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Take Back the House: Raising Happy Parents
Parents everywhere, hear this: You can calm down, take a breath, stop worrying, and do more for your kids by doing less. They will survive, thrive, and later thank you for giving them freedom. And you'll enjoy raising them in a happier, more peaceful home.
In Take Back the House, Dr. Karen Latimer, a family physician and mother of five, offers some down-home parenting advice for those ready to parent with more confidence and more joy. Speaking from the trenches of her own house, Dr. Latimer will help you take back yours by gently reclaiming power and perspective and practicing some simple, stress-free advice. She'll help you focus on your own happiness to develop a thoughtful, balanced dynamic with your kids. Told with candor and humor, this Audible Original will leave you feeling recharged, renewed, and perfectly happy with imperfection. Warning: This piece involves a naked toddler in Target and other unforgettable scenes from real life.
In Take Back the House, Dr. Karen Latimer, a family physician and mother of five, offers some down-home parenting advice for those ready to parent with more confidence and more joy. Speaking from the trenches of her own house, Dr. Latimer will help you take back yours by gently reclaiming power and perspective and practicing some simple, stress-free advice. She'll help you focus on your own happiness to develop a thoughtful, balanced dynamic with your kids. Told with candor and humor, this Audible Original will leave you feeling recharged, renewed, and perfectly happy with imperfection. Warning: This piece involves a naked toddler in Target and other unforgettable scenes from real life.
Audio CD
Published January 11, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 16, 2023
Okay.
So, to review a parenting book, I feel like you should know a little about my mindset. I’m a married, primary caregiver for my two young children. We live in lower middle class America. We side on the “gentle-ish” parenting. We aren’t religious. I tend to view all “parenting” books in that they may have a few good ideas, but there’s a lot of agree to disagree in any parenting book.
I’ve seen other reviews stress that this book is dripping in privilege. It speaks of family almost like you’re designing a doll house and that it’s easy to just decide to be a certain way. It’s written by a mother who works outside the home and presumably has a large house, stable finances, and completely different problems than the average family I know that often has children with disabilities, tough finances, etc. that said, the issue I really have with this book is how deeply it’s steeped in wine mom culture. The amount of times a “fully stock bar” is named as a parenting staple, or this physician stating that day time drinking is understandable with a colicky baby, etc is concerning.
Can’t say I’d recommend this book. I’ve read worse, I’ve read far better.
So, to review a parenting book, I feel like you should know a little about my mindset. I’m a married, primary caregiver for my two young children. We live in lower middle class America. We side on the “gentle-ish” parenting. We aren’t religious. I tend to view all “parenting” books in that they may have a few good ideas, but there’s a lot of agree to disagree in any parenting book.
I’ve seen other reviews stress that this book is dripping in privilege. It speaks of family almost like you’re designing a doll house and that it’s easy to just decide to be a certain way. It’s written by a mother who works outside the home and presumably has a large house, stable finances, and completely different problems than the average family I know that often has children with disabilities, tough finances, etc. that said, the issue I really have with this book is how deeply it’s steeped in wine mom culture. The amount of times a “fully stock bar” is named as a parenting staple, or this physician stating that day time drinking is understandable with a colicky baby, etc is concerning.
Can’t say I’d recommend this book. I’ve read worse, I’ve read far better.
December 21, 2021
It was ok. Some nice ideas - a lot of stuff that sounds good, but practically, what does "decorating" your imaginary "family culture" house really look like in the day to day of my actual reality?
She sort of explains and maybe if I sat down and really worked on each step of building my house as she lays out I'd come away with something helpful, but mostly it feels like it'd be busy work and I wouldn't really accomplish anything that I'd incorporate effectively. It just felt a little too fluffy/idealist too me.
I don't think I have the same views on parenting on a lot of things, but it was interesting to hear her viewpoints and consider them, so it felt a little like a glimpse into someone else's home and had some ideas I'll probably tuck away and employ.
Not life changing, but interesting.
She sort of explains and maybe if I sat down and really worked on each step of building my house as she lays out I'd come away with something helpful, but mostly it feels like it'd be busy work and I wouldn't really accomplish anything that I'd incorporate effectively. It just felt a little too fluffy/idealist too me.
I don't think I have the same views on parenting on a lot of things, but it was interesting to hear her viewpoints and consider them, so it felt a little like a glimpse into someone else's home and had some ideas I'll probably tuck away and employ.
Not life changing, but interesting.
September 6, 2022
This was a quick little summary of gentle parenting. There was nothing new in this book but I didn't expect it to be anything groundbreaking since it was a free Audible original.
The only thing I found weird was the author's constant mentions of needing a glass/bottle of wine to relax. Maybe it's something American that I, as a European, don't get but the frequency of these comments was concerning.
The only thing I found weird was the author's constant mentions of needing a glass/bottle of wine to relax. Maybe it's something American that I, as a European, don't get but the frequency of these comments was concerning.
December 16, 2021
This is my favorite parenting book! I wish there was a printed version of the book. I desperately wanted to highlight and circle certain phrases.
January 7, 2022
I loved this book. It was an amazing surprise since I only found it by browsing the Audible Originals. I think every parent should listen to it. If you can, please do!
March 7, 2022
I felt like this would be even more helpful to a mom of older kids, but it gave me a lot to think about in regards to the environment I want going forward!
March 8, 2022
This book was recommended to me.
It was quick and easy reading and a great reminder not to sweat the small stuff.
It was quick and easy reading and a great reminder not to sweat the small stuff.
March 20, 2023
Easy, quick listen with good strategies to help allay my working mom guilt
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews