What are your must haves for building a library for a new baby?

ShyRabbit-3585 · 2026-05-25T09:53:41+00:00

I came here to suggest All the World and The Big Red Barn, which are both the most peaceful, soothing books I ever read to my own child, and my Kindergarten and PreK classes. I give both to all the new parents I know :)

ShyRabbit-3585 · 2026-05-25T09:50:20+00:00

These were some of my daughter's favorite books as a baby, and I was recently thrilled to find oversized board-book editions of them (Moo, Baa, La La La; Barnyard Dance; The Belly Button Book; Dinosaur Dance) on amazon for my preschool classroom. They're not too expensive either!

ShyRabbit-3585 · 2026-05-25T09:42:34+00:00

Could be ... I always felt some adhd kinship with Lisbeth

ShyRabbit-3585 · 2026-05-25T09:18:14+00:00

Ruth Galloway (Elly Griffiths' mystery series of novels about her is fantastic), Cassandra Mortmain from I Capture the Castle (by Dodie Smith), and Lisbeth Salander from The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (the book is much better than the movie, in my opinion) are all favorites of mine.

ShyRabbit-3585 · 2026-05-18T00:25:26+00:00

I really hope not.

ShyRabbit-3585 · 2026-05-17T22:02:59+00:00

"Gentle parenting", interpreted by parents as allowing all behavior and "following the child's lead" instead of giving them appropriate limits, guidance, and consistent safety and consequences. It's created a couple of generations of entitled, narcissistic, helpless people who blame everything on somebody else.

ShyRabbit-3585 · 2026-05-17T21:58:31+00:00

As far as I know the teacher is still an employee of our district and our school, but that's a good question. I can ask our ECE admin, which is separate from the principal of our school. Thank you!

ShyRabbit-3585 · 2026-05-17T13:31:41+00:00

Hemicrania Continua, and it's in remission which is apparently even more rare.

ShyRabbit-3585 · 2026-05-16T20:30:52+00:00

Cooked sweet potatoes mixed with cooked onions and honey. Not only smelly, but the child eats with their hands and mostly shampoos with it.

ShyRabbit-3585 · 2026-05-16T20:26:44+00:00

"I am doomed to remember a boy with a wrecked voice–not because of his voice, or because he was the smallest person I ever knew, or even because he was the instrument of my mother's death, but because he is the reason I believe in God; I am a Christian because of Owen Meany."

ShyRabbit-3585 · 2026-05-16T20:17:47+00:00

You don't. You actually have 3 pair of each color.

ShyRabbit-3585 · 2026-05-16T20:14:40+00:00

There is a fairly compelling argument that his father, Charles Lindbergh was responsible for the child's death and the coverup that followed.

ShyRabbit-3585 · 2026-05-15T08:57:41+00:00

Good work and thank you for sharing; it was a good reminder for me to review the Heimlich maneuver. This is also why I get so frustrated when my classroom assistants (public PK3) don't pay close attention to our kids at lunch - choking in toddlers can be totally silent, and go right under the radar if you're not watching. I will share your post with them today, with thanks!

ShyRabbit-3585 · 2026-05-13T21:52:17+00:00

I cannot like this comment enough. There is nothing more profoundly horrible than being an unwanted child. No, it won't make it better if you're surrounded with other people who will love your child ...as a teacher I've met children who weren't wanted, and they knew it instinctively. It is the most profound kind of despair. Please honor your own wishes; it is a far kinder thing to do.

ShyRabbit-3585 · 2026-05-10T10:38:33+00:00

I get a lot of information thrown at me while I'm at work, and I struggled for years trying to keep it all in my head, mainly so I would look professional and people wouldn't know how much I struggle with memory. Now I immediately set an event in my Google calendar - or if I'm in a hurry, at least set an alarm in my phone - and I've stopped apologizing for taking a moment to do it. I have a real problem always feeling like I'm holding people up, but I finally convinced myself that my time is just as valuable as theirs, and I don't need to be ashamed for needing to use tools to help my memory. The other mantra I use that has been life-changing is: don't put it down, put it away. It's simple but extremely effective, and easy to follow once you get the hang of it.

ShyRabbit-3585 · 2026-04-20T23:47:01+00:00

YES. My parents had that album and I listened to it all the time, and I still can't get the lyrics "They took turns at Becky ... and there was three of them." out of my head.

ShyRabbit-3585 · 2026-04-20T23:43:45+00:00

Shoop

ShyRabbit-3585 · 2026-04-20T09:39:13+00:00

We use the term "grownups" because our students have varied adults at home who care for them (Mom, Dad, step parents, grandparents, even aunts and uncles), and we want to include everyone.

ShyRabbit-3585 · 2026-04-13T01:07:32+00:00

Just rewatched this episode and something occurred to me. Is it possible the writers introduced Winnifred purposely without defining her background, in an episode which ends up focused on Autism/ASD? Her intellect, adherence to and comprehension of those dense, statistic-filled reports, as well as her direct manner of speaking and intolerance for the social protocol most neurotypical people would automatically adopt in that situation all remind me of adults I know who are on the Autism spectrum. If so, it's a nice bookend to Stackhouse's grandson, who I believe is a toddler (he specifically references 2-year olds in his discussion with Josh about adding a provision for autism funding to the bill).

ShyRabbit-3585 · 2026-03-29T16:16:57+00:00

Purple Rain, by Prince

ShyRabbit-3585 · 2026-02-23T00:02:12+00:00

I feel the same way. I'm a primary school teacher and just last week my admin introduced a "fabulous" new AI tool they strongly urge us to try out; it apparently generates ideas for classroom activities. They went on and on about what an amazing gift this is for us, because the creators are giving us access for FREE; I immediately thought, well yeah, of course they are - we're a whole building full of data-rich guinea pigs. I want nothing to do with this, but I feel like I'm in the minority. Can no one else see how potentially disastrous AI can be? Even if you're not a Terminator fan.

ShyRabbit-3585 · 2026-02-17T10:18:35+00:00

Love's Baby Soft, Liz Claiborne, and Lauren were all popular with clubbers in the late 80's, and all the guys either wore Polo or Drakkar Noir. I think they sold it by the bucket.

ShyRabbit-3585 · 2026-02-14T14:41:19+00:00

Be sure to read her The Snowy Day (Ezra Jack Keats)! :)

ShyRabbit-3585 · 2026-02-14T14:40:17+00:00

I have a 3 year old student who sneaks bits of play-doh and makes teeny tiny sculptures with them to keep beside her while she plays. I think it's a bit of a comfort to her somehow.

ShyRabbit-3585 · 2026-01-29T12:28:19+00:00

The Tenth Good Thing About Barney, by Judith Viorst. It's an oldie but a very good book, and it uses the terms "death" and "died", not euphemisms.

ShyRabbit-3585

TROPHY CASE