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| Name: | lisa fenwick |
| E-mail address: | madhippyhome.ed@gmail.com |
| Homepage URL: | http://fenwick-home-education.blogspot.com |
| Comments: | Hi, I am a home educator in the UK of 7 wonderful children, aged between 2 and 14 years.
I have just read your article on "what a four year old should know" and its brilliant; could not agree more - I have had this outlook with my 7 kiddies and its worked magickally. All are strong independent free thinkers, none are subservient doormats (thankfully) and yet sensitive, caring and very loving also, all have been and will be allowed to meet and master their strengths and weaknesses and as you can probably tell I am very proud of each one of them. I have had many critics voicing their unwanted advice or opinions. I keep quiet and smile, the proof is in the pudding I say, and many of them are now my fiercest supporters :) I believe childhood to be a once in lifetime experience - I intend my children to have a magickal childhood too Thanks for a wonderful article - its nice to know I am not so alone ;) |
| Name: | Carin |
| Comments: | The articles on your site are a great inspiration. The best gift you can give to a child is a care-free childhood (with very limited or no TV/Computers/PC Games etc!). I would love to home school, but unfortunately I have to work full time. I grew up without a mother's influence from the age of 5 and was pretty much allowed to do my own exploring and adventuring in a large garden with little input from my nanny. This is the best childhood I could have wished for. On the weekends, my father took us camping, often taking us out of school a few Friday's a term to get to where we needed to go. We spent the weekends exploring, fishing, swimming in rivers etc. This is what I wish for my son who is 3 years old. I am guilty of being too controlling and wanting things done my way at home, but when we get out into nature, you are able to relax and these things fall away. It's the best remedy I think for anything, get outside and go camping with your kids. Nature is the best learning environment for any child at any age.
Thanks again for the great advice and it certainly makes one feel more at ease with not being pressured into buying fancy gadgets for our children. Your articles also inspire one to relax more and start enjoying our kids more with the limited time we do have with them, esp. as a working mom. |
| Name: | Aise |
| E-mail address: | aise82@yahoo.com |
| Comments: | Hi, someone shared your site to me,and I love your articles :) they inspire me and I'm learning a lot. Thank you for your site "A Magical Childhood", you are touching lives through it.... :)
God bless |
| Name: | Jeff Smith |
| E-mail address: | jeffreylsmith900@gmail.com |
| Comments: | I stumbled upon your website this morning while looking for activities to do with my four year old. My wife and I have 4 children, ages 24 (boy), 25 (boy), 26 (girl) and 4 (girl). I truly believe that there are women put on this planet for whom God intended only one task in life and that is to be a Mom and set an example for other Mom's in the world by being the most amazing Mom they can be. After 30 minutes on your website I believe you to be one of those Mom's along with my own wife. Contrary to what many think when I mention the ages of our kids, our little one was not "accidental" but planned. Now that we're older my wife gets to stay home and be a full time Mom which she was unable to do for the first three and she loves it!! I'm so jealous sometimes! (a lot of the time) In any event, Happy 2012 and may you find more magic in your children this year and more joy in being a parent than you did last year!
Best Regards, Jeff Smith Michigan |
| Name: | kess |
| E-mail address: | aogubi@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | WOW! What a blessings this site is. You are right on point. For a mom that easily loses focus, you helped me to get centered again. I forget about the influence the world has on me with my kids. I printed up a few articles to hang on the frige just to help me keep my priorities straight. I love the "What should a 4 year old know". But, you know it applies to life in general. I think we all need to slow down, play in a puddle, and refocus of the magical world in front of us. Thank you! |
| Name: | jan |
| E-mail address: | demonrosie@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | What fantastically creative ideas!!! I can't wait to try some of these. Thanks for sharing:) |
| Name: | grace espinosa |
| E-mail address: | mgdespinosa@gmail.com |
| Comments: | hi, just heard about your website from an article shared to me about what a 4 year old should know.
this is great and a good eye opener for parents today. sometimes we are so caught up with work, friends, etc that we forget the one thing we must really focus on . . .being good parents. God bless you and your family. Looking forward to more magical childhood blogs, website, etc from you. |
| Name: | Jemma |
| E-mail address: | jemmafranklon81@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | I am just so inspired and encouraged by the ideas and anecdotes on your site, reminds me what's important and to stop and enjoy my children, thank you! |
| Name: | Nicola |
| Comments: | Brilliant ideas. I have a one-year-old and am just starting to discover how much fun we can have. Can't wait for a decade of silliness, exploration and magic with him. |
| Name: | Tracy |
| E-mail address: | tracy.a.behr@gmail.com |
| Homepage URL: | http://www.breastfeeding-problems.com |
| Comments: | Hi
I just want to say thank you for the post on "what a 4 year old should know" I cried when I read it, it meant a whole lot to me. Thanks ;-) |
| Name: | Niky Gutman |
| E-mail address: | nikygutmanphotography@gmail.com |
| Homepage URL: | http://nikygutmanphotography@gmail.com |
| Comments: | I love this website!! It is amazing. I am an RN and I teach preschool and have an 8 month old daughter of my own. I never truly realized how amazing it is to have a child and watch in awe and amazement everyday as she is discovering new things. Thanks for the amazing website. I also totally agree with you about reading. It is one of my favorite things to do with my daughter and yes she has all the toys with the bells and whistles but my favorite time of night is bedtime when I read 3 books to her and she is snuggled on my lap. I know she does not understand what I am saying yet but I also know as a nurse that reading is the best thing to help her grow developmentally!!
Niky |
| Name: | Jennifer Neidlinger |
| E-mail address: | babynurse427@verizon.net |
| Comments: | Loved your blog and crafty ideas. I could relate to your breast feeding foes 100%. I have kids ages 6 and 10, but you had plenty of great ideas that even my older son would still be willing to do!
One thing I do with my kids every year is to make wreaths from paper plates. I cut the inner circle out leaving just the 'wreath' part and then let them decorate them with anything I can find. It's a fun thing we do at Christmas and then hang(I have also added a strip of paper hanging from the wreath with the dates on it that they then tear off daily like an advent calendar) This same idea is good at Easter, just only cut half of the inner circle out, it will resemble a basket with a handle, then just glue easter grass and cotton ball bunnies, etc. Oh, one more idea for Christmas: cut a large round cirlce from 'skin' colored construction paper, a large triangle from red paper and another large triangle to resemble a beard. Glue the circle and red triangle together to make a Santa head wearing his hat. Glue a large pom pom to the tip of the hat. Then glue the 'beard' to the face. have kids color a face onto Santa. Then mark a 'calendar' without lines onto the beard. Everyday have the kids glue a cotton ball onto the beard calendar like you do with an advent calendar. When Christmas arrives, the Santa will have "grown" his full beard and be ready to come visit. You can add all kinds of decorations to spruce up your Santa! |
| Name: | Julie |
| E-mail address: | jkagansky@gmail.com |
| Comments: | Thank you so much for your article on "What a 4 year old should know".
You've brought tears to my eyes, and made me realize that by unconditionally loving my children I am being the best mom possible- that I'm doing 'enough'. |
| Name: | Maria Jose Naranjo |
| E-mail address: | mjnaranjo@gmail.com |
| Comments: | Greetings from Chile! |
| Name: | Maria Jose Naranjo |
| E-mail address: | mjnaranjo@gmail.com |
| Comments: | I just read your article "Terrible Two's? Not!" I was exactly what I needed.
I have two daughters: Elena (one year old), and Lulu (nearly three). And I have been having lots of problems with Lulu and how to handle her frecuent tantrums Thank you for sharing your experience and thoughts |
| Name: | cheryl |
| E-mail address: | Cherylsaye@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | I just want to say, as a young mom who feels overwhelmed and insecure at times, I'm glad I found your site. It gives me so much hope for a better tomorrow.
Thank you... |
| Name: | Kristy |
| E-mail address: | kwooten1@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | Hello I just wanted to say thank you for that great article on "What should a 4 year old know" I mean wow you got that exactly right. All Mom's with young one's should read that! Matter of fact I posted your website on my facebook wall. I felt so inspired after reading it we all went outside and played in the mud all morning...lol! Seriously my son thank's you!! I look forward to following your blog with all of your great crafty idea's! |
| Name: | Marilyn King |
| E-mail address: | marilyn@littleacorns.ca |
| Homepage URL: | http://www.littleacorns.ca |
| Comments: | I love your article "What should a 4 yera old know?
I hope every parent of a 4 year old reads it ! |
| Name: | shanna |
| E-mail address: | burton_shanna@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | I just wanted to thank you for your "what a 4 year old should know" I love it. You must be a great mother to your kids I am turning off my stress of what he needs to know for kinder and letting him be a kid and loving him for Who he is not what I would like him to be,
Thank YOu !! |
| Name: | Bryan Porter |
| E-mail address: | bryan.d.porter@us.army.mil |
| Comments: | I have three daughters, 5, 4 and 3. I come home from work and if its been a nice, sunny day out, they're usually head to toe dirt. I love it, and that my wife (who homeschools also) realizes that there is more to life for them than just learning by rote. Thank you for making a website that is devoted to helping our children enjoy being children and giving us old sticks in the mud ideas of how to not be so boring to them. |
| Name: | Janet Mery |
| E-mail address: | jsmery@sbcglobal.net |
| Comments: | Laughed so hard I cried this morning!!! This is going to be a terrific day! Found your site looking for preschool ideas.... I teach pre K and will pass "YOU" on to all my compadres!!! |
| Name: | jan |
| E-mail address: | bluejay51@gt.rr.com |
| Comments: | I love your website!!! I am a recycled mom-raising a grandchild and your ideas have been lifesavers.Thanks! |
| Name: | Jenn |
| E-mail address: | jenn.wald@gmail.com |
| Comments: | Someone shared your article about what a four year old should know. I loved it and have shared it myself. Thank you so much! |
| Name: | Jessica Backfisch |
| E-mail address: | jcp07a@acu.edu |
| Comments: | I stumbled upon your website and wanted to pay you a compliment! This is a lovely resource and I have been able to cultivate some really great ideas. Thank you for the time it took you to create it! |
| Name: | Courtney |
| E-mail address: | femalephish@yahoo.com |
| Homepage URL: | http://JoyfulMamaCrafts.blogspot.com |
| Comments: | GREAT page, Mama. I love your articles and 'slow down' childhood ideas. Keep up the good work.
-Courtney |
| Name: | Alice |
| E-mail address: | borjeborscht@yahoo.com |
| Comments: | I had a Speech class and had to demonstrate how to do something. So I typed in Google "how to make your own watercolor". It brought out a lot of useless sites that required expensive pigments or glycerine to be in the watercolors, but I found your site and was able to have loads of fun making it and not having to pay or look for weird ingredients! Thankyou! I also work in a preschool and your ideas are invaluable! |
| Name: | aparna |
| E-mail address: | aparna1808@yahoo.com |
| Comments: | I have to honestly say that your blog is the best parenting blog i have seen.
I an a mother of 4 year old and constantly try to give my son a happy upbringing.I really liked and comletely agree with your views and feel very fortunate to have found your blog.plz keep posting new articles.All d very best. |
| Name: | Kelly Poirot |
| E-mail address: | kpoirot@ccberkshire.org |
| Comments: | I left teaching to work for a nonprofit Child Care organization. We provide home day care for abused and neglected children as well as those who come from "happy" homes. One of my hats is to put together a monthly calendar with craft, physical and educational activities for Birth-5 year olds. Your site is under "favorites" |
| Name: | Sarah Wilson |
| E-mail address: | 1wilsonclan@comcast.net |
| Comments: | I just found your page today and I love your article on "What should a 4 year old know?” I have two boys, ages 4 and 8 and I will be teaching my 4 year old preschool at home and I needed some advice and you were so helpful.
I also looked over your page and you have some great ideas, I really like the homemade water color. I looked forward to coming back and reading more of what you have. Thanks for your words of encouragement and your resources. Blessing Sarah Wilson |
| Name: | Colleen |
| E-mail address: | colleen_cushing@yahoo.com |
| Comments: | I stumbled across your site yesterday and fell in love! Thanks for all of the wonderful ideas on your site and thanks for sharing your vision for a magical childhood. I, too, believe in letting kids be kids and letting them enjoy this time. I feel that today's hyper-competitive environment preys upon moms' (and dads') fears and has created this overscheduled, overstressed generation of little ones. It's time to get back to mudpies and secret forts! |
| Name: | Paula Caddo |
| E-mail address: | pcaddo@fuse.net |
| Comments: | Love your site! |
| Name: | Hazel Perry |
| E-mail address: | hazel.perry@gmx.com |
| Comments: | What a lovely site. It feels good to know I'm not alone in my beliefs and parenting approach :o) |
| Name: | Rachel |
| E-mail address: | rachel@copiousgypsy.com |
| Comments: | I love your site. By your bio, I'd say you're an exceptional woman. It's nice to meet people who enjoy their children and realize that the time is so fleeting. Thanks for all the great information you have on your site. *HUGS* |
| Name: | Kelly Hall |
| E-mail address: | kjkinsey@hotmail.com |
| Name: | Renee |
| E-mail address: | lueckehouse@yahoo.com |
| Comments: | I love your site! I love your crafts! I will be coming back for more. Thank you! |
| Name: | April |
| E-mail address: | zinfamaz@cox.net |
| Comments: | Thank you, thank you, thank you! I so needed to read your article, "What a 4 Year Old Should Know". You have inspired me and I am so very grateful! |
| Name: | Geoff LaPlace |
| E-mail address: | geofflaplace@dotellthegame.com |
| Homepage URL: | http://dotellthegame.com |
| Comments: | Great site. Thanks for posting these topics |
| Name: | Olga |
| Comments: | I am so glad I found your website, I love it.
thank so much for maintaining this website.. |
| Name: | Tiff |
| E-mail address: | preecetomeetyou@gmail.com |
| Comments: | What an amazingly beautiful website. I stumbled across it here
http://www.essentialbaby.com.au/forums/index.php?showtopic=278773 and am so happy that i did! Thanks for inspiring my heart today to do something nobel and pure like you are. |
| Name: | Crystal |
| E-mail address: | calmama08@yahoo.com |
| Comments: | I just found this website. I googled "magical childhood" because I was thinking about how I want my son to look back on his life as a little person!
Alas, your website came up and I have been completley enthralled with it. It is exactly what I was looking for. My best memory as a child is during meteor showers or even a really clear night my mom would sneak me out of bed like we were fugitives not to wake Daddy, we would quietly make chocolate chip pancakes and sans syrup we would go snuggle in the hammock outside, bundeled in blankets, eating our pancakes and watch the stars! I hope to make my son's childhood just as magical! |
| Name: | Donna |
| E-mail address: | jd.fromm@yahoo.com |
| Comments: | Hi Alicia,
I love your site....you offer music for my inner child to dance, leap, and skip again. Carry on bravely Mama! You are changing the world! Thank you! |
| Name: | Radiant Motherhood |
| E-mail address: | radiantmotherhood@ymail.com |
| Homepage URL: | http://www.radiantmotherhood.net |
| Comments: | Just to let you know, your post on "What your 4 year old needs to know" is a smash hit on Facebook! I saw it on someone's wall, tagged it to mine and it went through Redmond, Oregon and has hit Portland, Oregon like wildfire. Thank you!
-Jenny Midwifery Assistant Radiant Motherhood, LLC |
| Name: | Heather Denboer |
| E-mail address: | thedenboers@clearwire.net |
| Comments: | I just bumped into your website and I love it! Thank you for all the fun ideas. |
| Name: | Angie |
| E-mail address: | angie.s.brown@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | Hallelujah! "What a 4 year old should know" is EXACTLY what I think but am not eloquent enough to verbalize. I shared the link on my FB page because I have several mommy friends who are very competitive about what their kids can do, judging what my kids can do, and drilling their kids on educational stuff. I often beat myself up for letting my 3 1/2 year old boy dig in the dirt for an hour because it's easy on me and he loves it when I "should" be spending that time "teaching" him something. Ha! |
| Name: | Joanne Estes |
| E-mail address: | greencafeonline@gmail.com |
| Homepage URL: | http://www.beyondprescriptions.org |
| Comments: | Love your site - having raised 5 children and with 16 grandchildren I totally agree with you regarding nurturing their imaginations. I will pass your site on to other moms. (and thanks for the pingback) Warm regards, Joanne Estes |
| Name: | Mindy Koehn |
| E-mail address: | mkoehn1@charter.net |
| Comments: | I have been looking for a website like yours.
Love it! |
| Name: | Vashti |
| E-mail address: | vashti@brumepath.com |
| Homepage URL: | http://brumepath.com |
| Comments: | Thank you so much for your site. I'm a pagan mother of five, and will be homeschooling my three youngest (after giving them a good, healthy dose of care-free childhood). It's difficult to find secular supportive websites out there, and yours is a real goddess-send! Thank you so much for all you do. Many blessings of love and joy to you and your family. May you be well. |
| Name: | Carolyn |
| Homepage URL: | http://cbrock.blogspot.com/ |
| Comments: | Just found your site and love it! I'm a mom of a 2-year-old and an infant, and I will definitely be coming back for more. Thank you for your insights and all the ideas you share. |
| Name: | KimberlyKay |
| E-mail address: | kmcelhany@yahoo.com |
| Comments: | Thank Heavens!I thought I was the only one who believed children should be,well children.You made my day! |
| Name: | Stephanie Gleason |
| E-mail address: | sgblaize@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | I found your blessings article in a Pathways to family wellness magazine and went to your website.
I was just going to read the art and craft section which is excellent by the way and ended up spending an hour at the computer... You sound like the perfect mom, I'm going to be working on my skills... Thanks for sharing! Stephanie PS: the magazine misprinted your website, I found you on google with your name. |