The Entitlment Free Child-Parenting Book Review and Giveaway! Blog Giveaway Extended!

Let me add a little humor into this before I really get involved in writing about the actual content of this parenting style book. When I first got the news of doing this review, my first thought was ok, this is supposed to be a parenting book, it better be really short, or otherwise this author has something wrong thinking that a parent really has time to read this when they have kids already.

Now let me add to that statement! This book is not just for those who are reading "What to expect when you're expecting" books. Although, I'll recommend if you are expecting your first, this would be a good book to start reading, because it could be beneficial to start this parenting early on.

On to the book review itself. I was skeptical at first, but as I started reading it, Just the first chapter made me think, this is exactly the type of parent I want to be. I want to be that parent that watches their child grow up without wanting everything in site, but still innocent enough that when I give him something he appreciates it and  is happy that mommy bought him something, rather than expecting something. My first son, is the first grandson on both sides. Then  my second came, and well, he was the second. And so on till the third. Currently my SIL is expecting her first, and added a step grandson to the mix when she got married. Still though, my kids are spoiled. The one thing I dislike the most, is how my children have gotten to the point of not appreciating the things they have. One of the things that tipped me off to this, was how my mother sent my now almost 6 year old a toy when it wasn't his birthday, but just because. She had sent a box of school supplies and school clothes for him, and had to put a little gift (toy) for each one.  This was my oldest sons first year going to school. After we went through the box my son asked me to call his grandmother (my mother). I really thought at that moment I had taught him well. I thought he was wanting to call her to thank her, so I readily agreed and got her on the phone. He kind of thanked her in his own way, but then proceeded to tell her he did not want the black power ranger, but wanted the red power ranger. I was shocked, mortified, angry. I immediately took the phone and told my mother I'd call her back. I was so upset with my son. At the time, getting ready to turn 5 years old just a couple months later. Yes, this was only a year ago. So I tried to talk to him about it. Explain why that was not appropriate, that she did not have to send him a new toy it was not a holiday, it was not his birthday yet, but chose to out of the kindness of her heart, and what he said to her was disrespectful and very hurtful because he was showing he didn't appreciate the gift.
I was also pregnant at this time, so my anger was already ten times fold when this situation happened.

I needed this book before a year ago.
The book talks about how you take on a lifestyle of "Entitlement Free" family. What this means in English because I know when I read the title I wasn't sure either. But it means you're teaching them that they don't need everything, that giving is better than receiving,but at the same time, that you can still shower your child with love, rewards, hopes and dreams. It means showing your child a non selfish way of growing up. Something I really think most of us as parents want to show our children. Life doesn't just revolve around them, and sometimes we make it so it seems like it does, and thats when we get a child to do as my son did a year ago.
Now please don't get the book wrong either, its not saying you can't not do nice things and special things for your child. It's not saying you can only give them the necessities in life and that is it. Instead the book teaches you how you can do it, without making them want every single time.

This book had just come in time. It took me about two weeks to read it, I have three kids and I am currently pregnant too so I was reading this at night when I wasn't exhausted. I just finished this, well last night, considering its 2:30am now. My second son is currently going through that tantrum stage right now. We're weaning my youngest, and trying to get him on a bottle. I'm pregnant (did I mention that yet), and there's been enough drama between myself and my oldest sons school, and then of course my husband and I. This is just the events going on specifically in my house, add in everything else and the last few weeks have been just horrible. So this tantrum stage is just bad. Probably again ten times bad because I am pregnant and have no patience currently.  So as I was reading the book slowly,  and I was trying to incorporate this parenting style into my life and daily routine specifically with him, because he's in that stage. The book gives situations, and then guidance for those type of situations, several of them hit head on with what is going on right now.
In the beginning it talks about quick fixes for tantrums. I have myself on too many occasions given in. Even though I always knew, giving in ruins everything. Many times I've given in just so I could get rest when I was sick. Consistency is always key. Something I just haven't had.
So this is why I don't call this book just a parenting book, but rather a parenting lifestyle. To achieve the results, you as the parents, have to learn and change your lifestyle. Something that is really hard, but I really think worth it in the end. I am working on achieving that end result where my children want to give their presents away instead of keeping every one of them, and that at the end of the week, month, or just one special day, I can do that one special thing for them, and they give me those adoring eyes and they thank me and they really do appreciate what I have done for them. I want my children to learn that they are not the only ones in this world, and there really are other children who have it far worse than they do. My kids are good kids, but they really are, just kids. And I don't want to lose the innocence they have, I just want them to lose the selfishness they can give out so easily which isn't their fault.

I am planning to make this parenting lifestyle change now, and I want to give one of my readers the chance to win their own copy of the book.

***How to Enter***

It is easy to enter, go to the Family Time INC website and post something about the author Karen Deerwester. Anything that has something to do with her, be it from her bio, her blog, or even her advice that she's given. You must do this to do be able to do the other entries.

EXTRA Entries

*Follow me or subscribe to my blog
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* Become a friend to the Author Karen Deerwester on facebook.

Please remember to leave a comment for each extra entry.


Entries will be accepted until Oct 17th at midnight (central time). Winner will have 48 hours to respond or I will pick another winner.

I made it through an entire morning carrying my littlest

Last Thursday I received the Kokopax Carrier, this came the day before heading off for the first time to help my oldest son's teacher at school on Friday morning. Now I knew I was going to need to carry him because well, I was not able to just let him roam free (crawling). So this came just in time. I decided to try out the carrier while I was working. Now some of the things I did, besides walking back and forth from the work room to my sons classroom, I ran off photo copies and lots of them, so lots of standing. Stapling (the old fashioned way too). So lots of movement, as well as some standing around. All the while, he was in the Kokopax carrier. It was just great and boy do I mean great. He was comfortable he never cried, or whined at all. We got through almost three hours of being there that morning with no fuss.

While in there, I also got lots of compliments, and lots of questions about it. And to make it even neater, I really think the name will stick. I mean who could forget the name Kokopax when you ask about it because you liked what you saw?
Not an easily forgotten name like some things, like my kids names.

Some of the features I love about this one. The adjustments are easily made on the carrier, and thats a good thing considering most people who use it may have more than one kid with them and be by themselves. Alright maybe not most, but mostly me! Also with the bar that opens out to allow the carrier to stand on ground without falling over, so you can easily put your little one in there. Plus it has a harness system inside, you never know when they might try and figure out that they can move. I know mine started to bounce (he really enjoys his bouncer) inside the carrier. Also my husband and I are not anywhere near the same sizing, he's 6 ft and I'm just over 5ft. He tried on the carrier  and we never actually adjusted any of the straps. He was able to put him on with no issues.

Then we get back to the, he actually practiced babywearing! I have used a few different types of carriers, I have the Beco, a ring sling, a pouch sling, a moby among my list of babywearing tools. My husband has never once tried any of those to carry our children, but Thursday evening, He put on this one with our little man in it.
  It was so cool seeing him wear it.  We went over to his parents house this weekend where lots of family were in town visiting as well, and my husband showed it off for me and didn't complain. For that, I gave him the left over pudding and gumbo to take for lunch today.

All in all, this is a great carrier, lots of great features to it, It really does what it needs to do, comfortable, and safely.
Also check out the story behind the carrier, they have a neat little timeline graphic on the page giving details about how the kokopax carrier came about. I must say I really think the way the name was thought of was pretty neat and interesting!  They have other baby products as well, I'm really liking the diaper totes, those fabrics are beautiful!

I also have to admit, I was a little worried about it when I first saw it. I thought it was going to be hard to use, and hard to adjust and can't forget uncomfortable. But it wasn't. It really was easy to get on and off without help.
The only down fall, as this is the first time I've ever carried on my back instead of front. My littlest really loves my hair, and he has better access to it back there. But I will have to admit, even in the front he manages to grab my hair too. I'm thinking I just need to shave my hair off and let it grow back when he's like 5.

This carrier gets four thumbs up. My husband loves it, and so do I!

I am go to alot of Metromom events which I take my current youngest two. So my current youngest son wants to see things too. And almost everytime I don't make it to the events early enough to grab a high chair for him. So I ran across an sling type chair, and I decided to attempt to make my own version.

And I did just that this morning.

Now I'm not that great at sewing, but I do try. This is my first attempt and I did just use some plain fabric. I think other than the things I would change on how I made it, I'm happy about the overall idea coming together.
It is not made the same way as the sling seat I saw. It is actually completely different. Just the same idea of fabric sling seat is all I did.

This one was pretty easy to make, but again there will be some changes on the second try because I think the overall seat could come out cleaner cut that what this one did.
Here's my little man sitting in it (he was eating a goldfish snack.)

Crazy days with 3 boys

So we've been on the new routine for school, with some eventful days. I won't go too much into details as its really just crazy at this point to dwell on any of that. 
But along with some events happening at my oldest sons school, my middle son, has been a little brat lately. Not sure if its so he can get attention exactly, its something.
So that brings me to a new review I have coming up which will also include my first giveaway. I'm stoked about it. It's a book, a very interesting book that I think may be helping. I'm about half way through with the book, and I've already been incorporating some of the things I've read in the book, and I really think it may be the difference between yesterday (and the days before that) and today which was a much better day for Konnor. He had been dealing with something, and while I can't say we are fully in the clear, but just that today was much better.

How do you keep from going insane?

I have been sick, tired, stressed, and gone through more emotions than I can probably count this last week.
I've had a small streak of luck too. But It only masked the other emotions for a little while.
Tomorrow is my next appointment and let me just say, It feels like months have went by as it would usually be between the first two prenatal (ok well maybe one month goes by) but it has just been so long, and I'll walk into the office tomorrow still only 8 weeks along. This pregnancy is going by so slow its not even funny anymore. It's also one of the worst since NOTHING seems to fit my cravings. I am now living on Lemonade, and I know that has more sugar than I should be drinking, but it really has been the only drink that I can drink that makes me feel not so queasy.
The throwing up has picked up again. We've increased the amount of times, and its not only in the morning. I just still don't get why they called it morning sickness when many women get it all day.
I keep watching the mail for some really awesome stuff coming. If just one of those items comes today, It'd make my day so much easier to get through till tomorrow.  But of course this day is already going by so slow. I still need to get some cleaning done and out of the way. 

I also need to start working on the party favor bags for my oldest sons bowling birthday party next month. My baby is going to turn 6! He is not a baby anymore.

Happy early birthday to my big man!! I hope he knows how proud of him I am.

TinyTongs

I was lucky enough that my children would eat nearly anything I put in front of them at a young age. They always have. They've learned how to chew and eat regular foods rather quickly, well except for Logan, he's still catching up.
But none the less, both of my older boys went through the wonderful phase of, I'm not hungry.
I've learned a few tricks to get them to eat a little more than nothing off their plates. My oldest is over that and if he's not hungry, it probably means he got into something he wasn't supposed to just before dinner, or he's not feeling good. However, my middle son, he's heavily in that stage. I'm lucky if for breakfast I can get him to eat half of a pancake (this mornings breakfast).  So I recently learned another trick! A new utensil just for kids. Now it's not limited to the picky eaters either, my oldest son loved using them to eat his dinner with. These worked great for Konnor though, he ate his entire lunch with them. as opposed to this morning, he had two pancakes on his plate, and he had barely taken two bites of one. Logan ate more pancake than he did.


My husband and I are huge Sushi eaters, and being that I am a quarter Japanese I passed down  my love of oriental food to my kids, or rather just ate way too much during my pregnancy. These tinytongs remind them of our chopsticks, (Hey don't tell them there's a difference and meal time will be even easier for us).That is a big plus for us, because neither one are able to use chopsticks without the food falling all over the floor. Yay for the makers of Tiny Tongs.

So all in all, the tinytongs get a huge thumbs up from my kids.

Here's Konnorbear eating his lunch today with it.

We have found a wonderful answer to our "I'm not hungry" days.
Have a picky eater, or just want to make meal time a little more fun for your own kiddos. Go to www.TinyTongs.com  and enter amaberry20  for 20 percent off your order.
I'm getting ready to order two more pairs for my boys, so each one can have their own.


Any day now Logan will want them too. One pair for three boys? Not a good idea to keep trying that game.
Become a fan of Tiny Tongs

A busy start to this week.

I have another product review coming this evening. I finally got batteries to get pictures. I'll have that up as soon as my middle son gets home from school and I can get some pictures of him using them too.

It's a really cool product and he's very picky as of late.
But anyway more on the next blog with that.
Right now, I'm going crazy because of what happened yesterday.
So I had my first prenatal appointment. All is well, I'm 7 weeks along so not further like I had thought, and that means, one slipped by when we were being careful, this baby just had to get here.
I had my first internal sonogram (wow that was so odd too). Out of three full term pregnancies I never once had to have one of those done. 
I am in the high risk area now because of how many c-sections I've had and because I just had a baby not even a full 9 months ago.
So I apparently found out with a dollar store pregnancy test when I was 4 weeks along. My friend and I thought for sure I had to of been at least 6 weeks to find out. I'm just barely 7 weeks apparently and they found what looked possibly like a yolk sac, although as my doctor said the form just wasnt that of a yolk sac, or it was a twin!

Yup, its possible I could have been having twins. However, she didn't find a second heartbeat. So if it is indeed a twin, we'll be in mourning for the loss of my little ones twin. There was one heartbeat (although I seriously couldn't tell so I was taking my doctors word for it).
I like my doctor which is a plus. She seems straight forward and really nice. I felt somewhat at ease, despite my bundle of nerves getting in there and realizing i Had to have the other type of sonogram.
It ended up not being as bad as I thought it was going to be.
I've only had one other dr do the "exam" and not make me feel excruitatingly uncomfortable. I started off going to that doctor when I was preggo with Logan. I didn't continue because the doctors offices billing practices were not adding up right.
So all is well, I go back next week for another sonogram.