Reading every day with your child from a young age promotes language and hopefully creates future bookworms.
Resources for Learning to Read
- SightWords.com ~ contains lists of the most commonly used sight words by grade level
- One Minute Reader ~ Has app or book options available along with audio CDs to assist in mastering how to read and fluency (not a free service)
Resources for Children's Books
- Read Brightly ~ A wonderful source of info for new children's books at all levels. Also includes parenting tips and articles.
- SCBWI Summer Reading List ~ a fun list of recent publications by children's book writers and illustrators
- Caldecott Medal and Honor Books ~ The medal is awarded to the"artist of the most distinguished American Picture Book for Children published in the United States during the preceding year".
Healthy Mind, Healthy Family
- AAP Healthychildren.org ~ from the American Academy of Pediatrics, an excellent resource for looking up developmental milestones, tips and advice, and information about common childhood ailments and conditions.
- KidsHealth ~ physician-reviewed information and advice on children's health and parenting issues.
A Few Good Books
- Caring for Your Baby and Young Child, Birth to Age 5 ~ an essential book for new parents from the AAP. Includes tips about common childhood illnesses. I bought this book when I became a mom at the end of residency--it helped me to learn all the little things you don't necessarily learn as a doctor, but rather 'on the job' as a new parent.
- The Care and Keeping of You 1 and The Care and Keeping of You 2 ~ The Body Book for Younger and Older Girls, respectively. These two books discuss physical and emotional changes for girls, along with hygiene, peer pressure etc.
- The Feelings Book ~ This book is a companion book to The Care and Keeping of You. "The Feelings Book will help you understand your emotions, and deal with them in positive ways."
- I'm still on the lookout for a good book for boys about physical/emotional changes. There are quite a few out there but I don't want to recommend one I haven't read yet. If you have a good suggestion, please contact me on the "contact us" page.