"The Mean Mom's Guide to Raising Great Kids" By Joanne Kraft, #Review and #Giveaway! #Contests (Main 48 U.S. States) Ends 6/7 #‎MeanMomsGuide

Being a parent means learning to let go. It means letting go of our fears and letting our children be independent. It means letting my five and a half year old daughter stay the night at a friend's house for her first ever slumber party, and trusting that she's going to be ok, and that nothing will happen to her while she's there. It means hoping that I've given her enough skills to be able to tell her friend's parents if she wants to come home, and that it's ok to not want to stay the night. She did cry a little, and some of the other girls did too. But it's because she was up super late and really tired. She said that it was hard to sleep with the TV on. So if we have a slumber party in the future, we will be turning off the TV between 9 and 10pm to let them sleep!

My five and a half year old daughter was invited to her first ever slumber party, and I really thought it through about letting her stay, or bringing her back home after a few hours. She goes to school with most of the girls who stayed the night. The parents are people that I have met before, but I don't actually really know them. The house that my daughter stayed at, isn't too far from ours. But it was hard for me to let her stay, but I did. I made sure the parents had my phone number and knew that they could call me anytime during the night and that I would come pick my little girl up if needed. Of course I didn't sleep well knowing that she wasn't at home, and neither did my husband. But even at five and a half years old, we need to learn to let our children fly. And if we do, they will learn on their own, and with our help, to soar.

The Mean Mom's Guide to Raising Great Kids is a Christian parenting book about not being so soft on your children, and letting you know that it's ok to be a mean mom when you need to, and when your children need you too. I have learned that once in a while, like when it came to letting my daughter attend this sleep over, that I can also be a marshmallow mom too, and that it's ok to be who I am.

The Mean Mom's Guide was written by Joanne Kraft. These past few months she put together a great group of moms who have read the book, shared our stories, prayed for one another and more. I have had the chance to get to know Joanne Kraft through her Facebook page and Mean Mom's Facebook group. She's always been available to answer questions when we've needed her to, and supported all of us a mothers and her friends.

Joanne incorporated her parenting techniques into this book and how they worked for her and her family, and how we can teach them to our children. But most of all, this book has taught me how to teach my children about God, and about God's love for them and that God will always be there for them and with them throughout their lives.

What Does Being a Mean Mom Mean?:

• A mean mom keeps her word when it's hard.
• A mean mom gives, models and expects respect.
• A mean mom knows her child's friends and where they live.
• A mean mom instills dinner times, bedtimes and curfews.
• A mean mom treads water longer longer than her child can make it rain.
• A mean mom doesn't let her own fears overrule her child's freedoms. (This one I just learned about!)
• A mean mom sees the adult her child can be and inspires until he or she catches the vision.
• A mean mom asks for forgiveness for her mistakes.
• A mean mom loves passionately, encourages openly and behaves righteously.
• And if she's married, a mean mom puts her husband before her child. (I believe in this one, depending on the situation. But most of the time, my husband comes first.)

One excerpt from the book that has helped me: "If my kids complain something is too hard, like...you know, putting their shoes away, I tell them "You were made to do hard things." - Ashley Gerhard"

My kids are always coming up with some excuse as to why they can't pick up their toys, shoes, plates, etc. Telling them that they were made to do hard things has helped a lot. I've also heard this saying, "If your big enough to make the mess, then your big enough to clean it up." That quote has come in handy when they complain that they can't clean their bedroom or the living room of their toys.

The Mean Mom's Guide to Raising Great Kids book talks about everything from putting your marriage first, teaching your children about honor, giving to TV, technology and more! This book is a must read for every Mom and Dad too!

Purchase your own copy today of "The Mean Mom's Guide to Raising Great Kids" By Joanne Kraft at your local Christian book store or on amazon today! OR...

Enter below using the Rafflecopter form for a chance to win your own copy of "The Mean Mom's Guide to Raising Great Kids" By Joanne Kraft. Giveaway open to residents of the main 48 continental United States only, sorry.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Disclosure: I received a copy of The Mean Mom's Guide to Raising Great Kids book in exchange for my review post. Airplanes and Dragonflies is responsible for mailing out your book.