What I Learned from Author Denise Brennan-Nelson

I am currently sitting in our game room – there is a beautiful storm raging outside – windows are cracked – my 12 year old is sitting in the window seat reading – my 9 year old is on the floor reading – a peaceful moment!

I had the amazing privilege of being at the Literacy in Motion Conference at Judson University this past week. I have so many thoughts and ideas that I am reflecting upon. One of the best parts of the week for me was listening to a couple different authors share their personal stories. It is fascinating to learn more about the author’s lives and the stories behind their books.

One of the authors we were blessed to hear from was Denise Brennan-Nelson. 
There were a few things that Denise shared with us that have stuck with me so I thought I would share them with you...

**When Denise was sharing about her childhood she told us that she was pretty much never allowed to watch TV. She said that her mom encouraged her and her siblings to 'use their imagination' and she gave them the tools to do so. Because that sense of wonder was fostered in her life, she learned how to express herself through writing. This was a challenge and strong reminder for me to make sure that I am encouraging my own children to use their imaginations and enjoy that sense of wonder and awe of all that God has given us! Take a few minutes to read a thought provoking article on questioning and curiosity that Denise wrote: http://www.reading.org/reading-today/classroom/post/engage/2014/04/24/where-did-all-the-questions-go-#.U6TTA5RdWSo

**Another challenging reminder for me was hearing her talk about how very important it is for our kids to see us writing. I love to read, and I read in front of and with my children fairly frequently. But, writing… hmmm… when I stop and think about it, I do not write in front of or with my children very often. I want them to know how important writing is – just like reading. So, I need to be more intentional about recording my thoughts in the presence of my kids.

**My favorite take away idea was to have a family journal. Denise suggested that you keep a notebook on the kitchen counter and add to it as you live life together. What a great way to record those precious moments in life – and, we’ll be accomplishing our goal of letting our children be a part of our ‘writing life’. Then, if we give them their own notebook to record their thoughts in they will copy the behavior they see in us!

One of her quotes that might be a bit of a paradigm shift to consider… “Writing isn’t just for authors – it’s for everyone”… If we believe this to be true for ourselves then we can pass that belief on to our children – and we will have given them a great gift! 

Denise has an informative website that you can take a look at:
http://www.denisebrennannelson.com/

A few of her books that you might consider reading with your child are:

        This book is filled with many of the idioms that we all know but maybe have never known what they mean or what the history is behind them. It is an enjoyable read as you and your child can discover what they mean together - and, have some good laughs along the way. Denise has other books in her idiom series as well. 

You can find all of her books in this series on her website at http://www.denisebrennannelson.com/denise/books/

      Willow is a sweet story about creativity, imagination, and relationship. Miss Hawthorn - Willow's art teacher - has a very particular way that she thinks art needs to be done. But, Willow is just too imaginitive to be so boxed in. What will happen between the two as they work through their differences?

        As a parent, this story is a great reminder of making the most important things our top priority. It gives us a thoughtful perspective on how our children may be processing the things we say. It is such a moving tale of family relationships. This one is my favorite of her books - it hits that spot right inside of you!