Thursday, April 29, 2010

Web Resources for Parents

Sometimes as parents and caregivers, all we have are a few minutes to browse online for parenting information...and boy, do we have questions! :) Here are some resources online for parents that can, hopefully, guide you to some answers for your family.

http://www.bornlearning.org - Born Learning - You probably already know that children are born learning and their early years are really important. But what exactly do children need during these early years? How can we as parents help them succeed in school? United Way of America partnered with the Ad Council, Civitas, and Families and Work Institute to create Born Learning to provide families and communities with some guidance. 

http://www.cfw.tufts.edu/ - Child & Family Web Guide: Expert Reviewed Sites on Children & Families. From their site: "The WebGuide is a directory that evaluates, describes and provides links to hundreds of sites containing child development research and practical advice. Topics are selected on the basis of parent recommendations; they cover all ages, from early child development through adolescence." 

http://www.onetoughjob.org/ - One Tough Job - Doesn't the title say it all? Parents have a rewarding, but tough job. All of those smiles, laughs, and love...but along with it, many parents find themselves feeling overwhelmed, stressed, and exhausted.  Massachusetts Children’s Trust Fund created One Tough Job to provide real parents with practical, supportive information for their parenting journey.

http://oregonpirc.org/ - Oregon Parental Information and Resource Center -  From their site:
"The Oregon Parental Information and Resource Center (OR PIRC) provides resources, information, and training to educators and family members throughout Oregon, with a focus on Latino families and families with limited incomes, to create meaningful school-family partnerships for youth success."

http://www.fatherhood.gov/index.cfm - National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse - From their site: "The National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse (NRFC) is funded by the Administration for Children and Families' Office of Family Assistance's (OFA) and supports efforts to assist States and communities to promote and support Responsible Fatherhood and Healthy Marriage." Check out some great video clips here: http://www.fatherhood.gov/media/tv/index.cfm.

http://www.extension.org/parenting - OSU Extension Parenting Resources - Featured newsletter articles and activity ideas from Oregon State University's Extension Service. You can subscribe to receive parenting newsletters in your email inbox.  

http://www.talaris.org/ - Talaris Research Institute - Providing parents with research and support for raising socially and emotionally healthy children. Check out their related site: http://parentingcounts.org.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Saturday Children's Event: EastWest Dance Creation & more

In celebration of El día de los niños / El día de los libros (Children's Day / Book Day), the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library is hosting EastWest Dance Creation, Corvallis Children's Chinese Dance Group on Saturday, May 1st at 2:00 p.m. in the Corvallis Library Main Meeting Room. This family event is event is free and open to all ages!

For more information, call 541-766-6794.

There will also be Book Making & Special Events held at The Arts Center, 700 SW Madison Avenue, Corvallis, from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 1st, 2010. For more information about this program, call 541-754-1551.

The library is also hosting a Young Adult Author Panel at 4:00 p.m. at the Corvallis Library. YA authors L.K. Madigan, Suzanne Young, and Lisa Schroeder will be visiting to discuss their books for teens, the writing process, getting published and more! This will be a great event for teens, and anyone interested in young adult books and the writing process. Hope to see you there!

Pick of the Week: Not Last Night But The Night Before



Not Last Night But the Night Before by Colin McNaughton, illustrated by Emma Chichester Clark (Candlewick, 2009)
A surprised little boy is visited by a cast of nursery rhyme characters in his home. Everyone from the Man in the Moon to Little Bo Peep to Goldilocks visits him. Each character comes rushing through the door with a present in hand, in this book of rhyming text and soft pencil illustrations by Emma Chichester Clark.The little boy receives a gift at the end of the book - a chorus of childhood characters singing, "Happy Birthday to you,/Squashed tomatoes and stew,/Bread and butter in the gutter,/Happy birthday to you!"

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Imagine...Bedtime for Mommy!

What if the roles were reversed and your child had to get you ready for bed (and had to make sure you stayed there!)? This is just the question that author Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrator LeUyen Pham explore in their new book, Bedtime for Mommy (Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2010). 
When a little girl exclaims, "bedtime!" to her mother, the mother instantly begs, "five more minutes?" and then...well, you know the routine! This is a sweet book that will surely get some giggles and snuggles at bedtime - from both of you!

P.S. Don't worry, moms, you're not the only one...dad is next on the little girl's list!

Books for Little Francophiles

Here are a few books by French authors/illustrators you might enjoy:
Around the World with Mouk by Marc Boutavant (Chronicle Books, 2009)
Originally published in France in 2007 by Albin Michel Jeunesse under the title Le Tour du Monde de Mouk.
Mouk, a cute bear with a big head, is off on a world tour. Join him as he leaves Paris and tours Finland, Japan, the U.S. and the Sahara. This book is filled with busy, vibrant "comic style" illustrations that offer the reader a challenge to search and find great details on each page.

Adventures of a different sort are awaiting Polo and friends in the Polo books by Régis Faller. In the nearly wordless books starring Polo, a smart and imaginative little dog, who leaves his home in a tree on an island and sets off on new, quirky adventures in each book. The artwork is clever and the adventures are exciting. These books inspire your imagination too!

You can also follow Polo online: http://www.chezpolo.com/. Click on the links listed under "Jeux" at ChezPolo to interact with Polo's world. 

Monday, April 19, 2010

Caspar Babypants - Staff CD Pick

This is one of my favorite albums of 2009 for babies, toddlers, preschoolers and their parents. You might recognize the voice of Caspar Babypants as Chris Ballew, lead singer of the rock band the Presidents of the United States of America. He's also one of the voices on the Sing With a Child by P.E.P.S. (Program for Early Parent Support) album we often feature in Infant Storytime here at the library. If you like acoustic music for your little ones like Elizabeth Mitchell, Johnny Bregar, and Charlie Hope, check this one out! Preview this album at CDBaby.com.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Summer Reading is right around the corner

Research shows that kids who read during the summer do better in school in the fall. Even if your child isn't school-aged yet, continuing to read and share books during the summer months helps build their early literacy skills. By making reading a regular part of your family life, you're helping raise a reader! 

The Corvallis-Benton County Public Library has so many books, books on CD, magazines, and databases that it will make your head swim! Keep your mind active and your brain cells revved. This summer at the library, programs are planned for preschool and school age children. Not all programs will be suitable for all ages. Enjoy crafts, storytimes, live entertainment, movies and more @ Your Library.
 

 
Sign up begins June 1, 2010.
Please call 541-766-6794 for library hours and program questions

May 8th Parenting Event: TV & Computer Habits

What Are They Watching? Helping Your Child Manage TV & Computer Time
TV and Toddlers
"It may be tempting to put your infant or toddler in front of the television, especially to watch shows created just for children under age two. But the American Academy of Pediatrics says: Don't do it! These early years are crucial in a child's development. The Academy is concerned about the impact of television programming intended for children younger than age two and how it could affect your child's development. Pediatricians strongly oppose targeted programming, especially when it's used to market toys, games, dolls, unhealthy food and other products to toddlers. Any positive effect of television on infants and toddlers is still open to question, but the benefits of parent-child interactions are proven. Under age two, talking, singing, reading, listening to music or playing are far more important to a child's development than any TV show. For more information on your child's health, visit www.aap.org."

But the reality is that many infants and toddlers are, in fact, exposed to tv. And what about tv and computer time after age 2? What about your preschooler? School-aged child? Preteen and teenager? What are they viewing? How much is too much? What should you know as a parent? Explore this topic with presenter, Gigi Sims, at an upcoming Growing Families Together Parenting Program at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library on Saturday, May 8th, 2010. 

On May 8th, from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. at the Corvallis Main Library, Gigi Sims will present "What Are They Watching?: helping your child manage TV and computer time," a Growing Families Together parenting program. The presentation will be followed by a resource fair of summer activities for kids. Free! Childcare provided.


For more information on the topic of kids & "screen time", see:
http://www.pbs.org/parents/childrenandmedia/article-faq.html

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Pick of the Week: Elmer's Special Day

Elmer's Special Day by David McKee

Elmer the patchwork elephant is back in a new book by David McKee. Each year, the animals in the jungle celebrate Elmer's Day. On Elmer's Day, all of the elephants decorate themselves to celebrate their unique friend, Elmer, and celebrate with an exciting, noisy parade. It's also the one day of the year that Elmer paints himself gray, like an ordinary elephant. This year, the elephants are making such a ruckas preparing for the parade, that the other animals in the jungle begin to complain. Elmer comes up with a plan to include other jungle creatures in Elmer's Day and soon everyone is having a grand time! David McKee paints the jungle as a beautiful, vibrant, and colorful place. It's a pleasant book about acceptance, inclusion, and celebration within a community.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Pick of the Week: Alex and Lulu

 
Meet best friends Alex and Lulu. Alex loves having noisy, exciting adventures, and Lulu likes painting and making things. Even though they are different, they always have fun together. Until Alex begins to worry that they might be too different, that they might actually be opposites! Discover what opposites really are in this quirky story that celebrates differences.
 
 

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Magazines for Parents

The Corvallis-Benton County Public Library subscribes to a wide variety of magazines. The library's magazine collection contains several titles with particular appeal to parents. Next time you're in the library, why not check out a few magazines for parents? From Mothering Magazine to Working Mother, we hope you find something you like! Here's a hint: if you're searching the library's catalog for a specific magazine title, add "periodical" to your keyword search to find magazines.