My favorite book on reasonable, consistent parental discipline.
344998
Best overall book for regaining order in your home. Easy to understand and follow. And, it works!
4464114
I read this book for the first time in the 1980s when my children were very small. I found the information to be practical, useable and above all, extremely wise. With the influx of false information, eroneously attributing violence, anger and emotional problems with spanking, a factual book on the subject is desperately needed. One quick look around the world and more specifically, American society, and it is easy to see who's correct. It is virtually a guarantee that if you consistently apply the principles in this book, your children will grow up better adjusted, creative, successful and positive. The methods outlined here have the bulk of history and innumerable successes behind them while the modern child raising methods can only cite a couple of decades of dismal failure to their credit. If you're a parent, you need to read this book!
3874018
This is a well written guide to parenting that addresses not only how the child's brain responds best in discipline situations, but gives parents a lot to work on themselves, and they package it in a way that doesn't seem too daunting. They even give examples at the end of the book where each of them royally blew it as parents and disciplinarians which makes them seem more relatable.
4970224
Put the Disciple into Discipline: Parenting with Love and Limits is a practical parenting book by Erin MacPherson and Ellen Schuknecht. Erin is a mother of three kids, and Ellen is a mother of three adult children and eleven grandchildren. The authors talk about topics relating to parenting, such as self-control, perfection, gratefulness, shame, anger, belonging, kindness, modesty, morality, bullying, fear, and faith. The book also includes stories of how the authors parented in specific situations, and it also explores the childs point of view in these situations.

One of my favorite chapters of Ellens was Drifting Apart, which discusses navigating relationships with your children as they gain independence and separate identities from their parents. One of my favorite chapters of Erins was When Shame Takes Over, which examines how to help a shame-driven child and gives practical solutions for dealing with shame.

I loved Ellens chapter on modesty  especially how the author points out how damaging illogical modesty rules can be for children. Erins chapter on bullying is probably more beneficial if your child is the bully rather than if they are being bullied. (On a side note, if your child is being picked on, there are many books and websites specifically devoted to bullying.) It is nice to have the perspectives of two different mothers; it would be interesting to discuss this book with your spouse, seeing how your own parenting style compares and contrasts to that of both authors.

*I received this book for review*
489345
Outstanding.  I have read many parenting books and as a classroom teacher myself I have a great deal of experience with children.  This book is extremely readable, very down to earth and full of ownderful tips, strategies, and techniques for addressing parenting issues without anger and punishments.

This book has unwound the frustrations I was feeling and helped me to address my children's unacceptable behaviors in ways that move them to be more loving and appropriate with one another.
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!
4264846
Best Baby Shower gift ever.

This was our parenting bible for 5 years.  It gives the big-picture needs for each age/stage as well as the specifics that everyone needs.  She is calm, kind (she calls the child "Cherub" which puts you in a positive place when reading it), and incredibly wise.

I re-read each section when we transitioned in age (we had 2 kids 3 years apart) or whenever I was struggling with the thousand issues that parenting can bring.  Each time it was like I got a mental reset and finished with the attitude "I can do this" - I can make a positive difference, even when parenting is hard.

One of my favorite details, for an example, is that each age has a paragraph on "if you are moving" and the reminder that moving day can be the most dangerous day for children.  I had not read that in any other parenting book, but it's details like those that can literally save lives.  She doesn't overwhelm, but she doesn't overlook either.

there is also a Portable Pediatrician's guide to ages 5-12.  Also highly worth a read (and reread!).
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.
4534643
Being the parent of three small children and the product of parents that used the advice of James Dobson, I found the advice given in Dr. Dobson's book to be timeless and highly relevent to the times in which we live.  It's interesting how the reviews I read on this book focus on his opinion on spanking - this is covered in a very small fraction of the book, but I guess it gives liberal parents a means to invalidate all the great teaching tools he offers in this book.  Parents today, including myself, need strong, Christian-focused, advice on raising their kids to respect authority figures, themselves and those around them.  Dr. Dobson gives advice in this book that allows parents to raise their children to be respectful, god-fearing, contributing members of society.

if you have ever sought advice or tips for raising your children, this is a great book.  If you feel that kids should have equal rights with adults when they aren't old enough to even dress themselves...well, this is probably not the book for you.
4629952
This is a newer version of the one I had many years ago.  It's full of great practical advice and how-to for disciplining children.  I got this one for a young mom "going crazy" with a two-year-old.  I highly recommend it, especially for parents who were never taught how to handle little ones  -- no siblings, no previous children, trying to do it the way their parents did (which may or may not have been the best way).
1889716
Whenever I speak to parents--on any topic--I end up recommending this excellent book.  The chapter on discipline (Discipline that does not divide), which I believe is the single best writing on the subject, is worth the price of the whole book.  But the rest is also outstanding, provocative, inspiring, and important.  Not to mention extremely well written.  Lawrence J. Cohen, PhD
4668164
This is by far, one of the best of the innumerable books on parenting that my husband I have read.
4443778
I read quite a few books on discipline and parenting, always searching for something that will help the parents I work with help their children be more successful.  The truth is, the ability of any book to be of help to a parent relies not on the severity of the problem the child is having, but on the willingness of the parent to be open to taking another view of the problem and thus the solution.  What I like about this book is that the authors list the pros and cons of various available options, including options some of us would consider to have no possible pros (or perhaps cons).  They don't say "not" to do this or that, or that one "must" do this or that.  Instead each choice offered as just that--a choice.  And each choice has consequences, both good and bad.  Ultimately parents must decide what they are comfortable with, but hopefully this book will give them helpful information from which to make that decision.
2814141
I am a Marriage and Family Therapist who continually searches for easily read and understood materials for parents.
This book carries my personal stamp of approval. It is clear, easy to read and will provide comfort, security and guidance
to the mother who is at her wit's end of knowing what to do with her out of control child.  I highly recommend it - I have found no better.
3310887
Invaluable. I've been following Janet since before my daughter was born. RIE is not the best name for this style of parenting, but it is what it is. The concept is to respect children as whole people. When they throw tantrums, it is for a reason. When they act out, lash out, disobey, test limits, there are reasons. Janet gives you the words and practical applications. There are examples from parents with problems and from her own children. I found myself highlighting every other sentence. I wish I could force everyone with children in their lives this book. Positive discipline and respect does NOT mean permissive, no limits, spoiled kid. It means respecting the child, helping them, being there for them, setting firm limits to make them feel safe and give them a grounded feeling of the world, and encouraging responsibility, emotional intelligence, and a better awareness of how to be human. I LOVE this book, I love Janet Lansbury, I love RIE.
4113911
I'm a big fan of Kevin Leman's works, and so I jumped on this one as soon as I saw it.  This is the first parenting book of his that I've read, and it certainly lived  up to the high standards of his other books.

  Leman, a psychologist, writes about the middle school years from the seasoned perspective of a father of five grown children.  But he also writes of current issues that middle school students face in a world overrun with technology and loosening moral standards.  The book discusses the psychological effect that so many changes at one time have on children of this age.  It explains why your sweet little child has now become unpredictable and confusing to you as a parent.  More importantly, it tells you how to handle frustrating (maddening, blood-pressure-raising) situations in a way that will leave your relationship with your middle schooler intact on the other side.

  This book is full of practical advice that you'll be able to use quickly.  If you're the parent of a middle school student, odds are that you'll be using advice found in this book within 12 hours of reading it.  It's not wishy-washy like some parenting books are.  It gets right down to the nitty gritty and gives you concrete solutions that leave your child feeling respected while you retain your authority as a parent.

  Leman is respected in the Christian community, but this book really doesn't mention his faith more than a couple of times.  It's a resource that all parents will be able to use.  It's a light read - Leman's style is quite humorous and you will laugh out loud - but it's full of such solid advice that it's really a must-read.
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.