Enjoy the Ride: Tools, Tips, and Inspiration for the Most Common Parenting Challenges

Suzy Martyn 
Mother’s Friend Publishing (2009)
ISBN 9780578009513
Reviewed by Beverly Pechin for Reader Views (11/09)

 

At a quick glance of the book’s cover, any parent or parent-to-be would be impressed with the award-winning label of “Mom’s Choice Awards - Honoring Excellence” alone, but a simple turn of the book to the back cover boasts an even more impressive list of credentials of the author, including her Family Fun Magazine’s “Mom of the Month” award.

This book is not a typical, run-of-the-mill style parenting book that covers a certain number of years. This particular book covers everything from the pre-natal months through toddler years, with even a touch of early school years. Much of what the book covers could, technically, even be brought through the raising of your teenage child as it deals with issues such as handling anger and sibling rivalry; something that we parents all know continue well past the toddler times!

An excellent “Resource” area in the back of the book allows one to copy and utilize work sheets, hints and tips, and even small notes that could be copied and placed on the fridge for daily viewing. One of my favorites is the weekly “Behavior Chart,” keeping track of how your little one uses such manners as saying “please” and “thank you,” along with other simple manners that can often be forgotten. With this quick chart hanging on one’s fridge, your little one could easily and proudly display the times they remember their manners!

Another portion of the “Resource” area I enjoyed was the listing of introduction of solid foods. This detailed, yet not overwhelming, listing of foods and when they generally are introduced to a child allows a parent to feel comfortable and somewhat guided that what they are doing is or isn’t “in the norm.” This particular listing itself I found to be an amazing help to me when a friend, whom I had given the book to after reading it myself for the review, called me to thank me - telling me “the ‘Introducing Solids’ listing was so helpful! It's been over 10 years since I’ve done this and while I thought it was all second nature I found myself quickly second guessing ‘is it ok to feed him Cheerios yet?’ and this list quickly put my mind at ease!” I realized that this is often a question of both new and “repeat” parents who may have simply forgotten what stage happens when.Other issues handled without too much information, yet enough to make one feel comfortable and well informed, include potty training, handling night terrors, setting limits and even financial issues that are often a hidden fear that is not talked about by your peers. Speech, preparing for the infant, introducing the “new baby” to siblings and so much more are presented in an easy to read, understand and comprehend style without spending hours on end trying to decipher “professional language,” written in layman’s terms and fairly direct with answers and suggestions.
 
This book would be a wonderful gift to any expectant parent and something I would highly recommend to anyone whoever has even the slightest tinge of “am I doing this right.” Let’s face it - that covers any parent I’ve ever met, self included!

Well written, Suzy Martyn uses her experience as a mother, teacher, daycare provider and professional parenting consultant to bring across concise and important issues raised as a parent or expectant parent from the very beginning of the book. Listings of other helpful books, websites and, again an excellent “Resource” area of printable items make this book an amazing piece of work considering the size of the book. Most books take literally hundreds upon hundreds of pages to get across the points that Suzy Martyn seems to be able to quickly and concisely get across to the reader without needing to be too wordy or take up too much of their time.

“Enjoy the Ride” by Suzy Martyn is a must in the library of any parent or parent-to-be and, I'm certain, one that will be pulled out often as the child grows through the years. For $12.95 it’s an amazingly well-priced, well-deserved, and well-needed addition to help one in becoming the best parent one can be!

Make comment on weblog