Adventures in babysitting for grownups!
347603
Family friendly and hilarious! Never a dull moment adventure!
3332295
This book is awesome! It is totally making me re-think how I am raising my kids. I really want my kids to be self-sufficient, amazing adults when they are older. I was going about it the WRONG WAY. I can't put this book down it is so great! Get it! And buy one for your friends too because this is going to be my Christmas gifts to friends this year! SO important for our next generation! Do you want to raise babies or adults? Love this! She is so funny too!
345306
The author has taken an improvement technique for adults and skillfully adapted it to a childs situation. What a great idea! Every kid will identify with the story and the challenges faced by Kate as she makes it through her day at home and elementary school. What parent doesnt want their child to have these simple techniques to deal with the common childhood challenges we all remember.  The illustrations are great too!
4673501
I definitely recommend this book!  It points out many wonderful and exciting opportunities that will come a child's way in life and let's them know they will meet those goals sooner than they know.  It also reminded me as a grandparent to enjoy these special times with my grandchildren because they really do grow up fast.  Hat's off to Tanya Ferguson and Michael Ferguson for a beautifully written and illustrated book&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Someday-Soon/dp/1466374926/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Someday Soon</a>!!
4558980
Asia Citro's collection of screen-free activities for kids is an easy and insightful guide for providing children with quick hands-on entertainment and learning without resorting to media. As a parent, I have enjoyed watching my children play, question, learn, and develop as they have explored different mediums, engaged in sensory play, and created imaginary worlds (fine, I'll admit it, I also enjoy playing and exploring with them as well!).

To paraphrase a bit of wisdom of Bill Watterson, it's a magical world - let's go exploring! Let this book serve as an initial guide for you and your children, I am confident that you will enjoy and appreciate wherever your journeys may take you...
4284843
Quinn Higgins is headed off for three weeks of summer fun with his dad in Oregon. While there, Quinn reunites with Little Dove, his good friend.  He brought his detective set, so he could share it to his friend.  What adventures will they have with it in the woods around his father's house?  Well, you can guess from the title that it involves a quest to discover if Bigfoot is wandering the forest nearby!  (The story's ending will pleasantly surprise you!)

  Quinn is your typical young boy - full of curiosity and energy!  He gets a little scared sometimes, about shadows in the dark.  But he also bends his dad's rules a little when it comes to hiking through the woods with Little Dove and a new friend they met at their little fort.  Quinn has a vivid imagination and sometimes it runs away with him!  Kids will enjoy relating to him.  Quinn and Little Dove love to play outside, go camping, and keep active.  This is a great example for today's kids, who may often spend more time indoors playing video games than running around outside, doing the things kids have done for ages.

  Author Douglas Quinn includes some wonderful vocabulary to introduce to this age group.  When he introduces a concept that might be new to his young audience, he gives an age-appropriate explanation.  For example, Quinn's dad has what he calls a "faux Tiffany" lamp and this is briefly described for the reader who may not be familiar with these terms.

  At 86 pages, this chapter book is the right length for the intended age group, which I would place at perhaps about third to fifth grade, depending on your child's reading level and interests.  With all of the books and toys out there that are specifically geared towards girls, it's nice to see a protagonist who can be a hero for young boys.  As a mom of five, I notice that when I buy items to stash away for gifts, I always end up with plenty of things for the girls, but not enough for my guys!  I have a third-grader who is going to find this title under the Christmas tree this year.

  The book was published through White Heron Press in 2010. ISBN 145388047.  This would make a fun made for television type of movie.  But read the book first, because we all know a well-written book is far better than any movie version could be!
2388993
As parents, we long for our children to be the best they can be but are we hindering them from becoming that by doing things for them and giving things to them constantly?  Why do we try so hard to make their lives easy?  How can they grow up to be strong adults if we are consistently treating them like children rather than helping them find the strengths God has gifted them with to use serving the world which includes their very own family?  If we don't change our ways as parents, giving our children more responsibilities, not rescuing them every time things don't go exactly as hoped, allowing them to determine our family schedules, and manipulating circumstances to insure our children's success just to name a few, we are simply raising a generation who wishes to be served rather than serve nor ever reaches their full potential.  Who is at fault?  In the instance of my own children, I am!

I don't know about you, but I want my children to be productive, responsible citizens with a strong work ethic and think of others first rather than thinking the world revolves around them.  I hope I have been successful but only time will truly tell.  Kay Wills Wyma in Cleaning House:  A Mom's 12-month Experiment to Rid Her Home of Youth Entitlement offers good, practical suggestions to help me (and you if your goals are similar) accomplish my goal.  There were no earth-shattering WOW kind of suggestions.  Just good practical tips and reminders. Mrs. Wyma decided there were twelve essential skills her children needed before leaving home, and she was determined they would have those skills by introducing a new task each month that would help them reach their full potential. While she doesn't consider her job complete after the 12 months passed, she feels that her "experiment" was well worth her time and gained her far more than her children simply knowing how to cook and clean, run errands, get a job,  complete odd jobs around the house, and host a party.  The book isn't at all about her children learning to do things for themselves so that she didn't have to.  She desires to prepare them for adulthood and the real world.  The added benefits of having a more close knit family, confidence, creativity.... perhaps even outweigh the essential skills.

I thoroughly enjoyed Mrs. Wyma's book.  Her humor and wit are evident and makes it an easy and fun read.  I do wish I had the opportunity to employ some of her ideas years ago but perhaps it isn't too late.  After all, my kids are home for the summer!  We might just have to complete the crash course and introduce one task a week!

I did receive this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review and was in no way obligated to leave a positive review.
4968025
Cute little stories that have "just for fun activities" that go along with each story at the end.  A lot of great vocabulary words used!  In a busy world we live in, it's helpful to have creative project ideas given.  I love doing hands-on activities with my kiddos, but don't always have the creative brain available.  Love that this is on the kindle app too so it is available on the go on my phone during long check out lines and during doctor appointment waiting rooms.  My daughter, as with many kids, likes visuals - wish there were more pictures throughout. I was very fortunate to have received this book at a discounted price in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.  Hope this has helped with your decision making :) Happy shopping!
2543848
Fibles was a terrific surprise! Its a dozen super quick (about ten minutes each) bedtime stories and wonderful illustrations for young children. What is wonderful about this collection is the fact that the topics apply to modern families and kids (for example, using iPaws and birds who are tweeting), so they are highly relatable, even to very young children. In addition, each story teaches a good lesson, in an entertaining way.

Each story has a firm, interesting plot that describes familiar, real-life situations that triggers the child to react and apply common sense when considering a solution. Some of the topics include the importance of waking up early, learning responsibility when it comes to doing chores before having fun, and not believing everything you hear.  The characters include adorable, quirky animals like Eriee the Bird, Fraidy the Cat, and my favorite, Wisee the Owl. Nicely done and relaxing for a bedtime read.
958978
adults who reviewed this previously seem to think this was going to be some intricate grown-up folktale collection. its for children! the stories are very accessible, but not simple. they have interesting plots and the stories are different than ones you typically get. we had read many of the Akimbo books and i was happy to give this for a christmas present to my daughter. it is small and fits well into airplane carry-on which helps us enjoy our flights. i cant think of a bad thing to say about this book. if you loved some of his adult fiction, and are expecting the same from this, you would be mistaken, but that is not the books fault.
120403
Larissa Theule provides a wonderful, whimsical, adventure! Great for reading to your kids, or for your kids to read on their own. A wonderful book for adults like me who want to delve into something a bit different from my usual fare.
2841421
This book is an excellent implement for an adult to share with children of all ages or even for older children to work through on their own in the life-long journey towards self-actualization. It's a wonderful, fun-filled book of activities which provides the opportunity for children to begin their discovery of the inner-self and potential by embracing mindfulness, creativity and reflection. It'll always be off the bookshelf!
3600725
Just got this book and it's filled with fun things you can do with seniors. I think many of the ideas can be used with children as well. Not only are there activities, but you learn about the history of the activity. For example, there's one you can do with apples and you get to read about Johnny Appleseed. One of my favorite childhood stories, Winnie the Pooh is in there where you can have biscuits, honey, and tea and learn that this story started because of a real bear. I'm going to purchase another copy as a gift.
2301337
This should really be a children's book. There is some basic advice here that isn't all bad but if you haven't learned it by the time you're 10 then you need serious help. It's appaling that this was a best seller BY ADULTS!!! Its even more amazing that businesses use this book as a discussion group to teach people how to work together. Why can't adults in the workplace just be told to do their job better? Instead we are suppossed to role play and relate to the over-simplified characters in this book so we don't offend anyone. Give me a break!!
4606011
Awesome book! Lots of the places introduced in this book aren't just for babies, teenagers and even adults could also go and have a good time! Highly recommended for parents with little kids or people looking for family-friendly places to hang out.
2589103
Did you or your children ever use a big box for make-belive play when you or they were young?  If you are like me, this was a favorite activity as a child and as a parent.  If so, you will find this book a delightful invitation to return to those magical moments.
Researchers constantly find that reading to children is valuable in a variety of ways, not least of which are instilling a love of reading and improved reading skills. With better parent-child bonding from reading, your child will also be more emotionally secure and able to relate better to others. Intellectual performance will expand as well. Spending time together watching television fails as a substitute.
To help other parents apply this advice, as a parent of four I consulted an expert, our youngest child, and asked her to share with me her favorite books that were read to her as a young child. Webster and Arnold and the Giant Box was one of her picks.
Webster and Arnold are brother mice.  Arnold is the older of the two.  One day they discover a giant abandoned box.  Immediately, they begin imagining it is a cave protecting them from dinosaurs.  Soon, they invent many more games.  The only problem is . . . Arnold wants to hog all the glory.  How will they work it out so they can both have fun?
The book is aimed at about the second grade reader (possibly a little higher), but the story is one that will appeal to children from the age of two on.  The subplot of sibling rivalry brings up a good opportunity for a parent to discuss how such things should be handled.  By reading this book to your older child, your younger one may be in for a much easier time as a result.
The illustrations are particularly charming and attractive, inviting one to be curious about what is going on.  The illustration style evokes that of the Pooh stories.
After you have enjoyed this delightful book, I suggest that you think of more ways that you and your child can turn everyday objects into imaginary vehicles for adventure.  Overcome your adult misconceptions that everything has only one purpose!
Seize the opportunity wherever you find it!
3344584
The projects look like lots of fun for grownups and kids. There are lots of different places and things to do from one's own backyard in all seasons, cities in all seasons,  to the park, the seashore, and deciduous forests.  It shows how to make a telescope and a barometer.  It talks about reptiles, shells, animal tracking and clouds.  Highly recommend.