The World Is Awaiting You

 

The World Is Awaiting You by Marianne Richmond is a beautiful and uplighting tribute to you. A child will realize how special he or she is from the words and illustrations on the pages. The book begins, "Happy day! You're here at last. The start of something new."

The world is awaiting your face, eyes, nose, and chin.

The world is awaiting your mind, your thoughts, your hands, your feet, your voice, and the story that's yours to plot and pen.

The world is awaiting your courage, your stop and rest, your heart, your spirit, and your love.

Make your mark, believe in your spark, because the world is awaiting you!

This is an example of how an "about you" reads. "The world is awaiting your courage to fuel your how and when. If things get hard as things will do, and trouble shows its face, the world is awaiting your stop and rest to give yourself some space."

The words in this book are absolutely beautiful and I love them all. A book like this should be read and heard by every child.

Disclaimer - I received this book in exchange for my honest thoughts. 
As an Amazon affiliate I may earn commission if you click the link. 

The Herbal Doula

The Herbal Doula by Marie White explores herbal medicine benefits for fertility, pregnancy, postpartum, and children's health. It is designed to be a reference manual for those interested in combining herbal medicine with reproductive wellness. Each chapter is organized according to a specific stage in the reproductive process, and herbs are tailored to that stage.

This book contains the following chapters:

Foundations of Doula Herbalism

Herbal Basics

Fertility and Conception

Miscarriage and Abortion

Pregnancy and Birth

Postpartum (Fourth Trimester)

Breastfeeding

Baby and Child Care

Herbal Medicine for Doulas and Birthworkers

Doula Herbalism Materia Medica

Doula Herbalism Recipes

There was a lot of valuable information in The Herbal Doula. The things mentioned in this book would have helped me years ago if I had known them then as I have six children of my own.

It's really nice that the author extends the discussion beyond just postpartum to include advice for babies and children.

The recipes are such a helpful addition to the extensive lists of herbs throughout the book. The recipes found in this chapter are:

• Herbal Bliss Balls

• Lactation Cookies

• Calendula Oil

• Herbal Salve

• Fennel Glyecerite

• Elderberry Syrup

Herb lists throughout each chapter demonstrate the author's dedication to research. Herbs are discussed according to their origin, personal experience, and how they benefit specific stages.

I have multiple issues with the book as a whole. It is extremely disappointing that something so beautiful as pregnancy and childbirth is marred by those who cannot accept that God gifted women and only women the ability to conceive, carry, and give birth to babies. She discusses chestfeeding. Chestfeeding cannot be done, only breastfeeding can.

The author states, "The Herbal Doula is meant as a guide and helpful reference for all people, but it is not specifically or uniquely focused on the queer, trans, or gender nonbinary experience. Some pregnant and birthing people are indeed women, and many doulas identify as women too."

Due to the fact that only women are capable of carrying and nurturing babies through birth, I take issue with the above quote.

Due to my anti-abortion stance, I found the abortion section disturbing.

"With abortion, it is assumed that the pregnancy ending is the goal, and ffor that reason, abortions can be a positive experience for some people and in some circumstances. A completed abortion can leave people joyful and content. After all, abortion is a normal health care procedure that supports people to be healthy and well."

Abortion doula Hannah Matthews says, "Abortion can be a powerful act of love –– for one's self and one's own future, for one's existing children and family."

Some of these positions were hard to ignore. I felt compelled to discuss my negative takeaways from the book since I cannot support its views due to my personal morals and values. I realize that not everyone will agree with me on this, but I wanted my readers to know that I do not support or agree with everything said.

Disclaimer - I received this book in exchange for my honest thoughts. 
As an Amazon affiliate I may earn commission if you click the link. 

5 Little Birds ~ A Timberdoodle Review

A puzzle game, 5 Little Birds teaches children about deduction. The game is designed for one player. Taking turns would be an easy way to allow more than one child to play. This game is intended for children ages 5 to adults. As a progressive game, 5 Little Birds allows children as young as 5 to work on the starter puzzles. Older children through adults can work on the more challenging ones. The game has five levels: Starter, Junior, Expert, Master, and Wizard. There is an increasing complexity to the challenges as the levels progress. A wooden tree, one plastic tree base, five plastic birds, and a challenge booklet with 60 challenges are included in the game. This game is part of Timberdoodle's 2024 Kindergarten Curriculum Kit. 

The tree is made of quality hardwood, making it very durable for young children. For little hands, the spiral bound booklet is just the right size. Neither the tree nor the other plastic pieces have an odor. A thick, sturdy plastic base supports the tree simply by inserting the tree into the base. Little hands can easily grasp and clip the plastic birds. This clip is designed so that if your child accidentally gets their finger pinched by it, they will not be hurt.

How to Play

From the five levels, pick your challenge. Challenges hint at each bird's final position in the tree. Place the birds according to the hints provided on the challenge page. Each challenge has only one correct solution. In the book's back, you'll find the answers to all the challenges.

A page of hints is included in the challenge book to help with bird positioning. With seven holes in the tree and five birds, there will always be two holes that are empty. There are some hints that specify what color bird should be placed in a specific hole. Some birds will only appear gray as the challenges level up, so you will have to decide based on other hints what color the bird will be. In this case, the correct orientation will be provided. As you progress, the hints will be separated, leaving you to guess the position within the tree. Dotted lines will connect each of these hints. The hints will consist of a mix of birds from both sides. These are just a few of the hints.

Occasionally, it can be tempting to check the solution at the end of the book. Patience and critical thinking eventually lead to solutions through trial and error.

Despite the fact that this looks like a child's game, the higher challenges can be quite challenging that you're left stumped at times. You'll definitely have fun solving the higher levels if you're an adult. Smart Games has yet again created a game that will grow with your child over time.

Our whole family found 5 Little Birds a fun and entertaining game.

 

If You Were Not You

The sweet book, "If You Were Not You" written by Anita Prabhu is about a mommy donkey pondering the question, If YOU were not YOU...then who would you be? The book begins, "If YOU were not YOU... then who would you be?" In the book, many scenarios are presented about what life would be like if YOU were not YOU.

Here are two examples.

"If YOU were not YOU...then who would you be? Someone different...and unimaginable to me."

If YOU were not YOU...who would I play with in the park? Someone without...quite as much of a spark!"

At the book's conclusion, the author writes these touching words.

"If YOU were not YOU...I'd be sad beyond belief...YOU being YOU...is such a wonderful relief!"

In addition to being sweet, "If You Were Not You" is also entertaining.

Disclaimer - I received this book in exchange for my honest thoughts. 
As an Amazon affiliate I may earn commission if you click the link. 

Gnome Sweet Gnome ~ A Timberdoodle Review

A preschool puzzle game, Gnome Sweet Gnome teaches young children while playing. The game is designed for one player. Taking turns would be an easy way to allow more than one child to play. This game is intended for children ages 3-7. As a progressive game, Gnome Sweet Gnome allows children as young as 3 years old to work on the starter puzzles while children older can work on the more challenging ones. The game has four levels: Starter, Junior, Expert, and Master. There is an increasing complexity to the challenges as the levels progress. Three wooden gnomes, three wooden flower pots, and a challenge booklet with 48 challenges are included in the game. This games is part of Timberdoodle's 2024 Preschool Curriculum Kit. 

There is absolutely no odor to the painted flowerpots or gnomes! They are made from quality hardwood, making them very durable for young children. For little hands, the spiral bound booklet is just the right size. Having struggled with taking toys apart from their packaging myself, I have to give Smart Games a BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE for how they packaged this product. It is not necessary to use utility strength scissors to extract the pieces. A single string holds each gnome from front to back. With a single pull of the string each gnome is free! Smart Games, as a mother of six and grandmother of two, I appreciate your thoughtful packaging.

"They like to set up their home in a flowerpots. 
The blue flowerpot is the shallowest pot of them all.
The yellow flowerpot is the deepest pot of all. 
The red flowerpot is neither the shallowest nor the deepest pot.
He is perfectly in between."

How to Play

Your garden is now home to three gnomes. The pattern shown on the card can be recreated by your child using all or some of the six pieces. Through stacking, counting, hiding, and even just playing with the gnomes, children will learn logic and deduction skills. They will practice hand-eye coordination, color and shape discrimination, and use their non-dominant hand to assist and stabilize. Once your child has recreated the image shown on the card simply flip the page in the book and the solution is on the back.

Starter Level 1-12

Junior Level 13-24

"Night has fallen over our garden

and we can't see colours anymore in the dark.

Can you figure out where the gnomes are sleeping?

Recreate the images you see in the night time garden pictures."

Expert Level 25-36

Different flowerpots or gnomes will be grayed out in the Expert and Master levels. To figure out which flowerpot or gnome goes where, children will have to use logic and reasoning skills.

Master Level 37-48

Gnome Sweet Gnome is a fantastic game both for learning and for playing. Smart Games hits the mark with another great game. For school curriculums or everyday play, I highly recommend this game. 

Combinations ~ A Timberdoodle Review

If you like puzzles, Combinations is for you. A 4x4 grid, six playing pieces, and 72 multi-level puzzles are included in Combinations. The player must combine numbers, shapes, colors, and faces depending on the difficulty level. Further details on combining will be provided below. Each puzzle has only one solution. Combinations is part of Timberdoodle's 2024 Ninth-Grade Curriculum Kit.

There are 32 puzzles in the Starter Level. There are both numbers and colors in puzzles 1-16. A colored number indicates that the number must match the playing piece's color. Each open frame in the playing piece must be played so that the largest number adds up to the two smaller numbers. In subtraction, the larger number subtracted from the smallest number equals the third number. Puzzles 17-32 include dice. These puzzles follow the same rules as the previous ones.

The Junior Level consists of puzzles 33-40. There is a bit more thinking required at this level. It's time to put those art skills you learned in elementary school to use. To solve these puzzles, players need to use red, yellow, and blue the primary colors to create secondary colors: orange, green, and purple. Mixing the colors in the square open frames would produce the color that appears in the circle frame of the same colored piece. In the example above, when you mix blue and yellow, you get green. 

The Expert Level comprises levels 41-48. This set of puzzles includes two types of shape puzzles: outlines of shapes and solid shapes. In order to equal the overlapped shapes, players must combine two shapes. 

Levels 49-56 are included in the Master Level. In this set of puzzles, you have to find two unfinished faces in the square frames and the finished picture with the corresponding color in the circle frame. 

Levels 57-72 are part of the Wizard Level. The number 1-19 appears in these puzzles. In order to solve these puzzles as addition, the two smaller numbers in the square frames must add up to the number in the circle frame. In subtraction, the smaller numbers must total the larger number. 

Time to Play

You are never too old to exercise your brain. Here, my stepfather is still figuring out how to play. With ease, he picks up these critical thinking puzzle games from Smart Games. He seems to be able to get through all levels without much difficulty. The moment I get a new puzzle game from Smart Games, he is always excited and ready for the challenge.

My 16-year-old is attempting the Master Level.

When my daughter saw me approaching with Combinations, she got that look in her eye. Yes, I need some more thoughts on this game. As they had paint splashes on them, she chose the Junior Level. She had no idea she would have to recall elementary art to solve these puzzles.

Final Thoughts

Combinations was a big hit! Smart Games puzzle games challenge your brain. Having so many puzzles to solve is one of my favorite things about Combinations. Compact and portable, the game is easy to take wherever you go. I am very pleased with the quality of the product. There is no need to worry about the case opening and spilling its contents everywhere since it closes tightly. For durability, the puzzle cards are made of thick card stock. As far as Combinations is concerned, I cannot think of anything negative to say. It is a game I would highly recommend to others.

Homeschool Thoughts

To me, one of the most fundamental things about homeschooling is to remember this truth: Education is not a preparation for life; rather education is life itself. Maintaining a strict schedule, grading every piece of work your child completes, and feeling the need to keep up with what others are doing can be very exhausting. We all experience life's ups and downs, and our children find their greatest learning and growth through those experiences. There is nothing wrong with scaling back a bit if necessary. Schoolwork won't disappear. Get your child a couple of great books and ask them to read them. It is at this point that children learn the principles of serving others and pitching in to make the house run easier. Education encompasses more than books, tests, and papers. These things are important, but a well-rounded child is one who knows how to adjust to life's challenges. I have also always felt that I am better equipped to deal with my children's hearts if I have them under foot during their learning years.

What do I look for in a curriculum? In looking at curriculum, I prioritize finding curriculum that meets the needs of each child individually. Over the years, I have realized that the beauty of homeschooling is not having a cookie cutter curriculum just passed down the line. It is important to recognize that every child has his or her own unique strengths, weaknesses, interests, passions, and learning styles. It is possible for one child to thrive but not be the right fit for the next and so on. It is important for me to reevaluate every year. It is always a priority for me to involve my children in the process. When they have a say in their learning process, they will be much more motivated to learn. The ability to customize is something I love. It is my experience that children do much better when they have curriculum that matches their strengths in each subject area. I am not a fan of one curriculum as it is too uniform.

The Cure For Women

As well as taking an in-depth look at women's health during the Victorian Era, Lydia Reeder's The Cure For Women looks at their fight to enter the male-dominated medical field. This book was inspired by tape recordings of shared memories of five sisters, aged 72 to 89, of their mother, Ellen Babb. A practicing midwife and healer, Mrs. Babb cared for women and children in her rural Missouri community during the early 20th century. According to the author's research, women were barred from medical schools and most higher education until the end of the nineteenth century. During her research, she would learn about the early pioneers in medicine. Emily Blackwell, Ann Preston, and Marie Zakrzewska were a few of the female doctors.

In 1847, Emily Blackwell was admitted to Geneva Medical College after the student body jokingly voted to admit her. After voting, they realized it wasn't a joke and Emily would be enrolled. It was said that women of the day were to be: "...A proper lady did not lead an independent public life. Only poor and immigrant women who labored as servants, clerks, factory workers, or prostitutes were seen walking the streets. The refined upper-and middle-class women remained in the private sphere of home and hearth, cloistered and happy all their lives." Blackwell was the first woman in the United States to earn a medical degree. Abolitionists, doctors, and philanthropists joined together with Ann Preston to demand more female doctors as too many women were suffering from disease. Women didn't want to compromise their virtue, purity, or expose their bodies to male physicians. Women died as a consequence of this. Preston believed that women were born to be physicians. Women cared for sick children, practiced midwifery, and treated their families' illnesses every day. Politics, harsh business dealings, and manual labor were seen as masculine roles by Preston. In terms of women and children's health, women were best equipped to take care of them.

By accident, J. Marion Sims became a woman's doctor. He is the inventor of the speculum. As far as I am concerned, that is the only thing I find positive about him. Women of the day suffered from rectovaginal fistulas, tears that extended from the rectum to the vagina. In many cases, this occurs during childbirth. Between 1845 and 1849, Dr. Sims performed experimental operations on enslaved women without their consent and without anesthesia. During hours-long operations, he would have men hold them in place while he operated and mutated them. Among them, some lived and some died. Having perfected his technique, he began performing the procedure on white women under anesthesia. However, Sims continued to operate on poor white women without anesthesia in a circus-like fashion.

When it came to women's reproductive health, Mary Putnam Jacobi was a pioneer. Her findings were published in medical journals and she won accolades. It didn't stop her male colleagues from citing her work and publishing it as their own. The study of menstrual waves proved to be a case in point. As Jacobi became intimately familiar with the anatomy of women, she used her imagination to envision possible physical causes of her patients' illness. It was her ability to conceptualize an accurate diagnosis and formulate a cure that led to her curing the most puzzling cases.

Above are only a few sobering glimpses into Victorian health that 'The Cure For Women' covers. The health concerns of women were not only not taken seriously, but so many suffered and died as a result. A prohibition on women studying in the medical sciences prevented them from getting an education. While studying medicine, women faced issues such as a lack of quality education and harassment.

The Cure for Women is an eye-opening book about the unjust treatment of women during the Victorian era regarding their health and career choices. It is a very well-written and well-researched book. The author deserves praise for not holding back. This book is highly recommended.

Creaturepedia

 

Creaturepedia by Adrienne Barman is a book for children that breaks down animals by their characteristics. Throughout the book, you will find illustrations of each creature. Natural habitats are depicted for most creatures. The creatures' characteristics are discussed in some categories. Meet some noisy neighbors or The Pretty in Pinks. Fun and fascinating, this book is perfect for young children. This book has 216 pages.

The Architects

Weaver Ant - works with others to weave leaves together to make a nest. 

Red Ovenbird - builds a mud nest that looks like a wood-fired oven. 

The Big-Eared Beasts

Aye-Aye - finds food by tapping on trees, then using large ears to listen for grubs moving under the bark. 

Serval - uses long ears to listen for birds among tall grasses.

The Big Mouths

Helmeted Guinea Fowl

Howler Monkey

The Blue Beauties

Victoria Crowned Pigeon

Blue Morpho Butterfly

The Bounders

Flea - can jump up to 200 times its body length.

Hare - jumps long diameters, can run at up to 23 mph.

The Brainboxes

Common Octopus - good memory, quick learner, uses tools. 

The Canary-Yellows

Banana Slug

Yellow Meadow Ant

The Champion Breath-Holders

Elephant Seal - 100 minutes. 

Hippopotamus - 5 minutes

The Coal-Blacks

Dung Beetle

Black Panther

The Endangered

Otter

Monkey-Eating Eagle 

The Emerald-Greens

Green Mamba

Emerald Tree Boa

The Faithful

Lovebird

Sea Horse

Our Family Friends

Llama

Horse

The Fierce

Tasmanian Devil

Goliath Tiger Fish

The Foresters

Grove Snail

Bohemian Waxwing

The Giants

Somali Ostrich - world's largest bird up to 9 feet tall.

Blue Whale - largest animal ever to have lived, up to 108 feet long. 

The Gladiators

Musk Ox

Cuban Tree Frog

The Homebodies

Oyster - lives with others on seabed forming an oyster reef. 

Hermann's Tortoise - strong homing instinct.

The Lilliputians

Bee Hummingbird - world's smallest bird, 2.2 inches long (male).

Pygmy Hippopotamus - 31 inches at shoulder. 

The Long-Necked

Mute Swan - can't dive, so uses neck to reach food on lakes and riverbeds. 

Purple Heron - extends long neck to catch fish. 

The Long-Tongued

Giant Anteater - tongue is 23 inches. 

Sun Bear - tongue is 10 inches. 

The Masters of Camouflage

Weedy Sea Dragon 

Sycamore Moth

The Mountaineers

Yak - thick hair, keeps it warm in snowy mountains.

Apollo Butterfly - lives in flowery meadows among mountain ranges.

The Munch-it-Uppers

Red Fox - silently stalks a victim, then pounces suddenly.

Montagu's Harrier - drops from the sky to catch prey by surprise. 

The Mythical

Pegasus

Griffin

And there are 17 more categories...

In my opinion, this is a fantastic book that is also very suitable as a gift. 

Disclaimer - I received this book in exchange for my honest thoughts. 
As an Amazon affiliate I may earn commission if you click the link.