Monday, June 03, 2013

Can't Wait Willow by Christy Ziglar


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CAN’T WAIT WILLOW (Ideals Children’s Books, 978-0824956486; May 2013, Shine Bright Kids Series) teaches children the important life skill of patience and overcoming the desire for instant gratification in a delightfully fun and motivational way.

Where the idea came from:
After creating a financial literacy curriculum for 1st and 2nd graders, Christy Ziglar, niece of famed author and inspirational speaker Zig Ziglar, recognized children have a hard time grasping the concept of learning to say no and overcoming the need/desire for instant gratification to get the best in the end. Inspired to teach this crucial life skill and leadership quality to not only her children, but an entire generation of children, the idea of Can't Wait Willow was born. The first in a brand new series, Shine Bright Kids, by Ideals Children's Books, Christy is carrying on the legacy her uncle began and is setting out to inspire those same principles of leadership to a younger generation.


The 411 by Maria:

I totally agree with the writer of Can't Wait Willow, at least in my house, I am forever telling my kids to learn patience. They want everything now and neither knows how to wait. They ask for something, I tell them in a second, or give me 5 minutes but they either ask again or try to do it themselves, usually something that they should do, climbing to get something, and the possibility of injury. Ugh it is never ending.  Or then we have the other side of the coin where I have to remind them that they NEED to make a decision for themselves.  It is very confusing to kids. Do this, don't do that. Just  this weekend in fact I told my son that he needed to do something for himself because my job is to make them independent and not to have to count on others. Poor kid doesn't know if he is coming or going sometimes.

When I was a kid, mom and dad were never home so we pretty much took care of ourselves. We decided when to go outside, when to play, what to watch on the one TV with 8 channels and managed just fine. Today, kids have so many choices, mom and dad are for the most part always there to help.

In Can't Wait Willow, a little girl can't wait to go to the fair. She heads out to go but in her excitement ends up spending all her money on other things she wants without leaving anything for her tickets or the cotton candy she has been longing for.

Thanks to a loveable fellow in a top hat she is given a second chance with a gift of two tickets and she learns the valuable lesson of saying no to a small, quick fix of fun to holding out for the big, long lasting prize.

Great story for kids about saving, patience, and weighing the benefits can change the course of your day when you think about your decisions. Sometimes thinking with our heart is easier than our head but not always wiser.

A good lesson for all.

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