Need Advice?

Today I have been thinking about what all it has been to be a mom.  25 years to reflect on.  And it makes me really wonder what I wish I had to help me along the way.  You know the 'how to' books that you could have used way back when. Yeah, when I thought I knew it all!

Well as we all know babies do not come with owner's manuals.  Heck we never read the one on our new cars so what makes us think we would if it was issued at birth.  But sure enough we all need one.  Well Quirk Books has one that is just like that.  The Baby Owner's Manual gives you just what you need.  How to operate, trouble shoot and maintain for the first year.  Darling to put in the diaper bag for a new mom and dad's Christmas present or baby shower gift.  It looks much like a info graphic in book form.  Easy to understand and handles about every situation.  There is even an app, The Baby Owner's Data Tracker,  you can download so you have the answers right at your fingertips.

Well once we get on past the baby stage then we have to look at raising our child.  Parenting is a nerve wracking concept yet we all muddle through it some how.  Of course some of us are better than others.  And we all have those 'ah ha' moments that keep us trying our very best.  What I would have loved having is "The Best Advice I Ever Got on Parenting" to help me see what I could focus on doing better.  I will tell you that everyone gives you advice, some good and some not so good.  But to have some of the best all in one place makes a better 'bathroom reader' than anything else.  Why a 'bathroom reader'?  Well as any parent can tell you, it is the only time (maybe) you can have time to read!  I will pass on my sage advice.  Remember first and foremost you are raising a future adult!

Well I raised my daughter from a babe to a child and on to a young woman.  But what would I want to pass on to her for advice most of all?  How about what it is to be a woman.  I tried to explain to Dear Hubby woman are a whole different race than men.  We are the energizer bunny without the cute floppy ears and tale.  Yeah that had him thinking of an entirely different bunny right off the bat! But the next biggest issue is remembering your a Woman! not just a mom.  It is often confused.  Not Your Mother's Book...On Being a Woman is a great collection of stories from real women on being US!  From pajama jeans to hot flashes to less than perfect boobies, we all have those moments of real life.  Here is story after story of the great realizations that come to us during them. Also pop over and see new titles coming up in the series.  Why?  Well they are accepting submissions for stories.  I know the bloggers around here have more than one tale to tell.

So what is left.  How about what we forget about as moms.  That we are also wives.  Or better yet lovers, friends and sage buddies as time goes by to our darling hubbies.  Yes our focus for years is raising our bundles of joy into amazing people.  Then we find we succeed as they go off in the world.  As we slowly turn back into our homes we find this man who has been waiting on us to return.  Oh how our marriages need to be nurtured just as much as our children.  How do we do it?  Well do it all?  Why not follow The Best Advice I Ever Got on Marriage as a guidelines?  This is the one we should be reading while we are waiting to get the kids from school, in line at the beauty shop or sitting in the doctors office.  All those times when we are wondering what is coming up next we could be planning it out ourselves.

So yes, how to books, advice books, story books....all one in the same.  But oh my they could very well be the extra lil bit that makes your life from one of duty to one of achievement.  It just is a matter of what we are looking to achieve I guess.  I am thankful to have all four now from the publishers to share with you.  All I want to know is why did I not have them 25 years ago.  Don't wait around like me.  Add them to that to do list....yeah right at the top!

Special Visit

I have a special visit today from Other Mom.  This is Princess Emma's mom and College Girl's Other Mom (thus her name).  While I have been away taking care of my mom she snuck in the house and perused my review books.  Having found the ones she wanted to read, she was kind enough to also tell me all about them.  So here is her take on the book Bring Out the Best in Your Child and Your Self.  And yes that is the beautiful Other Mom right over there.  ------->

 

Thanks to my Friend Lynette here at Crazed Mind, I got the opportunity to read a really great book. Bring Out The Best in Your Child and Your Self by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. is a well written and exceptionally informative book on bettering relationships between parents and children.

  This easy to follow book teaches you to be the parent you want to be, to create an environment that brings out the best in your child, how to understand negative behavior and prevent future problems from arising. The book describes the levels of self that we experience and how to stay more centered and calm. It talks about the drive children have to be the best and how to deal with their own frustrations and create a nurturing environment for them and encourage them to do the best that they can individually.

  What I enjoyed the most about this book is that it teaches how to do small changes that give big results, such as picking one week to point out good behaviors and praise those with sincerity instead of just working on negative things and pointing out the bad to your child. Praise the good things and have them see what good people they are already and try to improve from there. It teaches responsibility and consistency; yours and theirs as well as consequences versus punishments. The writer took things we all take for granted and shows you how important every day things can be.

  The lessons are easily transferred to any relationship you have, not just those with children. It is a wonderful and profound book that I have really enjoyed sharing with my family and I think you may also enjoy. It is broken down into 14 chapters each on a different aspect of building and strengthening you and your child's values, understanding and relationships and teaching the importance of really listening and seeing the underlying cause of acting out.

I think a lot of times parents don't take the time to think about mutual respect.They expect the child to respect them because they say so and don't give respect in return. It is refreshing to me to read a book that not only tells you about respect but shows you why it is important to respect your child as well.

  I know with my daughter, it amazes me everyday the sweet and caring girl she is growing into. I am so proud of her and I tell her that, but I also tell her why I am proud. I tell her how beautiful she is and that I am happy that it comes from the inside and shines through.

Even if you do not put to practice everything in this book, the things you learn while reading it will have a wonderful affect on your outlook and it is a very enjoyable read.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy of this book to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided.