Look who comes-up when you google Tips for Young Mothers and Elder Ballard…. 🙂 That’d be me, thanks for asking. 🙂 Although, last time I checked I was on page #2. 🙂
Anyway, today’s tip is to read good books. This tip actually spawns a lot off of the time from yesterday, as the good books I find are often tips from friends to read them. Here’s some of my favorites. I try and read one “self-help” type book a month and since most of the help I need revolves around parenting, you be the judge.
How to Live with your Kids and Like Them by Clyde Boyle. My friend Lara recommended this one to me (BTW, Lara had a lot of courage and entered the hall of fame scrapbook thing this year, and while she didn’t win I hope she knows she’s one of my VERY best friends and I am very lucky to have her in my life). LOVE this book (and apparently you can get it for 79 cents on Amazon.com). It does come from an LDS author, but it doesn’t seem strongly slanted in my opinion. Now, if you’re a kind of “let it be — kids will be kids” type mom, you might not love this book. He’s pretty firm, but I enjoy that type of thing. It has tips for all ages, from toddler-hood to teenage years. This one will probably be close at hand for a while.
Siblings without Rivalry. My friend Amy (who just had baby girl #5 – go Amy!) recommended this one to me. Ok, I am having a harder time implementing some of the things in this book. I’m really TRYING to get my kids to reason things out, but it’s not really working thus far. I re-read it just recently and I’m trying more. This type of of approach takes time and interest, and I need to devote more to it. Again, a MUST read, for moms with more then 1 child.
Toilet Training in Less Than a Day This one was recommended by my friend Miranda (whom I also adore). I’d had a pretty LONG toilet training process with Conner and I had LONG said that I would have preferred to re-birth him then to potty train him (and frankly, I still would — I mean, at least my husband would come to that — with potty training they give you a thumbs up and run out the door as fast as they can in the AM). However, I did this one with Spencer and it really helped. You can read my trials in my potty blog entries here.
Late add: The Ready-to-Read, Ready-to-Count Handbook Some of you have wondered how I got Spencer started reading so early, and while I think a great deal of it has to do with the time I spend with him, this is the book I used (this time, last time I used another book — with Conner). Anyway, I mostly liked how they have tiny stories after each lesson that the kids are able to read. They grow their confidence that way, and they are also making it fun by giving you ideas for activities. Good book.
Other books I love? Babywise (judge not, but it worked for me really worked for us, although I wasn’t quite the nazi he is), Helping Parents Practice (another goodie from Lara — it’s about piano practice, but there are a LOT of good tips for homework, and just helping your child improve in any area), and obviously for me The Book of Mormon is an invaluable tool as well as the Bible. I am SO thankful that they included insights into their family life. Knowing that Lehi had children who fought has meant a great deal to me. I appreciate that. Same with the stories of Cane and Able. All families have problems. It’s been that way forever. Doesn’t mean it’s not our job to try and stop them though, and I feel like reading up is at least something I can do to help.
Unlike Aphids, I’ve read EVERYTHING about how to get rid of them organically, and now I think I’m gonna go get the aphid killer this afternoon. Stupid bugs.
Bryce's Ramblings says
I’ll give you an amen on Babywise. We’re now two for two. Baby girl is sleeping through the night. At five weeks she was already doing six to seven hours, and now at almost two months she’s doing seven and a half. And she cries seldom if at all. So either the wife and I have very good genes or Babywise is awesome. Although now that I think of it, you and I are related, so maybe there’s a Babywise/Moore centered gene that works with the method to produce great results.
Oh yeah–and my son is now reading. So now he can beat up your son and read while doing it. So there.
queendeni says
I have many stories about Bro Boyle and now his sons who are in the same field and they teach truth. The problem usually lies in the parents who are unwilling to do the hard things. That is why so many parents who choose not to practice those methods have a problem with it. It is really the Lord’s way that is being taught here. It is simply awesome! So glad you like it Hilary, in the end blessings come from that type of parenting. Love ya.
Bringhurst Family says
Babywise fan here too. And everyone I know that’s read it and taken it seriously has had good results with it too.
Lara says
Loved BAbywise and the potty trainig one. Although, even though i tried it with Bria it was more like potty training in less than 6 months with her, because for some reason she was ultra stubborn about using the toilet.
I’ll need to look into Siblings without Rivalry.
And thanks for the love. 🙂 I needed some warm fuzzies.
Rachelle says
I’m not a big babywise fan myself, I more enjoyed the Baby Whisperer and Baby Whisperer for Toddlers. Also, this time, the No-Cry Sleep Solution has really helped for me. Babywise helped for my 1st one, but not my others. Siblings W/O Rivalryis GREAT, and it’s the sequel to How to Listen so Kids Will Talk and Talk so Kids Will Listen. Those really helped me. I couldn’t agree with you more, on the encouragement I get from knowing even Lehi’s family had issues, not to mention Alma’s and Moroni’s. Plus, I LOVED Elder Ballard talking about taking time for yourself–will that be one of your hints? 🙂