Wonderful, not just for my kids, but for me, too!
935309
This book isn't just for my kids: its for me. Before the second page, I knew this book would help me with my own struggles. Avoiding social situations? Yup. Nervous at big events? Yes. Sure, this book is meant for parents to help their children, but the advice in this book is so real and practical that everyone benefits.

The package presented here comes in nicely organized phases: first the reassurance that you can do this, then the signs of what to look for, then the different specific anxieties, and then the help that is available. After that, the heart-to-heart advice that actually works. As a parent having felt many of the issues my children go through, I can personally attest the advice in this book works.

This book uses logical steps and coaching, along with pictures and review bullets to re-enforce the core concepts. Later in the book, specific situations are discussed where the earlier training is applied to that situation. Without going into personal detail about my children, I can say that the steps are proven by my other research, as well as real life implementation. This specific book makes it easy to read, easy to find, and easy to apply.

Thanks to Harmony and Crown for making this book available to me electronically for review. Thanks to this book, I have been reassured, instructed, and improved, both in myself and my family.
960795
I am very choosy about what my children (ages 9 and 2) watch on the television.  We don't subscribe to cable or satellite tv for that very reason.  However, this particular type of video programming is totally awesome!  These stories follow the books exactly as they are written, and my children know these stories word for word, so they would know if any artistic liberties had been taken.  After watching these videos, my children are inspired to act them out or read the story books again and again.  I find that very rewarding because, unlike other types of media, what they are acting out is wholesome and pure, child-appropriate behavior.  Also, there are quite a few stories on each dvd, so you're getting a good value.
3424583
This is so cool. My kids were excited about their new journals, but went absolutely CRAZY with joy when I sat down with MINE and began to color and read my books. Seeing Mommy doing it, too, emphasizes the value to them of what we are doing. I could go on all day about how much I love it and what's in it, but other reviewers covered that quite thoroughly. So instead I'll just share that this is a GIFT (not just for Mama, although you'll love yours, I promise!) to your CHILDREN. Seeing Mommy learn alongside of them and invest her time, too, shows them that learning, creativity, reading, and time spent learning things that interest you are all worthy pursuits that are not age specific. This is priceless!
1545708
A life saver that my grandkids love--thank you!
1983949
I'm really enjoying this cookbook. Just rediscovered it on my shelves, and I'm making a few things for my 2 year olds each week. The recipes are easy (some have very few ingredients, others have more), and the flavors are complex enough for me, but pleasing to my kids, too. Some of the reviewers complain that certain recipes are too obvious, but I get brain freeze when trying to plan out the week's meals. I go back to the familiar favorites, which bothers me, because I don't really want my kids eating PB&J and pizza a gazillion times per week. This book reminds me of simple go-to ideas that really round out the menu in a healthy, wholesome way. Also, I'm not terribly confident in my technique to, say, make a good marinade for fish, or throw together a paella. These may be simple things, but I like following instructions, so I appreciate that these dishes are covered. "Make 'dis one!" my son today, when he started flipping through the book's pictures.
276941
I'm a mom of 3 and this is a great DVD to have.  I don't have the time I want to sit and teach my kids what is and isn't important.  Im too busy working to keep clothes on their back.  This DVD has been a lifesaver.  Usually I roll my eyes at all the sappy kids stuff out there like Barney but this one is really great.  I can sit and watch it with them for hours.  Very family oriented, great morals and values being taught.  And the kids love it!
1435106
I loved this book, even though my kids are now 10 and 13. Although it uses new parenting as a base, the topics are not only for this group. I loved the way it is about everyday topics yet incorporates theology. The two authors, who take turns chapter by chapter, mesh well while still retaining their distinct voices.
1408953
Entertaining start to finish. Worth every penny for me and the kids!
3015848
This book is great - not just for kids, but adults too, who find that life is just too much at times.  Does your child hate tags on clothing, anything with long sleeves, even in winter, anything tight that's not thin and soft?  Hates too bright lights (mushroom cave preferred), or any loud sound that isn't theirs?

I have an 18 yr old with Asperger's, and I wish I had this book years and years ago.  Then I might have "gotten" what upset her.  Why she wants quiet at all times.  Why she goes ballistic if the pets/her sister start running around the house, thumping.  Why she removes all tags, wants only certain clothes, and has a brown room (brown sheets, blankets, and dark posters/pictures).  I found an old black metal sign with a bat on it, and she loved it.

This book helps you to understand the child's needs, and why they seem so outrageous at times to you.  And you may find yourself in the book - I did, and realized my reactions to things fit as well.

Great resource for any parent with out-of-sync children, autistic/Asperger's, or those who are just not fitting into the skin of the world.
2993600
And I've read them all!  I have three boys; age 6, 4 1/2 and 13 months.  I could never let any of them cry it out and I spent many hours worrying over whether or not I was "ruining" them by not "making them learn to sleep on their own".
This book is one of the very few (Dr. Sears books are the other ones) that helped me to feel validated in my longing to just be a mom 24 hours a day/7 days a week, not just when it was convenient for me or "time" to be.  The fact that Mrs. Pantley has done some work with Dr. Sears helped me to know that "the no-cry sleep solution" book was going to be one filled with loving, gentle advice.  And, boy was it ever!  I really can't recommend it highly enough!

I AM a little tired, and my 13 month old is not the best sleeper, so I am trying some of the solutions in this book.  I am glad, however, that I am not feeling the pressure to let my baby cry it out that I felt when I read several other books on the subject.  Not many of them applaud the philosophies of co-sleeping or nursing long term.  I know in my heart that co-sleeping and nursing is not a "bad habit" but society dumps that pressure on moms not to do it.  This book is very encouraging for moms who DO nurse during the night and let their babies sleep with them.  What a breath of fresh air!
This is the only book I have read so far that offers useful but gentle advice and gives the parent "permission" to not let their child cry it out all night.
Not only books I have read, but grandparents, other Christian friends, even my pediatrician's office staff, all seem to give me the "guilts" when I admit I am not physically able to let my kids cry it out.  It literally makes me sick to my stomach.  And I know that "this too shall pass" and I will miss those magical middle of the night hours when I can just breathe in his baby smells and watch him nurse in his sleep.  This book also helped me to put that into perspective.

I especially loved the comparison to Mrs. Pantley's sweet son and the other baby at the ballpark.  I will treasure that anecdote always because it puts into words so eloquently what I have felt in my heart when I see a "well-behaved" baby who's parents are practicing "detachment parenting" and I feel compelled to compare how our children act.
I will be reading all of Elizabeth Pantley's books to help me be a better mommy to my precious children.
1078100
We read once chapter a night, on repeat. I loved the stories and my kids can now quote some of the words, and they still look forward to hearing it. At 2,4 and 7, the older two have began implementing the lessons learned. I recommend this to any parent!
71147
Got this for my 3 kids: 7, 4 and 3. They love it, of course! (What kid wouldn't?) We had the toddler one by Little Tykes, but they had outgrown it so we upgraded to this one. It's quite a bit more, but worth it! Here's what we've found:

Good things:
1) It's awesome.
2) Makes the neighbor kids jealous (I'm assuming)
3) Comes with it's own blower with a long extension cord, so you can turn it different ways
4) Comes with a convenient bag for storage.
5) The way our house is situated, we can set it up inside or out
6) Seems very sturdy so far. The kids have used it several times (and not gently!) and it's in mint condition still
7) Blows up and deflates really fast
8) Plenty of room for 3 kids, maybe a few more
9) Keeps them busy and happy

Not so great:
1) It would be nice if it had a cover to provide some shade
2) Not suited well for adults or large groups of children. If you're having a birthday party or have older kids (8+) you might need something bigger
3) It's noisy, but not more so than any other jumpy
4) It is possible for one person to set up, but much easier with two
5) It goes down completely flat, but I will never get it to that perfect factory fold. Does take quite a bit of room to store, even folded.

Bottom Line:
Endless fun and totally worth the price. Unlike a play structure, it can be put away and out of sight, and when you bring it out it's always exciting! Great way to make any day special or have your kids get out that energy. If you have younger kids 6 or under, it might work for a party, but a party of 8+ might need something bigger. Otherwise, it's great for home use or a few friends over. I think we have years of fun ahead and have totally gotten our money's worth, but when my kids outgrow it, I plan to sell it used and even some back. WIN!
2084595
This is an excellent, biblically based resource for parenting. I love that it's not a one-size-fits all deal, but that she takes into account that we all have a different way of parenting, and that it will look different with each child. And many other mom voices are included, so you get to experience it through the eyes of the author, as well as her Mean Mom Team. The topics are so relevant, from today's technology based society (and even has some great tips for parents on keeping that technology at bay for themselves!), to the overly busy lives we lead. It's for parents with all ages, not just those with littles, but even the middles and the bigs!
912139
How much do I love this CD?  A lot!!!  It's children's music that I actually enjoy.  With clever lyrics and infectious refrains, it's musically diverse and so much fun.  Every time my three little boys and I listen to Lizza's "Commander Salamander" album in the car or at home...it's a party!!!  I love knowing that my little men are learning (stay safe rules, healthy eating, and self care) while they're listening and being inspired too.  My eleven month old bounces up and down and says "Bye-Bye, Bye-Bye" whenever he hears the chorus of "Hello, Bubbles".  My two year old says, every time he hears it, that "Safe-Ti Song" is "his song".  And my four year old, after hearing the cello solo for the first time in "Sleepytime", asked to hear it again (and again and again) and then said, "Mommy, I want seven of those!"  Thank you so much to Lizza for inspiring early childhood musical appreciation.
2670758
Let me start by saying I've become thrifty since I had children.  Given that I don't work outside the home as much as I once did, I've been getting my books from the library at least as much as I've been buying them, but this is a book I have to own!

Jim Trelease is "preaching to the choir" with me, as we read to our children before they were even born, and then continued since the day they were born.  My husband and I are both big readers, and we enjoy reading to our children every day.  I initially got this book (from the library) to look at the list of suggested titles to read aloud.  I wanted suggestions that would make sense for my children and their respective ages/abilities, including titles I might not otherwise come across....I thought I'd skim quickly through the front half of the book (the research which is meant to inspire parents to read to their children) since I was already motivated to do so.  I wanted to get to the list of titles.  But I found myself stopping to read the research with excitement and added motivation.

I picked up tips about the types of books to choose, the fact that we can read (and should read) aloud to our kids until they are teens (my sister whose children are 9 and 12 had mistakenly been thinking that she shouldn't read to them much anymore in order to force them to do most of it themselves....she was thrilled to hear that she should continue to read aloud to them and went immediately to the library to get some books), the ways to present even more opportunities to our children to read, etc.  For example, this morning I read a section in The Read Aloud Handbook about how to get a 12 year old to sit still for a reading, and the author suggested reading to the child while the child is washing the dishes. The book shows a photo of the author doing this with his own son when the son was 12 (the son is now ~40). The author goes on to say that when he suggests this to parents, he gets some funny looks, and he points out to them that if there is a 12 year old in the house who doesn't have to do the dishes, then that child has a higher IQ than the parent  ! :-)

This morning, my husband read a little to my son, who is 5 1/2, while he was eating breakfast, and when I wanted to motivate my son to come brush his teeth before school, I lured him with the book. I got no complaints about coming (which I usually do), and between my husband and I, we knocked off a chapter in the book!

There are so many little tips in the book, and the book is an incredible source for suggestions of books to read aloud.  The author has a website which includes many of these book recommendations, I think, and even updated ones since the book went to print in 2006.

Yes, I got this book out of the library, but thrifty as I am, I am going to have to buy a copy of this book as it has so much information for the many years to come that I know I'll want to reference it again and again as I choose books to read to my children.
145050
This is a wonderful parenting book that has really helped the way I think about my interactions with my kids. A lot of parenting books make me feel depressed, giving me "parental guilt", but this one really has new ideas, helping you look at your own thoughts and reactions to a struggle and make the changes within. (I especially liked that she used Byron Katie's work as a way to really do "the work" around struggles, I have been looking for just this about parenting and was not able to find it before.) These are the changes that can really work. I feel like this is a book I can read again and again as a reminder, and that's why I bought it after I had read a borrowed copy.  I knew I'd be referring back to it all the way through the teen years. And underlining important ideas!
2527073
Both my husband and I, growing up in separate regions of the country during the 70s, enjoyed Davey and Goliath as kids.  Imitations of Goliath's voice were just part of the pop culture lingo we shared -- "Hey,  Da-a-y-v-ey."  Now our daughters can enjoy this, and what a blessing  the DVD has been for busy parents.  After supper, pop in the DVD to occupy  our toddler and give us time to clean up.  The great things are 1) they're  only 15 minutes long and 2) they teach great lessons.  Chloe speaks about  the mistakes or events Davey is involved with frequently.  I hope there  will be more DVDs out soon.  We love them!