By Kristen M Kardos

What makes a mother? For each of us, the answer is different.  For me, it began while carrying my babies for 9 months and then welcoming them into the world while holding them tightly. For my mother, it was waiting anxiously for months, hoping both parents would sign the papers, and then finally bringing her babies home.

I remember when I was a little girl, climbing into bed with my parents and asking to hear the story again and again: the story of my adoption.  “There was a mommy and a daddy who wanted a baby sooooo much.  And they saw this beautiful little girl with hazel green eyes…”  And so the story went.  I remember feeling so special and so loved when hearing that story.  That feeling has never gone away.  When I count my blessings, and there are many, my parents are among the first.  They have always offered me a safe, nurturing, loving home and welcome me to return home at any time.  In fact, my husband, son, and I spent two months living with them when we first moved to Rhode Island!  My parents supported me as I studied abroad, moved to the west coast, and settled in New York — although my mom cried every time I came home and left again.  I’ve always known how loved I am; and parents are still the ones I turn to in time of need.  My mom is there for me when I get sick (nothing cures me like her chicken soup!) or feel overwhelmed; and my dad still comes to the rescue when I’m having car problems or need advice.  I have the most fabulous mother and father.  My mother is more than just my mother, she is my best friend.

When I think about what makes a mother, I know it’s not about birthing.  It’s about making a child feel safe when they’re scared, being the person they can turn to when the world seems to be crumbling, giving unconditional love and being loved in return.

I also want to acknowledge the strength and selflessness of the birth mother.  I have never searched for my birth mother, but if I met her I would thank her for allowing me the opportunity to find such a beautiful home with two loving parents.

I share this because on Mother’s Day I celebrate myself as a mother, my wonderful mother who adopted me, and my birth mother who gave me away.  I want to tell the story of a well-adjusted, wonderfully happy adopted girl…so that all the birth mothers and adopted mothers out there might know that things can end happily ever after.

Happy Mother’s Day!

The following books feature kangaroo mamas, llama mamas, lamb mamas, bear mamas, giraffe mamas, lion mamas and “people mamas” too.

Plus, if you’re looking to read a story or find a gift perfect for Mother’s Day, any one of these marvelous mom-themed books makes a lovely choice.

Eric Carle’s book, “Does A Kangaroo Have a Mother Too?” poses an intriguing question to kids — and judging from these fabulous titles, the answer is a resounding: YES!

“Does A Kangaroo Have A Mother Too?” by Eric Carle (Harper Collins)
Eric Carle’s signature collage illustrations and fun read-aloud repetition combine to make yet another classic.  The book asks, “Does a kangaroo have a mother too?” and then reassuringly answers: “Yes, a kangaroo has a mother, just like me and you.”  The question is then joyfully repeated for each of Mr. Carle’s colorful creatures.

“Who Loves The Little Lamb?” by Lezlie Evans; illustrated by David McPhail (Hyperion)
Although visually very different, this book also uses a question-and-answer format to express a mother’s love.  “Who loves the fussy lamb?” it asks.  “Who loves the noisy bird?  Sing sweetly, please, you’ll still be heard.  Mama loves her little bird.”

The reassuring message for kids is: Even when they’re naughty or make mistakes, mothers love them just the same.  With gentle rhyming text and detailed watercolors, it’s a perfect book for bedtime, or anytime.

“Llama Llama Red Pajama,” by Anna Dewdney (Viking)
I just love the “Llama Llama” books.  That goofy-faced little Llama and his oh-so-patient Mama make a fetching pair, and Dewdney’s humorous rhymes and vibrant oil paintings are a hit with kids – and moms too.

“My Mother Is So Smart,” by Tommie DePaola (Putnam)
As a mother of two, any book that starts out, “My mother is so smart,” gets my stamp of approval!  Mr. DePaola (Strega Nona) offers up a sweet ode to the multi-talents of moms with one little boy’s recounting of all the great things his mom can do.  From sewing Halloween costumes to standing on her head, readers will sense the heartfelt admiration the little boy has for his mother, and will likely ponder and appreciate their own mothers’ special talents too.

Read more and find a fun craft project to make on Anika’s blog.

Anika Denise is the author of “Pigs Love Potatoes” and the forthcoming “Bella And Stella Come Home.”  She lives in Barrington, RI with her husband, Christopher – a children’s book illustrator – and their two daughters, ages 8 and 5.  Anika is also the host of Thursday morning story hours at Barrington Books.  You can read more of her children’s book reviews and story hour suggestions at www.bookmarks-ri.blogspot.com and at www.anikadenise.blogspot.com.  For information on her books, visit www.anikadenise.com.

Birthmother’s Day, started in 1990, is a time to honor mothers who gave birth and placed their children for adoption. Birthmothers who acknowledge the holiday do so the day before Mother’s Day.

In 2003, Coley Strickland and another birthmother founded Birthmombuds.com. It’s a site where birthmothers can support each other and find a variety of resources. Over the years, the site and membership have grown. Birthmombuds now hosts a yearly retreat the weekend before Mother’s Day. Strickland describes the retreat as a place for journaling, dealing with grief, making a craft, listening to speakers, and having a candlelight ceremony. This year’s retreat will be in Charlotte, N.C. If you know a birthmother, Strickland suggests acknowledging Birthmother’s Day with flowers, a card, or a handmade gift. If you are interested in learning more, check out birthmombuds.com.

Marcia Maynard is a former teacher and reading specialist. She blogs about preschool activities at www.readandraise.com.

By Jeanine Silversmith

On Thursday, April 22, I plan to celebrate Earth Day a bit differently than I’ve done in the past.

As an environmentalist and director of Rhode Island Families in Nature as well as a former classroom science teacher, environmental club advisor, environmental educator, and – let’s face it – hippie, I usually spend Earth Day proselytizing anyone and everyone about reducing, reusing, recycling, and just about anything else that will make a difference for the environment.

And when I say everyone, I do mean everyone. Even my very young children. As a parent, I go into teacher mode so often, especially when we’re outside. “Hey look, kids! Check out the lichen on this oak tree! Did you know lichen is actually algae and fungus living together? Isn’t that cool?! Did you also know that air pollution has a pretty negative effect on its growth? So we have to be sure not to pollute…”

Have I mentioned that my oldest is four?

Yes, I admit it – I want them to be science geeks (and tree huggers) like me. But as I’ve become an advocate of unstructured play time for children, I’ve learned that kids benefit so deeply from simply being outside. And children who experience and enjoy nature will naturally do more to conserve it – when they’re mature enough to understand environmental science and handle the social implications of environmental activism.

So, this April 22^nd, I’m going to go outside with my family. Maybe we’ll look at stuff. Maybe we’ll run around. Maybe we’ll play a game. But I’m definitely going to tell the environmental educator in me to take a break, and I’m going to feel good about the fact that simply enjoying nature will have profound benefits for the environment. Not to mention my kids.

Some books to check out:

I Love Dirt! and Let’s Go Outside! by Jennifer Ward

Beyond Ecophobia by David Sobel

Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv

Jeanine Silversmith is a self-described tree hugging, science and math geek whose love of nature, coupled with her absolute certainty that people, especially children, are happier, healthier, and wiser when they regularly spend time in nature, led her to establish Rhode Island Families in Nature. She loves to run, garden, bake, hike, and go camping, especially when accompanied by her husband, Ian, her four-year-old daughter, Sierra, and her two-year-old son, Devin. They live in Wakefield.

Photo Credit: iStock Photo

Kidoinfo is partnering with Rag & Bone Bindery & Soul at Work on May 1 for a day full of fun.

• Bookbinding workshops for children
• Rag & Bone Bindery’s Spring Open Studio
• Have your portrait taken by a professional
• Buy tickets for the next KidoConversation

DETAILS

Rag & Bone Bindery Spring Open Studio and Children’s Bookbinding Workshops
Saturday, May 1 from 10 AM – 2 PM.
Workshop sessions at 11 AM and 1 PM.
Join us before you shop for a cafe style May breakfast with delicious muffins, scones, coffee and juice.
Location: 1088 Main Street Pawtucket, RI 02860 (more…)

Here is a lovely egg project from Beth Curtin.  Find more of her clever crafty ideas on her blog, Acorn Pies.
To make a little egg like this, start with some dyed raw eggs. Make a few; some may break.

Put a tiny pinhole in the narrow end of the egg for a thread to hang it by. Gently put another pinhole in the side of the egg, as a place to begin cutting with a pair of sharp nail scissors. Cut ever so gently, with tiny, tiny little cuts. Pour out the raw egg and let the shell interior dry.

What do you want to put inside your egg? I snipped the thread off a little painted wooden bird Easter ornament, and glued it into a little nest made out of dried grass. The tree branch is from a dried out thyme plant I have in my garden. The children might have fun making little chicks or eggs or a bunny out of modeling beeswax. You could also decorate the interior with a little scene made out of cut paper, or with a tiny drawing. A nice finishing touch on my egg would have been a border of rick-rack around the cut edge, but I couldn’t get to the studio this week!

Childhood Magic learned how to do this from her grandmother. Visit her blog and see her amazing eggs!

Related Easter Ideas:

• Coloring Eggs
• Natural Egg Dyeing
• What does the Easter Bunny bring?

Whether your children make valentines for their entire the class or a handful for their grandparents and best friend, giving (and receiving) a handmade valentine is super special no matter how big, small, simple, or detailed the heart is.

Making a large number of valentines for your child’s class can seem daunting, but choosing a project that is simple to oversee and appropriate for your child’s skill and age level can be fun and rewarding. When my boys were toddlers, I precut hearts out of paper or used heart-shaped doilies and let them paint or put stickers on each one.

If you need to make a large number of valentines for your child’s class, try to prep as much as possible or break down the task over several days to make it a little easier and less stressful. Depending on the size of my boys’ preschool or kindergarten class, we have had to make 40 to 60 valentines! That’s a lot of hearts!

Here’s a roundup of previous projects I’ve done with my children:

• Make a Love Box

• Colorful Hearts

• Make a Love Book

More crafty valentine project ideas and ways to celebrate:

• Make Candy cane hearts from Skip to My Lou

• Make heart-shaped potato stamps from Colorfool and use them to decorate paper for wrapping paper or a tablecloth or cut the paper into valentines. Heart-shaped cookie cutters also make great stencils for tracing hearts onto paper.

• Make a valentine garland from old cards, colored paper or felt, or sew one from fabric.

• Make heart suncatchers from kids craft weekly

Kidoinfo wishes you all a lovely holiday. Play, sing, be silly, eat yummy food, make things, be kind to your neighbors and remember to share!

I am taking some time off to be with my family. See you in the New Year!

Today Beth Curtin shares this fabulous craft project to do with kids. This is a great use for old magazines and the pile of catalogs that seem to come daily this time of year. Find more cool crafty ideas on her blog, Acorn Pies.

Here are Beth’s easy-to-follow intructions:

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Kidoinfo is giving away 4 family fourpacks to attend this year’s Bright Night celebration. See details below to enter.

The artist-run, family-friendly New Year’s Eve festival Bright Night promises to be a most magical evening. It’s not that Harry Potter will be running around town or that that a unicorn will appear, complete with magical horn. (Although both of those would be kind of cool.) This year the main act for Bright Night is the magic/illusion spectacular IllusionQuest. A featured act at Six Flags New England for five years, master illusionist David Garrity and his team will magically appear, disappear, pass through solid objects and even float people from the audience.

Highlights from the performance include a comical illusion where David’s assistant ends up all twisted up; David also teaches a volunteer from the audience how to cut his assistant in half; and the finale features a breathtaking feat where David is chained to a table with 32 steel spikes suspended above him and he must escape before the spikes fall.

In addition to the illusion spectacular, your Bright Night ticket gets you access to over 50 other performances involving nearly 160 performers, including choirs, dance companies, comedians, clowns, puppeteers, jazz bands, a poetry slam, and a whole lot more. The schedule (which is being continually enhanced) runs from 12 noon- 12 midnight on December 31, 2009. There’s free on-street parking or pay $9 in the Rhode Island Convention Center.

Tickets (a Tyvek wristband) are $10 if purchased before December 24. Starting December 25, tickets are $15 each, or buy a family fourpack for $50. Tickets are available online, http://www.brightnight.org, in person at the East Side Marketplace, OOP!, and all Bank RI locations, or by phone via Art-Tix at 401-621-6123.

BRIGHT NIGHT NEEDS OUR HELP!

Some would say that the magical part of Bright Night is that it will happen at all. The largest sponsor, the city of Providence, announced in mid-November that due to budget cuts, they couldn’t afford to sponsor the event. That works out to nearly 30 percent of the festival budget. The artists of Bright Night were determined not to let that deter them. The show must go on–New Year’s Eve must be saved. They’ve started a grassroots campaign called GIVE $20, TELL 10. Their goal is to get you (and 2009 of your closest friends) to give $20 and tell 10 people.

In addition, every performer of Bright Night has agreed to take a pay cut if the festival doesn’t get enough money. Talk about community spirit. So do your part, give a little and buy some tickets! To give, visit http://www.donate.brightnight.org

Want to win a family fourpack to attend the 2009 Bright Night Providence?
Tell us in the comments below: “What is your favorite tradition on New Year’s Day?”
We will randomly select 4 people to win a family fourpack (each valued at $50). Deadline is Wednesday at noon, December 23, 2009.