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What was your first impression?
With a subtitle like ‘raising amazing kids without
going into freefall' this book will demand the attention of any passing
harassed parent (myself included). Inside it is so full of parenting
suggestions and nuggets to remember you will probably need to read it twice.
Thankfully it is so readable you won't mind
 What's it about?
Jane Bullivant begins by highlighting four ‘wisdom pearls',
four important elements of raising children, in summary they are; not to be
such a busy, organized family manager that we miss out on the best bits of
parenting; being gracious with our children, not so uptight we get cross over
the slightest thing; ensuring that we ultimately call the shots and have
sensible boundaries for our children and ensuring we connect with each child
each day, properly. She goes on to look at different aspects of parenting
sharing along the way insights from others, areas where she got it wrong and
where she has got it spot on.
What did you like about it?
I liked the chatty, humorous style and Jane's willingness to
share parenting mistakes alongside parenting joys make this book an enjoyable
yet informative read. I liked the contributions she had collected from other
parents and the head on yet gentle way she tackled the ‘parenting hot potatoes'
towards the end of the book.
What didn't you like?
There were a few phrases that were really overused
throughout this book, ‘turbocharged kids' being the main one but there were
others, which did start to grate after a while. But it's only a little thing
and it doesn't detract from the wisdom she offers.
What will you still remember a year from now?
Funnily enough, I read this book a number of months ago to
review it for another publication and when I reread it for this website I did
realise that I had taken a fair few of her suggestions to heart without
consciously recognizing where I had got them from. I could pinpoint several
ways in which our family life had improved in small ways since my first reading
and so I would say that in a year I will still be implementing the idea of
making sure I connect properly with each child each day and making sure I don't
over react to accidents and others of her suggestions too.
Who would you recommend this book to?
Jane wants her family life to be ‘rich, vibrant, alive, and
full of adventure' and shares with us her journey in making sure it is. I
recommend this book to anyone who wants to claim those ideals for their family
too. This book is a good place to start.
Can you give us a couple of good quotes from the book?
Juggling? I'm a master. I can bake, do my kids' algebra,
plan Christmas, do my nails, all while sympathising over my friend's dead cat.
But do you know what? Juggling sucks. Maybe I've been the last to catch on, but
this juggling business has a large downside. You see, I find myself never
really living in the moment, and always thinking two steps ahead on the mental
tick list. It's not that I don't enjoy a challenge; it's just the franticness
of it all that really sucks.
Having a home life that is merely a pit stop for family
members is a great tragedy. Sure, we all have different interests,
responsibilities and schedules. Yet, if quality time has somehow slipped off
the priority list it's time to haul it back in there. Quality family time roots
children and gives them memories that will strengthen them throughout life.
Family time is crucial to our kids' academic and social development.
review by Hilary
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