Free Parenting and Relationship Books!

Don't we all LOVE books?!? Richard and Linda Eyre are offering many of their books online for free... that's right, FREE! Isn't that wonderful??? They have a large collection of Parenting and Relationship books available.

To view and read their books, you can go to www.eyresfreebooks.com

 

The article below was published in Desert News in February. It is all about the Eyre's and this wonderful offer. Enjoy!!

Authors Richard and Linda Eyre post best-selling books for free online
by Sarah Sanders Petersen

       Best-selling authors Richard and Linda Eyre have created a website that will house free digital copies of their books for anyone to read.
      "We're at a point in life now, in our 60s, where you start thinking a little different and our feeling is, 'Hey, let's get the books to as many people as possible,'" Richard Eyre said. "So much of the world can't afford to buy a book or maybe they live in a country where they can't get a book, but everybody pretty much now can get the Internet so you're not limited on who can go to a bookstore, or who has enough money."
       Eyre said that because they believe the ideas they offer in their books were never theirs, it only seems right to give them back to anyone who desires the help.
      "We didn't pay anything for the ideas we have," Eyre said. "In fact, we probably got them from other people. It makes sense to say, 'They were free to us, let's make them free to the people who want to read them.' We can do that because books have been really good to us. It just seems like the right thing to do to say, 'Thanks, that was good to us, now we want to give those books to anyone who wants them.'"
      The website, Eyresfreebooks.com, already contains 18 books that can be viewed online for free, including popular titles such as "Teaching Children Joy," "For the Manner of Men," "Life Balance" and more. Eyre explained that their goal is to add at least one book every few months until they have posted all of their published work online. Because of publishing contracts, they have not been able to list all of the books immediately.
      Another option will soon be available for Kindle users as well. The Eyres are currently working to get each of their books available to purchase for $2, rather than the higher current price listings.
Both options will be offered in order to stay up-to-date with the latest opportunities technology has created.
      "I'm an old school guy; I like books. I like to hold them in my hand, I like to feel them, but I've evolved," Eyre said. "Once I got hooked on the Kindle, I became sort of extreme on the other side. Instead of being a guy who drags his feet, I might as well get on the cutting edge — and to me the cutting edge is saying, 'Let's just make them free.'"
      "Teaching Children Joy" was the Eyre's first book published by Random House and truly opened the gate for their future publishing. "What Manner of Men" was written while Richard was serving as an LDS mission president in London. "Life Balance" was written 20 years ago, but Eyre said it is relevant to readers today.
      "It was written at a time when you didn't hear the word balance too much, but now balance is everything," he said.

{Sarah Sanders Petersen is an intern for Deseret News where she writes for Mormon Times and other feature articles. She is a communications major and editing minor from Brigham Young University.}

Last Day of School - Water Fight

Last Day of School – Water Fight

It’s finally here; the last day of school.  Kids are ready.  I’m ready.  Now we wait to begin the traditional celebration.   A family water fight. 

My husband and I pick just the right hiding spot in the front yard and await their arrival.  Our buckets are filled with water and balloons are ready to launch.  Flip top water bottles and filled water balloons hide in the yard ready for the kids to find.  In the distance we hear laughter and see the first of many excited children heading for home; arms full of treasures from the last day.  Friends become “watchmen” and signal when our children are within sight.  They watch with anticipation and begin offering cries of warning as we hoist our “weapons” for attack.

Our kids are home!  Eyes widen just as the first stream of cold water hits.  School treasures are safely tucked away in the corner of the yard and they’re off; screaming, yelling, and defenseless!  We laugh and declare victory until they find the hidden stash.  Balloons begin to fly and the water hose turns on.  The tide has turned.  Four against two—we are all soaked and the kids declare victory.  It’s summertime!

Each year the strategy of attack varies, but the end result is always the same.  As our kids have grown, so has their creativity and resourcefulness.  My personal favorite was when they recruited another family to join the fun. They made arrangements for a ride home on an alternate route and snuck into our backyard to attack us from behind.  Victory was all theirs!

How does your family welcome summer?  We’d love to hear.

Boredom Busters Project Kits

BOREDOM BUSTERS PROJECT KITS

“What’s there to do?  I’m bored, Mom!”  Well, let’s just do a little family activity/craft/game. Sound fun?  Now, all I need to do is grab a few things and……… 15 minutes later someone (including Mom) is either frustrated, crying, fighting, or has completely lost interest in the proposed “activity!”  

If you’ve always wanted to have fun and quick activities at your fingertips that don’t take a lot of time and organization, then this is the project for you.  With a little effort, creativity (Pinterest is a great resource), and planning, you can end up with a wonderful variety of “PROJECT KITS” for you and your kids to enjoy.

Here’s What You Do:

1.  Gather your children together and find out what types of activities and projects they would like to do. This could include making a homemade puzzle from a family picture, a treasure map of your neighborhood park with a real treasure to find, a video scavenger hunt or coloring kits of their favorite super hero.  These could be baking kits, science projects, crafts, storytelling activities, indoor or outdoor games, anything!!  Your activities can be simple or elaborate…it’s up to you.  Discovering what they are interested in is the key to their collaboration and participation!!   

2.  Break down each kit into specific details as to what is needed for that project or event to be completed.  Also, identify the age appropriateness for each kit.  Make sure there are plenty of kits for your divided age groups (i.e. 2-4; 4-6; 7-11, 12 & up) as well as whole family kits.

3.  Stock a Basic Supply Kit to include the following items:  glue, paint, paintbrushes, markers, crayons, permanent marker, and scissors.

4.  Plan, Purchase, Divide and Package. Each activity kit should contain an instruction sheet with specific directions and/or a photo.  Please remember, no one wants to spend time running around the house trying to gather materials and get organized. Include ALL materials needed to complete the activity. Gallon Ziploc bags work great and are easy to store.    If there are any items, like a kitchen bowl or hammer that every household has “at their fingertips” then list and highlight those items on the front instruction sheet.  Please keep these items to a minimum.

5.  CONTACT some of your friends who have kids and do your Project Kits together. That way each mom selects one Activity per Participating Child (if you are receiving kits for 3 kids, you select 3 activities).  Please label the kits using each family’s last name. Each mom needs to make enough kits for every kid (i.e. 24 kids involved, 24 kits of each activity)

6.  Come and Swap Kits

Each mom should bring a laundry basket or box to carry your kits home.

Now you have some fun activities ready to go when you're kids are bored or need something fun to do! Enjoy!! 

Cooking with your kids - Can it really be any fun???

Ever hear little voices saying, "I want to taste that." "I want to help." "I want to see." "I get a stool." "It's my turn to stir." "Can we make cookies now?" 

When we pull ourselves out of the moment, it seems clear to see how cute it is and how great it is that our kids want to help...yet in the moment, sometimes it feels like slowly getting pushed under water.  So what can we do to make meal preparation more fun for everyone when little ones are around? 

Here are some ideas:

1.   Break down each dish into small parts that can be partially done by a small child, if possible. (i.e. measuring the spaghetti noodles, cutting carrots for the salad)

2.   Begin the preparation by offering a choice whether to help or not. 
"Would you like to help me make dinner tonight or help set the table?"

3.   Give them a task...a real one – tearing lettuce, chopping salad ingredients, measuring oil, etc.  The more prepared you are for them to help, the more fun it will be and the better their skills become!  Pampered Chef makes a little flat rounded edge knife that cuts the food and not the fingers.  Let them use all that joyful energy to chop some food needed for cooking or salads. 

4.   Setting the table while you are working on dinner allows for a collaborative effort as well. If your little ones are very small, plastic or paper products can work very well.

*Have fun and enjoy the time you are spending with your kids!*

April Parents Magazine - Discipline

This months Parents Magazine is a fabulous one! We would highly recommend you pick one up!. The magazine focuses on discipline, parenting challenges and the different ways to handle many situations. The image above is from the magazine and offers 10 Discipline Don'ts. Below are links to two articles from Parents magazine. There are even more wonderful articles in the April edition. Go get one today! :)

Discipline Strategies: Good News about Bad Kids

"Oh My Word" - When Kids Say Bad Words

Question/Answer - Bullying

I have a ten year old son who is using his large size to intimidate others, including me, his mother.  What can I do to stop this bullying behavior?

First, consider the following questions:
   1) Is there something provoking this bullying behavior?
   2) Is there a place this kid is being bullied? (school, on-line, sibling)
   3) How is this person being parented?  Is it in aggressive, angry fashion? Is it one parent or both?

Whatever the situation may be, when interacting with a child who is “bullying” it is important to:

• Make sure that you provide a place that your child can be HEARD.  Many times a child uses his size, because it has been more effective than his/her words to gain access to attention.
• Respond slow and low to this child--Keep your words AND tone slow and low so he will feel your calm and respectful.
• Respond with enforceable statements-Tell child what you will do, not what he/she has to do or shouldn’t do.  
• “I am happy to take you to your friends or to help you with your homework when I feel treated with respect AND I feel treated with respect when you use calm, respectful words and actions with me.”
• Hold child accountable by using enforceable statements to follow through with a consequence when a child gets physical or uses size to intimidate. Be consistent.
• Remove self from situation if you or your child is not calm AND only continue when it is calm.  MODEL THIS CONSISTENTLY!
• When child approaches you aggressively, say something like: “Oh buddy…..  I am happy to talk to you when we can both be calm.” Then slowly leave the situation.  Resist the urge to get the last word in. Do this EVERY TIME aggressive behavior is shown (by anyone).
• Model that bullying is not effective to get you to compromise or negotiate
• Pay attention to triggers and step in before they escalate. Offer choices before the child becomes resistant. “Hey…. It looks like you guys are having a little too much fun. Do you want a 3 or 5 minute break?”

If the bullying is happening at school, support the school with whatever consequences they have set up, while being supportive of your child and teaching conflict resolution techniques when the going is good.  5 Steps to Guiding Children to Solve Their Own Problems (Click here for the 5 Steps.)

If you aren’t sure if you or your spouse is using your size and strength in a way that feels like bullying to your child, think about the way it may look from your child's perspective when you are angry. Consider your proximity, tone, contact, gestures, etc.   

One way to discover what it might be like for your child is to do role-play reversal.

• Let the child be the parent and you be the child.  
• State the situation (You just drew with Markers all over the walls; You are sitting watching a movie you shouldn’t when it is chore time; You refuse to pick up the mess they made or do their family job. You just got caught in a lie.)
• Make it “playful” and give them permission to be real.
• Be willing to listen as it may be painful.
• Then have them act out the way they would like the conversation to go.  
• Point out the differences in the role-plays.
• Talk about what the difference between calm and respectful and aggressive and angry feel like and how it end up working out for them.  

-Learn and do a little better.