“...Silly kids, think they are having fun when they are actually learning! I think MegaSkills for Babies, Toddlers, and Beyond by Dorothy Rich, EdD & Beverly Mattox, MEd is such a great book.  It is for parents of children ranging in age from 1 to 6. Throughout the book, there are ideas on how to take ordinary objects and situations, and turn them into extraordinary learning activities...”  more...
Reviews By K., mother


MegaSkills for Babies, Toddlers, and Beyond: I like this book. The tag line for MegaSkills for Babies, Toddlers, and Beyond is "Building Your Child's Happiness and Success for Life." Isn't this every parents' goal for their child(ren)? Everyone I know says, "S/he can be anything s/he wants as long as s/he's happy."


The book is broken down into age-appropriate activities and building blocks. Unlike books that just list the skills your children should have at a certain age, MegaSkills gives you "recipes" for helping your child develop those skills.


The building blocks are broken into categories to make it easier for you to focus on specific skills. For younger children, there are categories like confidence and motivation. As your children get a bit older, the activities get a bit more complicated to reflect your child's new skills.  


At the end of the book are forms you can use to measure how your child is progressing. These aren't A, B, C types of grades. Rather these are checkpoints that measure three areas: not enough yet, sometimes and a lot.


One of my favorite parts of the book is in the very back where the MegaSkills library suggestions lists different books and the skills they reinforce. A list of books accompanies each skill. The great thing about the list is that you can find all these books at the local library, which of course offers free circulation. I know these books probably are there because we've read most of them at our local library.


MegaSkills is an interesting and supportive book. If you know anyone with small children, it's worth adding to their library.

Shari Schmidt, mother of twins


 

 “Dorothy Rich really gets it.  She understands that parents don’t need a lot of psychobabble or theory or ‘defensive’ what-to-do-when-you have this problem stuff.  We’ve preached for years that parents need an offense – what to do to reach certain goals with kids.  The goals are MegaSkills, and Dorothy Rich gives us the plans.”

Richard and Linda Eyre
Authors of Teaching Your Children Values


“As a psychiatrist, I am deeply concerned about what is happening to children today.  Many parents simply don’t know how to relate to their kids.  In my view, MegaSkills and the programs of the Home and School Institute are essential elements in helping parents and children grow together, living and learning.”

Foster Cline, M.D.
Author of Parenting with Love and Logic


 “MegaSkills offer every child the chance to be educationally advantaged.  If our country wants students and citizens who can lead us successfully into the next century, we should all listen to Dorothy Rich.”

Jane Healy
Author of Endangered Minds


Based on an understanding of the importance in learning of caring human connections.  These simple inventive “Recipes” for parent-child activities build competence and confidence and character, helping parents help their children make the most of childhood’s earliest years.”

Judith Viorst
Author of Alexander and
The Wonderful, Marvelous, Excellent Terrific Ninety Days


“The best investment, if we’re aiming to help our students be as successful as they can be, is not in the machines but in the people who can make the real difference.  Dorothy Rich knows this, and she’s been practicing what she preaches for more than thirty years.”

John Wilson, Executive Director,
National Education Association


“MegaSkills ought to be on television.  Since it’s not, read this book.”

John Merrow, Executive Editor
The Merrow Report
NewsHour/PBS



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