Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Negativity - Hurts n shatters!

How many times we find ourselves surrounded by people who have their toxic negativity affecting our minds? Negativity affects a person’s well being drastically. It is we, who need to identify the ones who make us cranky, irritated and who pushes us forth to edge, forcing us to lose our patience! Their Negativity signals a sign of a sick mind.

And, our children are watching! It concerns. When we come across Negative people, it concerns You – your family – your Children. Children are good observers and at every stage follow your footsteps. If you stumble, chances are they can stumble some day. If you are pessimist, they could turn to be pessimist too. A parent or a teacher transmit their qualities and unless and until, you don’t chance your negativity, chances are children may adopt your style of character traits.

Follow Kidsfreesouls Moms Zone and read on 'Negativity - It hurts n shatters' - Maybe, the guidelines are useful to ban negativity within - We all some or the other time need to challenge Negative Thoughts. And, some or the other time, we all are 'Unfriended' in some way, whether we are at Social Networks like Facebook or in real time. However, it is important to 'Unfriend the Negatives' because they aren't good for us either.

- ilaxi patel
Author of Guardian of Angels
Editor, www.kidsfreesouls.com

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Commandments of Parenting

A simple message I read on a school poster is what children learn from parenting.

• The child who lives with criticism learns to condemn
• The child who lives with hostility learns to fight
• The child who lives with ridicule learns to be shy
• The child who lives with shame learns to feel guilty
• The child who lives with tolerance learns to be patient
• The child who lives with encouragement learns confidence
• The child who lives with praise learns to appreciate
• The child who lives with fairness learns justice
• The child who lives with security learns to have faith
• The child who lives with approval learns to like himself
• The child who lives with acceptance and friendship learns to find love in the world.

I think, Commandments of Parenting is the need of the hour. Children need love. Love nurturing the relationships. They need the physical protection and discipline with appropriate experience for their individual development. They need the community support with the cultural experiences and faith. They need to build a better and protective future. These are the factors that the parents too need for their own development in today’s time!

Asking a few questions and the truth finds way! Do the kids get particular kind of teaching it needs to learn in school? Do they get relaxed time with parents, communicate with them or watch TV, video or games on their own? How far are the limits set for them? Are they socially sound? How good they eat or keep the faith? These and many questions raise an eyebrow and one finds that many times, parents lack in their upbringing unknowingly.

Read more in Commandments of Parenting in 'Guardian of Angels' - My book is available @ amazon.com

- ilaxi patel
Author of Guardian of Angels: A practical guide to Joyful Parenting

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Parents want their kids to write Poetry and so do teachers give assignments

Parents often come to me and request that their kids learn to write poetry - Just because their poetry need to be selected and they have to recite at a Recitation competition or get it printed in the school magazine. Even Teachers give assignments and want kids to write poetry on their own! Without even teaching the first steps to build vocabulary and teaching how to write.

Learning to write poetry in two to four sessions is not a miracle. Kidsfreesouls suggest Poetry Soup Ideas and here's some simple steps:

1. Build Vocabulary - two-three-four-five-six letter words - Be familiar with words and just words
2. Rhyme words - Find all rhyming words and make a list
3. Select topics from Poetry Soup - Write on school, hobby, animals, etc.
4. Say some Tongue Twisters - To get familiar with rhyming words with pleasure when you say "Betty bought some butter, but the butter was bitter, so betty bought some better butter, to make the bitter butter, better."
5. Let imagination swirl - Write down all your great ideas.

Now, when I talk of Rhymes, words rhyming together give a musical chime of sound and this is the reason why rhyme is so much used. I am fond of rhyming words and I think, Internal rhymes also add music. For eg.

"The Ice was here and the Ice was there,
The Ice was all around;
It cracked and growled, and roared and howled,
Like noises in a sound!"

Vowel and Consonant sound words like long open vowels and soft consonants like l, m, n, v, w, z, etc produce sweet, soft, soothing music. Alliteration is yet another way to add zing to poetry. Repetition of words and phrases in poetry not only emphasize the meaning but often give musical effect to the poem.

For eg. "In ever climbing up a climbing wave" (Tennyson) or "The western tide crept up along the sand, And o'er and o'er the sand, And round and round the sand" (Kingsley)

Another thing I observed while writing Poetry. Poets have three ways of making us see mental pictures as we let our Imagination soar higher to pen down:

1. By Description : Describing a scene, character, real or ideal, in words. Eg. Henry Longfellow's 'Rain in Summer' (Search in Google Here)
2. By Figures of Speech : Such as simple, metaphor and personification. Compare one thing with another.
3. By Picturesque way : A poet can call up for a picturesque image with descriptive words like, eg. "All in a hot and copper sky, The bloody sun, at noon" (Coleridge)

Imagination and Emotions - two things to blend for an appeal. And which other poetry can go best than 'Daffodils' by William Wordsworth (Search in Google Here) - It touches the heart as we recite to end up,
"...They flash upon that inward eye, Which is the bliss of solitude; And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils."

Click to read my Poetries and find Poetry Learning Page on Kidsfreesouls. Josie Whitehead writes lovely poetry and you can find her poetry too and follow the link to buy her books too.


- ilaxi patel

Author of Guardian of Angels: A Practical Guide to Joyful Parenting


Newspaper for kids

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Amazon.com Author Blog

Long time with no posts here on this Author blog but you can always stay tuned at Kidsfreesouls.com and follow the main Editor's Blog. (Also featured as Amazon Author Blog on Amazon.com)

Writing articles as an Author has been challenging task. However, writing a Kids Newspaper is a marathon task as it has diversed activities other than Parenting articles. At Kidsfreesouls.com, you can find the Parenting Section but additionally, all that is required for a Parent or a Teacher to upbring the child and focus on their overall development.

Recently, I had great mention of Alfred Lord Tennyson and if you have missed on this post on How to Recite a Poetry, follow the Blog Post here. How to write a Poem and How to write a Story is available for read on Poetry Pages.

Btw, its Back to School for kids in US. Time to 'Create a Genius' (From Guardian of Angels) in your Child. Children are with mixed feelings of excitement and leaving behind the creative activities with the bygone summer. New introductions with new teachers and new friends. New Prefects and class monitors or call them Student Teachers and all works great with a wee bit of anxiety at the start of the school routines. What is more important is to set goals, Check the hand writing from the beginning and overcome the homework hassles. Reading routine is another important aspect of student life because if a child has cultivated a reading habit, lessons are no boring sessions.

Check out BACK TO SCHOOL pages on Kidsfreesouls and follow rules of success to make best days of school life.

- ilaxi patel

Author of Guardian of Angels
Editor, http://www.kidsfreesouls.com/
Newspaper for Kids