mommymedia : marriage

Fat Daddy/Fit Daddy: A Man’s Guide to Balancing Fitness and Family

Satya — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:35:00 GMT

This book is laugh-out-loud funny and easy to read. Lawrence Schwartz writes as a normal guy – full of football analogies, playful insults and sexual innuendos. The bulk of the book is focused on fitness and nutrition for dads, with a decent portion devoted to fitness involving the whole family and lots of tips for keeping the marriage together. It’s ironic coming from a divorced father, but perhaps that’s why the advice is so good. You can blow through this book and then keep it for reference as the information is fairly straight forward.

The best parts of this book are the creative ways to incorporate fitness in the family, his marriage tips, and of course, the jokes. The fitness information is valuable and pretty much right on, although since its release in 2003, new health and nutritional data have been discovered making it a bit dated. It’s astonishing to learn in this book that the average person gains at least one pound a year, or that over 90 percent of married couples that exercise together stay together. If you’re looking for how to keep the pounds off, then Schwartz has the advice you need. He provides an exhaustive list of nutrients and their importance, and plenty of ways to burn calories and build muscle, as well as sound fitness advice. He does not make it easy for dad though. In fact, he pretty much tells you to not make excuses and exercise for one hour everyday.

This book is very funny and a pleasure to read. Moms looking to buy their “fat daddy” a book would do well with this one; in the midst of all the fitness talk, he gives fathering and relationship advice that would go a long way in any family. Pick up a copy here.

Becoming Parents: How to Strengthen Your Marriage as Your Family Grows

Satya — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 16:48:00 GMT

If you’re reading this, you’re probably a mom or dad-to-be and your mind has been swimming with thoughts on everything from labor and childbirth to infant care and nursery colors since you first received the baby news. What you may not have considered yet is how much pressure parenthood can put on your relationship with your partner. Enter “Becoming Parents: How to Strengthen Your Marriage as Your Family Grows,” a book designed specifically to help couples improve their relationships in preparation for parenthood. In their book, authors Pamela L. Jordan, Scott M. Stanley, and Howard J. Markman offer advice on how to survive this potentially trying time and come out of it with an even stronger bond. John Gray, acclaimed author of “Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus, says, “’Becoming Parents’ teaches survival skills necessary to raise your child, while managing to thrive in your marriage. If you're thinking about having kids, read this book.” Not only will it help you communicate more clearly with each other and better manage conflict between you, but it will help you to create lasting solutions to problems and identify the underlying issues and expectations you have for each other. “Becoming Parents” addresses larger issues like commitment, forgiveness and intimacy, as well as specific topics that are often the subjects of everyday arguments, such as who gets up when the baby cries at night and the division of household tasks. Best of all, the useful exercises in each chapter can help you and your partner build and maintain a happy home for you and your baby. Pick up a copy here.

Babyproofing Your Marriage

Madelyn8278 — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:48:00 GMT

There’s no question that you love your husband as much as you love being a mom, but there’s also no denying that parenthood can be pretty tough on a marriage. Since you had children, do you and your spouse see things differently? Do you find yourselves arguing about things like your in-laws, division of responsibilities, or the void in your sex life? Filled with lots of humor and practical advice, “Babyproofing Your Marriage” can help you reconnect with your spouse, so that having kids doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your relationship.

Co-authors Stacie Cockrell, Cathy O’Neill and Julia Stone know how important it is to nurture a marriage after a baby is born. In “Babyproofing,” these three women explore the transition to parenthood in light of their own experiences, with input from their husbands and thoughts from couples across the country. From avoiding the “10 o’clock shoulder tap” to remembering the three A’s (appreciation, acknowledgment, and affirmation), “Babyproofing” has several useful, upbeat suggestions to help you and your spouse reach greater marital harmony. One mom says, “[This book] had a profound impact on how I think about marriage and parenthood, which will ultimately make me a better parent and a better spouse.”

“Babyproofing Your Marriage” is an invaluable read. It will teach you how to laugh more, argue less, and communicate better as your family grows.

Get a copy here.