Month: September 2016

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What if your man cheats, but is really sorry and apologizes a lot? What if he buys you flowers, cries, and begs for forgiveness? The answer is always no. If he is betraying you, he is not worthy of your time and attention. You are too good for him, betch. Read more in I Had a Nice Time and Other Lies…: How to Find Love & Sh*t Like That.

Dealing with a cheater is pretty simple. If he can’t be bothered not to stick his dick into some other girl, then he can be replaced. You’re the prize, remember? Cheating is the ultimate betrayal and despite attempts at excuse or justification, there’s never any excuse or justification. It doesn’t matter if he told you immediately after. It doesn’t matter if it was just one time. It doesn’t matter if it was after you were exclusive but before he was officially your boyfriend. When it comes to cheating, don’t be a fucking idiot.

If a person agrees to be in a monogamous relationship with someone else, then the very least those people can do is uphold the one major stipulation of a monogamous relationship.
If you value yourself highly, then don’t put up with people who do hurtful things to you, and cheating on someone is the most clear-cut, absolute violation of that agreement. How could you ever trust someone who would do something that is guaranteed to cause you an immense amount of pain?

But Betches, you might proclaim, everyone makes mistakes! Don’t we all deserve a second chance?! No, Carmela Soprano, we don’t. The kind of guy who would cheat, and especially the kind of guy who would cheat on YOU, doesn’t respect you enough to not inflict conscious levels of pain on you and therefore he has G2G. Maybe he’ll learn his lesson after you break up with him and maybe he won’t, but either way it won’t be your problem. The higher the regard you hold yourself in, the less disrespect you put up with from a shitty boyfriend. So no, you’re not going to meet him on the Brooklyn Bridge and decide to forgive and forget like some delusional Sex and the City character. You’re going to put on “Should’ve Said No,” dump his ass, and send the clear message that there are some girls too great to give out second chances like they’re Fairway coupons.

Occasionally you’ll run into a bro who will give you a rant about how “unrealistic” monogamy is. If you’re casually seeing or fucking someone with this opinion, it’s time to run. Then again, at least this guy is being up front about his decision to not want to be exclusive with you. But, at heart, every guy who claims that there’s “a biological imperative to spread his seed,” really means that he doesn’t think that you are worthy enough to be exclusive. As someone who knows she’s the prize, you’re obviously going to move on from this situation immediately for someone who is dying to lock you down, not negotiate terms and conditions to spout bullshit “evolutionary theory” about why men “aren’t built for commitment.”

Worse is the guy who tries to use this excuse after he has cheated on you. If you believe that people aren’t meant to be monogamous, that’s fine. Hell, maybe they’re not. But if that’s your belief, then just do what the above guy did, and be up front. Don’t pretend you’re into monogamy and then make a bullshit excuse about it afterward. That’s called being a liar, and not even owning up to your shitty, weak actions, a.k.a. the worst kind of cheater.

The post Is It Ever OK to Let Him Cheat? appeared first on Tips on Life and Love.

What is it?

Mancore is a comprehensive diet pill brand made to boost testosterone, burn fat, retain muscle, and promote testosterone. It’s made exclusively for men who are struggling with low testosterone and obesity.

Claimed benefits include more energy, enhanced metabolism, better stamina and libido, more muscle mass and strength, and weight loss of around 1 to 2 pounds a week. Due to the added stimulants it’s advised to make sure those sensitive avoid this blend of pills. Our experts have rated several diet plans and found that the most effective for weight loss was the 18Shake Diet. It offers an appetite suppressing meal replacement shake and a fat burning diet pill that are both made with natural ingredients and no stimulants. More information about the 18Shake Diet can be read about in the link here.

Do You Know the Best Diets of 2016?

Mancore Ingredients and Side Effects

Here are some ingredients found in the pills:

Green Tea Leaf Extract
Caffeine Anhydrous
Synephrine HCI
White Willow Bark Extract
Guarana Seed Extract

Yohimbe Bark Extract
Green Coffee Bean Extract
FD&C Blue #1
TribulusTerretris Fruit Extract
White Button Mushroom Extract

Long Jack Root Extract
CordycepsSinensis
Tinging Nettle Leaf Extract
Bee Propolis Extract
DHEA

FD&C Red #40
FD&C Yellow #6
Rice Flour
Silicon Dioxide
Magnesium Stearate

Green Tea Leaf Extract:This common tea has antioxidants and caffeine used to improve the immune system, increase energy, and raise metabolism.

Web MD mentions:

“Green tea is POSSIBLY UNSAFE when taken by mouth long-term or in high-doses. It can cause side effectsbecause of the caffeine”

The kind of symptoms it may cause includes:

Headaches, insomnia, and confusion.

Anxiety, mood swings, and irritability.

Depression, rapid heart rate, and ill feelings.

There have also been serious issues with extracts according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health:

“There have been some case reports of liver problems in people taking concentrated green tea extracts”

This has led to serious damage in once healthy people who took this extract in diet pills.

Our experts have rated several diet plans which can be seen in the link here.

Caffeine Anhydrous:A dehydrated form of caffeine used to increase metabolism and boost energy. Due to this additive the creators of Mancoremention:

“Stimulant sensitive individuals may experience rapid heartbeat and nervousness”

There are other issues with caffeine as Examine.com adds:

“Habitual caffeine use leads to tolerance… often to the point where the only benefit a user experiences is caffeine’s anti-sleep effect”

It can also lead to several side effects such as:

Nervousness, anxiety, and irritability.

Upset stomach, constipation, and vomiting.

Headaches, mood swings, and convulsions.

Dizziness, ringing in the ears, and depression.

Rapid heart rate, insomnia, and confusion.

When using caffeine its positive effects only return with around a month long break. This ingredient is not seen as potent for weight loss however, and it may produce many side effects.

Synephrine HCI: Stimulant extract which increases blood pressure, raisesfasterheartrate, and squeezes blood vessels. Web MD has expressed concern over this ingredient:

“Bitter orange is POSSIBLY UNSAFE when taken as a supplement for a medical purpose such as weight loss”

It can lead to side effects such as:

High blood pressure, stroke, and fainting.

Heart attack, cardiovascular damage, and increased headaches.

White Willow Bark Extract:This tree bark is used similar to aspirin. It also is added to help with weight loss. Web MD does give a warning stating:

“It may cause stomach upset and digestive system upset. It can also cause itching, rash, and allergic reactions”

Compounds found in this have been shown to potentially cause liver problems as well.

Guarana Seed Extract: Found in the Amazon, this plantextract contains stimulants such as theobromine and caffeine. Web MD adds:

“Guarana is POSSIBLY UNSAFE when taken by mouth in highdoses for a long time”

“Even deadly, due to its caffeine content, when takin by mouth or injected in very high doses”

It can lead to several side effects such as the one’s listed in the Caffeine Anhydrous section.

Yohimbe Bark Extract:Fat burning extract taken from a West African tree. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health has reviewed it and found:

“It is not known whether Yohimbe is effective for any health condition because clinical trials have not been conducted”

It is also known to have a high risk for causing anxiety and high blood pressure.

Green Coffee Bean Extract:Unroasted coffee beans used due to their higher levels of chlorogenic acid which is intended to raise metabolism and balance blood sugar. It has similar side effects to Caffeine Anhydrous.

Cordyceps Sinensis:Fungus which is used to improve the immune system and reduce stress. In ancient use it was claimed to have many other benefits, but a study by the Sikkim ManipalInstitutes of Medical Sciences found:

“there is a lack of study performed specifically on humans”

DHEA:Naturally made hormone which can be used to create either estrogen or testosterone. Web MD has debunked the claimed benefits by adding:

“there isn’t much evidence for many of these claims. And the supplements have some risks”

There is a lack of evidence to help show what kind of an effect this ingredient may have.

Click the link cited to see a comprehensive listing of the best diet plans for weight loss.

EDITOR’S TIP: Combine this diet with a proven meal replacement such as
18 Shake ffor better results.

Mancore Quality of Ingredients

Several of the ingredients added are potentially dangerous, unproven to work, or cheaper elsewhere. There are many stimulants found in the use of green tea leaf extract, caffeine anhydrous, Synephrine, guarana, and Yohimbe bark extract. This can increase the risk for unwanted side effects.

There’s also food colorings which have no nutritional support and can potentially cause side effects. There is very poor quality additives included to this blend of diet pills.

The Price and Quality of Mancore

The price for a package of two Mancore products lasting 60 days is $129. This is the official Mancore blend of a fat burner and testosterone booster package sold together.

It’s made up primarily of stimulants, unproven ingredients like cordyceps, DHEA, and others. The added caffeine also makes this a potentially dangerous combination, and this is why the manufacturers state to be cautious of any side effects.

It’s advised to consult a physician before using these pills and to be aware of issues such as dehydration, dizziness, and nausea. There are far too many risk factors associated with this weight loss diet pill formula. The highest rated diet plans are made available in the link provided.

Business of Mancore

The owners of Mancore are Complete Nutrition, their contact information is:

Phone Number: (866) 366-5766

Address: 17220 Wright Street, Suite 200

Omaha, Nebraska 68130

They have a total of 5 complaints on their Better Business Bureau page. 3 customers complained about the quality of products and service. One person had an issue with the lack of a money back guaranteesince they were offered store credit only.

A list of the top ranked diet plans can be seen in the link provided here.

EDITOR’S TIP: The top 10 list of the best diets is available here.

Customer Opinions of Mancore

Here are some direct quotes from online users of Mancore:

“I just don’t have any energy or sec drive at all”

“lost my brother and this is in his system”

“started making me not sleep a full night of sleep”

“Tried Mancore for a couple of months. These made me sick as a dog every time I tried to take them”

The vast majority of reviews on Mancore have been negative. Users have mentioned severe side effects and a lack of any weight loss results.

One person actually commented how their brother died with this brand in their blood. The kinds of side effects people experienced are common to other stimulant heavy brands. This includes headaches, nausea, insomnia, restlessness, and a loss of energy.

To view a list of the top 10 ranked diet plans follow the link provided here.

Conclusion – Does Mancore Work?

Mancore is specially made for men in order to help boost testosterone, and provide fat burning while retaining muscle. Customer reviews have been mostly negative due to side effects and a lack of weight loss. The kinds of ingredients used include potentially harmful stimulants, food coloring, and unproven additives. There are even symptoms one should be careful of according to the creators. It may potentially cause stimulant like side effects and dehydration. There are many concerns about the use of these pills and one has to seek the support of a physician before using.

Our experts have found that the most effective weight loss plan is the 18Shake Diet. It combines an appetite suppressing meal replacement which can alleviate hunger for 2 to 3 hours, and a diet pill made to burn calories and aid fat loss. The combined effect is a sustained weight loss support effect that customers say is effective and easy to use.

The 18Shake Diet is also backed by an entire 30 day money back return policy. This risk free return is available with no questions asked. More information about the 18Shake Diet is available when you click the link here.

I have been wrong at least a dozen times today and it’s not even 9am. When it stings it’s because I think I’m really trying to do the right thing and I still get it wrong. Like last night, when I painstakingly made Five Cheese Mac from scratch (Do you have any idea how much cheese grating I did? By hand?) which I thought my kids would devour. They pushed it around on their plates and asked me for “the Annie’s in the box” instead.

It also stings when I’m wrong about books for my kids because that’s like a little monster sitting over my shoulder singing “You don’t know what you think you know” in an annoyingly high voice. I should be able, given my profession, to whip a book off a shelf and have one of my children exclaim, “Oh that’s perfect, Mama!” Doesn’t happen as often as I’d like.

I’ve started to choose books for my kids less through my lens of a publisher and more through the lens of being their mother. I have to take their tastes and preferences in mind in addition to my editorial judgement. I have successfully made this shift in shopping for clothes for my oldest. While I do not understand the merit of wearing shirts with sports teams on them, especially with a closet full of beautifully made, fashionable choices, I have come to the conclusion that it’s easier to have a few in rotation than argue that a striped shirt is just as “fun” as one that screams your team made it to the playoffs last year.

I’ve written about reading books I hate and my kids love, which happens a lot. But now I try to find a happy medium. I have to take off my publisher hat and book shop like I cook for them. I remove capers, artichokes, olives, which are things I love, but still try to serve up something nutritious and wholesome that we’ll all happily eat. (I guess I should also eliminate fancy hand-grated cheese too. I’m still not over that one.)

Sometimes I still fail. Make Way for Ducklings is without argument a charming classic book, based on a true story, about traffic coming to a halt when a mama duck and her ducklings cross a road in Boston. Granted it’s an older book, which means it’s more text-heavy than we are used to reading today (a whole other post) so maybe the length of it put off my kids. But it started to go downhill when my oldest asked why on earth the ducks were crossing the street to begin with. “Well, to get to their home,” I said, resisting telling him they just needed to get to the other side.

“Why couldn’t they take a shortcut?” he asked.

“There was no shortcut.”

“Well, why didn’t they just go faster?”

“Because ducks and little ducklings can only go so fast, honey.” I find I sometimes use “honey” not so much as a term of endearment but as a substitute for “I am this close to losing my freaking mind right now.”

“Is this whole book about ducks crossing the road?”

Which then lead me to yell “THIS IS A CLASSIC AND WE WILL READ IT NOW.” I read it.  He didn’t listen, and when it was over he asked, “Can I pick a book I like now?”

I still maintain it’s a wonderful book.  I thought the true story angle might intrigue my kids. And they love to watch the ducks in the pond at the park. But I was wrong.

And so it goes with trial and error as a parent, with the best of intentions and best laid plans all hanging on a child whose likes and dislikes change faster than who is most hated on Twitter.

I tried again, but every time I pulled it out I got, “Not that duck book again!” Even when I countered that the “duck book” was indeed a Caldecott Winner for goodness sake, they were unmoved. And so we moved on.

I stand in bookstores and libraries pulling books I would like to read to them. Then I scrub that list and see those books through their eyes. Even after checks and balances I still sometimes choose books that for reasons beyond me fail. Take Olivia, another Caldecott winner (Maybe that’s the issue? Are my kids award rebels?) a book that has received so many glowing reviews and awards they are almost too many to list. She’s also been made into a television show.  Olivia is about an exuberant pig who basically wears out everyone around her. She reminded me of some creatures who live with me.

So I brought home Olivia. Three pages in: “I don’t like this book.”

Market research time.  “Why?”

“I don’t know.”

“Do you not like the character? Or the pictures?” (For the record, the pictures are phenomenal.)

“I just don’t like it.”

And so I was wrong. Again. “Ok let’s just finish it and then you choose a book, OK?”  When I finished I asked “So did you like it any better?”

“No.”

There was a pause. Then, “Mama? Do I wear you out?”

“You know what honey, sometimes you really do.”

Classic books that are wonderful additions to anyone’s library, except, for unknown reasons, mine:

 

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Olivia

by Ian Falconer

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Have fun with Olivia…dressing up, singing songs, building sand castles, napping (maybe), dancing, painting on walls and –whew! — going to sleep at last.

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Make Way for Ducklings

by Robert McCloskey

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Mrs. Mallard was sure that the pond in the Boston Public Gardens would be a perfect place for her and her eight ducklings to live. The problem was how to get them there through the busy streets of Boston.

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The Little House

by Virginia Lee Burton

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Virginia Lee Burton won the Caldecott Medal in 1943 for her memorable picture book The Little House, a poignant story of a cute country cottage that becomes engulfed by the city that grows up around it.

The post Books That Have Done Me Wrong appeared first on Tips on Life and Love.

What is it?

It Works! is a line of products for weight loss offered via supplements, wraps, cleansers and a greens drink. The combination of all these is intendedto provide well-rounded weight loss benefits.

This system provides a cleanser to help remove toxins, a green powder to detoxify and improve digestive health, a weight loss pill for boosting metabolism, and a wrap that tightens and tones the body. These 4 products are said to be the company’s best for overall results. The highest rated diet plan that our experts have found was the 18Shake Diet. It offers a metabolism boosting diet pill and an appetite suppressing meal replacement for combined weight loss benefits. To learn more information about the 18Shake Diet click the link provided.

Do You Know the Best Diets of 2016?

It Works! Ingredients and Side Effects

Here are some of the ingredients found in the system:

BHT
Stearyl Alcohol
Malic Acid
Citric Acid
Blue Green Algae (Spirulina)

Dandelion Root Extract
Spirulina
Sodium Hexametaphosphate
Sodium Benzoate
Urea

Acai Fruit
Green Tea Leaf Extract
Bitter Melon Fruit Extract
Gymnema Leaf Extract
Capsicum Fruit Extract (Capsimax)

BHT: Food additive used to preserve and stabilize ingredients. The Center for Science in the Public Interest has placed it in its “Caution” category due to fears of potential harmful effects.

A clinical study performed that was featured in the US National Library of Medicine found that:

“BHT could be a promoter of thyroid carcinogenesis”

“modify two-stage chemical carcinogenesis in the forestomach, liver, kidney, urinary bladder, and thyroid”

These studied show it could be potentially dangerous to overall health.

Blue Green Algae (Spirulina): Found in salt water and some fresh water lakes, this ingredient is a source of vitamins and minerals.

This ingredient needs to be thoroughly tested to make sure it does not have potentially dangerous toxins. Web MD mentions:

“Contaminated blue-green algae can cause liver damage, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, weakness, thirst, rapid heartbeat, shock, and even death”

Therefore it needs to be tested to ensure it is extracted from clean waters. It’s not required by Federal law to make sure that this ingredient is actually extracted from a safe source. The makers of It Works! fail to mention whether or not they source this ingredient from a clean source.

They also add 2 versions of it in their system.

Our experts have rated the top ranked diet plans for weight loss in the link provided here.

Dandelion Root Extract: Herb used to increase urine flow and reduce inflammation. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health mentions:

“There is no compelling scientific evidence for using dandelion as a treatment for any medical condition”

Not enough real science is available to help show if this ingredient is truly effective.

Sodium Benzoate: Preservative found in foods and cosmetics. When this ingredient is mixed with ascorbic acid a form of vitamin C which is found in It Works! products, it can form a carcinogen known as benzene. This can lead to serious damage to health.

The Mayo Clinic has also said that this ingredient can promote ADHD. Live Stronh.com also adds:

“may lead to asthma attacks”

This preservative has been shown to be potentially damaging in many ways.

Urea: A compound that is found in urine and other body fluids. It is often used as a fertilizer. It can be potentially damaging and is known to irritate the respiratory tract, skin, and eyes.

Green Tea Leaf Extract: This common tea contains antioxidants as well as caffeine. It is often used to increase metabolism and boost mental clarity. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health mentions:

“There are not enough reliable data to determine whether green tea can aid in weight loss”

There are also concerns about its safety:

“There have been some case reports of liver problems in people taking concentrated green tea extracts”

This ingredient is also a source of caffeine, which can promote many side effects including:

Rapid heart rate, anxiety, and mood swings.

Headaches, ill feelings, and nausea.

Insomnia, inability to relax, and depression.

Caffeine is not considered an effective ingredient for weight loss due to tolerance which reduces its overall effects.

Bitter Melon Fruit Extract:This plant is used to helpreduce blood sugar levels. Web MD adds:

“The safety of long-term use is not known”

Follow the link provided to see a comprehensive listing of the very best weight loss diets.

EDITOR’S TIP: Combine this diet with a proven meal replacement such as
18 Shake ffor better results.

It Works! Quality of Ingredients

Some ingredients found in these products have been shown to be potentially harmful. There is also fear that the body wrap isn’t actually useful as Web MD mentions:

“They can temporarily make you feel a little thinner… But that’s water weight loss. It’s a temporary phenomenon”

This water weight is not actual fat loss.

There are many cheap ingredients including several preservatives which can cause damage to the body. Relying on these kinds of additives for weight loss is potentially unsafe to overall health.

Their diet pill also relies on a caffeine source which is known to be only short lasting and not incredibly effective for weight loss. Overall there are many unwanted additives.

The Price and Quality of It Works!

The price for a month’s supply of the diet pill, a blender bottle, 4 applications of the body wrap, 15 days of the green blend, and 2 days of the cleanse. The retail price is $245 for average customers.

This is an extremely high price for products that contain potentially harsh ingredients. There are preservatives, cheap additives, caffeine, and as you’ll see in the “Customer Opinions of It Works!” it has been reviewed poorly.

There are questions about the effectiveness of the wraps, the few portions for each product, no signs of vitamins and minerals from the greens powder, and the diet pill has a lot of ineffective ingredients. For a list of the highest rated diet plans click the link provided.

Business of It Works!

The company can be contacted via the following:

Phone Number:(800) 537-2395

Address:4005 Newpoint Place Suite 200

Lawrenceville, Georgia 30043

They operate what’s known as a multilevel marketing company. This allows for regular people to become salesmen. There is a warning on their Better Business Bureau page due to the following:

“pattern of complaints from consumers alleging that they received the wrong products”

In trying to resolve this issue consumers found:

“after trying to cancel with the business, they continue to receive additional products”

Still, customers had to suffer with paying for these products:

“additional charged being taken that the business has not informed them of… business continues to bill after cancellation, and consumers are not informed that there is a $50.00 cancelation fee”

This has been a constant issue mentioned by several customers. There are currently 331 complaints listed on the Better Business Bureau. Most issues have to do with billing and problems with the actual products as well as service. To see a comprehensive list of the highest rated diet plans click on the link provided here.

EDITOR’S TIP: The top 10 list of the best diets is available here.

Customer Opinions of It Works!

Here are some direct quotes from users:

“My thoughts about It Works! Is that it doesn’t work!”

“I actually GAINED 3 pounds instead of losing anything”

“their products are way over priced and do not work for crap”

“Total waste of money. Also experienced dizziness after drinking each cleanse”

People often complained about a lack of weight loss and that they felt that many parts of the system are useless. Many criticized the wrap as having no effect. The cleanser was a source of side effects such as nausea, dizziness, and ill feelings. The diet pill also leads to anxiety, mood swings, headaches, and other symptoms.

There were mostly complaints and customers also added how this plan was incredibly expensive for what’s offered. To see a list of the highest rated diet plans click the link here.

Conclusion – Does It Works! Work?

It Works! does have some useful ingredients such as raspberry ketones and gymnema, but there are many preservatives and potentially harmful additives included. The entire system has flaws with the green drink not listing the vitamins and minerals, the diet pill containing caffeine, the wrap which is not proven to affect weight loss, and the cleanser which can promote side effects. Customers have also complained that they felt this system was greatly overpriced, and that it failed to lead to any noticeable weight loss.

Our experts have found that the most effective diet plan is the 18Shake Diet. It offers a combination of anappetite suppressing meal replacement which can keep hunger from returning for a minimum of 2 to 3 hours, and a diet pill for well-rounded weight loss results. Customers mention on their official website through testimonials just how effective the diet is for weight loss. There are also no preservatives, stimulants, fillers, binders, or any unnatural ingredients.

The 18Shake comes backed with a full 30 day money back guarantee. Returns are allowed without having to provide a reason and with no questions asked. Learn more information about the 18Shake Diet click on the link here.

I did not read to my children before they were born, although I got asked a lot if I did. I was too busy reading about all the ways I could mess them up when they came out. I did not read to them the second they were born, nor the first few days, because I was concentrating on the whole “Oh my God, I have to keep this human alive” aspect of parenting. But pretty soon after we got home I decided we would start our Nightly Reading Tradition. I had romantic visions of exactly how it would go: It would be our special family time. It would be the part of the day we all looked forward to. It would be made up of cherished memories my children would look back on fondly. I had imagined it so many times. (You know where this is going, right?)

I had a special “reading blanket” which was soft and cozy and big enough for the three of us (yes, I dragged my husband into this, even though he warned that if he was lying down odds were high he was going to fall asleep). I settled down with the baby and after several minutes trying to situate myself to hold a book and a newborn without dropping either I started reading. Almost immediately he started crying. Then wailing. Then howling. After checking to see if he was hungry wet or tired I thought maybe he just didn’t like the book, so I tried another. Crying, wailing, howling. This went on for a few nights. Then a few weeks. Then I started crying.

I was a children’s book publisher who had a baby who hated to read.

I tried reading in the morning, the afternoon, before nap, after nap (who am I kidding, that kid never napped). No go. When I read, he screamed. If you’ve ever Googled “my baby hates to read,” you know you are not alone. And if you do some reading on the subject (to yourself) you will be reassured to know that talking, singing, or reading to your child all help build literacy. In other words, even if your baby hates to read, if you are talking to him, having conversations with him, pointing out things while you change a diaper or walk in the stroller, you are aiding the quest to build literacy skills. So don’t panic.

That doesn’t negate reading. The simple act of reading a book to a child is showing them the most basic things like how to hold a book, how to turn the pages, and that we read from left to right. All of this is good modeling, even if your baby is too busy turning red from crying to pay perfect attention.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that babies are read to starting at birth. If you are skeptical about this, I don’t blame you. If you’ve read to a baby, particularly one who doesn’t seem to enjoy it, you doubt the effectiveness. But many studies, including a pretty prominent one, have shown in fairly clear terms that there are differences in kids who are read to and those who aren’t, and the latest research shows that those differences start showing up as early as 18 months. Kids who are read to have more expansive vocabularies and can identify objects of words they know. So, yes, now in addition to feeding schedules, sleep schedules, and possibly learning to shower in 5.4 seconds you need to get in some reading time. The good news is that reading to babies doesn’t have to involve an hour’s commitment.  As a matter of fact, it shouldn’t. Short books are perfect, and even a few minutes a day is enough, especially for an infant.

But what do you do if your baby hates it? And can babies hate reading? Keep going, and probably not. Your baby probably doesn’t hate books or reading. It’s not a predictor, at a few weeks or months, that you have a reader or don’t. It’s normal for babies to cry and, later, for them to crawl around or not pay attention while you are reading. Keep going. I would imagine a musician isn’t too pleased to show up for a concert without an audience, but my hope would be the musician would still enjoy playing, even if no one was there. So keep playing. Hum along to the book, make up verses, use your best dramatic reading voice. Try to engage your child.  And if that doesn’t work, just entertain yourself. At some point the baby will become curious as to what you are doing.

I found some good read aloud books. I liked rhymes, mostly so I could play around with them and change them up. I also found an illustrated book with one of my favorite poems. Is there a poem that resonates more with a new parent that ends with “and I have miles to go before I sleep?”

At some point reading together became my favorite time of day, even if I technically didn’t seem to be reading to anyone who was listening. I wasn’t worried about him eating, I wasn’t worried about getting him to sleep. I wasn’t even worried, for those few minutes, that one day he would end up on a national talk show with someone leaning in and saying, “So let’s talk about how your mother failed you.” It was just our time to read a story. Maybe he sensed this. Maybe eventually he decided he liked books.  I can’t even remember when it switched but at some point he stopped howling. He quieted down. He nestled his head against my arm and gazed at me. I would open a book, we’d snuggle up and read a story together.

It was exactly how I’d imagined it.

Books I read out loud (to an audience of me) that had rhyme and rhythm right for a baby, plus one just for me:

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LMNO Peas

by Keith Baker

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From A to Z—and Acrobat Peas to Zoologist Peas—every letter is exciting in this Classic Board Book edition of LMNO Peas!Get ready to roll through the alphabet with a jaunty cast of extremely cute and busy little peas in this Classic Board Book edition of Keith Baker’s hit concept book. This fresh and fun alphabet book features bright colors, bouncy rhyming text, and silly pea characters who highlight the wide variety of interests, hobbies, and careers that make the world such a colorful place!

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Thump, Thump Rat-a-Tat-Tat

by Gene Baer

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A distant marching band grows larger and louder as it nears, and then softer and smaller as it goes away again.

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Baby Cakes

by Karma Wilson

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This delightful baby game starts with a kiss on the nose and a smooch on the toes and ends with a tight hug night night. Share with your favorite little Baby Cakes. It’s the perfect way to end any day.

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Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening

by Robert Frost

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Susan Jeffers has added more detail and subtle color to her sweeping backgrounds of frosty New England scenes. There are more animals to find among the trees, and the kindly figure with his “promises to keep” exudes warmth as he stops to appreciate the quiet delights of winter.

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