Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Children's Book

I love this time of year, when all of my favorite publishers release their Fall catalogs and I get a sneak preview at all of the wonderful books that are going to be released over the coming months. Here's a quick list of children's books that are recently published or forthcoming titles by Macmillan Children's Publishing Group:

Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Children’s Book

Anita Silvey

How I Learned Geography
Uri Shulevitz

The Little Dump Truck
Margery Cuyler

Mighty Casey
Matthew Cordell

Machines Go to Work

William Low

Jeremy Draws a Monster

Peter McCarty

The Surrender Tree
Margarita Engle

Into the Wild Nerd Yonder
Julie Halpern

In the Path of Falling Objects

Andrew Smith

The Espressologist

Kristina Springer

One Boy
Laura Vaccaro Seeger

Claudette Colvin
Phillip Hoose

Honk, Honk, Goose!
April Pulley Sayre

While in Chicago...

Even though I'm heading to Chicago without my child in a few weeks, I'm looking forward to the day when he is old enough to handle all-day trips to museums and explore the many sites that the Windy City has to offer.

For those of you who are bringing kids to BlogHer, or who plan on taking them to Chicago someday, here's a list of just some of the things that you will want to make time for:

1. Wrigley Field
   
2. Shedd Aquarium
3. Field Museum of Natural History
   
4. Adler Planetarium & Museum
   
5. Museum of Science & Industry
6. Art Institute
7. Navy Pier
8. Chicago Children's Museum
9. Lincoln Park Zoo
10. John Hancock Observatory

Do you live in Chicago? Have you taken your kids there recently? Let us know what your favorite sights are or better yet, where to find family-friendly restaurants throughout the city.

Wordless Wednesday

From our 4th of July celebration:

DriveHer

So, you know when you tell your kids that they're driving you crazy? I say that often and usually my son knows I'm joking and he'll say the same thing to me when he's in a silly mood. Lately, though, I've been thinking about the whole driving thing and how I'm about to head out on a roadtrip in a few weeks that'll take me over 2,000 miles - without my son. Now, that's crazy!

Even though my BlogHer trip is not (yet) sponsored, it is, sort of. You see, Chevy, the carpool sponsor, will be providing me with a brand-spanking-new Chevy Tahoe Hybrid to drive from my house here in San Diego to the Sheraton in Chicago. They may even be able to provide the 2010 Chevy Equinox if it arrives in time! Either way, I'm taking a much-needed bathroom break in Denver to pick up my dear friend and fellow San Diegan, Sugar Jones!

The last time I drove halfway across the country was when my friend from college convinced me to move to San Diego ten years ago. I had never even stepped foot in California before, but there was a lot of drama going on in my life at the time and I really needed a change of scenery.

I knew nothing about San Diego, other than what I had heard about the perfect weather and beautiful beaches. Is there really anything else you need to know after growing up in Minnesota?!

My friend's sister joined us on the road trip and we had a blast, stopping in Breckenridge, Denver and Albuquerque along the way. We had so many crazy experiences, met a lot of cool people and spent a lot longer on the road that we had originally anticipated.

I love Chicago. I used to drive there with my friends for the weekend during college. We'd check out the museums during the day and hit up the bars at night. I don't know when we ever slept, but I have a feeling BlogHer is going to be pretty much the same. Seriously, we'll all be partying like it's 1999!

Looking Forward

As a single mom, it's hard at times to find others that I am able to confide in when it comes to talking about the butterflies that I experience and nervous excitement that I have before a date or when I meet someone who I’m attracted to. It's not often that it happens so it's during the dry spells that I'm there as a confidante, therapist and friend to others. I’m there for those seeking comfort, looking for someone who can listen and understand what they're going through.

I'm there for my friends who have either given up on love or are still trying to comprehend the relationships - and mistakes - from their past. My entire life has been dedicated to helping and listening to others. I'm a great listener. I don't think there's anyone that knows me that would tell you otherwise. Which is why, at times, I really feel the need to unleash and spill my guts to those who can also understand and who listen to me as I provide way too much information about an escapade that I've encountered or complain about a dry spell that's gone on for far too long.

Often, I spend my time online visiting the sites and blogs of other single parents - both moms and dads - who have encountered the same issues that I have. The Single Parents Connection on Facebook has a growing list of blogs dedicated to single parents. I'm honored to be included among such honest and humorous writers.

Prior to my divorce, I was the mom who worked over 50 hours a week, feeling guilty about not being there for my son, missing out on so much as he grew up and changed in the blink of an eye while I built my career, being the breadwinner and putting all of my energy into my job, not realizing that I was neglecting my husband and child at the same time.

We all make sacrifices for our family and there is always a choice to be made. Seeing the other side of it now, the work-at-home mom who wants to provide for her child, who has so much to offer and supply as a nurturing, sympathetic caregiver who wishes she could turn back time.

There’s also another side to that. I also need and crave that female energy, the bond that has brought women together for centuries, which is maybe one of the main reasons why I’m so looking forward to attending my first BlogHer conference.

I have met so many great and inspiring women in this lifetime. I have been lucky enough to have sat with some brilliant individuals, learning so much as they guide me and help me learn from, not only their mistakes, but teach me to learn from my own.

If you’re attending BlogHer in just a few weeks, drop me a line, let me know what you’re most looking forward to (be honest) and what your concerns are. I know a lot of people are worried that it’ll be like high school again. Cliques and popularity contests is not something I would want to experience again, but I also know that the bonds that have been created by women – either online or meeting in person in the past – are hard to break.

I hope to meet many new friends and have a chance to really listen to what everyone has to say. I do my best work that way.

Summer Vacation

School's out for the summer so last week was spent keeping busy with my son and enjoying the beautiful San Diego weather. Last Monday, we met Sugar Jones and her little sugar cubes and spent the day at Legoland!

The kids had a blast, although there were some rides that we had to skip since the lines were so long. One of the first rides the kids wanted to go on had a sign out front that read:

120 Minute Wait Time

There were people actually walking in to wait in this line and I couldn't believe it. I thought it had to be a joke, but I wasn't about to go stand in line to find out so we never did make it on the Sky Cruiser that day...

During our lunch break, my son studied the map so he could make sure we didn't miss out on the Indiana Jones ride that is his all-time favorite.

I don't recall seeing the sign out front about how long the wait was, but it felt like 45 minutes or so. Definitely worth the wait though. The boys had a blast shooting at the targets inside and Sugar nearly peed her pants when the "falling" building came close to us. She has some great video footage from that day so you'll have to visit her site to check it out.

As seen in Baby Couture

The summer issue of Baby Couture arrived the other day. Tori & Dean along with their adorable tots appear on the cover. An article - and photos - of Scott Baio's family can be found inside, along with many hip and haute fashions for infants and toddlers. Here's just a small sample of the clothing lines found in this Special Anniversary Issue (for kids and adults):

• Agatha Ruiz de la Prada
• Bambino Mio
  
• Kelty
  
• Micro Me
  
• L'ovedbaby
• Cutie and Patootie
• Go Green Lunchbox
• Scout Baby
• Heidi Merrick
• Kate Quinn Organics
• Baby Eggi
• Bonafide Craftworks
• Creative Recreation
• Sand Cassel Kids by Goorin
• Right Bank Babies
• Designer's Touch by Baby Deer
• The Big Citizen
• Girlfriends by Anita G.
• Ports 1961
• Auriella Maternity
• James Perse (creator of my favorite cotton clothing)
• Sanuk (my favorite shoes/sandals)
• Da Lil Guys
• Baby Nay
• Childish
• Lola et Moi

Of course, the cutest clothes in the Tori Spelling article were from her own line of baby clothes, Little Maven, available in department stores and boutiques this fall!

You or your child can upload a photo to the Baby Couture editors for a chance at modeling in an upcoming issue! Head over to their website to register.

Book Review: Handle with Care

I bought Handle with Care several months ago, but for some reason, I got distracted (with other books) and didn't pick it up again until I got on the airplane last week. I brought it with me to my sister's house, thinking I might actually have time to read between hanging out with her and my parents and the three boys (my son and 2 nephews).

I finally was able to start reading it again in the jacuzzi bathtub that my parents finally invited me to use for the first time. They've lived in their place now for over four years and it took my son having a jacuzzi bath for them to offer me the same opportunity, but I digress.

The bulk of the book was read on the plane ride back home. My son is an amazing traveler, closing his eyes just after take off and opening them again two hours later, with enough time for me to complete the last half of this emotionally charged book by Jodi Picoult.



There's many controversial stories inside Picoult's novels, with heart-wrenching stories and endearing characters who are given their own voice in her books.

The many characters in this novel deal with disabilities, divorce, eating disorders, abortion and adoption. Jodi does a fabulous job, once again, covering the many sides to each story, giving every one of the characters a unique voice whom I believe all readers will be able to relate to on some level. She carries out this thought-provoking and heartbreaking story with an ending like no other. Actually, the ending wasn't really surprising to me, since it mimics the ending of another story of Picoult's. I won't say which one, but fans will have to let me know if you agree or disagree if or when you read this one.

Discussion questions for book clubs can be found on the official Jodi Picoult website, along with information, reviews and interviews.

My Sister's Keeper is out in theaters this week. I highly encourage you to read the book if you haven't already. It's one of my favorites.

You know it's bad when you start dipping into your kid's piggy bank

So, I've been on "funemployed" since the beginning of the year and guess what? The fun is starting to run out. That's right. My last unemployment check arrives next month and I'm starting to bite my nails and desperately search the couch for loose change.

Luckily, my ex-husband is digging into his pockets to help us out, starting next month, after all, he's partly responsible for putting us into this financial sinkhole since our divorce nearly bankrupted me. Needless to say, I did make some not-so-smart choices when it came to money so I can't really put the blame on anyone else.

My son and I have been making some big changes this year in the way we spend our time (with less money) so this experience has been a major lesson for the both of us about finances and how our lives can be full and rich without the big balance in our checking account.

Now, if only I can get him to start selling lemonade or something else equally adorable. I read an article last week about a mom and daughter who bought a van and converted it into an ice cream truck. Now that sounds like an awesome part-time job...

Feeling Homesick

I'm visiting my family & friends this week in Minnesota, celebrating many different things, including the wedding of my college friends, my nephew's first birthday and of course, Father's Day.

It's always a whirlwind of a trip whenever we come, trying to cram in as many family visits as possible and squeeze in as many happy hours with friends. One thing I've really been reminded of this time is how precious family truly is

My parents have been keeping an eye on my son while I get some work done (like right now) and my sister and her husband took on an extra child for the night while I enjoyed the wedding and reception of my friends of nearly 15 years.

For those of you who have parents or in-laws close by, be grateful for them, even if there are things they do or say that you might not agree with

I'll miss my family when we get back to our house, but as they say, "Home is where your Mom is" and even though my son is a little homesick now (missing California), my version of being homesick is a little different and I'll miss my family and friends when I return to our place and lives in Southern California

Luckily, my mom and I have discussed having her a bit more involved long-distance, which means she'll be writing on this blog on occasion, offering some grandmotherly advice and providing some great stories about her own childhood and how parenting has changed now that she's a grandmother.

Stay tuned for more...

Father Knows Best

Father's Day is right around the corner. We always buy books for each other in our family, and I especially enjoyed David Lyon's book, Father Knows Best, filled with hundreds of quotes from celebrity dads, sports figures and every day heroes known as Papa, Dad of Old Man.

The Happy Healthy Hip Parenting bookstore is full of reading recommendations for parenthood, from humorous collections to memoirs and those for grandparents, single parents and more. New books are added on a regular basis so be sure to stop back often.

If there's a book or category you'd like to see added, please feel free to leave a comment here or contact us directly.

Ways to Say "No!"

Saying “no” to a child can be difficult. Sometimes we end up feeling like a broken record that says “no” all the time. This can be wearing on us. Children stop listening when we repeat the same response. They may even stop asking altogether but we want our children to continue to come to us and ask our permission, especially as they get into the tween years!

1. "That’s not an option."
2. "I am unwilling to..."
3. "That’s not appropriate."
4. "I am not ready for you to do that yet."
5. Ask, “What do you think you would need to do before I would be willing to say yes to that."
6. Ask, “What do you think? Is this a good choice for you?”(If you choose to use this, make sure you are willing to abide by their answer.
7. For a youngster who has something you don’t want her to have said, “That’s not a toy. However, this is a toy you can play with."
8. Ask, “What are your other options?”
9. "No, I would be willing to..."
10. "I appreciate your asking, however..."
11. “Walls are not for coloring. Here is a piece of paper.”
12. Tell them what to do instead i.e., “Water needs to stay in the tub.”
13. "This is not negotiable."
14. "Yes, as soon as (task) is done."
15. "I'd love to, but now's not an option, let's go put it on the calendar."
16. “How about…?”
17. "Why don’t we…?”

For more resources and articles for parents, visit our website and sign up for our weekly newsletter.

All Our Children

by Steve Goodier

There are few things in this life more difficult to experience than the loss of one's child. Jim Wallis, in Who Speaks for God, tells about a sad and terrifying incident that occurred during the tragic war in Sarajevo not too many years back. A reporter who was covering the violence in the middle of the city saw a little girl fatally shot by a sniper. The reporter threw down his pad and pencil and rushed to the aid of a man who was now holding the child. He helped them both into his car and sped off to a hospital.

"Hurry, my friend," the man urged, "my child is still alive." A moment or two later he pleaded, "Hurry, my friend, my child is still breathing." A little later he said, "Hurry, my friend, my child is still warm."

When they got to the hospital, the young girl was gone. "This is a terrible task for me," the distraught man said to the reporter. "I must go tell her father that his child is dead. He will be heartbroken." The reporter was amazed. He looked at the grieving man and said, "I thought she was YOUR child." The man replied, "No, but aren't they all our children?"

Aren't they all our children? Those who live under our roof and those who reside with another family? Those to whom we are related as well as those whom we have never known?

Aren't they all our children? Those on our side of the border as well as those on the other side? Those of our nation no more or less than those of another?

Aren't they all our children? Those who worship like us and those who worship differently? Those who look like us and those who do not?

Aren't they all our children? The well-educated and the under-educated? The well- fed and the under-fed? Those who are secure and those who are at risk?

Aren't they all our children? Aren't they all our responsibility? ALL of them? Ours to nurture? Ours to protect? Ours to love?

I don't think it is an exaggeration to say that the survival of our world hinges on the answer to that question. To say they are NOT all our children is to condemn the world to more struggle – family against family, group against group, nation against nation.

Aren't they all our children? If we say yes, can we ever again pit them against each other? "If we have no peace," said Mother Teresa, "it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other."

Aren't they all our children? There may be no greater question for our generation. And how we answer that question will determine the shape of our world for years to come.

Creating a Healthy Lifestyle

I've been lucky enough to work with the wonderful people at the Y.O.U. Consulting Group for the last several months and they've allowed me to take a new approach with The Ultimate Life Tool, giving me the go-ahead to bring this technology to the online world through UStream.

Tomorrow, and every Wednesday night, a Certified Practitioner will host an online Test Drive of this assessment tool and you get a chance to have a FREE session to learn a little bit more about you, your energy levels and how The Ultimate Life Tool can benefit you.

Whether it's your personal life or business relationships that you're looking to enhance, we can help! Head over to the YCG website and complete the survey by using the code USTREAM after entering in your personal information. You'll be assigned to me and I'll be going over your results tomorrow, LIVE, during our half-hour program, or if we don't have time, we'll go over it on another episode.

Each week we'll have a different topic so be sure to check back each and every Wednesday night at 7pm (PST). Here are the dates and the themes for the upcoming shows:

June 10 Living a Healthy Lifestyle
June 17 The "Interval"
June 24 Grieving
July 1 Finding your Maximum Attraction
July 8 Dealing with a Toxic Boss

I look forward to sharing this wisdom and knowledge with you as you gain a greater understanding of you and the people in your lives.

Tori and Dean

Several months ago, I interviewed Tori Spelling here in San Diego when she was in town for the Mother Goose Parade. The night before the annual event, the stars appeared at the W Hotel for a VIP media event where we were able to chat with the celebrities and I was lucky enough to grab Tori for an interview. 

Since she's written a few books about her life as a mom in Hollywood (sTORITelling and Mommywood) and appears with her husband and two children in their latest reality TV show, I took advantage and asked her a few questions about her life as a Mom and, of course, how she lost so much weight after her second child.

I never was able to obtain the footage of that interview, or it would've appeared on this site by now. The TV crew from her Tori and Dean show follows her every move, so they captured the interview and wouldn't you know it? Footage from our conversation appeared on their show last night. 

I was able to see a few clips from the show online, and noticed the challenges that they're experiencing. If anyone has a way to connect with Tori and Dean, please let them know that my services are available. Balancing work and family life is always a challenge and that's why I offer to help support parents by honoring their families and work with them to enrich their relationships.

I wasn't able to catch the show last night, so if anyone can provide me with access to it, I'd love to see how ridiculous I look (after the camera adds 10 pounds). UPDATE: Here's the video sneak preview. I'm shown 18 seconds in...for about 2 seconds!

By the way, Tori was awesome to chat with and was very sweet. I'm excited to have my fifteen minutes of fame alongside her and look forward to finally seeing that episode for myself.