The Storyteller's Books/Barefoot On The Moon : featuring Barefoot Book titles
It happens every autumn. Millions of young children start school for the very first time. They carry backpacks, lunchboxes, pencils, sometimes a grin on their face, but more often, a look of trepidation about what school will really be like. They wonder: Will my teacher be nice? Will I have friends? What if I can’t find my way? Who will sit with me? What will I do? What if I don’t like it? What if I miss home? What if it’s too hard?
As parents guiding our children off to start school for the first time, or to begin a new school year, we want to do all we can to ensure that they have a great experience. At the same time, we want to encourage their independence as they set off on a new journey in their development.
Read with your child and talk about the school experience. Share with them stories about your memories of school, both the good and the less so. School is an adventure, and like all adventures, it has its ups and downs.
Help spark your child’s imaginations about school to encourage them to talk about their concerns and face their fears. You can do this through stories, books, drawings and other art forms. Ask them questions such as what they think school will be like, what they are excited about and worried about, what they think they will learn, etc. These conversations can also be had with grandparents and other favorite people in your child’s life.
Build a community in your neighborhood. It is amazing what a familiar and friendly face can do to help a child overcome their fears about going to school. As your family journeys to school each day you might see this friendly neighbor, or only see them occasionally, but it will help your child feel comfortable and safe on their trip to school.
Sit down together and create a fun map to school. Note interesting landmarks and have your child color them in or place numbers at each point. On that first morning to school, your child will be preoccupied with checking off the landmarks on their special map. The school can be drawn with welcome signs, making it a great triumph upon their arrival.
Walk with your child to school whenever possible. If you don’t live nearby, take public transport, bike or drive and get out a few blocks away and walk together. The walk will become a meaningful way to spend time together and help get the day off on the right foot.
Create traditions. Take pictures of your child in front of your home or on their way to school. Each year you can reflect back on these first day of school photos and see how much your child has grown in every way.
Know that if the first day went well or didn’t go well, there are many more days of school throughout the year and peaks and valleys along the way.
We hope your child’s first experience with school is part of their magnificent journey of growing up!
I'm so excited! The new Barefoot Books catalog, filled with many new beautiful and enchanting items is set to come out soon! 
between now and April 30th... an opportunity, if they want,to buy the Barefoot Books Starter Collection at a reduced fee.($99.99) With the 20% commission you'd earn, it'a a savings of over $80!(there is no requirement to ever buy the kit at all, however)
I'd also like to make a personal offer to folks right here in Mainewho might be interested in joining, whether to sell Barefoot Booksfor extra household income, sign on to raise funds for your schoolor group, or just be able to get wonderfully beautiful children's books for your own personal library at a reduced price.
Here's what I'm offering:For the first ten Maine people who sign up with me I willgive $50 worth of Barefoot Books (may include books, puzzles,puppets, and music cds...your choosing on a first come basisfrom over $2000 worth of personal inventory I have), plus $10 in marketing materials, and a free gift on top of that! For those not interested in selling, you may replace the marketingmaterials with another $10 in merchandise!After the first ten people, everyone who signs up in Maine
between now and March 30th will receive a free book or other
Barefoot merchandise of their chosing from my inventory.
At any time, folks who sign up with me to start their Barefoot
business will have the chance for "on the job event training"
as I have several events coming up this Springtime that I will
need help with. I also have events lined up ready to hand
over to people ready to go it on their own. For those looking
to start their business, I have over 15 years in retail experience
(being my own boss!) to share with you. For those not looking
to sell, but to enrich the lives of their children with Barefoot
Books at home, I have over 20 years experience and on-going
education in child development, and creativity for children, to
suggest ways to make the most of what Barefoot offers. Barefoot has enchanting books, playful puppets and
puzzles, incredible world music for kids.
There is never any fee to sign up, no purchase requirement. You get a free personalized web-site and on-line marketing tools,
and you can start earning a commission/saving money and even
sign up folks of your own immediately. Yes, you (and I) can earn
a small commission when the folks you sign up make purchases,
but for me it's about spreading the word, and hopefully finding
folks ready to help me at local events! :)
Please contact me for more information: storyteller@fairpoint.net
and visit my web-site too http://www.BarefootBooksStoryteller.com
In Story, Dawnella
Some tips on making the most of reading with your child:
•Choose a time and a place where you can be quiet and give your child lots of attention. Make the occasion a special one.
•Turn off any distractions such as the TV, music or the computer.
•When you are reading aloud, show your child that you are having fun!
•Involve your child. Let yourself be interrupted with questions; talk about what you think of the story and the pictures.
•When your child has started learning to read, follow the text and encourage him or her to point to the words as you go along.
•Establish a routine. Try to devote some time every day to reading.
•Take your child to your local library and involve him or her in choosing books.
•Notice what kinds of stories your child enjoys and look out for ones with similar themes.
•When you are reading aloud, praise your child for listening well and sitting still. When your child is learning to read to you, give praise and encouragement too, but be sure to gently correct your child when he or she makes mistakes.
•Help build your child's vocabulary and memory skills by supplementing reading sessions with audio books on car journeys and after meals or at bedtime. Audio books are especially helpful in building memory skills and supporting the learning of dyslexic and autistic children.
Sharing your child's journey into reading can be one of the most rewarding experiences of parenthood. You owe it to your child, and to yourself, to make it a priority in your daily life.
