If you’re a parent, you probably remember those first few months when you brought home your newborn — you were scared out of your mind. All your ideas about taking care of a baby flew out the window when you took a good look at this new person and realized: she’s completely dependent on YOU for survival. And you need SLEEP to be able to think straight!
The best-case scenario those first six weeks is that you only wake up every three hours for a feeding — but some babies are fussier — or there’s some difficulty with getting a feeding routine established. Then you find yourself bombarded with advice and opinions…and the bags under your eyes show the world that you’re on the verge of losing it.
It does get better…right? Then the baby magazines start coming…loaded with more advice. Your pediatrician tells you one thing…your neighbor another…the church nursery ladies tell you something else…the lady in the grocery store stops to give you her opinion about what’s wrong with your whole generation…and then your mom says, “Well, when you were a baby, I did…and you turned out fine.”
You’re on overload! So how do you sift through all these opinions and discover what works best for YOU?
In her book, Parenting Power in the Early Years, Brenda Nixon offers you the refreshing encouragement you need to stay sane those first five years. As a national parenting speaker and columnist, she knows what the critical issues are in raising your child. She’s condensed her most sought-after columns into one practical book that would make a great addition to any parent’s bookshelf.
The book is divided into three sections: Embrace the First Year, Survive the Toddler Years, and Maneuver the Preschool Years. Nixon’s positive tone builds rapport with readers who want to hear from someone they can trust, who can answer questions in a loving way. She doesn’t shy away from any controversial issues, and includes her columns about temper tantrums, clinging toddlers, biting, spanking dilemmas, nightmares, thumb-sucking, bedtime resistance…you name it.
In the appendices, you’ll also find a wonderful gift-giving key for newborns up to age five, a child development guide, and a fantastic list of resources — with current website information. The table of contents makes it easy to look up any topic, and you don’t have to wade through extraneous ads and information to find what you really need.
What I also like about this book is that she includes plenty of in-depth research, and she keeps her readers focused on the long-term vision of parenting. Here’s what she says in her column, “Give Children What They Really Need:”
From birth to age 18, 85 percent of your children’s waking, learning hours are spent, not in the classroom but, in your living room! You are their first and most influential teacher…Now is the time to fully embrace parenting and give your children what they need. Give them your attention, give them time, and give them a faith for their future. Nelson Mandela said, “We must…realize that the time is always ripe to do what is right.”
I think this book would make a great baby shower gift for moms-to-be, as well as a refresher for parents in the thick of those early years. It would also be helpful for nursery or daycare workers, as well as grandparents who spend a lot of time caring for their grandchildren. Packed with wisdom, this is a handy book that will empower you to soar above the difficulties and embrace the joys of the sacred calling of parenthood.
