Mother's Day Gift Giving Guide -- For My Children: A Mother's Journal of Memories (Review and Giveaway)

 

Apr 2012
$14.95
978-1-61243-061-4
Trade Paper
5 1/2 x 8 1/2
304 pages

Summary:


An easy-to-follow and heartfelt journal for moms to pass down their life story and joy of motherhood to their children

As a mother ages and sees her children go off into the world, she begins reflecting on her time as a mom and yearns to share memories with her kids. While they may be too busy to spend as much time with their mother as they would like, her children will cherish this journal for decades and eventually share with their own children. Beautifully designed and illustrated, this perfect gift contains creative prompts that spark Mom’s recollections of fun family vacations, favorite childhood games, and special holidays. The thought-provoking queries allow Mom to delve into her own lifetime of experiences — her childhood and school years, falling in love and getting married, and, most of all, having and raising children. This collection of fill-in-the-blank lists is the easiest way for a mother to record on paper answers to the questions her children never thought to ask but will love to discover. It covers the little things no one wants to lose as well as the deepest subjects like the wisdom she has gained over the years, the goals she has achieved in her life, and the dreams that remain unfulfilled.




My Thoughts:

It is hard to imagine my mother not being here down the road, but I know it is inevitable.  And, when the time comes, I want know that I will be able to remember all her wisdom as well as memories of motherhood, so that I can relive them, and hopefully instill some of this wisdom into my own daughters.  So, when I heard about  For My Children:  A Mother's Journal of Memories, Wishes and Wisdom By Dionna Ford, I knew it needed to be included in my Mother's Day Gift Giving Guide.

My mother lost her mother right after I was born.  And, growing up, I would enjoy listening to stories my mother told my brothers and I of her.  But, I noticed as I got older, that as time passed, it was harder for my mother to recall specific details.  I know that we don't want to think about our parents not being here, but this would have been the perfect journal to have shared with her mother.  That way, my mother, whenever she wanted to be comforted with my grandmother's words of wisdom, stories, etc., could simply pull out this journal and read from it.  Having been diagnosed and treated for cancer back in 2008, I now don't take life for granted, and make every effort to journal my thoughts, well wishes and hopes for my daughters, as well as keep scrapbooks of our special times and their milestones, so that when the time comes years down the road, they will have these special keepsakes to look at and treasure -- and, even share with their children.

So, when my parents came to visit the girls last weekend, while we were laid up and fighting off the nasty stomach going around, I used this as the perfect time to share this book with my mother, and ask her to journal her responses to the questions.  I also thought it would be great for me to include my thoughts, so that I could not only treasure this journal, but can also pass down to my daughters, letting them have 2 generations of maternal wisdom and memories to enjoy and reflect on.  From this idea, I was also able to bond and connect with my mother, as we read through each of the questions in the book, and took turns jotting down our responses.  It opened up lines of communication and discussion, that we would have otherwise not have discussed.  There are times in your life, when you go through life at full speed, and other times, when you slow down and enjoy the ride.  I was able to slow down and enjoy this time with my mother, and really appreciate all that she has done for my brothers and I, and how she sacrificed a part of her life to stay home and raise us, before re-entering the workforce.  Because of this, I, too, have decided to stay home and watch my daughters grow, and am enjoying every minute of it.

With over 300 pages of questions, my mother and I have turned this into a project that we look forward to, each time my parents come to visit.  We will pull out this journal and complete sections at a time, as we enjoy great conversation and mother-daughter time.  If you are looking for the perfect Mother's Day gift to give to your mother this year, why not pick up a copy of this book today.  It will be one journal you will enjoy reading and treasuring for years to come.  And, why not try completing the entries alongside your mom (if you are fortunate to have her in your life).  If not, why not document your memories, to share with your children down the road?

--BUY NOW--

Click here to order a For My Children directly from Amazon.  In addition, this title is also available at Barnes & Noble.

--GIVEAWAY--

Five (5), yes FIVE, lucky readers will win a copy of , thanks to the folks at Ulysses Press.  To enter, please complete the entries on the Rafflecopter form below.  Good luck!

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Disclosure:  I was sent a copy of this book by the publisher in order to write up an honest review.  The views above are mine and mine alone.