Customer Reviews

The Girlfriends' Guide to Toddlers

5 star:		(51)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I'll start by saying that my husband and I have used a very different form of parenting than Vicki uses [We are what she describes as "those Hippies" who use Attachment Parenting and sleep together in one big bed like a "Pile of Puppies" - and we love it]. That having been said, I have thoroughly enjoyed this book [all THREE times I read it - and I'll probably re-read it again sometime when I need another lift]. I laughed until I cried reading this book and it ALWAYS gives me a fresh outlook on whatever stage I'm dealing with.

I don't advise using this book as your primary manual to caring for a Toddler. There are much better books out there for that purpose [In My Opinion - "The Discipline Book", "How To Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk", as well as "Attachment Parenting"]. But if you could really use a laugh and help getting some perspective on these hectic, crazy toddler years - this is the perfect book for it. [And what mother of a toddler couldn't use a laugh?!!] I've read all of Vicki's books [and enjoyed them], but this one is my favorite.

It seems from reading the reviews that people either love Vicki or hate her. I don't really understand the polarization. I think she's simply a very funny person who doesn't claim to be *anything* more than she is - just one mom who has been there and is sharing one way of coping. She repeatedly emphasizes that she's not a Physician, Psychologist, etc. I don't think people should take her books so seriously - they are meant to be funny, and they succeed brilliantly.

One thing that does carry forth very plainly in her books though: Vicki loves children very much and encourages us to parent with compassion. You can't fault her for that - this world could certainly use a little more compassion.

I really like Vicki's sense of humor. Sometimes in the evening, when we have had a bad day,  my husband and I will read an excerpt outloud together and share a good laugh about something that nearly drove us crazy earlier. Vicki lets you know for sure that you are not the only one that has problems with your toddlers. She offers a variety of sensible strategies to choose from. She is not afraid to share in her book some of her own embarrassing, angry moments with her kids; and we find that very comforting. Her book is fun to read with its friendly "girltalk" style that most moms (or dads) with toddlers can relate to. It feels good to know that other kids say and do things that challenge their parent's sanity and that all of us regret what we say and do from time to time. We also recommend a quick-read A-Z guide called "The Pocket Parent" which has a similar compassionate friendly tone.   There are a variety of personal short anecdotes (many very funny) from the authors and other parents of 2-5 year olds.  However, along with the humor, "Pocket Parent" has way more "meat" as far as specific helpful "how-to's" to such troublesome behaviors as bad words, bedtime, biting, hitting and hurting others, interrupting, mealtime, morning crazies, the gimmes, separation anxiety, and whining. Both books give lots of support, a good dose of humor and sensible advice without being preachy nor condescending.

Vicki Iovine has done it again. She has boldly gone where other parenting advice books dare not go--she tells the truth about parenting toddlers with a humorous approach. I think this book is a must have for the first time parent once their little darling reaches about his or her first birthday. The one thing you'll take away from this book is that there is no right or wrong way to approach a toddler issue (potty training, moving to the big bed), an approach I think all parents need to embrace. Ms. Iovine is not a pediatrician, a psychologist, or an professional "expert" of any kind, and she frequently reminds us of that. What she is is a mom of 4 kids (who have all survived toddlerhood), with lots of chatty friends. You will come away from this book feeling as if you have just been at a really useful girls' night out. I think the chapter on potty training alone makes the book worth getting. In certain instances, such as potty training, I believe that advice from the trenches, as this book is, is the most useful. This book is enjoyable to read, and quite funny in places, but I also think that I will reread certain chapters when undergoing one crisis or another as my toddler grows. Ms. Iovine also includes a really sweet top ten list of "Why we love toddlers" which with bring tears to moms everywhere.

I greatly enjoyed the other two Girlfriends' books, but the Toddler one is the best yet. Most of all, it has helped me retain some perspective on these crazy toddler years, so that I haven't had to undergo premature dementia over eating struggles, sleeping (or not), tantrums, etc. This book was never intended by the author to be a comprehensive guide to every single physical and psychological aspect of early childhood! For that, I have the AAP Birth-5 Years book and the What to Expect series. The Girlfriends' Guide is more of a day-to-day survival manual, and it refreshes and reassures like a chat with your best mommy Girlfriend. If you actually READ the book carefully, you'll see that Iovine herself repeatedly advises the reader that she is NOT a pediatrician, nutritionist, psychologist or educator, and suggests many times that you use every resource at your disposal to get specific information. This is a very responsible approach, in my opinion.

As for the tone of the book being described as "put-upon" and exhausted, well, four toddlers will do that to you!

I am now eagerly awaiting the Girlfriends' Guides for the school-age and teen years. Keep up the good work, Vicki!

I have loved all of Vicki Iovine's books, but the guide to toddlers is extra special to me. I purchased it when my son, my first-born, was entering his terrible twos. Being inexperienced parents, my husband and I were ready to pull our hair out over such new concepts as behavioral issues, night terrors and potty training. Vicki's book explained these issues to us in a non-clinical, non-judgemental, and overall humerous way.

We read other parenting books by "experts" that provide facts, but Vicki is like an experienced girlfriend or sister who holds your hand, puts things in perspective for you, and tells you to lighten up and laugh a little.

I think readers who complain about Vicki's books need to gain a sense of humor and stop looking for too much in her chapters -- Vicki constantly reminds you that she is not a physician or child psychiatrist and that you should consult the real experts should you have concerns.

My son is now almost 4 years old, fully potty trained, well-adjusted and well-behaved (not counting his little "moments," of course!). I believe Vicki helped us immensely in making us recognize that a lot of the issues we experienced with him were normal, so we were able to treat various challenges with love, understanding, a sense of calm, and most importantly, humor.

Vicki Iovine has done it again with her newest, The Girlfriends' Guide to Toddlers. You'll laugh out loud as you learn how to deal with biters and thumb suckers, nose pickers and picky eaters. Chapters covering such things as discipline, the potty, and sleep, use lots of stories of other girlfriends' mistakes and successes. This book is not just an entertaining read, though. It's a fabulous reference book. Well researched, it covers everything from babyproofing to selecting a preschool.

Since she's a mom of four, the author gives more realistic advice than the politically correct experts. She knows that sometimes you're going to put your child in front of the TV just so you can get something done, and she doesn't make you feel bad about doing it.

The Girlfriends' Guide to Toddlers covers everything you need to know with humor and the knowledge that comes with experience. It's the perfect gift for a one-year-old's birthday. Show up with this book instead of some plastic toy, and the mother will consider you a girlfriend in good standing.

Vicky Iovine's latest effort continues to do the trick for me. I have the good fortune of having my children at the proper time-- just as Mrs. Iovine produces another journal, age appropriate for my stage of motherhood. My kids are (almost) 4 and (almost) 2, and the struggles that are described make me feel like the latest victim of The Truman Show...(Is she watching me, or what?) My kids were actually watching Easter Parade at the moment I was reading Vicky's description of the same--Toddler Fashion Don'ts (including hats that match the dress.) Yikes. The tale of the sister-in-law's anxiety re: toddler Spagettio's consumption without utensils warmed my soul.

Despite what Mrs. Iovine has said, I am an obstetrician who recommends her books (along with the "gold standards") to my patients. A little bit of humor isn't a bad thing, here. Although she isn't a medical professional (a bonus, if you ask me), her advice makes sense and her priorities are clear. She has the freedom to address concerns that the standard reference books don't; the anxiety that parenthood brings, (that is, if you understand the question,) the unachievable (undesirable) nature of mommy perfection, and the clear understanding that our role as mothers is not to fix every problem, but to try to fix the important ones. The trying is the important thing, not actually the fix. What a relief.

I hope Mrs.Iovine continues to impart her wisdom to me, and also to my patients, many of which have found her to be invaluable in navigating the bumpy road of parenthood. I would also like to remind her that my oldest will be leaving toddlerhood someday fairly soon...

When my daughter Madison hit 2, I thought "Hmmm...she's so easy- why are all these Moms complaining about the 'terrible twos'?" Then I had my son Jack, and with his 2 year birthday came a rude awakening. At 2 1/2, he's done everything from climb on top of the 5 foot dresser to play "Buzz Lightyear" to drawing with crayon all over my poreous limestone fireplace (which requires some kind of acid to remove). That can only mean it's time to consult Vicki Iovine and her "Girlfriend's Guide" series regarding the frustrating toddler years. Before you yank all your hair out (that is, what hasn't fallen out already through sheer stress),Vicki reminds us to "be prepared for your VCR to be 'repaired' several times, for all dresser drawers to be liberated from their tracks, and for your car keys to end up in the sandbox, where they were employed for digging tunnels for your garage door opener to drive through". Vicki doesn't give advice through any book learning or PHd- she's just a 4 time veteran of this stuff, and it makes us Mommies feel a whole lot better that many before us have survived the toddler trenches. Topics such as how to say "NO" and act like you mean it, when to potty train (along with useful tips for success), and whether or not it's time to move to a "big boy/girl bed" , temper tantrums and arguements with someone who possesses a vocab of less than one hundred words are covered in this book. Some women prefer to go the "What to Expect" series route- personally, if I want technical info, I'll call my kids' pediatrcian. I much prefer to rely on the age-old tradition of the Girlfriend Grapevine to help me through the stressful fits of Toddlerhood (I don't think the doctor would be as accomodating!)

I don't think I could have gotten through my pregnancy without my two ultimate sources, WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU ARE EXPECTING and THE GIRLFRIEND'S GUIDE TO PREGNANCY. Only Iovine really made me understand what "breaking water" might be like and prepared me for some of the ins and outs of the birthing process. So with high hopes, I grabbed a copy of THE GIRLFRIEND'S GUIDE TO TODDLERS -- and I was so disappointed. It reads like a compendium of her articles for Child magazine put together by her editor. Missing are the delicious little girlfriend details one counts on. Wouldn't you expect really good scoop from the Girlfriends on potty training? Need some really nifty tricks to convince your toddler to sleep (or at least to convince yourself that his/her insomnia isn't your fault)? Don't look for it here; it's just the basic stuff. If you need a girlfriend fix, or are just curious about Iovine's take on toddlerhood, you are better off hitting the library and looking up her articles in Child. I have not referred to the book even once since reading it. I didn't even think it was funny enough or full of enough info to give away to a friend.

I am a great admirer of Vicki Iovine's first two Girlfriends' Guides, and I have looked to them for reassurance countless times in my new motherhood. I know what she is capable of, and therefore I find the Girlfriends' Guide to the Toddler Years something of a disappointment. I have read the whole book and enjoyed it, but I found it to be not nearly as tight as the other two. Perhaps it's because Iovine has been quite successful with these books, so her publisher knows that readers will buy this one based on the first two and saw no reason to put the same effort into this latest addition to the series. Perhaps it's because this one went out on a much faster timetable - one year after the most recent, instead of two like the Guide to the First Year. The prose is not as tightly edited, the formatting is inconsistent and somewhat dissheveled, and the entire tone is not as much fun. Iovine is at her best when talking as a Girlfriend, giving advice to mothers about themselves and making them feel that they are not alone in their troubles. Guide to Toddlers focusses on the children instead of the mother, and the author clearly does not find this topic as compelling. She sounds tired and put-upon, which is not surprising given the size of her family and her substantial writing commitments, but does make this book something of a downer compared to the joyful first two Guides. I wish she had taken the extra year it would have required to produce this book at a more leisurely pace and infuse it with the same zest for motherhood that has made her one of my favorite girlfriends.