Book Description
Lose the Guilt, Love Your Instincts
If the latest “breakthrough” child-development theory, parenting technique, or child-appropriate diet makes you worry or groan (or just want to lie down for a nap), it’s time to make way for Momfidence! Paula Spencer, parenting expert and mother of four, provides refreshing, down-to-earth proof that most of the business of raising confident, healthy children involves nothing more complicated that trusting your instincts, using common sense, and above all, hanging on to your humor.
Momfidence! is:
•Using “perfect” only to describe such wonders as a ripe peach, a cloudless day at the beach, or a husband who does diapers and dinner. . . It has no application whatsoever in describing motherhood.
•Recognizing that there are appropriate times and places for lying, yelling, threatening, bribing, and saying “I told you so”
•Sending yourself to time-out—preferably with chocolate and/or your spouse
•Being completely amnesiac about the day’s exasperating transgressions when you peek in your children’s bedrooms at night and watch them sleep
Based on her popular Woman’s Day and Parenting columns, Momfidence! explains how obsessing less and winging it more can keep you sane—and your kids healthy and happy. It’s a hilarious look at “perfect motherhood” that cuts parents a long-overdue break by reminding us that we’re not the amateurs here—we’re all experts, too.
Customer Reviews:
Momfidence, a fun reality check!.......2007-09-03
I bought this book for all four of my sisters-in-law, I loved it so much. There are so many sources of guilt for today's mom: am I doing what's best for my children, am I involved enough, am I keeping up with other moms and what they are doing? Paula Spencer's answer is, don't worry about what other people think you should be doing. Do what works for your kids, and what works for you. Life was much simpler when we were growing up. Why does child rearing have to be so complicated now? Let the kids play. Let their imaginations lead how they spend their time. Spend less time carting kids around, to and from various activities, and just be a family. At home. With free time.
I just about cried with relief!.......2007-05-05
Did Paula live inside my head as she wrote this? THE BEST CHILD-RELATED BOOK I HAVE READ...and I've read a lot. I have ten-month old son and a whole lot of anxiety about being a good mom to him. This book healed my anxious soul. I don't know how else to put it. A MUST-READ.
Parenting books from A- Z.......2007-05-02
Okay... so here's how I see it. As a mother of five, I have prided myself on my seeminly endless efforts to become the "greatest mom ever"
If you were to look at my parenting section in my books shelf it would look something like this:
WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU'RE EXPECTING, WHAT TO EAT WHEN YOU'RE EXPECTING, WHAT TO EXPECT THE TODDLER YEARS,BABYWISE 1 AND 2, SO YOU WANT TO RAISE A BOY, LOVE AND LOGIC MAGIC FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD,THE STRONG WILLED CHILD, THE EXPLOSIVE CHILD, SIBLINGS WITHOUT RIVALRY, LOVE AND LOGIC-WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR CHILD LEAVES YOU SPEECHLESS, HOW TO BEHAVE SO YOU'RE CHILDREN WILL TOO, SUPERNANNY... AND FINALLY MOMFIDENCE. (plus about ten others stuffed in between.)
Do you see the pattern here? It wasn't until Momfidence that it finally all made sense. We make being a parent way too hard! The author's tell it like it is style of writing is so refreshing and funny. It's an easy read that any woman can relate too. Although I think it is funnier for a woman who has born and reared children.
Absolutely without a doubt- we mom's do not give ourselves enough credit- Thank you Paula for taking the guilt away and making parenting fun.
I can finally end my search for the perfect parenting book... cuz there ain't one out there. I'm just gonna relax, chill and enjoy the ride with my Momfidence in one hand and my five beautiful children in the other.
Fantastic Book!.......2007-03-17
This book was a breath of fresh air! It is a laugh-out-loud, fun book to read -- I found myself recounting many parts of the book to friends and family. We Moms can be so hard on ourselves sometimes, and this book was a great reminder that if we just relax and enjoy our kids they will turn out just fine! It's also a great confidence booster to realize that you're not alone -- the craziness involved with raising kids is something EVERY parent goes through.
Best Mom Book on the Market.......2007-03-16
I loved this book! I think I read it in just a few days. It is a quick, easy, entertaining and oh-so-true book for Moms. I could relate to just about every chapter. I love how Paula makes the guilt ...just go away! I only wish I had gotten this before the birth of my first son (I now have 2 boys!)so that I could have had someone on my shoulder like Paula telling me I didn't need to be Super Mom - it's true - an Oreo won't kill you! Gain your Momfidence - get this book and pass it on to any Mom or Mom-To-Be that you know!
Average customer rating:
- Great "new mom" book - honesty, humor
- Your Outspoken Friend
- I laughed until I cried
- A breath of fresh air
- THank You, Thank You, THank YOu
|
Sippy Cups Are Not for Chardonnay: And Other Things I Had to Learn as a New Mom
Stefanie Wilder-Taylor
Manufacturer: Simon Spotlight Entertainment
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Comic
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Love, Sex & Marriage
| Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Satire, General
| Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Self-Esteem
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Motherhood
| Family Relationships
| Parenting & Families
| Subjects
| Books
Infants
| Babies & Toddlers
| Parenting
| Parenting & Families
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Parenting & Families
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Daddy Needs a Drink: An Irreverent Look at Parenting from a Dad Who Truly Loves His Kids--Even When They're Driving Him Nuts
-
I Was a Really Good Mom Before I Had Kids: Reinventing Modern Motherhood
-
Life Laughs: The Naked Truth about Motherhood, Marriage, and Moving On
-
Babyproofing Your Marriage: How to Laugh More, Argue Less, and Communicate Better as Your Family Grows
-
The Three-Martini Playdate: A Practical Guide to Happy Parenting
ASIN: 1416915060 |
Book Description
The moment the second line on the pee stick turns pink, women discover they've entered a world of parenting experts.
Friends, family, colleagues, the UPS delivery guy -- suddenly everybody is a trove of advice, much of it contradictory and confusing. With dire warnings of what will happen if baby is fed on demand and even direr warnings of what will happen if he isn't, not to mention hordes of militant "lactivists," cosleeping advocates, and books on what to worry about next, modern parenthood can seem like a minefield.
In busy Mom-friendly short essays, Sippy Cups Are Not for Chardonnay delivers the empathetic straight dirt on parenting, tackling everything from Mommy & Me classes ("Your baby doesn't need to be making friends at three months old -- you do! But not with people you'll meet at Mommy & Me") to attachment parenting ("If you're holding your baby 24/7, that's not a baby, that's a tumor"). Stefanie Wilder-Taylor combines practical tips with sidesplitting humor and refreshing honesty, assuring women that they can be good mothers and responsibly make their own choices. A witty and welcome antidote to trendy parenting texts and scarifying case studies, Sippy Cups Are Not for Chardonnay provides genuine support, encouragement, and indispensable common-sense advice.
Customer Reviews:
Great "new mom" book - honesty, humor.......2007-10-05
Any "New Mom" book that is written with humor and honesty is OK is my book! Ms Wilder's book is refreshing, honest, and funny on many topics "new mom" related. She discusses many issues a "new mom" will encounter. She starts with the issue of "instant bonding" - what a relief to know that I was not only one to take a few weeks to fall in love. From there she discusses other biggie "new mom" topics - the realities of breastfeeding, bottle feeding, baby-blues, feeding solid foods, babysitters, venturing out with your newborn, other new mothers, handling friends without children, sex after baby, A-type mommies, and different parenting styles, and much more. This is a book you can read at one sitting or one topic at a time. The author's honest, witty style is engaging and entertaining, and I suspect will give many "New Moms" a peaceful night's sleep.
Your Outspoken Friend .......2007-08-09
Her writing is so real & raw you feel as if you're sitting right next to her making fun of the "normal" mommies across the room. Although she is a little brazen on some of the sentimental moments some moms experience with having a baby, she does have a knack for making you laugh & enjoy the whole experience.
I laughed until I cried.......2007-07-30
At 7 months pregnant, (I'm now working on boy #2), everything that Stefanie writes about is very familiar. I've had to put the book down because I was laughing so hard that I was concerned I might have to change pants. My husband has laughed just as hard.
This book isn't for everyone. If you're a hopeless romantic, this might not be the book you want. But, if you're a strong, modern woman with a sense of humor...don't pass this one up. (If you like Vicki Iovine's "Girlfriend's Guides" you'll love this one.)
I'll be passing it on to my favorite girlfriends.
A breath of fresh air.......2007-07-09
Yes it is possible to be a new parent and retain a sense of humor! This book is very funny and if, like me, you have spent months pre-and post-baby combing through dozens of parenting books, it really does feel like a breath of fresh air. Stephanie's approach is real and honest and her bottom line is, you do whatever works for you. You can't fit your baby into a prescribed role according to some parenting technique. Some things work some of the time, nothing works all of the time, you just do the best you can to make it through the day!
THank You, Thank You, THank YOu.......2007-06-13
I needed this book!!! Buy it, it is the best decision on a book, My husband would look at me like I was crazy everytime I laughed outloud at the book. I would try to explain it, but he just couldn't understand!
Book Description
Raise Him Right
Women are complicated. Men spend years in marriage trying to figure out how to love and understand their wives, only to wind up frustrated and ready to give up. Who better to help a man begin to understand a woman than his mother? While you hope and pray for your son’s future marriage, the time for your powerful influence is now! Don’t wait for the world to change its morality; let Preparing Him for the Other Woman show you how to shape your son’s character and teach him how to interpret the heart of a woman. Find ways to make your home a place of refuge, growth, and peace as you guide him toward becoming the kind of man who looks to God for guidance in loving his wife well.
What Kind of Husband
Will Your Son Grow Up to Be?
His is a generation of boys who have better relationships with their Game Boxes, i-Pods, televisions, and computers than they do with their families. His understanding of marriage is that it has little hope for success, witnessing a fifty percent divorce rate both inside and outside of the church. His world is one where pornography is no longer a hidden shame, but encouraged as entertainment.
Can you raise your son to one day love, lead, and protect
a wife and family in a world like this?
The answer is yes. The heartbeat of this book is to give you the tools to help your son become a tender warrior who will one day fight for his family, a godly husband who will faithfully love his wife, and a leader who will be a man of his word.
The time is now to take your love, tears, prayers, and influence and pour them into his future. Even if our world does not change its moral fiber, you can influence your son and bring hope to the next generation. It’s an opportunity of a lifetimeâyours.
âNot only is this an amazing concept, but it meets an urgent need for every mother of boys.â
Lisa Bevere
Speaker and author of Fight Like a Girl and Kissed the Girls and Made Them Cry
âI have three sons, two stepsons, two son-in-laws, and nine grandsons! Any help I can glean to give me more wisdom is welcome. I would have welcomed more help like this when I was a young mother raising my young men for âthe other woman.’â
LeeAnn Rawlins
Coauthor, To Love Again
Story Behind the Book
When the manager of a large Christian bookstore told Sheri Rose Shepherd that readers of the popular His Princess TM series were futilely looking for material about raising their sons to be godly future husbands, she knew she could help. âThink about how much farther all men would be in their marriages if their moms had trained them how to one day love and understand their wives,â says Sheri Rose . âWe can take all the mistakes we’ve made in our lives and use them to teach our sons the right way to live. And we can use our most powerful weapon of allâour prayersâto fight for them.â
Customer Reviews:
A Mother's Guide.......2007-09-09
I teach parenting classes for a Pregnancy center located in the lowerclass section of a large city. Many of our mom's are single and trying to raise their family without a lot of support from the fathers.They also din't have good role models in their own families while growing up.
I used this book as the topic for our Mother's Day luncheon. It gave them encouragement that they COULD make a difference! I also included the book, The Power of a Praying Parent..because they need God's help and guidance in raising their children.
Our mom's LOVED the class!
Letting him "go" is easier than you think...she'll show you how.......2007-06-12
This is, by far, my very favorite book on this subject matter that I have ever read. It has compelled me to write a review on it; I sent the link to my sister and friends and they all RAVED about it. More than anything, it has helped me to begin treating my "tiny husband" (as I used to think of him as) as a young man with a godly purpose to his life and doing it step-by-step this early on (he's 6)...which will help me to "let go" when God brings his wife to him someday. It will also allow him to "leave and cleave" to his wife in a healthy manner.
It has also helped me to begin truly loving his future wife and anticipating her arrival one day; I now pray more fervently for her.
My husband related to it so well, too. When I read to him that her husband's mother had been praying for her since she was a little girl, he actually choked up, as his mother died when he was a little boy. He's known that my mother always prayed for him - and I read that passage to him on his mother's birthday to let him know that he was never alone. We both now are treating our son in a manner to which he feels inspired to be a godly man, husband and father.
Simple, practical, loving, and Christ-following. This is my guide to loving my son and helping him to be the man that God calls him to be. Thank you, Shari Rose!
timely delivery.......2007-05-29
I received my book order within a week and in very good order.
Thank you Amamzon
Sons are Awesome!!!.......2007-05-09
I am the mother of 4 sons. I wish I had read this book years ago when I was a young mother.
I am also a teacher of young kids and through the years I have seen a decline in respect among children.
This book had some really awesome ideas for how to totally bond with a son, beginning at a very young age.
It teaches how to show young boys how to respect women!!!!!!!
I am lucky that I had my 4th son later in life, so I did do things right with him. And what the book says is true...if you show boys how to behave, they will. My son is now almost 16 and to this day loves to spend time with me, even in front of his peers. He craves personal time and touch with his momma. I know he is going to grow into an awesome husband who will respect and love women.
So if you are a mother of boys, definately get this book. It would also make a wonderful baby gift to a new mom!!
Laurie :-)
Boost I needed.......2007-01-29
I loved this book! This type of book was one that I had been looking for for a long time. I have a 14 year old son and also work for an organization that works with single moms. I am also ordering this book for my staff who have sons. I was feeling helpless since reading other books that put so much stress on dads being a part of their son's lives and leaving out what moms can do. I agree with dads being the important element in their son's lives 100 percent, but what about the son who doesn't have a father figure or whose father is not active in the son's life? This book gives helpful and easy information for any mom to understand and apply. I highlighted many things in my book so I have a quick reference when I slip up and stop encouraging my son like I want to be. It might be common sense to some moms but to some of the moms I know, this book will be great! It's an easy read, even for someone who doesn't care to read much.
Book Description
Raising thriving, emotionally healthy sons does not require a man around the house! That's the conclusion of a groundbreaking research study that will open eyes, stir debate, and reassure nearly 10 million single mothers. As the number of single-mom and two-mom households has grown, so have concerns about the possible damage to boys caused by the lack of a male role model in the house. Peggy F. Drexler, Ph.D., listened to all the dire warnings; but her training as a research psychologist told her she had to see the evidence. So she embarked on a long-term study comparing boys raised in female-headed families with those whose fathers were present throughout their childhood. What Dr. Drexler discovered is as heartening as it is startling:
Customer Reviews:
Utter claptrap.......2007-10-01
This schlock was recommended by an acquaintance and I'm stunned. It's simplistic and often silly without really saying much of anything. It is a book of assumptions and common sense and the only people who would need to read it are those so out of the mainstream, such as a rich professor of psychology, and not those that are actually raising children without a partner. There are few if any citations to speak of, and essentially I found this book to be a complete waste of time.
Reader beware, you have been warned.
Hogwash.......2007-09-16
Absolute hogwash and drivel. The author projects her own unresolved issues with her father on to every case study and creates fantastic conclusions based on shoddy and inaccurate science
could we have a balanced review?.......2007-02-16
I'm more stunned by the reviews than by the book. I think the book has interesting information and a valid perspective that isn't heard often.
But to understand that, one needs to actually read the book and also to understand sociological methods of study - studying human experience is not like studying cause and effect in a lab. One also needs to hear and grasp the difference between studies on boys with fathers who have abandoned them - the studies most often cited and associated with stats about the negative effects of not having a father - and this study which is on boys who do not have a father in the picture and never have. In this way, this is new research.
The book doesn't, to me, say that men are not necessary to boys - in fact the author spends a great deal of the book talking about how boys who do not have fathers get access to (and are encouraged by their "maverick moms" to get access to) men and male role models. She finds this to be of benefit for the boys.
She does also say that, based on this research, she sees boys being raised in this specific circumstance (boys without fathers who have abandoned them and who are being raised by a mom or moms) doing very well and developing in a very balanced and healthy manner.
My issue with the book is two-fold. I'd like to see more research and a follow-up with the subjects of her research - I think that would lend itself to a stronger work.
I also just found the writing to be generally unorganized and a bit repetitive. This was very distracting to me as I read.
So interesting information - would like more research and more data - writing itself only so-so.
Shoddy research.......2007-01-15
Drexler seems to forget that anecdotal evidence cannot be used to justify the type of claims she's making in this book, which is riddled with biased sample and hasty generalization fallacies. Drexler makes sweeping statements about the efficacy of single mother parenting without even attempting to clearly define her definition, let alone establish a double blind study or make any other attempt whatsoever to compensate for her bias. Instead, she relies on anecdotal evidence supplied by individuals who were clearly selected based on whether or not their stories support her conclusions.
An Excellent and Much-Needed Book.......2006-11-17
It is inarguable that basic types of families in this country have changed drastically in the last few decades. Whether your politics are from the left or the right, whether you accept these new varieties of family with liberal openness, or reject them with conservative parsimony, you cannot dispute that they exist. As Peggy Drexler informs us in her book Raising Boys Without Men, "The U.S. Census Bureau recently reported that only 23.5 percent of households in the United States now contain...the Father Knows Best kind [of families], with a married mom and dad and their children."
For those of you who are math challenged, that means less than a quarter of all homes have what we used to think of as a normal (i.e. the classic nuclear) family. Drexler also mentions that half of all marriages will end in divorce, and forty percent of babies are born out of wedlock (an interesting word which has nothing to do with padlocks, but rather comes from the Old English wedd for pledge and lâc, a suffix expressing activity). "The number of families headed by single mothers increased 25 percent between 1990 and 2000, to more than 7.5 million households."
Plainly speaking, families are way more diverse than they used to be. Because advances in medicine and technology (artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization) have allowed for the role reduction of previously-thought-to-be-essential partners in reproduction (i.e. men), and because increasing numbers of women are either having children in lesbian couples; remaining as divorced and single parents; having children without getting married in the first place; adopting; or otherwise finding ways to have and raise children without men, an increasing number of families simply contain no male parent. Dr. Drexler refers to all of these kinds of mothers-without-men by the term "maverick moms."
The book is explicitly intended to challenge the "tide of opinion and the research arguing that boys need fathers in order to grow to manliness." It is a laudable goal, and mostly Dr. Drexler succeeds. Apparently there are lots of folks out there who believe that without men around, the sons of maverick moms will become warped, perverted, sissified, or (any contradiction here?) "violent, drug-using hellions...boys who present no positive maleness, all due to the combination of Mom's presence and Dad's absence." The idea that "two women could raise a boy to a man without warping his manhood...challenges the preconceptions of social scientists, health care professionals, judges, politicians, pundits, and parents."
One of my quibbles with the book is that too often, instead of citing actual and specific sources, Dr. Drexler cites vague things like "the tide of opinion," or "recent studies," or unnamed "researchers," which to my mind is too much like saying "people say that..." (or, only marginally better: "scientists say that"). I believe she does her thesis and her political position a disservice by being so fuzzy and nebulous with both supporting and opposing statements and data. It would have done this book great benefit had Dr. Drexler actually shown us some of these folks she is arguing with in absentia and told us what they actually said. Otherwise, they seem like straw men.
The mother is supposed to be responsible for everything her son is and will become. It's as if she holds all the cards. If she's a good mother, her son will turn out okay. If she's a bad mother, she winds up with a bad son. And, curiously enough, the father plays a minor role in taking the blame for the problems the children may have. It's a double bind for moms because fathers seem to carry much less responsibility for the problems their sons may have, but in the popular culture of today, they are considered absolutely essential to raising good sons.
Dr. Drexler is quite up front about her intentions and political viewpoint. She believes there is no reason boys cannot grow up to be terrific, balanced, successful (by any standard you might imagine) men, even in households that lack a paternal male presence. She points out that what is of basic and paramount importance is good parenting, and not the gender of the parent(s). She asserts that "The number of times you eat dinner with your kids is a better guide to how well they'll turn out than the number or gender of the parents at the dinner table." And further that parental socioeconomic status will be a stronger predictor of how well kids will do than "almost any other index of child welfare." Which leaves me wondering about that "almost." What is a stronger predictor?
In addition to doing extensive research of the literature on maverick mom childrearing--her doctoral dissertation was on whether and how sons of lesbian mothers developed moral character "without the presence of a moralizing father figure"--Dr. Drexler also did what anthropologists call "participant observation" and what Anna Freud called "direct observation" of children and their maverick moms. She spent several years observing, interviewing, spending time with a great many of these mothers and their sons. Her interactions and conversations with the boys are sprinkled throughout the book, and sometimes seem cute, funny, illustrative and true, but sometimes seem a bit forced and too much like filler, as though she needed to water down the more academic-y material in order to make this a more popularly palatable work.
One of her findings that should come as no surprise to anyone but the most sightless and bigoted of reactionary fundamentalists, is that children of maverick moms are overwhelmingly planned for in comparison with the general population of children with both a mother and a father. Their children "are thought about and brought into the world with care and preparation." Parents who make these kinds of conscious and deliberate decisions tend to be older than couples who merely become pregnant without forethought and planning. This in turn means that "lesbian mothers tended to be better educated and more financially secure than average moms." (Recall the paragraph above regarding the socioeconomic status of parents.)
What might come as a surprise to many is that not only do boys in such (no-longer-so) unorthodox families tend to do well, they actually seem to do significantly better than the average boys from so-called "normal" families! Let me state that again for those of you who missed it. Boys raised by maverick moms tend to do better, on average, than boys from so-called "normal" families. Really.
One of the contributing factors to the relative success of these boys is another counterintuitive fact: boys in fatherless families, tend to have a greater number of male role models than boys who actually have a male parent in the house. This is because both the boys themselves and their maverick mothers tend to look for other kinds of males to sit in for the missing fathers. The boys and/or their mothers tend to grab onto coaches, male teachers, neighbors, fathers of their friends, and so on. But the effect of this is that the boys seem to actually spend more time, and more quality time with the men they select as father figures than so-called-normal boys do with their actual fathers. "It has been reported that the typical American father spends, on average, only 11 minutes each day with his children." (See what I mean? Reported where?)
One of the things Dr. Drexler finds is that there is pretty much the same dynamic between children and their mom-mom dyads as between children and their mother-father dyad. The illustrative stories sprinkled throughout the book sound like regular kids and regular parents. I believe this may be her point. She is asserting that the gender of various members of a household is not nearly as significant to a child's successful upbringing, socialization and well-being, as the care, love, and attention the child gets, irregardless of the shape of the genitals possessed by the parent. And (not to take away from the book here) that seems pretty obvious.
Why then is it necessary for a book such as this? Mostly, it would seem, because there are so many people who believe otherwise. If you imagine that fathers are an essential sine qua non in order for boys to become normal, healthy, flourishing, adults, then this book will open your eyes. Apparently that is truly not so. Good parenting can come in all sorts of sizes and shapes. As Dr. Drexler says, "Gender is simply not a tidy way of organizing what we know about human beings." Nor what we are.
Average customer rating:
- Terrific "Real Life" Advice for Single Moms
- Words of wisdom in a cute cover!
- Excellent, engaging, FUNNY book for single moms - and dads
- well done, but mostly for mom's and a bit lightweight
- Very helpful
|
Mom, There's A Man In The Kitchen And He's Wearing Your Robe: The Single Mother's Guide to Dating Well without Parenting Poorly
Ellie Slott Fisher
Manufacturer: Da Capo Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Love & Romance
| Relationships
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Dating
| Relationships
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Child Development
| Babies & Toddlers
| Parenting
| Parenting & Families
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Parenting
| Parenting & Families
| Subjects
| Books
Single Parents
| Parenting
| Parenting & Families
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Parenting & Families
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Sex And the Single Mom: The Essential Guide to Dating, Mating And Relating
-
Sex and the Single Parent
-
Single Mom Seeking: Playdates, Blind Dates, and Other Dispatches from the Dating World
-
Positive Discipline for Single Parents : Nurturing, Cooperation, Respect and Joy in Your Single-Parent Family
-
The Single Mother's Survival Guide
Accessories:
-
Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers
-
Braun IRT 4020 ThermoScan Ear Thermometer
ASIN: 0738209805
Release Date: 2005-01-18 |
Book Description
A single mother's friendly, no-nonsense guide to balancing dating and parenting.
Embarking on the dating scene can be a fun though sometimes daunting prospect for any single woman. But for the more than 10 million single women in the U.S. with children at home, dating is a much more complicated matter. Whether uncoupled through divorce or death, single moms face a wide range of questions:
When will I be ready to date and how do I start? When-and what-should I tell the kids? What happens if I love the guy and the kids hate him?
In Mom, There's a Man in the Kitchen and He's Wearing Your Robe, Ellie Slott Fisher, a once-widowed, once-divorced single mother of two, speaks with refreshing candor about balancing dating and parenting. Drawing upon her own experience, the stories of many other women, and the advice of family psychologists, Fisher offers encouragement, strategies, and a healthy dose of humor for the single-but-looking mom-from how to meet men in the first place to when to introduce your date to the kids, from when and where to work sex into the equation to how to talk to your dating teenagers without looking like a hypocrite. Practical, funny, and hopeful, this is the one guide single moms need before jumping into the murky waters of the dating pool.
Customer Reviews:
Terrific "Real Life" Advice for Single Moms.......2006-05-11
Single moms are single, not dead. With humor, wisdom, and the insight only those who have "been there" can offer, this book helps single moms "get a life" without sacrificing the emotional needs of their chidren.
Single moms will also want to check out the completely revised third edition of The Complete Single Mother.
Words of wisdom in a cute cover!.......2006-03-20
This book, though a fun quick read, contains gems of wisdom on topics ranging from what to expect from your kids, depending on their ages, and when and whether to introduce your new flame to them, to how to handle your boyfriend sleeping over. Whether you're just recently single again, or have been out of the dating scene for years, this book offers sound advice peppered with humor. It was very helpful and reassuring to me to be reminded that there are millions of single moms out there, and we all go through similar challenges in trying to find someone worth spending time with and exposing your children to! I've already lent this book to a friend!
Excellent, engaging, FUNNY book for single moms - and dads.......2006-01-21
There are few books out there to guide us single dads in the dating scene - while we do what's best for our children too. And men generally do not like to discuss these things with each over beers or poker. Here we have a delightful book we can read in the privacy of our own homes, and even share with male friends who are going through the same experience (and we don't even have to discuss, just hand the book over!). A book that's insightful, honest and well researched - and funny too!
well done, but mostly for mom's and a bit lightweight.......2005-12-20
I read this book from the perspective of a single father who is dating because some
of the reviews suggested men would find it useful. And it was useful. It did gracefully discuss issues such as what to tell the kids, things to avoid, etc.
But it was clearly written for mothers; and, indeed, single mothers who have their
kids almost all the time. I also noted a lack of studies supporting the advice and,
indeed, most child-development advice seems to come from one expert (!?).
Very helpful.......2005-08-23
I found this book to be very helpful. I like that it was written by someone who has been there (twice), rather than a doctor/professional who has theories but no personal experience. I bought this book because I couldn't find any detailed information online regarding single-mom dating past the point of meeting someone and the initial introduction to the kids. This book goes into topics like public displays of affection, sleep-overs, moving in together, getting remarried, etc. I also like that it discusses all different age groups. Now that I've read it, my boyfriend is reading it too. It is written from the woman's perspective, but a man would certainly benefit from the information. As long as he can ignore or get past some occasional ex-husband bashing within the stories.
Book Description
The most perceptive and reassuring mothering book ever published.
Customer Reviews:
Mostly wonderful.......2007-02-28
Overall I totally LOVED this book. It spoke to me as a new mom on so many levels. I kept saying "YES, YES, that's exactly how I feel!" throughout the book. It can really help parents give voice to their experience, the joys and the challenges. I love how Naomi Stadlen values the tasks and behaviors that parents do on a regular basis but that do not receive much recognition in society. I particularly enjoyed the chapters on comfort and love, as well as the discussion around the initial shock of having a newborn.
My gripe is that although she presents her book as descriptive, not proscriptive, she actually does present certain parenting styles as superior to others. While I happen to agree with her on most of those issues (around the importance of comforting babies, for instance), she should have come out and said that she advocates certain ways of parenting rather than attempting to hide her own opinions and pretending that she is simply "describing" certain styles. It is pretty clear, for instance, that she believes that moms should care for their babies personally rather than work outside the home - and that is one opinion that I don't agree with in all cases.
Also, she focuses on moms rather than on other caregivers. While she does include a disclaimer at the beginning noting that fathers, grandparents, etc are also involved in parenting, the general sense is that moms are the main ones involved in caring for babies. While that may be true in many households, it doesn't need to be further promoted as the ideal way by focusing on it almost exclusively. The book would be much richer with more voices of these other caregivers.
With that said, in general I totally loved this book and will be getting it as a gift for friends...but probably not for those friends who plan on being moms who work outside the home!
Awesome, validating resource for new mothers.......2007-02-18
What a wonderful addition to the resources you can find as a new mother. Instead of being a "how to" book, though, ("how to breastfeed", "how to get your baby to sleep", "how to (you fill in the blank)"; it is a validation of your instinct as a new mother. This author strives to offer language to detail what it IS we do, especially when, as the title offers, we have no "visible" work to show (it looks like nothing). I will be buying this for every new mom I know, as it is invaluable.
Wisdom and Reassurance for New Mothers.......2004-10-06
Twenty five years ago, as I tried to adapt to the reality of being a new mother, I asked more experienced mothers, "why are there no parenting books that speak to the subjective experience of the mother?" My own experience was one of feeling sandwiched between the seemingly insatiable demands of my first-born, on the one hand, and, on the other, the often rigidly prescriptive advice of published experts on "what's best for baby."
How different it all would have been had I been able to consult Naomi Stadlen's careful observations and wise reflections during those confusing, stressful days of early motherhood! I imagine that her emphasis on the infinite varieties of "good enough" mothering would have felt both absolving and empowering -- absolving in the sense that her book lends legitimacy to all manner of unsentimental responses to new motherhood (undercurrents of resentment and guilt, dislocations of identity, frustration, powerlessness, perplexity, humiliating inefficiency and obliterative fatigue) alongside the hours of joy and delight -- and empowering in the sense that even inconsequential-seeming new behaviors,
learned for the sake of one's child, are revealed to be of immense significance.
One example of this is the capacity to be interruptible, "on call," able to drop everything to tend to the baby's needs, and then somehow minutes or hours or days later, pick up all the threads one has dropped. This capacity, the author reminds us, is absolutely central to the health of the child's unfolding identity - and, in turn, to the well-being of the whole human family.
Naomi Stadlen not only gives voice to maternal subjectivity, she speaks on behalf of infants everywhere in emphasizing that "in general" instructions are of only tangential value compared to what one's own unique child asks for and needs and deserves.
In carefully recording the actual comments of new mothers about everyday challenges, Ms. Stadlen aims to convey what is, rather than what should be done or felt. She emphasizes that "each relationship is an original creation... no one has the recipe for perfection...[the] single blueprint for being a good mother."
What Mothers Do is psychogically astute and nuanced, but blessedly free of psycho-babble and professional jargon. Stadlen writes with clarity, grace and precision. At the same time, because of her extensive training and experience, the material is anchored in sound clinical theory and research. Those motivated to do so may use the excellent bibliography to go further with such topics as "the power of comfort," attachment theory, and the origins of "motherly love".
Deep thanks to Naomi Stadlen for her gift to all of us, mothers and babies both.
Book Description
~
More and more, fathers are deciding to stay at home and care for their children rather than work full-time outside of the home. More and more, Canadian families are lead by single fathers. Shining a spotlight on the lives of stay at home dads and single fathers, Do Men Mother? provides groundbreaking evidence of dramatic changes in mothering and fathering in Canada.
Using evidence gathered in a four-year in-depth qualitative study, including interviews with over 100 fathers - from truck drivers to insurance salesmen, physicians to artists - Andrea Doucet illustrates how men are breaking the mold of traditional parenting models. Doucet's research examines key questions such as: What leads fathers to trade earning for caring? How do fathers navigate through the 'maternal worlds' of mothers and infants? Are men mothering or are they redefining fatherhood?
Do Men Mother? illuminates fathers' candid reflections on caring and the intricate social worlds that men and women inhabit as they `love and let go' of their children. In asking and unravelling the question `do men mother,' this study tells a compelling story about Canadian parents radically re-visioning child care and domestic responsibilities at the beginning of the twenty-first century.
~
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful, intelligent book........1999-12-03
The Myth of the Perfect Mother is a wonderfully intelligent and readable book about mothering. Dr, Swigart cuts through all the academic cant on the subject by other psychologists and "experts." This book is clearly written by a mother for mothers and in a compassionate voice confronts all the ambivalence involved in parenting.
A deep psychological perspective of mothering.......1999-01-31
This book was purchased with the intent of a light bedtime read. It was apparent within a few pages, however, that a great deal of introspection would be required to absorb its content. It presents mothering as the sometimes agonizing and relentless challenge that it truly is and gives permission to those of us who are certainly imperfect, to feel the intense emotions that often remain internalized. It was a difficult book to put down yet, at the same time, difficult to handle. Numerous references are made to Sylvia Plath and Ann Sexton and their writings, especially in regard to their relationships with their children. Literary works are frequently quoted as they relate to society's difficulty with accepting the role of mothering as any less than an idealistic Madonna model. I would highly recommend this book to anyone searching for meaning in the ambivalent feelings we often have as mothers. It is eye-opening, however, and requires a modicum of tolerance for the thoughts expressed.
A deep psychological perspective of mothering.......1999-01-31
This book was purchased with the intent of a light bedtime read. It was apparent within a few pages, however, that a great deal of introspection would be required to absorb its content. It presents mothering as the sometimes agonizing and relentless challenge that it truly is and gives permission to those of us who are certainly imperfect, to feel the intense emotions that often remain internalized. It was a difficult book to put down yet, at the same time, difficult to handle. Numerous references are made to Sylvia Plath and Ann Sexton and their writings, especially in regard to their relationships with their children. Literary works are frequently quoted as they relate to society's difficulty with accepting the role of mothering as any less than an idealistic Madonna model. I would highly recommend this book to anyone searching for meaning in the ambivalent feelings we often have as mothers. It is eye-opening, however, and requires a modicum of tolerance for the thoughts expressed.
Average customer rating:
- The dance of birth
- Excellent
- great, honest book
- insightful, spiritual (non-denominational) and helpful
- This is an amazing book!
|
The Blue Jay's Dance: A Birth Year
Louise Erdrich
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Women
| Specific Groups
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Pregnancy & Childbirth
| Women's Health
| Personal Health
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
| Baby Names
| Fertility
| Fetal Drug & Alcohol Syndrome
| General
| Sears, Dr. William
Relationships
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
| Codependency
| Conflict Management
| Dating
| Divorce
| Friendship
| General
| Interpersonal Relations
| Love & Loss
| Love & Romance
| Marriage
| Mate Seeking
| Nonmonogamy
General
| Classics
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Erdrich, Louise
| Native American
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Essays
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Classics
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Erdrich, Louise
| ( E )
| Authors, A-Z
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Game of Silence
-
Tales of Burning Love: A Novel
-
Birchbark House, The
-
The Antelope Wife: A Novel
-
The Beet Queen: A Novel (P.S.)
ASIN: 0060927011 |
Amazon.com
Mothers often cling to single moments, small gestures, and specific memories in order to grasp all that happens in the first blurry year of a baby's life. In The Blue Jay's Dance, writer Louise Erdrich has assembled a photo album of snapshots such as these: the days and images that collectively define the passion, ambivalence, yearnings, and satisfactions of carrying, birthing, and nurturing a baby. "Any sublime effort has its dark moments," says Erdrich, referring to a rather bleak snapshot of mother isolation. "Perhaps, if anything, the meaning in this book for others may be this: Here is a job in which it is not unusual to be, at the same instant, wildly joyous and profoundly stressed." The Blue Jay's Dance is a fresh and masterful book that avoids all the sticky clichés while still managing to articulate the depths of mother-baby love.
Book Description
In The Blue Jay's Dance, Louise Erdrich's first major work of nonfiction, she brilliantly and poignantly examines the joys and frustrations, the compromises and the insights, the difficult struggles and profound emotional satisfactions she experienced in the course of one twelve month period--from a winter pregnancy through a spring and summer of new motherhood to fall a return to writing. In exquisitely lyrical prose, Erdrich illuminates afresh the large and small events that mothers--parents--everywhere will recognize and appreciate.
Customer Reviews:
The dance of birth.......2007-01-16
I have loved each if Louise Erdrich's books that I have read. Her warmth and heart come through perfectly in this journal of birth. She has been blessed by the same goddess who has nurtured every woman during her birthing times from time immemorial. Highly recommended to all women who love life. And all men who love them.
Excellent.......2005-02-10
A beauftifully written book about birth, motherhood, and nature. I read this book when I was 9 months pregnant, in preperation of my own upcomng birth year and I was not diasappointed. It is lyrical, profound, and prolific. You will especially enjoy this book if you are at all in awe of nature. The way she weaves it into the life cycle and observes and commments on the surroundings of her rural New Hampshire home painted a beautiful backdrop for her experiences of birthing and rearing an infant through the four seasons. I highly recommend this book to anyone, regardless of family circumstances. It can be enjoyed by all as simply an incredibly well written, woman focused book.
great, honest book.......2002-04-08
Fine book, can be read again and again. Would be a great book to give an expecting mother or new mother.
insightful, spiritual (non-denominational) and helpful.......2000-08-20
It seems that a week doesn't go by when I see a woman on the subway or in a coffee shop reading a book from the What to Expect When You're Expecting series. Those detailed tombs of writing seem to be sent to people planning or in the process of rearing children as if by storks. (I've even heard of some workplaces keeping the book What to Expect... in the human resources supply closet, to be given as a gift when a woman announces she's pregnant.) However, upon reading some chapters from those books and informal discussions with mothers, a theme that reoccurs is that some women will explicitly instruct others not to read those books. Why? Not because they don't contain a plethora of knowledge but precisely because they do. That is, these can wind up really scaring a parent-to-be because they contain all the zillions of possible physical and emotional things that can go wrong during pregnancy and the first years. I think everyone can agree that raising the anxiety level, especially of a woman during pregnancy, is quite a less than desirable outcome.
What if there was a book that spoke honestly about the experiences of pregnancy and childbirth and, more importantly, treated these experiences as natural events rather than listing all the possible things to be feared? Better yet, what if there was a book that did all those things and spoke of the spiritual aspects of pregnancy and children, in a gentle and non-denominational way? Well, a book with all those features and more is available in this book.
Erdrich is of Native American ancestry and a writer by profession. Her background is rich with symbolism and spiritualism and is wonderful at weaving her story into the passage of seasons. At times I felt I was really looking through her eyes in the room where she wrote, looking out at a large picture window in her remote rural home. She saw the lives of various wildlife, from all types of birds to deer to wild dogs, intertwine with the passage of time from the beginnings of her pregnancy through the first year of her daughter's life. This book seems to be very realistic primarily because it does not compartmentalize pregnancy or infancy; Erdrich does not shy away from concurrent events in her life including changes in relationship with her husband, observations of nature, memories from her own childhood and recipes she craves during pregnancy or for their nurturing powers.
In more popular baby manual-type books, the subjects of actual labor, sleep deprivation, nurturing "instincts," and patience are sometimes glossed-over or described in such a way to possibly make a parent feel guilty for not automatically possessing certain qualities. This is yet another way that Erdrich's book masterfully succeeds as she lovingly and with understanding tackles these and other important subjects. She describes with humor and passion of a "no-sleep week" by stating how she wanted to call 911 Emergency because her baby wouldn't sleep. She describes the situation: "It happens to be a long crying bout, nothing wrong physically, just growth, maybe teeth. Why knows? Sometimes babies just cry and cry... in my office, with her in the crib next to the desk, I break through a level of sleep-deprived frustration so intense I think I'll burst, into a dimension of surprising calm," (71).
Erdrich speaks of the "tender and grueling task of rearing a newborn," (6) with such a fullness and richness of spirit that I cannot help but be moved by her descriptions. I highly recommend this book not only to anyone personally considering parenting but also to educators and anyone interested in the mutual development of a parent and an infant. I think it could also serve as an excellent supplement for all students in any Infancy and Child Development course. The best summary for her book is by Erdrich herself. In the introduction she states: "These pages are a personal search and an extended wondering at life's complexity. This is a book of conflict, a book of babyhood, a book about luck, cats, a writing life, wild places in the world, and my husband's cooking. It is a book about he vitality between mothers and infants, that passionate bond into which we pour the direct expression of our being," (5).
This is an amazing book!.......2000-05-24
I loved this book when I first read it before my daughter was born. Re-reading it now, as a new mother, I find it even more remarkable. Louise Erdrich has perfectly captured both the frustration and surpassing joy of life with a new baby. The book is also a beautiful nature narrative, with observations on the changing of the seasons interwoven with the story of a child's first year. Highly recommended!
Book Description
Every womanÂ's most powerful maternal role model is her own mother. But what about women who grew up feeling “undermothered”—whose mothers were absent, distracted, emotionally distant, depressed, or fell short in some vital way? How are they to become the good mothers they aspire to be?
Kathryn Black, whose own motherÂ's early death inspired her award-winning book, In the Shadow of Polio, probed for answers from experts in psychiatry and psychoanalysis, developmental psychology and social work, biology and anthropology. Black asks: Why are some people able to transcend troubled childhoods and lead satisfying lives and others are not? Through the voices of ordinary women across the country, in all stages and ages of mothering, she learns that there are ways to become a good mother without having had one of oneÂ's own. A beautifully articulate blend of memoir, research, and moving interviews with mothers and daughters, Mothering Without a Map is a powerful and self-affirming book that shows how “wounded daughters” can indeed become “healing mothers.”
Customer Reviews:
A must read for all mothers.......2005-03-05
Black has excelled in this beautiful exploration of motherhood, and of what it means to nurture, to give, to love and be loved. Her sensitive and forgiving insight into the tangled job of mothering - whether undermothered, abandoned, or still very present in our lives - gives us all a psychological glimpse into the patterns of past, present and future mothering styles, the enormity of the role, and its impact on our development - with Maslow's hierarchy as a strong foundation. Black gives us heavy, but digestable information, and follows up with the compassion, humor, wisdom, and soft space required for us to fall. My new number one resource on all things parenting - an essential read.
Insightful and practical.......2004-08-23
I recommend without equivocation. "Mothering Without a Map" by Kathryn Black is not only well written -- excellent structure, suspenseful writing -- it is eye-opening in its conclusions. It goes beyond the thesis in "Motherless Daughters." Even if you had/have an excellent mother, and even if you like your own mothering style, I guarantee there will moments of insight for you.
Most of all I marvel at Black's balance in her information; under any other writer, this book would feel like the usual blame-the-mother for all of the world's ills. But Black, through humor and empathy, makes the deficits all mothers have surmountable and understandable.
Plus, you've got to see this bibliography at the end of book --
thousands of sources.
a gem of a book.......2004-07-17
As both a mother and a therapist who works with mothers, I was thrilled to find this book because of the gaping hole it fills on parenting bookshelves. It provides hope and reassurance that becoming a 'good mother' even when we've been under-mothered is both worth doing and do-able. I was impressed with the way the author connects some of the women's stories with relevant research information in a gentle way. It is a unique and timely book written for a generation of mothers who want to raise their children differently than they were raised but are not completely sure how to do that.
Interesting, Thought Provoking, Hard to Read.......2004-06-17
This book was well written but I gave it only three stars because instead of being written to a wide audience of women it is written for those who understand psychological theories and jargon. I have a degree in psychology so I understood the jargon and I was quite familiar with the theories but for someone who is not familiar with the jargon or theories will have a difficult time following this author's writing. If this author had just written about her story and her insights and the stories and insights of the women she interviewed she would have had an incredible book. The power of stories can be very healing and yet this author relies on theories and jargon to back up any of her insights or ideas. As someone who seeks healing in these stories, I don't need or want someone "proving" their ideas with theories that are just the "philosophies of men" and nothing more. This is still worth reading to gain the nuggets of gold from the story/insights she gained and the stories/insights of the women interviewed but the rest of it ought to have been edited out.
I cannot say enough about this book!.......2004-04-30
Mothering Without a Map changed my life. Until reading this book, I knew that something was wrong with the way I was raised - that I never felt safe or unconditionally loved - but I couldn't pinpoint the problem. Kathryn Black put my feelings into words. This book helped me to work through my anger toward my parents and come to a place of greater compassion. They're still not good for me, but I now have a peace about the state of our relationship and about my past. I can appreciate and emulate the positive things they did for me while accepting and moving past the negative. Before I avoided any of their behavior all together for fear that I would repeat the cycle of "undermothering." After reading this book, I can move forward with greater understanding and confidence in my mothering abilities. If you want a book that can truly turn your life around, this is it. Thank you Kathryn for putting together such a wonderful book!
Books:
- Natural First Aid: Herbal Treatments for Ailments & Injuries/Emergency Preparedness/Wilderness Safety (Storey Medicinal Herb Guide)
- Not Even My Name: A True Story
- On Becoming Baby Wise: Giving Your Infant the Gift of Nighttime Sleep (On Becoming. . .)
- On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen
- Our Family Tree: An Evolution Story
- Parents Do Make A Difference: How to Raise Kids with Solid Character, Strong Minds, and Caring Hearts (The Jossey-Bass Psychology Series)
- Philosophy for Kids : 40 Fun Questions That Help You Wonder ... About Everything!
- Playful Parenting
- Positive Coaching: Building Character and Self-Esteem
- Problem Solving for Oil Painters: Recognizing What's Gone Wrong and How to Make It Right
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Black Is a Country: Race and the Unfinished Struggle for Democracy
- The Complete Visual Dictionary of Star Wars: The Ultimate Guide to Characters and Creatures from the
- Financial Reporting International Standards: Nov 2002 Exam Questions & Answers
- Music Library, The
- Measuring Market Risk + CD-ROM , 2nd Edition
- The Harsh Cry of the Heron: The Last Tale of the Otori
- Roanoke, 2nd Edition: The Abandoned Colony
- Designing a 401K Plan: The Hands-On Guide to Creating the Best Plan for Your Company-Complete With C
- Macroeconomics: Private Markets and Public Choice plus MyEconLab
- Yo Puedo Leer Sobre Los Caballos
Balanced Mom
12 Simple Secrets Real Moms Know: Getting Back to Basics and Raising Happy Kids
Mommy Guilt: Learn To Worry Less, Focus On What Matters Most, And Raise Happier Kids
The Kid Turned Out Fine: Moms Fess Up About Cartoons, Candy, And What It Really Takes to Be a Good Parent
