Book review: Best friends and mean girls (2008) WIN!

Book Review:  Talking with Your Daughter About Best Friends and Mean Girls (8 Great Dates) (2008) by Dannah Gresh

Looking for ways to broach hard subjects with your tween daughter? Looking for ideas for activities to get closer to her?

Although this book has a lot of focus about God, it still works great if you ignore the spiritual references. Teaching your daughter that Love is patient, kind, bears all things.

I have started letting parents read this book in the waiting room of my practice.

My psychological perspective:

Suitability for tweens: 

Talking to your daughters about these subjects is perhaps more effective in the tween years than later in life. Research shows that strong parent-child relationships and firm guidance about certain behaviours are protective for offspring. It's a great and fun way to begin to talk to your daughters about difficult topics. Some ideas included in the book include having a slumber party, going on a shopping spree, doing random acts of kindness to others. All these are great ways to spend quality time with your girls.

Main topics the book covers includes: what real friendship looks like, how to be a nice neighbour, friendships with best friends, how to deal with mean friends, parents, siblings and boys. Wow.

I like how the book is really interactive with tonnes of activities, technology bits you and your daughter can listen to and spaces to put down thoughts and notes.

For children:

Topics here are less relevant for younger children, but the ideas to spend time with your daughters still apply. There are even sections with adjustment for younger children. 

My Christian Perspective:

There is a large focus and assumption that readers are christians. But I believe the content is not necessarily directed as such. Any daughter/mother can benefit from learning that love is patient, love is kind, love doesn't gossip, love trusts, love endures. But it's an added bonus for Christian daughters and parents to be able to reflect on the many blessings that God has given. And it also offers specific prayer requests you may have. 

My overall rating: 

Excellent
This is a very useful resource or a decent use of time. 

I liked it, it has some really great ideas for spending time with your tweens. I didn't think all the topics were relevant for all girls, but this is still a worthwhile read for parents, even if it was in the waiting room. 

I was provided with a signed copy from the author- Good reads. It retails for $13.00 a Big W, you can also obtain copies from Amazon and the publisher's website. 

And here's your opportunity to get a copy. The publisher has given me a copy to give away!

HOW TO ENTER. 

Simple fill in the form to enter (If you don't  like Rafflecopter, you can just comment below to enter). Be sure to enter your email address so I can contact you if you win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

I was provided a review copy by the publisher but was in no way paid for writing this review. 

Read More

Movie Review: Smurfs 2 (2013)

Movie Summary: The Smurfs 2 (2013)

This was much better than the first movie, which doesn't happen often with sequels. I'm not sure why there are so many negative reviews out there for this movie. It was never intended as a masterpiece. The humour is such that adults can have a little giggle while their children enjoy the adventure.

*spoiler* Some of my favorite bits include the use of a media play- ipad like device to plan ahead, and "Patrick-Barney" coming to terms with loving a step father.

Yes the graphics weren't the best, but they were great compared to the 2d blue smudges I used to see on TV. And what I liked about the movie is that it didn't lose sight of the main themes and attitudes of the original Smurf series.

My psychological perspective:

Suitability for children: 

I believe that this movie is suitable for most of the family. Kids any younger than 13 should really have parental guidance as the action scenes can get a little scary and some of the jokes a bit off! The story lines and morals are great for the kids. -- it doesn't matter where you came from or who you were, it's who you choose to be.

Things to talk to your kids about:

Good vs evil. step parents

Things to talk to your teens about:

Rebelling, identity, step parents, unconditional love

My Christian Perspective:

The theme about choices in this movie is great. Grumpy can choose to be grumpy or positive, smurfette can choose to be a smurf or a naughty. Some choices can have small consequences, but others choices can influence your entire life and even the future of the world as we know it.

My overall rating: 

Superior
This is a fantastic resource or was an extremely great use of time.

This review may have been slightly biased because I grew up with Smurfs on TV, but which review isn't biased by personal experience? This is a keeper. When the DVD comes out, it will be on my shelf and I intend to watch it many times with children of all ages. And I think this is an excellent addition to any DVD library.

This isn't a movie for everyone's taste, but if you are a fan of kids animated movies, the original smurfs series, this is one for you.

#Smurfs @sonypicturesAUS

Read More

Book Review: The Carousel (2011)

Book Review:  The Carousel (2011) by Ursula Dubosarsky

If theme park rides could talk and dream, would wooden horses like to escape?

It's nearly Christmas, and it's time to pick up gifts for kids. Picture books are great keepsakes for young ones who don't seem to mind the repetition.

This is a heavy weight book with lots of pretty pictures, more suitable for girls than boys. This book can encourage young people to follow their dreams and not conform to set norms about who them must be.

My psychological perspective:

Suitability for children: 

Children love spending time with their caregivers. Reading is a great way to spend time with them. Allow them to fill in the blanks with familiar words, talk to them and ask them what they think would happen next. This is a cute little book for young children and would be good for any waiting room.

For children:

I think for young kids, simply listening to their parents reading and just looking at the pictures is a real enjoyment. While reading, you may notice deeper themes within the text. At least on one level it's teaching kids to break free from the mundane.

My Christian Perspective:

There are different religions in the world that believe in cycles. In the asian tradition, when you die, you will reencarnate. But Christians believe that this cycle doesn't occur. We are all bound to one destiny- eternal death. That is unless we decide to break free from this destiny by accepting Jesus Christ as our personal lord and savior.

My overall rating: 

Good
This resource maybe useful and maybe a decent use of time. 

My first thought was, this is a heavy picture book. Yes, both in weight as well as in thought. It was beautifully illustrated and can be interpreted at many different levels. Would be a great gift for little ones 8-10, or a good waiting room book.

I was provided with a signed copy from the author- Good reads

Read More

Book review: The Little Book about God (2013)

Book Review:  The little book about God (2013) by Ron Rhodes

Understanding God, and his will in our life is an ongoing quest. The author pulls the bible apart to highlight 28  things we should know about God including, God is the father, the son, the holy spirit. God is eternal, everywhere, all-powerful, all-knowing. God is love, true and merciful.

The format for each chapter is easy to understand. The author start out with a main idea "e.g. God is, by nature, love. His grace is limitless". Then goes through the needs to know and verses in the bible to think about. The author then provide ideas/quotes to think about which bring out the main idea. The structure of these chapters is a great way to teach kids/teens but the content maybe a bit abstract for children without explanation. 

Just as the author recommended, it's got 28 chapters (2 pages each) which makes for a great one month devotional. I think it's a useful resource to have on hand. It's like a quick desktop reference guide. 

My psychological perspective:

Suitability for children: 

I believe this book is targeted at older adolescence to adults. The complexity of ideas would require explanations for younger adolescences. For adults, this book allows for room to expand your understanding of who God, according to the bible, is. 

For children:

As you personally go through this book, you may want to share some simple ideas/snip its with your children. However, you will need to judge whether some concepts are too difficult for them to understand and simplify these for them. The easiest way for children to understand these concepts is to use examples.

For teens:

Although they maybe able to grasp the content of these chapters for themselves, the application and the importance of these ideas may warrant further discussion with parents/peers. 

My Christian Perspective:

In Sunday School, we learned that God is love. It wasn't until when I grew up when the importance of righteousness came to me. So on one hand, God needs to punish us for our sins, but on the other hand he loves us. When my students ask me about other elements of God, I find myself dusting off knowledge in my brain. I find that I am unable to adequately describe and back up what I have said. This book is a helpful resource to read through at least once, then keep on hand for when a question comes up about who God is.

How can we teach what we do not understand? 

My overall rating: 

Excellent

Overall, I believe this is a great little resource to have on hand to remind us of the many qualities of God. However, it's not a resource I would be encouraging children to read alone. 

The Little book about God will be released October 2013. 

Read More

Book review: Chicken Soup for the soul 20th anniversary edition

Book Summary: Chicken Book for the Soul 20th edition

I grew up reading chicken soup for the soul. And if by association, chicken soup always makes me feel better after symptoms of cold or flu. My doctor brother does the same, so I can't be completely wrong.

This book talks about love (how the man made a list about characteristics he wanted in his partner and how God granted a partner), (I love the story of how a teacher made all the difference), (about how hugging can make a difference), learning to love yourself, parenting, learning, living your dream, overcoming obstacles, wisdom but not as you know it.

My Psychological Perspective:
I think from my psychological perspective, the stories presented in the "Chicken soup for the soul" series are effective because they are from real people, and you can connect with the writer.

While these are not stories geared for young readers, they can be shared in the family and the stories don't go old.

My Christian Perspective:

My personal opinion is that we have so many challenges in everyday life, and how God helps us overcome these challenges is a testimony. The author wrote in the first chapter that the book was initially rejected by publishers. But when it finally got published, people kept sending their stories in too.

Each of these stories inspire others. If you have a story, why won't you share them too? Has God saved you through a miracle? Did you learn something about life today?

My overall rating: 

Loved it, and always have. This book makes for a great gift for young and old. I don't adore every story or buy into every story, but as with every edition, there is bound to be a story that was made for you to read.
Always have a box of tissues on hand, don't say I didn't warn you.

Chicken Soup for the soul 20th anniversary edition is now available on Amazon and good bookstores.

I was provided a review copy of Chicken Soup for the soul 20th edition by the publisher but was not otherwise influenced in this review. 

Read More

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.  

Read More

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.

Read More