From the time our firstborn was 7 months old, we began working with her to teach her a little sign language. You've probably heard the wisdom in this - that babies can learn simple hand signals before their verbal development allows them to form words. Therefore, if they can communicate with signs, it reduces the fussing and screaming that results from their frustration on not being understood. We have not only found this to be true, but also found that it's enhanced the progress in our girls learning speech and the meaning of words, AND, sign language for them is as much fun as singing songs.
Our sign language journey began with a resource called "Sign With Your Baby" by Joseph Garcia. I recommend the kit, which includes the book, a laminated reference chart of signs, and a DVD. From this, and our persistence, our first child learned to sign "more", "help", "milk", and a few others I can't remember right now.
When she was about two, I discovered Signing Time videos at our local library, and fell in love with them. These are fun videos for children and parents, because they include wonderful original songs that teach and reinforce the signs being taught. The first series has grown into 13 DVDs, each with a set of different signs. If you want something geared specifically towards babies, check out the two volumes of "Baby Signing Time". Last year, PBS began showing Signing Time on Saturday mornings. Now I see the company has recently released series two, which includes 13 new DVDs. Pardon me while I go update my Amazon.com wish list. Never mind. Amazon doesn't carry it yet.
Well, you can go to www.signingtime.com and see all about what they offer, and get a preview of what I'm talking about. My three girls all love the videos we currently own at their ages of 5 1/2, 3, and 1 1/2. So I hope you can find these at your library too, or put them on your wish list and enjoy!
June 04, 2008
June 03, 2008
Twin Sisters Productions
My favorite resource from this publishing company, started by sisters who were teachers and found that music was a great tool for teaching children, is their Scripture memory song CDs. Titled "Scripture Memory Songs" and "Growing in God's Word", both contain great songs that are kid-friendly, fun to learn, and not the annoying style of music most children's music tends to be. These CDs make great gifts.
I also own their Spanish songs CD and workbook, that together teach some basic Spanish vocabulary.
In addition to that, one day I discovered they were having a huge sale on their cassette tapes, and I filled up my online shopping cart with one of each 50 cent tape containing topics everywhere from physics to silly songs. I'm fortunate I have a cassette player from when I was in Jr. High that still works. The girls listen to those in their playroom while they play, and they've picked up quite a bit of info from them.
They offer so much more than what I've mentioned, but these are the things I have personally used. You can check out more by them at their website, http://twinsisters.com/
I also own their Spanish songs CD and workbook, that together teach some basic Spanish vocabulary.
In addition to that, one day I discovered they were having a huge sale on their cassette tapes, and I filled up my online shopping cart with one of each 50 cent tape containing topics everywhere from physics to silly songs. I'm fortunate I have a cassette player from when I was in Jr. High that still works. The girls listen to those in their playroom while they play, and they've picked up quite a bit of info from them.
They offer so much more than what I've mentioned, but these are the things I have personally used. You can check out more by them at their website, http://twinsisters.com/
June 01, 2008
The Power of a Praying Wife
In this post, I again take the risk of boring many who may have heard of this resource years ago. However, I still find it a valuable resource, and know that it continues to make an impact in the marriages of people around me.
In The Power of a Praying Wife, Stormie Omartian has written 30 chapters, each covering a topic for prayer that a wife can pray for concerning her husband. There are a few pages giving examples and explanations on the topic, followed by a pre-written sample prayer, then followed by related Scriptures. Since there are 30, it's the perfect format for praying one topic per day of the month. I would never come up with these specific matters for prayer on my own: his finances, his purpose, his trials, his priorities, his walk, his talk, his faith, his future, etc. Nor would I be able to come up with the specific prayers that Mrs. Omartian writes. Yet, when I read them, I can agree that they are valuable for bringing to God's throne, and pray them for my husband.
This is a great book for any wife, newlywed or otherwise. For me, God used this book to make a huge impact on my marriage. Instead of being critical of my husband and trying to change him like I did in the first couple years of marriage, I began to change my attitude to being less selfish, and to letting God do the changing that He deemed necessary.
Stormie Omartian has also written other books in this series, including "The Power of a Praying Husband", "The Power of a Praying Parent", "The Power of a Praying Woman", "The Power of Praying", and others. For the last month, I've been utilizing the prayers in the "Wife", "Parent" and "Woman" books for my guide in prayer time. Now it's June 1st and time to start back at the beginning again. So enhance your marriage, your parenting, or your life by using these resources to inspire you to pray and let God work in your life and the lives of others. Here is Stormie Omartian's website: http://www.stormieomartian.com/
In The Power of a Praying Wife, Stormie Omartian has written 30 chapters, each covering a topic for prayer that a wife can pray for concerning her husband. There are a few pages giving examples and explanations on the topic, followed by a pre-written sample prayer, then followed by related Scriptures. Since there are 30, it's the perfect format for praying one topic per day of the month. I would never come up with these specific matters for prayer on my own: his finances, his purpose, his trials, his priorities, his walk, his talk, his faith, his future, etc. Nor would I be able to come up with the specific prayers that Mrs. Omartian writes. Yet, when I read them, I can agree that they are valuable for bringing to God's throne, and pray them for my husband.
This is a great book for any wife, newlywed or otherwise. For me, God used this book to make a huge impact on my marriage. Instead of being critical of my husband and trying to change him like I did in the first couple years of marriage, I began to change my attitude to being less selfish, and to letting God do the changing that He deemed necessary.
Stormie Omartian has also written other books in this series, including "The Power of a Praying Husband", "The Power of a Praying Parent", "The Power of a Praying Woman", "The Power of Praying", and others. For the last month, I've been utilizing the prayers in the "Wife", "Parent" and "Woman" books for my guide in prayer time. Now it's June 1st and time to start back at the beginning again. So enhance your marriage, your parenting, or your life by using these resources to inspire you to pray and let God work in your life and the lives of others. Here is Stormie Omartian's website: http://www.stormieomartian.com/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)