Joe:
Thank you for your comments, June. And now for the first in series of excerpts.

"Slow and Steady,
Get Me Ready"
by June Oberlander

Excerpt 1
Age 0 Wk 29
Stacking & Falling (p. 32)

Use any three objects,
such as large plastic laundry determent caps, spools or wooden blocks, for this activity. Stack the three objects and knock them down while the baby is watching. Repeat this several times. If the baby wants to help, encourage him to do so. Then, both of you knock them down. Use the word "down" as the objects fall.

Encourage the baby to stack the three objects

without your help. However, if he shows signs of needing your help, by all means, help him. Be sure to praise the baby for any positive responses he may show. Continue to allow the baby to stack the three objects and knock them down. Each time the objects fall, use good voice inflection to stress the word "down."

Throughout the week, find other objects to stack
or use the same ones. Avoid using objects that the baby can swallow. Three objects are sufficient at a given time. At this age, to many objects to stack may cause excessive stimulation.

At another time, cut several squares or rectangles from cardboard or Styrofoam meat trays which are large enough to support two or three detergent caps. Assemble additional detergent caps, spools or wooden blocks and use these to balance or stabilize a higher stack.

This activity develops

• eye-hand coordination
• an interest in copying or following directions
• a further understanding of the concept "down"
• enhancement of the sense of touch

interview with June

Meet the Author Twice!
Linda Dobson
"Homeschooling: Book of Answers"
"Homeschooling: The Early Years"
hosted by Joe Spataro
Interview & TWO FREE excerpts
"Am I Cut Out for Homeschooling" &
"The Early Years Emergency Resource Starter Kit"


We have two great interviews with author Linda Dobson. In her first interview, she discusses how to get started in homeschooling and we have an excerpt from her book which gives you some tips to see if you have the "right stuff." In her second interview, Linda covers the little people along with a "Resource Starter Kit" to help you get started. The formative years are the most critical to a child's education. They lay the foundation for developing learning skills that last a lifetime. We have a preview for what is going on with Linda's third book about homeschooler's success stories which will be appearing here on the Zone.

more interviews

Meet the Author
Jill Dunford
author of: "Teach Me Mommy"
hosted by Sue Spataro
interview & FREE excerpt

Teach Me Mommy is a step by step themed book that gives parents lessons that will teach their preschoolers in a fun and relaxed way.  The book is simple to use and includes crafts, book recommends and topics to cover that are perfect for the preschooler. In the interview with author Jill Dunford, she describes how to set up your own nursery school complete with activities along with a FREE excerpt to help you see how this is done.

Popsicle Fish:
Tales of Fathering
by Michael J. Murphy, Susanna Hepburn Kravitz

Fathers parent very differently from mothers, and vive la difference! This book of short personal essays focuses on the father-son relationships between Michael Murphy and his three boys. Whether inadvertently peeing on the cat or going through the agonies of LIKING a girl for the first time, Murphy's kids come to life for us You'll be glad to meet this big-hearted father who has a lot to teach all of us.