MSI Press Blog

  This week's book back story features I Love My Kids, But I Don't Always Like Them by Franki Bagdade . From the author --  I can't spell. Truly, I'm terrible at it. When I got my first job, teaching children with learning disabilities in a private elementary school they sent me for specialized training in phonics, a program called Orton Gillingham created for those who struggle with traditional ways of learning to read. It was eye-opening. For the first time, I understood the spelling patterns and realized there was something I could rely on besides, just memorization when trying to spell all of those darn words. For the first time in my life, I started to enjoy Wheel of Fortune. I knew which letter Vanna White was gonna unveil before she turned around those famous white cubes. Fast forward a few years later into my teaching career which was also a few years of intense exposure to many misspelled Words, that’s what happens when you teach students who also struggle wit

  Excerpt from I Love My Children, But I Don't Always Like Them Carma’s Story Every family has to figure out the expectation game and how each child may respond to surprises, frustration, disappointment and even too much excitement. As children grow up, and their behavior evolves, their capacity to handle change and respond to unwelcome triggers may also vary, depending on a number of factors. Every family must deal with this process. The Greens came to me because their daughter kept embarrassing them at family functions. Both parents had four siblings, and everyone lived nearby, so they came together to enjoy a meal at least once a week. Carma’s parents considered this a blessing, but their daughter wasn’t so appreciative. As she turned 12, she often tried to get out of family events by crying and begging to stay home alone. I facilitated a parent-child meeting with them (see Chapter 6). After some open-ended questions, Carma was able to verbalize that she felt nervous being with

What is a book jewel? A sometimes-overlooked book with remarkable insight and potential significance. Starting in August, we will share near-daily, as possible, reviews of the monthly book jewel - short, succinct reviews that can be read in 1-2 minutes with links to the reviewer by reviewers whose words are worthy of being heard and whose opinions are worthy of being considered. Sometimes a couple of minutes contains more impressive thought than ten times that many. We will let you decide that. This month's book jewel is  I Love My Kids, But I Don't Always Like Them by Franki Bagdade.  Review from Dr. Terri Bacow -  A brilliant, must-have, essential guide to parenting all kids, including the "difficult" ones! As a parent of two kids and also a psychologist, I have read MANY books on parenting over the years and this one is by far the absolute BEST one I have encountered. It is the perfect length - parents do not have time to read, and this one is manageable, easy to

  Congratulations to Franki Bagdade for continuing wonderful reviews of her book, I Love My Children, But I Don't Always Like Them .  As a parent of two kids and also a psychologist, I have read MANY books on parenting over the years and this one is by far the absolute BEST one I have encountered. It is the perfect length - parents do not have time to read, and this one is manageable, easy to wade through and a pleasure to read. I Love My Kids But I Don't Always Like Them is a brilliant guide to parenting ALL types of children, including our more difficult ones.  Sharp, insightful and solidly based in psychological science, this book is chock full of easy-to-use practical advice, with illustrative, highly relatable and colorful examples. Reading it feels like you are sitting down over coffee with the author herself or a fellow mom (a really smart one!) Franki Bagdade really understands children AND really understands parents, helping bridge the divide between the two. This boo

  Joanna Charnas, author of several award-winning books , has provided the following guest blog post. My Father’s Influence on Managing Chronic Illness: Common Sense and Saliva By Joanna J. Charnas   I’m always striving to manage my multiple chronic illnesses effectively and with more ease, and less stress. My eighty-one-year-old father entered a nursing home this year due to worsening Alzheimer’s symptoms. Since his placement, I’ve considered his influences on my life and have particularly savored memories of my early childhood with him. As I contemplated this period, I began to appreciate the long-term effects his parenting style had on my health challenges.     Dad was a hands-on, no fuss parent. If I wet my bed in the middle of the night, I was instructed to wake him up, not my mother. He’d calmly help me into fresh pajamas, lay a large towel over the soiled linen that would be changed in the morning, and then tuck me back into bed. My occasional bed-wetting was drama f

  Introduction Parenting is hard.  It’s not “I would rather be hiding state secrets in a POW camp” hard, but it’s definitely “my most cherished fantasy is about taking an uninterrupted shower by myself” hard. It’s hard because you are a parent 24/7 without coffee breaks or vacations. It’s hard because it isolates you away from your friends, sometimes your family, and occasionally any semblance of adult human companionship whatsoever. It’s hard because you always put the needs of others above your own, often without thanks or even acknowledgement. (If all three of these statements are true at the same time, it’s called “having an infant.”) Even worse, not only is parenting diabolically challenging, but it also has the outside appearance of being easy, fun, and less challenging than a “real” job.  Yes, many non-parents attempt to compare the act of childrearing to any other job. However, until they find a job where it is impossible to quit, you aren’t paid, and your boss is allowed to wa

  Literary Titan has award I Love My Kids, But I Don't Always Like Then 5 stars. In part, the reviewer wrote, This is a critical resource for parents that will help parents re-evaluate their parenting style and promote conversations on parenting and how there is no one-formula-fits-all in raising different children even within the same family. With quirky humor and a free-spirited tone, Bagdade has written an engaging parenting book that is colored by her experience as a mother and consultant educator. She details easy-to-follow approaches to parenting that will help parents enjoy their children, even during their worst times. Read the rest of the review HERE . Connect to other reviews of this book HERE . Read more posts about Franki and her book, including excerpts,  HERE .                                    Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter                           Follow MSI Press on  Twitter ,  Face Book , and  Instagram .