So you have tried to create a home environment conducive to instilling leadership skills for all your children, whether they be preschoolers or teens. It’s been said that leadership starts at home and directly linked to early training. Experts disagree about how much leadership is inborn and how much is learned. I believe that it’s a combination of learning plus a child’s innate abilities.

If you’d like to do what you can to raise your children to be good leaders, here are some tips that may help.

Teach Them to Think

Some argue that the school system, whether it be public or private, teaches kids what to think rather than how to think. Common core curriculum has placed uniform requirements and testing standards on schools across the United States. There are likely exceptions to this – special schools and special teachers – but it’s entirely possible that your kids are not being taught how to think. So whether you homeschool or enroll your children in a traditional school setting, you might try some of these exercises to encourage independent thinking.

• Give them an age-appropriate reading task that expresses a particular point of view. An opinion piece in the newspaper is a good place to start. Ask what your child thinks about it, and have him or her write an age-appropriate response. Do the same thing with an article that expresses a contrary or different opinion.
• Encourage them to read about topics and books that covers a range of opinions and views.
• Ask them if they agree or disagree, and why.
• Any time your child reads something, ask him (or her) what he thinks about it. Find out what information he drew from the reading rather than finding out if he picked up what she was “supposed to” from the reading. Let them know it’s okay to disagree with parents and teachers. Encourage them to discuss the reasons behind their disagreement.

Leaders tend to be independent thinkers, so these exercises may go a long way toward teaching your child to be a good leader.

Teach Organization

This may be something of a challenge for parents who aren’t that organized themselves! On the other hand, for those parents who are very organized, you might find that you tend to organize everything for your kids without teaching them to do it themselves. Parents need to discover a comfortable balance between the two.

Give them a calendar and show them how to keep track of their own activities. Chore lists are an excellent way to help them organize their time. Age-appropriate chores and activities, written down or drawn on a calendar, can help kids “see” their time and how they are using it, even if they are too young to tell time yet.

Ask for Arguments

Huh! Are you joking with me? Ask your kids to talk back to you?

The art of arguing respectfully is an important leadership quality. We’re not talking about angry arguments. Think in terms of negotiation and persuasion. Ask your child to tell you why he (she) wants a certain thing, or why he should be permitted to attend an event or participate in an activity. This helps your children learn how to analyze his thoughts and present reasons that produce an argument to justify why he should achieve this goal.

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In partnership with The Children’s Book Review and Good Avenue Books.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Wander New York: Fitz in the City

Written by Reese Traves

Illustrated by Jon Traves

Publisher’s Synopsis: Fitz the Fox can’t wait to see all that New York City has to offer — but will he get to see the penguin feeding or will a subway snafu derail his plans? A whimsical, sight-seeing jaunt that encourages wonder with rhyming text, peppered with facts and trivia along the way!

Join Fitz as he visits the Statue of Liberty with her 8-foot long index finger, the bustling crowds of Grand Central Terminal, the wondrous, book-filled spaces of the New York Public Library, and marvels at the sky-scraping height of the Empire State Building.

Continue to wander with a walk from Manhattan to Brooklyn across the Brooklyn Bridge and visit the Bronx Zoo along with more iconic landmarks while exploring this exciting city!

Ages 3-10 | Good Avenue Books | August 10, 2020 | ISBN-13: 978-1734602104

https://amzn.to/30a9Q8Q

https://bookshop.org/a/2078/9781734602104

OFFICIAL LINKS

www.reesetraves.com | Twitter @reesetraves | www.jontraves.com | Twitter @jon_traves

GIVEAWAY

Enter for a chance to win a gorgeous Wander New York: Fitz in the City prize pack!

One (1) winner receives:

• A hardcover copy of Wander New York: Fitz in the City autographed by author Reese Traves and illustrator Jon Traves.
• A screen-printed Wander Often Wonder Always® tote from Hello Small World.
• Three (3) Hello Small World greeting cards illustrated by Jon Traves.
• An 8”x10” print of a scene from Wander New York: Fitz in the City signed by illustrator Jon Traves.

Two (2) winners will receive:

• A hardcover copy of Wander New York: Fitz in the City autographed by author Reese Traves and illustrator Jon Traves.

Giveaway begins July 30, 2020, at 12:01 A.M. PST and ends August 11, 2020, at 11:59 P.M. PST.

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO ENTER:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/3d5cb282178/

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Mina’s Ups and Downs (Written in Traditional Chinese, English and Pinyini)

Written by Katrina Liu

Illustrated by Rosalia Destarisa

This bilingual picture book written in Chinese and English walks the reader through Mina’s first visit to a carnival. She is so excited. As Mina experiences the rides, the petting zoo, and the sights and smells of the carnival, she displays a range of feelings

Mina feels happy when she flies up in the air but disappointed when she is too short for the roller coaster. She finds it difficult to choose from so many foods She feels angry when the goats cause her to drop her ice cream and sad when she first loses a carnival game. Young readers get the message that it’s okay to experience a range of emotions and that all works out for the best in the end.

This book is an excellent choice for toddlers and preschoolers. My only criticism would be that the font for English is rather small and a bit difficult to read as the Chinese characters draw the eye to it.

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Bodies in the Tiber: An Ancient Rome Political Thriller: The Sertorius Scrolls Book 3

Written by Vincent B. Davis II

Quintus Sertorius has just returned from five years of fighting for the Roman republic in the north. He is eager to return to Rome and pick up his life with a family that he is certain barely remembers him.

Davis has a fluid writing style. He bases his historical fiction on research, but he is adept at creating interesting and complex personal characters. It is the year 100 B.C. While Rome has been victorious, the republic has never been in greater danger. Sertorius has been writing a diary of sorts in his scrolls for the past year documenting history while also providing personal glimpses into his ambitions as well as his fears.

This is the third book in the series which begins seven years earlier when Sertorius loses his father and his rural village. In a struggle to survive and provide for his family, Sertorius leaves them and is thrust into the role of politician in a corrupt society.

The author uses his own military experience to enrich his story. An engaging and fascinating read for anyone interested in ancient history.

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How to Lead Teens

Leading teens is different than leading children and older adults. Your role is to guide them into maturity and teach them how to manage adult responsibilities. Teens can handle more responsibilities and understand what’s expected.

But many older adults are intimidated to lead teens since they have a reputation for being rebellious. What if they won’t listen? What if they ignore your advice and “walk all over you”?

Here are some tips that may help you to lead teens.

The Right Attitude

It’s important to respect a teen’s place in the leadership process. (This is important with all ages, but teens are more aware of their own independence.) Remember that you can’t be a leader without followers! The teens have to be there for the leadership to happen.

Respect

Respecting those you lead is important. Teens probably won’t respond well to just being given orders. One way you can show your respect to the youths under your care is to listen to them. Really hear them, and respond respectfully to what they say. This proves your respect for them, In addition, it also sets a respectful tone in your group. When you do this, you’re leading by example.

Insist on Respectful Behavior

Because you’re modeling it, this shouldn’t be difficult to enforce. Ask that your teens treat each other with respect, and you can set yourself up as an example.

Be “Real”

Teens have a nose for sniffing out when something or someone is faking it. The teens in your charge don’t really expect perfection. They would prefer to interact with someone whose flaws they can identify with than someone distant and unfamiliar. Make sure to guard against hypocrisy. It’s fine to be genuine and share that you used to be a smoker or drinker while telling your teens not to smoke or drink, but if you are still smoking, your words will ring hollow and fake.

The Importance of a Good Relationship

Leading teens means assuming the role of a mentor and adviser. Mentoring means setting up an environment where learning takes place. Always set aside a time for teaching and answering questions. To form an effective leadership relationship with teens, it’s critical to know when to step back and let the teen try on his or her own and when to step in. If you develop a good relationship with your teens, then you will likely know them well enough to have figured out when to get involved and when to back off.

Book Review and Giveaway in partnership with The Children’s Book Review

ABOUT THE BOOK

Don’t Wake the Dragon

Written by Bianca Schulze

Illustrated by Samara Hardy

Publisher’s Synopsis: Shhh! Be very quiet. The rascally dragon is finally asleep. But, when the page turned, the breeze blew the door shut with a BANG! Did it wake up the dragon? Create a fantastic bedtime experience by reading this interactive story featuring a reluctant-to-sleep dragon—a character that children will surely relate! Designed to be read aloud, parents will take pleasure in the playful text as much as children will enjoy hearing it. When the story finally comes to an end, and the gentle lullaby is repeated, the dragon – and your child! – are encouraged to drift off to sleep.

Ages 2-6 | Publisher: Clever Publishing | July 28, 2020 | ISBN-13: 978-1949998641

PURCHASE LINKS

https://amzn.to/2NwiIPa

https://bookshop.org/a/2078/9781949998641

My Book Review

SHH, HE’S SLEEPING

Don’t Wake the Dragon

Written by Bianca Schultz

Illustrated by Samara Hardy

What a charming interactive picture book! The dragon is sleeping, and the kingdom will be in danger if she wakes up.

A door blows shut when the page is turned. The knights are having a birthday party in the castle. They are singing, playing drums and dancing. Oh, no, the cooks are banging the pots. Will the dragon remain a sleep?

Readers are urged to join in the activities as the characters perform them. Lot’s of onomatopoeia words like boom, jiggle, and clank add to the fun. The illustrations are vibrant and creative.

This book is highly recommended for preschoolers and primary grade children.

GIVEAWAY

Enter for a chance to win a Don’t Wake the Dragon prize pack!

One (1) grand prize winner receives:

• A hardcover copy of Don’t Wake the Dragon, autographed by Bianca Schulze.
• A Kids’ Sleep Training Alarm Clock.
• A $25 Visa gift card.

Giveaway begins June 29, 2020, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends July 27, 2020, at 11:59 P.M. MT.

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO ENTER:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/3d5cb282175/

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July 17	Library Lady’s Kid Lit	janemouttet.wordpress.com	Book Review
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July 23	Heart to Heart	http://tynea-lewis.com/	Book Review
July 24	Feminist Books for Kids	https://feministbooksforkids.com/	Book Review

Mystery of the Egyptian Mummy: (Kid Zet Detective Book 4)

Written by Scott Peters

My first time reading a book in this series. Zet is a twelve-year-old boy living in the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes. He and his sister, Kat, run a pottery stall in the market to support their family. One night a mummy, guarded by a jackal, arrives at their home. Terrified, the siblings return to the market the next day to find that the whole town believes them to be cursed. Their business collapses. That makes them determined to solve the mystery.

What they discover is a much larger plot that will endanger the royal family and all of Egypt. As they artfully unravel clues to solve the mystery, readers learn a lot of information about ancient Egyptian history and culture.

Peters creates interesting characters and an engaging plot to keep middle-grade readers engrossed throughout the read. Educational and entertaining.

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Parents and teachers want children to be independent thinkers. They encourage children to develop their own opinions and have the courage to stand up for them. Whether you are working with children who are yours or you’re a caretaker for someone else’s children, learning how to lead them effectively is important. You may want to lead your kids to practice a healthy lifestyle, develop better communication skills, or something else. In any case, good leadership is a way to reach your goals with the children in your care.

How do you become a good leader for kids? It can be hard to know if you’re not used to it, or if you didn’t have strong leaders when you were a child. Here are some tips.

Set an Example

You’ve probably heard “lead by example,” but that means more than just doing something and hoping your kids will notice and imitate your behavior. It also means being purposeful in setting an example, and you’ll need to stop practicing certain behaviors and pay attention to what you say.

For instance, if you want your children to be patient with others – an important leadership attribute – then take care that you’re patient with them. If you want your children to be able to make decisions like a leader, then make sure you’re not making all of their decisions for them. Don’t be a helicopter parent. Permit your children to make mistakes and learn from them. To lead by example, you need to think about more than just living out healthy, positive lifestyle choices (although that’s important, too). It’s also important to set an example of how to treat others.

Include Them

Whether you are a teacher or a parent, including the children in your care is important to instill leadership. How do you include them? First, let them help. In the classroom, this might be a simple task like collecting papers and passing out papers. Students might be allowed to write an assignment on the board for the teacher. At home, let your children be a part of your daily routines, helping you wash the car and clean the house. After all, these are life skills, and those are the building blocks for good leadership.

Delegate

Good leaders know how to delegate responsibilities and tasks. In your home or classroom, give kids many different responsibilities. You can set things up so that the children in your care have a job to complete, and they have to delegate tasks to others to finish it. A different approach could be to simply explain the task, and give a job to each child to get it done. They will see the value of delegating. Perhaps, you might may explain that many jobs cannot be completed by one person without help from others. Each child participating will still have the satisfaction of helping to get something done.

Allow Them to Help Others

Wherever you can, let your kids help each other without being bossy or bullying. In fact, being bossy is not a good leadership skill. This is important to emphasize when you are working with children in different age groups. Teach them how to help others in an appropriate way, and then set up a scenario where that help can happen. When older siblings learn how to mentor rather than supervise a younger sibling, they learn how to transfer this skill from the family to the outside world. This method works in the classroom or at home with friends and/or siblings.

To Sum Up

Children are like sponges. They soak up what they see and hear in the world around them. Adults are their first role models. Parents, teachers, and caretakers set the example for the youth who will become tomorrow’s future. We will reap what we sow.

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Follow the award-winning Little Miss HISTORY nonfiction book series for children at http://www.LittleMissHISTORY.com

In partnership with EQ Explorers and The Children’s Book Review

ABOUT THE BOOKS

Wally Whale’s Mighty Tail: Happiness is a Choice!

Written by Kim Linette

Illustrated by James Loram

Publisher’s Synopsis: The secret to happiness? It’s written on a whale’s tail. At least that’s what Koa hears, and so he sets out in search of Wally Whale and the valuable knowledge that he hopes Wally will share.

Wally Whale’s Mighty Tail, one of the first books in the EQ Explorers series, teaches the powerful EQ principle: Happiness is a Choice. It’s a lesson of emotional intelligence that is essential for any child—including Koa, who learns as he journeys through the Pacific with Wally Whale.

Ages 4-12 | Publisher: Kapalua Cove, LLC | August 1, 2019 | ISBN-13: 978-1950062003

Available Here: https://amzn.to/3deRJ4O

Compare Bear’s Double Dare: Be Yourself – Don’t Compare!

Written by Kim Linette

Illustrated by James Loram

Publisher’s Synopsis: The last thing Danny expects to come across during his hike in the forest is a very insecure bear. And yet, Compare Bear is precisely that—a bear who struggles to see his own strengths, and instead constantly compares himself to other animals, with astonishing results.

In Compare Bear’s Double Dare, one of the first books in the EQ Explorers series, Danny helps his unique new friend take to heart the powerful EQ principle: Be Yourself. Don’t Compare. It’s a lesson of emotional intelligence that is essential for any young reader.

Ages 4-12 | Publisher: Kapalua Cove, LLC | August 1, 2019 | ISBN-13: 978-1950062010

Available Here: https://amzn.to/2UUXdeS

Jojo Giraffe’s Big Laugh: Don’t Take Things Personally!

Written by Kim Linette

Illustrated by James Loram

Publisher’s Synopsis: Jojo Giraffe’s Big Laugh, the third book in the EQ Explorers series, takes children on a journey through the African Savannah, learning what it means to be wonderfully unique along the way—just like the spots on each and every giraffe.

The story centers around the powerful EQ principle: Don’t Take Things Personally. It’s a lesson of emotional intelligence that is essential for any child—including Kali, who learns through a series of fun adventures with Jojo Giraffe.

Ages 4-12 | Publisher: Kapalua Cove, LLC | April 21, 2020 | ISBN-13: 978-1950062096

Available Here: https://amzn.to/3fufdV2

MY REVIEWS OF THE BOOKS

Wally Whale’s Mighty Tail

Another happy book in the EQ Explorers series. Little Koa searches for Wally because the boy has heard that Wally has the secret to being happy written on his tail. Koa will be the leader of his tribe one day. Koa wants to know how to lead his people to happiness.

But Koa is dismayed when the message on Wally’s tail is smudged. He sees Happiness is a ch…. What are the missing letters? Wally teases Koa and plays a guessing game with him. Koa makes guesses like cheer, chocolate, and chair. Finally, Wally relents and provides the correct answer. He explains to Koa that our emotions are like the waves of the ocean. Sometimes we feel happy and sometimes sad. When you choose happiness, you can find ways to stay happy through tough times.

Discussion questions to illustrate the book’s lessons are included as well as fun facts about whales. Loram does not fail to disappoint with colorful multicultural illustrations.

Recommended for elementary school readers.

Compare Bear’s Double Dare

Danny is never afraid of trying something new. One day, he embarks on a hike through the woods. He meets an unusual bear. Compare Bear is afraid of climbing trees, racing, fishing, or roaring. Every time the bear finds another who is better than he at something, he stops doing it. To make matters worse, parts of his body change into that animal.

Danny urges him to be himself and dares him to compete. Will Compare Bear find the courage to accept himself and stop trying to be perfect?

Fun facts about bears and discussion questions are included in this beautifully illustrated picture book.

Jojo Giraffe’s Big Laugh

This book is part of the EQ Explorers, Little Adventures for a Happy Life. The profits from the sale of these books are donated to underserved children.

Kali is hiding in a tree crying because the other kids make fun of her for being short and spending her time climbing trees. Jojo passes by and encourages her to laugh. He shows her perspective, a new way of looking at things. The giraffe shares his personal experience with other giraffes. He encourages her not to take things personally and to value her own opinions of herself rather than those of others. As they walk and meet other animals like ants, hippos, and zebras, the lesson becomes clear.

Beautiful colors and expressive images foster the imprinting of the story on young minds. This book is a good choice for a read aloud or bedtime story for children in elementary school.

GIVEAWAY

Enter for a chance to win an EQ Explorers prize pack!

One (1) grand prize winner receives:

• A copy of Jo Jo Giraffe’s Big Laugh autographed by Kim Linette.
• A copy of Compare Bear’s Double Dare autographed by Kim Linette.
• A copy of Wally Whale’s Mighty Tail autographed by Kim Linette.
• A play fort perfect for reading and imagination play.

Two (2) winners receive:

• A copy of Jo Jo Giraffe’s Big Laugh
• A copy of Compare Bear’s Double Dare
• A copy of Wally Whale’s Mighty Tail

Giveaway begins July 6, 2020, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends August 6, 2020, at 11:59 P.M. MT.

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

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Do you ever feel stuck in rut? Want to find some fresh ideas?

Here are some things I do to get my juices flowing:

• Invent a brand new character

• Use the conditional term, What if? to create new possibilities and scenarios

• Reimagine a character or a setting from a previous book or article and give it a new perspective.

• Watch a movie, documentary or TV show that feature the genres in which you write.

• Read books in many types of genres. Mix up the classics with new releases.

• When reading periodicals, clip articles of interest and revisit them from time to time for new ideas.

• Do the same with photos. You can put them into groups like travel, people or memorable events.

• Eavesdrop wherever you go. Listen to what members of each generation are talking about on public transportation, at the park or on the street.

• Hang out with people in different age groups. Learn about what generates their interest. Include these ideas when targeting that age group.

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