Food for Thoughtful Parenting: Little Life Lists for Busy Moms and Dads
 Courtesy Six Monkey Press |
Moms Nina Coslov and Tara Keppler bonded immediately after meeting at their kids’ preschool.
“Tara became a parenting mentor to me,” Coslov, a mom of three, tells PEOPLE Moms & Babies.
“Her kids were older, and something different about her views on parenting really struck me. I was saying ‘no’ more than I wanted to, and her new ideas were appealing to me.”
Keppler, also a mom of three, says her newfound pal inspired her, too.
“Nina would ask questions, which got me thinking more deeply about the choices we make in our family, the ways in which we make decisions,” she shares.
With their parenting styles complementing each other so well — plus their combined backgrounds in business management and design — the fast friends thought, why not write a book?
“We realized that a lot of our questions and issues with our kids were universal,” Keppler says. “We thought we could put it together for our families, and something here would be worthwhile.”
After months of brainstorming, the pair developed Food for Thoughtful Parenting, a book of 12 lists that offer advice on mealtime, friendship, toys and more.
 Courtesy Six Monkey Press |
“It started with a smattering of ideas, so we decided what kind of list each idea would fall into — we made figurative ‘buckets’,” Coslov says.
“Once we had ideas, we came up with categories, and in the process, mantras we could use. We wanted to make it timeless — something people could go back to without dating it.”
Some of the moms’ favorite tips include ‘sharing the thinking’ — “When I share with my kids, it gives them tools to discuss their own thoughts and emotions,” Coslov says — and ‘finding your people,’ meaning new parent friends.
“It’s critical,” Coslov shares. “It’s a life-saver for completely new parents. It’s about discussing things and sharing ideas.”
Since the book’s release in 2009, Keppler says the feedback has been wonderful. “It’s so gratifying to hear, so meaningful,” she shares.
“People have told us that it’s helped them shift their frame in terms of dealing with their kids. That’s the thing: when we pool our wisdom as parents, we benefit from each other’s ideas. It’s great to know there are people around you dealing with similar things.”
Adds Coslov, “A therapy session costs $200, this book is $15. And if one of our ideas helps a family, that’s a big deal.”
— Kate Hogan
