Jennifer M. Koontz

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

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. 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.