© 2010 by Debbie Glade, Smart Poodle Publishing. All rights reserved.

Click here for last week’s comic.

Check out this video and story about the baby elephant that was thougt to be stilborn at the Sydney Zoo in Australia.

1. Your Child’s Name – See what other people have the same name and what they do.
2. Your family Tree – Try to find information about your relatives and ancestors.
3. Recipes of your child’s favorite food – See how many different ways there are to make it.
4. Exotic animals – There are so many species you’ll discover that you never heard of before!
5. Biography of a famous person – Make it someone your child admires.

1. Trivia – You can find trivia on an endless number of topics.
2. History of your own town – You can find photos of what the town and streets looked like when it was built.
3. Jokes for Kids - You’ll find plenty of appropriate silly joke sites.
   
4. Activities for Bored Kids - From crafts to games and outdoor activities, you’ll find some fun ideas online.
5. Design your Own – Doll, toy, car, house, game, etc.

As a children’s book author, I am often asked, “How Can I tell if my young child is gifted?”

www.free-clipart-pictures.net

There are many possible signs:

• Love of books – Gifted kids love when their parents read them books, and they can sit still through a short story. They will often ask for books as gifts and you will see them sitting and looking at their books on their own. They will also generally start to read on their own at age 4 or 5.
• Curiosity – Asking a lot of questions about many topics is a common every day occurrence for gifted children. You can see their wheels turning in their little brains as you answer their questions.
• Broad Vocabulary -  If you notice your toddler is using “big” words for his age or is very creative in his choice of words, that is an obvious sign of intelligence.
• Talent – Does your child draw well, have an interest in a musical instrument, often perform for you? These too are signs of a gifted child.
• Hobbies – A highly intelligent child will have a variety of interests and will likely have a collection of sorts – coins, rocks, shark teeth, stamps, marbles, etc.
• Concentration – Gifted children are active like other children but ca also concentrate on tasks for a longer period of time than their peers.
• Memory – A gifted child remembers a great number of facts and events and may shock you when she gets older when she mentions details she remembers from her toddler years.
• Insight – Many gifted children are wise well beyond their years. They may be more sensitive to others’ emotions or even offer advice that is so mature for their age it will take you by surprise.
• Desire to be with Older Children and Adults – Bright children, even those as young as 3 or 4 enjoy listening to good conversation. They may prefer to hang out with older kids or sit in on a conversation adults are having.

Parents can generally tell if their child is an advanced learner. If one or both of a child’s parents are gifted, it makes sense that the child may be as well. In any event, a child does not have to be “gifted” to be ultra successful in life. We’ve all known very intellectual yet lazy people as well as ultra successful adults who showed no sign of being gifted as a child.

Success is mostly about motivation and getting along with others.

Have you ever heard of the movie, Harvey with Jimmy Stewart (my favorite actor)? It’s about a man who sees a rabbit that others cannot see. Well, my daughter’s high school put on a play version of the movie. We held the cast party here and I made a big cake honoring our school director:

Look at the difference in size in our puppy in less than 2 months!

Darwin at 8 weeks, 9 lbs.

Darwin at 3 1/2 months, 31 lbs.

© 2010 by Debbie Glade, Smart Poodle Publishing. All rights reserved.

Click here for last week’s comic.

I’ve written part 2 of my article Tracing the Roots of Your Favorite American Author on Wandering Educators. Click here to read it.

I learned a great deal about the hardships of Edgar Allan Poe and the impressive list of friends Nathaniel Hawthorne had! What do you know about your favorite American writer?

I cannot keep up with my tomatoes! It looks like I will be canning again tomorrow. Some ways I have used my tomatoes this season include:

My kitchen counter is full of tomatoes!

• Tomato bruschetta
• Tomato sauce
• Turkey Meatballs
• Tomato Pesto salad
• Tomato and Mozzarella
• Greek Salad
• Fried Green Tomatoes
• Tomato Salsa
• Tomato Soup
• Veggie Soup
• Minestrone Soup
• Tomato and Lentil Soup
• Zucchini and Tomato Casserole
• Slow Oven-Roasted Tomatoes with Balsamic Vinegar

No wonder why I have an acid reflux problem!

Last year I interviewed my friend, Daphne at Dylan’s Smile about her charity and her personal experience with having a son with a birth defect. It remains one of the most read blog posts on the site! Read it here.

http://www.cksinfo.com

Daphne brings comfort to families with children who have cleft palettes, lips and other other birth defects. Her charitable organization is accepting donations that will help pay for beautiful Gund teddy bears for children who are getting ready for surgery. You cannot imagine what a difference a teddy bear can make for a frightened child! Daphne is an amazing person with a great big heart! You simply cannot choose a better organization to support. Please donate today!

Click here for more info about the teddy bear program.