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Hi, I’m Sharlene!

A mother of 5 boys, grandmother of 12, and author of Good Music Brighter Children. I started the blog, “good parenting brighter children” to share my 40+ years of experience swimming in the delightful (and sometimes shark infested) waters of parenthood. It’s been quite the experience and one I want to share.

Hopefully, you find this blog helpful and inspiring as you travel your own unique parenthood journey.

the latest from the Blog

How to Make Fall Activities for Kids & Grandkids the Best Ever!

Here is the Most Amazing Way to Introduce Shakespeare to Kids

Multiple Intelligences: 9 Unique Ways to be Amazingly Smart!

How to have Fun on a Nature Study with Grandparents

9 Super Fun Ocean Activities for Grandkids & Grandparents

Amazing Reasons Why Grandparents are Important to Teens

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SHAKESPEARE FOR KIDS: “PARTING IS SUCH SWEET SOR

SHAKESPEARE FOR KIDS: “PARTING IS SUCH SWEET SORROW!” Do you know which Shakespeare play this quote is from? Your teen grandkids probably know (answer: “Romeo & Juliet”) This week, I’m talking about different ways to introduce Shakespeare to your kids/grandkids. No matter the ages of your kids/grandkids—children’s books are always a great place to start when introducing them to Shakespeare. “Flibbertigibbety Words” is a fun-filled book with quotes and lines from the Bard’s most famous plays. And here is Idea #3 on how to introduce Shakespeare to your kids using this book: Idea #3: There are many famous Shakespeare quotes in this book. Play a guessing game and read them to your teen & tween grandkids. Have them guess what play they are from Offer prizes and more for correct answers! One of my favorite quotes? “Something wicked this way comes…” –which play is this from? Get the scoop here: link in bio

“TO BE OR NOT TO BE—THAT IS THE QUESTION!” I

“TO BE OR NOT TO BE—THAT IS THE QUESTION!” INTRODUCING SHAKESPEARE TO GRANDKIDS—MORE IDEAS Did you order the book, “Flibbertigibbety Words,” by Donna Guthrie? If not, you should—it’s a great book for introducing Shakespeare to grandkids. Here’s another idea you can use when reading this book to your grandkids… Idea #2: Getting in touch with your emotions is a trend right now. As you read this book to your grandkids—notice the different facial expressions on little Shakespeare’s face. Ask your grandkids: *What do you think he’s thinking?
*Why does he look sad, frustrated, or happy?
*Why do you think words keep slipping away from Shakespeare? Then relate it back to them—have they ever felt the same way? What did they do? Get more ideas here: link in bio

FUN WAYS OF INTRODUCING SHAKESPEARE TO KIDS & GRAN

FUN WAYS OF INTRODUCING SHAKESPEARE TO KIDS & GRANDKIDS –“ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE” Have you ever been to an opera? Ever taken your grandkids/kids? When I was 9 years old, my grandmother (who loved opera) took me to see, “Tannhauser” by Richard Wagner. Pretty heavy for a 9-year-old. Opera is hard for kids to understand…so is Shakespeare. But if you take the time to introduce your grandkids to opera & Shakespeare—when they are young—they will fall in love for a lifetime! Let’s focus on Shakespeare. Here’s Idea #1 on introducing Shakespeare to kids… Idea #1: Grab this book from Amazon: “Flibbertigibbety Words” by my friend, Donna Guthrie. It’s all about Shakespeare as a little boy; how he loves words and chases them throughout the book—even when it’s disappointing and discouraging to find the right poetic words. Then make it relevant to your grandkids—ask them about their frustrations & disappointments and how they face and conquer them. If you want a child to love something (like Shakespeare)—they need identify with it—this book will help you do that. More ideas here: link in bio

Here at a glance are the 9 areas of intelligences.

Here at a glance are the 9 areas of intelligences. Your children have all 9 intelligences within them and they will surface at different times in their lives--given they have opportunities to develop them. Read about this fascinating subject: Link in bio

ALL ABOUT KIDS/GRANDKIDS WHO ARE MUSIC SMART (SOUN

ALL ABOUT KIDS/GRANDKIDS WHO ARE MUSIC SMART (SOUND SMART) Music intelligence is pretty darn amazing. When your child learns a musical instrument, they are not only developing their music intelligence, but all of the other 8 intelligences simultaneously. Yup! Music is that powerful! Here are some characteristics of a musically smart kid: *Can sing in tune
*Plays a musical instrument
*Understands and produces melodies and rhythms
*Can discern between sound, pitch, rhythm, timbre and tone
*Creates, reproduces and recognizes music So, if you want to help develop your child/grandchild’s music smart (and all the other smarts at the same time) here are some ideas to make that happen: Enroll your child/grandchild in music lessons, take them to concerts, musicals, operas, and make sure to sing to them every day! Details: link in bio

ALL ABOUT VERBAL/LINGUISTIC INTELLIGENCE OR WORD S

ALL ABOUT VERBAL/LINGUISTIC INTELLIGENCE OR WORD SMART! Do you have a child/grandchild that: *Loves words and thinks in words?
*Likes crossword puzzles?
*Enjoys writing, reading, & telling stories?
*Good at learning languages?
* Can teach or explain things to others? If any of your kids/grandkids like these activities—they just may have verbal/linguistic intelligence! There are lots of ways to encourage and support this intelligence—reading aloud, discussing books, going to the library, reading newspapers, keeping a journal and learning and using 1 new word each day. Read about people who have verbal/linguistic intelligence—and how they have influenced the world through the written word: link in bio

ALL ABOUT NATURALIST INTELLIGENCE OR NATURE SMART.

ALL ABOUT NATURALIST INTELLIGENCE OR NATURE SMART. Who would have thought that loving nature is a form of intelligence? Well, it is—and a popular one, too! Do you have a child/grandchild who: *Is sensitive to the natural world?
*Loves spending time outdoors?
*Enjoys exploring the world?
*Seeks connections & patterns within the plant and animal kingdoms? If so, your child or grandchild just might have nature smarts! It includes people like botanists, zoologists, horticulturists, archeologists, etc. There are lots of ways you can nurture this in your child or grandchild—hike, take nature walks, create a garden, bike your way through forests and mountains, categorize plants, birds, rocks, etc. Learn more about famous nature lovers and naturalists and even how music is found in nature: link in bio

ALL ABOUT SPATIAL INTELLIGENCE OR PICTURE SMART!

ALL ABOUT SPATIAL INTELLIGENCE OR PICTURE SMART! Do you have a child or grandchild who: *Visualizes in pictures or images?
*Good at drawing or sketching in detail?
*Understands 3-dimensional space?
*Loves mazes & jigsaw puzzles?
*Is a daydreamer? If your child/grandchild falls into any of these areas, they may have Spatial or pictures smarts—which is a pretty amazing intelligence (Albert Einstein was a spatial genius) Here are some ways you can help your child/grandchild develop these smarts: give them plenty of puzzles. Enroll them in photography, videography, drawing, sculpting, or graphic art classes. And let them take things apart and put them back together. Learn more about this intelligence; some famous spatial geniuses, how to encourage your child/grandchild to develop this intelligence and more: link in bio

ALL ABOUT LOGICAL/MATHEMATICAL INTELLIGENCE: NUMBE

ALL ABOUT LOGICAL/MATHEMATICAL INTELLIGENCE: NUMBER & REASONING SMART Does your child or grandchild: *Love numbers?
*Is logical?
*Has excellent reasoning skills?
*Sees pattern relationships?
*Is a problem-solver and analyzes information? If so, they just may have logical/mathematical intelligence! Here are a few ideas of how you can encourage and help to develop this intelligence in your child/grandchild: Give them a chemistry set, play board games; let them practice calculating math problems in their minds—and more... Find out how this intelligence is strengthened when a child plays a musical instrument And who are some famous logical/mathematical people who have made a difference in this world? Last, what are other ways you can encourage this intelligence in your kids/grandkids? Link in bio

PARENTS & GRANDPARENTS: RECOGNIZING & DEVELOPING 9

PARENTS & GRANDPARENTS: RECOGNIZING & DEVELOPING 9 DIFFERENT INTELLIGENCES IN YOUR KIDS/GRANDKIDS—A MUST READ! Summer is over, the kids are back in some sort of school…and considering all the challenges of 2020—you may be looking for a fun & interesting diversion—one that can positively impact your kids/grandkids—maybe even yourself. Ever hear of, “The Theory of Multiple Intelligences?” This theory illustrates all the different ways your kids/grandkids experience and demonstrates intelligence. Clear back in 1983, a Harvard professor—after mulling through 100s of ways to be smart—identified 9 main areas of intelligence. The good news? We have ALL these intelligences within us and they will surface at different times throughout our lives. Here’s how parents & grandparents can help… Become familiar with the 9 areas of intelligence and decide how you can nurture and support your kids/grandkids as they develop some of these during the school year. The reason I’m including grandparents? Grandparenting has drastically changed over the last 20 years—never before have grandparents been so involved, interested and dedicated to their grandchildren as they are now. And most grandchildren love and adore their grandparents which allows them to make a HUGE difference in their grandchild’s life—including nurturing their smarts. This is a fascinating subject—one I’ve been studying for almost 4 decades. Check out the highlights and details here: link in bio

Labor Day marks the day that Summer is officially

Labor Day marks the day that Summer is officially over and Fall is here! Over the last 4 months, four of our grandchildren have been coming to our house for 2-full days of educational and fun activities. Today, their parents are coming to our house and the kids are sharing all the things they’ve been doing these past 4 months. Each child has 3 big cardboard sheets filled with their artwork, pictures of different events and a 30-page book illustrating their 4-month activities and grandma’s and grandpa’s house. If you’re a grandparent—you know the day you became a grandparent, you were also bestowed with what is affectionately called, “bragging rights.” It’s when grandparents unashamedly brag about their grandkids—non-stop. We’re blessed to have 13 almost 14 amazingly talented and beautiful grandkids—who live all over the U.S. They are smart, accomplished, kind and caring. We couldn’t ask for more! The four grandchildren in the pictures range in age from 2-7 and are the ones who live close-by and have been coming to our house. The three little dark-haired kids are my youngest son and his wife’s children. Their mom is Japanese and these kids are fluent in both English and Japanese—super smart kids! The little blonde is my third son and his wife’s little boy. He, too is adventurous and smart! Tell me about your perfect grandchildren—after all—there are ONLY perfect grandchildren!

BEST BOOKS ABOUT NATURE TO READ TO GRANDKIDS Libr

BEST BOOKS ABOUT NATURE TO READ TO GRANDKIDS Libraries and bookstores are filled to the brim with books about nature. Take this list and your grandkids with you to the library and check out a bunch of fun books about nature. Then go home and start reading! Do you have a monthly book budget set aside for books for your grandkids? If not, you should. Books and reading to your grandkids are an investment in their future and reading aloud to your grandkids is correlated with school success. Get the book list and more here: link in bio

EVER EAT AN EDIBLE GLACIER? HERE’S HOW TO MAKE O

EVER EAT AN EDIBLE GLACIER? HERE’S HOW TO MAKE ONE WITH YOUR GRANDKIDS To add to the nature-study theme this week, read books to your grandkids about glaciers and then head to the kitchen to make an edible glacier. (it’s a name and recipe I concocted 30 years ago) You make these using blueberry Jell-O, fresh blueberries, whipping cream and crushed Oreo cookies. You can make this a single layer glacier or if you have 2+ hours to spend—you can make it into a fancy layered glacier. Explain to your grandkids that glaciers are layers of snow that form into layers of ice. The Jell-O is the glacier, the blueberries the rocks, the whipping cream the snow and the Oreos the dirt. More important details about this activity here: link in bio

FUN, FOAMY & FIZZY STARS—A FUN SCIENCE EXPERIMEN

FUN, FOAMY & FIZZY STARS—A FUN SCIENCE EXPERIMENT FOR KIDS Grandparents! Are you looking for a super fun and super easy science experiment to do with your grandkids that reminds them of nature’s beautiful night sky? All it takes is baking soda, vinegar, some star-shaped cookie cutters, glitter and your grandkids are on their way to making fizzy, foamy, fun stars that sparkle in the night. Science teaches kids problem-solving skills—find out what they’ll learn about the science behind these two chemicals and what causes them to foam when combined. Details: link in bio

WATER, ROCKS, STICKS & MUD—SENSORY TOYS FOUND IN

WATER, ROCKS, STICKS & MUD—SENSORY TOYS FOUND IN NATURE’S PLAYGROUND Children’s favorite toys don’t come from a store—they’re found in nature. Water, rocks, sticks and mud—are the toys found in nature’s playground and ones your grandkids/kids will never tire of. Playing with water, mud/sand, rocks and sticks helps a child’s sensory development with gross and fine motor development as they dig, scoop, sift, funnel and pour. Hand-eye coordination as they throw rocks, pick up sticks and float boats Social skills, cooperative play is learned and most important—these activities increase a child’s love of exploring and discovering! More details found here: link in bio

CREATE A NATURE MURAL WITH GRANDKIDS Almost nothi

CREATE A NATURE MURAL WITH GRANDKIDS Almost nothing compares to the beauty of nature (except for grandkids). The challenge becomes—how to capture that beauty on paper. Here is an opportunity to let your grandkids become miniature artists and create nature on a mural as they see and experience it. When you go on your listening walk—make is a duel experience by having them collect things they would like to glue on their nature murals. Supply other things—moss, dot markers, paint, wooden nature creatures, twigs and more. (btw: grandkids LOVE dot markers)! Sometimes it’s the experience of creating art that expresses their feelings of nature best. Details: link in bio

CELEBRATE NATURE: MAKE A COLORFUL RAINBOW COLLAGE

CELEBRATE NATURE: MAKE A COLORFUL RAINBOW COLLAGE OUT OF CARDBOARD Teach your grandkids all about rainbows! Rainbows are one of nature’s most interesting phenomena. Did you know they are made up of 7 colors? Red, orange, yellow, blue, green, indigo and violet! And did you know that no two people see the same rainbow in the same way? Why is that? Make a cardboard collage rainbow with your grandkids. Supply lots of colorful paper, glitter, feathers, ribbons, pom-poms and more to decorate their rainbows. Let the fun begin! This art activity increases fine motor development with gluing, scissoring, designing and more. Inspiration: #artbar Get the fun details for this project and other nature projects here: link in bio

GO ON A LISTENING WALK WITH YOUR GRANDKIDS AND LEA

GO ON A LISTENING WALK WITH YOUR GRANDKIDS AND LEARN ABOUT NATURE! Have you ever gone on a “listening walk” with your grandkids? It’s fun, educational and is one way to teach your grandkids/kids about the art of listening to nature (which truly is an art!). Here’s all it takes: Read the book, “The Listening Walk” to your grandkids Download my FREE listening walk printable Plan a listening walk date Get up & go And you’re in business! Oh—and there are 2 different fun “nature bracelets” you want your grandkids to wear when you go! Link in bio

SUPER FUN AND COLORFUL BOOKS ABOUT THE OCEAN—PER

SUPER FUN AND COLORFUL BOOKS ABOUT THE OCEAN—PERFECT TO READ TO GRANDKIDS! Begin your ocean activities by reading different books about the ocean—and there are a TON available on Amazon or at the library. One that became our grandkid’s favorite was: “Magic Beach” by Alison Lester. My friend #she.nannagans told me about this book and I ordered it from Amazon. It’s considered an Australian classic and was first published in 1990. Kids who were young then—fondly remember this book as adults. If you live near the ocean—you will understand the magic of the beach that Lester talks about. There are other amazing ocean books, too—get the list here: link in bio

GRANDKIDS MAKING CORAL REEFS FROM ROLLED PAPER & O

GRANDKIDS MAKING CORAL REEFS FROM ROLLED PAPER & OCEAN STICKERS This was a fun project, but I would recommend it for older grandkids (5-8). They became very proficient in rolling paper—but the hard part was gluing the rolled paper to their cardboard. The paper kept slipping and unrolling. So, I came up with an idea—check out the blog for the details. After all their colorful reefs were in place, they decorated the entire project with ocean stickers—creating a fun ocean scene! Make this an extra fun project and talk to your kids about the wonders of coral reefs in the ocean. Inspiration: @artbarblog Details: link in bio

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