Award Winning Artist Ruth Elliott created these Posters of the 4 BUILDING BLOCKS of CHARACTER to remind us that these essential character traits are life-giving foundations for our lives. Watch the video and keep reading below, to download them for FREE! The Four Building Blocks of Character can be boiled down to these: 1-ASK 2-THANK 3-APOLOGIZE […]
POSTS! HOME ABOUT SPEAKER FOR YOUR NEXT EVENT SIGN UP SOMEBODY NEEDS YOU! FRIENDS OTHER’S HELPFUL LINKS! Camp Lejeune I’m a kid… at heart.Hey – Maybe that’s why I’ve never forgotten how to have fun!Did you know that if you can draw a circle, a square and a triangle, you can draw a SKELETON?During Halloween week […]
Click on the image to download Ruth Elliott’s groundbreaking Art Book: SEE WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING AT! EDU DESIGNS IS BUILDING BRAINS AND HEARTS THROUGH THE ARTS! SIGN UP FOR MY FREE NEWSLETTER! * indicates required Email Address * First Name Last Name THANK YOU! Note from Ruth Elliott-Hilsdon, Founder of Edu Designs and GoMommyGO®: Children […]
Time to reboot? Is your life in a panic, doing too much at once? I remember that old saying: “The hurrier I go, the behinder I get”… Like when all of a sudden you find your energy gets the “spinning ball of death” If that happens to your computer, then you know it’s time to […]
WHAT DO YOU SEE WHEN YOU LOOK IN THE MIRROR? Are you dancing on eggshells – backwards – in high heels? Stuffing your emotions so you won’t make waves? Trying to speak without opening your mouth? I know all about it. For 40 years I stayed in a relationship with someone suffering with Borderline […]
LEARN TO DRAW A SCROLL! WATCH the VIDEO HERE, and then CLICK on the image below to download your Instruction sheet: This is just one of over 90 pages from Ruth’s Art Book, SEE WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING AT!
THANK YOU! Enjoy Sample Lessons from “SEE What You’re LOOKING At!” (Click on the pics to get the downloadable PDFs.) Donate any amount to download the entire book! THANK YOU! Every purchase or donation helps us reach more kids with educational materials that help their character grow!
DID YOU KNOW? Conditions don’t determine our DESTINY. Our CHARACTER does! “Our Character is is built by our HABITS. Our HABITS are built by what we COMMIT to with CONSISTENCY – and what we commit to is based on our CORE VALUES and vision.” ~Derek Rydall Help your kids! Download of all 4 of Emmy […]
Have you ever heard the saying, “The Cobbler’s children have no shoes”? Well, in our case, the COBBLER himself needs shoes! We are in dire need of funds to keep up the good work we do. I’ve been terrible at asking for donations, and now I have a choice to make. Either give up the […]
One of the directors of Edu Designs is a First grade school teacher. I love that she has the kids version of the 7 Habits of Highly Successful People (by Steven Covey) on her walls and always reminds them it is their responsibility to choose wisely: These important habits are just habits. Like brushing your […]
LOVE IS A DECISION – not a FEELING. Feelings are important and shouldn’t be ignored. We may cringe at someone’s outward appearance and feel repulsed. Or sometimes our instincts may say we should run in the opposite direction for safety. But you can still choose to ‘love’ a person you don’t ‘like’. I’m not talking about […]
HATE CHANGING DIAPERS? THIS LADY’S CHANGED 36,000 OF THEM! I must confess there were times in the beginning, when the constant pressure of motherhood (and the smell!) could have gotten me down. But looking into the fragile and impressionable little faces reminded me their emotional security was more important than my momentary inconvenience. I told […]
The breakdown of the parent/child relationship can affect us as adults. And stress is a big culprit. I’ve come to realize that a lot of my own personal anxiety can be traced back to my early experiences as a child. Was I important to my parents? Now that I AM a parent, I KNOW how […]
These kids were just a smidgen of the 549 students who attended 24 classes I gave in one week! At the end of the lessons, each was given a flip book I printed and bound myself, plus a blank one with instructions to make their own flip book. They LOVED it! It’s just one of […]
LISTEN! HEARTS ARE MELTING! Hit the Play Button to hear: “All Hearts Are Home For Christmas” from the musical theater adaptation of Kenneth Grahame’s Wind In The Willows! Performed by 6th grade students from Westchester Lutheran Church! William Elliott’s beautiful Christmas Carol Warms our hearts and lifts our spirits! THIS SONG IS FOR YOU! Created […]
What a fun time we have at Ruth’s Art Workshop at the Library – We all gain drawing tips – learn about animation and link to Ruth’s Art book that shares everything she’s learned in 30 years about art! Plus, if you’re lucky, you’ll get a FLIP BOOK, too! Which FLIP BOOK will YOU Choose? Check them […]
Learn to be a MASTER NEGOTIATOR! (Works for adults, TOO!) Helping kids to settle arguments is very important to their ability to get along in life. When children are taught to calmly express themselves in a ‘safe’ environment and to listen patiently as they give others the same courtesy, it will go a long way […]
Lovely song, “In My Paper World” by Jas Hilsdon, singing with his daughter, Mavis! 5 Essential Creative Skills Your Child Can Learn in 2019 Art sharpens the brain, but if you thought that all artists were born that way, think again! A study published in the journal NeuroImage has found that beginners’ classes in painting or drawing […]
Is it safe to use Cannabis while pregnant? New studies show it’s better to abstain. Read more here…
This is a true story! One Christmas night many years ago, I was driving our old station wagon in the pouring rain. Among my seven kids in the car, 10 yr old daughter Lisa was very excited. For years she had begged us for an umbrella of her very own. “I want a big sturdy one, Mom, like […]
Kids are such a blessing! Students express loving kindness to me during EDU DESIGNS classes. I get a blessing from them as they learn to sketch, analyze, and draw what they see. Teachers (and moms) have known all along that that ART is as VITAL to growing a child’s intelligence as other subjects. The importance of the […]
In Fontana, these kids are “for the birds” – in a very positive sense. They are enjoying the combination of science and art enrichment thanks to Lisa Elliott who received a grant from the Community Foundation and the EEC, allowing students to learn about birds and draw them, too! Lisa teaches them to become citizen scientists by observing and identifying different birds […]
Childhood trauma can lead to adult addiction. It’s scary, but true. This article gives a great view of the facts in a nutshell. “As the twig is bent, so grows the tree” Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events, such as abuse or neglect, that can have negative, lasting effects on health and well-being. “An […]
Embrace the challenge Children bring – and you will gain skills you need in every part of life! KIDS TEACH YOU — 1- To Observe They teach you to PAY ATTENTION to another. And if you don’t watch them they’ll do something to force you to notice them! 2- To Plan Ahead If you fail to plan, […]
Can Comics teach character? Of course they can! It’s all about the STORY! At my art presentations to kids, whenever I ask the question, “Does anyone here like cartoons?” I get a howling “YES!” from everyone! The overwhelming popularity of events, such as Comic-Con, are proof that comics and cartoons hit a universal nerve: The […]
All Volunteer Board of Directors: Our Board of Directors generously volunteers their time and energy to create an organization that inspires children to be constructive members of society. That means 100% of your contribution will go to programs that help children, and not for salaries. Every contribution helps! Edu Designs makes careful use of your support. […]
Can dreams become reality? You betcha! Just ask Elizabeth Elliott. As the Lead Teacher for Elementary Science Enrichment, her dream was to inspire students to look closely at the nature all around them, grow into citizen scientists, and become engaged adults with an awareness of their environment. This became a reality when she decided to do something about it. […]
If you are feeling Outsmarted by your toddler, it’s no surprise. Your toddler’s BRAIN outperforms yours! Toddlers ‘terrible’ reputation is due to the fact that their brains are growing so fast, parents can’t keep up with them. According to “Magic Trees of the Mind: How to Nurture your Child’s Intelligence, Creativity, and Healthy Emotions from Birth Through Adolescence”, […]
FLIP BOOKS INSPIRE KIDS! They sure inspired ME! You can begin with just TWO images. Here’s a video that shows how to make this simple skeleton move. In one class kids drew a bird flying using just 2 images on a strip of paper folded in half. If you want to add […]
Words are powerful things. My mom used to tell me, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” I thought sadly to myself, “Yeah. They only hurt your FEELINGS”. And somehow concluded that meant that feelings didn’t matter. Or they weren’t supposed to. So I began dismissing my feelings, ignoring […]
We rescued a fledgling baby bird a couple of weeks ago, and are new parents again at 69 years old! Here’s a photo of when we first saw her, sitting stunned, on a walkway. We put some water in front of her, but she wouldn’t drink it. She seemed so depressed we brought her home. […]
As the Keynote speaker to a large group of students recently at a college and career event, various educational organizations offered their options for study in many fields, including Business and Industry, Medical, Veterinary schools, the Navy, and the Arts. I asked them this question: What do these things have in common? An Apple… A Peanut… and a BABY? What is it? POTENTIAL […]
[dropshadowbox align=”center” effect=“lifted-both” width=”auto” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ][/dropshadowbox] LIFE TAKES UP MOST OF YOUR TIME, doesn’t it? And when we turn around, it’s the steady plodding forward, that gets us anywhere. You can’t change the waves, but you can adjust your sails. When we look at successful people, we might think they just went […]
Privacy, Terms and Conditions of Use EDU Designs, a CA 501 (c) 3 Non profit Corporation, Fed. Tax ID #261576531. Entire Contents of this site are Copyright © Ruth Elliott, 2003-21, unless otherwise noted. This site is published by EDU Designs, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. http://www.edudesigns.org/ The Mission of EDU DESIGNS is: “To produce and […]
POSTS! HOME ABOUT SPEAKER FOR YOUR NEXT EVENT SIGN UP SOMEBODY NEEDS YOU! FRIENDS OTHER’S HELPFUL LINKS! Camp Lejeune THANK YOU FOR CARING! Are you seeing kids constantly glued to electronic devices? Are you wishing they’d use their creativity, or worry they won’t develop real life skills? While my 7 kids were growing I realized […]
Do you ever find yourself running out of ‘love juice’? When my kids were little, even if I started with a full pitcher of love in the morning, sometimes by the end of the day the pitcher would be dry. There was a pattern. When we were all tired and hungry, frustration could get the better of me. Didn’t have dinner […]
Now that the digital world seems to be everywhere, the concern is, how much screen time is safe for kids? We are all affected by it, and especially young children and infants. The American Academy of Pediatrics urges parents, “…to avoid television viewing for children under the age of 2 years… research on early brain […]
Stories are a powerful way to get a message across. All the great teachers, Lao Tse, Plato, Jesus, Mohammed and countless others through the centuries used stories and parables to impart wisdom to people. Everyone loves a good story! In one of Aesop’s Fables, the Wind and the Sun competed to see which of them was stronger. The Challenge? Who could get […]
Babies LOVE seeing pictures and reading books – especially of themselves! You can thrill your little one and encourage them with how they are growing by making an “I CAN DO” book! Science has clearly shown that the brain of a toddler is faster than ours, so we need to keep them busy learning good things! When […]
Do you already shop online at Amazon? When you ‘smile’ first, they will donate to our Non Profit if you do – and it won’t cost you a penny more! Just go to smile.amazon.com, and choose Edu Designs as the Non Profit you wish to support. Amazon will do the rest. You shop. They give. Every item available for purchase on www.amazon.com […]
WORDS ARE POWERFUL Words and images are powerful things. A picture once seen, can’t be ‘unseen’. A word cannot be ‘unheard’. It becomes part of your ‘thoughtlife’. There were times people said bad words around my kids, and just like the story of Pandora’s box – once they came out, there was no putting them back. My […]
When I was a kid, the story of Cinderella gave me hope. I identified with her. My two older sisters were sometimes mean. They bossed me around and made me work harder than they did. I felt trodden upon. But when I’d remember what Cinderella went through it encouraged me to take heart and not become bitter. Her […]
When it’s getting cold outside and you struggle to answer the question, “What are we going to do today?”, keep reading and say goodbye to boredom with these activities! We offer a few ideas on ways you can utilize technology to tank tedium and give your kids an opportunity to learn something new. Music Your kids should learn […]
Why Cycling Is One of the Best Exercises for Children The ultimate wish a parent has for their child is for them to live a long, happy, and healthy life. Teaching children cycling is an invaluable and empowering skill that can help them do just that. Not only is it great for the body, it […]
Are you smiling? I am. Thanks to you, WE DID IT! All the votes from supporters, earned EDU DESIGNS the Top Rated Award from Great NonProfits for 2017! Here’s another way to help: Do you shop online at Amazon? Every time you do, Amazon will donate a portion to EDU DESIGNS… All you need to do is go […]
by Joyce Wilson Middle school, which is typically comprised of grades six, seven, and eight, is a time of great change for students, most of whom are beginning to form their identity. While some students’ middle school experience can be made even more stressful by moving towns or cities, the struggles which face middle school-aged […]
I was 6 years old when my family got our first TV. Mom would only let us watch The Mickey Mouse Club. I remember the excitement at 5 o’clock when the show would begin – and then the feeling of letdown when it was over. Then Mom would say, “GO OUT AND PLAY!” She limited us to a half […]
Being thoughtful, caring and sensitive to others is a good thing. Right? Sure. But if you are an empathetic person who hasn’t learned to care for yourself, too, you can easily fall into the trap of being used, but not respected. A Doormat. Feeling Stepped On? With my first child, I unconsciously feared that if I said ‘no’ to […]
Carl Rogers coined the phrase, “UNCONDITIONAL POSITIVE REGARD” which has become synonymous with what children need in order to grow to their full potential as healthy human beings. It includes: An environment that genuinely and openly: SEES the good in them, LISTENS to them with empathy and ACCEPTS them unconditionally. We all need that. But especially in infancy, […]
Though her CD was titled, ‘Awkward Annie’, this talented artist, singer, copywriter, and volunteer for non profit causes, proves you always get more by giving. Annie Elliott was recognized as a powerhouse by the organization She Runs It, who flew her to NY to receive an award for NEXT GENERATION FEMALE LEADER at Forbes, on Sept. 13, 2017. Associate […]
When Hope Seems Lost | Emergency Suicide Help Resources [dropshadowbox align=”none” effect=”lifted-both” width=”500px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ][/dropshadowbox] When feelings of depression make it feel as though you have nowhere to turn, take one more step and you will find a network of support. You can’t do this alone. Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800.273.8255) The […]
When June Foray was ushered into eternity July 26, 2017 at the age of 99, Somebody NEEDS You became the last animated film she worked on. However, her voice lives on in the video, along with it’s message. Somebody NEEDS You is a story that teaches empathy, about a girl who is not quite ‘tuned in’ to her surroundings, walking past opportunities to lend […]
[huge_it_slider id=”2″] Click to DOWNLOAD The PRINTABLE Version. 7 SUPER STRATEGIES to SUCCEED IN SCHOOL! SUCCESS TO YOU! Kids and Parents need all the help they can get. EDU DESIGNS and GoMommyGO® are there to help. Please donate!
Being a parent is humbling. Anything you thought you knew about parenting before you had kids, soon vanishes as you find out how little you really knew. It’s a miracle any of us survive! Making mistakes is inevitable and usually the way we learn. However, the best way is by learning from someone else’s mistakes! That […]
I love the taste of most non dairy creamers, like Coffee mate, but the corn syrup and partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats) they contain promote inflammation, the precursor to most diseases like arthritis and cancer. Honey (or real maple syrup) is better for you than corn syrup or refined sugars. Both Coconut oil and Turmeric contain anti-inflammatory, anti-alzheimer’s properties, […]
POSTS! HOME ABOUT SPEAKER FOR YOUR NEXT EVENT SOMEBODY NEEDS YOU! FRIENDS OTHER’S HELPFUL LINKS! Camp Lejeune LEARN TO DRAW and Incorporate ART in Your Curriculum THIS IS THE BOOK YOU’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR! RUTH SHARES HER 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN ART, STEP BY STEP, TO “SEE WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING AT!” Emmy […]
There’s an old saying, “The burden we bear alone is twice as hard to carry.” Being connected makes the difference. When I was a child my mom and I would walk a long way to the grocery store. It was hard to keep up unless she would hold my hand. When she did, somehow her energy would be […]
What will YOUR kids stand for? What’s the old saying? “If you don’t STAND for SOMEthing, you’ll fall for anything!” When my kids were little, I was losing ground. My utopian dream of bringing loving, creative people into the world was turning into a nightmare. Just being a ‘good example’ wasn’t working. The ‘nicer’ I became, the […]
Some people are only GOOD at being a BAD EXAMPLE! My Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich never made it to school in good shape… Every day in Elementary school I ate the same thing for lunch: an apple and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, which of course would get squashed by the apple before lunchtime arrived. […]
A PRIZE for POTTY TRAINING!! Potty Training can be a JOY, and NOT a CHORE – IF YOU MAKE IT A GAME! This worked for my 7 kids: Make a ladder like the one here, (from adding machine paper, etc., or print this out), and tape it on the wall right near the potty. Choose […]
At seven years old, I wanted to help people. I imagined that “helping people” meant becoming a doctor. Then one day, I heard some kids swearing and yelling at each other on the street. I asked my mom, “Why do they act that way?” She said, “It’s probably because that’s what they hear at home.“ […]
Children with special educational needs (SEN) require a different approach to learning to help them cope with the tasks of everyday life. Targeted therapies can help them to learn basic skills such as thought processing, organization, memory, and paying attention. Benefits Music and art have several perceived benefits to children. They are sources of entertainment and can lengthen […]
by Jenny Holt: The Emotional and Physical Impact of Workplace Bullying Did you know a higher percentage of people are bullied in the workplace than in schools? It’s hard to imagine, isn’t it? When we think about bullying, we always think of the picked on kid in school. Our culture is geared toward it and […]
Kids are WORTH it. They need to know they have a future and a hope! We are scraping bottom to do all we can, but our non profit needs YOU! Will you help us meet the expense of reprinting our books? I have something for you when you do. Keep reading! Gosh – If each one of […]
HELP YOUR CHILD ORGANIZE with my ACTIVITY CARDS! Download Free with any donation! Use them to make a CHART to show WHAT TO DO NEXT! 1- Tape a strip of stiff paper (or cardboard) across poster board to make a pocket to hold activity cards. Top row is for things to DO. Bottom row is where to […]
Before I had kids, I thought I knew all about child rearing. Sound familiar? After they started coming along however, all pride went out the window and humility took it’s place. It’s been almost half a century since my first darling baby (of seven) was born. Along the way there were seven thousand challenges to […]
My good friend Arthur saw Roscoe the baby squirrel fall out of a tree. He hoped that the mother squirrel would come back for him, but the next morning Arthur’s cat brought the baby into the house, carrying him by the scruff of his neck like a kitten. He had no fur, even on his skinny tail […]
Why is it that some people seem to have more empathy than others? And some seem to have none at all. How did we get this way? Is it nature? Is it nurture? Neuroscientist Dr. Marco Iacoboni, author of “Mirroring People, the new Science of how we connect with others” tells how scientists have discovered […]
Does media influence children? You know it does. Profoundly. From the time I was a child I have wanted to inspire kids to become BETTER people. Since 2007 EDU DESIGNS has been “Building Brains And Hearts Through The Arts” by sharing positive educational materials with schools, teachers and students. All of us here at EDU DESIGNS are unpaid […]
Sun After Rain In NY, by Ruth Elliott-Hilsdon, 1968 Rain falls on the just and unjust. Troubles hit you. Some financial. Some personal. How do you keep trials and troubles from your door? You can’t. In the end it’s not what happens to you, it’s how you react to it that matters. We all need to […]
I’M SO HAPPY! Our animated short is now a CHILDREN’S BOOK! SOMEBODY NEEDS YOU has a powerful message that shows kids the character traits of caring and empathy for others! Kids need to learn to be helpful! Don’t wait. As the twig is bent, so grows the tree. Help them learn to pay attention. BUY A COPY OF […]
MY mom always told me, “A job worth doing, is worth doing WELL!” And I REALLY TRIED! But when my seven kids were little, I could never get everything done WELL. To get the house clean, I’d have to ignore the kids. When I paid attention to the kids, I would neglect the house. And […]
Thanks to Mindi for suggesting I add a picture of “clean your room”, to GoMommyGO’s free illustrated behavior charts. The simple command, “Clean Your Room” might have been enough for some kids, but it wasn’t for mine! Many get overwhelmed by the sheer enormity of the task and need it broken up into smaller pieces, so they […]
10 Suicide Warning Signs in Young People “Each day in our nation there are an average of over 5,400 suicide attempts by young people grades 7-12,” according to the American Society for the Positive Care of Children, or American SPCC. This is just one of the many alarming statistics about young people and suicide. Although […]
Want Peace? Loving the people in our lives can bring more peace to our world. Maybe not the entire world, but at least to those people our lives touch. I’m so grateful for each and every one of you who has reached out to me.. Love and blessings to YOU! So much to be thankful for! My […]
THE NIGHT PRINCESS is an original fable that encourages us to see that the way we treat anyone, is the way we treat everyone! MANDARIN version here SPANISH version here REVIEWS: With tears streaming down his face, RAY BRADBURY declared, “It’s BEAUTIFUL!” VAN DYKE PARKS said: “I loved your show, too. Terrific animation to a great tale. […]
Sometimes we may want to do something “big and important” in the world, all the while missing opportunities to help those around us. The story Somebody Needs You is important for kids – to learn to pay attention to their surroundings, and see that they CAN make a difference, wherever they are. You can see it HERE. […]
Welcome to our home We knew we wanted children and made the decision to adopt. When we started the process it was so exciting to think that we would be able to offer them a place in our home . . . to become part of our family! Both of our children arrived from Central America at […]
EDU Designs AND DaniMation Entertainment TEAM UP TO PRODUCE “SOMEBODY NEEDS YOU!” Somebody Needs You is a story about a distracted little girl who thinks she’s not important. Once she sees that others around her have real problems, she discovers something new about herself. Ruth Elliott-Hilsdon, founder of EDU Designs, created the story & music and assists in […]
While searching for a pop up card to make for my grandson, I found so many great ideas that I couldn’t decide which one to make! But one of the best ideas I discovered was in this awesome video from creative artist, Maybelline Chow. (Check out her blog at: www.maybeitsmaybe.blogspot.com) neverendingcard THANK YOU for sharing […]
I love people! When I was a little kid I dreamed of having lots of children. And I wanted to change the world by bringing good people into it, one person at a time. When I was twenty years old I wrote a song for my future children, imagining what I would say to them if they should […]
These three posters stop Bullies! Scroll down to the last one to download all three. This one helps identify a bully: This one tells what to do when faced with a bully: This one helps kids ask themselves, “Do I ever bully others?” HELP STOP BULLYING! Download all 3 Posters HERE: My gift to you! Ruth Elliott-Hilsdon Director, EDU DESIGNS Creator, […]
WILL THEY FOLLOW YOU? Force alone does NOT make people want to follow. Dale Carnegie, author of “How to Win Friends and Influence People” said, “A man convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still.” [dropshadowbox align=”none” effect=”lifted-both” width=”250px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ][/dropshadowbox] Dwight D. Eisenhower used to say that being a leader is […]
POSITIVE DISCIPLINE MEANS GUIDING A CHILD TO SEE THAT HE OR SHE CAN MAKE A VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION TO THE WORLD. Radio Therapist, John Jolliffe once said, “The way you feel about yourself is both your punishment and your reward. Your job is to become the kind of person YOU can love.” When you feel Valuable and Needed, it […]
How can we get our kids to be nice people? Be nice people ourselves! But they need discipline, too. Discipline means ‘child training’. What are we training kids to be? Many parents send the message, “Be pleasant and do what I tell you“ But, what the kids hear them saying is, “I’m the parent. I can do whatever I like while I order […]
INTERRUPTABILITY: The First Requirement of Parenthood? While working at home with a babysitter watching the kids, my 4 year old daughter Annie came into my office with a sweet smile and asked if she could just sit there quietly for a little while. She was a good girl and I wanted to say, “Yes” […]
Is there a magic formula to child rearing? If there is, it surely would have to start with: RELATIONSHIP Get in on the bottom floor and stay with them all the way. To simply lay down rules will not work. As Josh McDowell said: Rules without Relationship lead to Rebellion. Kids need you. They know when a […]
Life can either make you Bitter or Better. From a crucible of unimaginable suffering came a survivor – Antwone Fisher*, The man the movie of the same name was made about, directed by and starring Denzel Washington. I had the pleasure of meeting Antwone in 2010 at Vroman’s, at the book signing for: “A Boy Should Know How To […]
Welcome to the Land of “I’M SORRY” I heard on the the news one day that a young boy in Japan had committed suicide after he’d made a mistake he thought would embarrass his family and was trying to ‘save face’. I felt so sad to think he believed he had no other choice. I cried for […]
Managing kids may be the easier part. The bigger challenge? Managing ourselves. You set up rules for good behavior, and then, BANG! All of a sudden you’re acting the way you don’t want the kids to act. But how are we supposed to deal with that? We need to be in charge of us first. […]
My daughter Lisa actually said this to me one day: Paying attention to other people all the time isn’t easy. Attention requires ENERGY. I heard about a little girl who tried to talk with her mom while her mom was racing around doing chores. Her mom emitted an occasional “Uh huh…”, when suddenly the girl cried […]
“The hand that rocks the cradle, rules the world.” The things a mother does will affect her child for life, and ultimately the world. As I said in my last article, You Can’t Spoil a Baby, infants need to be loved and treated with what Carl Rogers calls “Unconditional Positive Regard”. [1] I think there’s a little […]
CAN YOU SPOIL A BABY? Before you get worried wondering, the quick answer is: “NO”. You CAN’T spoil a baby. There are many reasons. Babies need consistent Loving Attention. Not only for physical survival but for the emotional security and intellectual development to build a strong foundation for the rest of their lives. BEING A BABY […]
[dropshadowbox align=”none” effect=”lifted-both” width=”450px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ] [/dropshadowbox] One of my kids said one day, “Mom, how come you never yell at the baby?” Before I could answer, my oldest girl piped in, “That’s easy. When babies are little you need to be nice to them, so when you yell at them when […]
Many friends have asked me over the years, “HOW DO YOU DO THAT?” So I finally decided to put this up. Now I just send them the link! To understand the pattern even better, here’s a little illustration (download pdf here) to see it written out. Just pretend the lines are the strings (seen from […]
All kids LOVE music! We’ve been adding Music to enrich our Art Presentations. There’s nothing like Music to brighten your day and activate brain cells. At a recent Fair at Cobb School Jas and Ruth Hilsdon performed for 3 hours. The joy and energy from sharing music with the kids was infectious. Here’s a VERY short video from that […]
THANKS to ERIC ANSAH, the director, and others from the Reward Foundation Ghana, this Non Profit Org is helping kids expand their opportunities through Art, Music, and other cultural and educational activities in Ghana. EDU DESIGNS founder, Ruth Elliott, donated the use of her Art Textbook, SEE WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING AT to help kids! They […]
When interviewing the founder of EDU DESIGNS recently, I learned a lot. Here’s a transcript of what Ruth Elliott said about her early childhood: “Both my parents families were from NY. After moving to Texas, my mom would tell us stories about how valiantly our ancestors opposed slavery, among them Harriet Beecher Stowe and Henry Ward […]
Kids usually WANT to do what’s Right – if you give them the chance to, and explain the advantages to them! Customize your own Behavior Chart with pictures – it’s easy: Go to GoMommyGO! This is a FREE public service from EDU DESIGNS, the non profit that creates media for children’s Character Development. Take advantage of it! It worked with MY […]
SUGAR, SUGAR, EVERYWHERE, and not a drop (of WATER) to drink… What’s a Mother and Father to do when they have no plan for their children Halloween night? LOOK OUT! When the excitement of costumes and candy wears off and the sugar rush is over – then come the TEARS, the WHINING, the FIGHTING over who got MORE CANDY, and […]
I felt a creative ache inside of me for years. I wanted to write a children’s book. I had an idea, I had the talent. But with seven kids, and laundry my constant companion, I felt constantly discouraged. “When will I ever get a chance to write?” Then came the year my 11 year old daughter Lisa had to choose […]
I suffered panic attacks when my mother-in-law came to visit. She was a perfect housekeeper and I wasn’t. Of course she had only had ONE child, and I had seven. I’d always put my kid’s emotional needs first. The house could wait. But she never quite understood that, and I could always feel her judging me for it. […]
EDU DESIGNS promotes the Arts and Music. When Ray Davies (of the KINKS) signed his name to an Ibanez guitar backstage at the Canyon Club in Agoura, CA, 2010, it was to help us further this goal. We’re very grateful to Ray for helping us on our mission. In a recent search for a deserving individual, we […]
EDU DESIGNS and GoMommyGO® help children all over the world to be better people in so many ways. EDU DESIGNS brings Art back into schools. No one can deny the power of Art to shape our hearts and minds. That’s why we donate our materials to schools and teachers who can’t afford them. GoMommyGO® offers tools for parents […]
HUMAN TOUCH KEY TO MENTAL HEALTH At 8 years old, I was moping around the house. “Mom – I’m homesick. But I’m at HOME. How can that be?” I can’t recall her words, but whatever she said didn’t satisfy me. There was an aching in my heart that needed a human touch. I think all […]
You didn’t want a life of loneliness? Figured that having children would end that? Congratulations! Now LAUNDRY is your constant companion! My Mom used to tell me, “Everything comes out in the wash…” . Since I was eight years old my plan was: To raise some […]
When I hear the words, ‘MILK TRUCK’, three uncanny stories come to mind. Absolutely true. Two are from my own life. Take the next ‘step beyond’ to see what happened. Milk Man in Houston, Texas Saves a 7 year old Girl One day at the ripe age of 7 years old, I got out of […]
Though money has its place, aren’t Peace and True Happiness the most important values to teach our kids? I wrote this little poem recently, thinking of the conflict between ‘Getting what you want’ and ‘True’ satisfaction: Finding Treasure, © Ruth Elliott, 2013 Ignorance, when fueled by desire, Scrambles to fight, following a Liar… And after […]
Once in a while a story comes along that shows the triumph of the human spirit. When Diane was born with Down Syndrome AND a hole in her heart, the doctor advised the mother and father that their baby girl would never survive, and, “Just leave her with us, we’ll take care of it”. Did these […]
I heard a story once about an experiment with two mice to see how long they could swim in a bucket of water… When the first mouse was put in the bucket he drowned after just a few minutes. When they put the second mouse in the water they saw him start to flounder around the same time the first one had. […]
So much has been happening I haven’t had time to let you know – from the art classes for kids with Special needs (see pic below) and many schools locally to the outreach to other countries (even Ghana and India) who are benefiting from our materials thanks to those who have found us via the internet. […]
I know you care about investing in CHARACTER as well as INTELLIGENCE. You want to give children more of what really matters. SO DOES CHRIS ZURBUCH! Chris Zurbuch is not only a phenomenal RUNNER – he runs for a good cause: To help children achieve their goals and become productive citizens in society. The Nanny […]
I’m SO excited! Ghana is now using our Art Textbook, videos and other educational materials for character development! Ghana Kids in Ghana struggle to advance their skills without the proper tools. Thanks to the hardworking and dedicated staff of The Reward Foundation Ghana, a Non Profit, led by Project Manager Eric Ansah, children in the deprived […]
Mt. T. and Me in 2003! When my son Jon was 11 years old he wrote a letter to Mr. T after seeing ‘The A Team’ on TV. Mr. T wrote him back a long personal letter, telling him to study hard in school, stay away from drugs and alcohol, take good care of […]
How wonderful! Just rediscovered! Can’t believe it took me this long to share it! Back in 2010 Shirley Smith’s TV Show, “Talk About Parenting, LIVE” welcomed me to talk about EDU Designs and GoMommyGO. Though it aired a while back it has a lot to say about what we are doing to help kids! Visit EDU […]
What is ’emotional connectedness’? And how does it help our brain power? In Dr. Gabor Mate’s book, SCATTERED (How Attention Deficit Disorder Originates and What you can Do About It), he reveals how children engaged in an activity that includes emotional connectedness display higher levels of activity in the prefrontal cortex of the brain, where self […]
HOME ABOUT NEED A SPEAKER? SIGN UP SOMEBODY NEEDS YOU! FRIENDS OTHER’S HELPFUL LINKS! Kids NEED Art! When it’s added to their Educational ‘Diet’, EVERYONE WINS! In the report of the National Council on the Arts 3/30/2012, Dr. James Catterall presented conclusive evidence that “High arts kids considerably outperform Low arts kids” in every area.” […]
Every day in Elementary school I ate the same thing for lunch: an apple and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, which of course would get squashed by the apple before I could get to it. At lunch I sat next to a chubby little red haired girl who, along with her frown, always had […]
This Love stuff is pretty insecure… LOVE is a MESSY BUSINESS! Scary, too. The risk when we decide to open our heart to another. We have no guarantee it will ever come back! There is nothing so agonizing as the pain of love not returned. So – shall we STOP giving? Keep that box of […]
While mailing off some materials to the island of Malta recently I suddenly realized how far we’ve come. Since 2007 people all over the world have been getting benefited by the materials EDU Designs and GoMommyGO® provide. So I decided it was time to celebrate – with a MAP – showing a quick view of the […]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcC2l8zioIw&feature=player_embedded#![/youtube] “The Finland Phenomemon” (Trailer) Excerpt from “The Finland Phenomemon: Inside the world’s most surprising school system”, By E.D. Kain, Forbes, May 2, 2011 The Finland Phenomenon, from documentary filmmaker, Bob Compton, follows Dr. Tony Wagner through Finland’s extraordinary school system. It’s a short, to-the-point documentary, but it had quite an effect on me, if only because it […]
This really happened. I asked my son one day: What a dilemma! How to teach kids to face the awful truth without becoming awful in the process. If I asked you, “Do you want your child to succeed?” Would you answer, “No”? Of course you wouldn’t! Every parent wants their child to succeed. Regardless of their hopes, no […]
I was mad. Really mad. I won’t share the dastardly deeds that made me angry. But as I got into bed beside my sleeping husband that night I cried out in my spirit: “I know I’m not supposed to let the sun go down on my anger! I know I’m supposed to forgive, but HOW can I […]
BULLYING is such a horrible problem that we have to nip it in the bud early. I hope you will share these posters with others! I’m giving you these posters FREE to help kids to be able to identify a bully: (Get the.pdf file by clicking on the image) Along with it is a poster […]
Whether you buy a book for a child you know, or make a donation, it helps us provide our materials to schools that need them. One teacher contacted us, saying: “I would love love, love, to have you come to my school. I am so bummed that I don’t teach more art… I totally agree […]