A Few MUST Haves...

i'm not much of a reader...not much at all, but in my years of parenting i've come across a few must haves for new parents and not so new parents. as a matter of fact, two of the books have crossed my path more recently, one of which, i was introduced to after evyn was born and boy do i wish i had this book for gavin 14 years ago! he was a cranky toddler and a horrible sleeper and after reading this book i now think i know why! even if you don't have sleep issues with your little one, it is very informative. the other book that i LOVVVEEE is this one. a mom of boys {i think 4} wrote this and in a nutshell it tells you what she learned about raising hardworking, productive children that contribute to society as adults. my favorite thing about this book is the age by age guide that tells you what they should be able to do and what you should be teaching them so that when they move out and go off to college or on a mission, they are able to function without you. every parent should read this!

and my last recommendation is this series of books that are age specific {they go to age 14}. when gavin was little he had me in tears most days and a preschool teacher told me about these books. i can't tell you how much it helped me understand my child. it helped me get through rough times with him. in the years that followed i bought each one for insight and a 'heads up' on what to expect.

if i could, i'd buy these books for all new parents, but i can't. so for now i will share what i've learned with you and hopefuly you'll share them with someone and we will all raise happy, hard working, respectful children who will one day, take flight with the confidence and strength they need and we will let them go, knowing we've given them the tools to be successful in their pursuits.