When I was verry little, my mother used to recite to me a beautiful poem, composed by George Cosbuc, one of Romania’s best known poets. It was called “In the Christmas evening” and the verses I loved the most and I used to repeat a lot around Christmas time were something like that:
“The bed is made. But who wants to sleep
When mother tells in her sweet voice about Jesus Christ?
How he was born in the poor cold stables
And the Ox blows upon him to warm him.”
And that image, of a little boy being born in poverty and cold, have always made me very sad.
When my own daughter asked me about Jesus and how he was born in Christmas day I told her everything I knew about it.
This year I wanted to put a book and an image to the story. And I wanted it to be a story and not a religious book. So I found this book, “Room for a little one”, by Martin Wadell.
We first encounter Martin Wadell’s sweet writting in “Can’t you sleep little bear?”.
Then we red “Owl babies”, another favourite from my daughter’s early childhood.
Room for a little one is a sweet picture book for young children about the night when Jesus came to world. With his mother Maria and his father Joseph by his side. And all the animals in the stable also.
The illustrations are very gentle and looks as they are photos of actual animals.
And the kindness and love you feel on every page is so warming that, after 40 years, the image of the Little boy being born in the cold stables, doesn’t make me sad anymore. I was glad that he had the Kind Ox by him side, the dog, the stray cat and the little mouse too. And his parents, Joseph and Maria, of course.
And the most warming of all was my daughter reaction to the book: she said to me “Mama, look!There is always room for a little one, mama!”
So, we wish you a Merry Christmas and to always try to find room for a little one in your heart!
As a first time parent, all around you is new, happening very fast and overwhelming. You grow as parent at the same pace as your baby grows, but you are the one responsable for him, so the pressure can be really big sometimes. And you try to go with your instincts, but sometimes it is not enough. Adding the society induced guilt or the feeling you constant have that you are doing it all wrong, it’s not an easy job. The grandmas who did it their way and “look, you are fine now!” don’t help much either. Or the others mums who put pressure or begin every unasked advice with “But listen, why don’t you do….?”
So, after a little sobbing, you put yourself together and start looking for solutions. And you read all it interest you and take online courses and watch youtube presentations and reviews and all the “best of the best” tops you can find.
But lots of them are a little too official or too impersonal. The lady presenting the magic diapers doesn’t have a single child. Or the parenting guru with 3 children raised by nannies or grandmas, is she the best to tell you, a fulltime mama, what is the best approch to everything? Maybe yes or maybe not.
When all of this is not helping either, you look for a more tailored solution. A experienced story from someone who actually lived it before you; or a product tried by a person you know or at least had the same journey you had. And if this won’t help either, at least you have a someone to point your dissapointment at.
I will start this series of tailored experiences from the begging: baby first books. I read to my daughter everything, since she was in my womb. Then, I start researching a lot and making lists and wishlists and go through top best books of all time. I studied about the golden age of illustration, about the most renowed authors and their work. And now, at almost 6yo, my daughter’s library has hundreds of books, from ones of the best authors and illustrators of all times. Some are in English and some in Romanian, our mother tongue language. We still have 90% of all the books I ever bought to her, because she still likes to read them from time to time. Even the baby books 🙂
All the experts say that when is born a baby sees the world around him in black and white. At first he sees only shadows and contours, then is able to see the entire object or the entire person in front of him. To recognised it when appears in front of him.
So, natural and adapted to their development, the first books that we should introduce to them, have to be in the same chromatic and form: black and white, with clear and simple contours of object, people and animals. And then we can move to sensorial and interactive books, with lift the flap options, for the little hands to explore and discover. Books with sound (but attention, not too loud or scary sounds, you risk traumatizing your child!). Books with rimes and repetitive words and sounds.
Board books are a great choice because they are sturdy and the child can chew on them without the risk of choking or shallowing paper or cardboard. And the endurance factor is an important one also, since they are not so easily to break or bent.
My selection of board baby books is not the largest one, but it can be a starting point for your baby first library.
I will start with (who else could I start with?) … the one and only Eric Carle!
Eric Carle was born in 1929 in Syracuse, New York, and for the last 45 years has written and illustrated tens of books for young children. He is best known for one’s of his first books, “The Very Hungry Caterpillar”. It is a beautiful book about nature, transformation, friendship, counting, learning numbers and also fruits and food.
Eric Carle The very hungry caterpillar
The first renewed book he ever illustrated was “Brown bear, brown bear what do you see?” with lyrics by Bill Martin jr.
From his work we also have red “The Grounchy Ladybug”, a book that teaches young children about kindness and giving and the power of friendship. Thewy also can learn the time and things about different animals.
Eric Carle The Grounchy Ladybug
Another great book that he wrote is called “Dream Snow”. Is the story of an old man who loves his animals very much. And in the evening before Christmas he prepares a gift for every one of them and goes out and puts ornaments in the only tree he has in his yard and leaves the presents for all the 5 animals under that tree.
Eric Carle The Dream Snow
“Papa, please get the moon for me” is a gentle book about a father’s love for his daughter. Who will do anything for her, even bring her the big old moon. And there are many more other great titles by Eric Carle to choose from for you to read with your baby.
The next remarcable author to choose as a first reading to your baby is David A. Carter. He has a lot of funny pop-up books, among wich the “Yellow square” is the most famous. In the same tehnique is the seasons series that contains “Spring”, “Summer”, “Autumn” and “ Winter”. His books are very attractive for the young readers. And are also very interactive, quality that makes them a favourite in any little child library.
B is for Box The Happy Little Yellow Box A Pop -up book by David A. Carter
I will mention then the book by P.D.Eastman “Go, dog, go!”. I had it on the wishlist for so long, that when time came to actually buy it for my daughter, she was a little too big for it. But she can read it all by herself, so it was a win after all. And, at one page we can also see the little bird from “Are you my mother?”, another lovely book by P.D. Eastman that we still read at almost 6 yo. Another plus is the Netflix series with the „Go, dog go” characters, that is much loved by the kids. Well, mine at least 🙂
P.D. Eastman Go, dog, go!
Christie Matheson has another beautiful board books series about action and effect, seasons, nature, the changes in nature as the times passes. We have “Tap the magic tree” book and the “Touch the brightest star” by this author. At every page the child is encouraged to do something ( clap his hands, blow, touch an element) and on the next page he gets to see the change, the effect of his previous action.
Christie Matheson Tap the magic tree
I think that the next author, Maurice Sendak, needs no introduction. Renewed author and prize winner, his book “Where the wild things are” is an all time bestselling book. “Chicken soup with rice” is a lovely calendar book in rimes for smaller babies, in wich each month is depicted in simple and yet expressive rimes, that the little readers will love to hear over and over again. And, of course, they will learn that the chicken soup with rice is a must in every month of the year.
Maurice Sendak Chicken soup with rice
Ladybird publishing house has a lot of wonderful titles for children of all ages. We have a Peppa pig serie from them and it was one’s of my daughter favorite’s character book for years.
At last I want to talk about Usborne publishing. Their collection of books for the early ages is the most impressive: activity books, baby books, sensorial books, books with sound or wind toys, puzzle books, art books. For ages between 0 to young adult, so you have a very wide range to choose from. Which can be overwhelming, I know, for a first time parent. I bought the first book with sounds from Usborne when I was pregnant with my daughter. It had only 4 sturdy cardbord pages, each with a different sound from an animal or object ( monkey, duck, car, sheep). My daughter was terrified at first by all the noise, but loved the images. I took out the batteries and she would “read” the book daily for an year or so. But she had a more bigger problem with loud sounds at that age, so I wouldn’t blame Usborne for her being scare of the loud sounds. Then, at 2-3 yo, she asks us to put back the batteries so she could listen to the sounds. She also received a very nice sensory book from Usborne, but now, if she were a baby again, I wouldn’t invest much in sensory books. You can offer your baby a lot of sensory stimulation from getting in contact with different materials and textures: wool, felt, fur, wood, grass, moss, beads, rice, flour, etc. Which I totaly recommend, since I saw children age 1-3 with a lot sensory issues.
Here, my daughter is helping me presenting “Night time” a peep-inside book from Usborne.
Night time A peep-inside Usborne book
We also have in our board books collection two books for older kids. One is “The night before Christmas”, by Clement C. Moore and illustration by Roger Duvoisin, the “father” of Petunia, the lovely goose all children loves. The text is a bit too long for a toddler patience, but you can at first show them the picture and talk a little about some of the ideas in the book.
Clement C. Moore and Roger Duvoisin The night before Christmas
The second one is “Leaf Jumpers” by Carole Gerber and illustrated by Leslie Evans. Is a funny book about autumn and all the sorts and shapes of leaves. And the fun the little ones have jumping in leaves piles…
Carole Gerber and Leslie Evans Leaf Jumpers
As a conclusion to a long and comprehensive text: read to your baby anything, anytime, any book. He will love the sound of your voice and the intimacy between you two. For baby books, the board boks are more likely to resist and not to hurm the baby ( cuts in the paper, chewing on it, etc).
You don’t have to invest a lot at first. For start, buy a small selection and see his reaction. You can also buy them preowned, are easily to desinfect since the cardboard is sturdy and not affected if you weap it clean with an antibacterial napkin. When the baby is older and doesn’t show interest in the books, you can give them to other babies ( we did that with the books my daughter didn’t want tot read anymore) or sell them to buy new books for your children. Or donate them to a local kindergarden or library.
I’m preparing some materials for the activities I want to do with her today. I print some images and drawings for colouring, I trace contours on a cardboard and I apply adhesive tape on it.
Little miss is watching cartoons on TV. Even if she knows some of the episodes by heart, she pays a lot of attention to all of her favourites. She likes some of the characters so much that she tells us all about their adventures, with lots and lots of details. She loves to tell stories, every little adventure becomes a fascinating story when she tells it.
I do not know from whom she has this gift of storytelling, her mother is an engineer!
The publicity break starts and she comes to inspect the work table:
– Oau, how cool! You did this? she asks, turning the piece of cardboard I’m working on. And all of this beautiful drawings! We will colour them later, ok?
– Later, tomorrow, whenever you will like!
– I already told you, later, now I can’t! I have important things to do, children things!
I don’t dare to ask her what important things she has to do, I’m afraid she will start a list with lots of household chores. Like she did the other night,when her father came home from work and asked her what she did all day. She said that she dusted, made muffins, eat them, watered all the flowers (we only have 5 or 6 pots with flowers, but hey, who am I to comment?) washed the laundry…
– Oh! Is that so? And what important things you have to do right now? I reply after a few seconds I need to gather the courage to ask.
– To play, to watch cartoons, to organise missions with my superheroes team, I have important things to do, mama! Children things!
When I was little, the middle of June was the happiest time of the entire year. It was the end of the school year and the begining of summer holiday. We would braid crowns from oak leaves to receive as prices for our academic results, we would make plans with our friends to meet and play all summer long.
Today is officialy the last day of this school year. In fact, the kids haven’t set foot on a classroom in the last 3 moths. They haven’t seen each other, nor their educators or theachers.
For my daughter is the last day of kindergarten. For the last 4 years, she had a teacher. Her first teacher. The arms that welcomed her with love and patience, the arms she ran to everytime she needed. The eyes that validated her accomplishments, the voice that taught her all the things she needed to know. To become the preschooler that she is today. A young girl that seems to know everything already. And which, for the last 3 months, had only one wish: to be her teacher’s student one more day, after the bad virus goes away.
It seems that this was one wish faith didn’t grant her…
In life, in any stage or relationship, we all need closure. To prepair ourselves for what it is about to end and to enjoy the time we still have together. Somehow this pandemic took away from our children the right to this important stage, closure. They should have been able to say good-bye in their own classroom, to properly hug their classmates and teachers they are saying good-bye to.
If one good thing came from this horrific time is that our kids learned to adapt even more than they had to before. They understood that we cannot go to the park or to the playground, that we have to wear mask in public places, that we cannot meet or hug with our loved ones. The pandemic took all that away too from our children.
But it didn’t took the love they feel in their little hearts. The love will always be there to remind them who they are, who they were, who our teachers or classmates were!
Family is that feeling of complete safety and belonging. Is where you can relax after a hard day of work or where you can recharge your batteries. It is mother’s hug when you see each other after the classes. Or playing in dad’s hair when he comes home from work and a tiny voice, the most precious voce in the world, tells him: Dada, you should shave, your kisses are hurting my cheeks!
Family is home, your own house or it can be someone who is very far away, but still close to your heart. And which, with just one word, makes you feel like everything is alright, even if to you it seems that the world around you is falling apart. Family means not only the people that have the same name you do. Family stands for everyone who supports and encourages you to go further, even when the obstacle is big and you can’t see anything beyond it. Family is like a big invisible mechanism that helps you go go through everything, to enjoy the happiness and cry the sadness.
For the little ones family are all the people dear to them. The ones they feel comfortable with, they play with as much as they want and share stories about moon, stars and everything in between. The ones that have the time to discover all the surprises life had prepared for them. The ones that encourages them to move further when the fear had blocked every movement. The ones they laugh with, eat ice cream at noon or a big bowl of popcorn at ten o’clock in the evening.
The ones that tells them that is okay to make mistakes sometimes because nobody is perfect anyway.
Family? Family is each one of us and all of us together.
Today we celebrate Earth Day. I’m talking with my 5 year old daughter about Earth Day and we read some books we have about Earth. Then, in a sad kind of voice, she begins: – If I would only knew that this bad virus will come, I would have had the space rocket repaired. That way we could celebrate it’s day by going around it or maybe going to the Moon and back. I say nothing. What can I say, I wonder? She continues: – The rocket with wich I came from the little Moon, remember? It broke when I landed. It was green and had no.2 painted on it. Mattew had the one with no.1, it was red. But now we have to celebrated here. I will draw something nice for it, a cake and some flowers maybe. – Well, after all, I say, the Earth is our home, no? I think it is nice that we get to celebrated it at home. Giving it a chance to recover a little from all the damaged we have caused it. – Oh,no! The Earth is damaged too? Like my space rocket?! This is the worst news and the worst day! It is not a happy day anymore, mama, you ruin it!
Although all the people in my family were avid readers, my first reading alone experience wasn’t so good. Some prince in a dramatic Romanian folk story had gone in the land beyond everything and when he returned, everybody in his family was dead. So, here comes one of the biggest trauma of my childhood. This is the reason why, until high school, I limited my readings to the mandatory lists I receive from my teachers.
Then, Jules Verne, Dumas, Heidi or The three musketeers came and little by little the trauma disappeared. No one was dying anymore, no one was left all alone in the world, without his loved ones. When I discovered the books from my parents and my grandparents library, I would “borrow” a book from my grandmother and when I would take it back we would stay with a cup of tea in front of us and discussed it.
At my mother parents house I discovered a first edition, from 1942, of the book that would become my favourite book of all time. It was called “A murit Luchi” , translated “Luchi is gone” and was written by a Romanian author named Otilia Cazimir. It is autobiographical and the main character, a preschool girl called Luchi has a lot of adventures until one day, the day that she has to go to school. In the first day of school, her teacher calls her by her birth name, Otilia, and at first she doesn’t respond. Then, like in a dream, she realises that she is no longer Luchi, the little girl. She had become somehow this Otilia, the schoolgirl.
I used to read that book all the time, alone or with my mother, I knew it by heart. Is was a book with no pictures and only in 2011 was released a new illustrated edition of it. I bough it, of course, and I was shocked by the illustrations: the Luchi from my imagination couldn’t possible look like that!
In high school, under the influence of my coleagues, I started reading filosophy. I remember reading Kafka with the dictionary right beside me. Soon I discover that filosophy wasn’t for me. As they weren’t for me the motivational books. I mean I would always have an existential revelation when reading such a book, but I would soon forget the content, before getting to that „better me” version.
Then, for a long period, I bought a lot of books online, in kindle version, all the „trending” novels: Twilight, Game of Thrones or His dark materials ( the translation of wich, in Romanian -my mother tongue language, left me very dissapointed).
When I became a mother, in my late 30’s, Alfie Kohn, Anne Bacus or Sir Ken Robinson were my allies in fighting my DNA, the habits from my own home or the stuff I learned in my comunist childhood.
Soon started the era of picture books that we red to our daughter. I read all the reviews and international tops and I bought my daughter all the best picture books I would find. She is 5 now and already has a library bigger than ours (maybe because of lack of space or priorities). We read whith her, for her, for us. She sees us reading and when we begin a new book she studies the cover or tries reading the title. Sometimes she would ask us what the book is about or if we could read a few pages to her.
I like reading any good original story. Because everyone has a story to tell, even if is not his own.
And because sometimes the stories we read or we tell today become the reality we make it possible tomorrow, all by ourselves.
Reading is something we owe to ourselves, because one idea gives life to another idea, words come from other words, our evolution is based on the things we learn from others before us. More talented, more experienced, more original, with different views on the world around us. Because life isn’t about one tree, it is about the forest. And the stronger the trees are, the stronger the forest is in the face of the storm. And the forest around my daughter is a fragile one, a new one, that goes where the strong winds takes it. And we have to change something in us first to make the forest strong again.
little humans 