Review; When Your Centerpiece Is Made of Play-Doh and the Dog Has Eaten Your Crayons.

When Your Centerpiece is Made of Play-doh and the Dog has Eaten Your Crayons. A Mother's Perspective on Parenting. By Jennifer M. Koontz.

• Paperback: 166 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace (6 Mar 2012)
• Language English
• ISBN-10: 1467906131
• ISBN-13: 978-1467906135

Firstly, kind thanks to the publishers, for granting me the permission to review this book via Netgalley, for no charge, for an honest review.  This book was read on my Kindle.

Book description.

This is a light-hearted look at parenting that also contains many practical suggestions for managing all of the supplies, advice, questions, and challenges that come along with being a parent. It is the definitive guide to raising a self-sufficient, well-mannered child, while keeping life in perspective and maintaining a sense of humor.

The main theme of the book is that parents are not alone in the land of Parenthood. All parents go through shades of the same issues sooner or later, and it is important to reach out and seek the wisdom that surrounds us. The sources of wisdom about parenting are boundless; they can be found in the most unlikely of places. One of the most important ways to learn about parenting is to listen to your children! Children are constantly communicating with us ~ we just need to learn how to understand them. Even when they don't speak, they are communicating. This book even includes a chapter that tells the reader what children wish their parents knew.

In addition, the author includes a tremendous resource for parents who may be struggling with children's behavioral issues. She presents the Privileges System, which she created for her own daughter after consulting many behavioral management sources. It does utilize counting but does not include the use of "time outs." The Privileges System doesn't cost anything to implement, and parents who commit to it will likely see results in a very short time. Koontz believes that the most important thing you can teach your child is that you truly mean what you say. You will earn the respect of a child by modeling respect, and the best way to teach kindness is by being kind.

The book concludes with a list of things that parents should remember when they are too tired to remember anything else. Parents deserve to celebrate their achievements and look forward to tomorrow, knowing that they have made a difference today.

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My Review.

Firstly, many thanks to the publishers for granting me the review of this book for which it was kindly received via Netgalley.  This was read on my kindle.  I do an honest review and if already published when i receive the book, i tend to read it when i get a chance.  Therefore, i didn't appreciate an email from ?publishers asking me if i was going to review the book.  But never mind that.  Right firstly, i wanted to read this book because i thought the title was quirky and different.  It is too long in my opinion and could be cut off after 'play-doh'.  The book cover is so simple and boring to be honest.  This is sold in paperback as well as on the kindle and people do judge books on their cover, therefore with this, at the price it is, it wouldn't get much interest.  The colour's are not striking enough, the image and the put together is not professional looking.  It looks like something you put together on clip-art.  Yes it sums up the title but there could be so much more to it.

Okay the book, it is quite short in length and i read it within a day.  It could be longer in content, and it could be laid out better, with heading or even some more 'quirkiness', this book has the potential to be like that.  It's not a standard parenting book, it has a different element, but to get it away from the    feel of a 'put together blog', it could be 'fun' inside!  Bold striking colours, quirky fonts, images! Something that doesn't look like a novel but something a parent could dip in and out off as something they come back too and just jump to the section they want.  All to  add to this book.  Right now the cover and layout do not fit the style of the book and this is just my opinion.  I won't include any spoilers in this review and with the lengthy book description there.

This book, has i have just said is not your standard parenting book.  It's not one on development or what to expect at what stage and it is not a 'how-to' book.  It is a book that is like a friend, what your friend tells you.  It does have some funny content in there, i love the personal stories (the author has a child but also includes friend's stories) as it adds some giggles, smiles and interest.  When you read it,as a parent, so much relates and you think 'oh yeah that's what happened with me' or 'thank God i am not the only parent who has done that'.  It makes you feel better about being a parent!!!  Children do not come with an instruction book, there is no manual and we all are taking it day-to-day.  There is some important lessons in here and what we often forget as parents- to take time, to step back and to enjoy.  To remember our children grow fast but as parents we matter too as individuals.  I loved the lessons- i wish the ones that parents need to here would have being 'highlighted' in the book or for there to be a section at the book saying 'what to remember' and concise this by bullet-points, so you can pick it up and read when life is difficult.  I think this book is more for people who have a child or children who are say toddler age and older.  If i would have read this when pregnant or before i would have shrugged a lot off because you just don't realise what being a parent is truly like until you are going through it, the ideal is very different to the reality.  I really did like the idea of the privilege system, this was a bit 'how-to' though but it is an interesting idea- i feel there is just a lot to it though.  I loved the last few sentences of the book but i was sadly left thinking is that it.

I am giving this book a 2 out of 5 ladybugs, i found it difficult to give this book a rating, but i'm settled on this.