Nicole Lataif's Blog, page 2
October 2, 2014
Guest Post: Growing Up in Faith
Growing Up in Faith
Today, we have a guest post by Britt Leigh, who has contributed to KidsFaithGarden.com before. Welcome, Britt! I’ve known Britt for many years and I am happy to host her! Brittany gives 3 solid examples of how growing up in her Catholic-Christian faith led her to make better choices as an adult. Take it away, Britt… Signed, Nicole Lataif
Hello! The first thing you should know about me is that I don’t have kids. I just write about them and for them. My first novel for teens, Ten Commandments for Kissing Gloria Jean, is all about choices and how girls can tap into their faith to help them make the right ones. When I tell moms and aunts and grandmas about the book at sales tables, I actually hear that the little girls in their lives at 12, 10, and even 8 (!) years of age are already talking crushes and “boyfriends” and “going out.” Even if your daughters are not there yet, I believe that you can equip them with the confidence and skills they will need to make good choices a habit. My experience? Growing up!
Though I did not consciously recognize my faith and its moral teachings as the reason I made good choices and avoided bad ones, formation in a personal belief in God and respect for my religion from a very early age meant that as I was gradually exposed to more and deeper teachings, I accepted them and made them my own.
Here are some quick and easy tips to help your children recognize their faith:
Encourage interest and encounter at the Mass/service with children: Once I was starting to learn to read, my mom allowed me at 4 years of age to thumb through the pages of the missalette. And though it’s hard for me to carry a tune, I was never shushed in my attempts to sing. Loving—and being encouraged to love—my faith aided me in the years ahead, when choices got more complicated and other things in secular society competed for my attention.
Pray together with children: One treasured memory I have is of my whole family in the living room praying a Rosary together. I might have been 7 or 8. We had not done this before, but we all knew the prayers. I was enthralled by the intimacy of this gathering. Young children love family time and getting to participate at the same level. Though we did not keep that practice up, as I grew up, those whole-family experiences grounded me and instilled in me an appreciation for my family and their influence in my life.
Introduce your daughters (and sons!) to faith role models: One thing I wish I had growing up was more knowledge of the saints. As the daughter of a teacher, I definitely grew up with role models—characters in the books I read—especially in the upper elementary grades. For pre-schoolers, there are not many picture books that exemplify girls with good values or making good choices. But there are picture book treatments of the saints and collections of saint’s stories. Yes, introduce your daughters to Anne of Green Gables and Laura of the Little House on the Prairie when the time is right. But also let them know about Saints Catherine and Teresa of Avila and Thèrése of Lisieux. And Saint Gianna and Blessed Mother Teresa and Saint Bakhita.
Growing up, I believe my parents laid a good foundation of faith. This foundation helped me grow into a young woman equipped to make good choices.
—
About the Author - Britt Leigh is the author of the teen novel Ten Commandments for Kissing Gloria Jean and the foreword for Teens Share the Mission. Both books are published by Pauline Books & Media. Her writing has appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Teens Talk Middle School, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Teens Talk Getting into College, and kidsfaithgarden.com. She holds a Certificate of Catechesis from the Theological Institute for the New Evangelization (Boston) and a certificate in chastity/abstinence training through the Center for Relationship Education. She blogs at brittleighbooks.com and for young women at proverbialgirlfriend.wordpress.com.
September 22, 2014
Guest Post: “It All Starts With The Who”
Award-winning author, Marilee Haynes, and I “e-met” online through some great Catholic Facebook groups. She and I also have the same ‘writing-mama’ AKA our amazing publishing company, Pauline Books and Media and have been ‘blog touring’ together since the beginning of September.
I would like to welcome Marilee as a guest blogger this week and encourage you all to check out her books! Below, Marilee talks about what her book characters mean to her and how her Genius character Gabe Carpenter was ‘born.’
It All Starts With The Who
Any good story answers the questions who, what, when, where, why and how. All are important. All must be answered and answered well to produce a story that readers will enjoy. It’s true that you can’t have a who without a what and you can’t have a when without a where. But it’s also true that every story has to start somewhere. For me, it always starts with the who.
Character. Characters are what draw me to books. And characters with whom I connect are what turns books I like into books I love. As a kid, there were people (and for me they were and still are as real as any flesh-and-blood person) like Ramona Quimby and Anne Shirley. Jo March and Nancy Drew. Sometimes they weren’t even human, but I didn’t love them any less. Like Wilbur. And Charlotte.
So, it’s no surprise that when I write, character comes first. Every time. Most times characters seem to sort of land in my head, nearly fully-formed and ready to tell their stories. I know what they look like and how they sound. I know if they are quiet or loud, if their laugh is more of a giggle or a snort. I know what kind of friend they are and who they trust with their secrets. And those secrets. I know those, too. The things that scare them the most. The thing they wish for more than anything, but are afraid to say out loud for fear it won’t come true.
The main character in my “Genius” books came to me just that way. The initial spark came from a goofy conversation with a writer friend about a suspicious smell coming from her laptop. I suggested the smell may have been the smell of genius. And from that simple phrase, Gabe Carpenter was born. A seventh-grade boy who was both absolutely ordinary and completely extraordinary at the same time. A certified genius who couldn’t open his own locker. A boy well-versed on the complexities of meteorology and engineering who couldn’t talk to girls. Ever. A boy who could explain in detail the physics behind shooting a basketball yet who couldn’t make a basket himself.
By the end of that evening, Gabe was born. I hope readers come to know and love Gabe the way I do. And the way I loved Ramona and all the rest. I hope Gabe becomes a friend.
—
About the Author: A full-time stay-at-home mom to three children, award-winning author Marilee Haynes writes middle-grade fiction in stolen quiet moments (in other words, when everyone else is asleep). Marilee’s middle grade novel a.k.a. Genius was the recipient of the 2014 Catholic Arts and Letters Award (CALA) for children’s fiction and the 2nd place award for teen fiction from the Catholic Press Association. It was also awarded the Seal of Approval by the Catholic Writers’ Guild. Her second book, Genius Under Construction, is its sequel. Both books are published by and available from Pauline Books & Media www.pauline.org/marileehaynes
Find out more about Marilee and her books at www.marileehaynes.com. Follow her on twitter at @mgwritermhaynes.
September 21, 2014
Guest Post: It All Starts With The Who
September 8, 2014
Back to School Blog Tour!
A BIG thanks to Pauline Books and Media for hosting Nicole Lataif as one of the authors chosen in the Back to School Blog Tour! Nicole’s tour dates are as follows:
CatholicMom.com – September 8th
Patheos Catholic / Pete Socks- September 9th
Proverbial Girlfriend / BrittLeigh – September 10th
Snoring Scholar - Sarah A. Reinhard – September 15th
Carrots for Michelmas - September 16th
Stuart’s Study – September 17th
September 7, 2014
Back to School Blog Tour!
July 31, 2014
New Book Released TODAY! “I Forgive You: Love We Can Hear, Ask For and Give”
Click here to view the embedded video.
“I Forgive You: Love We Can Hear, Ask For and Give” — For Kids!
Give a child in your life the gift of forgiveness!
Award-winning author, Nicole Lataif, and whimsical illustrator, Katy Betz, bring kids I Forgive You: Love We Can Hear, Ask For and Give published by Pauline Books and Media.
Forgiving is one of the most difficult things to do, even for the most faithful Christians. How can we teach young children to embrace and share the healing power of forgiveness? I Forgive You helps children choose forgiveness by encouraging them to be ready to hear, ask for, and say, “I forgive you.”
I Forgive You uses kid-friendly text and images to communicate the most difficult concepts of forgiveness, such as grace, anger, contrition, redemption, and reconciliation. I Forgive You brings forgiveness to life, using vivid analogies that offer concrete and clear actions for kids to take.
I Forgive You teaches children that:
we do a lot of things right, but when we don’t, God forgives us every time;
we are called to forgive others as God forgives us;
forgiveness is a process that may take time and include consequences;
true friendship has forgiveness;
holding grudges and feeding anger hurts us most;
choosing forgiveness brings us peace.
Children will also learn that forgiveness does not require that we accept abusive behavior or sustain unhealthy relationships. In these cases, children are encouraged to walk away, pray, and forgive from afar.
This book was created to help you introduce the importance of forgiveness at an early age, open a conversation with the children in your life about forgiveness, and encourage a merciful spirit. The children’s forgiveness prayer at the end of the book offers an example of how kids might express their feelings to God.
We all need to ask for and grant forgiveness. God and others forgive us, and in turn, we need to forgive others and sometimes, ourselves. The most difficult three words to say may be, “I forgive you,” yet they are the most important to maintaining good relationships and inner peace. Choosing forgiveness is one of the keys to the love, joy and peace our faith in Jesus offers us—even for young children!
“Wherever you go, in all that you do, make forgiveness part of you!”
Look Inside! (Click Any Image Below To Peek Inside Book)
Purchase Signed Copy of “I Forgive You”
July 14, 2014
5 Things To Do With Kiddos This Summer
As summer sets in, sometimes we run out of fun, creative things to do with the kids.
The great thing is that kids don’t need fancy, expensive entertainment. What they really want is love and attention. Here are some simple summer ideas for you and the kids. Each comes with its own scripture for you to share with the kids or even memorize together.
As you connect each activity to scripture, you remind your kids that God is part of our daily lives.
1. Take a field trip or two—and share. Make a family visit to the library (a common one in our house). Or visit the local fire station. Is there a construction site nearby that you can tour? How about visiting a hospital or nursing home to volunteer cheering up the lonely or sick? Wherever you choose to go, take something along for those who live or work there. Lemonade, cookies, cards…get creative!
As you do, remind your kids that they are dearly loved by God, and everywhere they go, they’re passing His love on to others.
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” (Colossians 3:12)
2. How about a new art project? Make a paint roller by gluing string or yarn around a tin can. Then cover part of your child’s wall with paper or poster board and let him or her paint the wall! Or use small cans, make small designs, and fashion your artwork into cards. You could also check out these free printables!
As your kids create, remind them that we do as everything for the Lord, not for men or even for ourselves. If they think their work doesn’t measure up, remind them that when we use whatever skills we have to the best of our ability, we’re saying thank you to God and blessing others. This is not to be confused with the “everyone gets a trophy” mentality, which tricks kids into thinking that their simple participation makes them honorary. However, it is important to say a simple, “good job,” for participating in using their gifts and talents.
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working as for the Lord, not for men.” (Colossians 3:23)
3. Have a character lunch. Let your children choose their favorite book character. Invite them to a character lunch and help them dress, talk, and act as their character. Invite friends over and have each child share about their favorite book and why they chose their character. Check out these books featured on our site for ideas.
As you choose book and characters, remind your kids that knowledge is valuable. God gave us our minds, and He wants us to use them.
“Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold.” (Proverbs 8:10)
4. Play in the rain on a warm summer day. Need I say more? Be spontaneous! Get out and enjoy God’s creation together.
As you enjoy the beautiful world God has made, remind your kids of that fact. Talk about the wonders of creation and nature, and thank Him for such a wonder-full, mysterious gift.
“God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding.” (Job 37:5).
5. Teach your children a new skill. Cross stitch or crochet? Woodwork? Have Dad help out or invite a neighbor who has a skill. Make something for someone.
As you work, remind your kids that there’s joy in work if we know it comes from God. He has given us our abilities and we can share His love when we share with others.
“Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)
______
Laura Lee Groves, a mother of four sons, is the author of I’m Outnumbered! One Mom’s Lessons in the Lively Art of Raising Boys (Kregel), and Pearl, a novel about international adoption. She loves to write, speak, teach, and shares her heart at www.OutnumberedMom.com and www.LauraLeeGroves.com. She is also a contributor here at www.KidsFaithGarden.com.
July 6, 2014
New Book Released TODAY! "I Forgive You: Love We Can Hear, Ask For and Give"
May 22, 2014
Happy is Mom in May, Blessed is Mom Every Day
Happy is the mom who is honored on Mother’s Day, but blessed is the mom who is honored every day!
May is the month to remember that we can teach respect, honor, and appreciation all year long…every day. When children show the meaning of respect and honor all year long, the family becomes an extraordinary unit, even on ordinary days.
When we honor someone, we show them respect and esteem. To a child, showing someone honor is showing that they’re important.
When we emphasize someone else’s importance, we’re putting them first; we’re valuing them. The message of Christianity involves a servant spirit—one that values others as Christ did and still does. So as we teach our children to honor others, we’re teaching them to emulate the Savior.
Here are some practical ways to nurture honor and respect in your home:
1. Treat your children as special. Not in a “level the playing field / we’re all special” sense, but in the sense that God created each one of us wonderfully and uniquely. Your children may be very different—you may have an awesome athlete and an incredible reader. Be sure they know they’re appreciated for themselves, not for what you wish them to be. See them as individuals, gifted by God. Avoid comparison.
2. Teach them to treat one another as special. When you celebrate birthdays or special occasions, help your children honor their siblings. Maybe ask each sibling to list 5 qualities they love about the birthday boy. Some of my best memories are of a Christmas when we took all four boys to the dollar store to buy gifts for each brother. Other great memories have been preserved in handmade cards and gifts they made for each other. Kids often need help with thoughtfulness. Thoughtfulness is usually learned. Take an extra moment to encourage them to treat one another in a special way and help them to craft, create, and shop.
3. Thank them for what they do, even when it’s something you’ve asked them to do. Everyone likes to be appreciated, and there’s nothing wrong with saying, “Thanks for picking up your shoes like I asked.” In fact, it’s a great encouragement toward repeated good behavior.
4. Model honor in your interactions in front of your kids. When we treat our spouse with honor, even in a disagreement, our kids notice. When we hold our tongues and remain civil when others aren’t, it speaks volumes to our children. When we pray for others who have acted unkindly, our kids get the message Christ lived and died to show.
A family that honors one another will stand out in today’s fast-paced, ME-FIRST world, making even ordinary days extraordinary.
______
Laura Lee Groves, a mother of four sons, is the author of I’m Outnumbered! One Mom’s Lessons in the Lively Art of Raising Boys (Kregel), and Pearl, a novel about international adoption. She loves to write, speak, teach, and shares her heart at www.OutnumberedMom.com and www.LauraLeeGroves.com.
