The Best French Children's Books for Learning Object Names

October 04, 2013 by Michele Cherie in French Language Learning, French Resources

American parents love educational toys and books for their preschool-age children, so I find it a little strange that the French have an entire category of children's books for which we don't have a word in English: l'imagier. Wikipedia.fr defines an imagier as "A collection of photographs or drawings featuring objects, animals, and individuals along with the word that characterizes them." Put simply, they're word books with corresponding images. For little language learners, imagiers are a fantastic visual resource.

Halloween Howls and A Momentary Lesson on Contentment

October 03, 2013 by Michele Cherie in Contentment, Reflections on Parenting

Yesterday my four-year-old daughter announced that she wanted a different Halloween costume--one from the printed advertisement that she'd seen at her friend's house. "Alex got a costume from the magazine, and Claire bought one from it too. I want one! There was even a Hello Kitty." I'm sure the skeptical look I gave her was disappointing, but she'd been prancing around for two weeks in the fairy costume she'd convinced me to buy at a resale event. "Honey," I told her, "You already chose a costume. We're not buying another one." Normally I'd suggest that she do some extra chores to earn the money to buy what she suddenly fancied, but I figured the catalog she'd seen probably featured costumes that cost more than either of us wanted to pay.

5 Reasons to Consider Hosting an Exchange Student

October 01, 2013 by Michele Cherie in International Exchange

When I returned from an amazing year in France as a university exchange student, I wanted to continue to support international understanding. For a few years, I volunteered with Mercy Corps, an NGO bringing life-changing aid programs to those in devastated areas such as Syria and Ethiopia. My husband and I have also hosted several exchange students over the past few years. Someday soon I'll share stories about those host family experiences, but in the meantime, here are five reasons you should consider hosting an exchange student:

What A Mother of Young Children Needs to Hear Now

September 30, 2013 by Michele Cherie in Reflections on Parenting

I know you. I know your work. From the moment you rise, you respond. You take a deep breath and begin to serve and never look back. Many years ago you were a daughter, a friend, a student, independent and eager. Your steps led you to this place--your family encircled around you. You are weary but you are grateful, because this family is amazing.

Baby Talk + First Words in French and English

September 27, 2013 by Michele Cherie in French Language Learning

I spoke French with my first child from her birth, but of course it wasn't until she was well over a year old that we began to truly interact through language. At that point, I noticed that many basic French nouns and verbs seemed longer than many of the first words anglophone babies speak. Here are a few examples of basic nouns and verbs in both languages:

5 Books that Changed my Parenting: Book 2

September 25, 2013 by Michele Cherie in Parenting Books, Reflections on Parenting

Like me, you probably grew up hearing stories of the scrap lumber forts your dad built as a child, or at least you're familiar with The Sandlot or The Goonies, nostalgic American films that celebrate days of childhood freedom and exploration. Well, in contrast to your dad and the motley neighborhood pals of earlier decades, today's children are no longer spending significant amounts of time outdoors.

Getting Free Cultural Passes + Discount Museum Admission for Children

September 24, 2013 by Michele Cherie in Learning Resources, Cultural Reflections

The Japanese Garden. The Classical Chinese Garden. Portland Art Museum. The Children's Museum. The libraries in my area offer a free cultural pass to each of these places with no advance reservation required. The passes are available for one day checkout and admit several family members. You might have similar cultural passes available where you live. Here's the scoop:

5 Tips for Shopping Children's Consignment Resale Events

September 23, 2013 by Michele Cherie in Home Management

Did you realize yesterday was the first day of autumn? Before writing this post, I spent fifteen minutes pulling summer clothes from my children's closet and drawers. I do this for two reasons:

First, my four-year-old would choose to wear sundresses year-round, so tucking these away in the cold months makes for fewer clothing disputes. (My one-year-old shows a similar fondness for swim trunks.)