Show Me How: A book an attached parent will surely love

The wonderful side of blogging is getting to know other wonderful bloggers, learning things from them and at the same time getting the chance of helping out or supporting wonderful projects or products.

I for one, already have a long list of favorite bloggers whom I follow and read on a daily basis (when time permits).   One of them is someone I admire because of her principle towards helping children build their self-esteem.  Hubby and I support attachment parenting which is a kind of parenting that centralizes on trusting the child and respecting their needs and providing them appropriately. 

When I first read Vivian Kirkfield, her book caught my attention.  It is a book that help their children build self-esteem through different crafts and activities that parents can participate in.  I believe that children needs, more than anything else, to spend tons and tons of quality time parents can give them.  A child able to spend every single moment with his parents even in the absence of toys can be the happiest child there can be.

In this time and age though, it is common that both parents work 40 hours a week.  By the time we come home, we are left with maybe about 2 hours (or maybe even less) play time with our children and then off to bed already.  So we are just normally left with the weekend to spend more quality time with them.  For most household economy, it is inevitable that both parents have they full-time day job, like ours but it doesn't mean that we are doomed as parents.  We can always make the best out of the whatever time we can spend with our chidren.  Make it something really fun, at the same time educational and making them value their strength and qualities.  Parents participating in this kind of activities with their children help children feel more appreciated and loved. 

Can be bought directly at Postive Parental Participation website

This is what Vivian's book help parents get ideas on different activities, crafts, recipes and books to read for their children.  It is obvious that Vivian has poured so much care and love into this wonderful book being a parent herself (now a grandmother too!) and a former kindergarted educator.

As what many already know, I am an advocate of attachment parenting and this kind of book is one example of a product that supports attachment parenting.  It is centered on how us parents can help our children build their self-esteem by spending quality, fun-filled, educational activities WITH them.  I've also known Vivian through blogging.  She's one of the few that frequents my blog and leaves heartfelt and well-thought comments.  Reading her articles also reveal the kind of loving and sensitive person that she is.  I definitely admire people that values children as much as Vivan values and cares for them.

So with Vivian's permission,  I'd like to promote her book.  Please take time to visit her website.  Her book is also available in Amazon.

Go The F**k To Sleep

Many might have already heard about this new children's story book for adults as it is one of the most controversial these days. It's also one of the best selling in Amazon both in US and UK. It is currently the 4th top bestseller in Amazon US and the 39th best selling book in Amazon UK. The author - Adam Mansbach is an American author and professor of fiction. This birth of this controversial children's book for adults started when one night, as a frustrated and exhausted parent of a toddler that was waking up every 2 hour, Mansbach posted "Look out for my forthcoming children’s book, Go the — to Sleep" as his status in facebook. Many found this hilarious and enthusiastically supported the idea.


The book was even more popularized by the ebook version of it which was narrated by Samuel Jackson and hello! we all know Samuel Jackson is a brillian actor. I love his voice.

Controversial I say? The title says it all. There are tons of people who find this really hilarious and cathartic but this is matched by the number of people that thinks otherwise.

If you haven't heard of this book yet, here's the whole text/story that can be read from the book and then be the judge:

The cats nestle close to their kittens now.
The lambs have laid down with the sheep.
You’re cozy and warm in your bed, my dear.
Please go the fuck to sleep.

The windows are dark in the town, child.
The whales huddle down in the deep.
I’ll read you one very last book if you swear
You’ll go the fuck to sleep.

The eagles who soar through the sky are at rest
And the creatures who crawl, run, and creep.
I know you’re not thirsty. That’s bullshit. Stop lying.
Lie the fuck down, my darling, and sleep.

The wind whispers soft through the grass, hon.
The field mice, they make not a peep.
It’s been thirty-eight minutes already.
Jesus Christ, what the fuck? Go to sleep.

All the kids from day care are in dreamland.
The froggie has made his last leap.
Hell no, you can’t go to the bathroom.
You know where you can go? The fuck to sleep.

The owls fly forth from the treetops.
Through the air, they soar and they sweep.
A hot crimson rage fills my heart, love.
For real, shut the fuck up and sleep.

The cubs and the lions are snoring,
Wrapped in a big snuggly heap.
How is it you can do all this other great shit
But you can’t lie the fuck down and sleep?

The seeds slumber beneath the earth now
And the crops that the farmers will reap.
No more questions. This interview’s over.
I’ve got two words for you, kid: fucking sleep.

The tiger reclines in the simmering jungle.
The sparrow has silenced her cheep.
Fuck your stuffed bear, I’m not getting you shit.
Close your eyes. Cut the crap. Sleep.

The flowers doze low in the meadows
And high on the mountains so steep.
My life is a failure, I’m a shitty-ass parent.
Stop fucking with me, please, and sleep.

The giant pangolins of Madagascar are snoozing.
As I lie here and openly weep.
Sure, fine, whatever, I’ll bring you some milk.
Who the fuck cares? You’re not gonna sleep.

This room is all I can remember.
The furniture crappy and cheap.
You win. You escape. You run down the hall.
As I nod the fuck off, and sleep.

Bleary and dazed I awaken
To find your eyes shut, so I keep
My fingers crossed tight as I tiptoe away
And pray that you’re fucking asleep.

We’re finally watching our movie.
Popcorn’s in the microwave. Beep.
Oh shit. Goddamn it. You’ve gotta be kidding.
Come on, go the fuck back to sleep.

Want to see the actual book with complete illustration? Here's a pdf copy - that is if it is still available. You know how these things in the internet sometimes are. If you want to hear Samuel Jackson's narration, here's a link (that's hopfeully still working).

Here's my personal take about the book:

I liked it and it's funny but it is not something I'd buy and I for one, am not a fan of vulgarity. Then another note is that I don't want to keep something at home that later on my little one would find and read and then I'd have to explain a lot why mami is keeping this kind of book when mami always says that foul words are bad and shouldn't said or told to anyone. It is funny for me in the sense that I can relate to the frustration and exhaustion of the parent trying to put to sleep a child that doesn't want to sleep and I know how it feels when sometimes you just want to growl like a mad lion in frustration. We all have these frustrations and we all sometimes would like to just let out a big, crisp-sounding F-word but in front of our children, they just remain as a silent voice ringing inside our heads and are just converted to deep sighs. And knowing that other parents also experience these kinds of frustrations, gives us some air to breathe, thinking that we're not alone. And then we just laugh about these frustrations.

I guess it can be a bit too much on the vulgarity especially on the part that says (I know you're not thirsty, that's bullshit, stop lying) but again, this book is not really children's story book. It is just for the adults. And since it's a form of comedy, it doesn't necessary mean that this is a real conversation between a parent and a child being put to sleep. I just hope that no parents would mistaken it as a real children's book and read it to them.. carried away by the very sweet illustrations of the book.

Side Note:  In all fairness to the book, the parent attended to the child everytime and never let the child cry it out :-D

So what do you think about that book? Funny? Fail? Brilliant? Too much? Would you buy one?