Customer Reviews

I Just Want You to Know: Letters to My Kids on Love, Faith, and Family

5 star:		(58)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(69)

 

 

that I am sitting here in complete disbelief at what I am reading. I was looking forward to reading your new book titled "I Just Want You To Know: Letters To My Children on Faith, Love and Family", yet what I am reading is "How Hard Kate Gosselin Has Had It Raising 8 Children, Part 3".

This is another Kate Gosselin book about Kate Gosselin and how hard life is for Kate Gosselin.{{{ Yawn }}}

She clearly used her children to sell the book by including them in the title and tossing in 8 short letters, but the majority is the same old woe-is-me hullabulla that has run out of gas 1000 miles ago. If I were a Gosselin child and read this book when I was older, I'd probably feel confused as heck about the purpose of it. I so wanted to see a new side of Kate through this new book, but sadly it's the same old tired story of sacrifices she made as a mother...the same sacrifices most mothers make for their children that aren't unique to her only. Her children should be convinced of her love for them through her daily actions, not through words desperately scrawled on a couple pages in a book. Something is really beginning to smell wrong with this whole picture. Felt more like she is trying to convince herself and the public that she loves her children, more than convincing the children themselves.

I will give her credit for the touching discussion of her grandparents. That was about the only portion of the book that felt genuine and heartfelt. She didn't turn that memory around to be all about her or how hard it was for her to be their granddaughter. That portion of the book was sweet and enjoyable to read. It showed me she does have a soft spot in there somewhere that doesn't like to show itself very often.

As the children struggle through the aftermath of their parent's public and painful divorce, this new book by Kate Gosselin, rather than insulating them, exposes their fears and vulnerabilities. This book is certainly different, but not in a good way. She must earn a living, but why not write a cookbook or a book of helpful hints for other mothers and permit her children to heal in privacy? Gosselin has spent so much time in the limelight showcasing her children, that normal boundaries most parents establish do not appear to exist in her universe.

Balance is sadly lacking and discretion is non-existent. Each child is dissected - identifying who is naughty, who is acting out the most, who is in the most pain from the divorce, who doesn't speak up for themselves, who is missing their father the most, etc. All is revealed in a dispassionate tone, largely devoid of a mother's usual pride in her children's accomplishments and gifts. Positives are noted in the context of how the behaviors help the mother. Which children are artistic or musical or athletic is nowhere to be found.

The book is composed of tedious background material which reads like self-absorbed filler and is interspersed with outspoken letters to each child, bible verses and photographs of the children. The letters contain material too sensitive and too personal for strangers to be rummaging about, picking through various revealing, hurtful or embarrassing pronouncements by their mother.

Contradicting the purpose of the book, throughout the pages, Gosselin's focus is on herself, not the children. Rather than preserving memories for her adorable brood, the book is about all she has done and all she has sacrificed for them. In the book she states that the children are her most precious belongings. I think those words may explain everything. Children are not belongings. Well, most children are not belongings.

I scanned this book in a bookstore thinking it would be a sweet mother's day type of book. What a snore. I'm not sure how this got published as the prose is atrocious and the organization is chaotic. The most dissapointing aspect, however, was that the "letters" and other notes did not convey the love of a mother toward her child(ren), but rather a very self-centered and invasive missive. The author is superficially supportive toward her children, but seems to be more interested in complaining about how "difficult" her children have made her life. Oddly, nothing she complains about is anything any mother hasn't had to gladly sacrifice.

As a parent myself, I'm pretty sure my child would be embarrased and resentful of some of the things said.

If this was truly a book of letters to her kids, only 8 copies should've been printed.

Ok, guess what? I've written letters to each of my kids as well and I didn't proffit off of them. They are personal and between just us. That being said this book isn't really about Kate's letters as much as it's about how tough Kate had it and what she's been through. I'd like to yank those cheesy hair extensions right out of her head!!!! This woman is only about herself...to the core. Those kids are going to grow up someday and write their own books and then we'll see what kind of mother Kate was.

Unlike other reviews of this book I review many items on amazon, not just this book. When looking over the other reviews , most were written by people who had only reviewe this book. If you look at my other reviews, I review what I love and hate! I love to recommd cool products and save people money on ones that I don't feel are worth it.

On to the book. I have seen the show and have read the previous 2 books. The first book mulitple blessings I was excited to read because I wanted to know more. The book answered some my questions and I found it a decent easy read. The next book little faces, disappointed me. It was just a book of pictures. I did not learn anything new or useful from it. When I saw this new book come out I thought it might answer some additional questions I have especially given the past few years. The book looked as if it would have more content then 8 little faces. After reading this book, I have even more questions. The book seemed a little like a re-write of multiple blessings but with the bad twist of Kate writing it directly to each child instead of it being a history. The book made me feel bad for the kids if they ever read it. It was one thing for Kate to write about her struggles in multiple blessings as an account of having 6 babies as once but this book was not love letters to the kids, more like a critical look at each child's personalites.

I didn't feel like this book inspried me as a christian mother, I did not learn anything new and useful and I didn't feel positive after reading it so I can't recommend this book to others. I certainly would not give this as a mothers day gift or any sort of gift.

Here is another example of Kate trying to make money off her kids. She needs to stay out of the public eye and raise them herself. The book is boring and does not share anything that we did not already know about her. Don't bother!

I've watched Jon and Kate's TLC show a few times over the years and heard alot about the drama surrounding his cheating and their divorce. Needless to say, I was neither team Kate nor team Jon. However, I did feel bad that Kate was the only one working to support the kids while Jon was jetsetting with some 20 something. Now I don't care for her at all.

I found it odd that she would publish personal letters written to her children. Yeah, she needs money, but is exposing your kids privacy and embarrassing them necessary to put food on the table? I think not and I found this book boring and self absorbed. Kate just whines until the cows come home about how tough being a mom of eight is. Listen lady, try parenting kids without your money and hired help. Not saying that makes parenthood a snap, but there are many people out there struggling to care for their kids. So quit running around on any and every talk show that'll have you complaining ad nauseum and try to keep some things private. I'm also glad I didn't waste money on this and it'd be best if no one else did either.

This book is a terrible exploitation of the Gosselin children, I would give it zero stars if that was possible. If Kate Gosselin wants to impart her thoughts to her kids instead of putting such personal things in a book for strangers to read maybe she could consider being at home with them and telling them in person. Her words say one thing but her deeds say the opposite,don't waste your money on this book.

After looking through this book at my local library, I was flabbergasted and taken aback. From the cover, it looks like Kate wrote a sweet book of letters to her children. When reading through, I realized it is a book where Kate complains about how hard she has it and how much she sacrificed for her children. I thought this would be a book of letters telling her children how much they mean to her, how they fulfill her life. But it is not. It is letters to her children telling them their faults and how they basically made life harder for her. I was frankly disgusted. I feel really terrible for these children.