ALYSSA'S 5 YEAR OLD FAN!

PARENT QUESTION: Hi Alyssa!  My daughter is 5 and I would say that she’s gotten “addicted” to you! She loves your dog and every day she asks me to read what Alyssa said! I had read some of the questions from parents and your answers as a way of teaching her and now she wants to look after school each day to see what you wrote!

She’s just learning to read and I saw your comment the other day about the books you suggested for someone who is 7.  Do you remember any of your favorites when you were 5?  She would love you to answer this to her and tell her why it’s important to read and some of your favorites.  Her name is Samantha.  Thanks so much Alyssa.  I really love all that you write and your advice is wonderful!

ANSWER: Hi Samantha, thank you for loving the things I write!

It’s important to read because reading is EVERYTHING! It’s math, its science, its social studies, it’s for learning to play an instrument.  Reading is reading and it’s in everything!  The more you read the more you love it!

When I was 5 the books that I liked were Junie B. Jones (all of them!!!),  books that were #3 readers (that’s on the top corner of a lot of books), Fancy Nancy, Splat the Cat, Amelia Bedelia, Miss Nelson is Missing, all of the Don’t Let the Pigeon books, Knuffle Bunny, Henry and Mudge, Olivia, Diary of a Worm, Diary of a Fly, Diary of a Spider, Angelina Ballerina & Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed.

I hope you like some of the books!

Request from a mom for book ideas for her 7 year old daughter.

PARENT QUESTION: My daughter is 7 and used to love to read.  Now all she wants to do is play on the computer and with her DS. I know that it’s fun and colorful but I don’t know how to get her to like to read again.  She has to read 20 minutes every day for school.  She does that but is always asking how much more time she has! Do you have any ideas for some books to read that she may like?  She’s a pretty good reader for her age.

ANSWER: Here are some books that I like to read: Judy Moody series, Magic Tree House series, Ivy and Bean series, Chronicles of Narnia series and Horrible Harry series. Here is a great website with list of books that she might like too: http://readkiddoread.com/home

Question from a Mom of an 8 year old who is being left out!

QUESTION:  My 8 year old daughter is having some problems with her best friend.  She has been leaving her out of some activities and of course my daughter is hurt by it.  I told her that she needed to talk to her friend about how she feels, but she said that she’s afraid to because she thinks the girl will tell the other girls and start rumors. I want her to understand that this girl is not acting like a best friend.

ANSWER: She should speak up to her friend even if she’s afraid other kids will talk about it.  If other kids talk about it she shouldn’t listen to what they say. She has to ignore them. She should talk to her best friend and give her the chance to fix things when she talks to her. It might work out good and if it doesn’t she shouldn’t be friends with her anyway. No matter who the person is, if they’re mean she shouldn’t be friends with them.

QUESTION FROM A MOM OF A 7 YEAR OLD ABOUT RESPECT.

QUESTION: Hi Alyssa!  My daughter is 7 and is so disrespectful.  She talks back and she’d rude. I try to explain what respect is to her but I don’t think I’m using words that she can understand.  What would you say respect is? Maybe your words will really help me explain it to her. 

ANSWER: I’d say respect is kindness, making other people happy by treating other people like you want to be treated.  It’s about not yelling or screaming or talking back.  It’s about listening and caring. When you see respect, you learn respect.

Question from a girl about someone ruining school property.

QUESTION:  Yesterday I saw a girl in the bathroom writing on the door with a big marker.  I tried not to look at her but I saw she was doing something wrong.  I didn’t say anything to her and when I went back to class and I never told my teacher what happened.  I told my mom and she told me that I should have told the teacher.  Now what do I do? I think the girl was in 4^th grade.  I’m in 3^rd grade. What would you do if that happened to you? 

ANSWER: Once in my school there were older kids in the bathroom and they were cursing and I told the teacher.  You definitely should tell the teacher because they are ruining school property.  In the bathroom in my school there is writing all over the stalls but I never saw anybody do it. On Monday you should go in and tell the teacher what you saw. I hope your teacher understands.

Question from a 10 year old girl. Problem with a friend.

QUESTION: Hi Alyssa.  I’m 10 and in 4th grade.  I have a problem with a friend.  When I tell her about different things, she always says, “That’s stupid.”  Like today, I told her that my dad got a new job and I was happy for him, she said that was stupid too.  I’ve told her I don’t like it when she says that but she keeps doing it.  My mom told me to just find a new friend.  I don’t know what to do about it.  I’m really getting sick of her. I see her at school every day. What do you think?

ANSWER:  You should talk to her and say to her, “It upsets me.”  You should give her one more chance and tell her “If you keep doing that, I can’t be your friend anymore.” That may give her the motivation to stop doing that to you. Tell her “You should treat others the way that you wish to be treated.” Good luck!