Our Summer Contest is LIVE---we hope you will participate. Details are listed below. Please share this blog post with others to help us spread the word on this pay-it-forward initiative! 🙂 Maria Contest Details 1. Print the kindness coupons HERE 2....
The World Reading Festival
Last week I was in Orlando with my family. We soaked up as much Florida sunshine as we possibly could. Tourists attractions like The Magic Kingdom, Wild Florida, Cocoa Beach and Downtown Disney were on the agenda. Then there was swimming... Our resort had really great...
Our Family’s New Year’s Resolution
This year, we sat down as a family and came up with goals for the year. We are committed to partcipating in a service project once a quarter. We want to raise children who think about others and work towards the greater good. What better way to teach this than to...
Book Giveaway: I CAN Make a Difference
In the spirit of the holiday season where it is far better to give than it is to receive, I am hosting a giveaway about a book on generosity! Enter below to win one hardcover copy of the newly released book by Miriam Laundry called I CAN Make A Difference. Miriam is...
Vlog #4 Ideas for Summer Field Trips
In this video blog post, I brainstorm ideas for summer field trips to take the kids on during those rainy or hot days when you need a break from the heat! Be sure to follow my YouTube channel to be notified when a new video is posted. Please comment below with other...
Making Spirits Bright T-Shirt Sale for Charity
Holiday Cheer is starting to happen around here! We decorated our house for Thanksgiving last weekend and now Making Spirits Bright has announced T-shirt sales as a five-year anniversary celebration! If you don't know what Making Spirits Bright is, head over to our...
Hospital Favors
When I taught first grade, I received a cookie from a student the day after her baby sister was born. It was like a birthday party favor announcing the birth of the new baby. Kind of like the cigars and candy bars people might pass out after the birth of a baby! My...
Teaching Children Patience
This will be the LAST month I write a blog post on a specific character trait. It has been one year since I started this series. I was excited to have several contributors to this project over the course of the year and because of that, I have an EXCELLENT resource...
Honesty
Teaching children to be honest is a character trait we want them to have early on. Here are three simple ways to begin instilling this value. Honesty is being sincere, truthful, trustworthy, honorable, fair, genuine, and loyal wiht integrity. Honesty is telling the...
Books That Foster Creativity
Each month I talk about a different character trait that I find to be important in teaching young children. Earlier this month I gave a few suggestions on fostering your child's creativity in the blog post here. Here are over ten children's books that help reiterate...
Make A Difference Monthly-Creativity
It's Make a Difference Monthly! For those of you new to my blog, I am a children's book author who is passionate about making a difference in the lives of children everywhere. I think it's important that children are taught to be responsible, empathetic and kind...
Books That Teach Leadership
It's Make a Difference Monthly! For those of you new to my blog, I am a children's book author who is passionate about making a difference in the lives of children everywhere. I think it's important that children are taught to be responsible, empathetic and kind...
Make A Difference Monthly-Leadership
Make a Difference Monthly was a mission I started back in April of 2012. Writing about a certain character trait each month so that parents, teachers and caregivers can have resources to turn to when teaching children about character. At the beginning, I had a ton of...
Making Spirits Bright-Annual Christmas Caroling
My friend Meg and I started a non-profit back in 2008. It's called Making Spirits Bright. Our mission is to inspire others to volunteer. We visit a local senior home every year for Christmas Caroling. This year might have been our biggest year yet! There was a room...
Books That Teach Compassion
Make a Difference Monthly is a linky party that I started in April and will continue through April of 2013. Each month bloggers link up with their ideas on how they teach a specific character trait either to their students or to their children at home. This month we...
Big Day of Paying It Forward
Today we paid it forward twice. I modeled compassion while with my girls. Remember, compassion is an important trait we can teach our children simply through our own actions. First we bought the Salvation Army bell ringer a hot cocoa (part of our RAK and advent...
Make A Difference Monthly-Compassion
Today's post is a part of my linky party called Make A Difference Monthly. Each month I write about a specific character trait to share ideas on how parents, teachers and other caregivers can teach traits to children. I began this linky party back in April. Check out...
Inspiration For Today
Some inspiration for you today.
Books That Teach Courage
A part of my mission is to empower children to be strong on the inside. Teaching character to kids is a great way to see this happen. Each month, I invite bloggers to join my Make A Difference Party. These monthly posts serve as resources for parents, teachers and...
Make A Difference Monthly-Courage
Today's post is a part of my linky party called Make A Difference Monthly. Each month I write about a specific character trait to share ideas on how parents, teachers and other caregivers can teach traits to children. I began this linky party back in April. Check out...
Books That Teach Generosity
As a part of my collaborative linky party, Make a Difference Monthly, here is a list of book suggestions for children that teach generosity. If you have a book to add to the list, feel free to email me! Sam and The Lucky Money by: Karen Chinn An Orange for Frankie by:...
Make A Difference Monthly-Generosity
Today's post is a part of my linky party called Make A Difference Monthly. Each month I write about a specific character trait to share ideas on how parents, teachers and other caregivers can teach traits to children. I began this linky party back in April. Check out...