44 of 45 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Serious advice from a fun (and not TOO sane) mom..., July 21, 2009
This review is from: Sane Woman's Guide to Raising a Large Family, A (Paperback)
I have 12 children myself, and in a nutshell, I loved the book, just like I knew I would. For one thing, the cover is awfully cute. Which has nothing to do with anything, but I thought I'd mention it.
More importantly, the book is solid. Solid advice. Solid balance. Solid practicality. Solid reassurance.
Mary totally made me believe I could truly raise a large family!!
Which is a relief, when you get right down to it.
Although I'm not 100% sure about the "sane" part. I think you (and I mean this in the most complimentary way possible) truly have to have a little bit of the insane in you to consider raising a family larger than the norm these days. That is, if "insane" can be defined as the audacity to go against the flow, live contrary to popular culture, challenge suppositions, and embrace your inner rebel.
But you know, it's all semantics in the end.
Mary's book addresses the very real issues of space and money and time in the context of hoards of children, but also delves into deeper issues of being emotionally available for both children and spouse, as well as the Myth of the Supermom (oh how I hate that one) and how to encourage sibling friendships.
I found so much sensible and soothing about this book; it was like settling down with a cup of tea and some really good chocolate (referenced multiple times as one of Mary's secret weapons for coping, by the way) and having a lengthy chat with a close, level-headed friend after a particularly tiring day. It refreshed my spirit and strengthed my resolve to do the very best job humanly possible with this parenting gig.
Which subsequently made me wish quite longingly that I lived next door to Mary, not surprisingly.
Even if you are done growing your family and it isn't considered large by the world's definition, this book has so many practical hints on how to save money, make time for your children, foster family fun, and remember that guy you said your vows to, that I would bet just about any woman with any number of children would glean something worthwhile from the reading
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I feel a bit saner already!, March 27, 2009
This review is from: Sane Woman's Guide to Raising a Large Family, A (Paperback)
I read this book cover to cover as soon as I got it - standing up while making dinner, in between folding loads of laundry, and finally - finally! - after my kids all went to bed at night. I greatly enjoyed Ostyn's funny, poignant, inspirational and incredibly useful musings on raising a large family. I didn't expect I would get any new parenting ideas, but I went away with quite a number of them. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the parenting superhero "Owlhaven" is a real person - she has just figured out what is essential when it comes to parenting her large brood, and what she can be a bit more relaxed about (children's rooms, laundry, for instance). This is a useful book for any mom looking for a bit more sanity in her busy world - no matter how many children she has.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
practical and encouraging, April 1, 2009
This review is from: Sane Woman's Guide to Raising a Large Family, A (Paperback)
This is the most practical parenting book I've read. Even though we only have 3 kids, I could have been using this commonsense advice since our first child.
You won't find a lot of fluff here, but you will walk away encouraged and armed with new strategies for dealing with real family life. Honest, sound information about what it costs to have a large family, balanced with ideas for stretching the average budget.
I learned that my kids need to work harder around the house, and I should focus on teaching my kids those skills instead of cleaning up their messes. I feel like we can move ahead as a team after reading this book!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No