New Year, New Me?

"Happy Kids Happy You" happened to be on a new year's themed table at the library today. It was meant to be!

This book gave me a shot of inspiration for 2013! The goal of this book to is empower parents to positively navigate the rough and calm seas of childhood. There are tips on dealing with challenging behaviour that serve mostly as reminders but are always good to review. The most useful parts of this book for me were about how to shift your attitude as a parent to find the positive and to embrace the chaos in order to be the parent you want to be.

The best thing that I took away from this book were the tips on how to calm down before reacting, reminders to find balance between family and self, and the "Celebrating Successes Daily" idea that challenges parents to celebrate themselves and think of two things that they did right each day. This was a super quick read, and one that I know I will come back to.

Disturbia

"Still Missing" was featured in a Chatelaine magazine that I was reading, so I checked it out at the library. Set on Vancouver Island, it tells the disturbing story of a real estate agent kidnapped from an open house and held captive in a remote cabin for a year.

Pretty creepy and chilling read, yet I kept going because I wanted to see the character through! I think the author could have ended the story earlier..a plot twist near the end seemed to drag it out a bit too much for me...

The Help

I usually read books before seeing the movie version, but for "The Help" I did it in reverse. I saw the movie back in August. I don't remember every fine detail now to compare and contrast the two, but both were good!

This story is told from three points of view, two maids working for white families in the South, and one young woman, Skeeter who is an aspiring journalist. The characters in the book range from sympathetic to purely evil! A great read, check it out!

Why Why Why?

In a terrible coincidence, I started reading "We Need to Talk About Kevin" last week, and finished it the day after the terrible tragedy of December 14.

This book is written in letter form by Eva. She is Kevin's mom, and Kevin is a school shooter. This book forces you to think about and question what role a parent has in raising a child who commits un unthinkable act. The story brings up feelings of disbelief and anger in the reader and makes you want to talk to someone about it as soon as you turn the last page. Read this one so we can discuss!

Dry Grass

"The Dry Grass of August" is an interesting and also disturbing read. Set in the southern U.S. at the height of racial tension, this is the story of thirteen year old Jubie, her alcoholic father, passive mother, three siblings and their African American maid Mary. Although I haven't read "The Help" yet, I assume that this book runs along the same lines. It is mind boggling to read about the injustices that people endured, and still endure today.

The story centers around a road trip taken by the family (minus the father) and what they encounter along the way. I won't give anything away, but I do recommend this book!

Will check out the movie...

"The Descendants" took me about three days to read, I was surprised that it didn't take too long, considering it was not a total page turner. I had to push myself to keep reading. It is one of those books that is mostly a study of characters. Considering the Oscar buzz around this film in 2012, I will have to watch the movie and compare the two.

Without giving away anything that is not on the book jacket, this book is about a man who is struggling to raise his two girls while his wife is in a terminal coma. When he discovers that she has been having an affair he tries to track down his wife's lover so that he can say goodbye. Drama Rama!

I have an idea...

This week's speedy read was "I don't Know How She Does It" written by Allison Pearson. I was a bit turned off by the SJP cover obviously straight from the movie promo...Though I do kind of want to see the movie now that I have read the book. As the title implies, this book is about Kate, a hard working mother in a power job and the story of how she juggles work and home life. Or fails to juggle work and home life.

This book I think is meant to be funny, and it often is. I also couldn't help but feel angry at the mother in this book and the amount of time she spent slaving to her job and not with her kids. At times, I could totally relate to the feeling of being pulled in many directions and struggling with the choices a mother must make. The author obviously wanted to incite these feelings in her readers and she does so successfully.

Some of my fav quotes from the book:

There is an uneasy standoff between the two kinds of mother which sometimes makes it hard for us to talk to eachother. I suspect that the nonworking mother looks at the working mother with envy and fear because she thinks that the working mom has got away with it, and the working mother looks back with fear and envy because she knows she has not. In order to keep going in either role, you convince yourself that the alternative is bad. The working mother says "Because I am more fulfilled as a person I can be a better mother to my children." And sometimes she may even believe it. The mother who stays home knows she is giving her kids an advantage, which is something to cling to when your toddler has emptied his [sippy] of juice over your last clean tshirt. (Page 96).

At times I can be almost moved to tears by the picture of the thrifty homemaker I could and would become... And how would I be left alone with the kids all day? The need of children is never ending. You can pour all your love and patience into them, and when is it all right to say when? Never. You can never say when. And to serve so selflessly you have to subdue something in yourself. I admire the women who do it, but the mere thought makes me sick with panic. I could never admit this to anyone, but I think giving up work is like becoming a missing person. (Page 170).

Man announces he has to leave the office to be with his child for short recreational burst and is hailed as selfless doting paternal role model. Woman announces she has to leave the office to be with child who is on sickbed and is damned as disorganized, irresponsible. For a father to parade himself as a Father is a sign of strength, for mother to out herself as a Mother is a sign of appaling vulnerability. Don't you just love equal opportunity? (Page 260).

Quotes just food for thought, not trying to start any kind of debate! This is a good read to appreciate the struggle of modern mothers both at work and at home.

The Next Big Movie?

" On The Island" by Tracey Garvis Graves is written in a way that you just can't help but picture it as a movie. From reading the author's notes at the end of the book, the movie rights have apparently been settled.

Part "Castaway" part "Graduate" this is an easy read story about two people and the ups and downs of living on a deserted island together. A teacher and her teenage pupil are cast away following a plane crash ( it says this on the book jacket so don't worry, I am giving nothing away.)

If you are looking for a quick page turner and possibly a beach read, this is for you!

Another Page Turner

"The Lost Wife" is one of those books that hooks you in within the first few sentences. I have read many Holocaust fiction stories, and this one is right up there with "Sarah's Key" and "Those Who Save Us". A tale that weaves fiction with real stories and real people who endured so much. Highly recommended.

Kindergarten Prep

"Kindergarten: It Isn't What It Used to Be, getting your child ready for the positive experience of education" by Susan and Mitch Golant proved to be just what I was looking for as a parent currently obsessed with all things kindergarten.The fact that this "latest" edition was published in 1999 made me a bit skeptical from the start, but the book is actually still quite relevant (according to me.) It even mentions the internet! ( I coudn't remember if we even had the internet in 1999!)

This extremely quick but informative read covers many topics from Kindergarten readiness to testing children to learning styles. The authors pepper their writing with personal anecdotes that relate to their own experiences with their children. What I found most useful to parents in this book is a review of key skills (social and academic) that your child's preschool should be covering in order to prepare your child for kindergarten as well as descriptions of what a "good" kindergarten should look like. As I am realizing more and more, it is all about the teacher. It is not always possible to know who your child's teacher will be and if they will connect to your child, but this book gives parents some pointers on how to cross that bridge if needed.

Reading this book re-enforced my own beliefs around what I want my child's kindergarten experience to look like, and gave me many ideas on how I can help my child at home. This may be very useful for other parents in helping them to understand what the goals of kindergarten should be and how to find the best fit for your child.

After closing this book upon finishing, my first thought was "I want to be a kindergarten teacher!" I was so pumped up on the magic of kindergarten...about ten minutes later I realized there is no way that I would have the patience required. Thanks to those people who do!

Simple Simon

Hmm, I am sensing a theme here with my second book based on simplifying life. The copy of "Living Simply With Kids" by Marie Sherlock from my local
library is very beat up which leads me to think (hope?) that there must be quite a few simplicity seeking parents out there!

This is an easy read and is also a good "pick it up every now and then" kind of book.

Themes in this book include "quality time, soul searching and caring for the earth." At times this book may seem
A bit "granola crunchy" but the key messages of keeping life simple will resonate even with those who may find some of the chapters a bit over the top. The author insists that families who choose to have both partners work part time are able to retire early and keep up financially if they so choose. I am not sure that this would work for many people...

One of the first topics addressed in the book is materialism and the thought that if you are all about comsuming more and more, chances are that you will never feel satisfied.

On page 51, there is a "happiness quiz" which according to research, the more "yes" answers you have, the greater
chance you have of being a happy individual. Here are a few of the questions:

1.Do you have non materialistic goals rather than goals of achieving great wealth? Are you satisfied with basic financial security rather than riches?

2. Do you smile and laugh frequently?

3. Do you have several close and intimate friendships?

4. Do you have strong ties to your community?

5.Do you pause to reflect on all of the good things in your life often?

There are more questions in this quiz to reflect on in the book.

Keep on keepin' it simple!

How do you love?

"The Five Love Languages of Children" was recommended to me by a friend. These authors are apparently very well known and I am planning on reading their best selling relationship book in the near future. This is a light and easy read.

The main philosophy behind this book is that children have five different languages of love, meaning they feel and receive love in one of five ways:
Physical touch, words of affirmation, quality time, gifts and acts of service.

This book helps parents to understand and explore how their children may best receive love and offers insight into how to figure out your child's "love language" and how to best connect with them.

This is an interesting read and leads one to question their own "love language". There is a fun quiz at the end to help readers explore their own preferences on how they receive love.

If you are looking to connect to your child or others, this could be a life changer for you!

Keep it simple

"Simplicity Parenting" by Kim John Payne is a welcome calm in the stormy
chaotic world of present day parenting.

Payne is an advocate for Waldorf style education as his philosophy aligns a lot with Waldorf teachings. This book encourages parents to make life more simple, and thus enjoyable for themselves and their children. The opening chapter mentions that most children have on average 150 toys and that most are rarely played with. He dedicates a whole chapter to helping parents declutter and states that children will play more if they have less!

Something I took away from this book was the "gift of boredom".Payne believes that it is a good thing to let children experience boredom, that it fosters creativity. He writes that children today are so over scheduled that they don't have the chance to have to create their own fun. I am trying to embrace boredom now by following Payne's advice and sitting back and letting my kids find something to do. They always come up with something fun, and I can see their creativity in action.

Well worth reading, I think children and parents will both benefit from this book.

Run in my tights

Another good running read, although not witty or humorous like the other one I wrote about (see below).

This book covers a lot of ground for beginning runners. Topics covered include nutrition, training and gear. I found the most useful part was all of the photos and diagrams showing muscles used in running and proper stretches for those muscles. Many tips as well on identifying and treating injuries. Thumbs up!

Run Momma Run

"Run like a Mother" by Dimity McDowell and Sarah Shea is an inspiring and hilarious read. In a nutshell, they are writing about the ups, downs and in-betweens of running for women and mothers. This book contains lots of information about running from 5ks to marathons as well as health tips, equipment advice and entertaining anecdotes from these two sports writers.

Some highlights for me were sections on which music to run to, all about marathons, and the chapter called "managing the offspring." The silliest chapter near the end is dedicated to "pottytalk" and deals with "pooping peeing, passing gas and periods." All very informative. Great information is also shared about running during and after pregnancy.

One of my favourite quotes from the book:

The Jekell/Hyde scenarios strike signature feelings of parenthood: guilt and pride. The former is easy to summon.Just think of that training adage "Somewhere out there somebody is working harder than you are" and you pretty much have parenting in the uber-ambitious twenty-first century in a sentence.Somewhere out there a mom spends Saturday hovering over her first grader doing addition... Or patiently making muffins with him and not getting angry when the bag of flour spills all over the floor. Somewhere out there a mom is not running. That mom is not me. I typically don't feel like I should be reading "Frog and Toad All Year" for the fifth time in two days instead of doing a tempo run. Page 169.

My mom demonstrated how to be passionate about something, how to delicately weave an activity into your life so that it marks you but doesn't define you. She showed me that you can be a mother, have another job, and still carve out time for yourself. ... Taking time out to run actually teaches kids that the world-news to them?- doesn't revolve around them.
Page 171

Good read ladies!

Prepare to do nothing but read...

I dare anyone to pick up one of Sarah Jio's books and be able to put it down. Once you crack open one of these stories, you will be transported right into the lives of fascinating characters and into Seattle and the surrounding areas. Some take place in the past or present, but most weave together characters and stories from many generations. These stories are so good that I finished two of them in two days courtesy of late nights! I also just read "Violets of March" for the second time. These are five star stories

The Violets of March
The Bungalow
Balckberry Winter

Girly girls

"Cinderella Ate my Daughter" by Peggy Orenstein is a must read for any parent of a girl! This witty, hilarious and thought provoking book addresses the challenges in raising a girl in today's materialistic, technology driven society. From the history of how pink became associated with girls, to explaining how toys are marketed to girls and how the Disney Princess marketing machine came to be,this book covers many aspects of girl culture in an entertaining and engaging format. It forces the reader to question their own values and beliefs surrounding girl world.

From a dog's POV

"The Art of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein is worth reading ASAP. What makes this book truly unique is its narrator, Enzo the dog. You'll laugh,you'll cry, you will remember this book long after it is finished. I stayed up half the night to finish the story.

Have you played today?

Wow. I have to say that this book will blow you away. Thanks to my friend who recommended it to me. Play by Stuart Brown is one of those life changing reads that truly changes the way you view the world.

Brown has dedicated his life to the study and promotion of play. He teaches us that play is a fundamental and crucial part of human and animal life for both children and adults. We learn that play is the root of humanity and that it affects our brains in unimaginable ways.

What I really took away from this book is that as adults, we must remember to include play in our lives, whether it is in the form of a hobby, sport or as Brown says, to literally stop and smell the roses on a walk. The section on relationships really struck a chord as well. Brown says that couples who do not take the time to play together will have a tough time keeping their relationship afloat. In our careers, play can stimulate creativity and problem solving skills as well as bond us to our coworkers. I was reminded of a time at one of my schools when we spent half the staff meeting playing a game of pick up floor hockey just to let off some steam. Why don't we do that kind of thing more often?

Brown encourages us to do a play history and take time to think about what  type of play we enjoyed as children. This can help us to rediscover the kids of grown up activities that may bring back the joy in our lives. 

"When enough people raise play to the status it deserves in our lives, we will find the world a better place." (218).
Do yourself a favour and read this book! It will change your outlook.

Mermaids are the new vampires

Look out vampires, wizards and rich gorgeous dominants, there is a new hot ticket in town. Sarah Porter's Lost Voices is the first book in the mermaid trilogy series of the same name. Published in 2011, I am sure that this story will be hitting the big screen sometime in the future and will become as popular as other teen reads such as The Hunger Games.

Set mostly in Alaska, this mesmerizing tale introduces us to Luce, the heroine of the story. She is lonely and living with an abusive relative (I am not going to give any parts of the story away that are not included in the book jacket summary, don't worry!).  At the peak of a terrible night, she is magically transformed and begins a new life in the sea.

This book is part Lord of the Flies, part Harry Potter and part Mean Girls.  It includes lots of beautifully descriptive language that brings the world of mermaids to life in a most original way. You really want to hear the mermaids singing and see their shimmering tails! This book has many strong female characters, with a dash of teen angst and girl problems mixed in to remind us all of the awkwardness of being a teenage girl.

I highly recommend this read to anyone who is looking for a bit of an escape from reality. It is the perfect get away. I am now off to reserve the second book in the series at my local library!

Having it all?

I got the book "Having it all and making it work" in the hopes that it would contain some type of golden wisdom that would solve all of my work vs stay home with the kids internal
 battles. Sadly, there is of course no holy grail that will tell me exactly how I can really have it all and make it work, but this was a quick flip through read that provided some insightful ideas.

The most useful part of Mills et al's writing for me was the idea that everything comes with a price, including achieving balance in one's life. We have to get balanced by understanding what we are willing to let go of in our lives so that we can make room for what we want most of. Mills encourages the reader to make a list of the top few things that we want in life and a list of things we can let go of. 

Is it possible to keep friends, exercise and family and work on one list? 

He encourages readers to make good choices about the career they choose and see if it fits with family life. He says that we must create balance, it is not going to magically appear on its own. 

I will leave you with a few gems from the book:
Having it all does not mean getting everything you can imagine. It means having a lot of what is important to us. 

We can't possibly be superstars in everything. We are who we are. And we need to be satisfied with that.We must choose to balance those aspects that define who we are -to find and balance the unique combination of wants and needs that is authentically ourselves. We must accept that what we want may not be the same as anyone else, and that is absolutely fine. 
. 

Syrupy Sweet review number 2

I finished reading Ron Clark's latest book "End of Molasses Classes" this week. I have previously read (and actually own) his other books "55 Essentials" and "Excellent 11". Part teacher, part administrator, part motivational speaker, Ron Clark is an American legend in the world of education. His latest book is aimed at both parents and teachers and is about the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia. I found this to be an easy and very inspiring read.

As with his previous books, there are many suggestions offered by Clark that are fabulous and groundbreaking, but he also has ideas that are not very realistic. He is the founder and principal of his own school and can therefore set his own rules. I am not sure that I could choose a student from my class each year and give them a complete bedroom makeover with the help of community members... (maybe I could but it also seems to cross some lines and boundaries to me). He also writes of the necessity of opening your house to students and having them over for dinner (with other staff members of course) and of visiting students at their homes. If a student is struggling, Mr. Clark will go and have dinner at that kid's house and tutor them one on one. Who has the time or energy for that?

To foster a love of reading, Clark recounts reading a mystery novel to his class who were disengaged. He decided to inspire them by inviting students to come to the school at night where he had a donated limo waiting to whisk them away to a friend's mansion where he had set up a whole ' who done it' murder mystery night. That sounds like an amazing time for those kids, but again, the time and field trip paperwork involved in something like that just to get kids into a novel study is a bit much. I inspired my kids this year by bringing in a guest speaker and a live owl. I still had to to paperwork for that! Perhaps I have a bad attitude saying that this is unrealistic, I can feel Ron Clark frowning at me and saying that anything is possible if you put your mind to it!

On to the wonderful parts of this book. Clark has included a "Role of the Parent in the Success of the Child" chapter in this book. This part of the book is gold! I am tempted to copy large chunks of his tips to give to parents on conference nights or throughout the year. (I will email him if I do decide this to get his written permission). In this golden section, Clark gives sage orders such as 'don't be a helicopter parent'. One of the best pieces of advice that I think all parents would benefit from hearing is " Realize that even very good children will sometimes lie." Clark explains to parents that they need to trust the teacher and not always their child. I'm sure every teacher has been the victim of an angry parent who has listened to a half truth at home and is eager to pounce on and blame the teacher for a problem that their child has lied to them about.  He writes " Listen, teachers have no reason to lie. They are not at risk of being punished. We are telling you about a problem in order to help you and because you need to know what your child has done. Unless you have a concrete reason to think otherwise, believe us and then please handle it at home." (148). "Trust your child's teacher. They are with them every day and they have no reason to lie." (150). GOLD!

More gold from the chapters that are more for teachers in point form:

• The importance of checking out what other people are doing in their classrooms "If we are never learning from one another, then we are performing in a bubble and denying ourselves the opportunity for growth." (184).

• The pointlessness of stressing over test scores and "sending students the message that the purpose of learning is to take a test". Ron believes that students should be learning because it is a joy! " Saying that the students are preparing for a test takes the entire heart and soul out of the school. It cheapens our system and belittles our teachers and students. (195). 
• One of the best parts of the book is under the heading " Not every child deserves a cookie." Clark echoes from his 55 Essentials when he explains that if he is rewarding students for good behaviour or anything else, he only gives the treat or reward to the students who actually deserve it. He says to parents who scoff and say that it damages their child's self-esteem to not receive the treat that others get:

Has it really gotten to the point that we are so concerned

with our child's self esteem that we aren't realistic with them

about their performance and abilities? If we give a cookie when

it is not deserved, then we are telling our young people that they 

do not need to work hard to get rewards. We are sending the  message

that the cookie will always come. That is why we have so many young 

people in their twenties who have no idea what it means to work hard. And

that is why they are still looking to their parents to provide support

(And to give them the cookie).

( 10).

I could go on and on about the gems in this book but I am getting tired of typing! Pick this one up at your library or buy it, you won't regret it. You will be inspired, your practices will be affirmed, and you can always smile at some of the more outlandish suggestions.

 

Here is my first book of the "year", it is from the apparently bestselling series of "Chicken Soup" books. A bit of a cheesy read, but I was looking for some inspiration and confirmation that I had made the right choice by giving up my teaching job for the coming year. What I enjoy about the books in this collection is that each story is a very quick read and at most five pages. This allowed me to quickly pick up the book if I happened to have a quiet moment between making oatmeal or changing a diaper or fulfilling some other request, to enjoy a short story.

I enjoyed most of the stories in this collection. The one section that I skipped were the stories about "mom preneurs" starting their own companies as this just didn't speak to me. It was great to read about other mom's daily struggles and triumphs and it was just the type of fluffy uplifting read I was seeking. The story by Britney Spears' mom Lynne was not all about Britney as I had hoped, but rather about her brother's asthma.  Author Jodi Piccolt's contribution was inspiring as she told of writing novels while juggling three kids and having them compare her to their former nanny!

All in all I would recommend this book as an easy and sometimes inspiring read. It would make a nice gift to someone who has just decided to stay home and give up their career, however temporarily for the joy of being with their kids.  

On another note, it is fascinating that this chicken soup collection has done so well. Among their titles are chicken soup for golfers, dog lovers, students etc. Wish I'd thought of that idea!!!

Welcome to my new blog! My goal in the writing of this blog is to keep track of that books that I will read during my upcoming year off! I aim to read all sorts of books (as the blog title suggests) and I hope to expand my horizons. I have tried in the past to keep a list of the books that I read just for fun, but I tended to stop after a while. I am hoping a blog will allow me to keep a visual record of the books that I will read as well as give me a chance to recommend or diss books! Stay tuned!