I'm a full-time mummy

I have the privilege of reviewing my subsequent books under Free Spirit Publishing, one of the set of 8 Toddler Tools™ Board Books by Elizabeth Verdick (illustrated by Marieka Heinlen) called:

Title: Bedtime
Author: Elizabeth Verdick
Illustrated by: Marieka Heinlen
Publisher:  Free Spirit Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-57542-315-9
Board book, full-color: 24 pages
Dimension: 7" x 7"

Description from the product page:
"Ease the transition time from evening activities to bedtime with this warm and cozy get-ready-for-bed book. Aided by Mom and Dad, a sister and brother enjoy a little snack, relaxing baths, time for brushing teeth, stories, lullabies, back rubs, and hugs. Cheerful, soft illustrations and reassuring text set a tone that helps toddlers feel good about the daily routine of settling down to sleep. (As the narrator explains, “I do my best growing when I’m sleeping.”) In the morning, the children will yawn, stretch, and be a little bit bigger, a little bit stronger, and a little bit smarter—all because of a good night’s sleep.

An award-winning author/illustrator team offers a fresh look at a transition time all toddlers face daily, giving young children the tools and social skills to handle bedtime with confidence and cooperation. Part of the Toddler Tools series, Bedtime can be shared before (or during) the desired “time,” or whenever toddlers need encouragement with daily routines and transitions."

I love the cute cover with the little boy peeking out of the blanket on his bed! Each of the pages are solid and has a glossy feel, plus the illustrations are just too awesome and creative! The size of the book is just nice, not too big, not too small.

If you look closely, the characters and objects illustrated are not only hand drawn, they are also actual textures used to replace the clothings, toys, even the wallpapers in the book are from the actual thing! It's very cute and has that added touch!

With this book, I'm trying to teach Ben about the transition time from evening activities to bedtime. Check out the pictures below of Ben going through the book...

In my opinion, the Toddler Tools series are a good choice for parents to use with their children because of the positive message they brings!

You can get this book from Free Spirit Publishing, Amazon and many more.

I received no monetary compensation for this review, I was provided with a copy of the book by Free Spirit Publishing in order to facilitate my review. All opinions expressed in this post are my own. Please do your own research when purchasing products, as your opinions may differ from mine.

And if you'd like to read my previous book reviews, you can do so by reading this post of mine called "My Book Reviews"

I am continuing on with my reading on the "Raising Positive Kids in a Negative World" book from Zig Ziglar (I love love love this book!) and I would like to share this part (in red font) where Ziglar mentioned the following:

"A solid foundation for children involves a solid moral base. Parents who teach their children honesty but fail to practise it themselves create real problems. For example, suppose parents repeatedly tell their children to be truthful, but when the telephone rings, they call out to the child who's answering it, "Tell them I'm not home." The message to the child is clear. If children are taught to lie for parents, they are taught to lie to parents."

Think about it. Of course Ben is not at the age of answering calls or even talking properly yet, but what I'm trying to get the message across is, to raise a child with solid moral base, we as parents have to walk the talk first.

"As another example, suppose parents lecture their children on the importance of obeying the law, yet install a radar detector in the car to evade being stopped for speeding. The message again is clear. It you're going to break the law, don't get caught. Be smart like your dad or mom."

Are you starting to worry about what your child is learning from you? Whether consciously or subconsciously?

For me, everytime I'm deciding on something, I think "How am I going to answer to God if I decide this or that?" and then I think of "How will it affect my loved ones around?" and whether I could sleep through the night if I take this or that decision.

Think about it.. I will continue sharing the excerpts from the book if I happened to come across any that I find worth sharing with you guys. Have a nice day!

I am halfway reading the Raising Positive Kids in a Negative World book from Zig Ziglar (I love love love this book!) and I came across this part where Ziglar mentioned this lady (a SAHM) who gave a very good response when people commented that her brain should be put to better use in the working world instead of at home. Please take some time to ponder on the excerpts below taken from the book:

"For those mothers who are sometimes looked down upon by an ignorant or insensitive person because they have chosen to stay home and raise their babies, I love what Linda Burton, a mother of two, says when her working friends tell her that "her mind is too good to stay at home":

I'll second that and add that the most important, demanding and rewarding career a mother can have is to raise her kids positively in a negative world".

Oh I so, so, so, so truly agree with that. I used to think it's a waste of my talents and brain for quitting my job to be a SAHM but yeah... the best minds are required at home... by my own child. I always have the opinion that no strangers should raise my own child cos well, I give birth to my child and so, it is my duty to raise them up, not some strangers.

I am particularly fond of this Polish Proverb: "You have a lifetime to work, but children are only young once." That's what I thought of when deciding to quit. I can always find some job later (if I want to) but my child grows up real fast and no time or money can replace that memories of being part of their life as they grow up.

* Image from Google search

So, back to this topic, I do agree that our mind is too good NOT to stay at home with our children! With that, I leave you with this short poem:

If I had my child to raise all over again,
I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.
I'd finger-paint more, and point the finger less.
I would do less correcting and more connecting.
I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.
I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.
I'd do more hugging and less tugging.

~Diane Loomans, from "If I Had My Child To Raise Over Again"

Btw, just want to let you guys know 2 years ago on this date, we found out we're expecting a baby boy! Now look at him, all grown up!