Testing the Ice Book Giveaway: We Have A Winner!

We’re excited to announce the winners of our very first giveaway!  All winners will be contacted via email.  If you didn’t win this time, we encourage you to read our review and then pick up this book for the youngsters in your life.

OK.  Here goes…

The winner of the Testing the Ice prize pack, which includes a copy of the book and a Kidorable hat, glove and scarf set shown in the image below is…drumroll, please…

Rhonda Walton!

And, the following four people will receive a copy of this wonderful children’s book written by Sharon Robinson, daughter of the legendary Jackie Robinson, and illustrated by the masterful Kadir Nelson:

Kokayi Issa
Paul Melville
Kim Millen
Jaliya Stewart

Book Review & Giveaway: Testing the Ice

In the early 1950s, legendary baseball hero Jackie Robinson literally “tested the ice” for his kids who so eagerly wanted to skate on the frozen lake near their home. Under Sharon Robinson’s skillful authorship and Kadir Nelson’s vivid illustrations, “Testing the ice” also becomes a stunning metaphor for her father’s remarkable racial breakthrough.

As soon as my son began reading Testing the Ice aloud to me, I could tell by the enthusiasm in his voice that this book was one we would read over and over again.  Read this entire post to find out how you can enter to win a copy to share with the young ones in your life.

Testing the Ice is a new children’s book written by Sharon Robinson, daughter of the legendary Jackie Robinson. Written from the perspective of a little girl full of the deepest love and admiration for her father, Testing the Ice tells the story of a much more personal heroism than the one for which we have all come to love Jackie Robinson.

After moving to their new home in Connecticut, the Robinson children and their new friends spent all summer enjoying the lake found on their property. As they played and swam, their father watched from the shore, never daring to enter the water himself. But, when the winter cold hardened the lake, and the children set their minds on skating on the ice, Jackie Robinson could no longer lurk in the background. Courageously, despite not knowing how to swim, he risked his life to test the strength of the ice with his own body and a broomstick, making sure the children would be safe.

Illustrated by Kadir Nelson, the images of Jackie Robinson recounting how he shattered the color barrier in Major League Baseball, spending time with his family and crossing the ice are breathtaking. His masterful artistry breathes life into this wonderful story and transports you to the beautiful landscapes and historic baseball games of Sharon Robinson’s childhood.

As a mother, I was reminded that regardless of what the world says, regardless of what we may think, our children have their own reasons for loving their fathers and experiencing them as heroes. As a parent, I was thrilled to hear my child’s excitement at learning about Jackie Robinson the baseball legend and the father. And, as a person striving to make a difference in this world, I was inspired by the courage this man showed in both his professional and personal life. I am grateful to Sharon Robinson for sharing her father with our family in this rich, personal and inspirational story.

And, in our first giveaway, WeParent is giving away copies of Testing the Ice to FIVE lucky readers. One winner will receive a Testing the Ice prize pack that includes a copy of the book and a Kidorable hat, glove and scarf set shown in the image below (an estimated $53 value.) The other 4 winners will receive a copy of the book (and estimated $17 value.)

Here’s how to enter to win:

Check out this video of Sharon Robinson and Kadir Nelson talking about the creation of Testing the Ice. Leave a comment here by 11:59pm EST on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, about something you found interesting about the discussion.

If you’d like to increase your chances of winning, here are four more ways to enter:

1) If you haven’t already, join the WeParent mailing list.  Be sure to verify your subscription by clicking through the confirmation email that will be sent to you, or your entry won’t count.

2) If you aren’t already a member, join our online community, WeParent Connect.

3) Blog or tweet about this giveaway and post a link to your work here.

4) Purchase a copy of Testing the Ice and email a copy of your confirmation email to contests@weparent.com.

OK, WeParent family, this gives you up to five chances to win! And, we’d love to share this rich story with you. All entries must be submitted/completed by 11:59pm EST on Tuesday, October 27, 2009. Winners will be chosen through random.org. This contest is available to U. S. mailing addresses only; prizes will be sent to winners by the book’s sponsor.

Book Review: How to Survive and Win as a Co-Parent

One of my favorite resources as a family practice attorney is How to Survive and Win as A Co-Parent, written by Arline S. Kerman. Though this book was copyrighted in 2006, the content is as relevant to any co-parenting challenge you are facing right now–today. It is a resource guide for all parents: single, married, separated or divorced.

The object of this book is to guide those parents who want specific steps to successfully co-parent. It contains real stories which illustrate how the lives of parents and their children can be destroyed when parents are: (1) not motivated to co-parent and (2) not trained to implement a co-parenting agreement. This guide is written from Arline Kerman’s qualified view as an attorney, Doctor of Psychology and mother. With these credentials, her resource exhibits a full understanding of family dynamics.

The opening chapter questions why co-parenting is such a problem for some parents. It exposes some possible reasons that may already be familiar to you. After reviewing this situation for over 30 years, the author determines that there is no single answer to the problems of co-parenting. So, the book begins the journey of sharing cooperative strategies and a co-parenting plan, both designed to promote cooperation between parents, as well as, address and resolve those child-related issues that usually cause problems. Her theme is “Stop the war! Fighting is NEVER an option!“

The most practical portion is contained in Chapter Two, which gives a list of 24 Cooperative Strategies for Parents. A few of these are: (1) consult and confer with the other parent in a positive and non-confrontational manner; (2) admit when you are wrong; (3) realize that flexibility means reasonableness and not weakness. The author actually walks you through implementing each of the 24 strategies and explains to you why they are important to the well being of your child.

Because I am a firm believer that no parent should point the finger without taking an introspective look at oneself, I am tickled that this guide calls for self-evaluation. I am sure you will have big fun answering the questions set forth like: “Why should you admit to your mistakes when it relates to the care of the child?” The 30 questions force you to judge and determine whether you are an antagonist or protagonist in the parenting battle. Seeing you is sometimes difficult, yet very essential to the process of peace.

If parents want to modify their attitudes about each other and their attitudes toward better co-parenting and communication, this book is an excellent resource. There is so much more useful information that I simply encourage you to seek and find in the 356 pages. I will tell you that the back cover of the book contains a CD with treasured information that you do not want to continue without.

This book is available on Amazon.com or for purchase directly from Dr. Kerman. Dr. Kerman is also a co-founder of the Institute for Co-Parenting Resolution and author of Should You Really Seek Custody of Your Child?, Do you Really Want to be a Stepparent? and Sally Rose-A Teenage Casualty of a Custody Battle.

On the WeParent Bookshelf: Becoming the Mom I Wish I’d Had

Becoming the Mom I Wish I’d Had:  How to Heal Yourself and Your Family through HEART-based Parenting by Venus Taylor is a must read if you’re a parent interested in raising healthy, whole, resilient, self-aware children.  A family and relationship coach and founder of the Family Healing Institute, Venus walks us through simple but powerful steps and strategies for using our own experiences as children to guide us toward becoming the best parents we can be.  By sharing painful examples from her troubled relationship with her own mother, Venus shows us that healing is not only possible; it is critical to breaking cycles in our families.

The book is broken down into two sections.  The first, “Looking Back”, guides us through our own childhoods.  Again using her own story for illumination, the author gently encourages us to explore some of our happiest and most painful memories from childhood.  She then helps us uncover parenting wisdom and compassion for our children from those experiences.  By challenging us to view the world through the eyes of the children we once were, she offers a new way of thinking more empathetically about the needs of our own children.

In part two, “Looking Forward,” we are empowered with a set of principles and a toolkit for what Taylor calls HEART-based Parenting.  She offers this approach as a way to develop a stronger, loving and mutually respectful relationship with our children and as an alternative to what she refers to as POWER-based parenting.

Becoming the Mom I Wish I’d Had really is a wonderful guide for any mother who is ready to heal emotional wounds from her own childhood.  But, even more, it is a powerful resource for any parent seeking new strategies and tools for parenting their children more consciously.

The book is available at www.healmyfamily.com.

Mom’s House, Dad’s House

Mom’s House, Dad’s House:  Making Two Homes for Your Child  by Dr. Isolina Ricci is a classic co-parenting book.  Originally written in 1980, there is a revised edition available with some new content.  Although some critics of the book highlight its bias in primarily using examples where the mother has primary custody, this one is a great primer on everything you need to consider as you step into a co-parenting relationship.  It offers comprehensive, actionable guidance and solutions for setting up a two-household system that works for your kids.
Learn more or purchase Mom’s House, Dad’s House…

Spiritual Divorce: Divorce as a Catalyst for an Extraordinary Life

Spiritual Divorce by Debbie Ford is a guide to turning one of the most painful relationship experiences into an empowering transformation.  It offers a liberating perspective on the devastation that can come with the end of a relationship.  Through exercises, insightful questions and a spiritual approach to dealing with adversity, Spiritual Divorce can help shift your perspective in ways that leave you feeling empowered and healed.

Let us know what you think.

Learn more or purchase Spiritual Divorce…