Eat, Nap, Play: How to Get Even More Out of Your Child's Day for Less - Softcover

A woman of impressive literary and media accomplishments, Robyn Spizman is one of the leading how-to and inspirational voices in the gift-giving world.  As a New York Times bestselling author (August, 2008), she is the founder of www.TheGiftionary.com, a gift guide from a to z featuring a galaxy of gifts.  Robyn has written dozens of books and reports weekly on consumer topics, gifts and giving.  She has shared solid how-to tips for moms and creative gift-giving advice for almost three decades on many of America's leading talk shows, including repeated appearances on NBC's Today Show, MSNBC, CNN, Home Matters, The Discovery Channel, CNN Headline News, CNNfn, Talk Back Live, Good Day New York, New York One, CNBC and numerous ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox affiliates across the U.S. 

Robyn has also been heard extensively on radio, from National Public Radio to The Michael Jackson Show.  She has been featured in print media including:  including The New York Times, USA Today, USA Weekend, Woman's Day, Ladies' Home Journal, Family Circle, Redbook, Cosmopolitan, Delta Sky Magazine, Dr. Laura's Perspective, Cosmo Girl, Parents Magazine, Better Homes & Gardens, Entrepreneur, Southern Living and Parade Magazine among others.   

Robyn has been a featured guest reporter on topics including the hottest gifts, products and toys in the country.  As a consumer advocate, she appeared on Atlanta NBC Affiliate WXIA-TV for almost 30 years with her popular Been There Bought That segment. Robyn is a trendsetter in showcasing products of value.  Since 2005, Robyn has hosted the hit show The Giftionary with Cindy & Ray on Star 94 - WSTR, the leading Top 40 Radio Station and a daily webpage on gifts at www.Star94.com. Seen on talk shows nationwide, she has helped hundreds of thousands of viewers save resources and give wisely. 

A dedicated volunteer, Spizman serves on the advisory council of The Make-A-Wish Foundation, as shopping ambassador for Camp Twink Lakes and the foundation advisory council of EwomenNetwork, the largest online community of professional women, and was named one of the leading women in business by Business to Business magazine. Visit the author at www.robynspizman.com and www.TheGiftionary.com  Sign up for Robyn's twitter at  www.twitter.com/TheGiftionary.

Spend More Time and Less Money

Congratulations on jumping on board as we help you create a happier, less harried life with your family. Our goal is for you to discover more joy and meaning in each day, spending time with your kids in ways that really matter.

As moms, we know that when the focus is on spending time together, rather than money, the creative juices really start to flow. It's easy to spend money on our kids by stockpiling toys, gadgets, and the latest gizmo. But finding ways to enjoy being together without spending increases joy.

Who knew there were so many cash-free ways for kids to learn, grow, socialize, appreciate good food, enjoy technology, and be­come more independent and resilient? This book celebrates our philosophy, one that's been confirmed by happy moms (and kids) who have used our approach. It's rooted in this simple formula: spend twice as much time and half as much money.

The result is certainly money saved, but even more important, we raise children who know the value of a dollar and become more productive members of their families and communities. When special memories are made, not purchased, the entire family wins. There is simply no wiser investment in your children than time, your most precious commodity.

The Big Payoff

What's the return on this investment? Think happy mom, happy child, happy childhood. Smart, self-reliant kids who, before you know it, grow into self-reliant adults. Exposed to this way of thinking, children learn that, regardless of the circumstances they are faced with in life, they can be independent and see themselves as the solution. Recession? Job loss? They'll rise to any challenge without relying on money to experience the good stuff in life.

It's all about a new parenting attitude. Your pocketbook is not your boss. Regardless of income, job status, or the balance in your savings account, you can be the master of your money. This attitude will empower you to adopt and develop your own cost-free routines for your family. By teaching children that the lasting value is in the time we spend, not the money, we are teaching skills for a lifetime.

After all, as parents, we are our children's first and most important teachers. And the biggest lesson of all is that it's a better world when we can enjoy it on our own terms, less influenced by what's 'spendy or trendy' and more by what really matters, like family, community, connection, and personal growth. We know you can make this change, and we're confident you're going to enjoy the ride. Welcome to a new and satisfying way of enjoying family time.

Keep It Simple

A more authentic, easygoing approach to life with kids starts with the universal wisdom that it's all about keeping it simple. It's about simple things you can do with your children to lighten the financial load while holding onto your priorities. We complicate things by thinking we need to have the latest and greatest thing. And whether you're a stay-at-home parent or out in the workforce, a life that's crowded with too many things, too many activities, and too much to manage leaves no room for the good stuff. When you simplify your parenting style and make parenting more affordable and less chaotic, family stress diminishes, and everybody benefits.

We know you are in the trenches, and we're here to offer support and insights. You'll build miles of smiles and happy memories every day as you become the mom you want to be.

Everybody hops on board at a different place in their lives. We've been doing this kind of parenting for years. You may be pretty practiced at it yourself, or possibly new to the mommy thing altogether. We welcome you all! As parents who have raised capable, engaged, community-minded kids who are making a difference in their careers and in life, we know it's a huge job to help them reach their goals. And we also learned, sometimes the hard way, that keeping things simple and focused never failed us.

Plain Smart Parenting

This approach to parenting is not only possible, it's just plain smart. And it doesn't mean living on barter, IOUs, or credit. We show you how to do more with less, but we're also realists. Our vision of a less money-dependent lifestyle does not mean a ban on spending for entertainment or satisfaction. It means just saying no to 'everybody's doing it' or 'everybody's buying it,' and relying on your own creativity and innate parenting skills instead.

There are many things we want in life, but they shouldn't all have dollar signs in front of them. Like you, we value life's niceties. And when parents work hard, they reap great satisfaction from providing lovely clothing, meals, and educational opportunities for their families. But at the end of the day, living more money-free means embracing a lifestyle that is tasteful, not wasteful. It means enjoying the beauty of nature, counting our blessings, and focusing on what we have, more than on what we want.

Give a Skill, Change a Life

One of the most productive ways to spend time with your children is to share the best of yourself with them. Your kids know you as their parent, teacher, nurse, psychologist, playmate, provider, and arbiter of disputes. You also happen to be a person who's lived several decades and gotten good at quite a few things, thank you very much! Sharing these unique abilities with your children is a gift and a joy.

Begin by asking yourself what skills and talents you can share. We often underestimate the power of our talents because they come so easily to us. But to a child, a new, hard-earned skill is an exciting opportunity to gain and grow. Take bike riding, gardening, or just producing a long, lazy tone by pressing a fat piece of grass between your thumbs. Remember the pride you felt when you first wobbled down the street without training wheels or managed to shuffle a deck of cards? Skill-building is one of the most productive ways children grow. Become more conscious of what your children can learn through you. The following story is about a dad who did just that.

©2010. Evelyn Sacks , Robyn Spizman. All rights reserved. Reprinted from Eat, Nap, Play. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the written permission of the publisher. Publisher: Health Communications, Inc., 3201 SW 15th Street, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442