Parenting in the Here and Now

by Lea Page

"Lea brings her warmth, her wit and her wisdom and walks with you heart-to-heart, and side-by-side on the mysterious path of parenting. I wholeheartedly recommend it to all grandparents, aunts, uncles, best friends, and teachers... everyone who loves a child and loves their parents." --Lynn Jericho, www.imagineself.com

"How wonderful to open a book and feel that you have been invited into the author's home to experience the heart of her family life! Lea warmly and graciously engages her reader in her journey as a parent. With humour and candour, she encourages every parent not to try to be something that they are not, but rather to be the best that they already are. This book is an empowering guide to a truly heart-centered way of parenting." -- Donna Simmons, Christopherus Homeschool Resources

"Lea Page points parents to a gentler path in her book Parenting in the Here and Now. She urges parents to face their fear and transform it to courage, a skill that allows presence of heart and mind for the most important job on the planet - ushering children into adulthood." -- Lisa Groen Braner, Author of The Mother's Book of Well-Being



Being a good parent doesn't mean being perfect, learning complex theories or finding another twelve hours in the day. Parenting in the Here and Now offers a refreshingly different way. Rather than striving for -- and failing to reach -- a frustrating ideal, parents can start from where they are right now -- and enjoy a more harmonious family life almost immediately. Lea Page shows how to recognise emotions that get in the way, and how to stay calm rather than getting overwhelmed. Her practical parenting philosophy, born from many years of personal experience, observation and reflection, encourages parents to respond to children with action rather than words. Parenting in the Here and Now is filled with examples of how to manage parental challenges in the moment, from tantrums and whining to lying and disrespect. Parents will appreciate the new confidence and calm authority this book -- a true companion -- gives them.

Genres: Parenting

200 pages, Paperback

First published April 16, 2015

About the author

As an undergraduate, Lea studied literature, experiential education and outdoor leadership. She is a former La Leche League leader and has been a mentor for parents and homeschool groups for nearly two decades.

A knitter, gardener and dog-spoiler, Lea raised and home schooled her two children in rural Montana. She and her husband now live in New Hampshire, where she is at work on two memoirs.

Lea’s essays and articles have appeared in the Buddhist Peace Fellowship’s Turning Wheel, The Seven Hills Literary Review (2nd prize/creative non-fiction, 2014), Soundings Review, (em): A Review of Image and Text, Elephant Journal, Tiferet Journal and Manifest Station. Interviews can be found on her website, www.LeaPageAuthor.com.

Reviews

[Lea Page]

I wrote the book that I needed when I was a young mother. It still surprises me some days: that I wrote a book. It doesn't surprise me, though, that I still need it!

I hope it is helpful to you, but mostly I hope you feel like you are in good company while you are reading. I certainly felt that I was while I was writing.

Let me know.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is difficult to review. I like it and it reaffirms for me that I am heading in the right direction. But although the author frequently assures us there is no judgement from her, it sometimes feels like there is judgement dripping from the pages (like when she points out that the aware mother tends to her child no matter how juicy the story her friend is telling. how dare you take some time to talk to an adult instead of eagle eyeing your child).
The crux of this philosophy of parenting is that your child's needs are paramount, and you need to be present to attend to them. and to some extent I agree But it is important to attend to your own needs too. (the author describes mowing the lawn as a chance to get away from the kids and unwind- pretty much laughed out loud at that one).
There are some useful ideas here about being consistent and supportive without being overpowering. But the author describes a lot of parenting mistakes and their terrible consequences, and there is scope for people to end up feeling pretty crummy about themselves and their skills as a parent if they see themselves reflected there.

[Kathy Heare Watts · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book I won in a Goodreads giveaway offered either by the author or publisher. I want to say a great big thank you for their kindness. I am now passing this book on to another person, family member or friend who may also benefit from this book. My library is so full, I need to share and the best way to do that is to give this book away now so someone else may enjoy the words between the pages.

I passed this book to my youngest daughter, the mother of 4 girls ages from 2 years old to almost 14 years old. I am sure she will find wisdom and advise in these pages.