This is the real stuff: dynamic, messy, baffling adoptive parenting, rooted in domestic life.Award-winning columnist and adoptive parent Sally Donovan offers savvy, compassionate advice on how to be 'good enough' in the face of both day-to-day and more bewildering challenges – how to respond to 'red mist' meltdowns, crippling anxieties about new routines and, most importantly, how to meet the intimidating challenge of being strong enough to protect and nurture your child.Full of affecting and hilarious stories drawn from life in the Donovan household, The Unofficial Guide to Adoptive Parenting offers parents a refreshing counterblast to stuffy parenting manuals -- read it, weep, laugh and learn.

    I struggled to get the kids off to school. I talked myself into getting ready for work. I packed lunches, checked backpacks, planned crock pot meals, and wished I was somewhere else. Yes, that's right. I wished I was somewhere other than my kitchen listening to my children fight over the last pack of fruit snacks. I dreamt about a life that was less stressful and more enjoyable. These thoughts made me cry on the way to drop off my kids at school. These thoughts made me feel like a terrible person.These thoughts made me feel like I was the worst Mother on the planet. I was ashamed to have these thoughts. I felt like I was failing at life. I was overworked, under appreciated, and dreaming of wanting more. Why wasn't I happy? Life seemed to be a chronic shit storm and I was the imbecilic meteorologist who forgot her umbrella. I decided that I needed to chase my dreams. I decided I had to find a way to scoop the poop and find my passion.

    This book explores the changes, physical and emotional, that any man can expect to see in his partner and in their relationship over the coming months. It takes a comical yet informed look at the ups and downs of life as a father to be.

     Are you ready to potty train your child quickly and with success? This best-selling book is the answer. Becky Mansfield, child development expert at YourModernFamily.com shows you exactly how to do it successfully. It is the only complete guide to potty training that you will need. You can train your child earlier and faster than you thought possible! In this book, you will learn... *Signs of readiness *The secret to potty training in three days *What to do when they won't poop on the potty *How to handle regression *What to do when your child is not at home *Should you use charts and rewards? *What is the best way to potty train a boy? *How to potty train at night You will not be going back and forth between diapers, pull-ups and underwear anymore. This book has been marked as the best potty training book by multiple speakers around the world. It has been read by tens of thousands of parents and they all say one thing: It is the only guide you will need for potty training success. It is filled with all of the information and tools that you need to start potty training and complete it in three days. As a bonus, this second edition book has an added chapter to teach parents how to potty train a special needs child. Parents all over the world are having success with this system and now you can, too!

    In Running to Extremes, she attempts to answer that question and many more about ultramarathon running. In the past few years, Lisa has taken part in some of the most gruelling races on earth. Not content with having run the Badwater Ultramarathon once, she's been back and done it a second time. She's also completed the Gobi March and a race in the Egyptian Sahara. However, none of these could have prepared her for her greatest challenge to date: La Ultra, a 222-kilometre non-stop race over two Himalayan mountain passes. Running to Extremes tells the stories behind these races and provides plenty of advice for runners of all levels and distances. Filled with training tips, gear lists, information on nutrition and supplements, advice on mental preparation and, most importantly, a focus on how to keep yourself healthy while training and racing, it will inspire and motivate runners and non-runners alike.

    Whether you have personally encountered loss, or are supporting people through this harrowing time, this book provides practical and compassionate advice. Zoe and her husband Andy have personally faced the loss of five babies. Out of their experiences came the charity The Mariposa Trust (more often known by its primary division Saying Goodbye), offering support to thousands of grieving parents and relatives around the world each week. In her first bestselling book Saying Goodbye Zoe wrote a moving account of their experiences and how they found a way through loss. In The Baby Loss Guide Zoe provides a supportive and practical guide to walk people through their darkest days of suffering and gives them hope for the future. The first half of the book answers the many questions those who encounter loss ask themselves and others, and until now have resulted in people spending hours exploring the internet to gain answers and insight. It is interlaced with personal stories from both men and women who have been there, and tackles the many myths, taboos and assumptions around loss. It also provides clear guidance and advice on how to navigate life following your world imploding, such as: How do I return to work? How do I know if or when I should try again for more children? How do I communicate with my partner about loss? The second half of the book offers 60-days of practical and compassionate support. Whether someone's loss be recent or historic, this support will be a wonderful gift, and will help the person walk the scary path of grief. Zoe's friendly and down to earth approach means she removes the often over used medical terminology, and this makes The Baby Loss Guide readable, easy to absorb and a vital source of information and help.

    The first three years of life are too important for experiments, but the Montessori guidelines presented here have held true all over the world, no matter what the culture of the child, for over 100 years. It is the goal of this book to help parents look for, discover, appreciate, and support the mental, physical, and emotional needs of the child in the first three years of life. There are over 180 black and white pictures from the author’s work around the world with children from birth to three years of age. "The Joyful Child" is used in Montessori teacher training centers, middle school human development classes, birth preparation classes, and it is of interest to anyone studying education and child development. It has been translated into several languages and is often used as a text for parenting classes. Chapters: The First Year—The senses: Before birth; music and language; crying as communication; seeing and processing; the absorbent mind; materials The First Year—Reaching Out and Grasping: The development of movement; toys that aid the natural development of movement; natural materials for toys The First Year—Sitting up and Working: The child’s Work; eating and working while sitting up; safety concerns with new movement abilities; number of toys available at any one time, and learning to put them away; suggested toys The First Year—Freedom of movement; a safe and natural environment; crawling, pulling up, standing, and walking; toys and equipment that aid movement development The End of the First Year—Unique Development and the Child’s Self-Respect: Each child’s path of development is unique; aiding the beginning of a good self-image; preparing the home to welcome the newborn; clothing that supports free movement; attachment and separation, preparation for weaning and toilet learning; sign language and elimination communication (EC); materials that support optimum growth and development; unconditional love; the end of the first year Age 1-3—Care of Self, Others, and the Environment: Participating in the real life of the family; kinds of practical life activities; the work environment and concentration; materials; undressing and dressing; a place for everything and everything in its place; The child's purpose; the needs of the parents; adults and children working together; the child's research of the rules of society; teach by teaching, NOT by correcting; offering choices Age 1-3—Toys and Puzzles: Selecting toys; organizing and rotating toys; learning to put toys away; respecting concentration; visual discrimination and eye-hand control; puzzle toys; open-ended toys Age 1-3—Music: Dancing and singing; percussion instruments and other music materials Age 1-3—Language: Listening comes first; a second language; listening and including the child in conversation; vocabulary, words, pictures, and books; formal language; storytelling, reading and writing; biting; imagination? lying?; materials; supporting language development Age 1-3—Art: Art is more than drawing; art materials; art appreciation; art work Age 1-3—People: Daily life of people of the world; materials Age 1-3—Plants and Animals: A natural love of nature; experiencing and naming plants; gardening; observing and caring for animals; materials Age 1-3—Physical Science and Math: The beginnings of physicals sciences; the beginnings of math Age 0-3—Preparing the Environment: What do we need for a new baby? safety; general environment principles; the environment and the absorbent mind; the outside environment; materials; conclusion Age 0-3—Parenting and Teaching: A gentle birth; gentle family togetherness in daily life; clothing and materials; developing trust in the world; a gentle beginning, the role of the father; a sense of order; the changing environment; the child’s ne

    It will give you the knowledge to navigate this unfamiliar land with ease. Enjoying India offers a wealth of insights into India's culture and style of functioning, covering many important topics that are either dealt with superficially or omitted altogether by other books. Whether you are in India for business or pleasure, this is the one book you need to experience the best of India. Acquire the skills, understanding and confidence you need to: * Stay safe and healthy * Communicate successfully * Understand how yes can mean no * Avoid cultural blunders * Deal with Indian bureaucracy * Accommodate special needs * Bargain effectively * Get a seat on a fully booked train * Use your computer safely * Cope with Indian plumbing * and much, much more . . .

    Perfect for gift-giving, this compact booklet will encourage and inspire every mother with the knowledge that she is truly captivating.

    There are hiccups and bumps, and there will be plenty of times that we doubt if we are really capable of teaching our kids well. In More Than Enough, unexpected homeschooler of 12 years Kara Stephenson Anderson shares with warmth and honesty about real-life homeschooling.Written for any parent - those brand new to homeschooling and those who have been at this for years, More Than Enough is a guide for putting connection ahead of perfection, letting go of standards and expectations, and living a life of learning and love together.More Than Enough will help bring you the peace you've been craving so that you can enjoy your days together.Here's the truth:All homeschool parents struggle with doubtBut you can build your confidenceAnd you can discover that your family is enough (just as you are!)Don't let the fear hold you back.You are enough. Your family is enough. And your love for your kids is more than enough.

    When you are the mother of boys, it seems like this question is on a continuous tape loop in your head. Humor columnist Sharon O’Donnell knows this feeling. In House of Testosterone, she chronicles her adventures raising three sons and reining in her über-male, forgetful husband, Kevin. She shares her stories of welcoming her third son into the world, resisting the gravitational pull of the “guy zone,” and running a household immersed in a world of sports, bathroom humor, and laundry. O’Donnell’s spirit shines through as she struggles to find some “me time” or survive another comical family vacation.These entertaining episodes of child- (and husband-) rearing lovingly illustrate why Sharon calls herself “Lady of the House of Testosterone.”

    From carrying a baby, delivering it, feeding it and raising it, Bec has experienced almost everything motherhood can throw at you and she wants to share the secrets and stories that she has learned along the way. Not to mention all those things about pregnancy, birth and motherhood that often come as a complete surprise. Join Bec and her dream team of experts (an obstetrician, a midwife, an ultrasound specialist, a women's health physio and a paediatric sleep specialist) as they take you month by month through your pregnancy. They will share their insider advice on the best ways to eat for two (or three!), stay in shape and get you and your baby sleeping well. This gorgeous, comprehensive handbook contains a wealth of honest, practical and sometimes hilarious advice to prepare you and your baby for life after birth.

    Parents everywhere struggle to respond appropriately to challenging behavior, hit-or-miss communication, and fluctuating moods commonly exhibited by teenage girls. More than previous generations, today’s teen girls face a daunting range of stressors that put them at risk for a range of serious issues, including self-harming behaviors, substance abuse, eating disorders, anxiety, and depression. Is it any wonder that parents are overwhelmed?Parenting a Teen Girl is a guide for busy parents who want bottom-line information and tips that make sense—and work. It also offers scripts to improve communication, and exercises to navigate stressful interactions with skill and compassion. Whether your teen girl is struggling with academic pressure, social difficulties, physical self-care, or technology overload, this book offers practical advice to help you connect with your teen girl. Parents and teens alike can enjoy a positive connection once common parent-teen pitfalls are replaced with solid understanding and strategies that work.In this book, you will learn how to: •Maximize your teen’s healthy development•Understand what underlies her moods and behavior•Implement strategies for positive results•Communicate effectively about difficult issues•Enjoy and appreciate time with your teen daughter

    

    Breastfeeding nightmares, eating dinner with one hand, soft play hell and chronic sleep deprivation - but also the sheer beauty of falling in love again and the amazing discovery of what it's like to have a family - these are all captured in Sketchy Muma's glorious drawings.This is the perfect gift book for both young and experienced parents. Anna Lewis understands the light and shade that comes with motherhood, and it is those universal truths that will connect all those parents who delight in her sketches.