Rating: 
Summary: GOOD OPTIONS
Review: I SIMPLY LOVE CREATIVE BUT YET DOWN TO EARTH TIPS FROM SOMEONE WHO TREATS US PARENTS WITH EXPERT RESPECT. THE BOOK IS A PURE JOY! IN OUR FAMILY, WE DO TAKE OUT THE CHILDREN ON INDIVIDUAL DATES AS MRS. LYNN SUGGESTS, BUT IT'S ALWAYS TO A NOISY PLACE WITH OTHER FRIENDS. AS SOON AS I READ WHY PARENTS' NEED TO TAKE THEIR CHILD TO A CALM PLACE, IT MADE A COMPLETE TURN AROUND IN BUILDING OUR RELATIONSHIP. I THOUGHT WE WERE DOING FAMILY ACTIVITIES THAT MADE A DIFFERENCE, BUT HER IDEA IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE AND BUILDING TRADITION NOT TO SPEAK OF SELF-ESTEEM. ALSO RECOMMENDED: NO MORE BISBEHAVIN, BY MICHELLE BORBA. BOTH BOOKS ARE A MUST HAVE FOR THIS NEW YEAR! :))LYNN'S ADVICE IS EVEN AGREEABLE TO MY SAVVY BUT SOMETIMES KNOW-IT-ALL TEEN.
Rating:
Summary: Five Golden Rules Are Tight: Two Thumbs Up!
Review: This book was given too me by my secret santa from our book club. I loved it and hung on so many of Jodie's words. The 5 golden rules are "tight," as my 9-year-old would say. Rule Number One: Treat Your Children The Way You Want to be Treated. This is explained as not asking your kids to do or say things that you would not do yourself. Be a good role model and treat children with respect, just like the adults in your life so they will do the same for you. My three kids loved this rule. Rule Number Two: Know Your Children's Ages and Stages. She suggests to know what your kids can or cannot do and don't expect too much too soon but don't be reserved in teaching them the things that are important to every family. Every child is not on a time chart, but read a book on 2 year old's before you think your toddler should be able to hurry up, follow explicit instructions or button their own coat, etc., there are tons of examples. Rule Number Three: Teach Your Children Responsibility. She says that giving children chores is an excellent way to teach responsibility and to get the help you need to get things done. Sharing household chores as well as sibling and pet assignments work well in all homes if everyone pitches in and does their own part. I see things my kids could be doing to help out more but felt like I would do a better job and get it done faster. Now, I have back tracked, revamped the chores and who can do them and I must say it is AMAZING. When I let go of the control, I gained free time to do other things and the kids seem to be pretty proud of their own work building self-esteem. Rule Number Four: Squash The Overscheduling Dilemma. She shows us how to take a long hard look at exactly what we are doing to not only ourselves but to our kids too involving too many activities. There are things we were doing and had planned that we knew we wanted to do but just did not have the time without feeling totally overwhelmed. We revamped our schedule for the spring and the summer and lifted a huge dark cloud out of our mind and off our shoulders. Now, I think we will all be much happier and our year looks balanced. Rule Number Five: Don't Forget the Little Things That Count:
Mrs. Lynn was a recent guest on a radio show talking about wising up for the new year with new family time and real "Mommy Time." She says to have a date with one child at a time doing simple things and to always have a "date" with your husband at least once a month. She even offers samples of meaningful ideas for easy dates - nothing fancy. We all forget how important little things are but how much they mean to the individuals in the family contributing to the success of a happy home. I am so totally guilty of this. As anyone with half a brain can see, the book has great insight and thoughtful content and rates TWO THUMBS UP for moms who take their roles seriously. Each rule can be inspiring goals for anyone's life including grandparents, teachers and child care workers. There are almost no books out today that explain how to motivate kids to want to help make the family a better and happier place. She and the other parents who contributed have done just this. This is why I have found Mommy-CEO to be very useful. The pages on how to choose a preschool is worth way more than the total cost of the book. I have these guidelines written down and have already begun to use them in our hunt for a preschool for our twins. [...]
Rating:
Summary: TOTALLY ROCKS
Review: Perfect. This is a perfect down to earth book that totally rocks. I have 3 children and found the most challenging promblems inside. Go straight to the index and find the hottest day to day topics listed. The sincere tone of all of the parents is practical and often simple but tried and true advice. Mrs. Lynn tells parents right away that the family who respects each family member as individuals, will be the most successful. She also suggests to all of us to not go very far without acknowledging who the real leader and the real boss is in each one of our families, which is God, but in no way is she preachy or makes anyone feel guilty. I bought the book after I saw it on Dr. Laura's website a couple of weeks ago. It is a keeper!
Rating: 
Summary: Mommy CEO did not meet my needs
Review: Mommy CEO, revised edition (150 pages including the index, website recommendations and order information) is a very short mediocre compilation of questions and answers from parents to parents (including additional comments from the author as well as input from 7 doctors). It addresses child/parent issues from birth through the teen years. I think I would have located the pertinent information to my needs quicker if the questions were organized by age rather than by "5 Golden Rules." Since my kids are 10 and 13, I found all the questions dealing with infancy through the preschool issues useless to me. In addition, I was totally unprepared and honestly offended by the Christian tone of this book--definitely not implied by its title. The author crossed the line of comfort with me (a mom who is NOT Christian) with comments such as this found ON PAGE 86..."Read Philippians 4:13 and pray it often: "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me." I also found some of the author's comments to be patronizing in tone with her "should's" and "don'ts" as ON PAGE 78 about scheduling only 2 activities (which is sensible)...then she adds, "This can and should be done." And lastly, I hope the next "revised edition" will include corrections of the annoying, careless typos--such as the following 4 examples I found within a 30 page section of the book: ON PAGE 35..."We switched form..." instead of "from", ON PAGE 44..."...begin at around age 3 for boys and maybe 2 to 2 _ for girls" (perhaps it should read "2 to 2 1/2"), ON PAGE 55... "Viola!" instead of "Voila!", and ON PAGE 65 "...make sure we're around and take look at the monitor" instead of " ...to take a look". Although there is some helpful information, I suggest you try to check this book out from your local library to make sure it meets your needs and expectations BEFORE you buy it. Not enough "meat" in this book for me. :-(
Rating:
Summary: Motivation for My Personal Spirit
Review: Wow! Pure motivation for my personal spirit and soul. All her points are well taken and I love the upbeat voice of Jodie's advice. I would have bought this book long ago if I had known it had tons of the hottest tips for school age children. I thought it was for preschoolers only until my neighbor brought it to our book club. We are thrilled to have our spirits lifted by someone who has made parents the real experts from the beginning. CEO - that's me, that's you, that's all moms! Thanks so much for building back up what many of the mainstream media had torn down. I hold down a pretty good job but my main goal is to make my home a healthy and better equipped place for my family, friends and kids to "just be" and to hang out. If I am happy then everyone else will be happy. I don't mean buy this and that and collect material things (although I love new things like anyone else) -- I mean to feel needed and loved but not abused and unappreciated. Jodie shows us how to motivate other family members into wanting to take leadership roles within their own space. There's nothing that can make a mom feel better than when her family pitches in to help and supports her efforts. YOU GO CEO!
Rating:
Summary: Making a Difference
Review: All I care about when I read a book is if it can help me become a more relaxed parent even if I do not agree with what is being said. I got this book at my baby shower and have to say I could not put it down. I love the space at the end of each chapter where one can journal thoughts (here's a tip) write them in pencil in case you want to change your opinion later. This is my third baby and while there is not a lot on babies, I would have literally sold my soul to have the tips on COLIC alone. The parenting insight and wisdom from all of the other parents for children from around the age of one to teens is incredible. What I like best is that finally someone validates moms for who we really are and that's rare and quite original: Mommy-CEO! I never thought of myself as a CEO before reading this book, but Mrs. Lynn is right, we do all of the very same things as the big shot CEOs and it's time to turn up the volume on this perspective. Not only was I impressed with how much of a change the book has made in my outlook but also within my self-esteem as an individual and as a parent. Move over big time CEOs, the real CEOs are stepping out to claim the rightful ownership of the title as we should have done long ago.
Rating:
Summary: Woo Hoo - I'm not the ONLY mom with kid-issues!
Review: At the end of every day, I try to sit down and jot a few notes about my kids. I like to journal what accomplishments they've encountered, what milestones they've conquered as well as any activities that deserve my pencil. Sometimes, it's little stories that I want them to know about. Other times, it's just a reminder of the awful behavior I saw! But, when I'm done, I frequently ask myself if other moms have had to endure the same behavior from their children! Am I the only one whose son colors on the television because the show is in black and white and he's used to vivid color? Is my daughter the only little girl who wants to wear ribbons in her hair, yet roll around in the mud like a piglet? Mommy-CEO has helped to not only put my fears to rest about the normality of my children, but also to help me, as a mom, steer their behavior and thinking towards more positive solutions to problems. I recall, just as I was in the middle of my childbearing years, a nationally recognized expert on parenting admitted that his approach to parenting was not always best, and that each individual child should be evaluated based on their own personalities. This retraction of expertise did not help my role as a mom, or my role as someone who wanted to know the best way to be a parent. I was orphaned as a child, and really had no idea how to be an effective, yet loving mom to my children! Through trial and error, I found my footing and have taken each child and each day and each moment with the learning attitude of baby steps; moving cautiously yet decisively through the lives of my children, in the best way I know how. From my standpoint, Jodie Lynn has written a book that women should be given before they have children, and reminded of with the passing years of a child's life. The 5 Golden Rules are so important in our lives today! They are the basis for raising good children! And, if parents really took the time to take the 5 Golden Rules to heart and raise their children with those basic concepts, our society would be phenomenal! I feel the need to thank all of the moms who offered their wisdom for Mommy-CEO. More than once, when my children were on 'that last nerve', I escaped to a quiet spot and started thumbing through the pages, in search of other moms who must have gone through the same thing. Sure enough! Thus far, not one single milestone or befuddling behavior has been overlooked by Jodie! I am very thankful that my kids are NORMAL! And I thank Author Jodie Lynn for giving me a resource and guidebook to assist my parenting.
Rating:
Summary: Note Space Rocks
Review: Just like tons of other busy moms, I love to read what others are recommending on other reivews. I've seen it on websites and heard an interview on NPR with the author. I finally bought it and read it and convinced my husband to do the same. The area for notes at the end of each chapter rocks. My husband took a look at the things I wrote and thought it was a great idea. It provides great conversation for us after the kids leave the room. The title may scare some moms away - but it is for all moms and fathers too. We are sold on the index and helpful content from all of the other parents. Like Martin-Ola Press, I've noticed there's plenty of other publishers who have come up with the idea in providing an area for parents to make notes in. In parenting classes, it really seems to help all of us if this is offered. Great and inspirational work!
Rating:
Summary: ... Gives Mommy-CEO an A+
Review: My name is Mike Farrell. As a full time father and owner of [a website] I am constantly reading books on fatherhood and parenting. Jodies's book is right on the money in so many different areas of the parenting journey. As with many dads, I try to be a daily inspiration to my children and practice what I preach. I enjoy Jodie Lynn's book because it offers a voice for dads and maintains our position in the family as crucial. I would encourage all Dad's to buy a copy of Mommy-CEO Revised Edition and read it. Then give it your wife. You'll appreciate her so much more after having read Jodie's book.
Rating:
Summary: A Book for Dads too
Review: I love this book and hope that dads read it too. Lynn offeres a honest, truthful and warm insight into asking for help when you need it. Reading her tried and true tips from not only her personal experience but from many others is delightful. Other books that I would suggest for your home library would be The Price of Mother hood, by Ann Crittenden, Mom, They're Teasing Me, by Michael Thompson, PH.D., Your Baby and Child to Age 5, by Dr. Penelope Leach and I Don't Know How She Does It. Even though they are a great mix of several different opinions, it is kind of like getting the best of all worlds for moms who work outside of the home and stay at home moms as well. Other additons to your collection would be any book by Dr. Brazelton. These are books of a sort of main stay food for the spirit and soul in raising kids and enduring family life.
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