So how do we talk about etiquette or table manners but make it fun?

I found some inspiration in that Alice in Wonderland book again! We read the book and then hosted our very own mad cap tea party.

“They buttered the gears. They sugared the springs. They strawberry jammed the wheels.”

- from the Tea Party in Alice in Wonderland

I let my son Wiley enforce the “rules” when our “guests” got out of hand. He felt very much in control and I think now that he knows the “rules” he’ll feel much more confident at a table with all the adults this Thanksgiving.

Tea parties are a great way to teach a variety of things. We counted out the place settings. He set the table. We had made rice crispies treats so we served those to our guests. While pouring the teddy bear some tea, the top to the pot came off and Wiley exclaimed “look mom, there goes the hubcap!”

So I created our fabulous sign up sheet. I even attempted to translate it into Spanish as there are 6 families who speak Spanish at home and whose parents know little or no English. After studying Spanish for 12 years I am embarrassed at how little I remember, but alas, I was able to piece something together with the limited vocabulary I could recall coupled with the online translations sites like wordreference.com. I am happy to report that all the slots were filled within 24-hours. (Can you say rock star room parent!? Ha!)

Are you planning a party for Halloween? If so, here are some tips for minimizing the SUGAR and WASTE factors, but maximizing the FUN.

With the party planning under control, I turned my attention to gathering a few books for the festivities. In addition to Over in the Hollow, these are three other books that are my list of must reads this fall.

Fletcher and the Falling Leaves This book has a winning combination—adorable illustrations and a meaningful storyline. The fox is just as cute as he can be and he is such an endearing character—concerned that his poor friend the tree is losing his leaves. Wiley’s Kindergarten class has been studying trees too so this is just perfect fit. Did you know, only broad leaf trees loose their leaves? Conifers are evergreen. We can’t take a walk anymore without discussing which trees are which.

Room on the Broom is a great read! Like Over in the Hollow, this book highlights the characters and antics of Halloween with a fun rhyming structure. The illustrations really bring the characters to life and while she’s not quite, Glenda the good witch, this witch is not the gruesome scary variety so it’s a safe bet for kids of all ages.

The House in the Night is not about Halloween or even fall per say, but the color scheme (just black & white with yellow) and the storyline: a house at night—makes it appropriate for Halloween. The illustrations are truly unique and remarkable. If they made a print of these pages, I’d order it and frame it! The words are so simple but as we read it together, we spend a lot of time on each page looking at the different items that are highlighted in yellow and talking about why they are highlighted.

I look forward to attending the class party and volunteering to read a story to the very subdued group of sugar-deprived children. Staying true to the CONTROL THY SUGAR mandate from the teacher, I ordered two dozen of these little treats for the kids. How clever! If you are enterprising enough, I am sure you can make them at home too. But I prefer to leave melting to the experts at Halloween ☺

What are you doling out this Halloween?

Happy Haunting!

So when it comes to baby showers for first time moms like the one I attended today for my cousin, I just can’t resist buying my favorite gift–books. Now I suppose there is still an element of savvy here. I have learned which books make the best gifts for the little ones and I am not just talking about the title of the book, but also how the book is made.

Here are my suggestions for truly memorable baby shower / new baby gifts. WARNING: these will very will get you a lot of attention at the shower. The mom to be will probably gush for several minutes. It may so impress the new parents you may be tapped later to serve as the child’s godparent. Okay, with that in mind, let’s proceed.

• “Soft books” (also called plush books or quiet books) are a great choice for babies from birth to one year. During most of this time babies explore their world by touch, whether it’s with their chubby little hands (so cute!) or those drooly little mouths (erupting with teeth-ouch!). One of my favorite places to purchase these soft books is www.etsy.com. Here you can find all manner of these cloth books already made, OR kits available for download that will walk you through how to make one yourself (again see warning above). Shop early as customization is also available. I like the one pictured in particular because it is has wonderful textured pages and at seven months my little one loves exploring texture. I love to watch her scratch at the pages and marvel at her reaction to the different sensations. The topic is shoes too which was perfect for the expecting fashionista. Best of all many of these books are washable! And they are not made of plastic nor do they require batteries. Hallelujah!
• Board books are another great choice for the very little ones as if you attempt to read the conventional book, pages tend to get malled by those chubby hands and drooly mouths. The pages are extra sturdy and also make it easier for the them to grasp and as their fine motor skills develop, eventually turn the pages. I have found that in those first months with my own kids they are drawn to real photographs moreso than illustrated books. As such the Baby Food and Dog Food books by Joost Elffers are two of my all-time favorite board books. I also love that they are not yet so well known that you run the risk of being the “duplicate” at a shower. This may be a bit selfish, but they are also fun for adults too! I get such a kick out of how the photos and the clever puns that make up the very simple text. There are several in the series: Baby Food, Dog Food, Fast Food. I am rediscovering them again with my seven month old. We currently have the Baby Food book next to her high chair and read it before meals.

Over the years I have received many heartfelt thank you notes or hugs from friends that have received these books. I really LOVE giving them and when I do, I always recal the joy the book gave me as I read it to my own little ones. I hope like me, they come to cherish the evening ritual of books before bed. Their little one, squeaky clean from an evening bath, dressed in the warm footed pj’s, seated on their lap with their back pressed against your chest and listening intently (or gnawing contentedly as is the case with my seven month old who is teething!).

As we all try to be a little more “thoughtful” about our purchases, books like these are also an eco-friendly gift. They work for boys and girls equally, can be passed on to the next child, and later recycled.