Motivate Your Child by Dr. Scott Turansky & Joanne Miller.

 

Motivate Your Child by Dr. Scott Turansky & Joanne Miller.  

We need a parenting revolution!
Most parenting approaches end up encouraging children to ask the wrong questions about life: What’s in it for me? Are you going to pay me for that? What’s the minimum I need to do to get by?
But God’s Word gives us a better way to parent, one that builds strong internal motivation in children. When parents change the way they parent, kids change the way they live. This practical book explores a theology of internal motivation and then gives parents real-life solutions to equip their kids for life.
You’ll learn . . . 

• how to parent in ways that build internal motivation so that kids don’t have to rely on you to get things done.
• The four promptings of the conscience and how to coordinate your parenting to take advantage of them.
• ways to energize your spiritual training with fun and creativity.
• how to help children respond to mistakes instead of blaming, defending, or justifying.
The greatest gift you can give your child is strong moral and spiritual development—this book shows you how. Every chapter includes practical examples of families applying the Bible to their current issues. Join the revolution!

I have enjoyed reading Motivate Your Child.  I feel that the authors have something different to say that adds to the conversation on parenting.  They talk about the conscience and how different children react to discipline when they make mistakes.  I discovered that my daughter reacts differently than either my husband or myself to learning she has made a mistake.  That has made a great difference in my parenting her, and I feel like our relationship has improved since reading this book.  I feel for the first time I am making some progress with her, and reaching her.   It has empowered me as a parent.  My husband said this alone made the book worth reading. 

Motivate Your Child has many examples of conversations other parents have had with their children to help them become responsible adults.  I found this very helpful, and it has given me ideas on how to start good conversations with my kids.  I liked the variety of stories and the different kind of families they used in their examples.   The authors do a great job painting visual pictures that help clarify their points.  

Lastly, what I love about this book is that it is a relational book.  This is not a get your kids to do what you want in 5 easy steps.  The authors talk about working with your child's heart, showing your child how they can change, and how you can guide your child to become the person God wants them to be. I highly recommend reading it. 

Both of the authors will be at the Midwest Homeschool Convention this weekend in Cincinnati. You might enjoy hearing them speak and stopping by their booth.  

ABOUT AUTHOR: Scott Turansky has been a pastor and missionary for more than 33 years and is an author of several books. In addition to pastoring full time, Scott also conducts parenting seminars on Saturdays around the United states (http://www.effectiveparenting.org/). He is the co-founder of the National Center for Biblical Parenting (www.biblicalparenting.org) and has co-authored four books.
I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review from Book Club Network.

The Mess Dectives and The Case of the Lost Temper by Karen Poth

A Lesson in Self-Control
In this Level One VeggieTales I Can Read, The Mess Detectives and the Case of the Lost Temper, Bob and Larry have another important case … track down the Masked Door Slammer. But when the investigation doesn’t go the way Bob wants, and things go wrong, he begins to lose his temper.
Will a gentle reminder from Larry help Bob get his temper under control?


 The Mess Detectives and the Case of the Lost Temper is an I Can Read book by Karen Poth. This Level One book is around 32 pages and each page has around three to five lines on each page.  The story is the adventure of Bob and Larry as detectives who investigate the case of a door slammer.  The book follows Bob and Larry as they solve the problem of being annoyed with each other.

As a homeschool mom of seven and a former reading teacher I can say I have sat through hundreds of beginning reader books.  The story did not seem as contrived to me as other beginning reader books I have read over the years.  The story successfully solved a problem in a natural way with limited vocabulary and sentence length.  The pictures are delightful and engaging.  I can recommend this book for beginning readers. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Homeschool Co-ops 101 by Karen Lange, Book Tour & $25 Amazon GC Giveaway!

Essential co-op tools, tips, and options for today’s homeschool families.

Thinking about joining or starting a homeschool co-op? Not sure if a co-op is a good fit? Homeschool Co-ops 101 weighs the pros, cons, and creative options available for today’s homeschool family.

• Section 1 includes essential, digestible info on co-op ingredients such as planning and organization, schedules, teaching, finances, and addressing conflict and burnout.
• Section 2 shares a sampling of co-op games and activities, and
• Section 3 contains five hands-on unit studies. These ready to use studies include lessons on Leonardo da Vinci, Birds of Prey, Public Speaking, Tall Tales, and Creative Writing, and are suitable for co-op or home use. This section also includes unit study guidelines that are easily customized to suit any topic.
• Section 4 offers suggested books, curriculum, and other resources.

Karen Lange has gathered insight from years of co-oping and now shares her own and others’ experiences in this valuable and encouraging handbook.

Homeschool Co-ops 101 is available at:

~~~Amazon~~~

~~~Barnes and Noble~~~

~~~Kobo~~~

About the Author

Karen Lange, her husband, and three children were active in co-ops during their sixteen-year homeschool journey. Her experience includes serving as a local homeschool support group coordinator and consultant for a state homeschool network in New Jersey. Karen’s children have since graduated, and she is now a freelance writer and online writing instructor for homeschooled teens.

You can connect with Karen at her Blog, on Twitter, and Facebook.

Blog Tour Schedule

November 4
~Ruth Schiffman, http://outonalimbshywritergoessocial.blogspot.com/
~Robyn Campbell, http://robyn-campbell.blogspot.com/

November 5
~Carol Alexander, http://lessonsfromthehomestead.com/blog/

~Diane Estrella, www.dianeestrella.com

November 6
~Gena Mayo, ichoosejoy.org

~Marja Meijers, http://sacredsabbath.blogspot.com/

November 7
~Sandie Crozek, http://chattycrone.blogspot.com/

~Melissa Brander, http://mkbrander.com/

~Cecelia Lester, http://quietspirit-followingmyking.blogspot.com/

November 8
~Susan Reinhardt, http://www.susanjreinhardt.com/

~Cecelia Lester, http://quietspirit-followingmyking.blogspot.com/

November 10

~Laura V. Hilton, http://lighthouse-academy.blogspot.com/

~Melissa & Tiffany, http://www.homegrownfamilies.net

~Janette Dolores, http://janettedolores.blogspot.com

November 11
~Susan Sundwall, www.sundwallsays.blogspot.com

~Michelle Isenhoff, http://www.michelleisenhoff.com/wp

November 12
~Carol Alexander, http://lessonsfromthehomestead.com/blog/

~Jeanette Levellie, http://www.jeanettelevellie.com/

November 13
~Susanne Dietze, http://susannedietze.blogspot.com/
~Sherryl Wilson, simplysherryl.com

~Anne Payne, duhpaynes.blogspot.com

November 14
~Rhonda Schrock, http://www.rhondaschrock.com/rhondas_blog/
~Abi Buening, http://myheartbelongs2books.blogspot.com/

~Amber Schamel, http://www.amberschamel.com/history-blog.html

~Renee, motherdaughterbookreviews.com

November 15
~Crystal King, http://asimpleheartforhome.blogspot.com/
~Barb Winters, inthemidstof.wordpress.com/

~Tyrean Martinson, http://tyreanswritingspot.blogspot.com/

November 16

~Julie, soaringeagle8.blogspot.com

~Sarah, myjoyfilledlife.com

November 17
~Amada Chavez, ascphotosanddesigns.blogspot.com

~Cindi Clubbs, http://ccclubbs.com/

~Rebecca Boerner, http://ohiohomeschool.blogspot.com/

November 18

~Carlene Havel, https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6440085.Carlene_Havel/blog

~Cindy Loven, http://cindylovenreviews.blogspot.com

November 19

~Karen Loethen, http://taytayhser.blogspot.com.au/

~Amy Smith, myseasonsofopportunities.blogspot.com/

November 20

~Darlene Arroyo-Lozada, http://lovebookslozada.blogspot.com/

November 22

~Sarah Bailey, http://growingforchrist.wordpress.com

~Thumb Updown, http://momsthumb.blogspot.com/

December 2

~Jennifer Shirk, http://jennifershirk.blogspot.com/

~Ticia M., http://adventuresinmommydom.org/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Giveaway

Open to US addresses only. One person will receive a $25 Amazon GC and a copy of Homeschool Co-ops 101. Please use the Rafflecopter below to be entered:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


The winner will be chosen from those entries and announced December 5, 2013. Good luck!

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. Winning entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and announced here as well as e-mailed, and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Diane at That’s What I’m Here For… and sponsored by the author, Karen Lange. The author provided me with a free copy of Homeschool Co-ops 101 to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a giveaway in return for the free book.VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

My Review
I was thrilled to be a part of this blog hop and review.  I think this book is an excellent resource, and will help you work through whether a Homeschool Co-op is right for you, or if the one you are in is a good fit.  As parents we make many different decisions about our kid's education. It is wonderful when you can find a resource that is helpful in the decision making process, and I feel Homeschool Co-ops 101 is that resource.



Homeschool Co-ops 101 Blog Tour Questions (Q&A)

What prompted you to write this book?

Thanks so much for inviting me over to your blog! I’m looking forward to visiting with you and your followers.

About ten years ago, I was encouraged by a good friend in the homeschool community to write a booklet about co-ops. She was the director of a statewide homeschool support network, and she knew people often asked me about how a co-op works. The booklet seemed like a good way to share the info, so I self published it. In May of 2013, Helping Hands Press offered me a contract to expand it, so here we are!

What can readers expect to find in the book?

The book offers info on how to start a co-op and weighs the pros, cons, and creative options available for homeschool families. One thing I emphasize is that parents have options when it comes to co-oping. Co-ops come in all sizes and sometimes an existing one is not a good fit for a family. Parents shouldn’t feel bad or be intimidated if this is the case; they need to know that it’s okay to either not participate and even start their own co-op if they wish.

Another thing to note is that HC 101's usefulness is not limited to just homeschoolers. The how to section offers helpful setup and structure tips for other K-12 student groups. The activity segment has lessons, games, and hands on projects that suit these groups as well.

Here is a breakdown of each section of the book:

Section 1 includes info on co-op ingredients such as planning and organization, schedules, teaching, finances, and addressing conflict and burnout. Section 2 has a sampling of co-op games and activities, and Section 3 contains five hands-on unit studies. The topics include lessons on Leonardo da Vinci, Birds of Prey, Public Speaking, Tall Tales, and Creative Writing, and are suitable for co-op or individual home use. Section 3 also includes unit study guidelines that are easily customized to suit any topic. Section 4 offers suggested books, curriculum, and other resources.

Tell us a little about your homeschool experience.

My husband and I homeschooled our three children (two sons and a daughter) in grades K-12. We chose to homeschool because, among other things, we wanted to personalize our children’s education and felt home was the best place to do that. During this time, we were active with our local homeschool support group’s events such as field trips and science and art fairs. Co-ops played an important role too. These activities helped supplement our studies, provided balanced socialization, fellowship, and fun. They also offered a broader worldview as our children interacted with not just homeschool families, but the surrounding community.

If you happen to be interested in more info about the ups and downs of homeschooling, socialization, higher education, and other related topics, visit this link: http://www.insanitek.net/ink/archives/865

What would you like readers to take away from the book?

No one plan fits everyone, so I encourage families, whether they decide to co-op or not, to find the right balance and fit for them. My hope is that they would find ideas and encouragement for their children’s educational journey.

Thanks again for sharing your space with me today. It’s been a pleasure!

Secrets of Dynamic Communication Prepare with Focus, Deliver with Clarity, Speak with Power By Ken Davis

.

Book Description

What is the most important ingredient for an effective speech or presentation?
Whether you are one who speaks only on rare occasions or you find yourself addressing an audience every day, this book will be an invaluable tool. Beneficial to the experienced pro as well as the new beginner, Secrets of Dynamic Communication is a practical and effective handbook for powerful presentations of all kinds. It takes the reader through the process of selecting and developing a theme, giving it focus, fleshing it out, and communicating well with the audience. The first half is devoted to preparation, the second to delivery.
Author Ken Davis is frequently hired by individuals and companies around the world to bring his humor and expertise to others in the speaking field, and he is now bringing those concepts to the wider community as well. No abstract theories here, only step-by-step help in preparing and delivering speeches that get results! You’ll soon develop the dynamic speaking skills associated with the very best in the field.


The Secret of Dynamic Communication walks you through the SCORRE method of preparing a talk.  The book's premise is that many times when you hear others speak, you are not exactly clear what their point was.  I would have to concur. In The Secrets of Dynamic Communication the author teaches you to narrow down your topic, develop a plan, and execute a speech that people will remember. He does this with humor and clarity. 

 I requested to review this book because I saw the possibilities of it being used as a resource for a home education high school public speaking class.  I was not disappointed, and feel it is an excellent book to use as a resource or develop a class around. The book will help your student walk through developing a speech, use review questions and fill-in-the-blanks to reinforce learning, and present a speech in a professional and effective manner.  Public speaking is something that all of us are called upon to do at some point in our lives.  Whether we speak to an audience of ten or ten thousand, The Secret of Dynamic Communication is a valuable learning tool.   I highly recommend this book. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com® <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”