Recent Reads

Teen/Parent Breakthrough by Mira Kirshenbaum, if you haven't figured it out already it's a parenting book. I'm kind of burnt out on them but I am glad I read it and will want to re-read in a few years. I did learn a few things, I think I knew them already but it was a good reminder.

• Before you help your kids ask if they want you help. This was a VERY good reminder. One of my kids does not like help unless she asks for it or gets to refuse it. I think she sees it as an affront to her intelligence but I am not sure she can articulate that. I just know she doesn't like it.
• The other thing is to not to get bent out of shape in how your kids talk to you or some of the things they say. It's better to let it go and connect later. (Easier said than done.)
• The other tip that stood out for me was kids need to develop their own view of the the world. So as much as we want to pass on all our 30-40years worth of wisdom in hopes our kids will not make the same mistakes we made, we can't. It's not that we don't share our wisdom ever, we can't prevent them from making mistakes. Ideally we become our child's best friend then you will have the best chance of helping them and sharing your wisdom.

The Incredibly Revolting Ghost by Cornelia Funke, the first in the Ghosthunter series. Nine year old Tom is afraid of Ghosts but soon gets a crash course in ghost removal. Corbin loved this book, it's the first chapter book he has listened. He is looking forward to the next book. I'm excited my son likes chapter books. Yeah! (It would be fine if he didn't but I love books. So it's nice to finally find a book we can enjoy together)

The audiobook of The History of Love by Nicole Krause. I enjoyed the story but for some reason I had hard time keeping with it. The narrators were good but there was something about it that I might have liked it better as a read, rather than a listen. I did get lots of crocheting done.

I re-read Darwin's Radio by Greg Bear a novel suggesting a big genetic change for our species. Lots of science type stuff in this but I was in it more for the relationships. I was horrified how the government reacted to the the change.

I'm also read the Memory Keepers Daughter by Kim Edwards. I'll get to discuss things with my book club after the first of the year. I enjoyed the read. It was so sad. Keeping secrets is dangerous.

I'm currently reading The Revival by Max Yoho which is pretty funny. I have a little bone to pick with the author. There is one passage in the book where he pokes fun at crochet. I can forgive him a little because I do agree that not all crochet is beautiful and it was kind of funny. Yet, I do think crocheting is cool. Hmmmf.