Raising Kids for True Greatness: Redefine Success for You and Your Child


Tim Kimmel - 2006
    And you want them to be successful. Sure, there's nothing wrong with that. But what if there was something more? Could your definition of success be leaving out the most important part?What about greatness? Where does it fit in? "If you aim your children at anything less than greatness, you'll set them up to miss the whole point of their lives," says author Tim Kimmel. In Raising Kids for True Greatness, Kimmel turns the definition of success on its head and guides you in preparing your child for a life that will easily eclipse the goals of those who are merely successful.Learn how to prepare your kids for rich lives of true greatness by helping them find answers to life's three most crucial, life-changing questions regarding their mission, mate, and master:What are they going to do with their potential?Who will they spend their lives with?Who will they live it for?

Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting


Pamela Druckerman - 2012
    They ate braised leeks. They played by themselves while their parents sipped coffee. And yet French kids were still boisterous, curious, and creative. Why? How?            With a notebook stashed in her diaper bag, Druckerman set out to investigate—and wound up sparking a national debate on parenting. Researched over three years and written in her warm, funny voice, Bringing Up Bébé is deeply wise, charmingly told, and destined to become a classic resource for American parents.

You & Your Baby Pregnancy: The Ultimate Week-By-Week Pregnancy Guide


Laura Riley - 2006
    It also contains descriptions and eight pages of in-utero photographs."

Feeding The Mouth That Bites You: A Complete Guide to Parenting Adolescents and Launching Them Into the World


Kenneth Wilgus - 2015
    Maybe you already know that. The question is, does adolescence really need to be a frustrating time for parents and teenagers? If your child isn’t a teenager yet, can you make preparations now to avoid many of the pitfalls parents of adolescents go through? With so much information and differing viewpoints, how can a parent really know that they are "doing it right?”In Feeding The Mouth That Bites You, Dr. Ken Wilgus outlines a clear and practical path through the confusion of parenting adolescents in today’s world. Engaging, accessible, and funny, Feeding The Mouth That Bites You summarizes Dr. Wilgus’s best teachings on how to parent teenagers, collected over twenty-five years of work with adolescents and their families as well as two decades of teaching on parenting.Though trends and technology will always change, the adolescent need for autonomy remains the one foundational issue that is the largest obstacle to a healthy parent/teenager relationship. Feeding The Mouth That Bites You explains this need and the effect it has on a wide range of teenage behavior. Dr. Wilgus clearly outlines his method for safely and effectively meeting this need: Planned Emancipation. Once parents clearly understand adolescents’ needs and know how to respond, parenting a teenager becomes much less frustrating. Even their teenagers join in to help out!Knowing what your teenager needs and being able to provide for that need is truly the art of Feeding The Mouth That Bites You.

The Newbie's Guide to Positive Parenting


Rebecca Eanes - 2013
    Make a positive transformation in your home as you let go of fear-based techniques and embrace the philosophy of positive parenting. Filled with practical examples, personal stories, and nuggets of hard-earned wisdom, The Newbie's Guide to Positive Parenting has everything you need to change your parenting paradigm and enrich your family life. If you are desperately missing the close bond you once had with your child, if your days are filled with tears and frustration, this book is for you. The relationships we build with our children last a lifetime. Ultimately, love is the only leverage we have with our kids. Fear-based parenting only works as long as it can be physically or emotionally enforced, but love is a more effective motivator over time. Through being kind and firm, consistent and empathetic, we allow our children optimal development. When the child-rearing is done, the loving bond you have built is what will make your relationship with your adult child fruitful and enjoyable. Positive parenting keeps that relationship intact while teaching and guiding your child to his or her fullest potential.

Baby Day by Day


Ilona Bendefy - 2012
    Using a unique chronological structure that helps parents navigate baby's first 365 days, "Baby Day by Day" provides new parents with everything they need to know about looking after their child, from birth to twelve months.Written by a panel of pediatricians, child psychologists, nutritionists, and complementary medicine experts, "Baby Day by Day" provides an unbiased approach to baby care that gives the pros and cons of various approaches, including sleep training, managing crying, and breastfeeding issues.Providing answers to common queries and baby dilemmas, suggestions for age-appropriate games and developmentally stimulating things to do with your baby, as well as a comprehensive health section discussing common childhood ailments, "Baby Day by Day" also looks at the most recent discoveries about how babies' minds work and how parents can use these insights to guide their child's development.

Mommy IQ: The Complete Guide to Pregnancy


Rosie Pope - 2012
    Rosie Pope—maternity fashion designer, pregnancy guru, and star of the hit TV show Pregnant in Heels on Bravo—leads expectant mothers through the ups and downs of pregnancy with her trademark humor and down-to-earth charm, tackling difficult issues with refreshing candor while offering useful information about medical support. The founder of MomPrep—a prenatal and postpartum education center—Rosie makes the journey to motherhood even more memorable with friendly advice, laugh-out-loud stories, and heartfelt, “been-there” insights. Mommy IQ is a must-own handbook for moms-to-be, young moms, and the families of expectant moms.

The Happy Sleeper: The Science-Backed Guide to Helping Your Baby Get a Good Night's Sleep-Newborn to School Age


Heather Turgeon - 2014
    But kids don't need to be trained to sleep—they're built to sleep. Sleep issues arise when parents (with the best of intentions) overhelp or "helicopter parent" at night—overshadowing their baby's innate biological ability to sleep well. In The Happy Sleeper, child sleep experts Heather Turgeon and Julie Wright show parents how to be sensitive and nurturing, but also clear and structured so that babies and young children develop the self-soothing skills they need in order to:- Fall asleep independently- Sleep through the night- Take healthy naps- Grow into natural, optimal sleep patterns for day and nightThe Happy Sleeper is a research-based guide to helping children do what comes naturally—sleep through the night.

Small Animals: Parenthood in the Age of Fear


Kim Brooks - 2018
    What happened would consume the next several years of her life and spur her to investigate the broader role America's culture of fear plays in parenthood. In Small Animals, Brooks asks, Of all the emotions inherent in parenting, is there any more universal or profound than fear? Why have our notions of what it means to be a good parent changed so radically? In what ways do these changes impact the lives of parents, children, and the structure of society at large? And what, in the end, does the rise of fearful parenting tell us about ourselves?Fueled by urgency and the emotional intensity of Brooks's own story, Small Animals is a riveting examination of the ways our culture of competitive, anxious, and judgmental parenting has profoundly altered the experiences of parents and children. In her signature style--by turns funny, penetrating, and always illuminating--which has dazzled millions of fans and been called "striking" by New York Times Book Review and "beautiful" by the National Book Critics Circle, Brooks offers a provocative, compelling portrait of parenthood in America and calls us to examine what we most value in our relationships with our children and one another.

Potty Training Boys the Easy Way: Helping Your Son Learn Quickly -- Even If He's a Late Starter


Caroline Fertleman - 2008
     Boys tend to take longer to be trained, learn this skill at later ages, and have different challenges from girls. Parents will find an accessible plan for getting their son trained quickly, clever games to make learning to use the toilet fun, as well as important tips for handling accidents and setbacks.The book includes advice on boy-specific problems, such as whether to teach him to sit or stand and how to aim, dealing with distractions, handling refusals, and staying dry through the night. Practical and reassuring, Potty Training Boys the Easy Way is packed with all the information a family needs to achieve this important milestone calmly and confidently.

Confessions of a Scary Mommy: An Honest and Irreverent Look at Motherhood: The Good, The Bad, and the Scary


Jill Smokler - 2012
     In a culture that idealizes motherhood, it’s scary to confess that, in your house, being a mother is beautiful and dirty and joyful and frustrating all at once. Admitting that it’s not easy doesn’t make you a bad mom; at least, it shouldn’t. If I can’t survive my daughter as a toddler, how the hell am I going to get through the teenage years? When Jill Smokler was first home with her small children, she thought her blog would be something to keep friends and family updated. To her surprise, she hit a chord in the hearts of mothers everywhere. I end up doing my son’s homework. It’s wrong, but so much easier. Total strangers were contributing their views on that strange reality called motherhood. As other women shared their stories, Jill realized she wasn’t alone in her feelings of exhaustion and imperfection. My eighteen month old still can’t say “Mommy” but used the word “shit” in perfect context. But she sensed her readers were still holding back, so decided to start an anonymous confessional, a place where real moms could leave their most honest thoughts without fearing condemnation. I pretend to be happy but I cry every night in the shower. The reactions were amazing: some sad, some pee-in-your-pants funny, some brutally honest. But they were real, not a commercial glamorization. I clock out of motherhood at 8 P.M. and hide in the basement with my laptop and a beer. If you’re already a fan, lock the bathroom door on your whining kids, run a bubble bath, and settle in. If you’ve not encountered Scary Mommy before, break out a glass of champagne as well, because you’ll be toasting your initiation into a select club. I know why some animals eat their young. In chapters that cover husbands (The Biggest Baby of Them All) to homework (Didn’t I Already Graduate?), Confessions of a Scary Mommy combines all-new essays from Jill with the best of the anonymous confessions. Sometimes I wish my son was still little—then I hear kids screaming at the store. As Jill says, “We like to paint motherhood as picture perfect. A newborn peacefully resting on his mother’s chest. A toddler taking tentative first steps into his mother’s loving arms. A mother fluffing her daughter’s prom dress. These moments are indeed miraculous and joyful; they can also be few and far between.” Of course you adore your kids. Of course you would lay down your life for them. But be honest now: Have you ever wondered what possessed you to sign up for the job of motherhood? STOP! DO NOT OPEN THIS BOOK UNTIL YOU RECITE THESE VOWS! I shall remember that no mother is perfect and my children will thrive because, and sometimes even in spite, of me. I shall not preach to a fellow mother who has not asked my opinion. It’s none of my damn business. I shall maintain a sense of humor about all things motherhood.

Real Food for Gestational Diabetes: An Effective Alternative to the Conventional Nutrition Approach


Lily Nichols - 2015
    Imagine easily managing your blood sugar, effortlessly gaining the right amount of weight during your pregnancy, and giving birth to a beautiful, healthy baby. This can be you! Real Food for Gestational Diabetes offers an alternative to the conventional nutrition approach that embraces nutrient-dense and delicious foods that nourish you and baby without causing high blood sugar. With the wrong information (or no information at all), far too many women are left alone struggling with erratic blood sugar and excessive weight gain, often leading them to high doses of insulin or medications and difficult births. Sadly, this often happens despite these moms dutifully following the dietary advice given to them by well­-meaning clinicians; a restrictive diet that leaves them feeling unsatisfied, unhappy, and confused about ever­ increasing blood sugar numbers. In Real Food for Gestational Diabetes, prenatal nutritionist and diabetes educator, Lily Nichols, RDN, CDE, CLT, sets the record straight, offering revamped carbohydrate recommendations and exercise guidelines based on the latest clinical research. You can have gestational diabetes and have a healthy baby. Lily will show you how. With this book, you have the tools to turn this diagnosis into a blessing in disguise. You’ll learn: - Why conventional diet therapy often fails and what to do instead - How the right prenatal nutrition can reduce the likelihood you’ll need insulin by 50% - Exactly which foods raise your blood sugar (and more importantly, which foods DON’T raise your blood sugar) - How to customize a meal plan with the right amount of carbohydrates for YOU (there’s no one-size-fits-all plan, despite what you may have been told) - The truth about ketosis during pregnancy (and why checking urine ketones isn’t useful) - Information on insulin and blood sugar-lowering medications used in pregnancy - Which foods to emphasize to provide your baby with the right nutrients for optimal development (these real foods have a long history of producing strong, healthy babies) - The best prenatal exercises to control your blood sugar and prepare for labor - What to do after delivery to prevent type 2 diabetes

The Mama's Boy Myth: Why Keeping Our Sons Close Makes Them Stronger


Kate Stone Lombardi - 2012
     New York Times contributor Kate Stone Lombardi unveils the surprisingly close relationship between mothers and sons. Mother after mother confessed to Lombardi that her husband, brothers, and even female friends and family criticize the fact that she is "too close" to her sons. Many of these women are often startled by the strong connection they feel with their sons; but rarely do they talk about it because society tells them to push their little boys away and not "baby" them with too much cuddling and comforting. It is as if there were an existing playbook-based on gender preconceptions dating back to Freud, Oedipus, and beyond-that prescribes the way mothers and their sons should interact. Lombardi's much-needed narrative is the first and only book to share truly revealing interviews with mothers who have close relationships with their sons, as well as interviews with these women's sons and husbands. Lombardi persuasively argues that the rise of the new male-one who is more emotionally intelligent and more sensitive without being less "manly"-is directly attributable to women who are rejecting the "mama's boy" taboo. Highlighting new scientific studies, The Mama's Boy Myth begins a fresh story-one that will be welcomed by mothers, fathers, and sons alike.

Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids: How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting


Laura Markham - 2012
    Laura Markham’s approach is as simple as it is effective. Her message: Fostering emotional connection with your child creates real and lasting change. When you have that vital connection, you don’t need to threaten, nag, plead, bribe—or even punish.This remarkable guide will help parents better understand their own emotions—and get them in check—so they can parent with healthy limits, empathy, and clear communication to raise a self-disciplined child. Step-by-step examples give solutions and kid-tested phrasing for parents of toddlers right through the elementary years.If you’re tired of power struggles, tantrums, and searching for the right “consequence,” look no further. You’re about to discover the practical tools you need to transform your parenting in a positive, proven way.

Free Schools


David Gillespie - 2014
    When it came time to select high schools, he thought it worth doing some investigation to assess the level of advantage his kids would enjoy if he spent the required $1.3 million to send them all to private schools.Shockingly, the answer was: none whatsoever.Intrigued, David continued his research, only to discover he was wrong on most counts - as are most parents - when it comes to working out what factors deliver a great education. He discovered that class size doesn't matter, your kids aren't any better off in co-ed than single-sex schools (and vice versa), composite classes are fine, fancy buildings are a waste of money, the old-tie network won't cut it in the new industries and NAPLAN is misread by everyone so is largely meaningless as a measure of quality.Taking on an ingrained and historical system of vested interests - the unions, the government, our own sense of worth, privilege and entitlement - this book is controversial and absolutely necessary. It is well researched, authoritative and accessible. It is a must-read for parents, as well as teachers and policy-makers.