Stuff Every Dad Should Know and The Art of Roughhousing Book Review

I was recently sent Stuff Every Dad Should Know by Brett Cohen and The Art of Roughhousing by Anthony Benedet & Lawrence Cohen, when I read the info about them they both sounded interesting.

Now I know it says Stuff Every Dad Should Know but the information still applies to mums and both me and my husband enjoyed reading it.

The book is split in to different areas, Baby Stuff, Little Kid Stuff, Big Kid Stuff, Teen Stuff and Beyond, it offers a very tongue in cheek view into the world of parenting.

Each section is split into a small paragraph and several bullet points and covers everything from how to hold and change a baby to childproofing your home, potty training and how to keep kids entertained on days out.

Although some of the wording is Americanised it is still easy to understand and as a gift for a new parent I would highly recommend it. I did actually buy my husband a how to be a dad book when I was pregnant which he did read and I am sure helped him in those early days.

Stuff Every Dad Should Know is small and compact and looks very stylish, the RRP is only £6.99 so it doesn't break the bank either.

There is still plenty to read for us in the future with tips on how to help your child ride a bike and talking about the birds and bees, so this is a book that will see you through many years of parenthood.

The next book is The Art of Roughhousing, I had never heard of the term roughhousing before seeing this book but when you see what it is it all makes sense.

In a time where we tend to wrap our children up in cotton wool this book is encouraging you to swing, chuck and generally be rough with your children (obviously without harming them).

The book has some bold claims that roughhousing makes children, 'smarter', 'more likeable' and 'builds emotional intelligence', which does makes sense when you read the book. Children are so mollycoddled these days they seem to have no awareness of how to deal with other children.

The book explores how encouraging rough play enables children to better understand other children and adults. The book looks at how 'in good roughhousing parents respond to rule breaking or excess aggression not penalize it. This allows for the opportunity to make a mistake without fear of punishment, everyone learns better that way'.

I love chasing my son around the house and we always play hide and seek with a bit of tickling or pillow fighting afterwards. Incorporating some of these 'roughhousing' techniques will be perfect for burning up some left over energy as well as helping to build confidence and co-ordination.

Some of the moves are familiar some not so much but either way I love the book and it is well worth a read.

I remember coming down the stairs on cushions when I was a child with my two cousins and brother, I never felt unsafe or a fear of hurting myself and it probably helped me be a bit tougher.

I particularly like the Magic Carpet Ride and will have to try this with my four year old son very soon!

I have really enjoyed The Art of Roughhousing and would definitely recommend for a parent who is interested in getting children to be a bit more rough and tumble.

NB We were given books for the purpose of this review, all opinions are my own.