Just Jack - a book review

essential reading for all pre kindy kids!

We have a great love of books in our house, I've posted about it here and here. One of our favourites is a book by Jane Tanner, Just Jack.

Just Jack, beautiful illustrations

Jack is a young boy who is about to embark on his early childhood education journey. His first day of kindy he is Super Jack, wearing his super hero costume. The costume gives Jack the confidence to go to kindy, make friends and be funny, but when Mum says Jack has to wash it, Jack refuses. Jack wears the costume all week. It gets filthier and filthier until Mum has had enough and washes it. Jack is sad when he can't wear the costume the next day. But he goes to school anyway and is loved by his friends.

This story is fantastic for those about to enter the schooling world. Not only does it have beautiful illustrations that make you feel the book, it drives home the message that you are ok just being you, you don't need to be anything else, just be true to yourself.

We had this book for my first born just before he started kinder and it really helped him transition from home to school. He is now eight and enjoys sharing this book with his younger brother who will start kindy next year.

Be Happy, 

Nicola

Discipline - what do you do?

skate park currency

Discipline is one of those 'not so fun' moments of parenting. As your children get older, so do your expectations of their behaviours. Therefore the need to discipline becomes more apparent. I have two sons, aged 8 and nearly 4. We are good parents and tolerate lots, within reason. We use a 'thinking chair' as opposed to 'time out' or 'naughty spot'. The boys have tasks or jobs to give them a sense of responsiblity and contribution to the family unit.

However, of late, we are needing to resort to a firmer form of discipline with our 8 year old. You see, he is getting his name on the board at school, regularly. Not for being naughty as such, but for being distracted or distracting others on the way back to his desk after sharpening his pencil. Or for talking when his teacher is talking. Or for talking too loudly in class. Or accessing restricted library computer files from his class room computer during free class time. He is a clever kid. And these are minor behaviour slips, most of which I think he will grow out of with awareness and maturity.

But it does raise the issue of discipline. What to do to show our son that his teacher is the boss when he is at school? At first we took away the Star Wars Lego for a week. Didn't work. A friend suggested grounding for a week, as this works well for her son, who is also Juniors' bestie. Kind of worked. But the message still wasn't sinking in. We needed a currency, and my brilliant husband found it in the Skate Park.


If Junior got his name on the board this week, he would not be able to go the Skate Park on the weekend with Dad for a skate. The threat of this alone last Friday night was enough to reduce Junior to tears. The message had finally sunk in. 

So, it seems that the Skate Park is Junior's currency at the moment. He has had a great week at school, with no name on the board and so got to go to the Skate Park on the weekend.

What types of disciplinary methods do you use in your family? What is your kids' currency?

Be Happy
Nicola 

Things I know - Leo's are control freaks!

Leo the Lion maybe the King of the jungle, but he is not the King of our household!

This week I have come to know, or re know or remember one of the telltale characteristics of the Astrological Sign Leo. You know the lion. Born sometime between Mid July and Mid August, Leo's typically love to be the center of attention and love to be appreciated.

But they have an ALL MIGHTY ROAR! This I know! My eight year old son has a great roar on him. He easily loses his temper, at little things and flies into a rage. And there I was just the other day writing about how eight is one of those magical ages.

Junior is a leader, and it's only natural that he wants to take charge of the family ship, but at eight years old, he has to learn to relax, step back from trying to control everything and just be a cub. He has plenty of good years ahead of him to step out of the pride and step up as his own King.

What do you know this week? Nurture the little people is linking up with Yay for Home this week to discover the things that people know.

yay for home

Be Happy
Nicola

Touch for Kids

children experience stress too

One of the many 'Hats' that I wear in my life is as a Qualified Massage Therapist. I have performed and given hundreds of massage treatments over the past twelve years. I am most passionate about giving nurturing touch to children, babies and pregnant women.

As adults, we all know that tension and stress manifests itself as knots and muscle soreness commonly in our shoulders and neck, with the odd headache attached. This is no different for children. Particularly in boys. Steve Biddulph writes in his book, Raising Boys, that male children from the ages of 8 to the teenage years often have shoulders that are "hard as rocks". 

I have found this to be the case on my 8 year old. He carries a heavy school bag, he climbs trees and gym equipment, he uses computers daily at school and concentrates hard on reading and writing and learning. It's no wonder his shoulders become so tense.

give your child the gift of touch

Over the years, as Junior Hoges has gotten older, he has become less inclined to just come and snuggle or cuddle with me. To counteract this, I have taken to giving Junior a regular weekly shoulder and neck massage of about fifteen minutes in duration. 

I ask Junior to sit on a chair, leaning into a cushion. He sits facing away from me, back to front on the chair. Using a medium firm pressure (I always ask what is comfortable for him first) I massage my way around the top of the shoulders, between the shoulder blades, at the base of the skull and the sides of the neck. For me, this a great way for us to bond and for me to express love. For Junior, he gets to receive the gift of touch, learn to relax and connect with mum.

This week, why don't you introduce the gift of touch with your kids and feel the connection.

Be Happy
Nicola 

image credit 

Things I know - boys, boys, boys

Junior and Mini Hoges, love the beach, this I know!

Here at Hogan Central, I am surrounded by boys. I have two sons and a husband. I make sure that I wear skirts often!

Here is what I know about my boys:

• they play rough and tumble
• they love the beach
• they enjoy construction and making things
• they love to "work" outside like their Dad
• they always leave the toilet seat up (and sometimes a little wee on the floor)
• they love music with guitars and love to rock on
• they like to ride their bikes and kick the footy
• they sometimes fight and punch and kick each other
• they will grow up to be best friends
• they love their family very very much

What things do you know about this week?

Nurture the Little People is joining in Yay for Homes' linky, Things I know. Check it out and see what wonderful things other people know.

yay for home

Be Happy
Nicola