Familly tales, stories and anecdotes

Each family has its own stories, tales and anecdotes that are being carried out from one generation to the other.
Some of them are pure history telling the story of the specific family within the general events. Some are so old that probably over the years facts were lost or changed while others were added.
Other stories have a strong moral and some are just funny.
Families' traditions are made using stories.
Parents have the urge to tell those stories to their children (and sometimes to anyone who is willing to listen).
I love to tell my kids family stories, especially the funny ones. I assume that as they grow older I will tell them the more serious ones as well. I tell them about my grandparents who past away long before they were born, about my memories as a child and about myself growing up in Africa. Sometimes I show them some old pictures.
Using Batalugu, I will start now turning  those stories into a book or books. I can upload scanned pictures and add relevant illustrations from Batalugu's rich image bank.
The above photo was taken in the very early 1900's, maybe even before 1910. The woman in it is the grandmother of my grandmother. The only thing that I know about this woman is the fact that she lived in Poland. I don't know her name or when she was born.
My father has the original photo which is very small in dimensions. It is a mystery to me how it was kept all those years. A friend of my father, who is a  photographer, managed to restore it in a special lab, so I got a copy of it which I scanned.
This unique piece of history is more likely to be well kept as a part of a book about our family's history.
I hope that this will inspire you to write down your family's stories for the sake of the next generations.

Just before I finish, I must mention Batalugu's Hallo-WIN book writing contest with a chance to win $500.
You can find all the details at:
http://batalugu.com/contests/2010_Halloween/

As always, Tell a Tale (now you can win a prize for it)
Dorit Rosen
Founder
http://batalugu.com

Healthy food and children's books

Before I start writing this post, I have to confess...
Children's literature is not my only passion in life. I am also passionate about food. Not only eating, but also cooking, baking, watching TV shows, reading magazines and exploring new flavors, techniques and products.
Saying that, I can now start writing my thoughts about both of my passions.
Many parents are concerned about their children's nutrition and eating behavior. Some are worried about their kid's over weight, some about under weight, some can not convince their kids to eat enough fruit and vegetables and so on and so on.
As in reading, you can influence your children choices by giving them self example, educating them and turning healthy nutrition into fun.
You can do some very basic things to improve your kids knowledge and willingness to eat healthier:

• Talk to them about different kinds of foods and their impact on health (for example, my 4.5 year old son knows that meat and fish contain protein that builds muscles, and that pasta contains carbohydrates that supplies the body the energy it needs to run, jump, climb and ride the bike).
• Have family meals and serve healthy food. Eventually, your kids will start eating what you eat (at least at home...).
• Prepare healthy dishes that are easy to make together  - such as: fruit salad, vegetable salad, whole wheat pasta with home made tomato sauce etc.,
• Write together your family's healthy food book, using Batalugu. There are so many ways I can think of to write such a book. You can gather in it all your favorite recipes and upload relevant photos, you can explain about the different food groups and their contribution to our body, you can tell a story about a family that completely transformed its attitude towards food and nutrition, and much more.
• Turn this book to your food "bible" and decide that from now on your family is going to act according to the healthy guidelines that are written in this book.
• There is so much free information and so many great advices about this topic on the Internet. Expand your own knowledge and practice it at home.

I love this subject! I will probably get back to it sometime soon.

Tell a (Healthy) Tale,
Dorit Rosen
Founder
http://batalugu.com
dorit@batalugu.com

"Story date"

Since I started writing this blog, I find myself trying to figure out new ways to make reading an integral part of our children's life. I want them to perceive reading as entertaining as any other joyful activity they do.
In this post I would like to present to you a new term "Story date" (I got the inspiration from the term "play date").
The story date can take place in many many ways. You just have to be creative and adjust it to your kids' ages, areas of interest, temperament and level of understanding.

I have a few ideas to share with you:

1. During each play date, dedicate some time for literature: read a book/ make an imaginary story/ talk about books you like. This is of course the responsibility of the parent of the kid who hosts the play date.
2. Organize an upgraded "library" style story time for a group of friends. Do it on a regular basis. It can be done outdoors in a park or each time in another child's house.

• The kids who host the story date get to choose the book (and read it if they are old enough or know it by heart). 

• After reading the book at the story date, hold a discussion about it or have a joint activity related to the book, it can be a play, a craft or anything else that is on your mind. 

• The hosts also get to be responsible for the refreshments and the giveaways (if you decide to have them). The giveaways don't have to be anything expensive, just a little something that will serve as a memory of the event.
• This will bond the group of children and will give them a lot of things to talk about, a great collective memory and a strong foundation to become passionate readers.
• You can always choose to read on a story date a book you wrote for or with your kids using batalugu.com

Tell a tale,
Dorit Rosen
Founder
Batalugu

Helping children cope with challenges by reading books

The concept of helping children cope with challenges using books is very well known and being used by many parents. There is even a professional term for it: Bibliotherapy.
Almost every family that expects its second child, buys at least one book for the older sibling. Those books usually deal with the subject from several angles, telling different stories, but they all share the same target: preparing the older child in the family to the arrival of the new baby.
Other common issues that are popular in books of that nature are:

• Moving to a new neighborhood
• Starting new school/kindergarten/nursery
• Potty training
• Refusing to brush teeth/comb hair/take a bath and other hygienic issues
• Refusing to eat healthy food and weight issues
• Fears and anxieties such as: fear of darkness, dogs, ghosts and so on
• Health issues such as the need to visit the dentist or to wear a new pair of glasses 
• Separation and divorce
• ... and more

This concept has proved itself. If you google the subject you get tons of relevant information.
I want to give this concept another notch.
What I am suggesting is that you write specific books addressing the challenges and problems of your own kids, using http://batalugu.com. We have a huge amount of illustrations and backgrounds you can use. You can also upload your own stuff.
When you write the book for your kids or with them, you have full control of the content. You can make sure that it will provide the best solution for your children's needs.

I wrote a book about how to behave when going to the supermarket:
http://www.batalugu.com/v.php?bid=98&key=20beffcd4f31ca4c05c59ef25628ee21fbf50c61
In addition, my daughter just started first grade so I wrote a book about preparing for first grade :
http://www.batalugu.com/v.php?bid=221&key=a19ced12f23753636747c3232810a081f39bc8a4

I haven't thought about it until now, but in both books the storytellers are the children themselves, and they describe their own experience - interesting!

So, I encourage you to write personal books for and with your kids.
Its easy, fun and FREE!

Tell a Tale
Dorit Rosen
Founder
Batalugu

How to help your kids organize their thoughts

Recently, I spoke to several mothers of children at the ages 4-9 and I understood that one of their challenges is teaching the kids how to think and write in a proper sequence. This led me to start exploring the subject of sequencing.

Sequencing means to put things in the right order. It is a corner stone in learning to read, in reading comprehension and in developing critical thinking.

The "executive functions" are a group of brain functions that are responsible (among other things) for our ability to organize our thoughts, plan and sequence. It was scientifically proven that those functions can be improved using different methods.

There are several simple things that you can do as parents to help improve your children's ability to sequence.

At very young ages (1.5 - 3 years ):

• Tell them when you start something and when you finish something
• Establish simple routines such as: having dinner, bathing, brushing teeth and going to bed

As they grow a little bit older and according to their level of understanding (2.5 – 5 years):

• Talk to them about the sequences in their routines and other events in life
• Write simple stories emphasizing sequences, using http://batalugu.com
• Discuss order and sequences in stories you read to them
• Play a game of cards: let them arrange the cards in the right order. Here is an example of such a game I bought to my kids. You can create such cards yourself and adjust the content and the length of the sequences to your kid's level

When they understand more complex things (5 – 9 years):

• Explain the importance of sequencing in daily life
• Analyze together sequences in their lives, causes and effects of sequences and so on
• Write stories together using http://batalugu.com. There is a great planing tool that can help you list the sequence of events in your book, and follow the right order when writing. It is called “Plot highlights” and it is a part of the Book pad, located in the upper right side of the “Write” section

One of my tasks as a product manager at Batalugu, is to make sure that our users find solutions for their needs using our application. If your children need to improve their sequencing skills, please take advantage of Batalugu, write stories with and for them and help them become better “sequencers”.
It is fun, easy and FREE.

Tell a tale,
Dorit Rosen
Founder
Batalugu

The first day at school, and what's next?

It is finally here! after THE 60 days , summer vacation is over and a new school year begins.
I hope that all the preparations succeeded and that your children are going back to school excited and full of energy.
In the next couple of weeks they will have to get used to the new routine, to wake up early in the morning and get ready on time, be prepared for their school schedule, be responsible for their homework, get organized for their afternoon different activities and get used to the new or renewed TV/computer rules.
My advice to you: As always, when raising kids, be sensitive, yet determined. The guide lines should be kept, but you have to be attentive. Listen to what they say - ask them about their day at school and try to understand the subtext. Take part in their experiences, help them get in track and respond to their requests.
These days are not easy, it takes time, but in the end the family will be "up and running" again.

What about reading?
Try to find some designated time during the day for reading. Insist on having the same time in the first few weeks, until it becomes a part of your family's routine. It is always recommended to redirect some time from TV to reading.
Find an hour in one of the afternoons for a joint visit in the library. Having this specific hour on the family's schedule will allow you to spend some quality time together..

You can also spend some quality time writing a book about the first day at school using http://batalugu.com


I wish you the best of luck at school.

Tell a tale,
Dorit Rosen
Founder
Batalugu