An Excellent Tool for Parents
933572
After reading the Amazon customer reviews of this and several other books, I decided it looked like the best bet for teaching my 4-year old daughter to read, but I wanted to be sure that she would agree. I let her look at the book in a bookstore before I bought it, because frankly, it doesn't look like a lot of fun if you just pick it up. She, however, thought it looked very interesting, so I made my purchase.

We have now completed 26 of the 100 lessons, and the book is delivering exactly what it promises to do. One hesitation I had was that the book is very detailed in telling the parent exactly what to say, but after a few lessons this isn't a problem. It's easy to adapt your own style and way of speaking to your child while still sticking to the basic script, so if that is keeping you from buying this book, stop worrying about it.

The book starts with very basic things and builds up through repetition, which works very well, just as it does, for instance, in teaching piano. I'm sure the fact that my daughter has been studying piano since she turned 3 has helped prepare her for studying reading, and she does have a pretty good attention span--however, each lesson only takes 15 minutes or so, so that shouldn't be a problem for many children.

At this point in the course of study, she is starting to read some simple words "whole" without having to sound them out, and she is getting better at sounding out new words. So, again, I'm extremely pleased with this book.

The only negative comment I have is about the illustrations. There look like they were drawn by a complete amateur with no drawing skills whatsoever. I strongly suggest the publisher replace them in the next edition. They are so bad that the reading exercises, where the child is supposed to look at the picture and answer questions, become frustrating because the picture of the animal (a ram, for example) looks nothing like it should. This drawing is just awful!!

But again, don't let that stop you. It is easily overcome, and you and your child can make fun of the artist together! If you want to teach  your child to read quickly, buy this book ASAP.
4267104
As a counselor I see parents who are trying to do the best for their children. This book gives tools and insights on how to be a strong and consistent parent with out without the help of the co-parent. It is a good read for all parents.
194152
This is an excellent book that enforces the importance of parents taking a proactive part in their children's lives. This book invokes a dialogue and encourages communication between parents and their children. This is a much needed book for our society today.
2521943
In this companion workbook to his Whole-Brain Child book, Daniel Siegel focuses on the way a parent's mental health affects the child. Children are sensitive to a parent's moods. The way a parent praises, punishes and understands the child can affect both neurological and behavioral development.

I think the workbook can be most helpful if you're already familiar with Siegel's work. However,  he includes enough explanation of his principles that the workbook can be used by anyone motivated to use the techniques to understand and help their child mature. The workbook is filled with exercises for the parents aimed at having them understand their motivations. This is an excellent approach because it's not so much the child's behavior as the parent's response that determines how well or poorly the child develops.

The book discusses how the brain works in language that is easily understandable by parents with no formal education in behavioral therapy. It is easy to read and contains amusing cartoons to illustrate some of the principles. There are also exercises to do with your child which are easily understandable by elementary school and older children.

I recommend this workbook and the book for any parent wanting to better understand and help their children mature.

I reviewed this book for PR by the Book.
2198296
This is 'the book' for guiding parents of pre-teens and teens in their talks with today's children regarding sex.  Completely relevant and up to date in assessing the impact of internet, TV, and the - appropriately termed - 'hypersexualized world' our children are being impacted by.  Very helpful are the 'take it home' sections for parents contained throughout that prompt parents through answering questions to determine their own awareness and feelings, and give parents exercises to complete which create an action plan for beginning relevant discussions with their children.  Beyond a simple description of the 'birds and the bees' (which I knew my children already knew about) I had no idea how to begin my discussions with them in ways that would allow me to address my concerns while acknowledging their situations.  This book provides that education for parents, and does so in a way that creates discussions with their children of extreme value and respect for both.
2573393
With a tagline of Building Faith, Wisdom, and Character in the Messes of Daily Life, I was instantly intrigued by this parenting book: Parents want to raise respectful, responsible, and faith-filled kids. But when kids misbehave, parents can often feel lost and confused, and don't realized that their discipline can make things worse in the long run.

What we say to our kids, and how we say it, makes a world of difference in how they receive our discipline and take responsibility for their actions. This book is full of practical parenting advice that helps parents reach the hearts of their children, even in the midst of difficult parenting situations, and help them cultivate strong relationships, make wise choices, and build a strong character.

This is a book I recommend parents read and apply over and over again. Its staying on my bookshelf and will be heavily referenced over the next two (or more) decades.
1129069
This is a very good idea for parents of children with special needs. It contains places to fill in all the information that someone other than yourself would need if your child was away from home. Grandma and Grandpa have all the phone numbers, contacts, likes and dislikes, bedtime, and more, all at their fingertips.
Far from being a strictly professionally oriented book, there's also places for likes and dislikes, daily routines, and places to fill in behaviors ("When I'm sad I...") and to fill in what would make the child feel certain ways ("these are situations that I feel aggressive/sad/happy/etc."). It would also be a great thing to have if your child ever needed to be hospitalized - the nurses and doctors would know exactly what your child needs, what medications s/he's taking, allergies, dietary needs, cultural considerations, etc.
This is an invaluable book if you have a child with needs that perhaps cannot communicate these things to a caregiver. I bought one for my daughter, who is autistic. The next time she visits family, this book will go with her, so that no one has any doubt about what they should do in any given situation. I highly recommend it!
2084595
This is an excellent, biblically based resource for parenting. I love that it's not a one-size-fits all deal, but that she takes into account that we all have a different way of parenting, and that it will look different with each child. And many other mom voices are included, so you get to experience it through the eyes of the author, as well as her Mean Mom Team. The topics are so relevant, from today's technology based society (and even has some great tips for parents on keeping that technology at bay for themselves!), to the overly busy lives we lead. It's for parents with all ages, not just those with littles, but even the middles and the bigs!
4376583
Dr. Price has written an excellent resource for parents.  Loving our children isn't always about hedonic pleasures or comforts.  Most of the time, it is about maximizing their learning, creativity, playfulness, relationships, athleticism, FUN, interconnectedness, sense of adventure, decision making, cheerfulness, and joy -- all things that grow so much more away from the screen.  I strongly recommend screen free zones in the house.  This book is a great reminder that our brains, relationships, and our bodies hunger for something beyond a screen.  Great messages in this book!  I love the message that tough choices parents make is ultimately out of LOVE.  As a psychologist, I highly recommend this book for families from toddlers to children to tweens to teenagers and parents alike.  Great message for all!
2175307
Diane's thoughtful book is now my "go to" when I am having a parenting dilemma or just need a bit of support to reinforce my parenting values.  The book is filled with useful ideas for parents facing all sorts of parenting issues.  Since purchasing this book, I have used many of Diane's techniques of active listening and conflict resolution to help my children navigate difficult situations with a true sense of love, compassion and responsibility.  My family has benefited from my renewed calm that this book has helped me grow and maintain.  Diane has beautifully infused her many years of experience as a school psychologist and Living Values educator into this parenting guide.  It is full of practical ideas for parents to try when they are facing discipline issues or when trying to help their children navigate this increasingly complex, and often negative, world.  I found the section on handling technology specifically useful and my children and I have had very purposeful and meaningful conversations about the benefits and drawbacks of technology use in our lives since reading this section.  I no longer need to be a mommy witch who forbids my child from playing violent or inhumane games on our iPad.  This book gave me tools to talk with my son about the objectionable content I was seeing in many video games in a way he could really appreciate.  My son has now learned to only choose games that reflect the values of our family on his own.  Even at six years old, he has now learned to be thoughtful about the way violent games normalize cruelty and he is wary of it.  If creating a values-based atmosphere in your home is important to you- a place where love, peace, honesty and kindness are cornerstones- then this is the guide book for you.
3124752
There has been a constant wish and prayer for every parent on the earth: That our children grow up healthy and strong, be good members of the community, have a happy and successful life. There is also a frequent whispered prayer; that they come with an instruction manual.  Parents, there has been an answer to that prayer! This book gives insight to bringing up children without having to do the hokey pokey and turn your life upside down. It is an easy fun read and also has some good interactive moments.

This book is amazingly insightful for parents of children of all ages and all numbers.  An revolutionary resource to tap into and will be the go-to of your massive library of parenting menagerie.  You can pair this book up with another amazing resource and learn the love languages of your children - holy cow, what?!? No way!

You mean you can raise amazing kids, manage your household, your job life, have an amazing life with your spouse and STILL stay sane?
Why yes, yes indeed you can with this effective tool that is now on bookshelves.  Definitely something I will be giving to my friends who are going to be parents and for those who are in the mix already.
3393069
After reading this book I only wish we had had such a tool 20 years ago when we were raising our kids through this stage of life. It is open, honest and quite practical in its observations and application of steps that today's parents attempting to raise Godly kids in a not so Godly world. It is a must read for parents that love and care about their teens (and even younger) to put some more tools in the tool bag.
443810
The pressure of parenting can be unbelievably heavy and at times we might begin to feel that we are failing as parents. However, parenting is a whole lot easier when we can admit we do not have all the answers and when we speak openly and honestly with each other about our daily struggles. In 8 Simple Tools for Raising Great Kids, Todd Cartmell tackles many problems we all face as parents and gives some straight-forward advice on parenting.

I found this book to be very easy to read and full of practical advice. Todd Cartmell is a clinical child psychologist and he has been helping parents and children for 20 years. His advice comes from years of working with families in crisis and listening to kids and their parents. I read this book in just a few sittings over a couple of days. I often found myself nodding my head or even cringing as I recognized myself and my husband in his examples.

I loved this book because it is not a book about how to punish your kids when they are bad. Rather, Cartmell delineates the ingredients necessary for effective parenting and lasting relationships. All of the information in the book is useful and includes practical applications. One of my favorite pieces of advice form Cartmell is Listening Tip #3, If you want your kids to be comfortable talking to you, make sure they get plenty of opportunity to practice (p. 50).

There is a seemingly endless supply of unread parenting books gathering dust on bookshelves across the country. Grab this book and you will find that you actually read it because it is so well organized and such a quick read. In fact, you can begin implementing Cartmells ideas on day one.
2022661
As a sixth grade teacher, I overhear (or intercept notes from) students sharing misinformed or misguided statements about sex each and every day. Unfortunately this is because many parents don't know how to go about talking to their kids about this uncomfortable topic. The problem is-- that doesn't make it go away. Kids learn from their peers what they don't learn from their parents --and much of what they learn from their peers is innaccurate. Now, there is finally a resource for parents to use to get those conversations started. This is an amazing tool and I highly recommend it!
2481375
This little book is a real gem for parents.  I have used it as a gift for  parents of children just entering school.  It speaks to the issue of  learning and assisting your child. It is written for parents, not for  professionals and it allies the fears of many parents who try to help their  children. The personal anecdotes help parents to identify.
1020351
William Stillman's "Empowered Autism Parenting" is an excellent resource for parents raising a child with autism. The book will be especially valuable to parents just starting to raise an autistic child. More than simply covering topics parents need to know, the book provides practical advice and lists of useful resources that make what is a very challenging and stressful job more manageable than it would be otherwise. Notable are the book's three checklists in its appendix (prescription medications questionnaire, pain and discomfort inventory and sensory sensitivity inventory). These can help restore some measure of order in parent's lives.  Raising an autistic child means keeping track of reams of paperwork, such as medical reimbursements forms, invoices from service providers and the annual IEP. Parents routinely face school administrations, government agencies and health care organizations that often are overloaded, underfunded and simply bureaucratic in their delivery of services. Stillman's book emphasizes effective techniques to help parents overcome these challenges and advocate for their child. Stillman deserves much credit for his effort.
2709346
This is an excellent book with a very relevant message for parents. A child cannot be too young to benefit from learning how to be a part of the family and not the center focus. Entitlement creeps in slowly and becomes a part of the household "culture" if left unchecked. I am sure there are parents with grown children who would have benefited from this message. Entitlement is like "nut grass" in the garden. The sooner we rid ourselves of it, the less painful it is and the easier to control going forward . Cleaning House proves that it can be done and done well. A 12-month experiment is a solid test...this is no flash in the pan type of experiment. Thus, the results are extremely worth noting and following.

I highly recommend this book to parents and grandparents.