The Parent Bloggers Network

With Labor Day right around the corner, that means two things. Lots of travel traffic and SCHOOL. Certainly parents have done everything they can to prepare their child — new clothes, new books, and new shoes. But how do you as a parent prepare for your child becoming a student?

Parenting a school aged child opens up a whole new can of worms for moms and dads. That’s why Armin Brott, award winning author of the Mr. Dad series has written a book on the topic aimed at dads. Finally, something practical for the dads!

Our first set of bloggers loved the book and so we were anxious to see our second set of bloggers’ reactions. Additionally, our parent bloggers with new babies (or ones on the way) will be checking out his Toolbox for New Dads DVD. If you know an expectant or new dad or work with them in some capacity (nurse, doctor, therapist –heh), then definitely check out our reviews!

Similar to our first group of bloggers, these bloggers found the book to be easy to read without being condescending (and that was according to the moms AND dads). “The advice is clear without being simplistic. WhyDaddy says that the prose is, “very readable; friendly without being condescending.” Brott really gets into the mind of dads and walks them through new situations like a trusted friend.”

This mom noticed that her husband applied some of the findings in the book to real life. “I can see that his interaction with the children is a lot different. He gets less frustrated when they aren’t able to do something because he now realized that for his age the child is doing exactly what he is supposed to be doing. Hubby realized that children are a certain age for a reason. ”

While some of the bloggers thought that there was too much research quoted in the book (never a bad thing to have your words backed up, though), this set of bloggers thought it was an asset to the book. “One of the aspects we like most about this book is its emphasis on research, not just opinion. The text is well-researched without being overly technical and dry. Brott is good at referencing studies, but he also acknowledges when the research straddles the fence and is not definitive on a particular point.”

This dad appreciated his non-guilt, humorous approach to the topic, as did all of our bloggers in some capacity. “Overall I liked and agreed with what he had to say. He uses modern and personal stories to illustrate points, and gives out specific details, from which toys meet his criteria, to website links that have more or supporting information. ” This mom shared similar thoughts: “I particularly enjoyed the wit of Brott’s writing style. An example is (are?) his chapter titles that do a great job of summing up what that year is about like 4-Let’s Talk about Meee! and 9-Just Like a Real Person, Only Shorter.”

Brott covers all his bases, using inclusivity and respect. “We both tend to be cynics when it comes to parenting books. Most of the ones that we have read preach more of a perfect parenting type of approach. They left us feeling inadequate especially since we have children with ADHD, learning disabilities, and sensory issues. Most parenting books don’t address these issues unless the book is specifically written for one of these issues. This book scored big points with us on this matter. Armin A. Brott addresses how to be a dad to a child with ADHD or LD throughout the book. We like that he didn’t single these kids out. He also sends a clear message that it’s okay to be a good enough dad.”

Again, the bloggers commented on the helpful and thorough resource section, particularly on the Instant Message (IM) and Text interpreter. “At the end of the book there is a plethora or resources. Good resources. Relevant resources. Resources that would make a resource junky like myself weep. One of my favorite parts to discuss with my husband was the quick reference “Talking the Talk.” It is about Internet lingo and net-speak.” “Of particular interest to me was the chart on page 175 that listed common texting abbreviations–here I thought I was so up-to-date on the technical, I guess not really so much. Who knew, IPN–I’m posting naked? Gee, I’ll have to keep Gman from using that one, talk about TMI!”

Make sure to check out Brott’s website for more information on his books, podcast, and parenting column, and check out these bloggers’ reviews of his Toolbox for New Dads DVD.

8/27 Family Living

8/28 Growing a Life

8/29 Snarky Momma

8/30 Soul Gardening

8/31 Daddy in a Strange Land

9/4 Rookie Moms

9/5 Island Review

9/6 Mom to the Screaming Masses

9/10 Mama Drama

9/11 Gunfighter’s View

9/12 Final Round Up

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This entry was posted on Monday, August 27th, 2007 at 5:00 am and is filed under Books, Media. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.