Paula Spencer offers candid, commonsense perspectives on family life, covering everything from baby care to senior care and self-care. Her writing is characterized by a direct and practical approach to the challenges and joys of parenting and family living. Through her work, she provides readers with useful advice and support.
Sourcebook covering pregnancy and childbirth from conception through the first weeks of a baby's life. Includes information on physical and emotional changes during pregnancy, fetal development, eating and fitness, special situations, work concerns, and newborn basics.
Lose the Guilt, Love Your InstinctsIf the latest “breakthrough” child-development theory, parenting technique, or child-appropriate diet makes you worry or groan (or just want to lie down for a nap), it’s time to make way for Momfidence! Paula Spencer, parenting expert and mother of four, provides refreshing, down-to-earth proof that most of the business of raising confident, healthy children involves nothing more complicated that trusting your instincts, using common sense, and above all, hanging on to your humor.Momfidence! •Using “perfect” only to describe such wonders as a ripe peach, a cloudless day at the beach, or a husband who does diapers and dinner. . . It has no application whatsoever in describing motherhood.•Recognizing that there are appropriate times and places for lying, yelling, threatening, bribing, and saying “I told you so”•Sending yourself to time-out—preferably with chocolate and/or your spouse•Being completely amnesiac about the day’s exasperating transgressions when you peek in your children’s bedrooms at night and watch them sleepBased on her popular Woman’s Day and Parenting columns, Momfidence! explains how obsessing less and winging it more can keep you sane—and your kids healthy and happy. It’s a hilarious look at “perfect motherhood” that cuts parents a long-overdue break by reminding us that we’re not the amateurs here—we’re all experts, too.
Dublin widow Paula begins her fifth month of sobriety as she raises her two children who are still at home, struggles to make ends meet, attends parent-teacher conferences, and develops a taste for rock music.
How to eliminate tantrums and raise a patient, respectful and cooperative one- to four-year-old
Filled with stage-by-stage tips, strategies, and exercises, this book will help readers manage all the major challenges parents face, including tantrums, bedtime struggles, separation anxiety, toilet training, and aggression
An etiquette guide for pregnant women offers answers to questions concerning maternity clothes, baby showers, birth announcements, naming the baby, adoption, birth ceremonies, and maternity leave.
The New Way to Stop the Daily Battle of Wills and Raise a Secure and Well-Behaved One- to Four-Year-Old
Perfect for expecting parents preparing for the challenging toddler years starting around eight months, this essential guide by pediatrician Dr. Harvey Karp helps reduce tantrums and enhances children's happiness by fostering patience, cooperation, and self-confidence. Toddlers can be both adorable and demanding, but there is a way to transform the daily “nos” into “yeses” by understanding their language. Dr. Karp suggests viewing toddlers not as miniature adults but as pint-sized cavemen. He found that typical calming techniques often fail, and effective communication involves speaking in their primitive language. This insight led him to identify four stages of “evolutionary” growth in children aged one to four, mirroring humanity's journey: 1. The “Charming Chimp-Child” (12-18 months): Wobbly, curious, and playful. 2. The “Knee-High Neanderthal” (18-24 months): Strong-willed and messy, with a limited vocabulary. 3. The “Clever Caveman” (24-36 months): Learning to share and take turns. 4. The “Versatile Villager” (36-48 months): Enjoys storytelling and dancing while trying to behave. Dr. Karp introduces two effective techniques: the “fast food” rule for restating what your child says, and the four-step rule involving gesture, repetition, simplicity, and tone. Mastering “toddler-ese” prepares parents to tackle challenges like separation anxiety, sibling rivalry, and picky eating, resulting in fewer tantrums and more joyf