teach kids.

About 2,500 years ago, the Jews were forced to leave Israel and many of us went to Persia (Iran today) which was an empire those days that ruled over many lands. From India to Nigeria, according to the Book of Esther.

An evil man named Haman was the king’s advisor, and he hated the Jews. He convinced the king to allow all his subjects to kill the Jews in all the lands of his empire on the 13th day of Adar. Unfortunately for him, the Persian king had a Jewish queen named Esther, although he had no idea she was Jewish. Esther’s uncle Mordecai informed her of Haman’s murderous plan, and she instructed all the Jews in the empire, including herself and her maidservants, to pray and to fast for 3 days and three nights.

After doing so, she approached the king. It was a very great risk. In those days, if you dared to approach the king without being summoned, you could be put to death. But Esther took that chance to save her people. She invited the king and his advisor to a party, and there she confessed to being Jewish, and begged her husband to deal with Haman. The king, who suspected Haman of intending to seduce his queen, ordered him to be hung. Haman himself had previously prepared a tree to have Moredecai hung, but in the end he was hung on the very same tree.

The evil decree had been signed by the king and couldn’t be cancelled, so Esther and her Uncle Mordecai asked permission for the Jews to defend themselves on that day, and it was granted.
On the thirteenth of Adar that year, the Jews in all the lands of the Persian empire fought for their lives and won!

This holiday is called Purim– which means a lottery in Hebrew.

Everything Turns Out for the Best

Jews everywhere rejoice on this day because our fate to be murdered on that day was reversed- This was salvation in disguise, because although we prayed to G-d to save us and He did, there were no supernatural miracles involved.

Everything “naturally” turned our for the best!

Celebrate Joyously with Variety of Color and Food

So on this day we all put on costumes, to show that things are not necessarily what they seem. We also have a festive meal, and in addition everyone over the age of 13 for boys and 12 for girls is required to give a portion of two different kinds of food to at least one other person that age or older.

Charity for Brotherly Love

This is meant to increase the brotherly love among us. Another requirement to give charity to a poor person. The head of each family usually takes care of this. It’s considered the most joyous holiday of the Jewish year.

Storytelling for Lesson Learning and Celebration

We all gather in the synagogue on the eve of Purim and again on the following day, to listen to the reading of the Book of Esther, that tells the story of what happened on that day. Everyone wears a costume, and we all bring noisemakers like the one I’m holding in the picture. Although we are totally silent and attentive during the reading, whenever the name of Haman is mentioned, we all make as much noise as we can!

I’m Tsila Glidai, and writing has always been my passion. I’ve been a high-school English teacher in Israel for over 30 years, and I love making up rhymes, stories and songs to help my students learn what they consider to be a difficult and challenging language. I am fortunate to be the mother of eleven wonderful children- eight daughters and three sons, as well as a loving grandmother to – well I’m not counting. Sapphire, the bright and curious little girl who appears in all my stories is my oldest granddaughter. I try to fit the names of the rest of my grandchildren into my stories whenever I can, but it’s not always easy getting the modern Hebrew names to fit into an English story. My husband and kids are very excited about my new career as an author of children’s stories, and they are always happy to offer their ideas in our “brainstorming” sessions. I am so thankful for their love and support! I have recently uploaded my first nine stories to Amazon Kindle.

MORE FESTIVALS FROM AROUND THE WORLD! – https://raisingworldchildren.com/magazine/

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11 Books to Help Kids Build on Social Skills

Social skills books are extremely essential for children to grow into high functioning adults. It is paramount to personal development and long term success that we provide our children with all the tools we can. For a well rounded development, we want our children to know that they can use every aspect of their emotional well being in dealing with friends and family.

Below are DETAILS of the social skills books included in this esteemed list.

Can a Cookie Change the World?

By Rhonda Bolling

A true story about a young girl with a big heart who changes the world one cookie at a time. Ages 6-11

Funny Dragons ABC’s

By P.J. Rogers

Wacky Dragons share unique words in this ABC book for kids ages 3 to 5 yrs.

Marie’s Big Adieu

By Tamara Rittershaus

Marie says a “big goodbye” to her best friend and starts over somewhere new.

Recommended for children ages 4 to 8.

The Elephant in the Room: A Lockdown Story

By Alicia Stenard

Circus animals and a fun-loving teacher gently teach lockdown drills to young children.

Ages 3-8

Edithina Hides the Pirate’s Treasure

By Martyn Kenneth

Three wicked pirates who are terrible at hiding their treasure travel the seas to seek out Edithina because of her ability to put things where nobody can find them, unless she draws a map.

Ages 3-8

Thor’s Dreamland Adventures: Ducks N’ Dragons

As Thor drifts off to sleep one night, he arrives in a stunning world where everything is bright and fun. He starts to make friends with some ducks in a nearby pond when all of a sudden, a dragon appears and starts taking the ducks! What is Thor to do??? Ages 5-9

How Our Skin Sparkles – A Growth Mindset Children’s Book for Global Citizens About Acceptance

By Aditi Wardhan Singh

Aarav asks his mom, “Why do I look different than my friends?” This story is about acceptance and the impact of childhood curiosity towards inclusion. Through a mix of science and culture, this story inspires children to be okay with asking questions and be different.

AGES 3 – 8

I’m Basically a Unicorn

By Melanie Hawkins

This rhyming book is a sweet look at unique genetic traits, illnesses, and abilities in children, and celebrates what makes them special and unique. It can open dialogue about others who may look and act a little differently, & can help promote tolerance, inclusion and empathy for all, because we are really not so different after all!

Ages 4-10

Ben’s Adventures: A Day at the Beach

Come along as young Ben imagines a fun day at the beach with his family and friends – all from his wheelchair — showing that ALL Kids can play and dream!

Age 4-8

Childrens Book on Kindness and Manners: “Little Dino Says Please”: A Rhyming Book for Kids About Dinosaur

Meet Donny, a little stegosaurus who has almost no friends due to his rude behavior. But one sunny morning, he meets a magic butterfly who came to teach him the power of the magical word “Please,” and everything around our dino starts changing. His new friends invite him to play together, his sister lends him her skate, and his mother reads him as many books as he wants before he falls asleep.

Can Quilliam Learn to Control His Temper?

A Punk and Friends Book

By Misty Black

Little Quilliam has a BIG problem. Will he learn how to control his temper before someone gets hurt, or will his quills continue to cause chaos? Ages 3-8

The Adventures of Pookie: Mission Fat Hearts

By Rebecca Yee

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to join Pookie, Thor and their new friend Kisa the Elf spread kindness EVERYWHERE.

Find out more books we have recommended here.

How Home-Schooled High School Students Should Apply to Local Art Exhibits

Encourage Home-Schooled Students To Apply to Local Art Exhibits

One subject that is vitally important for students of all kinds is art. Art allows you to explore your creativity. It allows you to express yourself. It helps to teach students important skills that can be applied to different careers. It helps children to discover their own talents and proficiency. Just because your child is home-schooled does not mean you should overlook all the benefits the art world has to offer. One way to do this is by having your student apply to local art exhibits.

Many people fear that home-schooled students won’t be able to measure up to their peers in AP art classes in High School. However, being home-schooled allows them more time to work on their projects. In traditional schooling, you are dependent on the time you have per period to work on your piece. This also includes setting up and cleaning up.

Home-schoolers have more flexibility on their schedule. This can be of benefit as they may be able to spend more time perfecting their art than their peers. After all, practice makes perfect and cements skills.

Present Your Portfolio

One thing your child will need to have to enter art exhibits is a portfolio that can be presented to different organizers. A good portfolio shouldn’t contain everything your teen has drawn, painted or sculpted. It should just include the cream of the crop. Six to ten pieces that show all your child’s artistic talents should suffice.

Mat and Frame

You will also need to have pieces ready to present at an exhibit if your child does get accepted. You’ll want to look into mats, frames, liners, stands and other art supplies that can really show off your child’s artwork. Keep in mind that each piece of art may be different.

You may need to invest in custom framing, for example, if your child’s artwork isn’t the right size or shape for mass-produced frames. You want to make sure the mat style and color match your piece. This professionalism will show the judges that you are fully committed to your piece of work.

Look for Student Shows

Of course your child won’t be able to enter every kind of art exhibit. Many are strictly for professionals with the intention of making a lot of money via sales. That should not be the goal of a student artist. Instead, look for art exhibits and shows that are specifically centered around students and emerging young artists.

Inquire about local art associations, art teachers, government officials and other upcoming shows. Follow local blogs and publications as well. You can look for local shows and those that are for online communities as well. This will be able to help you multiply the chances of placement.

School District Wide Art Shows

One option you should certainly consider for your home-schooled student is participating in different school district wide art shows. Just because your child is home-schooled does not mean they will be disqualified from entering. In many cases, their entrance into such art shows will be encouraged or even mandated by local laws or ordinances. This can also be a great opportunity for your child to meet other local student artists and make some great friends.

The world of art can be a wonderful learning experience for all students. It allows them to be creative, express their feelings and learn new exciting skills that can be applied later in life. Make sure your home-schooled student is able to experience all that art has to offer. Participating in art exhibits and shows is one way to do so.

How Working Mothers Balance Work and Family

While working mothers might be the masters of multitasking, between caring for their families and trying to climb up the corporate ladder, many women find it difficult to live up to the unrealistic expectations of an ideal work-life balance. However, as soon as you realize that it simply isn’t possible to have it all, you can set your priorities straight and find the most efficient ways of juggling your personal and professional lives. Working mothers balance home and work in many ways.

Here are some tips that can help working mothers balance her work and family:

Let go of ‘Mum Guilt’

Although we like to think we live in a progressive society, many people still believe it’s the responsibility of a woman to do everything from taking care of her children and doing household work to maintaining a relationship with her partner.

Due this societal pressure and the inability to spend all of their time with their children, many working mums are ridden with guilt. However, in order to live a balanced and happy life, it’s essential to overcome this illogical guilt.

After all, the benefits you gain by having a career by far outweigh these outdated ideals; not only are you able to support your family, but you can also provide your child with a better education and much higher quality of life.

Choose a Flexible Schedule

While the 9 to 5 workday might be the norm, it’s not manageable for everyone, especially working mothers. If you have the opportunity, talk to your boss or supervisor about constructing a more flexible schedule, or even see if your company offers the option of working from home.

In case you are having trouble arranging a more lenient workday dynamic, you can also try some alternative options, such as switching to a part-time job, taking late night and early morning shifts, or working from home once or twice a week. If none of these options can help you adapt your schedule, you can always take a few days off and plan a vacation to spend some time bonding with your family.

Find Quality Childcare

Quality childcare is essential for a child’s development. If neither you nor your partner can provide it during the working week, don’t be afraid to ask your family and friends for help, or even hire an experienced nanny with great references and an extensive proven record.

Another good option might be to enroll your child in a great learning centre, where they can spend quality time learning through play and age-appropriate activities. Whether you’re at work or even utilizing this time to take a short break, quality education centres will give you some peace of mind, knowing your child is in the hands of qualified professionals aiming to help them develop to their full potential.

Organize your Daily Tasks

Photo by Jane Palash on Unsplash

If you want to utilize your days and enjoy every moment spent with your children to the fullest, efficient time management is essential for every working mum. For example, you can plan and prepare your weekly meals in advance, do grocery shopping only once a week, choose automatic bill payments if possible, and use a calendar to mark any important dates, tasks and projects for both you and your children.

Another crucial thing you can do is make your mornings less hectic for the whole family by laying out clothes, packing backpacks and lunch bags, and organizing everything the night before. Even simple changes like this can make your days less chaotic and tiring, and help you feel more happy and relaxed.

Schedule in Family Time

Instead of putting an emphasis on quantity, working mothers should focus on spending quality time with her family. This will help you strengthen the bond you have with your children and nourish a strong and loving relationship.

Whether it’s scheduling a family game night, going to the zoo, watching a fun film, or doing DIY or arts and crafts activities, make it a point to set some time aside at least once a week to spend quality time with your family. Even something as simple as having a meal as a family, or talking and cuddling at the end of the day can help you foster a deeper relationship with your children.

Ultimately, finding the right balance between work and family life is not as challenging as it might seem initially; all it takes is some organization, advanced planning and a positive mindset to get the best of both worlds.

Here’s What Shapes The World Perspective of Little Girls

For International Women’s Day 2020, we brought to you 6 powerful women, who shared how their world perspective got created. For us to raise girls who are empowered, we need to get the conversations to the grass roots and TALK about what is most important to them to be MINDFUL about! You are going to want to listen to these amazing women and what they have to say about growing up to be a WORLD CHANGER …

Don’t forget to like and comment to give them your support.

How Our Skin Sparkles

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Lesson Plan and Printables for this book available here.

One afternoon, my son came home and told me, ” My friends and I put our hands together and they said I was different. ” The conversation we had after is what this book is about. I told this incident to many of my mom friends and ALL of them surprisingly had heard their children and their friends doing the same. How Our Skin Sparkles, the first of it’s kind children’s book helps parents empower their children by answering this question.

Around the world, we have adults who hold within them many insecurities. These get embedded into them at a very young age, though small or big acts by those around around them. We often neglect or brush under the carpet, these simple questions because we fail to see the far reaching consequences of their impact.

It is more importance now than ever that we talk to our children early about body positivity, confidence in self and inclusion.

Now, my children are on the fairer side of the Indian color spectrum. Yet, my son was quite curious to learn about what makes his skin tone different from his own sister. Which is why I felt this book is an important introduction to the world where many feel all Indians are of a similar skin tone. In fact, this applies to BIASES everywhere, when people assume a certain section of people have to be of a certain skin color. Whereas skin color is an amalgamation of many aspects of science, culture and heritage.

It is not just where we come from that defines us but also our own make up. And there is not set formula for how someone is going to be or is. And that certainly has NO affect on the KIND of person they are, good or bad.

That is what this book aims to reiterate. That people are made up of their actions, their choices, their feelings and likes. Not by the color of their skin.

Sparkling me Series

What make this book specially UNIQUE is the combination of faith, science AND concept to teach children about acceptance, of self and others. We need more books that help balance science and our culture, so children get closer to their heritage while moving forward in our evolving world.

I’m so happy to say, the book How Our Skin Sparkles release has met with such positive and glowing response. Already a bestseller in a number of categories on Amazon

#1 in Children’s Books Against Racism and Prejudice
#1 in Children’s Books about Immigration
#1 in Books about Siblings
#1 in Books in Hindu Fiction
#1 in Children’s Books in Science

and many many more …

It has already gotten the Readers Favorite seal of approval.

The Editorial Review reads as follows –

How Our Skin Sparkles: A Growth Mindset Children’s Book for Global Citizens About Self Acceptance And Diversity by Aditi Wardhan Singh is a great story that teaches children about diversity. A young boy wonders why he looks different from so many of his classmates, and his mother turns his question into a valuable learning opportunity. She teaches him about the science behind different skin colors. His mother then goes even further to teach him how wonderful it is to be different, and how what’s on the inside truly matters.

I read How Our Skin Sparkles to my two young boys and thought I would share their opinions as well as my own. My six-year-old enjoyed the message and said it reminded him of something he’d done in school. He lined up with his classmates, and they each held their arms out and observed how different and beautiful everyone’s skin color was.

I liked that this story reiterated what I work so hard to teach my children about being kind and accepting of all types of people. My son also enjoyed the description at the end of the book of the snack that the mother made for her children. He enjoys trying new foods from all over the world. My children liked the colorful illustrations, too. I loved the dedication at the beginning of the book, and I felt it summarized the central theme. “The moment you accept yourself and others, as they are, you grow exponentially.” I believe this is a message that the whole world needs to hear right now.

Other reviews from parents around the world include –

Sangeetha Narayan –

This morning while reading How my skin sparkles, by Aditi Wardhan Singh, I found myself humming an old Hindi song, Yashomati maiya se bole nandlala. The song is about little Krishna asking his mom about why his skin is dark and why his friend has a fairer skin. That is an age old question that children for generations together have either thought about it or asked someone about it.

Aditi Wardhan Singh has tackled this question in a very sensitive manner. She explains the science of melanin and how some people have more and some have less of it, which results in different shades of color. She talks about every person’s individuality. She stresses the importance of how our skin color informs people of our background and culture. She even mentions the story of little Krishna and how his mother tackled his innocent questions. But, what I liked the most about the story is that it places the most emphasis on the acts of kindness that helps human beings function sensitively.

The illustrations were another attractive feature about the book. The pictures show people and little children of all different colors.

Josie O’Brian

The easiest lessons to learn are the ones shared whilst you are having fun. Growing a biracial family this is at least a weekly discussion at our house. My children no longer have to accept my word that different is good. Another family shares our questions too. It is so much easier to explain when you have a reference book. My children ran away smiling… suggesting we should try some of those snacks!

Vishwam Singh

Story telling is an art and when mixed with rhymes and other stories inside, it becomes a perfect blend to read. The book is so much fun to read not just with children but also as an adult. Also loved very interesting reading at the end.
Highly recommended for everyone!

Your can find other books about growth mindset here. Also, our book Strong Roots Have No Fear is an award winning, best selling parenting book for parents. Make sure to check it out.

My Child is Not My Trophy

“Among the top five in the class, once again!” versus “Teachers, coaches and everybody, we did it again together! All efforts paved way for the great scores!!”

Which one sounds better?

I am sure we would all vote for the latter. Indeed, at times we cannot resist being a tad narcissistic about our child’s achievements but please don’t overdo it.

This ostentatious behavior is not solely the creation of millennial parenting. It’s been a way of life of sorts, back in our childhood too. In a room full of known and unknown faces, either a parent or a relative would unabashedly brag and say, “so recite the poem you just won the prize for” and the child would have to reluctantly give in to the eagerly waiting audience. How common was this a few years back, right?

This whole ‘showing off how great my child is’ thing has not bitten the dust yet, the stage has just shifted to the social media. While it’s human and quite real to get excited about our kids’ little achievements, the next time before you do, stop and think if you being boastful about your child? Because your child is not your trophy!

It’s understandable and natural for us as parents to be elated and full of pride about our children.

My chest balloons up when I see my 4-year-old ‘arabesquing’ at her ballet class but when I go on and on about it or Instagram it as #mylittleballerina, is when I cross my line from pride over to boastful and I just showed off my ‘trophy.’

It’s a constant struggle, I agree to stop yourself from being boastful. I am guilty as charged for this but promise to try and refrain the next time. My approach here should have been, “you’re doing a great job, but there’s so much more to learn. Keep it up!” All of my tribe would agree, right?

The problem with showing off is that every child looks up to us (parents, grandparents or anybody else that they care about) for validation of their actions. It is important for them and they judge their behavior vis-a-vis our reactions.

So imagine the complacency that would creep into a child, when we as parents constantly engage in boastful conversations about what they did at school or soccer. Rather than offering self-validation in the form of “you did a top-class job” how about saying “it’s because you worked so hard.”

Though both mean almost the same thing, the latter phrase makes the whole ‘hard-work’ sound more enticing. Similar would be the scenario when our little guy/girl gets awesome grades.

Get a grip of yourself and say ‘hard work made it possible’ rather than ‘awesome job girl.’ This takes out the possible chances of self-absorption and places all emphasis on the vitality of hard work for achieving what they have achieved. Makes sense, right!

When you see your child is not even taking baby steps towards her project due early next week, your natural reaction…swooping and lifting your child out of her stupor. Again, leave her right there!

Yes, you heard me right! Allow her to get a slouchy grade. Would your pride in her go down? I’m sure not but she would surely learn to plan way ahead from next time.

Let us not try to bask in the glory of an assignment turned in on-time (with our generous help, of course). Instead, let her learn to tie in the pieces together herself and on time. This would also be the right time to reiterate, that generations before us have always harped on the importance of learning from our utter failures.

Again, our child is not our trophy to be boastful about. Instead, we would want them to be self-sufficient and have the sense of self-efficacy around them.

Diverging from the issue at hand here, a different perspective of encouraging our children is gaining popularity these days. Recently, the whole idea of giving children a few dollars for getting good grades is doing the rounds. Though, I as a parent would try and avoid money as a motivating factor for my child to do something good, but a Harvard study proclaims that this works. And when Harvard says it works, it must be substantial. It’s just that I have not been so familiar with the idea of getting money for doing household chores or for getting good grades. If the study convinces you, might as well give this a shot.

I am writing this because the battle against ‘trophyfying’ our child touches many of us and it’s an uphill task of dodging it every day. The last thing I would want to do is be a narcissist and raise a narcissistic child.

Children learn every day, from every little detail around them, they would pick up from our reaction in a flash. We would want these ‘sponges’ to soak in the importance of hard work and learn to be grateful. How would that happen? From our actions and reactions, of course. Remember we are all in it together, trying to raise humble, generous, kind and accomplished children.

So, how did you dodge ‘trophyfying’ your child today? I took a baby step, I masked my excitement when my child could do a decent ‘dime plié’ posture and told her that’s it because she has been working so hard for this, and that she did it today and needs to keep up the momentum. But, I’ll not lie, I was immensely proud of her inside, which is fair!

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Ananya graduated from the University of Iowa with a Master’s in Strategic Communication in 2018 and took to freelancing with blogs, articles, web copies for clients’ websites. When she is not fretting over a delivery deadline or running errands, she is trying to keep up with her hyper-active 4-year-old girl or indulging in a bit of self-love on the elliptical at Planet Fitness! She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and a MBA in Marketing, from India.

Elisavet Arkolaki Answers Where Are We From

We are proud to bring to the you curator & creator of the amazing resource for parents How to Raise Confident, Multicultural Children and author of the amazing book Where Am I From? With stunning, one of a kind graffiti art, this labor of love that took two years to bring to life will help your child build their identity from the ground up. Elisavet Arkolaki has done a beautiful job connecting worlds by getting to the roots of the identity of every child.

Please meet our friend and super author Elisavet Arkolenki.

Tell us a little about yourself and your family.

I am passionate about books, travel and inspired by global learning. I raise my own children in between countries, cultures, and languages, and I write to build cultural understanding and sensitivity in young children while they are still eager to learn.

I am originally from Greece, my husband from Norway, our first kid was born in Malta and our second in Norway. Fun fact when it comes to appearances is that we all look similar so you wouldn’t have guessed our cultural and linguistic melange (all four of us have red hair!) but we couldn’t be more different.

I speak Greek with my kids, my husband Norwegian, and as a common family language, we speak English. I come from a southern European culture where people tend to be loud and very expressive of their emotions, and my husband comes from Northern Europe where people tend to be more quiet and reserved. My schooling was in Greek, I studied in French for my Bachelor and I completed my Masters in English. I love languages and I am currently learning Norwegian.

Which countries/cities have you lived in in your lifetime? Which is your favorite?

I was born and raised in Athens, Greece, and I used to spend the weekends and the whole summer breaks in the countryside. My fondest childhood memories are those of the school summer breaks; the warm sun, the Mediterranean sea, a bunch of kids playing out in a dirt road from sunrise till late at night. As an adult, I’ve lived in France, Spain, Malta, Thailand, and Norway, and I’ve traveled a lot.

Greece has been the place where my very essence of being was formed. In France, I discovered a very different kind of freedom; the freedom of existing outside the norms and peer pressure of one’s home culture. I was there that I was given for the first time the opportunity to find out who I truly was, once I had laid off all the cultural layers.

Then we have Malta, a place which I also consider as my home country. I lived there for about a decade, and this is where I met the love of my life. In Malta I met some of the most inspiring individuals, made close friends from around the world, I advanced at a personal and professional level, I got married, our first kid was born. It comes as no surprise that my blog is www.maltamum.com.

Spain was a break in between two moves to Malta, and where my partner and I experienced the freedom of working home-based for the first time back at the end of 2008. Since our boy was born (2013), we’ve been living in Thailand during the European winters. Norway is my husband’s country of origin, our second kid was born here, and we have family living nearby. We plan to live in Norway for the foreseeable future.

What brought you to write the children’s book ‘Where am I from?’ and curate the guide ‘How to Raise Confident Multicultural Children’?

I feel that the reality of being multilingual and multicultural in societies where this is not considered as the ‘norm’, it may be interpreted in a less favorable way by our children, and they need our guidance to build a strong sense of self. Identity is very closely knitted with culture and when the cultures are so blended and the background so fluid, our children need our help to invent a positive identity of their own; an identity that is not defined by one sole culture.

Children don’t really start to ponder over identity issues until later in life but the roots of many of these are to be found in early childhood. I believe that my books help to create a foundation of normalcy and acceptance for our multicultural children during their early years.

Moreover, if we are to guide our children properly in this journey, we also need guidance ourselves. There is so much misinformation out there so I felt the need to do proper research, bring on the spotlight experts in related fields who really know what they’re talking about, and share it with our global community.

What current cultural trend disturbs you the most? How do you think we can work towards the betterment of it?

I am worried about the divisional climate that is on the rise, the tendency of separating people in between ‘them’ and ‘us’. Unfortunately this seems to be the trend in many countries around the world and this is why I felt compelled to write the chapter ‘The debate over multiculturalism and what we can learn from the Canadian model’ which you can read in the guide.

Tamara Yousry noted in her own chapter titled ‘Crossing the Deep Cultural Divide’ that “monocultural groups and teams are becoming a thing of the past. n today’s contemporary, globalized world, multicultural groups are the norm.”

People will keep on crossing borders, falling in love, having children, and we need to learn how to coexist with each other in a respectful and caring manner. Instead of looking at countries where integration is failing us and where the blame for that is put on multiculturalism, we can look up to others who are succeeding and learn from them.

What is one personal challenge you have overcome growing up?

In 2007 I lost someone very dear to me. At about the same time I lost my voice and had various diagnoses and symptoms in that body area but no doctor could find the source of it all. This lasted for about a year, that is till one doctor saw me more holistically, and talked about psychological trauma.

I discovered that the source of my symptoms was grief, and my incapability at the time to process negative emotions. After this experience, I learned that allowing myself to be in touch with emotions that can cause me pain and discomfort, acknowledging them, expressing them, and working through them, is not weakness but strength, and it’s a fundamental health care process.

Share with us one parenting hack that has made your children’s life easy.

Together with my husband, we instilled an interest in books, words and storytelling to our children from very early on. When the kids were too young or simply uninterested to follow a whole book story, we would just point at the images and talk about them.

All that mattered at the time was simply to open that book and create an enjoyable experience, even if that lasted just 1′. Our son started primary school this year, eager to learn how to read and write (they start at 6 in Norway), cause he now had the opportunity to decode by himself the system that makes up all these great stories he had been listening to. When we support literacy even before our child starts to read, the foundation is set for later.

What projects are you working on next?

I’ll be traveling to Malta for a book tour at the end of February, and I have one more children’s book coming out this year by the same publisher (Faraxa Publishing).

What is one piece of advice you would give to children?

Never give up when you’re really passionate about something, and do give up when you realize that something you thought you loved does no longer fulfill you.

Tell us three things that are on your bucket list?

I would like to find more time for reading and writing and to be more involved with activities that promote literacy and multilingualism in our local community.

What 3 books would you say changed your life?

It’s hard to pin point 3 books. Books and words, in general, shaped my life. As a kid, I loved everything by Roald Dahl (The Witches, Matilda and The GFG in particular), Hans Hans Christian Andersen, and I absolutely adored the Pollyanna series by Eleanor H. Porter. Recently, I got to read an exceptional book that touched me deeply; ‘Homegoing’ by Yaa Gyasi.

Do you have any freebies for our readers?

Yes, you can download the guide ‘How to Raise Confident Multicultural Children’ by subscribing to my newsletter http://eepurl.com/dvnij9.

Elisavet Arkolaki is an amazing person and I hope you get to meet more world changers from around the world, here !

Girls Who Play with Boys are Not Girlfriends!

Play dates are NOT dates. Girls who play with boys are NOT girlfriends. And this Applies to boys as well. Why are we as parents not focusing on healthy relationship building between opposite genders?

I feel sad when people feel that it is okay to tease boys about how “cool” they are that they have a lot of “girlfriends” who play with them.

In Indian culture, boys who have more friends who are girls are proudly called “Kanha”, because Lord Krishna is known to be adored by many “gopis”. This is so detrimental as it instills UNEARNED confidence in boys and makes them feel that having MANY girlfriends is somehow COOL!

In Indian culture, girls do not get similar comments but I imagine the effect on them being the same when heard… That being desirable is essential to validation !

Why can’t we normalize the relationship between a girl and a boy?

On one hand we talk like this and on the other hand, we worry if our kids will end up “dating” way too early in life. A relationship is a HUGE responsibility and a person has to know that they are ready to take it on BEFORE committing to someone by calling it LOVE. And THIS too is a conversation you need to have with your child when the time is right.

The world we live in, it is so important to get that mind-shift and talk more to our kids (BOTH GENDERS) about RESPECT and how to treat those we care about. Which is why I talk in detail about instilling Gender Equality and Good Decision making, early in children in my Book.

And Caring has NOTHING to do with hormones or being in a relationship or the drama that comes with it. That can be done happily between two HUMAN BEINGS.

Let’s teach our kids to have healthy relationships with their friends (Boys AND Girls). Let’s encourage them to express their CARING in wonderful ways that empower them to KNOW that LOVE is beyond definitions.

That you can CARE for someone and NOT want to BE WITH them.

Here are simple things you can do with your child.

BE A ROLE MODEL.

OPEN CONVERSATION.

ENCOURAGE HEALTHY EXPRESSION OF FEELINGS.

TALK IN EXTENSIVE ABOUT RESPECT.

TALK ABOUT BODY BOUNDARIES.

Here is a detailed post about teaching kids about gender equality and healthy relationship building.

Have you made this an important part of your daily conversation? A great age to talk about relationships with kids is between 8-10 years of age. Don’t wait for the school to do the work for you or kids to learn by their own experiences.

Keep your foot forward in your child’s life and teach them about respect. What are your tips for this?