In our southeast “The Queens” backyard, first base was the evergreen tree about 10 feet away from home plate which was underneath Grandma’s window.  Second base was the back fence.  The hot corner, third base, was the yellow azalea bush, and home was home.  A stake was a bat, a blue handball was the hardball, and that, ladies and gentlemen, was the show.  I was team one, kid twin sis was team two, and we would load up the bases with invisible runners after each hit.

Imagination, the gift: crucial for human development - drives creativity, problem solving, critical thinking, prepares for following simple direction, builds expressive and reactionary language and unleashes the palate of emotions and how to navigate through them. 

The Harvard Business review states that in the business world crises place heavy pay loads on leaders and managers.  This results in the operating response, “the instinctual “fight-or-flight” mode which narrows focus.  But less emphasized is the parasympathetic, or “rest and digest” system, where we are relaxed and can manage mental and bodily operations and can reflect.  The study said ways to turn off this mode to support reflection is:

1.     Take a few deep in breaths and longer out breaths.

2.     Take time over a meal to rest, digest and reflect.

The advice reminded me of the advice I saw on a nursery school wall in Elmhurst, Queens, where they asked me to do a live book read of my children’s book:  “Talk About The Monster.”  The sign on the wall said:

1.     PUT YOUR HANDS ON YOUR TUMMY.  STAY “STOP.”

2.     NAME YOUR FEELING.

3.     TAKE BELLY BREATHS.

Today is April 2, 2024, International Children’s Book Day, corresponding with the date of birth of Hans Christian Andersen, the masterful storyteller from Odense, Denmark.  He achieved worldwide fame for writing innovating and influential fairy tales like “The Ugly Duckling”, “Thumbelina”.  He was the constructor and popularizer of eventyrs - the adventure story, fairy tale, and folk tale all wrapped up in wonderful, magical, teaching moment greatness. 

If you want to read some of the 168 stories he wrote in his lifetime, click on the link below. Hans Christen Andersen Stories

The theme for the 2024 International Children’s Book Day is: “Imagination.”  One way to fire a child’s imagination is to use the gift of reading.  What was your favorite book as a child?  Please comment below to inspire our community of families and parents and educators.  Find that book and read it to your children.  Create a space for reading for them, a reading nook and make going to the library or the bookstore an adventure.  If you are a first time parent, or perhaps you were never read to as a child, it’s okay; put on your big, baggy, oversized, striped clown pants and face the monster and read away.  You can also use the infographic below to get started.

Imagination is an essential fuel to power the mind and soul of childhood.  Whether they turn into an elephant with their arms trumpeting, or as my friend’s little daughter Róisín* does, turn into an Irish Crab, walking sideways using her chelae to pinch anything in her 3 foot tall path - legs, noses, faces, butts.  Nothing escapes the path of the Dungeness!  So, if you’re chased by a dinosaur, or fighting wars behind carboard forts, let’s celebrate and stimulate our children’s amazing gift of imagination.

GIVEAWAY

Today April 2, 2024, on International Children’s Book Day, I will be giving away a signed, autographed copy of my children’s book: “Talk About The Monster” (ages 5-11 and beyond) to 3 families who participate in this challenge.

1.     Follow my IG account @ Mistofer_Christopher

2. Comment on my post on International Children’s Book day with your favorite children’s book growing up.

3.     Tag your bestie parent, friend, or teacher and share the post.

*name has been changed

References:

Harvard Business Review

https://hbr.org/2020/04/we-need-imagination-now-more-than-ever