Lifestyle & Family

February 16, 2022

Mrs. G

Is It Time Yet? Teaching Kids Time Management with a Lakeshore Learning Giant Classroom Timer

“Is it time yet?” “How much longer?” “Am I almost done?”

If you are a parent, caregiver, or educator, it’s likely your child or student has repeatedly asked you one of those questions while waiting for something, working on a task, or completing an activity. It’s common for some kids (and adults) to become frustrated with not knowing how much time they have left to complete something.

Enter the Giant Classroom Timer from our friends at Lakeshore Learning. This visual timer might help alleviate some frustration by providing kids with a way to “see” time passing by. I love that this timer can be mounted to a wall or set on a table. Plus, the large screen display allows you to read the numbers up close or further away from across the room.

To use the timer simply decide the number of minutes and seconds needed to complete a task, adjust the volume, and then press the start button. As time passes, the minutes and seconds countdown and then the timer beeps when time is up. Press the stop button and the beeping will end.

Now that my kids are older and understand the concept of time, I incorporate timers with them for things like: independent reading time, managing screen time, bedtime routines, clean up time, and brushing their teeth. In addition to verbal communication from a trusted grown-up, timers can also help set clear expectations in a visual way that’s easy for children who understand the concept of time.

While timers are great for some timed tasks or activities, there are instances when I let the kids keep going if they want to continue past the allotted time. For example, if they want to read, clean their rooms, or brush their teeth or an extra five minutes…go for it! I also wouldn’t recommend timers for creative tasks like craft projects. Let’s face it, there’s nothing worse than being interrupted by a loud “ding” or “beep” when you’re in the middle of creating something.

I also use this timer for myself when I’m tackling my to-do list, cooking dinner, baking, or cleaning the house. Timers are an effective tool for time management which is an essential life skill. However, I think each individual or family should use timers in a way that is sensitive to their children’s or student’s needs and use them in age and developmentally appropriate ways.

You can also use the Giant Classroom Timer to:

Ease and manage daily routines: hygiene (brushing your teeth), morning, dinner, cleanup, bath/shower & bedtime.
Monitor time for homework, computer use, instrument practice and play time.
Manage time-outs: help children calm down and watch their frustration fade as time passes by.
Be punctual: when the time runs out, we’ll go!
Be productive: how quickly can you clean your room/playroom?
Be organized: keep track of valuable time and break large, overwhelming projects into small, manageable 10-minute activities.
Be healthy: finish your broccoli before the timer runs out!

Do you use timers in your home or classroom? What is your favorite way to use timers?

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Valid through 2/28/2022 for one-time use in stores or online. Limit one coupon per customer. Not valid on items with shipping restrictions. Other exclusions may apply. Visit bit.ly/3bbUXIj for details.

Learn more about the Giant Classroom Timer here.

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Lifestyle & Family

December 29, 2021

Mrs. G

How to Create a Habit of Reading Together as a Family – Tips for Parents

Are you looking for an easy way to bond with your family while also creating a habit of reading or increasing literacy skills?

If you’ve been following me on social media for a while, you may have heard me mention our monthly family read aloud before. In this post, I’ll explain why and how we started doing this in our family.

Why We Started

I decided to start having monthly family read aloud time about three and half years ago when my kids began their transition from picture books to early chapter books. Although both kids could read independently on their own, I wanted to keep the tradition of reading aloud during story time. I allowed the kids to choose an early chapter book to read independently, but I chose a longer middle-grade novel for us to read as a family over the course of a month. After a while, this became a habit and turned into our monthly family read aloud we still do today.

I also decided to start having monthly family read aloud time because I know how beneficial reading aloud is. Not only does reading aloud aid in language development, but it also allows children to improve their language skills. While children listen to adults read, they pick up correct word pronunciation, word usage, and proper grammar. Reading aloud can also enhance vocabulary and it allows kids to internalize correct sentence structure. Reading aloud with children can also help them become more fluent readers.

Our reading aloud time is also great for helping me to point out and discuss examples of compassion, kindness, perseverance, and optimism while reading. Last, but certainly not least, read-aloud time makes for excellent bonding time.

Reading aloud is a wonderful chance to share adventure, intrigue, and emotion—without having to leave the comfort of your home. And that is irreplaceable. Wouldn’t you agree?

Our Monthly Process

Note: In addition to our monthly read aloud chapter book, my kids also read other books independently for school or pleasure during the month.

Here are the basic steps we follow each month:

1. I choose the book of the month for our family to read. The books I choose are often middle-grade novels (for ages 8 – 12) that are borrowed from our local library. However, sometimes we read books we already own.

2. We each take turns reading either a chapter or a few pages at a time. It’s usually just me and the kids, but sometimes my husband will listen in if he’s sitting close by.

3. During our read aloud sessions, I have snacks and water nearby along with a few fidget toys to keep the kids’ hands busy while they listen.

4. After finishing the book, (it typically takes us about 2.5 to 3 weeks to finish a middle grade novel) we reflect and talk about the discussion questions.

A quick note regarding the discussion questions: If the book already has its own set of discussion questions online, we use those questions. If I can’t find any discussion questions to go along with the book, I’ll make them up on my own as we read. This usually looks like me making notes on my phone after our read aloud session is over each night. From my notes, I can make up my own set of discussion questions. I aim to make most of our questions open-ended questions to make discussion time more engaging.

5. Depending on the theme of the book, sometimes we do a craft activity or another type of activity to go along with the book. For example, after we read the early chapter book The Scrumptious Life of Azaleah Lane we baked cupcakes. After reading The Crossover, we visited the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA.

If establishing regular reading aloud time with your family is one of your reading goals this year, I’d recommend starting your own monthly family read aloud. My kids are close in age (15 months apart), so it works well for us to choose one book to focus on for the month. If you have children in different age groups, you may want to consider choosing one or more books to read per month. You’ll want to figure out what works best for you and your family if this is something you decide to do.

Starting this tradition came naturally for our family since I’ve been reading with my children since they were young. My hope is that my kids associate reading with happy memories as they continue to grow.

A few tips that may help get you started

1. Don’t overdo it at first. You might need to start with five to ten minutes of read-aloud time, and gradually extend the time until your children are able to maintain full attention for longer periods of time.

2. Have plenty of snacks and beverages nearby or within easy reach to snack on.

3. Scan or preview book selection of the month in advance when possible. This helps ensure there isn’t any inappropriate language in the book. I take full advantage of the website Common Sense to check my books prior to choosing them. I find their book reviews and summaries to be extremely helpful for choosing the best books to read.

4. Choose a consistent time to read each day. You can either choose to read in the morning, during lunch while the kids eat, for a quiet rest time in the afternoon, or before bed to help kids wind down.

5. If your kids get fidgety or have a tough time sitting still for extended periods of time during story time, incorporate fidget toys, coloring books or other hands-on activities to keep their hands busy.

6. Create a designated reading space. Make it a cozy space using pillows, blankets, or a favorite chair or couch to snuggle in.

7. Don’t be afraid to stop reading a book if it’s not working for your family. No one wants to read a boring book. Am I right?

My Favorite Read Aloud Resource

The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease is still my favorite resource when it comes to the topic of reading aloud. In this book, Trelease explains in plain English why reading aloud to your children matters. He tells you how to do it. And he even gives you suggestions for books to read. This book was my introduction to the importance of reading to children starting at an early age.

Your turn: Does your family already participate in monthly family read aloud time? Are you inspired to start this routine with your family? Feel free to share in the comments.

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Pin “How to Create a Habit of Reading Together as a Family – Tips for Parents” to your favorite Pinterest Board.

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diverse books

September 23, 2020

Mrs. G

How We Make Sleep, Reading and Diversity a Priority in Our Home

Disclaimer: We partnered with Hatch to share a few thoughts about the Hatch Restore and Hatch Rest and to showcase how we’ve incorporated these products into our bedtime routine. As always, any opinions expressed are my own.

Sleep. It is absolutely essential to our overall well being. There are so many benefits to getting a good night’s sleep like: memory retention, improved appetite, increased energy and mood regulation.

Reading also has amazing benefits for both your physical and mental health and those benefits can last a lifetime. The same is true for the topic of diversity. It can benefit and enrich our world by providing more colorful life experiences and enhance our social relationships and communities.

When people are well rested and well read they are more likely to have empathy and be open to embracing diversity and inclusion in order to build a balanced world for our future children. Yes, sleep, reading and diversity can go hand in hand if you allow it to.

Our nightly bedtime routine usually consists of the following

eat dinner together as a family
15 – 30 minute clean up time (wash dishes, clean the kitchen, put away toys, gather books for story time)
bath time
story time (15 – 20 minutes)
bedtime for the kids (their Hatch Rest alarm clock goes off at 8:30pm during the school week)
My Hatch Restore alarm goes off at 9:00pm to prepare my mind and body for sleep

We’ve enjoyed incorporating our Hatch Rest and Hatch Restore into our nightly routine. It has really helped us make sleep more of a priority in our household. Since you can personalize Hatch devices to fit the normal rhythm of your family that really makes it so easy and seamless to set them up on your own using their handy app.

When it comes to reading and diversity, these two topics have always been a priority for our family. When searching for books that serve as mirrors and windows for my children, I’m always mindful of exactly which books we choose to read. While we don’t discriminate when it comes to literature, I do make it a point to select diverse books that reflect my children and our family. Why? Because I know if I don’t expose my kids to these books, they might not see them otherwise.

I believe all children should be exposed to a wide range of people, experiences, abilities, races and cultures. As a parent, my goal is to present my children with a full spectrum of brown and Black characters in a variety of books. I want their experiences of story and representations of the world to include people of color, people they can imagine being like — people like Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama, Misty Copeland, Michelle Obama, and Michael Jordan — or fictional characters with whom they can identify.

I also use bedtime stories to help my children grow and learn about other important topics such as race, LGBTQ+ rights, disabilities, and mental health.

If you’d like to make sleep, reading or diversity a priority in your home, here are a few tips:

Set a goal – Whenever something is important to me, I make it a goal. Make it a goal to get a certain number of hours of sleep each night (or week), read a certain number of books or incorporate diversity into your life in various ways if it’s important to you.
Establish a custom bedtime routine that matches the rhythm of your family’s schedule
Limit screen time and electronic devices before bed
Read a variety of diverse books that showcase people of all colors, religions, abilities and cultures
Use a sound machine like the Hatch Restore which also includes guided meditations to help encourage sleep before bedtime

Your turn: I would love to hear your favorite tips on how you make sleep, reading or diversity a priority in your life. Feel free to share in the comments.

Meet Hatch Rest

Rest is the magical all-in-one sleep must-have that parents are raving about. It can be controlled remotely from your phone and is completely customizable — making it a parent’s dream come true. Perfect for babies, toddlers, and big kids!

Check out the features for Hatch Rest:

● Sound machine: Parents can choose from a range of sound options, from white noise to soft lullabies. Simply crank up the volume remotely when the dog barks or the neighbors throw a party.
● Night light: This feature provides soft and soothing for midnight feeding sessions, or parents can adjust to be bright and reassuring when the dark feels scary. Choose from a rainbow of colors to make it your own.
● Time-to-rise: Green means go! This feature enables parents to teach toddlers and preschoolers to stay in bed until it’s time to rise (and enjoy those extra minutes of sleep).

Rest means that parents are no longer the bedtime bad guy, and bedtime struggles and early wake ups are a thing of the past.

Designed for the Modern Nursery: Rest features a modern design with a night light, sound machine, and time-to-rise in one smart device.

Controllable Remotely from Your Phone: Turn Rest on and off and change the volume and brightness remotely from your smartphone so there’s no need to disrupt a sleeping baby. Or, set programs to run each day to help your child get on a healthy sleep schedule.

Personalized with Custom Colors and Sounds: Create the ideal sleep environment for your child’s unique sleep needs by choosing from a range of custom colors and sound choices. The night light feature, which stays cool to the touch, helps your child feel secure and has the option to stay on all night.

The device also comes equipped with a toddler lock so only you can make adjustments when it’s enabled.

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family fun

August 28, 2019

Mrs. G

First Day of School Prayers for Children and Parents + 5 Day Prayer Challenge

Tomorrow my children start their first day of school in a brand new environment. Although I’m excited for them to start this new journey in a new school, I am also filled with a bit of anxiety and I just feel like praying—and I thought you might pray with me—for our children as they start a new year of school.

I believe the best gift we give our kids as they head back to school is our prayers. Whether it’s the first day of kindergarten, middle school, high school, or college, children need our prayers. If you believe this too, I hope you’ll join me in a 5-day prayer challenge you can do on your own.

In order to participate, all you need to do is recite the prayers below each morning for the first five days of school. If you don’t like any of the prayers I’ve chosen, feel free to come up with your own prayers. And of course, if you’re not the religious type then this challenge isn’t for you and that’s okay. If your children already started their first day of school, no worries you can still participate. Just recite the prayers each morning for five consecutive days with your children or on your own.

I hope you find this prayer challenge to be helpful and will help spread the word if it’s something that resonates with you.

Day One

Dear God, Father of heavenly lights, Giver of perfect gifts,

I give my child(ren) to you today and everyday. Keep him/her and his/her schoolmates safe and protected, Father God. I ask that this school year you would use every person, every experience and every lesson to shape him/her into Your image, to grow in his/her fruit of Your spirit. God, grow in his/her heart. Teach him/her to sacrifice like You did, giving up what he/she values for the good of others. Bless the teachers and administrators, God. Keep them safe. These men and women who have committed to invest in the next generation. Give them discernment and wisdom to see each student’s unique abilities and gifts. Multiply their preparation and may their plans be fruitful. Fill the day with moments of wonder. Remind them of their special place in the lives of their students and give them confidence in their abilities. And for all the parents/grandparents, Lord, I pray for peace. Give us plenty to do so we don’t have time to fret. Let us be extraordinarily grateful for the privilege of parenting. Fill us with wisdom as we watch our babies grow. Grant us patience and kindness as they stretch their wings. Hold us close to You as we learn to let them go. In Jesus name I/we pray, Amen.

Day Two

Dear Father God,

Today, I ask You for godly, loyal friends for my child(ren). Friends who love purity, who are pure in heart, and gracious in speech, friends that will sharpen them and love them at all times. Please give my child(ren) a heart of compassion. Help him/her/them to see situations from every perspective and to treat others like they would want to be treated. Give him/her/them a friendly and kind spirit. May he/she/they welcome friends with a smile. God I pray my child(ren) would be wise when choosing friends. Give him/her/them discernment to find true friends and help them to build each other up. Give them the ability to say no when necessary and bravery to stand up for what is right. In Jesus name I/we pray, Amen.

Day Three

Dear Father God,

Today I pray for Your care and protection throughout the school year. Cover the schools in our area and across the nation with Your covering and protection. I/we pray for vigilance among administrators and teachers as well as security personnel. Lord I/we pray that would-be perpetrators will be turned from their intentions and receive the corrective influences that are needed in their lives. Lord, I/we pray that the school year will be successfully completed without incident. It is so. In Jesus name I/we pray, Amen.

Day Four

Dear God,

Today I come to you in prayer Lord, asking you to help my child(ren) experience peace this year. I pray he/she/they will not worry about things they cannot control, but that You will guard his/her/their hearts and minds and keep him/her/them trusting in You. I pray he/she/they will not only enjoy the peace of God, but peace with God. I pray he/she/they will develop a spirit of gratitude and thanksgiving as they look to You daily for their needs. Grant him/her/them Your peace in their hearts and minds in great measure. In Jesus name I/we pray, Amen.

Day Five

Dear Heavenly Father,

Let this school year be their best year ever with excellent grades, favor with teachers and classmates and good behavior all covered by Your protection. Enable our children to continue growing in wisdom and stature all the days of their lives. Let Your peace and understanding envelope them at all times. Let your joy be their strength. Help them to trust You as their refuge and fortress. Guard their minds from bad counsel and peer pressure. Bless them with Your Spirit of discernment to know and do what is right at all times. Strengthen their heart and spirit to resist the devil, so that he/she will flee from them. Teach them to cast all their anxiety upon You, trusting and genuinely knowing that You care for them. Let Your light shine in their lives and cause all forms of darkness around them to flee. Make them strong and courageous in the presence of danger. Let them be assured You will never leave nor forsake them as they remain strong in You and Your mighty power. In Jesus name I/we pray, Amen.

Below I’ve also included a few short prayers for parents or kids to recite daily. Source: Living Prayers.

First Day of School Prayer
(a parent’s prayer poem for their child starting school)

Dear Lord,

Fill her (his) heart with peace,
Hold her (his) hand today,
Help him/her feel secure and loved,
Be with him/her we pray.
May him/her smile and make new friends
Paint and learn and play,
Bless the teaching staff who care
For little ones today.
Lift my heart to trust that he’ll/she’ll
Be overseen by you,
Father God cover us
On his/her first day at school.

Amen.

Prayer for a child starting a new school year
(a simple prayer for a child of any age to say)

Father God,

Thank you for being beside me,
Thank you for this new school year.
Please be there to hold my hand,
Please help me to relax and enjoy the day.
Bring new friendships into my life,
Bring new possibilities to learn and grow.
Help me to pray in my heart to you if I am anxious,
Help me to remember that you are always with me.

Amen.

School Morning Prayer
(a simple prayer for primary school aged children to say)

Father God,

Be with us today
Fill our hearts with joy
Fill our minds with learning
Fill our classrooms with peace
Fill our lessons with fun
Fill our friendships with kindness
Fill our school with love

Amen.

If you’re looking for a few religious picture book recommendations for children, you might enjoy this post.

Your turn: What will you pray for your children (grandchildren) as they go back to school? Feel free to share in the comments.

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children's books

May 6, 2019

Mrs. G

Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry (Book Review) + Natural Hair Tips & Techniques

Disclaimer: I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions expressed are my own.

Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry, illustrated by Vashti Harrison

Publisher: Kokila, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 32
Age Range: 4 – 8
Grade Level: Preschool – 3

Synopsis
It’s up to Daddy to give his daughter an extra-special hair style in this ode to self-confidence and the love between fathers and daughters, from former NFL wide receiver Matthew A. Cherry and New York Times bestselling illustrator Vashti Harrison.

Zuri’s hair has a mind of its own. It kinks, coils, and curls every which way. Zuri knows it’s beautiful. When Daddy steps in to style it for an extra special occasion, he has a lot to learn. But he LOVES his Zuri, and he’ll do anything to make her — and her hair — happy.

Reflection
Twist outs. Braid outs. Wash and Gos. Bantu knots. Locs. Afros. Braids. Top Knots. Ponytails. Today’s natural haired beauties are embracing their kinks, coils and curls more than ever before to express their style. Just ask little Zuri. She wants to have the perfect hairstyle to welcome her mother home. Armed with an iPad, hair products and her dad, she ends up finding the perfect look.

I adore this book for so many reasons. First, it showcases a Black father in a positive light bonding with his daughter doing her hair. We don’t see this enough, especially in the Black community. I personally think a father caring for his daughter’s hair isn’t a loss of masculinity. In fact, I think women admire men even more who take the initiative to learn how to do hair. I love how Zuri’s dad steps up to the plate and figures out what needs to be done to do his daughter’s hair in his wife’s absence.

With the help of social media, Zuri’s father learns how to comb, part, oil, twist, and style Zuri’s hair. This experience allowed Zuri to bond with her dad in an entirely new way, and likely instilled a deep pride about the heritage in her hair.

One thing I notice with my husband is he likes to bond with our kids by playing, roughhousing, teaching them a skill or a sport. But Hair Love shows that fathers talking to their daughters about their hair is an entirely new way to bond. Just like my daughter, many girls love to see and spend time with their dad. So when a father actually does a good job on his daughter’s hair she’ll likely respond with, “Yeah, my daddy did my hair!”…now that’s bonding.

I also love how Zuri’s dad tells her that her hair is beautiful.

Daddy tells me it is beautiful. That makes me proud. I love that my hair lets me be me!

When I was younger I remember people used to always use the word “nappy” to describe natural Black hair. That word was thrown around a lot during my childhood by children and grown-ups and I never liked it. Since becoming an adult and embracing my own natural hair, I no longer use that word to describe my hair or anyone else’s natural hair. You have to be mindful of the things you say to children and teach them about self-love at an early age like Zuri’s dad.

I also think Hair Love does a great job showing readers that being a father is much more than being able to provide for a family financially. Fatherhood sometimes encompasses: cooking, cleaning, AND doing hair. It may also involve showing your daughter how to love herself completely inside and out, how to appreciate her natural beauty, and love everything about herself. Those are things that sometimes men (and women) really don’t think about as being a father.

Lastly, the adorable illustrations by Vashti Harrison make this book a ten on the cuteness scale. Just look at how adorable the front cover is! As always, Vashti does an outstanding job telling the story through her stunning illustrations. A winner!

Hair Tips & Techniques

Learn your daughter’s hair type and what will work best in styling her hair.
Create or find a regimen that works your daughter’s hair and lifestyle. Once you find what works KEEP DOING IT. Consistency is key to growing beautiful, natural hair.
Find people within your family and friends and talk to them about maintenance if you’re unsure.
Utilize social media when necessary. There is a wealth of information online. You can find easy, child-friendly tutorials as well as product reviews.
Browse the hashtag #naturalhair or #naturalhairkids on any social media platform and all kinds of helpful information will be in the palm of your hand.

About the Author

Chicago native Matthew A. Cherry is a former NFL wide receiver turned filmmaker who played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Cincinnati Bengals, Carolina Panthers, and the Baltimore Ravens. In 2007 he retired and moved to LA to pursue a career in entertainment. Now, he directs music videos and short films, including “Hair Love,” the animated short film on which this book is based. Matthew was named to Paste Magazine‘s list of Directors to Watch in 2016.

About the Illustrator

Vashti Harrison is the author-illustrator of the New York Times bestselling picture book Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History, which is also a NAACP Image Award winner. She earned her BA from the University of Virginia with a double major in Media Studies and Studio Art, and received her MFA in Film and Video from CalArts where she snuck into Animation classes to learn from Disney and Dreamworks legends. There she rekindled a love for drawing and painting. Now, utilizing both skill sets, she is passionate about crafting beautiful stories in both the film and picture book worlds.

Your turn: How do you teach your children to love their hair? What natural hair tips and techniques would you add to this list? Feel free to share in the comments.

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Book Reviews

June 22, 2017

Mrs. G

A Guide for New Moms Who Feel Overwhelmed: Whoa, Baby! by Kelly Rowland

Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this book from the publisher to facilitate this review. As always, all opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way.

Whoa, Baby! by Kelly Rowland and Tristan Bickman M.D.

Publisher: Da Capo Lifelong Books
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 192

Synopsis
When global pop star Kelly Rowland became a mom for the first time, giving birth to her son Titan, she felt the most incredible love she had ever experienced. But after spending nine months so focused on the baby growing inside her, she was caught completely off guard by how much she had changed. Like many first-time moms, she was not ready for what had happened to her body and for so many overwhelming new thoughts and emotions. She wondered: Will I Ever Walk Again? Will I Ever Sleep Again? Are My Boobs Always Going to Be Like This? Rowland had questions about everything from postpartum bleeding, skin and hair changes, and dealing with aches and pains to getting back in shape and sex after baby. She also weighed the larger notions about what she wanted out of motherhood and the rest of her life.

In Whoa, Baby! Rowland and Dr. Bickman team up to share this reassuring information with new moms everywhere. Often hilarious and always down-to-earth, Rowland and Dr. Bickman cover every surprising challenge that new moms face.

Reflection
The subtitle of this book pretty much tells it all. “A guide for new moms who feel overwhelmed and freaked out (and wonder what the #*$& just happened. Whoa Baby is the book I wish I had by my side before giving birth to my first child. Yeah, I read other pregnancy books, but they only provided answers to the standard questions you find in most books. I love Kelly’s “tell it like it is”, hilarious and blunt advice she provides as she reminisces about her first pregnancy.

First off, some of the descriptions used for each chapter are great and straight to the point: What are these bumps on my butt? (hemorrhoids), So now we’re both wearing diapers? (urinary incontinence), Why didn’t anyone tell me to bring Depends? (postpartum bleeding), Will I ever get my groove back? (Sex after baby). I had these exact same thoughts after becoming a mom the first time around. I was thinking, why didn’t anyone tell me these things?

Next, my attention was captured with the opening sentence in the introduction. It’s great to know someone else also enjoyed everything about being pregnant! I thoroughly enjoyed both of my pregnancies, but anytime I tell others they look at me like I’m crazy. I was fortunate enough to never experience any sickness or heath scares with either pregnancy just like Kelly.

This read like a chatty narrative and focused mainly on Kelly’s experience, while adding in several useful tidbits of information like recommended natural herbs to increase lactation while breastfeeding. Kelly’s OB GYN Dr. Tristan Bickman also adds her input and advice throughout the book.

I found this book to be a really fun and honest depiction of what to expect with a new baby. No sensors, just truth. At times, it may feel like Kelly is sitting across from you telling you the good things and the bad things you can expect. Some parts may make you laugh out loud. Whoa, Baby opens you up to the normalization of what to expect as a first time parent that other people may not warn you about like how loose and floppy your vagina is after childbirth (if you give birth naturally) and how much you’ll bleed.

There were several chapters in this book I wish I would have read prior to having my first child. For example, I think chapter 14 (Why Can’t I Sit Down without Wincing?) and chapter 18 (What Do I Want Out of Motherhood?) were particularly useful. I think even if expecting or first-time moms don’t really learn anything new from this book, they will get the encouragement that they aren’t alone and can laugh about their own experience.

The chapters and the overall book are fairly short, allowing you a quick snippet each evening before bed or whenever you take a 10 minute break during your day. I think the real talk is a perfect balance to the other academic pregnancy books out there that freak you out about all the preparation required for childbirth and parenthood.

Overall I think Whoa, Baby provides much needed guidance for the new mom. It may even help to put your mind at ease and also let you know that your experiences are normal.

Seen on MovingBabies

Your turn: Are you or someone you know going to be a new mom? Do you think this book may help them? Feel free to share in the comments.

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Books for Adults

October 25, 2016

Mrs. G

The Art of Blissful Parenting + A Giveaway!

BeachBoundBooks is pleased to be coordinating a Book Blast for The Art of Blissful Parenting by Sharon Ballantine. The blast will run October 24 – October 26, 2016.

About the Book

Title: The Art of Blissful Parenting | Author: Sharon Ballantine | Genre: Parenting Number of Pages: 190 | Publisher: Balboa Press | Publication Date: November 24, 2015 Book Description: What if you had the ideal relationship with your children? This book is for every parent that wants to have a powerful bond with their kids. Parents have the opportunity for newfound freedom and joy when they teach their children about their Internal Guidance System. Tools and guidance are offered in this book for exacting the art of blissful parenting by practicing alignment. It’s fun and easy to work with the Universe and a short lesson in the Law of Attraction is part of this script. Parents-live and also teach your children how to manifest what they want by thinking in a more positive way and deliberately creating their lives.

Amazon | Balboa Press | Barnes & Noble

What others are saying… “This book is filled with amazing tools for any adult who wants to sharpen the innate gifts of the children in their lives and support them in developing and following their internal guidance. Beautifully and thoughtfully written with clear practical exercises to allow you to put into practice what you have read.” – Debbie (Amazon Reviewer)
“The Art of Blissful Parenting offers readers a refreshing, out-of-the-box approach to raising happy children. Sharon offers practical tools and tips for teaching kids how to thrive by using the law of attraction and following their internal guidance system.” – (Amazon Reviewer) “This is a fascinating book for anyone who wants to raise confident, independent children. The author presents her unique ideas in a thoughtful and insightful way” – Cheryl (Amazon Reviewer)

About the Author: Sharon Ballantine

Sharon Ballantine is a Parenting Coach and certified Law of Attraction Life Coach. She has successfully raised three children and is the author a new book “The Art of Blissful Parenting.” Sharon is the founder of “The Ballantine Parenting Institute,” her online parenting program. Ballantine is a sought after speaker, and was host to her own Internet TV Show with Conscious Evolution Media Network from 2013-2014. The platform of The Sharon Ballantine TV Show featured a conversation with passionate spiritually minded guests. Sharon also had her own column with Beliefnet.com “Parenting on Purpose.” Sharon was interviewed on TV, February 15, 2016 for her new book release, “The Art of Blissful Parenting” on KING 5 New Day Northwest, a live daytime talk show in Seattle. Ballantine has been interviewed on several radio shows including Blog Talk Radio in Los Angeles, Chat with Women radio show in Seattle and Conscious Evolution Media Internet TV in Denver. Her interview with Hay House Radio will air by summer ’16. Sharon’s website is SharonBallantine.com which features weekly teaching blogs, podcasts and slideshows. You can see her educational videos on her YouTube channel, Sharon Ballantine. Sharon lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband Jay.

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