Things to Do, Part III

It takes me forever to get around to doing posts that require me to get videos off Quinn's phone. But the other night when I finally found a minute to do it, it only took me about 3 minutes. I'll try and remember how easy it is so next time it doesn't take me a month to do a post with videos that are 3 months old...
Anyway, when I went to the Hypnobirthing Certification one of the women there mentioned a book they use at her preschool called "I Love You Rituals" and couldn't say enough about how much it helped with the children's behavior.

When I heard another woman talking about the book about a week later I decided to get it. I LOVE it. The author, a Ph.D in Early Childhood Education and Developmental Psychology, has changed the words of nursery rhymes from negative or scary to positive and nurturing. She also has interactive actions you do with the child(ren) while saying the words. Her theory is that these rhymes as well as the other interactive finger plays and games in her book prime a child's brain for learning, enhance attention, cooperation, and self-esteem, help children cope with change, help busy families stay close, and affirm the parent-child bond that insulates children from violence, peer pressure, drugs, etc. (That's what it says on the back of the book.) I loved reading the first part of the book, which expounds on her theories and the effectiveness of the "I Love You" rituals. Her perspective on discipline and power struggles, meeting a child's emotional needs etc. really rang true to me.
Caitlyn loves doing these with us, too. I often do them with her when she's cranky and it really is amazing the effect they have. The author says that these moments of unconditional love invite cooperation into your home, and I usually find that to be true!
Here is a video of just a couple of the rhymes. We did other videos but accidentally made them too long to post. :(

Again, I'm not getting anything for sharing this book on my blog. I've just really loved this book and thought some of you might be interested in it. (Not that there's anything wrong with commissions for advertising good products on your blog, I just felt like I should clarify.)
p.s. Anyone who has or gets this book will see that I'm doing the actions to Mary Had a Little Lamb a different way--Caitlyn didn't like it when I tried to follow her hand around with my hand so I had to adjust. I think the actions in the book on this one might work a little better with an older child.