Books for Troubled Kids

Sometimes you end up trying to help a kid that is going through a very troubled time in their life because of a divorce or a death. It could be your own child or the neighbour's child but you still want to help. However sometimes you feel completely helpless because it is hard to communicate with the upset child or see the world through his or her eyes. Thankfully there are some books out there on the market that can assist you with this type of situation.
A common situation is the one where you end up being the stepmother to a new kid through marriage either because of a death or divorce. There is a really good book on this topic on the market. It is called 'The Good Stepmother: A Practical Guide' and it by two women who have been there. The authors are Patricia Adams and Karen Savage. Every issue is discussed in this book including the ex spouse, children who act out their resentment and money issues. You are basically taught how to handle these situations so nobody is hurt, resentful or traumatized as a result of the big change. The chapters on how to handle the ex are also very important as you can save the children involved a lot of stress during the divorce and remarriage process if the two of you can learn how to get along.
Some kids really have a hard time adjusting to a divorce. A child can isolate and refuse to communicate to you. In this case you might want to purchase 'What's Going to Happen to Me? When Parents Separate or Divorce. This is a paperback by Eda LeShan that is directed to kids who are eight years of age or older and who are hurt and mystified by the divorce process. It is just a great all purpose book about the subject to give to any child as it explains what goes on and helps the child feel more emotionally secure.
If you have a depressed kid or one that just seems woefully ignorant of how to handle the issues that he or she might be facing. Heartbeats and Other Stories by Peter D. Sieruta is a classic book about a set of twins that go through all of the issues such as temptation to suicide, teen pregnancy and feeling picked on or lonely. Most kids identify with the two main characters which is reassuring and educational for them.
If you have a new baby you will love the funny and helpful book by Edward R. Christophersen Baby Owner's Manual. The illustrations and photographs in this book are wonderful and will help ward off that case of post-partum depression after you have been up all night for months. It is always good to know that others have been through same stressful experiences that you have just after having a baby.

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Wooden Baby Toys

Wooden baby toys have always been around but there is a new crop of them on the market every year. Here is a rundown of some of my favorite toys that are made out real hardwood. Many of them are available on line.
The Doggie Woggie has always been around. This is that wooden pull toy that has a dog on wheels. It's paws sometimes rotate and so do its ears. It has a thin cut out body and a tail that ends in a spring. The original Doggie Woggy was made by a company called Empress Arts. It is just the quaintest toy because it reminds me of my own childhood.
Forget about those old wooden blocks with the A B and C on them. Instead you can now get hip little building blocks that are shaped like pieces of designer sushi. The sushi comes in a Bento box just like you would find in a real Japanese restaurant.
If wooden baby blocks are too old for your child then you might want to consider getting small plush ones like the six sold in an appliqué sold by a company called Small Frank Baby.
Do you like baby rattles that harken back to the good old days when everything was made out of hardwood. Then you will love the Baby Heirloom Rattle. This is a very simply constructed rattle that is made by a company called Maple Landmark
The rattle body is basically the shape of a doorknob and the entire rattle is covered with a type of non toxic varnish called the Clear Child Safe Finish. This is so your child can suck and bite on the rattle for free without any side effects.
The actually noise maker part of the rattle looks like a round narrow tubular cage with five bars and inside this cavity there are shiny silver round bells. These bells are small and look like the type of bells that decorate horse reins. The rattle could not be more charming in terms of having that 'rustic appeal.' It is very seventies and a bit Swedish in its design as too.
Despite its simple construction this rattle can make a lot of noise. Furthermore it is practically indestructible and is destined to be handed down through generations. It is practically a musical instrument and my kids have been known to fight over it even though they are not infants anymore.
You can buy the wooden Heirloom rattle for only eleven dollars at Made In U.S.A.. This site also sells other classic toys that older kids might also enjoy like the Original Slinky, the Poof Foam Junior Basketball and the original wooden choo choo trains. You can also get the original hardwood baby blocks with the stamped out colored letters on them at this site.

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