Category Archives: Reading Aloud

My Heart’s at Home; Practical Help for The Woman Who Wants to be a Stay-at-Home Mom

09 Monday Jan 2012

Posted by in becoming a stay at home mom, Cleaning, goals, Health, Homemaking, Inspirational Mama, Marraige, Practical Help, Reading Aloud, Thoughts and Prayers

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Today I begin a series of posts aimed at the woman who longs to stay home with her children.
(There I go, again, with a picture of a mother reading to her child. I slip those in every opportunity I have!)

I am giving a nod to Laura at The Thinking Housewife because this series was inspired by what I read there.

I want to call your attention to a woman who wrote into The Thinking Housewife who desperately wants to stay home with her child but can’t afford to. Please read the beginning of the post One Woman’s Anti-Feminist Awakening
and then scroll waaay down and find Sarah Nelson’s response to the woman(as you scroll down you will see my response as well).

Sarah shared her own journey back home and the kind of hard choices she and her husband made in order for her to be at home with their child. Sarahs deliberate and careful hard work at home is one reason why I hate the term “stay-at-home-mom.” Wives and mothers who are successfully hewing, building and hammering a loving and faithful marriage and family are not just staying at home! They are planning, working, saving, feeding, loving, praying, cleaning, beautifying; in short, working very hard at home!

So, pour yourself a big glass of water (it’s winter when you need more water,girlfriend!) and read about Sarah and how she was able to stay at home with her child in spite of school loans that needed to be paid.

I contacted Sarah and interviewed her because I wanted to learn more about what she went through in order to make the adjustment to working at home with her child. I”ll be posting that interesting interview in two days.

Are you a mom whose heart longs to be home or do you know someone who feels that way? Ask them to join us as we encourage those whose hearts are at home.

As always, I love to hear from you!

Don’t Hug a Grudge by Donna Perugini; A Giveaway

22 Thursday Dec 2011

Posted by in Book Review, Books, Give Away, Guest Post, Holiday, Holy Bible, Home Education, Inspirational Mama, Reading Aloud, Sharing Jesus, Thoughts and Prayers

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What better way to end this year and start the new one than to teach our children about forgiveness?

I am thrilled to introduce my friend Donna Perugini today. I met Donna through the Northwest Christian Writers Association and am privileged to know her. Donna is an children’s author and has such a fun website for those who teach and mother children.

I love her book Don’t Hug a Grudge and Donna is generously giving away a copy to my readers. To be entered to win,leave a comment on this post telling us what you love best about the child/children in your life. Drawing is on January 8th!

Donna, welcome to Generational Womanhood. Thanks for stopping by!

I’m so glad to be here, Jill.

When did you begin writing? Have you always wanted to be a writer? What motivates you?

I began writing stories in high school. Even then I began with a childrens book. It never occurred to me that I could be an author. The desire was really planted as I stood speaking with a group of women at a company home party. One of them posed the question, “What do you want to do next in your life?” The first thing that came to my thoughts was, “I want to write a children’s book. Not too long after that, that’s exactly what I did!

What motivates me is teaching children. I was the childrens church leader for 30 years in various churches (we moved every few years due to my husband’s job). I’d put together a program with puppet skits, object lessons and needed stories to get the point across to the children. The stories that are now in books were first tested on our childrens church.

Why do you write for children? What do you want to communicate to children through your books?

I write for children because that’s what I do the best! I’m a teacher that wants to ‘cut the Word of God into bite-sized pieces’ for those precious little hearts. A woman was in touch with me about The Flight of Orville Wright Caterpillar. She relates that the book was so much a part of her life that she held on to her dream like Orville did. This girl was 16 when she entered a tragic time in her life. “I TOLD MY MOM ABOUT THE TIMES I WOULD THINK ABOUT ORVILLE AND HOW THE STORY REMINDED ME TO KEEP DREAMING (GOD’S DREAM!) DURING THE DIFFICULT TIMES – YOU KNOW, THE DREAM GOD HAS PUT IN EACH ONE OF US TO BE WHAT HE HAS PLANNED FOR US TO BE.” She told me she is now living God’s dream for her life.

In my books I want to teach children about close friendships (especially with Jesus), the dream that God has put in their heart, prayer, overcoming fear, angels and forgiving.

Who would benefit from these books? Are they sermons? For Sunday school? What creative ways can they be used (besides reading them to a child).

Every child that is read or reads the books would benefit. They have been turned into sermons. Joyce Meyer of Joyce Meyer Ministries International used the book, Don’t Hug a Grudge entirely in her teaching on “Bitterness, Resentment and Unforgiveness”. It’s tape # 2, “Are you holding a grudge or is the grudge holding you?” in the tape series. I received letters, emails and phone calls from all over the world asking about the book described and used in Joyce’s teaching.

I’ve been putting up curriculum that goes with the books on my blog(www.DonnaPeruginiChildrensAuthor.com) so Sunday School and Children’s Church teachers can use the books as lessons. The curriculum has an explanation of each part of the book, The Flight of Orville Wright Caterpillar, along with coloring pages, a craft and a crossword puzzle. It’s also set up to use for Easter time lessons with a place to order cocoons that will open for a real life butterfly experience, just like Orville.

Each of the first three Orville series books has songs written for them as guitar chords and put into video format with the illustrations from the books. The songs would be wonderful as the children sing for adults on Easter morning!

For the aspiring writers among us, tell us how you write. Do you keep a daily schedule?
I haven’t put a lot of time into writing children’s books, but keeping up the blog keeps the ‘juices’ flowing. If you are an aspiring writer, you need to have an ‘author’s platform’ in place before sending out your manuscripts. The publishers expect authors to be out selling books through blogging, social networking, speaking engagements…any and all creative ways to sell books.

Do you have any words of wisdom to share with those who want to write and be published?

Join a writer’s group like Northwest Christian Writers or Society of Children‘s Book Writers. Your group choice would depend on your genre. Get into a critique group. Publishers expect you to be professional and understand the ‘making of a book’ to the ‘distribution’ of a book. They believe you will become professional if you are a part of the professionals…”birds of a feather flock together”. Look for Chip MacGregors blog, one of many out there. He’s putting out very professional explanations for manuscripts, querying, etc.

Tell us about the book you are sharing with us Don’t Hug a Grudge (love the title by the way!). My six year old really liked this book but you recommend it for 8 and up. Why did you write it?

I recommended it for 8, but parents can decide if it fits their child’s age. Your 6 year old is very perceptive!
Looking around at my own children and the children at church led me to notice a lot of grudging going on. As parents we think that it’s just a phase our child is going through…a sandbox-fight type of grudge. Leave them alone and they’ll get over it. We are to be teaching our children what the Word says in their terms.

As adults we use a lot of terms like, ‘hold a grudge, nurse a grudge, feed a grudge’. I took the stages of unforgiveness and show how a grudge is so innocent looking, you pick it up and hold it in the beginning, but given time it grows into resentment (where you don’t hold it….it holds you). Then it grows into bitterness (whose root goes deep). Bitterness causes you to hate the ones you love.

In the same book you’ll find both English and Spanish. A Spanish speaking blog is using the Book Trailer, Don’t Hug a Grudge as an engaging way to teach adults and children Spanish. The Book Trailer has the words spoken in English first and then Spanish. The Book Trailer is downloadable.

A prison chaplain requested some Don’t Hug a Grudge books for their jail in Illinois. It’s also been used by recovery groups, bible studies, Operation Shoebox, and missionaries in foreign countries. Children who read the book are taught how to recognize a grudge when it’s small and send it on its way with the Word of God.

I know your blog has a number of great resources for those who have children in their lives. What are they?

My blog is full of useful resources that are free for the downloading. Look under the top tabs on the blog. You’ll find Songs, Guitar Chords, Coloring Pages, Crossword Puzzles, Curriculum with Craft, and Music Videos.

Be sure to sign up by email on the right side of the blog. You’ll be updated when new curriculum is added. If you sign up on Google’s Friend Follow, keep in mind that it will be discontinued in March 2012 for those who are not using Blogger. By signing up by email it will always be in your email box, along with other announcements for newly added items. I blog about child related helpful info for parents and grandparents.

Thank you so much, Donna, for stopping by my little corner of the web today. May the Lord bless you as you minister to the next generation through your writing!

I know that my book, Don’t Hug a Grudge, will find a good home and be useful to some parents somewhere. If people don’t win and are looking to purchase the book, they can find it on my author website www.DonnaPerugini.com or through my blog by clicking on the Amazon changing book covers on the right side of my blog. They’re $4.99 each plus shipping and the other three books are $7.99 each plus shipping.

To be entered to win a copy of Donnas book Don’t Hug a Grudge, leave a message sharing what you love about the children in your life.The drawing will be on January 8th so the child in your life can enjoy a new book in the New Year!

Happy December 21st! Some Gifts to Celebrate!

21 Wednesday Dec 2011

Posted by in Book Review, Books, Give Away, Holiday, Holy Bible, Inspirational Mama, Practical Help, Reading Aloud, Rest and Refreshment, Sharing Jesus, Thomas Nelson, Thoughts and Prayers, Writing

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During these last few days before Christmas I have three gifts for you :-) and because it is December 21st I also have reason to celebrate because today is the shortest, darkest day of the year! That means (for those of us in the far North)things are looking up.Yes, this is the “turn” of the year. Tomorrow (December 22nd)I will be publishing my interview with a lovely children’s author who is giving away a wonderful book(the drawing will be on January 8th).

The next day (December 23rd) I will be sharing a free recording of a message I gave to a beautiful group from MomsNext about the life of little Mary, the mother of Jesus. Finally, don’t forget that I am giving away a copy of Why Men Hate Going to Church on Christmas Eve (December 24th…as if you didn’t know:) so leave a comment on that post. Merry Christmas from Doug and Jill, Lorna, Phillip, Rosie, Hannah, Kealen, Noah, Abby and Patrick Farris. Emmanuel! God is with us!

More Reasons to Read to Your Children this Christmas

15 Thursday Dec 2011

Posted by in Books, Holiday, Home Education, Humor, Inspirational Mama, Practical Help, Reading Aloud

≈ 4 Comments

Television

The most important thing we’ve learned,
So far as children are concerned,
Is never, NEVER, NEVER let
Them near your television set –
Or better still, just don’t install
The idiotic thing at all.

In almost every house we’ve been,
We’ve watched them gaping at the screen.
They loll and slop and lounge about,
And stare until their eyes pop out.
(Last week in someone’s place we saw
A dozen eyeballs on the floor.)
They sit and stare and stare and sit
Until they’re hypnotised by it,
Until they’re absolutely drunk
With all that shocking ghastly junk.

Oh yes, we know it keeps them still,
They don’t climb out the window sill,
They never fight or kick or punch,
They leave you free to cook the lunch
And wash the dishes in the sink –
But did you ever stop to think,
To wonder just exactly what
This does to your beloved tot?

IT ROTS THE SENSE IN THE HEAD!
IT KILLS IMAGINATION DEAD!
IT CLOGS AND CLUTTERS UP THE MIND!
IT MAKES A CHILD SO DULL AND BLIND
HE CAN NO LONGER UNDERSTAND
A FANTASY, A FAIRYLAND!
HIS BRAIN BECOMES AS SOFT AS CHEESE!
HIS POWERS OF THINKING RUST AND FREEZE!
HE CANNOT THINK — HE ONLY SEES!

‘All right!’ you’ll cry. ‘All right!’ you’ll say,
‘But if we take the set away,
What shall we do to entertain
Our darling children? Please explain!’

We’ll answer this by asking you,
‘What used the darling ones to do?
‘How used they keep themselves contented
Before this monster was invented?’
Have you forgotten? Don’t you know?
We’ll say it very loud and slow:
THEY … USED … TO … READ! They’d READ and READ,
AND READ and READ, and then proceed
To READ some more. Great Scott! Gadzooks!
One half their lives was reading books!
The nursery shelves held books galore!
Books cluttered up the nursery floor!
And in the bedroom, by the bed,
More books were waiting to be read!

Such wondrous, fine, fantastic tales
Of dragons, gypsies, queens, and whales
And treasure isles, and distant shores

Where smugglers rowed with muffled oars,
And pirates wearing purple pants,
And sailing ships and elephants,
And cannibals crouching ’round the pot,
Stirring away at something hot.
(It smells so good, what can it be?
Good gracious, it’s Penelope.)

The younger ones had Beatrix Potter
With Mr. Tod, the dirty rotter,
And Squirrel Nutkin, Pigling Bland,
And Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and-
Just How The Camel Got His Hump,
And How the Monkey Lost His Rump,
And Mr. Toad, and bless my soul,
There’s Mr. Rat and Mr. Mole-

Oh, books, what books they used to know,
Those children living long ago!

So please, oh please, we beg, we pray,
Go throw your TV set away,
And in its place you can install
A lovely bookshelf on the wall.
Then fill the shelves with lots of books,
Ignoring all the dirty looks,
The screams and yells, the bites and kicks,
And children hitting you with sticks-

Fear not, because we promise you
That, in about a week or two
Of having nothing else to do,
They’ll now begin to feel the need
Of having something to read.
And once they start — oh boy, oh boy!
You watch the slowly growing joy
That fills their hearts.

They’ll grow so keen
They’ll wonder what they’d ever seen
In that ridiculous machine,
That nauseating, foul, unclean,
Repulsive television screen!
And later, each and every kid
Will love you more for what you did.
-by Roald Dahl

What books are you enjoying this holiday? Leave a comment and tell us!

A Small Group of People… (Guest Post at Far Above Rubies)

11 Friday Nov 2011

Posted by in Guest Post, Holiday, Holy Bible, Home Education, Inspirational Mama, Practical Help, Reading Aloud

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“How often we have been at the pit’s brim, and in danger to be swallowed  up: yea,

not knowing until afterward that we were in peril? And yet God preserved us. Yea,

and from how many that we yet know not of: he that knoweth all things best can

tell…” (read the rest here)  

A Life Changing Home

04 Friday Nov 2011

Posted by in Homemaking, Inspirational Mama, Reading Aloud, Rest and Refreshment, Thoughts and Prayers, Writing

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“Tibi splendet focus!” quoted Mrs. Carey…”For you the hearth fire glows!”

“Have I not felt it from the beginning?” asked Ralph. “I never knew my mother, Mrs. Carey, and few women have come into my life; I have been too poor and too busy to cultivate their friendship. Then I came to Beulah and you drew me into your circle; admitted an unknown, friendless fellow into your little group! It was beautiful; it was wonderful!”

“What are mothers for, but to do just that, and more than all, for the motherless boys?”

“Well, I may never again have the courage to say it, so just believe me when I say your influence will be the turning-point in my life. I will never, so help me God, do anything to make me unworthy to sit in this fire glow! So long as I have brains and hands to work with, I will keep striving to create another home like this when my time comes. Any girl that takes me will get a better husband because of you; any children I may be blessed with will have a better father because I have known you. Don’t make any mistake, dear Mrs. Carey, your hearth fire glows a long, long distance!”

Mother Carey was moved to the very heart. She leaned forward and took Ralph Thurston’s young face, thin with privation and study, in her two hands. He bent his head instinctively, partly to hide the tears that had sprung to his eyes, and she kissed his forehead simply and tenderly. He was at her knees on the hearth rug in an instant; all his boyish affection laid at her feet; all his youthful chivalry kindled at the honor of her touch.

And there are women in the world who do not care about being mothers!

-excerpted from Mother Carey’s Chickens by Eleanor H. Porter (the authoress of Pollyanna)

The Secret Weapon of the Christian Parent

17 Monday Oct 2011

Posted by in Books, Home Education, Inspirational Mama, Practical Help, Reading Aloud, Thoughts and Prayers, Writing

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If you’ve been reading Generational Womanhood for any length of time you are aware that I am passionate about the impact that reading aloud has on our families.

I changed the title of this post from “The Secret Weapon of the Homeschooling Mama” to “The Secret Weapon of the Christian Parent” because what I am talking about can be utilized by every Christian parent to raise children who love Jesus and love to learn.

As you read this post you may (possibly) be rolling your eyes and saying to yourself, “What is it with this woman? I get the message…it’s important to read books to my children!”

Bear with me for a minute longer please…hear me out! I am noticing an interesting trend in the average person with whom I come in contact; their minds don’t function very well.
Yes, I know, it sounds arrogant to make such a statement, doesn’t it? However, as someone who grew up in a reading family back in the 1960′s and 70′s when we were the only family we knew without a television (by choice…my college professor dad couldn’t stand the noise), I have noticed a disturbing trend. We, as a culture, have lost our focus. We simply aren’t as interested in conversation, profound thoughts and quiet contemplation like we were forty years ago.

Oh Wait!! Let me rephrase that! We can’t choose to focus on conversation, profound thoughts and quiet contemplation even when we want to…!

I’ve mentioned The Thinking Housewife blog to you-all before. Laura (of the Thinking Housewife) goes where angels fear to tread. She tackles hard issues. Although I certainly don’t see eye-to-eye with her on everything,I am challenged by her and the interesting readers who contribute to her blog. Interestingly enough, several recent posts on reading attracted a lot of comments. Please read this worthwhile interchange on the importance of books and reading on our families (warning…it takes some time to read through these thoughts but if you take these ideas to heart, your family will be revolutionized. A reading people will rule the world:-)!

A Great Gift

26 Monday Sep 2011

Posted by in Books, Home Education, Homemaking, Inspirational Mama, Practical Help, Reading Aloud, Rest and Refreshment

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So what’s the big deal about reading aloud to your children? As the mother of eight who has been reading aloud for 26 years now, I know that reading aloud is often work; it takes time and effort and (frankly) it can be tedious to read Richard Scarry’s What do People Do All Day for the umpteenth time. So why do I make an effort? I’ll tell you why, the results are spectacular!


“There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all.”
- Jacqueline Kennedy

Reading stories aloud to your children will change their lives . . . and yours. It won’t happen overnight, as change is gradual, but continued and dedicated reading will most definitely bring noticeable, long-term changes.

Did you know . . .

* In this day and age of hectic lives and busy schedules, reading together is a simple and enjoyable way for parents to take time out and focus on the family. Young children need lots of special, dedicated time with their loved ones.

“Reading takes us away from home, but more important, it finds homes for us everywhere.”
- Hazel Rochman

* Reading childrens stories aloud to our children can be fun.

* Reading childrens stories is a wonderful bonding experience where the child (or children) feel loved and wanted as their mom or dad reads to them. It shows children in no uncertain terms that they are important to us.

* It creates a desire to want to learn to read in our children. The love of reading is the greatest single indicator of future success. Did you get that? Loving reading is what counts…there are lots of children who read but do they love it? Read aloud good books to a struggling reader and he will develop a love for it.


“Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.”
- Harry S. Truman

* It helps our children master language development. It builds listening skills, increases a child’s attention span, and develops the ability to concentrate at length of which all are learned skills.

* It develops children’s ability to express themselves more confidently, easily, and clearly in spoken AND written terms and it develops and fosters a child’s natural curiosity. Reading aloud also develops creativity and a child’s ability to use their own imagination!

* Reading children’s stories to our children provides the best opportunities for true ” teaching moments.”

“The non-reading children are the greatest problem in American education.”
- Glenn Doman, How to Teach Your Baby to Read”

“When we read a story, we inhabit it. The covers of the book are like a roof and four walls. What is to happen next will take place within the four walls of the story. And this is possible because the story’s voice makes everything its own.”
- John Berger

*The incredible, original art print of the boy reading in the tree is by BreezyTulip. Please visit her site!