Professor recommends "Hot Tips for Cool Parents"

Internationally recognised in the field of early childhood development, Emeritus Professor Philip Gammage PhD D Phil FRSA (Nottingham University, UK) has this to say about my new book "Hot Tips for Cool Parents: the key to raising awesome kids":

"Parenting doesn't always come naturally and good sense about it needs to be accessible. This book is full of good sense and is easily assimilated, humorous, practical and low key in its approach. Moreover the facts and research behind it are rarely easily accessible, so we are doubly indebted to the author. Read it...it will save you much heart ache. Common sense of the best sort. Dip into it when you need it. It shapes ideas fairly and squarely."

I'm so honoured that Professor Gammage has not only taken the time to read my book, but also to provide such positive feedback. Having seen and learned about his often groundbreaking work, both here in Australia and internationally in the UK and Europe, I am even more delighted that he has given Hot Tips for Cool Parents the thumbs up! Thank you Professor Gammage.

Visit www.philipgammage.org to find out more about Prof Gammage

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Testimonials for Hot Tips for Cool Parents by Catherine Warnock

Loaded up with wisdom, humor and generous doses of motherly love, Catherine Warnock's smart and charming Hot Tips for Cool Parents is required reading for anyone signed on to the bumpy and beautiful journey of raising children. From tears and fears to siblings and friendships, Warnock tackles each subject with confidence, grace and common sense -- which, as every parent knows, are fundamental to surviving, and enjoying, the parenting experience. A joyful must-read for Moms, Dads and caregivers everywhere."

Bruce Kluger, contributor to USA Today, National Public Radio and Parenting magazine


“Hot Tips for Cool Parents is fun, practical and full of common sense.
It’s also engaging and easy to read, which is perfect for busy parents.
I highly recommend it.”

Julie Gale
Director
Kids Free 2B kids


“Hot Tips for Cool Parents provides an insightful view in to parenting in the 21st century, whilst remaining firmly focussed on what’s really important for kids. Cath’s book provides a light hearted, easy to read and very practical approach to the life altering role of parenting. The strong focus of Hot Tips for Cool Parents on the importance of positive role modelling for young people sits well with the current research trends and fully supports those of us who work closely with young people and their parents. In a world where the traditional family unit is no longer easily defined, it can be difficult for adults to know what makes an effective difference with their children, Hot Tips for Cool Parents goes a long way to assisting and supporting adults on their all important parenting journey.”

Ann Sexton
Former Victorian State President and National Board Member, Australian Breastfeeding Association
Parent of 5
Wellbeing consultant


“A realistic and fantastic read for any parent/carer or grandparent. “Hot Tips for Cool Parents” focuses on the child's and parents well-being, giving specific, directive advice for everyone to use. …it gets back to the basics and the importance of parents spending the time to have a positive relationship with their child.”

Emily Stone, Wangaratta

"Life is like a forest because it's enormous". This was written by my 12 year old son at school. It's now on our fridge at home. Parenting, like life, is a bit like this. Enormous. In my role in health education and counselling young people and families, a consistent message comes through. Parents and children want better relationships with each other. Parents want to understand their kids, and kids want to feel loved by their parents. In these pages, Cath invites the reader into the forest of parenting, walks beside them and sometimes holds their hand along the way. She writes with humour and wisdom. As a parent of four marvellous teenage sons, I wish I had had a book like this to help me navigate the forest! I recommend “Hot Tips for Cool Parents” to all those either on the parenting or care-giving journey, or about to embark. You don't have to do it alone!"

Annabel Ayers, Shepparton

“I LOVED IT! It’s an easy and interesting read. Especially effective were the tips at the end of each chapter, the personal anecdotes and the easy to read style. It’s a winner! I will unreservedly recommend it. Watch the copies sell off the book-shelves!!!!”

Mr Shane Lockhart
Principal, Osbornes Flat Primary School


“I'm loving the book ……. it's so good! Nice and easy to read and very funny. People look at me on the train when I start chuckling to myself!”
Deahann Taylor, Secondary Teacher, Vic

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Understanding Kids (The Missing Link is Still Missing!)

Nature versus Nurture is a conundrum that has baffled psychologists, parents and people drinking in pubs for many a long year.

“What is the truth?” we ask, hailing the waiter for another, enlightening ale.

How can it be that two kids raised in the same family can be like chalk and cheese, while identical twins raised apart, can have identical personalities, career paths and tastes in beer?

So, some years ago, in an attempt to uncover the truth — for I can think of no other good reason to have subjected myself to the tortuous first few years of parenting — I gave birth to Number One Son.

He was olive skinned, dark eyed and relentless in his pursuit of upward mobility. He ran before he walked and could scale tall bookshelves in a single bound. He slept little, ate less and terrorised small animals (mostly other people’s toddlers) in the first stressful years of his life.

Then, a couple of years later, into the same family arrangement — with the same standards, furnishings and feeding habits — came Number Two. Ginger haired, fair-skinned, sleepy and slow moving.

My own father looked doubtfully at the newborn bundle and remarked that he looked nothing like his brother. And, apart from the rather hurtful inference that there may have loomed a question mark over Number Two’s parentage, I couldn’t help but agree. On looks alone, there was certainly nothing to link the pair as siblings. And that was just the beginning!

For indeed, when Number Two cooperatively ate his vegetables, slept like a log for twelve hours a night and sat like a contended lump on the lounge room floor for months — gently examining small objects imbedded in the carpet — he did little to dispel my own suspicions that there had been a baby mix-up at the hospital.

“Surely they are not brothers?” I would think, watching bemused as Number One frolicked semi-naked on the sub-zero temperature, frost-covered lawn, while his baby brother sensibly sought socks, jacket, boots and a woolly hat for the same expedition.

“Where did I go wrong?” I would ask in exasperation when saying, “No!” to the baby resulted in instant remorse, while his older brother apparently took it to mean, “Continue your havoc-wreaking by all means!” and did his best to do just that!

Why would Number Two snuggle down willingly in his little bed at night, while Big Brother preferred to perform a series of late night living room encores — often followed by a long and painful round of musical beds? It just made no sense!

Eventually, however, as their dissimilarities mounted (and Number Three arrived, adding his own curious slant on things) I gave up trying to figure it out.

And as Number One -- now a young man-- heads off to the snow, wearing a tee shirt and shorts, and Number Two rugs up carefully for an excursion to the clothesline, I know I have made the right choice to abandon my quest for the truth.

My fellow bar-side sociologists agree, so we order another round and move on to the topic of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution. After all, we decide, it’s probably easier to intellectualise the rise from monkey to mankind than to ever try to get a handle on kids.

Cheers!

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Welcome to The Kitchen Philosopher's new blog!

Hi all

Welcome to my new Kitchen Philosopher blog.

Over the past three years I have been writing (mostly humorous) articles under the banner of The Kitchen Philosopher; a column which has been published in several newspapers across north east Victoria and has now gained quite a following.

In response to readers who have asked to see more Kitchen Philosopher articles or to revisit ones they have previously read and enjoyed, each week I will be posting the original articles plus some that have never been seen before.

The articles range in topic from quirky kids to mis-managed mutts; from weight loss woes to domestic disasters; from gruesome gastronomy to garden-variety rocket science... and pretty much any other absurd or quirky thing I have ever thought about over the past few years!

Enjoy!

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