One of the best parenting books out there
923099
Fantastic book. Insightful, funny, practical, science-based ideas about how to discipline, that is, teach, children.
1316218
This is a really great guide to parenting. I've found many helpful ideas in this book. It's easy and empowering to implement the ideas in this book into my everyday life as the mother of a toddler. The concepts are very clear and are presented with a lot of interesting research and personal stories.  The author's voice is warm, honest and relate able.

The information is presented in a way that is visually appealing and makes it simple to digest and recall. Sometimes I find parenting books to be overwhelming and I can easily loose interest in the many pages of text, not so with this book! As an artist, I loved seeing the beautiful photography of families living their everyday lives. The design of each page breaks the information up in a clever and consistent style, which makes me want to keep reading and also makes it easy to use as a reference book.

I think this is a great book to give as a gift to young parents. I think a lot of the ideas could be applicable to older children too. It's not a 'latest and greatest' or fad parenting book (although it is great!). The ideas make sense and have a lot of sustaining power behind them for anyone who wants to raise emotionally intelligent, calm, healthy children, and enjoy life while doing so!
1030066
BEST PARENTING BOOK EVER!!!! This is a MUST read for ALL parents of kids all ages. This has helped me so much with my 4 year old son. Wish I read it when it first came out!!!!!
1307659
Best parenting and marriage book around, though it is not written exclusively for those relationships.
3074917
This is one of the best books I have ever read in regards to parenting.  It was easy to read and so helpful in our parenting.  If you are having issues getting your children to obey, then you HAVE to read this book.  It is very practical and that is not always the case with Biblically-based parenting books.  Joey and Carla tell you what you need to do and HOW TO DO IT!!!  I couldn't wait to share the book with my friends.
4647854
I am a Director of two preschools. It is hard to find a good and to the point book that helps parents with some basic parenting skills.  I purchased some of the books for our Parent Library at school and for my two older sons and their wives.  It is a down to earth, common sense book that is a great read. The author has touched on 10 areas that are so basic to parenting but so valuable especially in these times that offer too much for all of us.  John McPherson is so right on.  I highly recommend this book!
Sandy French, Preschool Director
1830716
This is the best parenting book I've ever read.  Because its just common sense, and not full of complicated verbiage and total nonsense.  Kindness is the main theme in the book.  There can't be enough kindness when it comes to parenting, for both parent and child.
2951093
This is the best parenting book I have ever read. I have read many many parenting books over the past 15 years and this is by a long shot the BEST book I have read on this subject. Susan Stiffelman writes a book that is easy to read and follow. Her suggestions on how to raise your children makes so much sense and her advice is so logical. Her advice on how to connect with your children has helped me look at how to relate to my teenagers in a way I never thought would be so invaluable. It's so simple at the same time too. Her advice is so logical because she is offering a way to connect and relate to your children in a way that you do with your friends and significant others. You don't just demand that your friend or significant other do something, you have a certain connection with them and a way to ask them to do something that doesn't put him/her on the defensive. Her advice just turned on the light for me and has helped me more than any other book or child specialist I have sought out advice from. I had the pleasure of hearing her speak at a school one evening and she is impressed me with how down to earth, personable and approachable she is. She is a pure delight and her advice is invaluable. Thank you Susan!!!
1392073
I have read many parenting books from The Five Love languages of Children to The Whole Brain Child. Both of those books are great however this one covers those and more and in laymen's terms. I love this book and recommend those others also. The others are more detailed and compliment this book well. Start with this one if you want an overall approach that you can begin to implement immediately.
4283752
I have read this book over several times and highly recommend it.  It provides excellent advice on parenting in a loving, nurturing way and provides ways on raising well-rounded, responsible and good-natured children and how to adjust your parenting style if you have gone off track.  It discusses how to avoid going off track and how to avoid raising spoiled and dependent children and how to get back on track if you've gone off.  I checked this book out from the library and have re-newed it 3x - I'am now purchasing a used copy of this book to add to my library.  Well worth it!
739740
This is the best book I have ever read on parenting. The information it contains is so well informed, so practical, so honest, that it is truly indispensable. I would love to give this book to every expectant parent in the world (I hope it will be translated into other languages). The author explains which parenting techniques work best and why. There are disciplinary examples for every occasion and every age group. She explains each stage of child development so you can understand what can be expected of a child at each age. She demonstrates why every disciplinary action that builds your relationship with your child is a successful method and every action that diminishes that relationship is detrimental. Parents can't be perfect, but this book will give them the tools to do their best. I wish I'd had this book 40 years ago, but at least I've given a copy to my daughter for raising her children. (My daughter loves it, too.)
3593682
I love this book.  There is so much pressure to use punishments and manipulative rewards to discourage bad behavior and reinforce good behavior.  This book gives parents permission to parent with love and compassion and without hardening their hearts to their child's needs and feelings.  It helps parents remain calm which is clearly crucial to good parenting and incredibly difficult to do.  I heartily reccommend this book to parents of young children, the sooner the better.
4731514
It's nice to find a parenting book that encompasses everything you're looking for if you're a first-time mom (and in my case, a woman who knew nothing about babies and had never held one before).  This book tells you the how-tos, such as:

-getting ready for baby

-diapering

-breastfeeding (yes, it's the best for babies -- that's the truth -- get over it!)

-starting solids

The Baby Book also has excellent sections on your baby's development, milestones, what to expect.

The Baby Book also excels in the health department.  I referred to this book constantly in the first year of my son's life and helped many other moms with their concerns searching through this book (and these moms had the usual books: What to Expect and others).  This book is just a cut above the rest.

This book has helped me enormously.  It's written in an informal style, like Dr. Sears is talking to you.  What he says confirms my research on babies and parenting (I was a researcher before becoming a mother) and he shares my philosophy that raising children is the most important job you'll ever have.

After all, wouldn't you give the most important job you'll ever have in your life your "all"?  Many people kill for promotions, raises, etc.  What if you could make a big difference in a person's life, raise him/her and watch him/her grow into a responsible, confident, respectful, intelligent and compassionate human being?

I'm not putting down anybody who works outside the home.  I've got a part-time job freelancing at my house so I could be home with my son.  But please, people, put your family first.  Not only your children but your spouses.  Happiness comes for investing your love, time and effort into your relationships, especially your children.

This book will effectively guide you through the first two years of your child's life.  It discusses all aspects of child care: health, nutrition, development, getting to know your child, the beginning of discipline, teaching, playing..

I can't say enough good things about it.  It advocates breastfeeding, co-sleeping, listening to your baby's cues, babywearing, and is againts spanking.  Basically this means fostering a strong bond with your child.  What it doesn't mean (and clearly states) is that you should sacrifice yourself and your interests for the sake of your child.

I followed the advice in this book (which agrees with my heart and head) wholeheartedly and my sixteen-month-old is confident, calm, secure in our love and independent.  I'm delighted to report we have a nursing relationship and consequently I find him easy to guide and teach.  My first year with him was a breeze thanks to Dr. Sears' advice.

See, the advice seems difficult and overwhelming when you read it as a staunch Western individualist, but practicing comes from the heart and instinctive if you will.  This is the way people have been raising children for thousands of years before the Middle Ages.  You will feel at peace with yourself and gain a deep understanding of your unique child.  Read it.  Follow it.  You won't regret it.
2563031
This one of the best books on parenting I've read. It is very clear and applicable, with plenty of real-life examples. I have felt convicted and empowered to make changes in the way I parent.
704797
This is the best book on parenting I have ever read.  It is also excellent for teachers or anyone involved with children.  I have begun giving it as a baby shower gift, it's that good.
3669376
My husband and I absolutely love this book. It definitely gels with our overall parenting philosophy, so I'm not sure how it might fit with someone who has a different parenting style, but the author is pretty convincing. She offers what I think is a true sociological analysis of how parenting has changed since the seventies, and what is not working for the youngest generation. I've recommended it to several parents that we know. Highly recommend this book!
2278484
This is the parenting book which ends the discussion about how we should do parenting.  Why?  First, because it is solidly based in brain research, unlike parenting opinions of previous generations.  Second, because it works.  This is how I raised my kids, having studied a lot of earlier brain information while learning about educational approaches.  I wish I had had their simple, easy-to-remember language, but I got to the same place by reminding myself to take time to understand what was happening from the kid's point of view.  Kids do not set out to be difficult.  If they are doing something wrong, it is because they are trying to solve some problem, and they have not figured out an appropriate way to do it.  Our job as parents is to appreciate what their problem is, and help them find a more appropriate way to solve it. Life becomes SO SIMPLE.  Two basic principles:  1) Reconnect, then Redirect.  2) When, in the heat of the moment, you do not succeed in doing that perfectly -- later when you are able, Repair.  And how do you Repair?  You Reconnect and, together with your child, Redirect both of you -- by taking time to understand what happened, and each understanding and appreciating what happened for the other person.  That's it!  It's the only "rule" you need.  And it builds a very high quality of relationship between parent and child, which you get to enjoy for the rest of your life.  It's a good way to deal with your spouse and among siblings, too.  Simple human respect:  what does each of us need, and how can we help each other get there?  Of course all this has to be done in a developmentally appropriate way; it looks different with toddlers than it does with 10-year-olds than it does with teenagers.  But it's simple.  It's just kindness and respect.  And it works.