Maria Dismondy - Sunny Side Upbringing: A Month by Month Guide to Raising Kind and Caring Kids

Parenting is the toughest job on the planet because kids dont come with instructions! Thanks to this amazing book by Maria Dismondy, it just became a little easier. If you want to raise caring, giving, self-assured children, this book is a must have. The creative, hands-on activities and practical, entertaining delivery sets this book apart. It will definitely be on my bookshelf!

- Julia Cook

Author of best seller My Mouth is a Volcano, InternationalSpeaker and Parenting Expert

We are all looking for more meaningful ways to parent and connect with our children; this book not only provides projects to keep us busy, but more importantly, it gives us practical parenting advice so that we are always focusing on the bigger picture.

- Dr. Carrie Leff

Pediatrician

I have been waiting for this book since I became a mom. Its like a self-help book, an activity book, and a parenting guide had a baby and its brilliant. If you are a mom who constantly wonders what you are going to do with your kids all day, wonders if you are doing a good job, and wants to raise caring children then this is a must read.

- Dana Malstaff

CEO of Boss Mom LLC & Mother of 2

Sunny Side Upbringing is a glorious compilation of practical, proven and easy ways we can raise kind children. Dismondys month-by-month format makes her ideas accessible and doable. My hope is that everyone use these strategies and we will make the world a sunnier, happier place for our kids.

-Michele Borba, Ed. D.

Author of UnSelfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All About Me World

In the craziness that is parenting, this book makes instilling core values in our children a little easier. As a busy mom of three and a teacher, I am so incredibly thankful that this book exists. This book is a must-have on every parents book shelf and will continue to be a go to for our family!

- Chandra Dills

Educator

As a father of three children with a very busy schedule, it is refreshing to find a tool that is simple and immediately applicable, which covers some of the most important values I would want to teach our kids.

- Kurt David

Emmy Award Winning TV Show Creator

This book is as beautiful as it is empowering! As a mom, I want to raise the best human beings that I can, but where do you find the time or energy to figure out how to do that? Dismondy addresses those big looming topics that I know I SHOULD be helping my children develop (like empathy, kindness, and patience) but that always seem so big and daunting that I just keep putting it off. Sunny Side Upbringing gives you one manageable topic to address per month and though its packed full of activities, information, and ideas, its organized in such a way that you wont feel overwhelmed.

- Carrie Clark

Speech & Language Pathologist

ALSO BY
Maria Dismondy

Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun: Having the Courage to Be Who You Are

The Potato Chip Champ

Pink Tiara Cookies for Three

The Juice Box Bully

by Bob Sornson & Maria Dismondy

The Little Linebacker

by Stephen Tulloch & Maria Dismondy

The Fruit Salad Friend

Spoonful of Sweetness

Chocolate Milk, Por Favor

The Jelly Donut Difference

Copyright 2019 by Maria Dismondy

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions in any form whatsoever.

Manufactured in China by RR Donnelly

Summary: A month-by-month parenting companion packed with activities, inspiration and nuggets of research based knowledge to help navigate the real-life ups and downs of parenting while remaining rooted in your core family values.

For information about special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Independent Publishers Group at (800) 888-4741 or

Photography: Sarah Luczak with Burlap & Pearls Photography

Cover & Interior Book Design: Maggie Villaume

Editors: Meg Keys, Janice Pollard and Melissa Lehman

Poster Design: Maggie Spurgeon

Fonts Used: Myriad Pro, Samellya Regular, Nunito Sans

LCCN: 2019942060

ISBN: 978-1-7328418-6-4

ISBN Deluxe (hardcover with poster): 978-1-7328418-7-1

ISBN ebook: 978-1-7328418-9-5

ISBN Audiobook: 978-1-7328418-8-8

Cardinal Rule Press

5449 Sylvia

Dearborn Hgts, MI 48125

Visit us at www.CardinalRulePress.com

All product and service names and trademarks (registered and unregistered) are the property of their respective owners, including any names or trademarks associated with the books, games, toys, and other products and services of third parties referenced in this book. All such product and service names and trademarks are used for identification purposes only. Use of these names and trademarks does not imply endorsement, sponsorship, or other affiliation.

Dedication

To the group of women Ive been lucky to have on this journey of parenting. Most importantly, I couldnt have done it without my husband Dave (aka Papa), Busia, Grandma, Nana and Nanu.

JANUARY
Chapter 1: Goal Setting

FEBRUARY
Chapter 2: Love

MARCH
Chapter 3: Empathy

APRIL
Chapter 4: Friendship

MAY
Chapter 5: Honesty

JUNE
Chapter 6: Play

JULY
Chapter 7: Creativity

AUGUST
Chapter 8: Problem Solving

SEPTEMBER
Chapter 9: Fairness

OCTOBER
Chapter 10: Patience

NOVEMBER
Chapter 11: Gratitude

DECEMBER
Chapter 12: Generosity

BONUS CHAPTER
Tough Topics

Its 6:00 a.m.

You hear little feet run into your room and can feel their eyes on you before even opening your own eyes.