When I spoke to Maia Haag of I See Me Inc a while ago about personalized books for kids, she brought up an interesting point. [...]]]> Enrich Your Child’s Reading Experience with Personalized Storybooks 

If you think books about adventures, dinosaurs and princesses make great gifts for kids, then wait till you give a child a book about something(or someone) way cooler …. him!

When I spoke to Maia Haag of I See Me Inc a while ago about personalized books for kids, she brought up an interesting point. When discussing how much kids love books about themselves and characters or people in their lives, she suggested that personalized books help build self esteem in children. Although other children’s books do that as well, when a book’s plot specifically revolves around your child and his life, the adventures or challenges he faces and the people who influence him, it is a very powerful way to impact your child’s thoughts.

I am a big fan of giving personalized kids’ books as gifts.  Whenever there’s an occasion to buy gifts for little nieces, nephews or friends’ kids, I grab the opportunity to hunt for and buy personalized books. I enjoy picking out just the perfect theme, setting or story that suits the little person I’m buying the book for and the whole process of furnishing little details like their names, ages, favorite colors or pets’ names or whatever it is the personalized book creator needs from me in order to create the unique gifts which are sure to be cherished for years.

Besides adding that very personal, special touch there are several other benefits of personalized children’s books -

They’re way more fun – because a personalized book is not about a charming prince fighting a fire-breathing dragon.  It’s about the child who will read it.  And if there’s something that brings more delight to a child while reading than reading a book about him, I’d like to know what it is.
Easy to Understand - Kids find it easy to relate to the incidents and characters in the book.  They’re able to make connections, remember the story better and even grasp its message(if there is one) effortlessly and almost…subconsciously…because, they’re right in the middle of it all.
Reading Motivation - A healthy ego and curiosity can work wonders when you’re trying to get your child to achieve just about anything. I’ve noticed that even babies and kids reluctant to being read to or reading or their own, all of a sudden, start paying attention when you make up a story about them and their friends. Imagine having a book on hand that actually encourages the reluctant reader to pick it up and try to read. Or maybe even just flip through the pages. Reading experts may say you’ve won half the battle if you’ve perked up a child’s interest in reading.
Builds Self Esteem( and other qualities) – If you’ve ever tried to use books as tools to tackle tot troubles, you know how helpful it can be to have a book handy about the situation you’re facing. Be it temper tantrums or sibling rivalry, a thoughtfully penned book is your best friend in getting the message across to your child without him even realizing what you’re doing. And a personalized book dealing with a specific situation or phase that your child is experiencing at the moment can work wonders. One of my little nieces used to be very shy around people, and could not bring herself to perform in front of audiences even though she enjoyed ballet immensely. She loved being a ballerina and twirling around, but would only allow the closest of family to watch her. I bought her a custom storybook about a little ballerina and her friends preparing for a recital as a birthday gift that year. Her mom told me that my niece asked her to read it to her over and over again. She took the book everywhere she went. She showed it off proudly to her ballet instructor. Using the book as an aid, her mom was able to gently nudge her out of her shell and encourage her to open up and share her talents with larger audiences. Her beautiful recital that year is the talk of the family.  So, be it confidence, patience, politeness, honesty, being organized, friendliness or any other quality you want your child to imbibe, a creatively crafted and well-produced personalized storybook is sure to be a great inspiration.
One of a Kind - You can be pretty sure your gift won’t be the one that will get returned to the department store because four other people got the child the same gift for his birthday.
Keepsakes, Memory Keepers, Heirloom – This is my favorite reason for getting kids personalized books as gifts. They stay in the family forever. Tattered, torn maybe, with some pages destroyed beyond recognition, but they’ll be around all right. Not too many people have the heart to discard them. They’re the kind of gifts people talk about at family gatherings and pass on to their children or grandchildren. “Remember that book about the ballerina Aunt Lily gave  me when I was 6?”  And a personalized book serves as  a great item to put in a time capsule or memory box for kids to open many years later. And since there’s bound to be only one of its kind in the whole world,  a personalized book’s sentimental value only multiplies with time. Call me self-indulgent or egoistic…but hey, I want my little nieces and nephews to remember my gift forever. I want to be the aunt who got them the book they still have 20 years later.

How and where to find personalized children’s books

1.Online – I’m sure there are plenty of options out there that a simple internet search for personalized storybooks will spit out. Speaking from personal experience, I’ve purchased from Custom Story Books and I See Me Inc on many occasions. Both offer unique ways to customize your gift. Custom Story Books have a large number of product options to choose from including personalized photo books, personalized photo coloring books, personalized DVDs, name trains and wooden toys. One of the unique aspects of their personalized photo books is that they digitally convert your child’s photo ( which you upload while personalizing), into a painting that blends well with the book’s characters and settings. So, it’s really as if your child is a part of the story.  I See Me offers a fresh perspective to personalized books – the child’s!  Their popular product The World According to (Child) book uses the child’s own imagination, illustrations and answers to various questions to create the final product. In this and a few other products, I See Me engages the child in the book’s creation process, which could be a great family project as well as a way to put your child’s imagination and time to productive use in producing something that he is sure to read, enjoy and be proud of for a long time. I particularly like their My Very Own Name book and floor puzzle, which I think make great gifts for young children learning to spell or read their names. The book, of course, makes a lovely newborn gift as well. Both places offer excellent customer service, timely delivery and the personalization process is fairly easy and enjoyable.

2. Picture or Photo Books – Every drug store or discount store that offers photo printing, also offers several custom photo gifts such as mugs, picture books, clocks, calendars and the like.  To some people, these gifts may seem lame or far too common. After all, haven’t we all received a photo calendar or desk clock at some point?  But I find that creating picture books, especially using captions or a storyline that a child can relate to makes them inexpensive and memorable gifts. Babies love looking at pictures of people, especially people they know. So, next time, maybe skip the photo calendar or clock for the grown-ups. But, go for the picture books with photos of grandma, aunts, uncles and cousins for the baby.

3. Make your own personalized books at home! It doesn’t get any more personal. It doesn’t have to be super-professional. Or it could be, if you like. Just think up your own stories about your kids and other familiar characters. If imagination lets you down, add a new twist to old stories by changing the names and settings. Use family pictures, clipart images, pencil sketches, hand-made drawings, pages from your child’s coloring book or old photographs to illustrate your book. Depending on your skill level and available time, you can make the books as professional-looking as you want.  Involve your child in the process if he is old enough. Ask him to suggest character and place names, and how a story might turn out. Include their doodles in the book. You could either use self-publishing services such as Lulu to publish your book. Or choose a simpler, hand-made, home-made version. 

So there! If there’s a birthday coming up or even if there’s no occasion, but you just feel like indulging a little guy or girl you know, a personalized storybook is sure to win little hearts. And find you a place there even when they’re not so little any more.

Multitasking may be the mantra of parenthood . It may seem that juggling multiple things may be the only way to do everything and how you keep your family and work [...]]]> If you’re a parent, you probably do laundry, answer the phone, fix dinner and check emails while you settle a sibling fight. Every night.

Multitasking may be the mantra of parenthood . It may seem that juggling multiple things may be the only way to do everything and how you keep your family and work life running.  But, there are times when you just. have.to.stop. And do one thing well.

Recent surveys and studies show that, in fact, multitasking decreases our efficiency and productivity, and we actually end up taking longer to finish a task. The age old way of focusing on one activity at a time and giving it undivided attention not only gets the job done well and on time, but also helps get more done in a given time frame.

That said, it may not be easy to follow. Moms can’t just stop multitasking after doing it for countless generations.

However, when it comes to certain activities and aspects of our lives, I think it is very important that we give them the whole-hearted attention they warrant. With our modern day lifestyles, few of us can afford this luxury. Regardless of our strengths and abilities, it’s as if we must learn to do a hundred things at once, or we fail.  Some of us may thrive on this kind of pressure. It’s as if we don’t know how to do fewer things at a time anymore. But if you’re like me, you like to take things slower. Sure, I can multitask(who can’t?), but I don’t prefer to, sometimes. But I must anyway.

Driving, studying and writing, for example, are tasks which, I like to be 100% focused on. I don’t eat or chat on the phone and can’t change my baby’s diapers while driving(yes, there are supermoms who can, apparently.) Or maybe I can, but really, really don’t prefer to. I can’t stand to have the TV blaring in the background as I try to write or study. Or even think. But I’ve learned to cope.

When it comes to reading to my daughter though, it’s a whole other issue.

Reading to Baby – Do Not Disturb

While we’re reading, I’m not sure who among the two of us is less tolerant of interruptions. The margin is likely to be very slim.

You see, I consider reading with my daughter ‘our time’. It’s the only time she’ll agree to snuggle up these days. (These impossible 3 year olds!) Pretty much the only time when we don’t argue, “But why?”,” But I like it,”, “No!” or have a negotiation session that would put world leaders to shame.

Reading time is when my daughter and I are in sync.

And I’m pretty sure, that for those few minutes, there’s almost nothing on the planet that’s more important. And even if it is, it can wait. M won’t.

So, I like to make the best of those few minutes every chance we get. Which isn’t as much as it used to be.

But even if it’s just 5-10 minutes, I think that setting that time aside just to read with your baby and do nothing else during that time is critical.

Why it’s important to separate reading time from other activities -

• It sends your child the message that reading time is special.
• That Mommy or Daddy thinks it’s so important, they don’t allow interruptions. Even from other grown-ups.
• And more than anything else, without interruptions or distractions to dilute the joy of reading together, you and your baby truly experience the beauty of the moment and the process.

So, it doesn’t matter whether you read for 5 minutes or 50, whether it’s bedtime or before-you-rush-out-to-work time.

When you’re reading to baby, read. Don’t text. Or answer the phone. Or check the oven. Or stir the pot. Check emails. Engage in a conversation with someone else. Or do anything that takes away from the magic of those few moments.

When you’re reading to your baby, let it be just you and her. Let the rest of the world fade away. Focus on reading, pointing to pictures and words, asking questions, answering questions, making eye contact, sharing a joke or a funny moment, reassuring your baby if she’s disturbed, loving the moment, enjoying the book and savoring the experience you share with your baby.

When you read to your baby, give it your all. Be present 100%.

Soon, it will be over. And you can go back to being supermom.

The nightmare no parent can escape. The day their child learns to say and use ‘No’. Repeatedly.

But, there is actually one instance when it’s kind of cute (!!) to hear your little one say ‘No’ over and over. And that is when you read Where’s Spot with him. This classic board book about [...]]]> “No!!” “No!” “No!”

The nightmare no parent can escape. The day their child learns to say and use ‘No’. Repeatedly.

But, there is actually one instance when it’s kind of cute (!!) to hear your little one say ‘No’ over and over. And that is when you read Where’s Spot with him. This classic board book about a Mommy dog looking for her son Spot at dinner time is a great choice for infants, older babies and toddlers alike. That’s because it has enjoyable elements that they don’t outgrow for a long time.

When your baby is really young, you’ll probably have to do all the lifting and turning in this lift the flap board book. On each page, you and your baby will help Spot’s Mom look for Spot inside the clock, under the bed, under the stairs and rug. As you lift each flap and ask the question ‘ Is he (here)?’, your baby will be delighted to hear you say ‘ No!”. The suspense builds as you look for him in various places, discovering other hidden animals along the way, before finally finding Spot just in time for supper.

As your baby grows, he’ll be excited to lift the flaps himself and say “No” as you turn each page together. (Don’t be surprised if a few flaps go missing after some time. There’s only so much patience and gentle handling you can expect from a toddler! Use your hands to cover Spot’s probable hiding places instead to make it all the more fun for your little one to lift your palm and look for Spot.)

Soon your toddler will probably be able to ‘read’ the sentences from memory and answer the question himself. “Is he behind the door?” ” No! “. This is a fun phase. Because, you don’t really have to do much except sit back and watch him do all the reading, lifting and discovering. And although you both know that he knows where Spot really is, it’s fun to watch him wonder if he’s behind the door or under the bed.

My little girl received Where’s Spot as a gift when she was about 5 months old. She enjoyed it through her first and second year. Although she is 3 now and has probably outgrown it, and although the now tattered book has seen better days….I still don’t have the heart to discard it…just yet. Every time I look at the familiar blue and yellow cover, I’m reminded of the countless times my daughter and I have looked for and found Spot together. There’s just something about that memory that I haven’t still outgrown myself.

Also,

- It’s a compact sized book – light and easy to carry, may fit in your bag. So is a good choice for a road trip or long flight.
- If supper time is a struggle with your child, you could use the simple hide and seek concept in this book to get your kid to eat. Play a mock hide and seek game and every time you ‘find’ him, he has to come back and eat a bite or a spoonful.

A few months ago, my daughter M and I read [...]]]> Hi there! I’m so glad you stopped by.  This is my first post on this blog and I just wanted to share a little story about my daughter. ( I promise there won’t be too many of these and I’ll *try* to keep this one short!)

A few months ago, my daughter M and I read a book titled ‘ Watch out Wilf’. I picked it out from the library and we read it as soon as we got home. It’s a really sweet story about a Mommy mouse and her son, Wilf who just doesn’t know how to stay out of trouble…although he really, really wants to! Every time his mom says, “Watch out Wilf” it’s already too late and Wilf has invariably crashed into, broken or spilled something.

I’m sure we read that book at least 45-50 times. After we had read it a few times, something funny started happening. My daughter, who was a little over 2 at the time, started acting the book out. So as I cooked or carried out some other chore, she would scamper like a little mouse, pretending to be really mischievous(not that she had to try too hard), and say ” Mommy, now you say, ” Watch out Wilf!”" And so we began pretending to be Wilf and WIlf’s Mommy. She would want to enact the book at least a few times every day. She would invariably remember the events in the book, in random order at times, and as she went about pretending to do all the spilling and breaking, I would have to take my cue and cry out, ” Watch out Wilf!” Now, to anyone witnessing the scene, it might have seemed like the stress of motherhood had driven me bonkers. But to us, it was the most delightful of times. I had such a whale of a time playing it out with M that after a few weeks, when she lost interest in the game, I kind of missed it!!

The sweetest part in the book is when after a really busy day of rescuing Wilf from trouble, Mommy Mouse plops down on her chair, completely worn out. Wilf, who feels bad, makes her a surprise gift basket to cheer her up.

Now, this part, M still remembers!

Some days, when she’s been really naughty and I am clearly more exhausted than normal, she pretends to make me a gift too. It’s usually some scribbles on a piece of paper, wrapped in a cloth or scrap paper she finds in her room. But the gesture is so moving and the imp looks so incredibly cute as she tries to make up for her mischief, that I do indeed feel better instantly.

And that’s why I enjoy reading with my baby so much. It’s not just the few minutes that we read the book together. To me, it’s about creating a memory that’s imprinted in my mind forever. She may not remember every single book we read or experience we’ve shared…but I probably will. When I glance at any of the books we’ve read together, I can instantly recall something funny or silly or moving in connection with the book. I also feel that with every book I read with her, I am becoming more a part of her life and vice versa. After all, it is that shared experience of creating memories and the joy of spending time together that makes all the sleepless nights and changing diapers worth it. Right?

What do you enjoy most about reading with your little one? I would love to hear all about it!

P.S : If you want to know a little more about this addiction I’ve developed, read about it here.