Launch day!

I was not planning to post about this, especially after the news I shared last week of my author copies arriving. It just feels kind of awkward, but then I saw that there are already two 5-star reviews on Amazon. I am so tickled pink that I have to share, and the reviews take two totally different perspectives, which I thought was cool.

And yes, today is the official day that the book goes on sale. What book, you ask? Pish. This one, of course!

Here are the kind reviews:

I originally read this book with the intent of hopefully helping my brother to find a good person to share his life with. Not only does this book offer real life, easy to read, quick and applicable tools to follow as you navigate through a relationship, it also serves as a perfect parenting tool. I have two young boys at home. This book has great advice and principles that should be shared with your children BEFORE they near dating age. Why wait until your children are out of the house, or until your child willingly chooses to purchase and read this book on their own. I suggest parents read this and begin teaching these principles to their children. Then when old enough, give the book to your child for them to read on their own. Also, don’t be afraid to give this book to people already in a relationship either. How I wish I could go back in time and share with close friends those “gut” feelings I had about their chosen future spouses. Now that some of my dear friends and family members have divorced, I find myself saying “I didn’t think he/she was right for you in the first place.” Don’t be afraid…give them the book. Let them read and make wise and clear decisions for themselves BEFORE marriage. This is a GREAT book! I highly recommend it!

More advice

They are only little once hug and love on them as much as you can -give them the ability to do life skills on their own -have lots of kids size “real” stuff (pots, pans, utensils, cleaning tools -sleep when the baby… sleeps and ask for help (that’s why people offer, it’s not a sign of weakness and it’s better for you) -don’t stress about a clean house…you have children and they live there too -Mom’s can’t be Wonder Woman, but we can sure try. Ashley, mother of 1

Parenting advice from the “experts”

Don’t make eye contact with a child playing happily. As soon as they see you looking, they are no longer content unless they’re on your lap. Betsy, mother of 3

Nurse while clipping baby’s finger and toe nails. When that stops working, having him or her distracted by a cartoon or funny cats on Youtube works well, too. Betsy, mother of 3

Giving new parents advice

A woman with a newborn is a magnet to older women. They chase new mothers like zombies in a bad horror movie, arms extended, wanting to hold your baby, or more terrifying yet, reswaddle him or her “the proper way.”

One day at Walmart, before I had any children of my own, I was in line behind a mother and her young son, who was playing voraciously with a red circular plastic toy block, which had a little hole through the center. The kid was having a grand time sticking it in his mouth and gumming the heck out of it. It seemed like it could provide hours of entertainment. I inwardly commended his mother for finding such a simple toy to keep him so well occupied on a shopping trip. The old woman in the check-out line next to us, however, said, with great gravity and concern, “He’s putting that whole thing in his mouth.” The boy’s mother simply smiled at the woman, saying and doing nothing else. I was too busy admiring the mom and thinking, “Good for you!” to see the old woman’s reaction to such a flippant response. She was probably shaking her head and muttering to herself, “In my day….”