Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I'm a homeschooling mom of 6 and I pre-ordered this book months ago and excitedly awaited the release. Unfortunately, I am very disappointed. Originally the book was advertised as including an instructional DVD, which apparently they decided to market separately from the website or something, because it is not actually included now [but the book includes instructions on how to go buy it separately]. That's a shame, because it might have really helped this book out. The book is disorganized and poorly written - trying to follow the author's thought process is just painful. It is like listening to someone ramble and change randomly from one subject to another with no apparent logical organization in mind. The book could have really benefited from a good editor to organize the author's thoughts. The author tries to give an explanation of why fitness is important to today's children [a very serious situation that should have the attention of all parents in today's culture of skyrocketing childhood obesity], but he falls short of the mark. He just sort of meanders around a point for a bit, but never makes a complete or coherent argument. Then he throws out a list of games with "rules" included - some of which were far different than the rules we grew up with as children [for instance, "Red Rover, Red Rover" was explained as something totally different from the school yard game we all played growing up]. The book is also just plain incomplete. In one section he throws up a "test" you are supposed to give your children where you have them memorize the muscles of the body and the major bones of the body and then make them label these. He gives the names of the bones but never puts the names of the muscles anywhere in the book - it seems to have been completely omitted by accident. Then he throws in what he calls "Teaching Labs" which I guess are supposed to be some sort of lesson on individual skills for certain sports, but I found them poorly written and unhelpful - I wasn't really sure what the point of those were. It is also laughable to call this book the "complete physical education curriculum for grades K-12". There is no age group delineation, no explanation of what exercises/games are most appropriate for which age groups, and the VERY basic "lesson plans" that are included could be put together in a half hour by any parent who ever had PE as a kid or played on a playground. I would *not* call this book a "complete curriculum" by any stretch. He also seems to not be certain who he is writing for - some parts seem targeted to the parents, other parts seem to be targeted for children to complete...without clear explanations. He even seems confused about WHO his audience actually is - in an early section, he says that the book is written for two groups of people: 1) parents who have their children in school, and, secondly, parents who homeschool. With a name like "Home School Family Fitness", you would think THAT much at least would not have been confusing.... The book is just NOT worth the money in my opinion. [And, it is *quite* pricey - I was surprised at how SLIM and insubstantial a volume it was for the price tag - surprised and very disappointed]. Home school parents will be better off reading Dr. Sears' "Lean Kids" book - which is FAR more thorough, well organized, and has a MUCH better, more complete plan for physical fitness for school aged children. [It is also far less expensive and it is easy and enjoyable to read - which this book is NOT]. Parents could do at least as well all by themselves with no book to guide them - by getting the kids up off the couch and getting them to go play some games. That is basically the entire gist of the whole book, and you really don't need to pay money to know that. :)