Raising a Reader: A Mother's Tale of Desperation and Delight


Jennie Nash - 2003
    And because reading is the thing I love most, it's only natural for me to hope it will become something they love, too...The trouble is that reading is a particularly slippery passion to want to pass along because it's a skill most parents would agree their children have to master, to one degree or another. ""--from Raising a Reader" Can passion be passed along from parent to child? Can you, in other words, make someone love baseball, ballet or books? Of course you can't - but that doesn't stop parents from trying. Jennie Nash was one of those parents - a parent so obsessed about getting her kids to read that her desire sometimes strayed into desperation; her hope often became an obsession; and instead of helping, her resolve got in the way. In the end, she found that, like so many of the things we do as parents, passing along a passion for reading happens in the push and pull of digging in and letting go, day in and day out, both because of and in spite of our efforts. Nash shares stories and misadventures from the years when her young daughters were learning what it meant to have a relationship with words--and she was learning to let them. She reminds us how the magic moments happen in their own sweet time, by being together in the presence of good books and seeing each child as unique. Each chapter of "Raising a Reader" ends with personal, practical tips and games that spring straight from the narrative. A comprehensive index discusses many of the books Nash has enjoyed with her children, providing a year's worth of titles for parents and their children to explore.

Scoop the Poop: A Mother's Struggle


Meredith Masony - 2016
    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.

Welcome to your teenager's brain


Abigail Baird - 2021
    They speak their own language, they abide by their own rules, and they seem to exist to drive adults crazy. But adolescence is a typical stage of human development that is the essential preparation for success in the adult world. The more you understand about your teen’s brain, the better prepared you will be to handle this turbulent time in your child’s life.Professor Abigail Baird has devoted the majority of her career to studying adolescence, and in this Audible Original, she shares the latest perspectives on this amazing time of cognitive and behavioral growth. The 10 lectures in this series will reveal that adolescent behavior is much easier to understand than most people think. Rather than seeing the teen years as a crucible to be endured by parents and young people alike, this series offers a practical perspective for adults who hope to help teens truly thrive in their personal journeys to adulthood—not merely to survive their adolescence.Whether you are a parent, someone who works with teens, or even a teen yourself, this course will shed new light on a period of human development that is all too often incorrectly described as a time where psychological peril is inevitable.

The Simple Guide to Child Trauma: What It Is and How to Help


Betsy De Thierry - 2016
    Emphasising the need for compassionate, relational responses to these often misunderstood young people, Betsy offers an array of practical strategies and insights to enable those responses, whilst conveying her core subject with confidence and clarity. An important, generous and timely publication.Louise Michelle Bombèr, Strategic Attachment Lead Teacher Therapist0600As a parent myself I have found this book to be such a useful tool. To have a basic understanding of how the brain works has given me greater confidence as a parent in handling my children calmly and remaining empathetic even when I don't always understand the reasons behind their behaviour. I value the comprehensible and practical tips that are listed in this book of how you can develop the connection and healing relationship with the child in your care. It's beautifully written with such profound insight that is essential for any caring person working with children.Dannii Gray, Parent0600This book is easy to read using plain, clear language - free of jargon. It has really helpful suggestions that could be used in both professional and home settings.Liz Hall, Parent and Police Child Protection Investigator and Trainer0600Simplifying and condensing the complex world of childhood trauma into tangible, easy to grasp terms, de Thierry shows her mastery of the field in this handy guide. Her conversational style translates the neuroscience of trauma into supportive, concrete steps that any helping adult can apply to the children in his or her life. Empathy for the reader and patience for these vulnerable youth are ever-present as de Thierry herself models the restorative power of relationships. Such a hopeful and comforting read!Kendra Morris-Jacobson, Oregon Post Adoption Resource Center (ORPARC)0600What this 'simple guide' does elegantly and quickly is bring a large amount of research - from psychology, social work, neuroscience, biochemistry and genetics - directly to the busy but interested professionals, parents and carers working in this field. It translates complex ideas into 'practice-rich' language for adults who need to understand the inner worlds of children, rather than simply explore their 'wishes and feelings'.From the foreword by Professor David Shemmings OBE0200Full of helpful information and advice, this is the perfect introduction to child trauma for any adult caring for or working with a child who has experienced trauma. It explains what trauma is, how it affects children and what adults can do to facilitate recovery.04001: Understanding trauma. 2: The impact of trauma. 3: Helping a child become calm. 4: Frustrating behaviour from traumatised children. 5: Key approaches to help children recover. 6: Important things to consider when offering support. 7: Getting your head around different therapies.01000301http://www.biblioimages.com/jkp/getim...

Baby on Board: Understanding What Your Baby Needs


Howard Chilton - 2003
    Issues explored include breastfeeding, circumcision, colic, immunization, SIDS, postnatal depression, and sleeping with a baby. Intriguing research into babies' senses and what they can perceive is also presented. The informative and engaging advice throughout will help parents avoid panic and achieve a rewarding relationship with their newborn.

The Calm Birth School: The Practical Guide For Modern Mamas to Create a Calm, Positive Hypnobirth


Suzy Ashworth - 2016
    The Calm Birth School teaches and supports modern women (and their families) how to create calm and positive birth experiences that make them want to shout from the rooftops for all the right reasons. This comprehensive how-to guide will teach you all you need to know about hypnobirthing without morphing you into a new-age hipster. You’ll learn: The science and psychology behind why you don’t have to give birth in agony. How to work with your body and breath, defying the birthing horror stories you’ve heard and allowing your body to do what it was designed to do. A total mindset overhaul that will not only create a calm, positive birth but which will also empower you in every area of your life.Breathing techniques to enable you to deal with any stressful situation calmly and effectively: before and during birth, and beyond.Exactly what you need to do to enjoy every step of your pregnancy and birth, whether things go according to plan or not.So if you are a control freak; if you’re scared out of your mind about giving birth; if you believe in your body but do not want to waft a joss stick around your lady parts… This book is for you. With lots of juicy bonuses like birth preferences planners, a confidence building Mp3, practice schedule and lots more included you'll have everything you need to create the positive birth experience you deserve. Suzy Ashworth is a pregnancy coach, hypnotherapist and psychotherapist with two children and a growing bump. She has a passion for showing women exactly why they can and should believe in themselves, empowering them to create mind-blowing birth experiences.

Father to Son: Life Lessons on Raising a Boy


Harry H. Harrison Jr. - 2000
    He just comes with boundless energy, spirit, and love, all waiting to be shaped. And one of the powerful forces in the shaping is the wish to grow up to be "just like Dad," who was himself a young boy once. With apologies to mothers and daughters, there's really nothing like the primal bond between a son and his father. A little book of wisdom for fathers on raising boys, "Father to Son" is a guide to the joys and responsibilities of fatherhood. Divided into sections covering the different stages of a boy's life, the book features one succinct lesson per page--some lighthearted, some serious, all supported by the book's strong moral backbone. Here is the importance of passing along skills-- "Show him how to eat an Oreo." "Show him how to put a baseball in a new glove and wrap a belt around it." Of setting a good example--"Be home for dinner." "Do push-ups together." Of staying involved-- "Race him. You'll never forget the day he beats you." "Be sure to meet his girlfriends." Being flexible--"If his favorite thing about organized sports is the uniform, let him wear it to school." Offering guideposts, material and intangible-- "Hang a punching bag in the garage." "Put a computer in his room. Never a TV." "Never tell him boys don't cry-ask him why he's crying." Nurturing responsibility-- "Make him understand that even a small lie makes him a liar." "Teach him the joy of finishing a job." And instilling wonder--"Teach him the joys of staring at the moon." "Encourage him to go barefoot."

The Call to Brilliance: A True Story to Inspire Parents and Educators


Resa Steindel Brown - 2007
    With insightful commentary, she recalls her own trials as a student and teacher in our industrial, one-size-fits-all educational system. Then she encounters the needs of her young son. Finding a fit is like trying to stuff an odd-shaped child into a square hole. The love for her child propels her on a journey that sweeps her own children, and the children around her, into a learning environment driven by joy, exuberance and passion instead of heartbreak and defeat. Unable to read until ages nine and ten, they entered college at eleven and twelve, became systems administrators, chief technology officers, trained with the Berlin Opera and Hamburg Ballet, created digital images used in the film "Lord of the Rings," presented software solutions to TRW, Pac Bell, Industrial Light & Magic, NSA, Sony, and more, all before the ages of eighteen. The Call to Brilliance shows parents and educators how to redirect children's challenges into strengths, discover children's interests, fuel their interests into passions, and their passions into brilliance.

Chickens: Tending a Small-Scale Flock for Pleasure and Profit


Sue Weaver - 2005
    Author Sue Weaver, who keeps various exotic breeds and countless barnies on her farm, is an expert on all things livestock and an avowed chicken fanatic. This photo-filled guide begins with “Chickens 101” and details the physiology of chickens, members of the Phasianidea family, providing beginning hobby farmers with a basic education in the chicken’s unique physical makeup (from wings and feathers to beaks and digestive tracts), behavior, mating, and its unexpected high intelligence. The author offers advice on choosing the right types of chickens to get started: meat, egg, or dual purpose, or maybe even “just for pets.” The book is an excellent resource for selecting which breed of chicken is best for the hobby farmer based on the birds’ traits, such as aggression, personality, noise factor, tolerance for heat, confinement, cold, etc. Chickens also provides information on selecting or building a suitable chicken coop for the hobby farmer’s brood, outlining the basic requirements (lighting, ventilation, flooring, waterers, insulation, safety, and so forth). A detailed chapter on feeding chickens offers essential guidance on nutrition, commercial feeds, supplements, and water requirements. For the chicken hobby farmer looking to start with a clutch of baby chicks (from his own hen or an outside source), the author provides excellent info on incubators and hatching as well as all of the accommodations and preparation required for hens in the nest box. A chapter on selling eggs and broilers provides timetables, requirements, and dos and don’ts to get a hobby farmer’s business off on the right foot. All chicken keepers will find the chapter on health of particular value, with expert advice on preventing common problems and dealing with various maladies and diseases. Much detailed information about all of the topics in the book is encapsulated in sidebars. A glossary of over 125 terms plus a detailed resource section of chicken and poultry associations, books, and websites complete the volume. Fully indexed.

Shiny Things: Mothering on Purpose in a World of Distractions


Amanda Bacon - 2019
    In Shiny Things, Amanda Bacon and Anne-Renee Gumley bring to light the distractions moms face every day.   Honoring God and loving our families are our highest priority, but sometimes we need help keeping them there. For all of us who find ourselves caught in the cycle of distraction but are looking for a way out, Shiny Things will help us:identify the threat of distractions so we can learn to live with intentionresist the pull to be interrupted by non-essentials and focus on God and our priority peoplepurpose to live free from distraction with hearts turned Godward in all we doIt’s never too late to take hold of what’s most important. Today’s a great day to start.

Baby Sense


Megan Faure - 2002
    Offering age-appropriate advice on sleeping, eating, and early learning, as well as the basic sensory principles, Baby Sense is the perfect tool for every parent who has ever wondered why a baby is crying--and how to soothe him.

The Truth about Children and Divorce: Dealing with the Emotions So You and Your Children Can Thrive


Robert E. Emery - 2004
    Dr. Emery shows how our powerful emotions and the way we handle them shape how we divorce--and whether our children suffer or thrive in the long run. His message is hopeful, yet realistic--divorce is invariably painful, but parents can help promote their children's resilience. With compassion and authority, Dr. Emery explains: - Why it is so hard to really make divorce work- How anger and fighting can keep people from really separating- Why legal matters should be one of the last tasks- Why parental love--and limit setting--can be the best "therapy" for kids- How to talk to children, create workable parenting schedules, and more

You Can't Make Me (But I Can Be Persuaded): Strategies for Bringing Out the Best in Your Strong-Willed Child


Cynthia Ulrich Tobias - 1999
    Offering new hope, achievable goals, and a breath of fresh air to families, Tobias explains how the mind of a strong-willed child works--and how to use that information to the child's best advantage.

All Things Being Equal: Why Math Is the Key to a Better World


John Mighton - 2020
    For two decades, John Mighton has developed strategies for fostering intellectual potential in all children through learning math. Math, Mighton says, provides us with mental tools of incredible power. When we learn math we learn to see patterns, to think logically and systematically, to draw analogies, to perceive risk, to understand cause and effect--among many other critical skills. Yet we tolerate and in fact expect a vast performance gap in math among students, and live in a world where many adults aren't equipped with these crucial tools. This learning gap is unnecessary, dangerous and tragic, he cautions, and it has led us to a problem of intellectual poverty which is apparent everywhere--in fake news, political turmoil, floundering economies, even in erroneous medical diagnoses. In All Things Being Equal, Mighton argues that math study is an ideal starting point to break down social inequality and empower individuals to build a smarter, kinder, more equitable world. Bringing together the latest cognitive research and incremental learning strategies, Mighton goes deep into the classroom and beyond to offer a hopeful--and urgent--vision for a numerate society.

Yell Less, Love More: How the Orange Rhino Mom Stopped Yelling at Her Kids - and How You Can Too!:


Sheila McCraith - 2014
    With Yell Less, Love More you'll learn practical, simple solutions to keep you focused on loving more and yelling less, no matter what the circumstance. It is possible to change and enjoy a calmer life because of it! Take the Orange Rhino 30-day challenge to yell less. In this guidebook to happier parenting, author Sheila McCraith shares daily thoughts, tips, and motivational personal stories to help you toss out the screams and welcome in the peace. Whether you have one child or twenty (or one you still yell at who is twenty), strengthen your relationships and maybe even laugh a little more--by taking the challenge today.