Family Resources Books

I bought this book for my 14 year old daughter, thinking that it might give her some insights for today's high school experience. I was expecting a book that dealt with making and keeping new friends, study habits, organization, balancing schoolwork and homelife, etc.

What we got was a book that talks about on-line dating, whether or not oral sex is considered sex, 10 questions to ask yourself before having sex, tattoos, genital piercing, and talking back to teachers. The book seems like a compilation of crap from magazines like GL or J-14. They barely give any insights on how to survive high school. The title was very misleading.

While directed to teens, many a parent will want to read Where Should I Sit At Lunch?, which tells how to get the most of the high school years. From handling schoolwork and resolving family conflicts to looking for friends and assessing groups to join, here's a handbook filled with quizzes, checklists, and lessons on life. None are so culturally impoverished as those unfortunates who are barred from the intellectual legacy of the human race because they cannot read.

I am a clinician working with adolescents. I have "Where Should I Sit at Lunch" prominently displayed in my offices (and my own home). Numerous patients have picked up the book and asked to borrow it. They have come back saying the book was very helpful and made them feel more comfortable about their worries. As one 14 year old said.. "it's so nice to see that other people feel the same way".
A 16 year old boy said "it's better than my therapy, the book gave me good suggestions on how to handle feeling shy and left out. And you don't have to bother reading stuff you don't want to, just go to the part that interests you." I feel that the Author's are empathic, practical and have put together a book that is readable and believable. THey clearly know teenagers and their struggles. The book is especially user friendly to pre-teens and teens. It is definitely a book that every parent should buy and leave lying around the house. It is truly a '24/7 guide to Surviving the High School Years".

I thought this book was right on. It definitely helps. High school is such a hard time now, and most parents don't understand that. They always say that they understand because they were there, but honestly their experience is different because each individual's experience is different. All the topics in the book are exactly what high school teens are thinking about. Sorry parents, but it is the truth and it's good to have a guide that actually hits the true points of high school and not the ideal points. There is so much peer pressure that sometimes we make the wrong decisions, but with something like this guide to fall back on then there is not as much to worry about. Also, most guides are geared towards girls, but they are not the only ones with problems. So having parts about the troubles that guys have makes it that much better.

I bought this book for my 14 year old son so that he could begin to understand some of the things that go on in high school so that he could read about real experiences instead of my outdated memories. This book gives insight into everything he could need help with like school, friends, body image, relationships, dealing with family, and more. In particular the first hand quotes from actual high school students showed him that there are a range of things that he could encounter in the next four years, and it would be perfectly normal. He has taken away a new comprehension of what goes on in grades 9-12 besides classes which has made him much more comfortable with the transition that will take place at the beginning of this school year.

Totally disappointed with this book. Basically a list of website addresses that offer tips and information but not free stuff. This information could have been easily found searhing on line...and for free!

As an eager grandmother-to-be, I thought this book would be a great gift for my son and other young families looking for ways to save money. I have read other "Free Stuff & Good Deals" books by this author and have never been disappointed yet. Always good value!

Linda Bowman's Free Stuff & Good Deals For Your Kids is a highly enjoyable book filled from first page to last with information a wealth of information for inquisitive parents and kids on a budget as it offers access to goods and services that are either free or available at a fantastically low price. From free arts and crafts for kids, to free games, baby discounts, free medical care, free books, and more, Free Stuff & Good Deals For Your Kids is packed with potential activities and adventures. A great many website URLs are featured in Free Stuff & Good Deals For Your Kids, so it's especially recommended for households with online access, but many traditional post office addresses are included as well.

I was amazed when I saw the number, quality and value of the FREEBIES that were listed in the book. As parents, we often think that the more an activity or item costs the better it is, but, this is not true. There are so many quality fun and educational items and activities for kids, it will be a long time before I pay substantial $$ again. I can't wait to see the other books that Linda Bowman has written about Freebies for Seniors, Pets, and on the Internet.

this book is a one-sided account of the whole issue. If you insist on reading it, only do so in combination with one of the more substantial and famous books on the subject such as why marry jewish.

Insightful, helpful, interesting book for ideas on Jew/Christian interrmaried couples' spirituality. The concept seems to work well for most couples that try it.

Intermarried couples represent a large demographic in the Messianic Jewish community. Now, for the first time, there is a book that treats the subject with the attention it deserves.
"Growing Your Olive Tree Marriage" is written by one of the finest young scholars in the movement. It gives a readable, engaging and comprehensive look at the issues surrounding intermarriage and focuses on the difficulties confronting intermarried couples and their families-difficulties such as parental relationships, holiday and lifecycle events and the identity of Yeshua and His role in the family. It also describes the problems of assimilation and the shrinking Jewish population.
The book does not just look at the problem, however. It offers a solution-Messianic Judaism. Using detailed statistical data and personal interviews with intermarried couples, David Rudolph, himself intermarried, lays out a way for couples to navigate difficult waters successfully. Of Messianic Judaism, he says it "...is the best kept secret in the world of intermarriage. It is an approach that honors the faith traditions of both spouses, conveys Jewish identity to the next generation and makes it possible for intermarrieds and their children to worship together comfortably as a family."
His solution is not a "strange alchemy" of Christianity and Judaism. Rather, it is a uniquely Messianic Jewish life for the whole family, especially the children.
Rudolph has constructed some excellent appendices ranging from definitions of "Who is a Jew?" to the growth of acceptance of Messianic Jews by the wider Jewish world. He also quotes from an array of Jewish, Christian and Messianic sources to demonstrate the growing credibility of Messianic Jewish congregational life.
For Christians and Jews who are intermarried or contemplating it, and for Messianic Jewish rabbis and congregational leaders who minister to these families, this book will prove to be an essential resource.

Intermarriage between Jewish people and Christians have been growing exponentially since the 1950's. The effects upon the worldwide Jewish community has been devastating, as most children born of these unions are not raised as Jews.

Several books have been published over the past decade or so to address the unique needs of these couples, particularly negotiating the religious flavor of the home and how to raise the children. For the most part, the options presented to intermarried couples are of the "either-or" variety (either exclusively Judaism or Christianity), or nothing at all.

Growing Your Olive Tree Marriage is the first book about intermarriage written from a Biblical perspective. Author David J. Rudolph, himself intermarried, explains intermarriages in the Bible and G-d's view of them, as opposed to the views of the Rabbis.

Using first-person interviews with intermarried couples, he presents Messianic Judaism as a viable option for a way of integrating the two faiths, for the purpose of finding a spiritual home and raising children -- even when the Jewish partner does not believe in Yeshua.

Throughout the book, Rudolph stresses the need for children to be raised with a Jewish identity, which Messianic Judaism fulfills. He does not emphasize that the Jewish parent must become Messianic in order to be a part of a Messianic community -- after all, Messianic synagogues are welcoming to intermarried couples. In fact, several of the Jewish intermarried people interviewed in the book are not Messianic, but are perfectly comfortable with the lifestyle and faith.

Highly recommended for anyone who is intermarried or considering intermarriage.

- ...

I found this book informative & helpful. It was recommended by a friend who is a counselor and licensed social worker. The book helps the reader recognize signs of anxiety in children which can often be different than the signs displayed in adults. It also helps an adult determine the severity of a child's anxiety and includes good ways to teach kids to deal with their anxieties.

How do I know if my child is worried or anxious?
What causes a child to worry or become anxious?
How can I talk to her about the problem?
What resources are there for us?

These and many other questions will be answered in the book The Worried Child by Paul Foxman PHD.

Dr Foxman takes a gentle and common sense approach to helping the child and the family in this situation. He explains that there are many things that can cause stress and anxiety for a child, and discusses the impact it has on their daily lives and well being.

He explains the difference between the normal every day stress and worry a child might feel and when it crosses the line to become a disorder that needs to be reckoned with. He presents information on how to recognize if your child is showing symptoms of anxiety. Issues from home life to school to the possible sexual abuse are addressed in these pages. disorders from Generalized Anxiety to OCD, Panic and Seperation anxiety explained. There is imformation on conflict resolution, which can be so important, not just for our children, but for ourselves.

All types of therapy are discussed, from conventional "talk therapy" to medications, and alternatives such as herbals, flower remedies and homeopathy. No matter what your personal philosophy of treatment might be, this book will help you along the way. The importance of good nutrition, and relaxation is emphasized.

From the birth, to the child in college. Fears and stressors are discussed and possible solutions for allaying them are suggested. The important matter of bonding is addressed. Not just bonding with the child before and at birth, but staying connected with her throughout the years.

This is a wonderful handbook for anyone with a child of any age. It gives calm and reassuring suggestions on how to handle those bumps in the road that we all face at some times or another. I highly recommend this to anyone who has or works with a child of any age.

In this book Paul Foxman, Ph.D., an expert in anxiety disorders
and treatment, has written a very comprehensive understanding of
childhood and adolescent anxiety and what can be done to help.
His approach is wholistic, taking into account genetic predisposition and temperament, personality traits, and the
environment, and explaining how these factors interact in the
anxious/worried child. The book demonstrates how the treatment
also includes focusing on these variables. Dr. Foxman goes one
step further and discusses the unique challenges of parenting in our time, including some of his own experiences as a parent.
A multitude of useful resources are cited at the end. I most
highly recommend this book to parents, pediatricians, and mental health providers.

I was not impressed by this book that was recommended to me by several mental health professionals, including the social worker at my daughter's school. I wanted to understand anxiety disorders better and I was underwhelmed by what this book had to offer and had a hard time making connections with the material. I would recommend "Freeing Your Child From Anxiety" over this book. I felt I walked away from that book with actual tools to put into practice to help deal with her anxiety better. I felt this book talked about the disorder but didn't really give me anything I could take back and use with her.

Times have changed and so should online free personals. Some match making sites are re-inventing the free personal ads business using new technologies that are a breakthrough in the online dating singles market. I found this book to be current with this new trend. After reading it I developed the courage to place an ad at one of these single online dating sites found on the net, Love At First Click, otherwise known as loveatfirstclick.com. The book gave me the much needed skills to sort, search and find romance and excitement. The book and the effectiveness of loveatfirstclick.com will help you find a community featuring sincere and honest single individuals that are looking for other like-minded people that are quite eager in meeting their match in this fun world of online free personals. It helped me meet plenty of hot women. I'd recommmend this book, and Loveatfirstclick.com too!!

Having found out that my web site was published in this book (page 200) ~ without any notification ~ I was intrigued to see what Mr. Schwartz had to say. When I was able to sit down and take a good look at the contents I discovered that the information inside was very useful for those exploring relationships on the Internet. However, I was disappointed at the fact that the author put forth no real effort in it's creation. How difficult would it be to take a copy of the web page and it's own authors words and publish it? And the fact that Mr. Schwartz feels he has the right to copyright the book and say that it's contents cannot be reproduced. Isn't that what he did? Overall -- the basic Idea of the book and it's contents are terrific, but this reviewer wishes the author would have put more of his own thoughts and work into it.

Passions In Poetry is listed in Chapter 7 (How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Modem The Ways. As a contributing member of that website, I would like to invite you all to our 'family' of poets. There is more than just romantic poetry..there is something for everyone! In honor of this book, I've written the following:

My heart soars without hearing your voice

I try holding back, but have no choice

You won my soul with a passion's flame

Because of you, I'll never be the same

I smile as you approve my verse

Deeper I sink into Cupid's curse

And though you think my words a game

I continue to write them just the same.

Gently chiding you beckon me

ICQ messages set words free

Fingers that dare to say the word

The only one you've not yet heard

Silence speaks a world of feeling

Cursor blinks as my head is reeling

Thoughts and words I'll not repent

This is love on the Internet.

Please join us at: netpoets

Look forward to seeing you there!

This is an awesome book. It is wonderful to be counseled and encouraged by a women with much experience, one who has been there and done that. A woman who has been proven faithful. It is a very challenging book, but it gave great insight and wisdom into our role as pastor's wife.

I loved Mrs. Patterson's book. She shared some great ideas that I have implemented. For instance, the portable prayer baskets. I am making six up for Christmas presents, three of which are going to my daughters-in-love (as she puts it). In each one I plan to put a copy of this wonderful book as each are involved in the ministry to some degree.

I purchased this book with the hopes of finding encouragement, suggestions, and even a bit of "passing on of knowledge".

While reading this book I found parts of it very discouraging to us First Ladies/ Pastors Wives who are not married to "big time" Pastors. Especially when it got to the chapter about serving guests and etiquette.

Not everyone has hired help, and not everyone can afford the items that she suggest are "necessary" in order to properly serve/host guests in our homes.

I think some parts of the book were good like about the family and the importance of keeping family first.

But overall, I was disappointed to have purchased this book.

I liked the book for its organization, and practical way it presented all the areas of Women's Ministry, etc. But I was a little put off by the focused preference for women to be stay-at home moms, almost as if it were a sin to work outside the home, which it isn't. Also the book had a whole appendix on how day care for children is bad -- which was written by a man.

I feel the book has a lot to give. The Heart to Heart Ministry was wonderful. I feel you can apply a lot of the information in the book. The Day Care section should have been more in line of helping not talking about things women already fear. My Church did use the surveys and they were a great sucess. Women need to apply things in the book that will help them grow and leave those things that is not for them.

I found this book incredibly valueable in beginning an effective and enjoyable women's ministry at our church! Not only are there examples of flyers, surveys and information sheets, there are ideas for fellowships, the best time to have them and even how to gather ideas from the ladies at your church. I have put many of their ideas to work and with great success. There are so many good suggestions that your imagination is bound to be sparked and you will soon have a thriving ladies ministry of your own!

My first-grader enjoys practicing word families with this book. My only comment is that the "sentence fill-in" section is too difficult for him to read by himself. When I read the sentences, he can determine how to properly complete the missing sounds, but he can complete everything else independently. He would give the book 5 stars if the sentences were simpler.

My students enjoy these practice pages. I like that there is built in differentiation. As one progresses from the first activity to the fourth, they are also progressively challenged, so it's enough to hold my bright students, and easy enough that the lower students can do the activities (with a little guidance). I'm not sure that I would use these for students past the initial portion of second grade, unless they were performing below the standard in Reading, but all in all, this product is a good investment.

This book is well organized, which makes it easy to use. It took me less then a min. to find the pages I needed today. I would say the book is better for K-1. It would probably be too easy for anyone in 2nd grader.

Bedside Manners: A Pactical Guide To Visiting The Ill, By KatieMaxwell

There comes a time when all of us feel a need for betterpeople skills. That time is when we must attend a funeral or visit a sick friend or family member. Bedside Manners is a little book that can help with the latter situation.

This is fast reading. The author gets right to the point, using very little in the way of socio-philosophical explanation. This makes for brevity. It is also grounded in common sense. Katie Maxwell is a hospital visitor (pastoral visitor) who has gleaned information not only from her experience, but from patients, nurses, chaplains, and other lay visitors.

Beside Manners is based on the author's own experience at American River Hospital in Carmichael, California and its message is supported by prayer and faith (no religious denominations mentioned).

It begins with a list of do's and don't's. Some of these suggestions are:

Do - Visit before surgery, Touch, Take along your sense of humor, Take your cues from the patient about how long you should stay, Visit quietly out of consideration for the patient's roommates, Keep any information shared with you confidential, Maintain comfortable eye contact (this means eye level, not standing over the bed, Make pleasant conversation,...

Do - Check with the nurse before you help the patient out of bed, Be aware of the patient's diet before offering food or drink, Talk about the outside world, Sit close, Knock and receive permission before you enter a room, especially when the door is closed or a curtain is pulled, Be cheerful, Make the patient feel needed, ...

Do - Avoid addressing the patient as "honey," "sweetie," Ask how you can help, Avoid probing or rapid-fire questions, Think of your visit as a social visit, not something you are obligated to do, Be sensitive about how you expose your own anxieties, Read to them if they like, Let the patient cry, Affirm their loss whatever it may be, Focus the conversation on the patient, not on your problems, Take a little surprise, End the visit well.

Don't - Let the technology become a barrier to your visit, Sit on the patient's bed or an empty bed, Flatter the patient, Take the patient's negativism personally, Get involved in family disputes, Negate their feelings,...

Don't - Make promises you can't keep, Tell horror stories or compare illnesses, Finish their sentences for them, Assume anything, Defend God or anyone else, Be judgmental, Wake up a patient, Try to cheer up patients when they really want to talk about how scared they feel.

The book also contains insightful information on visiting shut-ins, nursing homes, children, the terminally ill and helping a primary caregiver. An appendix of suggested Scripture readings and an appendix listing support groups for the ill and their caregivers complete this little 112 page gem.

Just as it is important for medical doctors to have
good bedside manners, so it is equally important for those
who visit the sick for comfort, prayers, and friendship to
make brief, caring visits. "Do no harm" is the first rule
of medicine and Katie Maxwell has demonstrated that in this
book. The "BE" attitudes of visiting (chapter one) is a gem
of practical suggestions: be open, be respectful, be sensitive
to their needs, and so forth.
Both new people making hospital or nursing home visits
and seasoned hospital chaplains, ministers, priests, and
rabbis will benefit from this book. We may "know" a lot about
psychology or caring, but this book emphasizes "being" present
to the patient in realistic, caring ways. I highly recommend it.

This book is has been both helpful and not so helful. The benefits are that there are many little insights and experiences the pastor informs the reader that can be very helpful in thoughts about marriage. However, the writer writes this book on a theological approach to marriage and this is where, I, being a conservative christian cannot agree on every issue. He does try to be objective on issues on marriage by giving some good background and history to everything related to marriage but his conclusions and scriptural interpretation is biased towards his church or modern times. Again there are many good things in this book that I never knew about in approaching marriage, but I needed some discernment and careful review when the writer gave his exegesis and application of scripture. I guess this caused me to have an even more closer study on what scripture has to say about marriage.

This book would make an ideal resource for pastors and churches who want to help their members understand how Christians ought to think about marriage, and based on that, prepare for or work on their own marriages. By presenting complex ideas plainly and clearly, the author helpfully sorts out the confusing notions about marriage that float around in our heads, and offers a vision for what marriage can be. This vision is based on a broad and careful study of the Bible (not just proof-texting, thankfully) as well as research on successful marriages and observations from the author's experience as a pastor. I found the explorations of the covenantal and sacramental views of marriage, the history of Christian attitudes about marriages, and the brief history of romantic love especially helpful. The list of "Ten Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me about Marriage" would make an excellent set of talking points for any engaged couple. The author is Protestant, but so respectful of other parts of the Christian family that I think this book could be very helpful even to pastors and parishioners who may not agree on every point.