Tag: Kindness

Friday Faves: Not Quite Snow White by Ashley Franklin Illustrated by Ebony Glenn

kswemba

I have another wonderful book to share with you today! Not Quite Snow White is a delightful story perfect for ages 4-8. It’s the wonderful debut book for Ashley Franklin and has vibrant and adorable illustrations by Ebony Glenn.

Tameika loves to sing and dance, and is very excited for her school musical. But on audition day, Tameika over hears the other kids suggest that she isn’t quite right to play Snow White because of how she looks. A once confident young girl starts to second guess herself. She comes home to her loving parents who assure her that she is their princess and has just the right amount of everything. It’s a tender story that teaches kids about kindness, self love, and acceptance of others.

I read this to my 7 year old daughter who saw a girl with different color skin than hers experiencing problems and emotions just like she does. Tameika gets hurtful things said to her, and my daughter pointed out that that would make her feel sad too. Picture books are wonderful and powerful tools that can teach kids how to treat one another from an early age. I encourage you to read this lovely book!

Happy reading!

Learn to swerve

kswemba

Hi everyone! Here in the mid-west it’s raining and in the mid 60s…it feels like fall! I have to admit, I do love a rainy day. It’s an opportunity to cozy up, slow down just a bit, because let’s be honest, you can’t exactly run in the rain. (Well, I guess you COULD but would you really want to?) You can still be super productive, but there’s an ease to the day. It’s almost as if you have to have realistic expectations since you can only get so much done. Extra errands become less necessary. I’ve already rearranged my day because the thought of taking my youngest in and out of the car to various stores in the rain just seems ridiculous.

Life is like that sometimes. We have a set plan for our day or week and then something unexpected happens and we have to adjust. It is in this adjustment that we can either succeed with grace, or fail. I worked as a nurse for 16 years, and I’d go into the unit with my set plan and mindset for the day. Which is funny because the minute I entered my first patient’s room that all changed. I HAD to adjust to my patients, to their expectations, fears, disappointments, successes, or regressions. You prepare yourself as much as you can for your day, then see it shift once it starts.

This shifting occurs all the time as a parent! I’m actually laughing at myself because there have been mornings when I’ve gotten up extra early, got ready head to toe, and have lunches packed all before my kids wake up. Once their feet make it downstairs, any of my preparedness is out the window, blown away by the storm that is children. It’s not all bad, it’s just that they are people too, with THEIR own agenda and THEIR own internal schedule. They aren’t robots set to obey all commands.

So today, be kind to yourself. Life doesn’t go to our specific plan. If it does, consider yourself lucky! But if you’re like the rest of us, remember that it’s going to be okay. Let the rain come, bring your umbrella, and shift when you need to!