Why Would I Want the Toy, When I Can Have the Box? (101 Ways To Make the Most of Your Children, With the Least From Your Wallet)

Rating:
Summary: ALL IT TAKES IS A LITTLE COMMON SENSE
Review: Although beautifully camouflaged, the key to Rex Bowlby's "Why Why Would I want the Toy, When I Can Have the box?" shouts out the key to happy children and happier parenting. In 149 pages, Mr. Bowlby shows us it's not necessary to spend endless dollars on our children's happiness. Let the child invent the toy, let a box become a ship, give him a pile of dirt, a basin of water and discarded plastic bottles, a turkey baster, and his mind will be challenged for hours. He will be exploring the unknown, imagining, discovering right and wrong through trial and error, and developing a little common sense. Every page is a promise.

Rating:
Summary: ALL IT TAKES IS A LITTLE COMMON SENSE
Review: Although beautifully camouflaged, the key to Rex Bowlby's "Why Why Would I want the Toy, When I Can Have the box?" shouts out the key to happy children and happier parenting. In 149 pages, Mr. Bowlby shows us it's not necessary to spend endless dollars on our children's happiness. Let the child invent the toy, let a box become a ship, give him a pile of dirt, a basin of water and discarded plastic bottles, a turkey baster, and his mind will be challenged for hours. He will be exploring the unknown, imagining, discovering right and wrong through trial and error, and developing a little common sense. Every page is a promise.

Rating:
Summary: A Grandpa's Opinion
Review: As the father of two daughters, three granddaughters, two grandsons, two great-granddaughters and one great grandson...I truly could have used this book forty years ago!

This well researched, conveniently organized and extremely readable handbook should fill the need of todays young parents for sensible and practical help.

A great gift for many occasions!

Rating:
Summary: Novel, original, highly effective -- budget & kid friendly.
Review: In Why Would I Want The Toy, When I Can Have The Box?: 101 Ways To Make The Most Of Your Children, With The Least From Your Wallet, Rex Bowlby shows how a scrap of wood can be a great ally when a parent wants to get things done with their children, that a car parking aid can double as a multi-purpose sports device in the garage, and a can of shaving cream can foster creativity and defuse tension. There are thirteen chapters of development in which parents are shown that contributing to chores helps children acquire self-confidence, that executing physical challenges helps children obtain coordination, and that playing make-believe helps children develop imagination. Why Would I Want The Toy, When I Can Have The Box? is a novel, original, highly effective approach to parenting and offers a wealth of budget and "kid friendly" tips, tricks & techniques.

Rating:
Summary: A GREAT BOOK FOR PARENTS/GRANDPARENTS
Review: Parents and grandparents of all aged children should read this! It gives some great ideas of things to do with your kids that cost little or no money. But the best part is that your kids will love you for it. These are the family activities for the before TV era - you know, when families were closer, talked more and played more "together." Some of the ideas might seem silly or out of character, but you soon "get into it" when you see the response from your kids. Mr. Bowlby writes in a style that is fun to read. His humor is so "real." I could relate to many of his stories. Each suggested activity is described in about one page so you don't have to read through a lot of analyses to get to the point. I truly feel that this book is a must for anyone with children! I'm buying some for Father's day gifts!

Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Resource
Review: We received this book as a gift only yesterday, and have already devoured it (even though our child is only 5 months old). We loved it so much we plan to give it as a gift to everyone we know with children. Mr. Bowlby not only writes an excellent "cookbook" for spending quality time with your child without high dollar cost, but also incorporates humor and emotion (you should have seen my wife's tears as she read about such wonderful topics as "Friday night sleeping bag father-son sleep togethers"!). The book is organized into well thought-out categories and makes for very easy and enjoyable reading.

Parents will walk away with simple and fun ways to demonstrate to their child love comes from the heart, not the wallet. Don't miss this one!

Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Resource
Review: We received this book as a gift only yesterday, and have already devoured it (even though our child is only 5 months old). We loved it so much we plan to give it as a gift to everyone we know with children. Mr. Bowlby not only writes an excellent "cookbook" for spending quality time with your child without high dollar cost, but also incorporates humor and emotion (you should have seen my wife's tears as she read about such wonderful topics as "Friday night sleeping bag father-son sleep togethers"!). The book is organized into well thought-out categories and makes for very easy and enjoyable reading.

Parents will walk away with simple and fun ways to demonstrate to their child love comes from the heart, not the wallet. Don't miss this one!