Little Bits of Wisdom : A Collection of Tips and Advice from Real Parents [Hardcover]

Josie Bissett (Compiler), Dan Zadra (Editor), Debbie Tomassi (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2001

Little Bits of Wisdom —A Treasured Gift for Parents—

Actress Josie Bissett, who first earned national acclaim for her starring role as Jane Mancini in Melrose Place, has now written her first book---and what a delight! Little Bits of Wisdom is one book that every parent is sure to treasure---and for good reasons. Out of the mouths of real parents and grandparents come priceless tips for thriving and surviving the everyday adventures of raising your children. Here are the parenting gems that no “child expert” could provide without actually rising at 2:30 in the morning with a colicky baby or trying to calm an irate child in the cereal aisle of your corner market. Thousands of parents throughout the world submitted their best insights or child-rearing “tricks of the trade.” Some are tried-and-true family secrets, passed down from generation to generation. Others are as fresh and whimsical as a newborn baby. Each is the kind of heart-felt advice that every parent will use, treasure and remember. Whether it’s your first or y! our fifth child, come with us now as we take a peek into the nurseries and playrooms of hundreds of parents as they share the insightful tidbits that help them raise a child in the real world.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Bright, colorful, wise, witty and wonderful---this is not your usual parenting book, that’s for sure. It wasn’t written by a Doctor, or a teacher, or a child psychologist---it was basically pulled from the hearts and experiences of thousands of real-life parents throughout the world. Just imagine if you could somehow put a couple thousand parents in one gigantic room, and say, “Okay, folks, think hard. Looking back on all those days and nights of raising your children, what is the number one tip you’d like to pass on to other parents out there. That’s basically what Josie Bissett has accomplished in this book---and it is an absolute treasure.

If you have a new baby or young children in your home, you’ll find something on every spread that will make you laugh, bring a lump to your throat, or save you time, money, work or worry in the everyday role of raising your children. But we honestly think that the one thing more fun than reading Josie’s book will be to give it away to someone else. This may be the world’s most inspirational and meaningful gift for expectant mothers or fathers, baby showers, or for any parent who still has young children in the home. If you are a grandparent, give this book to your own children---and be sure to write a little piece of your own parenting wisdom in a personal note on the inside fly leaf.

Another great gift idea: If you are a grown-up, and you’re lucky enough to still have your parents in your life, give this book as a tribute to them---as a way of thanking them for their wisdom through the years. As Josie says in her introduction, “We never truly appreciate our own parents until we become parents ourselves.”

From the Author

After six wacky but wonderful years on Melrose Place, I am now the proud mommy of a beautiful baby boy. My son, Mason, is the light of my life, but Melrose Place certainly didn’t prepare me for motherhood. As Jane Mancini, I may have been lied to, cheated on, kidnapped, courted, married and divorced---but changing diapers and sleepless nights? Never! That’s why I decided to write “Little Bits of Wisdom.”

For years my husband Rob and I dreamed of having a baby. We prayed for a baby. Finally we found out that I was pregnant and, at first, we rejoiced. “Yeah, yeah, yeah, it’s a miracle, we’re going to have a baby! Then reality set in and we said, “Hey, we don’t know anything about being a parent. Like Rob likes to say, “Anyone can father a child, but it takes a lot of wisdom to be a Dad.”

Oh sure, we instinctively knew how to love, care and nurture---we just needed to learn the best ways to keep the monsters from under the bed, the fastest way to change a squirming baby’s diaper, or a good trick for preventing the shampoo from running into our little one’s eyes.

Taking the lead, I quickly began my search for baby knowledge through books, the internet and, ultimately, through the mothers, fathers and grandparents I encountered every day. I discovered that books offer good information, but parents offer priceless wisdom and advice. “Been there, done that” is a refrain I often heard from parents and grandparents who had gained their wisdom the best way possible---through love, patience and experience.

Listening to the mothers in my Mommy & Me Groups, along with little bits of wisdom from my own parents, siblings, cousins and friends inspired the quest to expand my search to countless other parents who have been down this path. Compiling the best of their wisdom has been a wonderful and enchanting journey. The result is the first book written exclusively by parents, for parents. God bless your little ones. Enjoy!

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 126 pages
• Publisher: Compendium Publishing & Communications (April 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1888387408
• ISBN-13: 978-1888387407
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,163,584 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must have for all new parents!!!, April 17, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Little Bits of Wisdom : A Collection of Tips and Advice from Real Parents (Hardcover)

Do you ever wonder how some parents know the secrets on parenting? Well this book has helped expand my parenting knowledge both creatively and realistically without being a parent yet! With all my friends becoming new parents this book was a lifesaver as a gift! It had everything I needed in a fun, colorful format that offered creative and needed parenting tips! From "broccoli sprinkles" to celebrating 1/2 Birthdays with 1/2 cakes - I thought it was an excellent resource of first hand tips! A must have for all new parents or anyone who has children in their lives! I highly recommend it!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book for Parents with a Fresh Outlook!, April 22, 2001

By 

Evi Dobrila (Stroudsburg, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Little Bits of Wisdom : A Collection of Tips and Advice from Real Parents (Hardcover)

I just read this book and thought it was such a breath of fresh air. I thought it was very insightful and lovingly compiled. I found a lot of very practical tips as well as different outlooks on loving and raising children. The only fault I could find (and it's minor) is that some of the advice is conflicting -- one parent says to put your child on a schedule while another one says it's a bad idea. But hey, that's similar to real life, where you get a lot of conflicting opinions on child rearing!

What I really liked most was that this book just provides the viewpoints...it doesn't take a stand or try to convince you to think one way or another...you can pick and choose the tips you like. So many parenting books out there feel like propaganda, which is why this one feels so fresh. Great job, Josie Bissett!

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Little Goes A Long Way, April 26, 2001

By 

M.E. - See all my reviews

This review is from: Little Bits of Wisdom : A Collection of Tips and Advice from Real Parents (Hardcover)

A little bit of wisdom goes a long way. In a recent survey - between moms at the local group meeting, we all agreed, no one can give expert tips better than other parents. Everyone needs this book. A great shower gift. It is very very similar to another book I borrowed and can't wait for the new edition, that also offers tips from parents, Mommy-CEO, by a syndicated parenting columnist, Jodie Lynn. Just like Josie, she simply could not find REAL TIPS about family challenges and also has hundreds of tips on pull your hair out and "DUH," questions from the real experts -- you and me. Both books would be awesome for any new mom, any seasoned mom or any........one in between as we all count and have tried and true answers, at least they worked on our own children. These two books have the Mommy advice we have had to either beg our moms and Aunts for or just wing it. It's nice to at least have two mommies who take us seriously and finally listen to our voices.