New Children's Book Inspires Readers to Get Outside

Numerous studies have shown how beneficial nature is to the developing child yet society is becoming more and more removed from the natural world and closer and closer to technology. A Beauty Collected (September 6, Familius), encourages children—and parents— to rediscover the beauty of the earth by giving readers visual access to ordinary and extraordinary items found in nature.

By featuring items that can be found in one’s own neighborhood (dandelion, bark, herbs) along with more exotic items (gold nuggets, meteorites, crystals), the imagery in A Beauty Collected is both accessible and designed to expand a child’s mind beyond the backyard. From the book:

“A is for aloe, to soothe and to heal, for apple, and artichoke, leaf-by-leaf peel. A is for arrowhead and antlers that spear. A is for ash—a fire was here.”

Whether the item is a porcupine quill or vanilla pod, A Beauty Collected encourages curiosity and adventure.

Full-color, high-quality photos captured by new author, mom, and professional photographer Rachel Garahan, illustrate each letter of the alphabet enticing children to discover the vibrant world around them. Rachel has traveled the world and has a keen eye for seeing the simple beauty in what is around her. From the wings of an insect to the roots of a plant, A Beauty Collected brings out readers’ natural inquisitiveness for the world around them.

Sixteen final pages of the book contain a glossary of terms with phonetic spellings, historical facts, and scientific information that helps parents engage with their children. By discussing this information with their children, parents can help entice their young readers to learn more about and experience the great outdoors. A Beauty Collected isn’t simply about learning about nature; it’s about experiencing it as a family.

About the Author: Rachel Garahan is an LA-based photographer and creative consultant who has spent her career building brands while photographing people and places around the world. As an intrepid traveler, Garahan is no stranger to the outdoors, most recently spending two months living on the beaches of Nicaragua with her husband and infant son. While she calls Los Angeles home, Garahan was born and raised in Vermont and spent her young adulthood traveling through Australia and the South Pacific before graduating from the University of Arizona with a BA in Journalism. A Beauty Collected is Garahan's first book set to be released in September 2016 by Familius. The book is an ode to nature, inspiring children and readers of all ages to look closer at the world around them. Garahan lives with her husband, two dogs, and one- year-old son, Benjamin River. You can find her on her personal blog One Part Gypsy or on instagram and pinterest: @onepartgypsy.

About the Publisher: Familius is a family and parenting media publisher devoted to creating content that helps build strong values and happy families. As a digitally savvy, multi-media publisher, we share our family-driven content in multiple formats, including print, e-books, videos, apps. Through Familius.com, we also provide an online community where parents can seek out and share advice and access a wealth of contemporary parenting content, tools, and resources rooted in traditional family values. Let’s Talk Family.

http://www.familius.com

Book Details:

Title: A Beauty Collected 
Author: Rachel Garahan 
Publisher: Familius 
Publication: September 6, 2016 
Price: $24.95
ISBN: 9781942934707 Hardcover
*Available from bookstores, online booksellers and www.familius.com

How To Raise Thrifty And Generous Teenagers

From piggy banks to that first savings account, many children are taught the value of saving from an early age.

But as they grow to adolescence, following parental advice sometimes gives way to peer or media influences, and those once-thrifty children are now teenagers in a consumer-driven world where spending, not saving, is king.

“Nearly everyone falls into two categories: spenders and savers,” says John Cortines, co-author with Gregory Baumer of God and Money: How We Discovered True Riches at Harvard Business School (www.godandmoney.net). “Spending is easy, so it’s up to parents to start conversations with their teens on the importance of saving and, just as importantly, giving.”

Cortines and Baumer suggest three ways parents can help teens establish good financial habits before they reach adulthood, and pave the way for those teens to become generous people as well as good savers:

• Help them begin saving for retirement now. Teens who land a part-time job often want to save money to buy a car or they simply want to enjoy a little financial freedom with weekend shopping sprees. Unless they’re careful, that money burning a proverbial hole in their pocket is spent before the next payday. Parents can help them think beyond today by suggesting they invest a portion of that income in a Roth IRA. Mom and Dad can even consider matching their teen dollar-for-dollar on their savings. “Explain the wonder of compounding investment returns – how the money they invest as a teen could be worth 10 to 20 times as much when they retire,” Cortines says.
• Family philanthropy.  Even if the gifts are modest, Cortines and Baumer advocate involving teens in the family giving plan. Encourage them to research charities and apply for “grants” from the family’s budget for giving. “The experience of learning about nonprofits will be invaluable,” Baumer says. This is also where another portion of the teen’s earnings from a part-time job could be placed.
• Let them into your journey.  Parents should model what they want their teens to emulate. Cortines said this begins with “letting them see your character as reflected in financial decisions.” That doesn’t mean letting teens know their parents’ net worth or the details of their income. Baumer and Cortines suggest explaining to teens how living modestly has short- and long-term benefits, whether it has allowed an early payoff of a mortgage, or demonstrates that frugal purchasing decisions leave money available for charitable giving.

“If you frame the conversation well,” Baumer says, “teens will benefit from seeing your character on display as you navigate your finances.”

Once saving and giving goals are fulfilled, teens can then begin to focus on spending.
“But unless spending is kept under control,” Cortines says, “saving and giving simply aren’t possible at any meaningful level.”

About John Cortines and Greg Baumer

John Cortines and Greg Baumer are co-authors of God and Money: How We Discovered True Riches at Harvard Business School (www.godandmoney.net). Baumer is VP of Business Development for naviHealth, a Nashville-based healthcare technology firm. Cortines is Executive VP of Emerging Leaders for Generous Giving, an organization that exists to share the biblical message of generosity.

World of Ink Author Spotlight with Mona Haynes

Join Host Virginia S Grenier on the World of Ink Network Mondays for the Author Spotlight show on October 3, 2016 at 8pm EST - 7pm CST - 6pm MST - 5pm PST.

The Author Spotlight show brings readers debut, best-selling, award-winning authors every Monday. Host Virginia S Grenier will not only talk to our guest author about their recently released books but also what the inspiration is behind the book and much more.


Our Guest This Week Will Be:
Mona Haynes who is a wife, mother and grandmother! She has over 25 years experience in early childhood development. Mona enjoys working in the ministry with her husband who is a pastor. She loves her family and friends three dots.

You can learn more about Mona Haynes at http://www.halopublishing.com/3f-h/mona-haynes.html

10/03/2016 06:00 PM

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/worldofinknetwork/2016/10/04/world-of-ink-author-spotlight-with-mona-haynes

Today's sponsor: Halo Publishing, Int. Learn more at http://www.halopublishing.com

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