Six Strategies For Keeping Kids Reading This Summer

Keeping kids actively reading can prove to be a challenge during the warm summer months- but just because school is not in session doesn’t mean that reading is any less important. It’s critical for kids to practice their reading and expand their skills while they aren’t in school, but with all the distractions of summer and no classroom setting, things can get tricky. Without teachers around, parents have to play the major role of motivators and supporters of reading. Below are some easy but effective strategies Laura Colker, Ed.D., suggests parents can employ to get their kids motivated and keep them reading during the summer.

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

1. Be an example

Your kids will be more likely to believe you when you say how important and fun reading is if you are doing it yourself- so read as much as possible this summer, especially in front of them. Whether it is a newspaper at breakfast or a book on the beach, leading by example will definitely increase the chances of your kids following in your footsteps and picking up a book themselves.

2. Pay a visit to your public library

Make a weekly trip to the library a fun family outing that the kids can get excited about. Make things even more exciting by letting the kids get their own library cards. Also, check your library’s website- many libraries have child-friendly summer events and reading programs. 

3. Read aloud with kids

Kids are around a lot more during the summer than any other time of the year- use this extra time to bond with them over books. Read-alouds are fun pretty much no matter how old the kids get, and maybe even for parents too. Laura also reminds parents not to forget to improvise or even wear a silly hat to make the story more interesting!

4. Use books to break the boredom

Without the busy schedule and structure of school, kids need more activities to fill in the hours. Use books as a way to teach kids that reading can be a fun way to keep themselves occupied when they are bored.

5. Combine books with other activities 

Kids are a part of a lot of activities during the summer. Whether it is going to the beach, going to a baseball game, seeing a movie or going to the park, bring books along and encourage reading as much as possible. 

6. Have plenty of reading material around

Laura emphasizes the fact that story books are not the only material that can make reading fun. Keeping lots of newspapers, magazines, and other informational material around can also spark a young reader’s interest. 

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

Eileen Wacker Gives Her Take on Kids and Reading in an Article Featured on Baltimore's Child

Author, CEO of ONCEKids publishing, and mother of four, Eileen Wacker, was recently featured on Baltimore’s Child with her candid article about the subject avoided by many parents: their children’s reading skills. The busy working mom sheds light on the truth behind kids and reading; that most parents don’t find themselves with kids who love to read and just can’t wait to turn off the television and pick up a book. From a young age, it is drilled into our minds that good reading skills are vital for any success in school, so when parents find themselves with a child who is not picking up reading easily they panic- but Eileen is stepping in to say not only is that completely normal, but its okay. Nowadays, parents feel immense pressure to have their kids be excellent at everything and always one step ahead of their peers, when the reality is that for most parents that just isn’t the case. 

Click here to read the full article on Eileen's take on kids and reading

Learn more about the award-winning Fujimini Adventure series.  Purchase the books here

The Orange County Children’s Book Festival is Truly Outdoing Themselves This Year

Every year the Orange County Children’s Book Festival provides an exciting day for children and their families filled with a wide variety of activities, but this year they are truly outdoing themselves. Not only is this year expected to be the biggest so far, with 39,000 attendees expected, but it will also feature the most activities. 

Attendees will have a chance to be surrounded by a “melting pot” of some of the most talented illustrators, authors, and publishers. Purchase books on the spot from your child’s favorite author and personally ask the writers any questions you have. In addition, there will be over 100 authors available for book signings and autographs. Six different stages are located at the festival where authors will perform live readings of some of their newest or most popular books. 

But for the 2014 festival, the fun doesn’t stop there. This year’s most beloved movie is coming to the OC Festival too! One of the Storyteller Stage performances will be a sing-a-long rendition of Frozen’s “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?”, bringing the movie’s magic to life before a live audience. 

Other performances include a puppet show of the classic fairytale, “Thumbelina”, as well as Miss Mouse, Swallow, the Ugly Toad, and Mr. Mole. 

After the Storyteller Stage, children and their parents can migrate to the Illustrator Stage, where they can get in touch with their creativity by participating in drawing lessons taught by professional artists and cartoonists. 

After learning to draw like a professional, kids can get become acquainted with their wild side by walking through the Wild Animal Stage, which includes a free petting zoo and a showing of exotic birds. 

Parents who love to cook or want to learn can bond with their children during the Cooking and Health Stage. Renowned chefs will be present to teach parents some quick, easy, and healthy meal ideas that the whole family will love. 

The Orange County Children’s Book Festival was created in 2004 based off of the idea of spreading a love of reading to all children, and that idea is still very much present in the festival today. So many people come together on this day to create a magical, fun, and educational environment that all children can open up their minds, hearts, and imaginations in. 

OnceKids is incredibly honored and excited to be able to be a part of that mission this year. So stop by and spend some time in the World of Fujimini Island at Booth 50 for a while during your adventure at the festival!

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

How to Encourage Your Reluctant Reader

A lot of children love to read or be read to, but definitely not all. And it has been shown that shoving a book in your child’s hands or making them go to bed unless they read aren’t effective strategies to ingrain a love of books into your child’s head. So if you have a reluctant reader on your hands how can you encourage them to read or ignite that passion within them? Is it even possible to make someone like reading if they don’t already? 

I love reading so much that it’s my personal belief if someone doesn’t like reading it means they just haven’t found the right book for them yet- I could be wrong, but that’s just me. But studies have shown that reading is a critical part of children’s development and it is also something they are going to have to do all throughout their entire school career, so it is important for even our reluctant readers to read. So how can you encourage them without forcing them? 

Elementary school teacher and author Steve Reifman has tried to answer that question by creating a list specially designed for parents with reluctant readers on how to encourage them to read and try and ignite a love of books within them. His seven strategies for encouraging kids to read are listed below:

1. Begin with children’s passions. 

They will be more excited about reading if it involves their interests. So allow your child to pick out books and magazines on their own of subjects they are interested in. Kids are more motivated to do things when they feel they have a choice in the matter, so allowing them to pick their own books out makes them feel less reluctant and more excited to read.

2. Make reading a social experience. 

Children who don’t enjoy reading by themselves will be more likely to enjoy reading with others. Whether it is with you, their siblings, or their friends, your child will most likely be more enthusiastic about reading if other people are involved. 

3. Read aloud to your children. 

Most parents read to their children when they are quite young but stop once they know how to read by themselves. Even if your child is able to read on their own, it is important to continue to read with them throughout their elementary years. It makes reading more enjoyable, improves listening, and strengthens their imagination and attention span. Plus it serves as a bonding experience between you and your child. 

4. Take advantage of technology.

If your child doesn’t find books very interesting, they might if instead of on paper it was on a tablet. To children technology seems cooler, so capitalize on that by letting them borrow your kindle or iPad to read.

5. Be their role model. 

Your reluctant reader will definitely notice if you are always telling them to read but you yourself never do. By demonstrating a love of reading and having plenty of books your child will begin to value reading more themselves. 

6. Make sure they are reading books geared towards their age and reading level. Presenting a child with a book that is too easy will bore them but giving them a book that surpasses their reading level will frustrate and steer them even further away from other books. When encouraging your child to read, make sure you select books that will challenge them but aren’t way too difficult. 

7. Camouflage reading. 

Parents can start to increase the amount of time their child reads by disguising it beneath seemingly unrelated activities, like reading a menu or the directions to a board game. Sitting down and having them read a book isn’t the only way to begin to get them interested in reading. Get creative! 

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

Teacher Explains to Parents the Importance of Letting Children Fail

While growing up or raising a child, most people came across a parent or two who “helped” their child a little too much on their homework assignments. But it seems these days, with schools becoming increasingly competitive and children having larger amounts of work that some parents’ help has gone far beyond assisting them with their science fair volcano. 

It’s good that parents are highly motivated to help their children succeed but is that actually what they are doing? Sure it is getting their kids straight A’s in elementary school but how much is it benefitting them in the long run? 

Jessica Lahey, an elementary school teacher, wrote a blog on this issue, sharing a startling discovery she had made with a parent of one of her students. After finding the paper this girl had submitted was plagiarized, she called the student’s mother to share her findings and explain that the girl would be receiving a zero on the assignment. Her mother, furiously informed Ms. Lahey that she couldn’t do that because her daughter didn’t do anything wrong- that the mother in fact had written the paper. She defended herself saying her daughter had been stressed and the mother didn’t want her to get sick or overwhelmed. But in the end, the student received a zero anyway and had to re-write the paper- by herself. So  at the end of the day, the mother’s attempts to help her daughter by doing her work for her benefitted her in no way.  

It is stories like these that have raised concern and resulted in a tremendous amount of research being done into the concept known as “overparenting.” Overparenting is described as a parents’ misguided attempts to improve their child’s future and shelter them from harm or failure. It can be everything from small scale examples like not allowing their child to get their license when they turn 16 or bringing separate dishes to parties because he’s a picky eater to large scale over parenting like writing their college essay for them and not allowing them to get a job. 

Unfortunately, while it may work out in the short term, it often actually causes harm in the long run. A child who is raised to feel helpless and powerless will most likely experience tremendous anxiety and stress as they enter the real world. Bills, rent, tests, jobs, and homework will overwhelm them. Failure will crush them. The chronic anxiety and depression felt by many of our 18-22 year olds comes from being sheltered and babied for much, if not all, of their childhood.  

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

It is the large scale over parenting that worries researchers and educators- because it’s the kind of over parenting that can actually cause damage to a child’s education, independence, happiness, and future. 

Parents who rush to school to deliver forgotten lunches, call the teacher demanding a better grade on their child’s paper, do their work for them, or let their child stay home if they have a headache are creating children without a sense of responsibility and with a sense of entitlement.

As difficult as it can be to watch your child fail, it is critical to their long-term well being that children discover the natural consequences of their actions. Ms. Lahey isn’t suggesting that parents blindly trust teachers and don’t ever intervene, she is simply emphasizing the importance of backing off somewhat and letting the child learn on their own. Teachers don’t just teach reading and mathematics but also responsibility, manners, consequences, and teamwork that help to shape happy and successful students. She adds that her happiest and most successful students are not the ones who always get the best grades,but the ones who have earned their grades on their own through their own trial and error. 

Learn more about the award-winning Fujimini Adventure series.  Purchase the books here

Are Schools Pushing Our Children to the Limit and Making them Sick?

Is homework causing your child to get sick? This is a question that might result in some eye rolls, but reliable research and surveys conducted in middle-class areas present a pretty convincing case. 

Pressure for children to succeed in both sports and in the classroom has led to a desire, fueled both by parents and teachers, to not only achieve but overachieve. Of course we want our kids to be the best they can be and succeed in everything they do, and having a slightly competitive spirit is not a terrible thing given society’s competitive nature- but are we pushing our kids too far? 

Denise Pope, a senior lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Education and co-author of a study on Experimental Education, says that these days children are doing an average of three hours of homework per night, some less and some up to five hours. The problem has become so severe that some schools even have to place a limit on the amount of homework teachers are allowed to give. High achieving schools are separating kids at younger and younger ages, placing them in advanced classes and honors courses in grade school! 

Pope’s study focused in on upper-middle-class school districts because it is known that affluent families whose children attend privileged schools often do not question how much homework their child is being given and, as you can imagine, parents paying a lot of money for their child to be a student at a particular school expect results. But how is the pressure

privileged schools put on children affecting their health and happiness? To answer this question, Pope conducted a survey of over 4,300 students from 10 high-performance high schools. The results showed that 56% of students felt homework was the primary cause of stress in their lives. These levels of stress due to excessive homework not only affected the happiness of the students, but also their physical well being. The connection was very clear, high levels of stress were causing all kinds of physical problems, including sleep deprivation, weight loss, migraines, stomach aches, and even ulcers. Not to mention the impacts stress had on their mental health as well, causing depression and high levels of anxiety. Although the study was conducted with high school students, Pope also has data that presents the same conclusions with younger students. 

To stretch even beyond just homework, by having these attitudes drilled into student’s heads  at a  young age we are setting ourselves up to raise a self-centered, overly competitive, and“all work no play, winner-takes-all” generation of people. 

So how can we fix the issue and help our children’s mental and physical health while still raising smart, hard working people? Pope says the level of homework that showed the best results is two hours for high schoolers and a maximum of 90 minutes for middle schoolers, as well as finding a balance between sports and time to just relax. And it is up to parents to monitor their child’s health and find a way to teach them responsibility and being a hard worker without going overboard! 

Celebrate Reading on World Read Aloud Day

Help your children celebrate reading with us tomorrow during World Read Aloud Day! 

Read Aloud Day is a movement dedicated to advocating reading and literacy as a “a right that belongs to all people”. This fun and creative awareness day is celebrated around the world each year on the first Wednesday of March. 

Even as technology and all of it’s wonders advance, reading is a past time that should not be left behind. This day is purposed to remind us of the power of our words, and how that power can be used to create the changes we wish to see in the world. 

Four years ago, one little boy looked up at his teacher and said, “Mrs. Allyn, let’s make sure everyone knows how good this feels. Let’s have a holiday for the read aloud” - and then Read Aloud Day was born. Since then, it has become an international event, spreading to over one million families in more than 65 countries!  

The love of reading is often times something that begins in childhood and continues through adulthood. So parents, don’t forget to read aloud to your children! Not just tomorrow, but every night after. This is not only building a healthy and educational hobby and passion, but also giving you and your child a time to bond over a wonderful book. Studies have shown that having parents who read and emphasize the importance of reading can have a greater impact on the child’s education, skills, and reading frequency than that of household income. 

The joy, creativity, and imagination that comes from reading is something that all children should know, so help us change the world one book at a time, and participate in tomorrow’s Read Aloud Day! 

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Education: Integrating Social Media into Schools (Part 3 of 3)

Using Pinterest in the classroom

Throughout the past weeks, we've learned how Twitter, Facebook and YouTube help in classrooms.  

Social media is rapidly integrating itself further and further into our business and personal lives, so one can imagine it won't be long before it launches its way into academics. But despite this growing trend, many educators feel resistant towards the social media movement. Even the teachers who do not feel that the idea of social media use in school is negative, don't quite know how to go about using such technology within a classroom setting. There are countless ways a teacher could promote learning through social networking, even through sites less common than Facebook and Twitter, such as Pinterest and personal blog pages. 

Has your family received a Nook, Kindle or iPad this year?  Find Fujimini Adventure Series award-winning books here.  Great family-friendly gifts.

For a teacher, Pinterest use can begin by simply inspiring them. Searching Pinterest can cultivate new and inspiring ways to keep organized, or even how to decorate and set up their classroom. Weave it into the lesson plan by searching, finding, pinning, and organizing projects, images, videos, and stories to share with students. Then, get the students involved! Allow them to use Pinterest to create projects and presentations. Pinterest also features the use of community boards, which teachers can bring into the classroom by creating them for students to brainstorm group projects and share ideas. It will give the group members a way to all save their resources and progress in one shared place.

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A blog site may seem far fetched in an educational setting, but it is not only possible, but also quite helpful! The creation of a class blog for students to join, allows them to stay up-to-date on upcoming projects, due dates, events, and other various reminders. Teachers can post homework assignments and classroom updates so absent students can just sign on and see everything they missed that day and be prepared for the next class. Posting upcoming classroom discussions online will give students a few days to think critically and prepare any comments or questions for the next class. One of the most beneficial aspects of a class blog is the possibility for students to post their own work, further developing their own creative voice for their peers to read. Teachers can also post outstanding papers or writing assignments of students online for others to see as an example, encouraging students in addition to rewarding them for their hard work.

Learn more about acclaimed author and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker, click here.

Social media has often been painted in a negative light, being labeled as taking away from students' academic progress, when in reality it has the potential to add to it. Social media is a trend that has taken a life of its own, becoming increasingly part of our everyday lives. So instead of running from it or ignoring it, educators should be teaching their students to use it in a positive way that will enrich their learning experience. If used properly, social media can be a fun, innovative way to learn! 

Education: Integrating Social Media into Schools (Part 1 of 3)

With the rising technology, social media is becoming increasingly more integrated within our everyday lives. Even businesses are capitalizing on social networking and other forms of social media to engage current customers and gain new ones. Social media is having a profound effect within our work and social lives but one area where it is still being somewhat rejected is within our education system. Some teachers embrace the use of technology and social media within their curriculum, others avoid any use of it at all. 

To learn more about Modern Moms and The Mom Code, please visit ONCEKids Publishing website, Facebook and Twitter

Many schools, if not most, even have the use of sites such as Twitter and Facebook strictly prohibited on school computers. Many schools and teachers are fully aware of the negative aspects of social media but few have knowledge of the benefits that come with social networking. Instead of shying away from new technology and social media, schools should learn to embrace it. The continued growth of social networking and its prevalence within society is inevitable, so simply ignoring it or banning it within schools is becoming increasingly ineffective. 

Many teachers aren't completely opposed to using social media within a classroom setting, they just don't know how to integrate it into their teaching. 

Teachers can utilize social media sites in four critical ways: to connect, to notify, to teach, and to curate. 

One of the most popular social media sites used within a classroom is YouTube. 40% of teachers report that they have used, or often use, YouTube during lessons. Teachers can capitalize on YouTube in countless ways. The most common way YouTube is used by teachers is to search for videos that tie in the current topics being learned to use during class time. This brings the lessons to life and the visual stimulation helps further engage the students -- especially those day dreamers! 

Learn more about educator, acclaimed author and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker, click here 

Another way YouTube can be integrated into education is by recording lessons and posting them on YouTube. This way students will be able to access them from home and review them whenever they want. This is very helpful come test time when the students need to study.

Teachers can take this videos to the next level by adding quizzes to the end of the recorded lesson. Another way to utilize YouTube is by putting together a series of videos on your YouTube "channel" that are relevant to current topics being taught. This way students will be able to access related, and approved, topics with the click of a button. An idea much more appealing to students than only having access to a text book for outside-the-class learning. 

Find out how Facebook and Twitter can be integrated into education in the upcoming part two!

Encourage your Child to Read

Reading is a rewarding activity for people of all ages. Reading is a skill that children develop in school with expert instruction. Children can also learn a great deal about reading from their peers. Children learn best when they are having fun and books that trigger their imagination and love of action and adventure work best for encouraging reading. But reading can be difficult. Here are some strategies to encourage children to use when reading:

1. Skipping: This means skipping over difficult words. Skipping words allows readers to continue reading. You might want to encourage your reader to make note of the difficult words.
2. Stretching: This means encouraging your reader to sound out the word or stretch the pronunciation of each consonant and vowel.
3. Summarizing: It is good practice to encourage your reader to summarize what they have read after a few pages. 
4. Thinking aloud: This is about encouraging your reader to verbally think through what they have read. You can also use this as an opportunity to have your reader clarify certain points in the story.
5. Visualizing: Ask your reader about their mental images of the text. Help them create images or assist them in correcting images. Words form images in minds and if a word is misinterpreted your reader may have a radically different image. You can help your reader correct different images.

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Great Tips to help a Child Learn to Read

Teaching a child to read and write is not an easy feat. A great way to facilitate fluency is to get kids reading. Here are some tips for teachers and parents to encourage reading.

Tips for Teachers and Parents:

One way to get kids reading is to talk to them. Frequent communication with kids gets them hooked on words. Talking to kids guarantees great language skills.

Read to children. Make sure that you carve out a time each day to read to your kids. Being read to is a pleasure and it will ensure that kids find joy in reading.

Make sure you read books you love and tell your kids how much you love them. If you derive pleasure from a book chances are that a kid will as well.

Marvel over words. Do you have a favorite word? Is there a word you like to use often? Share your favorite words with kids. This will encourage them to become fascinated with language.

Don’t forget the library. Make library dates with your kids. Teach them that books are to be respected and cherished.

Want a great book to share with your child? Try the Fujimini Island Adventure Series to give the timeless gift of reading for your child.

Teach Your Child Through Imagination

Teaching language arts to young kids is not an easy task. Acclaimed author           John Steinbeck once wrote that “learning to read and write is the hardest and most important task of our lives”. Some scientists and social scientists who have studied the brain and language acquisition have concluded that learning to read and write is an extraordinary activity that is not an entirely ‘natural’ progression for human intelligence even though creativity is. Is it any wonder that teaching a child to read and write is such a difficult job? Teaching reading and writing is rocket science.

One of the best ways to teach a child to read and write is to tap into their imagination. One of the greatest assets human beings have is our power to imagine and create. Children are considerably more flexible when it comes to creating and entering into an alternate world. Remember reading a book as a child and becoming so completely immersed in another world that you lost track of time? Adults can harness this ability of children to aid in language acquisition. The key to encouraging reading, writing and fluency in children is to give them great books that facilitate escapism.

Try the Fujimini Island Adventure Series to give the timeless gift of reading for your child.

Is your Child a good Learner?

Different cultures feel happy and respected when they are represented as wonderful characters in children’s stories. They feel comfortable reading about people that are like them – that celebrate the same holidays, eat similar food in a similar way and relate to the environment of the story. It is important for parents to have choices. Schools require a lot of reading by young, emerging readers. When a child is very young, they have to learn to read… when they are older they have to read to learn. So it is very important to develop children who love to read – this will result in better learners. So use the reading opportunity to develop a positive relationship with your child and read stories with as much diversity as possible.

A wonderful way for parents to be part of their child's learning

We want our kids to feel loved and we want them to love other people. We want them to feel happy and cherished. We want them to see possibilities for themselves. Reading is a great way to see possibilities. Children can be transported to other environments- some are magical, others scary and some that might remind them of their home or a visit to grandma’s. They can see how other people live and what is important to them. This is one of the most important parts of learning about others’ cultures. They can read about other cultures in Social Studies but they also learn by living an adventure in a book. Having diverse choices in children’s literature is a wonderful way for parents to be part of the learning journey with their child. As more and more reading choices feature protagonists that are diverse, this is a subtle way to promote more open minded children who grow into more open minded adults.

What's Best for Your Child?

Want to know the best thing you can do for your child? 

Read to your child every day. Children who are read to develop a love of reading and develop advanced reading skills. Reading to your child also creates a solid bond between you and your child and can open up dialogue. The goal in reading to your child is not necessarily to finish the book but to discuss the book along the way. Discussions regarding text make the experience of reading richer. It also paves the way for learning about new words, which aids in language acquisition. As you read to your child point out each word. Also, read your child’s favorite book over and over. Repetition is the key to learning. Also, read many kinds of books. Poems are excellent reading material along with junior encyclopedias. Don’t feel you just have to read stories. A trip to the library with your child can open up many avenues of reading material. It will also a create a special time for you and your child.

For more information about ONCEKids and the Fujimini Series click here.