Suzanne Pass

One Voice, Please by Sam McBratney
Favorite Read-Aloud Stories

This collection is prefaced by Sam recalling a night in an Irish pub where somebody called “One Voice, Please” and storytelling commenced. It brings back feelings of a simpler time before TV, when oral storytelling was the main way to pass stories through the generations. Some of the stories in the collection are recognizable fables like King Midas, and some are simple stories with personified animals as their main characters. All are written in an older English style.

Times were different hundreds of years ago, but as one of the stories begins: “Back when times were different but people were the same…” There is truth in that. Human nature remains constant as technology changes our lives.

Confident Parents, Remarkable Kids by Bonnie Harris
8 Principles for Raising Kids You’ll Love to Live With

Every parenting book has something to teach. I don’t believe one book or one method will work for your child, each child is so different. I like the overall approach of this book, which is that you need to start from a place where you respect your child and assume that they are not trying to be difficult. You need to figure out where they are coming from. This book is anti-punishment and rewarding based parenting approaches. There are 8 principles in this method:

1. My child wants to be successful
2. Behavior is my clue
3. My child’s greatest need is acceptance
4. Expectations must be set for success
5. Connection strengthens relationship
6. Behavior I focus on grows
7. Solving, not punishment, teaches responsibility
8. Good boundaries mean good balance

This book is well organized but the tone is a bit stiff.  I think it’s very telling that the writer of the book admits that she didn’t need these principles until her 2nd child came along!

Mama Gena’s School of Womanly Arts by Regena Thomashauer

This book is pink. You must start with the assumption “Female Power” and go from there. It’s a very fun read and women could get a lot out of this book, as well as some open minded men. There are exercises at the end of each chapter, which I did not do and I assume 90% of readers will not.

The main take away for me is that you need to exude power in order to achieve it. Much of that is confidence in yourself and your body, which is difficult for most women. My favorite part is when Regena said that she overheard someone say the equivalent of “She’s not beautiful but she certainly acts like she is.” She thought this was great, and reflected her success. To her, this was a compliment!