Blog Tour: Table Talk by John and Tina Bushman

Strengthening families is an important topic, and that is what the new book Table Talk addresses. As part of the Blog Tour I'm happy to share a guest post from the authors, John and Tina Bushman, along with my review and a giveaway.

About the Book

Nothing has a greater or more lasting impact on children than their parents, yet our society tries to weaken that influence. Talking and teaching are two things best done at home. Using hundreds of fun questions and quotes from this book, watch as your family comes together to discuss the most important issues of life—patriotism, values, fun, faith, and more.

To find out more on Table Talk and authors John and Tina Bushman, visit their website.

Guest Post

Thank you so much for hosting us on this blog tour. John and I are so excited for Table Talk to finally come out! We started this project after a date night of asking each other questions and then later testing them out on our kids. It’s been so fun getting to know each of our 5 children a little better by asking them get-to-know-you-type questions but it’s also been very insightful to hear the answers they have for some of the deeper questions like “How would you change the world?” One said, “I would make everything out of candy.” While another one said, “I wouldn’t change a thing. It’s just the way it was intended to be.” John and I feel that Table Talk can be helpful to families trying to establish healthy lines of communication through fun and insightful questions. We hope it will give parents a tool to get their kids talking and to help parents teach values in an informal way. As children develop a pattern of talking with their parents about a wide range of topics, they will be able to turn to their parents in times of great need. As our kids are “dished up” and “served” many positive and negative values each day from so many different sources, family discussions can help children learn their family’s values and expectations more clearly. This is what Table Talk does. It gets kids talking...and talking about what matters.

Thanks again for having us. Visit us at www.tabletalkbook.com. We’d love to hear about your family’s memorable dinnertime conversations.

My Review

My first impression of Table Talk came when I pulled my review copy out of the envelope. I love the miniature size (4x6) and thought that that along with the cover art makes for a very cute package. I'm not sure that you'd tote this around to dinner parties, but it's the perfect size if you are inclined to do so. And, quite a few of the questions inside would be great at extended family get-togethers.

I liked the variety of questions. Some sound great for a child to ask a parent, while other questions definitely fit best for a parent asking a child. There are also questions that would work well for relatives or friends you aren't as familiar with. I also liked how some of the questions were very important (like what to do in case of certain emergencies). Other questions were on a much lighter side, but are a great way to get to know and understand your family (and those around you).

There are 200 questions, and almost all of them are accompanied by a related quote or two. Many of the quotes are by well-known authors, political and religious leaders, and even comedians. One quote that stood out to me and made me laugh went along with a question about games:

"The perfect family board game is one that can be played each time with fewer pieces." - Robert Brault, American Writer

Another quote that I liked went along with a question about swearing:

"The foolish and wicked practice of profane cursing and swearing is a vice so mean and low that every person of sense and character detests and despises it." - George Washington, first US president

Some of the questions are somewhat leading, but there are no rules. You can use the questions to get ideas for other questions that might be relevant to issues that are currently facing your family. I thought Table Talk was very well put together, and I'm looking forward to using it with my family.

Meet the Authors

John and Tina Bushman find their greatest joy in spending time together as a family. They are the proud parents of five wonderful children. The most rewarding moments in their family life are watching their children learn, discover and grow, whether it’s in a formal setting, around the table, in the car, or on an outing. John and Tina grew up in Arizona and both attended Arizona State University, where they met and started their happily ever after.

John has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, a Master’s Degree in Instructional Technology and has been an educator and speaker for over 15 years with youth and young adults. John has also written the book Impractical Grace. Tina studied Physics and Secondary Education but left that season for a better one. She loves her stay at home status and enjoys creating and capturing fun times with her children. The Bushmans now live in beautiful Washington State where there are field trips just around the corner.

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Purchase the Book

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books & Things


Giveaway

I received an extra copy of Table Talk from the publisher, and I am excited to give it away to one lucky Literary Time Out follower. This giveaway is open for followers with mailing addresses within the continental United States. Enter using the Rafflecopter form below by March 3rd. I'll post the winner on March 4th, and will mail the book within 72 hours of receiving the winner's mailing address. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway