Tag Archives: Tanya H. Franklin

A Fun Day Out With Thomas the Tank Engine

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“Look, Mommy! It’s Thomas! He’s pulling into the train station!” my daughter excitedly informed me. I must admit that I was just as eager as she was to hop aboard and take a train ride on Thomas the Tank Engine. Yesterday, my husband and I took my little three year old along with my mom to the Strasburg Railroad Station in Gap, PA (not too far from Lancaster, PA) for this all day adventure.

It was a lovely, sunny day, and there were so many happy children wearing their Thomas shirts and cute little conductor hats. Since I had the feeling that Quinn would thoroughly enjoy the train ride, I opted for the $32 package that included a ride on Thomas (about a 18 minute ride), his best friend Percy (about a ten minute ride), the tour train (about a 45 minute ride) along with many free activities and photo opportunities with the Thomas and Percy as well as Sir Topham Hatt.

I was pleased with how well-organized the event was. There was on-site and off-site parking with adequate shuttle buses that ran quite frequently. There was one waiting when we arrived and one waiting when we were ready to go back to our car, and there was no fee for this service. Also, there were plenty of restrooms available, some standard and some port-o-potty with outdoor stations for hand washing. I also found the food to be tasty and reasonably priced considering how much they usually cost at these type of events. The kids meal, for $6.99, came with either chicken or a hotdog, fries, a juice, apple sauce and a whoopee pie for dessert. Even better, we were permitted to bring our own little lunch bag with snacks and drinks to save a little money.

While were were in line waiting to get on Percy, my mother and I were conversing with the family behind us. The grandmother was telling us that she’s been bringing her grandson every year since he was a year old. Now he’s six. This event is a wonderful tradition for both kids and families alike.

Though Quinn was all tuckered out from all of the fun and activities and dozed off on our third train ride, she had a ton of fun and was so excited when she saw Thomas and Percy actually talking (Yes, they actually talk!) She even said, “I can’t wait to come back!” Now that I know Thomas and Percy will be visiting again in late August through September then again in November, we just might have to have another Day Out with Thomas the Tank Engine very soon.

All the best,

Tanya

What Would We Do Without it Wednesday: Fun in the Sun on a Summer Day

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2016-05-23 12.59.51Though we’ve been experiencing some warm and even hot days for the past couple of months, the start of summer just occurred a couple of days ago, and my daughter and I are both excited to have some fun in the sun. Whether it’s going to the park, the zoo, Sesame Place or just playing in the front yard, the long summer days seem to enhance the level of fun we’re having. This summer is especially special because it is the last one that Quinn will be home with her father and me full-time as she starts school this fall. I’m truly enjoying these moments with my little girl and don’t know what I’d do without them. As the cliche’ phrases go, “She’s only a child once” or “Childhood is fleeting,” so I want to not only have fun with my little girl this summer but to make memories that we’ll both cherish and reminisce about as she gets older. Here’s to a wonderful summer with my little girl!

All the best,

Tanya

Terrific Toy Tuesday: Colorful Fruits and Veggies

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“I have a banana, a lemon, corn, a yellow apple and yellow pepper,” my three year old informs me as she takes fruits and veggies from her basket. When she was just over a year, I purchased the learning resources farmers market color sorting set to help her learn colors, but they do so much more than that. Now that she is proficient with all of her basic colors, she likes to sort and identify the items based on what is a fruit and what is a vegetable. What’s great is that she has realized that apples come in multiple colors, such as red, yellow and green. The same goes for grapes and peppers.

Quinn likes to count up the items too. This is great because when it is time to put them away she will occasionally count them and say, “There’s supposed to be six purple fruits and vegetables, but there are only five. We’re missing one, Mommy!”

My little girl even wants to use them when we play in her kitchen or sit down for a meal she prepared. “Would you like a tomato and carrot, Mommy?” she will ask. Now if only we could get beyond pretending to eat healthy veggies and get her to try them in real life!

All the best,

Tanya

Mommy’s Monday Moments: Meet Momma Bear!

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Momma Bear

Today was my three year old’s second dance class, and she’s doing a wonderful job transitioning and not having me in the class with her. Unfortunately, the inevitable happened within a blink of an eye. As I looked through the glass observing Quinn have fun following along with the dance instructions, another little girl, who was having a hard time and refused to hold Quinn’s hand as the teacher instructed, decided she would take out her aggression on my daughter with a quick swat to the back of her head.

My little girl’s demeanor quickly changed as her smile morphed into a frown with tears welling up in her eyes. Though she tried to maintain her composure and did not burst out crying, it took everything in me to contain myself and remain in my seat as I muffled my deep sigh which caught the attention of the other parents except the one whose child hit mine, of course. The teacher handled it very well and stopped class to discuss why hitting is not allowed and not nice, but I found myself feeling helpless. I was not able to protect her, and I really am not sure what technique I should have her employ to address aggressive children who choose to hit her or put their hands on her.

When I was younger, I was not aggressive and did not like confrontation nor conflict. Quinn seems to be the same way. My dad would say, “If someone hits you, you better hit them back!” I just did not agree with this way of handling it then and do not now. On the other hand, I dreaded being bullied and found myself at the end of harsh treatment from children quite often. I want Quinn to stand up for herself but in a civil way. I asked her if she enjoyed class today, and she said, “I had fun until someone hit me. Why did she hit me, Mommy?” It upset me quite a bit, and all I could tell her at this point was, “If someone hits you, tell them to please stop and that it is not nice to hit.” I know this may not solve all of the future problems, but for now I think it is age appropriate. I hope and pray that there will not be many more situations like this, but Momma Bear needs to be ready when and if they do.

All the best,

Tanya

Happy Father’s Day: Can’t Forget About Daddy’s Baby Steps!

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On Mother’s Day, my husband joked about how restaurants are booked to capacity, yet on Father’s Day you can just walk in the day of with no reservation and be seated immediately. While he said this lightheartedly, the reality is that there are many children without fathers or father figures in their lives. He is such a wonderful and caring father and very involved in our daughter’s life. He even works from home two days a week to be home with her.

As soon as Quinn woke up this morning, she asked, “Is today Father’s Day?” When I responded, “Yes it it.” She smiled and belted out, “Yipee! It’s Father’s Day! We get to give presents to daddy.” Though my blog focuses mainly on my journey as a mom to my now three year old little girl, I could not imagine this journey without my husband. He’s always been a great and giving person since I’ve known him, but watching his journey as a father and observing him develop a bond with our daughter has brought us even closer and makes me love him even more.

My hope is that he feels appreciated not just on father’s day but everyday.  I wholeheartedly appreciate all that he does for our little girl and our family. Here’s to all of the fantastic fathers out there: Happy Father’s Day!

All the best,

Tanya

Terrific Toy Tuesday: Let’s Have Some Magmagic

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“I’m building a train track this time!” my daughter exclaims. While I enjoy getting down on the floor and playing with Quinn, my husband, who has a STEM background, especially loves helping her with this attractive and educational toy: Magmagic. It’s a geomagnetic construction toy she received for her birthday. It comes with squares, triangles and a booklet for constructing different objects. My three year old likes building everything from rocket ships to three-dimensional boxes and of course, train tracks. Along with my husband’s help, she has built many of the examples in the booklet. It’s an excellent way to not only learn about shapes but how different shapes put together can make other shapes. For instance, my daughter informed me the other day, “When I put together these triangles, I can make a diamond shape!”

The other day, Quinn was leafing through the booklet and found a car she wanted to make but then realized that we did not have the shapes for it. My husband seemed a little disappointed at not being able to construct this cool car from the magnet pieces too, so I may need to order the set to create vehicles. This honestly is a cool toy for all ages as it stimulates creativity and critical thinking. I know my little girl is very happy to have received such an awesome toy for her birthday.

All the best,

Tanya

 

 

Mommy’s Monday Moments: My Little Girl’s Dancing Without Me, & I Couldn’t Be More Proud

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Dance Class

Quinn in Her First Dance Class (The Other Children’s Faces Are Intentionally Blurred)

Yesterday, I posted a blog entry on my three year old transitioning from our mommy and me class to an independent class at the Little Gym. I was a little nervous since this was her first class without me, and I knew I would miss our class together. Today was her first dance class, and my little girl made me very proud as she followed the instructions of the teacher (at least 90 percent of the time) and danced around eagerly in her little tap shoes and then ballet shoes along with the other children.

Her former teacher at The Little Gym jokingly commented on how I was nervously pacing the floor looking into the classroom through the glass window while Quinn was full of smiles and probably wouldn’t have even noticed if I stepped out of the waiting area. While part of me wanted her to miss me and long for my presence in the classroom, it makes me feel good that Quinn is growing up and becoming more independent. Though I could see what was happening though the large glass window, it was a different experience for me because I could not hear all of what was going on in the classroom, and Quinn certainly could not hear me over the music and instruction from the teacher with it being in a separate room.  This is a perfect example of the experiences to come. Sometimes there will be limitations on what I can do as Quinn’s mommy, and I may be forced to just observe as she makes decisions as my big, little girl. Here’s to fun-filled classes for Quinn and her continued growth and development socially, mentally, emotionally and intellectually!

All the best,

Tanya

 

Bye Bye Mommy & Me Class: Will My Little Girl Miss You as Much as I Will?

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2016-06-01 11.00.51It’s official! My daughter and I attended our last parent and child class at the Little Gym last week. Now that she’s three, my big girl will be in class all by herself this upcoming Monday. I remember starting class with her when she was just six months old and just crawling around, giggling and babbling. Now she’s jumping, running and climbing and able to verbalize how she feels and what she’s thinking.

2016-06-01 10.42.12When I asked her what type of class she would like to do for the summer, she excitedly said, “I want to do a dance class, Mommy!” While my little girl loves to dance around the house, makes up her own little fancy moves and is very eager to wear her little tap and ballet shoes, I’m not too sure if she understands that I will not be in the class with her tomorrow. It does, however, it please me to know that she is already familiar with the teacher and really enjoys going to The Little Gym.

She does a wonderful job following the teacher’s directions and staying focused when we’re in class together, so I’m confident that she will be able to do this even when I’m not right there with her.  This class will also be a wonderful transition for us both since Quinn will begin attending preschool in September for the first time. Wow, my little girl is growing up so quickly, and I’m so glad we were able to have so many memorable moments together in class at The Little Gym.

All the best,

Tanya

What Would We Do Without It Wednesday: The Power of Confidence

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“I think I can do it!” is a simple statement which eventually leads to the phrase, “I did it!” When associated with fear or inexperience, the latter phrase becomes even more powerful and meaningful to the person accomplishing the task or new skill. From my own experiences, I’ve found that practice or honing one’s skills is important, but confidence is essential. It helps me to not feel defeated and to believe in myself. My daughter, who just turned three just a month ago and is in the process of learning this lifelong lesson.

Sometimes, she grows frustrated when she thinks she can’t do something or has an initial struggle, but with encouragement she will usually persist. When she fears doing a task or new skill, forget about it! She will avoid it at all cost, similar to many adults. That’s when my confidence in her can be quite helpful in giving her the motivation to have confidence in herself and to go from “I can’t” to “I think I can” to “I know I can” to “I did it!” Just this past Monday, we went to the park, and Quinn proceeded to climb of the ladder on the playground equipment. In the past, she’s wanted me to stay nearby, which I had no problem doing as the over-protective mother, but this time she climbed up quickly and without me even prompting her, she turned around and gave me a thumbs up which displayed her confidence. “I did it, Mommy! I was fast too!” she said with a smile on her face.
There will be times when my little girl  or I may experience fear as she has new experiences, but I will always try my best to show her that I am confident in her abilities and motivate her that she can do it! What would we do without the power of confidence?
All the best,
Tanya

Terrific Toy Tuesday: Let’s Leapfrog for the Perfect Laptop

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2016-06-02 07.25.08“Mommy, may I have my laptop? I need to send some emails to my friends.” my three old requested. No, she doesn’t have a real laptop, but it’s just perfect for her. The Leap Frog lap top (or My Own Leaptop, as it is called) has many wonderful features to promote Quinn’s intellectual and social development as well as her critical thinking. It has a little keyboard and multiple settings for sending emails, learning the letters of the alphabet, words that begin with certain letters and even a guessing game to figure out which animal or item is displaying on the screen by using the first letter with which it begins.

leaptopSince my husband works from home  a couple of days a week and I teach a combination of online courses and in-class courses during the fall and spring, she often observes us at some point or another using our laptops. In these instances, she will often ask for her laptop so that we can all work together. Another feature I really love about this toy is that it is associated with Violet, the Leapfrog puppy Quinn also has, and she will receive an email or two from Violet, which she really enjoys. There is a version with Scout, the boy puppy as well. It comes in green. I would recommend this toy for anyone whose child is into technology or just wants a fun way to reinforce learning letters and even new words too.

All the best,

Tanya