Living My MoMent has invited me to participate in their new blogger review program by doing a review of Sharon Silver‘s book “Stop Reacting and Start Responding ™”
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The invitation to participate in this blogger review program was such a blessing to me. It came at a time when I had begun to notice I was and “angry” mom almost all the time and I so very much needed a new approach to handling my kids. I felt terrible when the deadline passed by and I had not been able to finish the book. Entirely due to unexpected circumstances here, I had been floundering with taking care of a teething baby and the other three Chaos Makers while hubby worked nights, days and everything in between.
This week, I was able to make finishing Mrs. Silver’s book a priority! It really was a quick read and towards the end I couldn’t put it down. The simple two page chapters with simple tips made it easy to gain the confidence I needed to start taking steps to bring our family back to a happier place.
What I loved about the book:
- Easy read, short chapters (for the frequently interrupted) and it’s not in psychobabble-speak.
- Most of the tips are easily implemented IMMEDIATELY. You don’t have to stop and make charts and have family meetings, just start doing something different right then.
- Many of her concepts are “duh” moments. There were so many times I went “Duh, I should know that” or “Duh, that makes COMPLETE sense!”
- Immediate results. That’s the best part right? I’ll explain this one more in a minute.
What I didn’t love about the book:
- Not really the books fault but Hubby wasn’t very receptive to it. Some of the ideas I tried to share with him, he felt were a bit “mamby pamby”. I think he’s just on edge like I am. He’s supporting me but is reserving his final opinion for later because he thinks the techniques she is teaching are babying the children.
- That was it, everything else I loved!
Ok, the results part that I promised to explain. This is one of the points where hubby thought Mrs. Silver got to “mamby pamby”. I don’t want to give away what in her book but she has a specific ‘verbiage’ that she recommends using when your children lie. I have one diva in particular who loves to tell “stories” even when she isn’t in trouble. She NEVER tells the truth. Well, until now. Now, I get at least MOST of the truth, with a few side embellishments. We don’t fight over the definition of “honesty” or “truth” anymore. Stop Reacting and Start Responding put calling my kids a “liar” into a whole new light, and while Mr. B may not agree with what the book suggested he can NOT argue with results. The fact is, he hasn’t caught Doodlebug lying all week.
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! I moved the pdf file to my Kindle for easy reference and recommend it to anyone who feels they are running in circles with their kids.
****I am a participant in a Living My MoMent campaign for Proactive
Parenting™ and have received the e-book Stop Reacting and Start
Responding™ by Sharon Silver as part of my participation.****
