Friday Update 4/8

My big excitement this week was that I  appeared on channel 11 PIX, a popular TV station here in NY. It all happened very fast. On Tuesday I was contacted by someone at CafeMom, who wanted to know if I had a strong opinion on sometimes letting a kid cry it out, versus immediately rushing in every time. It so happens I believe it's vitally important to teach your children they can soothe themselves. And it's a lesson my kids have taught me over and over.

Case in point: When my oldest was a baby, he refused to hold his bottle like other kids his age. I showed him how to do it again and again, but he only dropped it and screamed. I knew he was physically capable of holding it--he just didn't want to.

I thought it was important for him to reach this developmental milestone. So one day I sat him facing me on the floor and put his bottle between us. He screamed and screamed. I kept reassuring him that the bottle was right there if he wanted it. He was  furious! But I just kept telling him it was okay. He could pick up the bottle any time he wanted.

And of course, he did at last. From then on he loved holding his bottle. Letting them cry it out is usually the harder route to take, but the better choice for the child. Anyway, here's the very short segment:

 

Other highlights this week:

• THE OTHER LIFE is on the BookPage list of THE TOP 20 BOOKS OF 2011 (SO FAR). Woot! Please click here to read the BookPage review that got so much attention.

• Last week I told you how thrilled I was that THE OTHER LIFE was selected as April's Book Club Pick by Bookbundlz. This week they posted an interview with me, and I hope you'll check it out.

• Very happy with this review from the Simply Me blog

• Big thanks to Lisa Kudrow for sending a message to her Facebook followers about my NPR interview!

• An extra-special shout-out to Angie Atkinson and the WM Freelance Writers Connection for featuring me on their blog this week!

Have a great weekend ...