Book Review & Giveaway: It's Your Kid, Not a Gerbil

For the past few years, I have been an “on the go” mom.  Are there seriously any mothers out there that are not on the go??  I race from one place to another (typically 5-10 minutes late) and even when I am home, I am on the move.  It has been exhausting and I have been trying so hard to simply stop and enjoy my family.  This is not easy for me.

I was immediately captured by “It’s Your Kid, Not a Gerbil – Creating a Happier & Less-Stressed Home”.  I have often felt that we are racing on a gerbil wheel, but have not figured out a way to change it.  Dr. Kevin Leman, author of “It’s Your Kid, Not a Gerbil”, encourages parents to minimize the number of extracurricular activities in which children are involved and make plenty of quality time for family.  He also discusses the importance of parents prioritizing how they spend their own time.  He encourages parents to evaluate whether they are on the gerbil wheel and what distracts their attention from their children/family.  Dr. Leman uses personal stories from his own family to support his beliefs. 

Dr. Leman makes an excellent point about the importance of “getting off the wheel” and spending time as a family.  The time you have with your family is precious.  As parents, we don’t want our kids to grow up and only have memories of a hurried family life.  We don’t want them to grow within a stressed environment.  We need to spend time together, creating memories, and simply enjoying each other. 

I couldn’t help but feel guilty at one point in the book when Dr. Leman discusses his belief that there should be one parent at home when raising a child.  After the birth of both of my children, I was home for a little while and then I returned to work.  There are moments when I wonder what it would be like to be home permanently and I feel the pangs of guilt.  However, I do know that everyone is different and what is right for one is not necessarily right for another.  As I read the book, I spent a lot of time contemplating how my family spends time together.  My daughter only has one extracurricular activity one day per week and she will soon be starting CCD.  I think these commitments are completely appropriate.  I would LOVE to be able to go to a class or go out to dinner with friends, but I do not.  I am always home at night and on the weekends.  My husband and I do attempt to spend quality time with our kids.  I think that in order for me to retain my sanity, I need to have a couple hobbies for myself, such as blogging.  I do this primarily at night so that it doesn’t detract from my kids.

About the Author:

Dr. Kevin Leman is a licensed psychologist, humorous radio and television personality, and speaker.  He is the author of forty-one books.  He has appeared on Oprah, The View, Today, Good Morning America, and CNN to name a few.

Dr. Leman’s book is a great book for helping parents put things in perspective and understand the importance of time with your family.  The Tynedale Publishing Company is offering one of my readers a free copy of “It’s Your Kid, Not a Gerbil”! 

Please fill out the Rafflecopter form below!

*Disclaimer: I did not receive monetary compensation for this post. I received a free copy of the book for the purposes of this review. The opnions expressed here are my own.