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Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining and Excellent Advice
Review: I did not expect much from a child rearing book authored by a celebrity - after all, don't we witness daily in the press the effect of Hollywood on celebs and their offspring? However, I will tell you that Marilu Henner has authored an entertaining and insightful book on a topic that I (and I suspect other fathers) as an expectant father have given a great deal of thought. My worst fear is failing to raise my child to respect others, act considerately and behave in a manner consistent with the golden rule. My mother-in-law, aware of this fear, made a gift to me of Ms. Henner's book. I found the book to be a fun read full of lessons learned by Ms. Henner and complimented by comments from Dr. Sharon. Ms. Henner succeeds in providing her audience with an entertaining read while sharing her experiences and advice. Do not buy this book expecting it to be the encyclopedia of child rearing. Buy it to share in another parents' challenges of raising responsible children and you will enjoy.
Rating: 
Summary: Terrible, aweful, and waste of reading time...
Review: Okay, being a has-been TV star and writing books telling people to avoid breads and dairy products does NOT qualify you to write a book on raising children. Dr. Ruth Sharon's insites were sometimes good. But Marilu`s additions were horrible. Some of them didn`t even answer the question. The perfect example was one woman who complained that she and her husband disagreed with if the children should keep their rooms tidy. She then goes on and says what SHE does and how her brothers were known to grown interesting plantlife when she was a child. THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE QUESTION. And one of the chapters she wrote just had me fumming. I am convinced that Marilu Henner has any idea of what life is like in the real world. It was a chore to make it through this entire book. Reading this book is like shopping at a thrift-shop. You`ve got to go through a ton of garbage to find a few pounds of something useful. Some of their ideas were worth discussing with my wife. But all in all, I don`t think the time I (quote unquote) invested into this book had any valuable return. There are so many other parenting books out there that are more worth the time to read. Don`t waste any time on this one.
Rating: 
Summary: A good read for parents looking for perspective on disciplin
Review: Seems like other people from NJ liked this book too. I'm from Jersey, am much younger than Marilu Henner and really appreciated this book. I have no interest in reading some boring textbook on what to do and not do with my 2 children. This book has real life examples backed up with expert advice. Makes this a good read for parents. Very practical with great insight that I find very helpful. This book is written in a user-friendly format. Use what you want from this book. Refer to it as needed. Nobody says that you have to like or live the advice from Marilu. There are many valid key points that we are putting into practice with our kids. I borrowed the book from the local library and found myself taking so many notes that I just ordered a copy from Amazon. I want my husband to read this book too. You will find experiences in here that you can relate to about people/children you know. Some serious moments, some funny moments. The humor makes the book readable. I haven't been able to put it down. I am disgusted with the way children are raised these days in a society of conspicuous consumption and waste. (overindulgence) I like her advice on a balance between "frustration and gratification". You will learn a lot not just about kids, but about the people around you and most importantly, yourself.
Rating: 
Summary: ????****&&&&
Review: Starting with the bad: Some of the advice provided is worthless and cold, e.g, both parents coming home at 8 p.m., according to Dr. Sharon "is showing a 5 year-old child a good work ethic." I figure if both parents are going to be out of the home all day while the child sits in daycare and waits, why bother having a "token child" in the first place? Obviously, only brats would raise a child in such a selfish way, anticipating only moments of together time in front of a camera displaying a "happy and intact family." As far as Marilu, her humor is not always appreciated. She doesn't have to be funny "all of the time." Her remarks at times were grating and nerve-racking. As far as the good: Not giving in to your child's every single whim is good, good advice. I appreciated Marilu's perspective in pointing out that she would struggle as a mother seeing her child's heart broken in front of her eyes, but she maintained her parental stance, knowing she did it for his own good, which is comforting. The word "No" used intelligently when raising a child is good for a child's self worth in the long run, as they grow (parents hope) to be responsible adults. Truth is: a spoiled child is a worthless child who grows up to be a selfish, worthless adult, who is always expecting to be served. Ugh! It's interesting to know that a wealthy star like Marilu is doing her children a favor by refusing to give in to their every whim, e.g., not letting them sleep in the "family bed", a fiercely debated topic. As a parent myself, I started noticing some of my own bad habits with my own kids, which after giving it good thought, is good, and I have made some changes that benefit me and my children. Thanks, Marilu! Is this book worth purchasing? If you can get it used, it would be good to get. It's a good read, but I'm not sure I'd want to give it away as a gift because of the book's title; the recipient might take it wrong. Given as an anonymous gift might be the best bet to a parent that you think might benefit from it.
Rating:
Summary: I certainly don't want to raise a BRAT!
Review: When I was trying to conceive my first child I stumbled upon this and other books by Marilu Henner. I thought it offered great insights into things that a new or even established parent should and should not do if they want to raise a healthy, respectful and well-behaved child. In a society that has an abundance of unhealthy children I find this book to be great at educating parents in a non-threatening way. Sure Marilu cracks jokes, she is a very funny lady. Sure she is considered a celebrity but more so since she became an author. I think she has done what many people would love to do, take something they are passionate about, write it all down and share it with others. She didn't get a book deal just because she is also an actress and she wouldn't continue to write nor get the book deals if her books didn't sell. Take the time to read this book with an open mind and I bet there is at least a dozen things that will make you think about how great Marilu must be as a mother. I guarantee that if you were ever to meet Nicky or Joey you would find them both well behaved and extremely respectful! If you don't want to spend the money, at least check it out from a local library! You won't be sorry that you did!
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