Book Review: Three Hours Late (2013)

Book Review:  Three Hours Late (Nicole Trope)

Warning- do not pick up this book if you don't have time to finish it. It was a gripping account of a young mother based on an afternoon's time-frame. 

Yes, everything can change in an afternoon. Because I was so eager to find out what happens, and didn't want to miss any crucial details, I found myself flipping back and forwards. It would have been easier to read it from cover to cover, but the long-winded flashbacks did not win my urge to find out what happens next.

My psychological perspective:

This is a book written for parents, it's a book written for divorcees and it's a book written for adults. When divorce rates in developing countries being quite common, separation with kids is a serious issue of concern. Psychological literature is playing the catch up game with trying to understand why, how, and the aftermath following separation with kids.
Although the book is fiction, there are so many elements worth investigating as non-fiction. For example, Hopes of re-unification, shared custody, just to name a few.  Are we doing our best as psychologists and researchers to try to figure out ways to protect children?

Suitability for children: 

I personally don't think this book is suitable for children. And would only recommend to older adolescents who are genuinely interested in the read.
But after reading this novel, I felt an overwhelming urge to protect and assist kids in similar situations. 

My Christian Perspective:

Guidelines from my own Christian perspective suggest that divorce and separation is against Jesus' teachings. But there are exceptions to that rule, I believe. And this novel really challenged the "greyness" of such rules. In a domestic violence situation, should I woman stay? What if she was a Christian? These are all questions that the novel bought up. And of course I don't know the answer, but it's food for thought. 

My overall rating: 

Excellent

It was an overwhelming read and a must for anyone working with divorcees. It helped me get a better insight into the life and difficulties surrounding divorce, separation, and loss. Even thinking about the story now, I can still vividly picture scenes in my head and the emotions just come rushing back. 

I was provided with a copy of this book for review.  

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App review: Keep Track Pro

Monitoring is a very useful clinical tool, and it can be really handy for parents. How can we know if we have improved unless we measure it? How can we know if there are any patterns unless we keep an objective record?

With smart phones, it's really easy to have a monitoring tool beside you all the time. Keep Track Pro allows you to record weight, glasses of water a day, or anything you can think of, because you "invent" the category yourself.

My Psychological perspective:

We know monitoring works, at least in the short term. Keeping track of progress can be rewarding for people who are externally motivated. Especially when working with young people and young adults, having the option to allow them to record on their smart phone reduces barriers associated with traditional paper and pencil monitoring forms.

It can be useful to record for personal insight into patterns and trends of behavior. I find it really useful to have monitoring tools with clients to track progress before, during and after therapy. 

My Christian Perspective:

Our trials and tribulations are not forgotten by God. Psalm 56:8 talks about God recording all of our troubles in his book. I have found it helpful to keep track of both my ups and downs. And looking back at the volumes of my life, I have found that God has never forgotten me.
So at least from my Christian perspective, it's important to keep oneself accountable.

Overall rating
This is useful for tracking (1) weight (2) behavioural goals (e.g. walking, running, drinking water). And the free version, at least, is something I will recommend to clients as a monitoring tool prior to, during and after therapy. 

You can pick up KeepTrack and KeepTrack Pro on both Amazon and Google Playstore

Overall Rating:

Excellent

I will be recommending app-based monitoring tools such as Keep Track Pro to my adolescent clients. I think they some of them would be more likely to complete monitoring tasks on their phones than paper diaries. 

I will also personally be using some app-based monitoring tools for some of my personal goals. 

I was provided with Keep Track Pro for free but I was not paid for writing this review.

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