MUM-e-Mail

- a newsletter to enthuse, educate, and entertain
mothers of pre-schoolers and their supporters

December 2004

Mothering Maxim  -  The Essence of Christmas

He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata. What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, it is people, it is people.

Mum Moment – All I Want for Christmas …

Linda Sharp, involved in her child’s school, once asked primary-aged children: "Name one thing you would like your Mum or Dad to give you this Christmas that would not cost a penny."

You could have heard that penny hit the floor as silence enveloped them, and their young minds went to work.

This what children REALLY want this year. And no, a Play Station or X-Box is nowhere on the lists of their hearts.

Listen To Me Please:

At the top of their lists is for we parents to stop being so busy all the time and just listen to them talk. We need to stop, look them in the eye, and listen. If we don't, they will simply stop trying.

Teach Me To Cook:

Children know every button on the microwave, but have no idea how to simmer, bake or boil.  Yes, there is great messiness in allowing your youngsters to cook with you, but some happy memories are in the kitchen with Mum, dusted with flour and smudged with love.

Please Stop Smoking:

One child spoke this wish and it was quickly echoed by many others. This concern went further than parents’ health and their own.

Linda Sharp writes, “One young girl pulled me aside and whispered her reason in my ear, "The other kids say I always smell bad." I hugged her close and bent to kiss her head and she was right. Her hair did not smell of Johnson & Johnson's, but of Benson & Hedges. Not her choice and certainly not fair.”

Stop Being So Busy All The Time:

How often do we use the phrase, "Just a minute . . ." or "Hold on . . ."?  How many times do we look up after "just a minute" to find the child has given up waiting and is gone?

Read TO Me:

We tend to think that once a child can read, our job is done. Actually, these children expressed a desire to have Mum or Dad read a chapter book TO them each night. And while they would really enjoy the reading, it leads to a deeper desire . . .

Hug Me More:

Cling tight. Give more than enough hugs and snuggling and attention. Hug not once, not twice, but as much and as long as your children need.

So while you are running around doing that last minute shopping, add some of these items to your own child's list.

Rich or poor, they are all things that don’t cost a cent and we all have in endless supply. We just have to stop and open our arms and hearts a little wider.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

From A Mother’s Heart -

The best things in life ARE free – love, time, grace – and yet they cost a lot.

The cradle of Christmas and the cross of Easter necessarily go together. That is God’s love for you and me.

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You are welcome to forward this MUM-e-Mail in its entirety to your friends, mothers of pre-schoolers and their supporters. Currently there are 214 subscribers from NZ, Australia, England, Canada, Hong Kong, and USA.

If your friend has forwarded this to you and you wish to subscribe, it's easy. Click on this hyperlink and send blank e-mail to:  mum-e-mail-subscribe@yahoogroups.com .

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Mum's Mail -

This Christmas (season), I’m glad I/we ….

What is something that you have done right this season? You're invited to complete this sentence and reply to mumemail@... [you could click on this hyperlink and do it now?]. We'll publish responses in a month - next time in MUM-e-Mail.

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Mum – Etc : Snippets and e-bits that may interest you …
[these websites and all their contents are not necessarily endorsed by MOPS NZ]

·       St. Nicklaus / St. Nicholas – as requested by a MUM-e-Mail reader - http://www.stnicholascenter.org/ - plenty from around the world too  - also http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/santa.asp .

·       http://www.janbrett.com/trim_a_jan_brett_christmas_tree.htm - put on your own twinkle lights and decorations – my children loved this!

·       http://www.momscape.com/giggles/ - more Linda Sharp columns http://www.momscape.com/firsttime.htm

·       http://www.mingmethod.com/ - [scroll down] advocates audio tape recording your day’s activities. [ed’s note: our children really love the Hairy Maclary stories I read out onto audio tape with them ‘squawking’ in the background. On the tape is even Nathan’s first real ‘talking’.]

·       http://www.trafficnz.info/ - a different view of Auckland! Complete with cameras. I have the camera screen on that updates every minute whilst I’m working online. My 4yo boy thinks it’s great – all those trucks and vans. We talk about where they might be going; direction of north and south. Not good weather at the moment though!

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MOPS NZ - mopsnz@...        MOPS Au - www.mops.org.au

MOPS International grand website - www.mops.org - for locations of global MOPS groups, mum’s forums, MOPShop specials, MOMSense radio transcripts [free subscription], courses, etc.

Any and all ‘articles’ in this newsletter, unless otherwise stated, are MOPS ©  material and, when used in a non-profit publication, should be given due credit. Other users, please first contact Johanna, mumemail@... .

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... from last time : What’s a favourite advent ‘activity’ in your household?

I really enjoy wrapping the presents and thinking about each person who will receive it. As a family we have a tradition of pulling our kids out of bed in their PJs on Christmas Eve and taking them to a Christmas Eve Service complete with candles, carols and quiet. We feel this starts our Christmas Day off in a much more God acknowledging way and helps the children sleep in a little in the morning (Ha Ha). We also find this service more meaningful than the Christmas Day one.   -   Karen Winder, NZ

We love to have a special family time around the Christmas Tree on Christmas Eve. The children get to open one present each, which is always a new tree decoration to hang on the tree.  -   Sharon, Hamilton, NZ 

A favourite activity in our house is making decorations. The last couple of years have included paper tree decorations and paper chains. This year I have made some salt dough shapes and the children can paint them to hang on the tree. - Catherine Kennedy, Canberra, Australia

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Celebrate Jesus’ Birthday !

Remember to give plenty of hugs, not only to your children, today … and thank you for reading MUM-e-Mail, 

Shalom,

 Johanna Whittaker

mumemail@...

on behalf of MOPS (NZ) Inc.

© 2004 by MOPS New Zealand Inc and MOPS International.