Cynthia Anderson's Blog, page 5

Happy Draw a Bird Day

The following story is told from the Draw a Bird Day Website "In 1943, Dorie Cooper was a 7-year-old living in England. Her mother took her to a hospital to visit her uncle who was wounded in the war. While they were there, Dorie's uncle was very distraught, having lost his right leg to a land mine. In an attempt to cheer him up, she asked him "Draw a bird for me, please" Even though he was unwell, he decided to do as Dorie asked. He looked out his window and drew a picture of a robin. After...

Mister Rogers -The Answer is Always Love

Me to my child: “I love you.”

Child: smile

Me: “Do you know why I love you?”

Child: “Why?”

Me: “Because you are you.”

This was a common conversation with all of my children and one I still have today with my grandchildren. It was taken from “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” and used often in my home. I have a great love and respect for Fred Rogers; his words of encouragement and philosophy of kindness to others was consistent and sincere: certainly a philosophy we can all learn from and apply to our...

Creative Mothering: How Reality Can Exceed our Expectations

My dad was Mr. Ewing, the art teacher. He would visit all the schools in the district, bringing fun projects to our classes for once-a-week art sessions. We did everything from drawing to photography. It was great, especially for me. The children in my class would say, “Your dad is Mr. Ewing?!” “Yes,” I would answer with all the coolness that a celebrity of this magnitude was entitled to. His “office” was on the third floor of an old school office building. He had a darkroom where we would...

Finding Courage in Motherhood

“Without courage, we cannot tell our stories.”

It was hard not to notice the lack of noise as I sat in the exam room before the doctor came in. My children, five-month-old twins, were being tended to by a friend in the waiting room. At home, I was used to the clapping of little hands, the babbling of teething mouths, the cries of hungry bellies, and the inevitable banging of rattles thrown on our hardwood floor. But now, I was by myself. And it was quiet. The only noise I could hear was the buzz ...

Finding Courage in Motherhood

“Without courage, we cannot tell our stories.”[1] It was hard not to notice the lack of noise as I sat in the exam room before the doctor came in. My children, five-month-old twins, were being tended to by a friend in the waiting room. At home, I was used to the clapping of little hands, the babbling of teething mouths, the cries of hungry bellies, and the inevitable banging of rattles thrown on our hardwood floor. But now, I was by myself. And it was quiet. The only noise I could hear was th...

Mister Rogers -The Answer is Always Love

Me to my child: “I love you.” Child: smile Me: “Do you know why I love you?” Child: “Why?” Me: “Because you are you.” This was a common conversation with all of my children and one I still have today with my grandchildren. It was taken from “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” and used often in my home. I have a great love and respect for Fred Rogers; his words of encouragement and philosophy of kindness to others was consistent and sincere: certainly a philosophy we can all learn from and apply to...

Match Made in Grammar

Who cares about the toothpaste tube or the toilet seat? The biggest disagreements in my marriage have been over things that actually matter like grammar, punctuation, and literary analysis.

It wasn’t always that way. When my husband and I were dating, I used to love the way he looked at me after I had successfully spelled an impossible word he’d read out from the dictionary. I could spell it, he could define it. We even met in a bookstore!

He likes to say it was love at first sight of the Ne...

Match Made in Grammar

Who cares about the toothpaste tube or the toilet seat? The biggest disagreements in my marriage have been over things that actually matter like grammar, punctuation, and literary analysis. It wasn’t always that way. When my husband and I were dating, I used to love the way he looked at me after I had successfully spelled an impossible word he’d read out from the dictionary. I could spell it, he could define it. We even met in a bookstore! He likes to say it was love at first sight of the Neo...

You Can't Choose Your Children's Memories

An excerpt from

A few years ago, my daughter Stephanie and her children came home for their annual summer visit. Her daughter, Avery, was a toddler at the time and she was sitting

on my lap while I was singing her some songs. My usual repertoire includes, but is not limited to: “Ahhh-Goonk Went the Little Green Frog” (complete with facial expressions); “Round About Goes the Mouse;” “There Was an Old Sow” (also with facial expressions and various noises); “Popcorn Popping;” “Horsey, Horsey;...

You Can't Choose Your Children's Memories

A few years ago, my daughter Stephanie and her children came home for their annual summer visit. Her daughter, Avery, was a toddler at the time and she was sitting on my lap while I was singing her some songs. My usual repertoire includes, but is not limited to: “Ahhh-Goonk Went the Little Green Frog” (complete with facial expressions); “Round About Goes the Mouse;” “There Was an Old Sow” (also with facial expressions and various noises); “Popcorn Popping;” “Horsey, Horsey;” and “Kook- aburra...