Tag: nonfiction parenting

Secrets to Parenting Without Giving a F^ck by Sue Donnellan Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

One parent shares the experiences and tricks they learned to help end difficult situations with their child without “fixing” a child’s behavior in the book “Secrets to Parenting Without Giving a F^ck” by Sue Donnellan.

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The Synopsis

Are you tired of yelling, punishing, and reminding, yet experiencing no change in your child’s behavior? 

What if you could learn the transformative mindset that allows parents to get results without “fixing” their child’s bad behavior? 

In Secrets to Parenting Without Giving a F^ck, Sue Donnellan, parent mentor, author, mom of four (including triplets), and entrepreneur shares 20+ years of experience cultivating the effective thought process for successful parenting. She delivers a proven playbook for turning misbehaving kids into happy, respectful, well-adjusted young adults. 

  • End tantrums by learning how to respond to them
  • Eliminate back-talk by knowing how to avoid provoking it
  • Minimize lying with trust-creating strategies
  • Neutralize sibling fights using one simple method
  • Establish curfews and boundaries both you and your child are happy with
  • Increase your ability to prevent bad behavior, before it even starts
  • Directly influence your child’s great decision-making capabilities 
  • Nurture a strengthened relationship so deep it provides a lifetime of your kids wanting to share everything with you

Secrets to Parenting Without Giving a F^ck is the definitive book on parenting. Written as a no-nonsense action plan, this book covers ages 2-20 and all the necessary subjects in between, using humor and wisdom.

The Review

What a compelling and engaging book! The author’s connection with readers early in the book is the perfect way to draw the reader in naturally. The author struck just the right balance between educational and entertaining with this book’s material, not only giving parents guidance on working with their children in a healthy way on behavior but also infusing humor and wit into the writing style itself.

The main draw of this book is the insight into parenting this author brings to the table. The guidance appears simply put, yet holds the complexities that parents often overlook when struggling to find that balance with their children. Not only does the book give details on how to form a working partnership with their child and learn to teach them how to put decision-making skills into practice, but the book also highlights the need for parents to develop mantras and learn to let go of guilt altogether, giving readers a depth and valuable hook to draw parents into the book more and more.

The Verdict

Memorable, heartfelt, and engaging author Sue Donnellan’s “Secrets to Parenting Without Giving a Fck” is a must-read nonfiction book on parenting that all parents will want to grab for themselves. The reader’s connection to the author herself and the close examination of what drives a child’s behavior and what works to help curb any negative emotions will have readers returning to read this book time and time again. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Sue Donnellan is an entrepreneur, wife, mother of four (including surprise triplets), and International #1 Best Selling author. As a one-time reluctant parent and reformed yeller, Sue understands the sheer stress that is parenting! Sue has been advising parents, transforming households, and reducing overwhelm for over 20 years with her results-based, no-nonsense method of raising kids.

Respected in the field of parenting, relationship building, and accountable communication, Sue developed her trademark program while in the trenches. In the last 25 years, Sue has built and run three of her own full-time businesses, supported her military husband as he deployed five times, and managed a family of six.

With wisdom and humor, Sue teaches a transformative mindset that gives parents the skills to get positive shifts in behavior, while creating a relationship of lifelong trust and respect with their kids. She has captured her unique methods in her 1st book, Secrets to Parenting Without Giving a F^ck, where she tells you how she did it, and how you can, too!

In her ‘free’ time, Sue is also a mom to two dogs. She has discovered a cure for hiccups, created a family recipe for sleep dust, loves the ethereal and timeless singer Sade, appreciates great comedy, and is passionate about living healthy.

Ask Mom Parenting

Shattered: Inspired by True Events by Jenell M.  Jones, M.ED. Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Author Jenell M. Jones, M.ED. shares with readers the painful journey of fighting to get the proper care for her adoptive daughter in the book “Shattered: Inspired by True Events”.

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The Synopsis

With the trajectory of today’s society, we can all agree that parenting is difficult. Choosing to foster and adopt proves to not be an easy feat. Parents are in constant competition with societal influences and sometimes feel it’s an uphill battle. These same parents are often told they will be supported in the rearing of their children and that adequate resources would be made available. But what happens when you discover the system that promised to help you, would betray you? What happens when you decide to enter into another realm of difficulty – fostering and adopting children who come with mental and physical baggage? Meet Jenell Jones, an adoptive mother who is still trying to find the answers to these questions. In these pages, you will see through a mother’s eyes as she shares her deepest pain for her daughter, “Mercy.” In the end, justice is necessary and peace is questionable.

Make dad happy with a gift he will wear all year round at Happy Socks

The Review

This is such a heartbreaking and compelling read. The author finds the balance between telling her story, her daughter’s story, and how hospitals and the adoption system work as a whole. The detail and personal experience the author brought to the book allowed the reader to feel the stress and anxiety that this situation created and the shocking process that many parents have to struggle through trying to get their child, adopted or not, the help they need.

The true heart of this story is the emotional connection between the author and her daughter. Mercy’s tragic background and the struggles that the trauma she endured gave the reader a profound insight into the events that contributed to the young woman’s hardships. The heartbreak comes in the author’s personal story, as she does everything she can to get her child the help they need, even in the face of scrutiny from others, and her journey exposes so much of the lack of care and attention that many institutions give to parents who adopt children.

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The Verdict

Author Jenell M. Jones, M.ED.’s “Shattered” is a must-read. It is heartbreaking, engaging, and thought-provoking. The love and care this family has to give to their children, and the tragic circumstances surrounding mental health care and help for adoptive parents and children will keep readers invested in the author’s story. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Jenell Jones is an education entrepreneur, currently operating 2 childcare and early learning centers, which specialize in providing high-quality learning experiences to children who experience trauma in low-income areas. Her education background includes earning a bachelor’s degree from Ottawa University, and a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis on autism. Being a Phoenician, Mrs. Jones has provided her expertise to adopting families for the last decade and currently hosts private discussions with other foster and adoptive parents on current issues affecting the non-traditional home.

In her spare time, Mrs. Jones prides herself on staying active in her church community in Peoria Arizona.  Mrs. Jones enjoys sharing her time, talent, and treasure with all those in need and thoroughly enjoys sharing her experiences as a natural, foster, and adoptive mother through the lens of Christianity. 

Jenell is committed to her family; she adores her 7 children.  Her children are the loves of her life.  Jenell is grateful that God allowed her to be the mother of each of them. She resides in Laveen, Arizona a suburb of Phoenix with her dogs, chickens, and fish. Jenell loves to be outside in nature and the garden. She takes pleasure in watching things grow.  She is an avid traveler, sparing no adventure, and desires to experience the goodness of God in all she does.  

Through her life experiences, passion is the source by which she governs herself to make a difference.  The goal is not to be perfect but to assist others in rising through difficulties. Life does not always go as it is planned, but she believes God will work all things out for the good she knows she just has to stay in God’s purpose. Mrs. Jones’ blueprint of success can be summed up in a few statements: Be tenacious, be kind, be loving, but most of all….be forgiving. 

https://www.jenelljones.com

The First Punch: Scrufty’s Guide to Life by Greg Vrecenak Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Author Greg Vrecenak shares with readers the lessons he learned from his own father as he passes them down to his own child in the book “The First Punch: Scrufty’s Guide to Life”.

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The Synopsis

In “The First Punch,” delve deep into the essence of fatherhood, legacy, and the invaluable teachings life offers. Drawing inspiration from the timeless principles of Stoicism and personal anecdotes from childhood, the narrative transcends generations. It reflects on the lessons passed down from a father and how they have shaped a life, laying the groundwork for the wisdom to be passed on to the next generation.

Journey through the complexities of parenthood, identity, and the pursuit of Stoic ideals in the contemporary world. Each chapter unveils a lesson, a memory, and a stepping stone towards understanding life’s true essence. As a new generation beckons and lessons crystallize, this narrative provides readers a profound insight into life’s continual ebb and flow of teaching and learning.

Whether you’re a parent seeking to impart wisdom to your children, an individual on a journey of self-discovery, or someone keen to understand the Stoic way of life, “The First Punch” serves as a beacon, illuminating the path of purposeful living.

The Review

This was a moving and insightful read. The author found the right balance between personal stories from the author’s life learning from his own father and the engaging lessons themselves, touching upon deep philosophical ideas about life and how to live it. The compassion and understanding that the author’s writing style evokes made this book feel compelling to get lost in.

The thing that really stood out to me was the way the author wrote this equally as an ode to their father and a guide for their own child, as well as the amazing sports themes and references to help illustrate these lessons. One chapter that really helped marry these two ideas together was the story of getting out in front of the ball, showcasing the idea of a sport like baseball illustrating something as complex as facing life’s challenges head-on, and the honest and fast-paced of the author’s personal story blends well into this book.

The Verdict

Gripping, thoughtful, and insightful, author Greg Vrecenak’s “The First Punch” is a must-read nonfiction book of advice, parenting, and ethics that will speak to the reader deeply. Whether it is the sports references that help illustrate the author’s lessons or the thought-provoking lessons themselves that bring some incredible and heartfelt life lessons to the reader’s attention, this is one book that readers will fall in love with and come back to time and time again. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Greg Vrecenak is an English teacher who began his educational career in 2003. His journey commenced at Sheepshead Bay High School in Brooklyn before leading him overseas to the culturally vibrant city of Abu Dhabi. With a passion for pedagogy and a profound love for language, Greg has dedicated himself to enlightening young minds with the beauty of English literature. 

Away from the classroom, Greg finds joy and fulfillment in his personal life. He resides in Abu Dhabi with his loving wife, Zeina, and their playful cats, Marcella and Moon. Greg’s family recently welcomed a new addition, their son William, who has added a new chapter to their exciting journey abroad. 

As a teacher, a father, and an author, Greg is constantly learning and seeking out the narratives that shape our world, carrying the invaluable lessons from his past into his present life and sharing them with future generations. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregory-travis-vrecenak/

My Second Life by Simon Yeats Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

A father must fight to see his son after he is taken to another country in author Simon Yeats’s “My Second Life”.

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The Synopsis

We all have two lives. We only get to experience living in the second after we realize we only have just one.

I have my first real scare in life when I get attacked by a kangaroo when I am seven. My first brush with the cliff-face edge of death comes when I am 12. My dad drives the family down the dangerous Skipper’s Canyon dirt road in New Zealand in a rented minivan.

Including the occasion I am almost involved in two different flight crashes, in the same night, there have been at least a half dozen more occasions when I have been within a moment’s inattention of being killed.

However, none of those frightening incidents compare to what I experienced after my son was abducted.

This memoir is the story of how I used the traumatic experiences of my life to give me strength to forge on during a 13-year fight to be a father to my son.

What did it take for me to get to my second life?

It took me to truly understand what fear is.

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The Review

This was a heartbreaking and emotional read. The book itself is incredibly powerful and well written, as it balances the author’s life journey perfectly, showcasing his own upbringing and experiences with life with his battle to save his son and the years of legal actions he has had to wage. The tension and crippling heartache that the author is able to capture in his writing really convey the urgency and overwhelming nature of the life the author has led to this point.

The heart of the narrative was the relationship between a father and his son. As the author relayed the bond he held with his own father, the emotional importance of his own desire to have that relationship with his own son really balanced out the detailed look into the justice system in other countries around the world, and the horrifying realities of fighting for custody and child support in a system rigged in one direction. 

The Verdict

Heartbreaking, informative, and engaging, author Simon Yeats’s “My Second Life” is a must-read nonfiction book on parenting and the struggles of a father desperate to see his son. The twists and turns in this author’s journey, as well as the shocking moments that will haunt the reader’s minds, made this a compelling narrative you won’t be able to put down. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Simon Yeats started writing as a way to manage his grief and pain. He may be an ordinary writer but his grief and pain are extraordinary.

To contact the author please email mysecondlifeyeats@gmail.com

Navigating the Shock of Parenthood: Warty Truths and Modern Practicalities from a mom with Twins by Kathleen Cawley Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Author Kathleen Cawley takes readers through the experience of parenthood as hundreds of parents share their insights, from finding a community as a parent to cleaning up after your kid and more, and also touches upon the historical sources of the most anxiety-inducing parenting imperatives people face to this day in the book “Navigating the Shock of Parenthood: Warty Truths and Modern Practicalities from a mom with Twins”.

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The Synopsis

Navigating the Shock of Parenthood, pulls together insights from hundreds of experienced parents. It organizes expert advice, and reveals the social and historical sources of some of today’s most anxiety provoking parenting imperatives. It also helps with a range of nitty gritty parenting challenges. Such as, projectile pooping (Real!). Dolphin training for toddlers. (Useful!) Or, how do I find community? What do I do when I find myself channeling the parent I never wanted to emulate?

A little insight and perspective will help you steer a course through the strange new waters of parenthood. With these tools you’ll learn to guide your family boat in a direction of your choosing rather than being swept along by outside forces. Navigating the Shock of Parenthood will help you laugh, build your village, raise your kids with joy, make decisions with insight, and work for the world you want your children to inherit.

If you’re struggling with new parenthood, you will find endless books on breastfeeding or potty training. However, there is almost nothing on the emotional and psychological challenges we face when we transition from adulthood to parenthood. Why are the joys of parenthood so heavily mixed with fear and angst? Where did “concerted cultivation,” come from and do you really need to buy into it? What is “the race to nowhere,” and how is it driving parents and children to anxiety. What has happened to modern American kindergarten, and is it a good thing?

Frankly, most parenting books also leave out many of the really difficult day to day challenges that parents struggle with. How do you to talk with young children about death? How do you manage problem relatives when kids and partners are in the picture? How do you parent a child who seems so different from yourself? How do you negotiate new life roles with your partner when society is pushing you heavily toward old stereotypes.

The challenges of today’s parenthood are real, and the first years are often so hard. We all need some help. Navigating the Shock of Parenthood is loaded with warmth, help, and support for this epic new adventure in your life.

The Review

This was a captivating and engaging read. The author did an incredible job of finding the perfect balance between educational reading material and personal memoir-style storytelling. The honesty and inviting nature of these experiences and stories and how they impact parenting as a whole were thoughtfully presented, and the overwhelming feeling of understanding that went with the guidance these stories brought to life was great to read. 

The sheer volume of information the book brings to light was incredible to behold. The author expertly divides these lessons and experiences into various areas of expertise, from the growing pains that go along with becoming a parent to the historical influences on what is expected of parents in this day and age, and advanced parenting tips that explore some of the common issues that parents will face in the earliest years of their child’s life. The way author hones in on things like how fatherhood has changed in recent years and the importance of having others in your life to become a support system while also acknowledging the importance of finding your own feet as a parent and establishing your own idea of what family looks like to you made this book so valuable to dive into.

The Verdict

Informative, thoughtful, and enlightening, author Kathleen Cawley’s “Navigating the Shock of Parenthood: Warty Truths and Modern Practicalities from a mom with Twins” is a must-read nonfiction read on parenting. The author expertly tackles the misconceptions and experiences that many parents have undergone, and the relatability and honesty with which the author writes will have parents and readers alike glad they picked up this book. If you haven’t yet, grab your copy of this amazing book today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Kathleen Cawley is a physician assistant who practiced pediatric and adult medicine for 18 years. She is the mother of 12-year-old boy-girl twins, and the author of Navigating the Shock of Parenthood: Warty Truths and Modern Practicalities – from a mom with twins. She also writes parenting articles for the Auburn Journal and regularly posts on Medium.

Kathleen married late in life, and having children was a struggle. After surviving five years of fertility treatment, her husband’s battle with aggressive prostate cancer, a post miscarriage stroke, a high-risk twin pregnancy at age 45, and an emergency C-section that veered into dangerous territory, Kathleen and her husband found themselves rather exhausted by new parenthood!

Soon, however, Kathleen began researching the social and cultural changes of the last 200 years with a new perspective. She realized these changes have radically altered the lives of children, and the goals of childhood.

In addition, over her many years of caring for patients, Kathleen was given a glimpse into the painful and difficult parts of people’s private lives. They shared with her their joys and sorrows whether personal, professional, or financial. With these shared intimacies in her heart, Kathleen found herself unable to see families, parents, and parenting without recognizing the reality of the powerful forces buffeting a family’s life.

A few years ago, Kathleen and her family moved from the cool, crowded, chaos of the San Francisco Bay Area to the unrelenting heat of the Sacramento summer sun. Currently, a fulltime at-home-mom and a fulltime writer, Kathleen is working on books about the politics of parenthood, parenting in the elementary school years, the new shape of fatherhood, and other issues.

https://kcawley.medium.com/about

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BLW99V42/ref=x_gr_w_glide_sin?caller=Goodreads&callerLink=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goodreads.com%2Fbook%2Fshow%2F63885673-navigating-the-shock-of-parenthood%3Fac%3D1%26from_search%3Dtrue%26qid%3D6o2BXISqVa%26rank%3D1&tag=x_gr_w_glide_sin-20