Book review: Goodnight Toronto

This is so cute! A book that takes you around to the sights of Toronto! Love it! It doesn't rhyme but it's a simple story about the places in Toronto. Very simple. Very cute. I loved telling my little guy "look...it's riverdale farm" or "remember when we went to see the dinosaurs?" so fun!

There is also a "goodnight canada" book and I am thinking that it might just be the perfect gift for a friend who lives overseas who desperately misses Canada. :)

Book review: Supernanny How to get the best from your children

AUTHOR: JO FROST (yes, the Supernanny herself)

If you have ever seen the show "supernanny" then this book is like the companion piece to go along with it.

It is short and sweet and doesn't go into much detail but it's concise and has some great advice. This is a very basic and "short-version" type book. (Her next book "ask Supernanny" has a lot more detail).

Some of the information isn't quite in line with some of the experts but the behaviour stuff is really good and quite easy to follow. (for instance her take on sleep training and controlled crying is a little different than Ferber or the no-cry sleep solution or even the baby whisperer). some of the information on feeding doesn't quite follow what we typically do in Canada either but overall, it's good information.

Now here is the magic with this book--it's short and easy to read and colourful and pretty... and I don't know... maybe it's because she is a recognizable face---but my husband actually picked it up and read some of it!!!

This is a basic book on some key parenting issues. It's a quick read and an easy reference. I thought it was pretty good, especially used along with watching some clips from the show. A great one to pick up from the library when you are in need for a quick solution to common parenting issues.

Book Review: Boys Adrift by Leonard Sax

In my experienced mom parenting group I was referred to this book as I am the mother of two boys. My boys are still young so some of the information in the book seems far off from where I am at right now but great information to have with me for the upcoming years.

The book is broken down into chapters where the author explains reasons why boys and young men are underachieving and are not motivated.

I found most of the book to be very constructive and an excellent resource. Different warning signs to look for in your children if they are not engaged in school and what it could mean as well as different ways to keep them interested in learning were of particular interest to me. As a mother of a toddler and a baby I was a little bit less interested in the video game sections--although I know one day I will be craving information about video games!

The author writes in a very convincing (science, anecdotes and situations back up all of his claims) and engaging manner. The book is a good and quick read.

Probably the most interesting thing to parents of young boys is the manner in which boys learn and how the school system is not always set up for the way in which their minds work or develop. One thought is that if boys school later they may enjoy it more and also achieve better results. What I really took from this is that we have to ensure that we are giving our boys the opportunity to learn in ways that don't just involve sitting at a desk and reading and writing.

Overall, I would recommend to moms of boys to pick this book up at your library and read it as it does present some very interesting ideas. Although you might not agree with everything that he writes, he presents some really great thinking points.

Here is an excerpt:
http://www.boysadrift.com/excerpt.php

Book Review:Liberated Parents/Liberated Children: Your Guide to a Happier Family by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish

If you were to read one book by these authors, I would say to read "How To Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk" but that being said, this book is also good. It motivates you to be a more attentive parent, so that's good. This is the one to get from the library and read it and become enthusiastic to try out the methods. "How to talk so kids will listen and listen so kids will talk" is the book that you should have on your bookshelf.

This book was really good though, don't get me wrong. The authors speak from their experience of being in a parenting group and it truly shows the human side of parenting--failures and all.

It is a little dated in some ways but overall, the stories can be applied to today's kids just as much as they could be applied years ago.

The language that is used is a great way to parent and teaches many of the same skills in the How To Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk book but it presents these in anecdotal ways. The anecdotes that I loved the most are the ones where the narrator when into a situation with good intentions then at some point the conversation with her children/partner went terribly wrong. It really presents a very human side to parenting. It manages parenting expectations--perhaps because it was written before parents were trying so hard to be perfect.

Great book. Highly recommend that you get it from the library--it will motivate you and help you to adopt new techniques and language, which is never a bad thing.

Book Review: How to talk so kids will listen and listen so kids will talk

authors: Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish

This book was recommended to me in a recent workshop I attended. I got it from the library but soon realized that this is not a library book...it's a book that I should own, not borrow because it's one those books that you could (and should) pick up again and again. Some of the situations/examples are a little outdated (someone damaged someone else's record)but the information is amazing. It provides language to use with your children and really makes you think.

It provides language that encourages discussion and helps to build up your child's independence. It talks about the importance of not labeling your child. As I read the book I had many "aha" moments and reflected on how we are spoken to routinely and how easy it is to speak to our children in ways that don't encourage.

I loved this book and I wish all teachers, parents and ECE workers would read it!

Book Review: Connected Parenting Transform your Challenging Child and Build Loving bonds for Life

Author: Jennifer Kolari

A parenting class I took recommended this book and I feel like it has some really great techniques for all parents.

I will admit that I glossed over some parts because some of it was about older children (my little guys are both 2 and half and under) but it made me realize that it might be a good book to pick up again later. Some of the tools are things that I have been trying on my son though and they have proven to be quite effective.

The focus is on mirroring your child's behaviours and empathizing with them. It seems simple right? But of course there is a technique on how to mirror and empathize.

The author wants you to use the CALM method: Connect, Affect, Listen and Mirror.

Connecting is showing your undivided attention (which is hard in today's busy world),

Affect means showing the emotions or feelings to your child through tone, body language and facial expressions

Listen means to actually listen with both ears and not while we are doing something else. Use words to show that you are listening to them. (she gives tools on how to do this and even gives you some words to try)

Mirror: By using the above techniques, you can mirror genuinely what they are feeling, and develop a good connection.

What I like best about this book is that she uses examples throughout to demonstrate things. The only complaint is that some of it is for older kids--but eventually I could see it being useful. That being said, in the parenting class at Becoming Maternity and Parenting Centre, the instructor Ariana who recommended this book said it's good to start this early so you become more comfortable with the skill and it becomes second nature.

It's available at the Toronto Public Library and it's worth a read.

Book Review: Breaking the good mom myth

Title: Breaking The Good Mom Myth
author: Alyson Schafer

Loved, loved, loved this book. Alyson Schafer offers some great advice and provides tools that you can actually use in real life. The idea is to not pamper your children and to not have your whole life revolve around meeting their wants and over protecting. But as a mom you know that that's not always easy so in this book she provides real-life scenarios and great tools that are supposed to work in the household. A few of her charts, recommendations and phrases are so good that I wrote them down. I just hope I remember her advice when I am in a difficult situation! This might be one of those books that I will be picking up again and again...

BOOK REVIEW: THE WIVES OF BATH

AUTHOR: WENDY HOLDEN
TITLE: THE WIVES OF BATH

This book falls into one of my new fave genres: "mommy-chick-lit-while-breastfeeding" and for its category it is completely entertaining. It's a book that you can get from the library, read while nursing, put it down and pick it up at your leisure, and just simply enjoy. It's fun. And no, you don't have to think.

The book centers around Amanda (a self-absorbed new mom), her husband Hugo (a real estate agent who is referred to as an estate agent as the book is English which totally freaked me out at first as I kept thinking that it had to do with estates, like when people die but then it didn't so it was fine), Alice ( a new mom who was once a successful NYC lawyer) and her baby daddy Jake (an environmentalist).

Amanda decides that parenting is not for her after she got pregnant and had the baby because it seemed to be in style. Hugo becomes a part-time stay at home dad because of his absentee wife and deals with all the issues that a working mother deals with... Jake and Alice live a crazy "green" life until Alice starts to realize that she is in "eco-prison".

Yes--it's totally predictable (although the author does throw in some curveballs) but it's light and fun... and deals with mommy-issues... so therefore it's a great nursing novel.

Pick it up, settle in with your baby and enjoy.

Book Review: Mom Inc.

Title: Mom Inc
authors: Amy Ballon and Danielle Botterell

I can not tell you how many moms have said to me "I would love to run my own business and stay at home with my kids". Most moms don't do it though because they don't know where to start--well this book will tell you where to start and how to go about it.

It's a very comprehensive book and is filled with personal accounts from momprenneurs. In fact, the last part of the book is filled with all the people who contributed and includes their business website and a little blurb about their business.

This book walks you through how to do a business plan, discusses whether or not this is for you, and even talks about expansion and failure. They even have a business professor who provides input throughout.

It's a good book--my only criticism is that it is a little heavy on the mompreneur model of operations and sales of a product--not so much those who provide a service. They do include insight from some service-mompreneurs but overall, it is a little heavy on the operations/sales ventures.

The authors themselves use this book very smartly to advertise for their own company which is a baby blanket company. I love the little anecdotes throughout the book from other mompreneurs and that they took the time to list all of the different mompreneurs who contributed to this book.

So if you are thinking of going into business, this is a good resource. It shows you how much work you will have to do and really shows the good and the bad.

Book Review: I don't know how she does it

title:I don't know how she does it
author: Allison Pearson

This book tapped into my mom-guilt...huge. What was supposed to be a nice light book for me to read (recommended by the librarian) turned into a guilt-inducing and sad look at my life when I am not on mat leave (without the flirtations with clients and the nanny).
Yes--there are some cute parts that made me giggle and smile...but overall, it stressed me out and made me feel like I probably will be living an unbalanced and stressful life for many years to come.
The book is about Kate Reddy, a working mother of two. She is constantly traveling, working late and desperately trying to balance her career and her kids but fails miserably over and over again. She feels like she is not giving it her all in either domain and is always torn between her two lives.
It's written well, and is a good read but don't read it if you are hormonal and have a job that makes you work late. And when I say late--I mean anytime after 5:30... because really anything after that you are rushing home, hoping to make it for dinner and bathtime and knowing that quality time is out of the question for you and your kids. (Yes, I am hormonal and shouldn't have read it.)
Does she find a solution to her problem? Is there a light at the end of the tunnel for us mothers who work out of the home? Well... let's just put it this way: it's realistic, so that pretty much answers your question. As a working mother, I commiserated with Kate Reddy and felt for her--all the good and bad at work on the home and work front.
The comedic relief? some cute kid moments and some good emails between her girlfriends and her and of course those overwhelming mom-moments where you forget something or do something that only mom-brain can explain.
I am looking forward to the movie with Sarah Jessica Parker as I hope it puts a positive spin on it so that I am not stressing about going back to work while I watch the movie and can just enjoy it.

A POTTY FOR ME!

Title: A potty for me!
Author: Karen Katz

I bought a couple of potty books but this one is my son's favourite. Everytime he is on the potty he wants this book. I also think he sometimes just sits on the potty to have this book read to him!

It has more words than most of Karen Katz's books and follows the same story-line as the Potty Book.

It's cute and keeps my son interested.

The way I see it--anything to keep the potty-training-interest level high is a good thing. Just another tool to use.

NO HITTING!

Title: No Hitting!
Author: Karen Katz

This book captures a toddler's frustration perfectly.

It also doesn't tell you NOT TO DO SOMETHING it tells you where it's ok to do that action. "I'm Mad! I want to hit my baby brother. That's not ok but I can hit some pots and pans. BANG, bang, bang!".

It's a cute book that can be read quickly when you need to pull it out and remind a little someone of what is "ok" behaviour.

My toddler laughs at it though so I do wonder what he is getting out of it... but he grabs for it quite often so he must like it!

EXCUSE ME! A little book of manners

TITLE: EXCUSE ME! A little book of manners
Author: Karen Katz

Again, I am very excited that Karen Katz has made some more advanced books for my toddler--my son loves her books. If a toddler can have a favourite author, Karen Katz is his and has been his since about 6 months of age when lifting the flap for surprises surprised him and made him laugh.

Excuse me! Is a great book. My son likes saying the words before we lift the flap so it's a good interactive book.

The first page is a little bit odd "Mommy says do you want peas for breakfast?" What do you say? "No thank you!" Not sure if I love that message since does that mean that he can also say NO THANK YOU to other foods at breakfast or peas at dinner?

Otherwise, the book is great and I highly recommend it. Skip the first page or make up your own version of it when you read it out loud.

The pics are great and it's short and to the point. Perfect for teaching a quick lesson and keeping their attention.

Book Review: I can share

TITLE: I CAN SHARE
AUTHOR: KAREN KATZ

My son loves Karen Katz books--not sure if it is the freakishly large heads of the babies featured in the bookes, the bright colours or the quick pace of the books that draws him to them but he loves them.

I was pretty excited to see that Karen Katz books also have some "older themed" books for toddlers.

I CAN SHARE is now one of my son's favourite books but I am not sure how I feel about it. The "sharing message" is not very clear in this book--the message is a little bit more of "this is how we compromise" or "this is how we can play together while you don't upset me or touch what I think is mine". There is one "sharing" picture and that comes on the last page of the book where the child gives some of her crayons to her friend but that is not even described.

The pics of the kids cooperating are great and the overall message is that we can all get along and play together which is also great but the sharing part is lacking. So if you are looking for a book that teaches a kid how to share, this isn't it. If you are looking for a book on how to play together, this is cute.

Book Review: 24-Karat Kids

Title: 24-Karat Kids
Author: Dr. Judy Goldstein and Sebastian Stuart

This is great chick-lit--light and predictable for the relationship part of the book and then interesting and funny when focusing on the main character's career.

The story: Shelley Green recently became a pediatrician and lands a job at a clinic on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Her clients are rich Manhattan-Types and she gets thrown into their world. I don't want to say anymore so that I don't spoil the fun!

The book is worth a read for some of the off-the-wall behaviour from the parents she meets and some of the young patients she sees.

A great library pick and a great light summer read--perfect to pick up and read when you have a moment to yourself!

Book Review: Healthy Mum, happy baby

Title: Healthy Mum, Happy Baby
author: Annemarie Tempelman-Kluit

This is a must-read for moms-to-be and new nursing moms and here is the best part--it's available through the toronto public library online books which means you do not even have to leave the comfort of your own home to get it in your hands!!! The recipes are great for everyone who has a busy life--so moms everywhere can read it. The recipes are quick and easy and most are freezer friendly--to be pulled out when you just don't have time to cook (isn't that every day???)

The idea of this book is that you need quick and easy meals and snacks when you are nursing. (Finally--a taking care of mommy book!)
It gives great tips on what you should be eating and what you shouldn't (for instance if you have allergies in your family you should be limiting the dairy, wheat and peanut intake...) and talks about the hunger that nursing moms have (something very few people warn you about!).

Because food and recipes are an individual taste thing, I recommend that you peruse this book either through the on-line option at the Toronto Public Library or borrow it before you buy. If you love it, then you can consider it.

The information is good, it's a quick read and the recipes I tried are delicious and, most importantly FAST. It also reminds you to take care of yourself and eat well when the rest of your life may be overwhelming which is always a good thing.

ENJOY! (especially the blueberry lemon muffins--yum! and the guacamole brie sandwich! and the chicken and bean quesadillas! :) )

Also check out the blog for other ideas and meal planning (although not updated regularly). http://healthymumhappybaby.com/

Book review: Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother

TITLE: Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother
Author: Amy Chua

I picked up this book because they did an episode on it on The Agenda on TVO. It intrigued me. It seemed to play into stereotypes about Asian families and it made me curious as it's written by a Chinese-American parent.

The book chronicles the way in which Amy Chua parents her two daughters Sophia and Lulu. It is heartwrenching at times and absolutely jaw-dropping appalling at others. It's a great book and I think most mothers would appreciate reading it. You can tell that the author is humbled by her daughters but you can also watch a train-wreck happening when she is demanding. It is unbelievable how much time the author put into shaping and molding her kids--and all the additional stress she put on herself and her family.

It is full of lessons and is a good read.