Without
Spanking or Spoiling : A Practical Approach to Toddler and Preschool Guidance
Elizabeth Crary
 |
I love this book because it
presents toddler discipline situations as a FLOWCHART. Even if you are
not a flowchart junkie like I am, this approach can be really helpful for
those chronic, crazy-making things toddlers do. WSOS was instrumental in
getting me past the traditional "stop that at once or else!"
Here are some of the flowchart
steps (each step is supported by an entire section in the book): Define
the problem "behaviorally" ... Who owns the problem, parent or child? ...
Does my child know what to do?... Generate solutions ... Try one idea at
a time ... The best
part is the "solutions" section, which offers many ideas for getting a
child to behave, including changing the parents' expectations. No
one gets off the hook here! WSOS
is likely to be at your library. Ours has many copies. I photocopied the
Problem Solving Flowchart on page 94 to hang on my refrigerator! [Review
by Lisa] |
Rating: Two webs |
Siblings
Without Rivalry
Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish
 |
I use this book
all the time. At first I thought the cartoons were a bit cheesy,
but the whole system has worked so well for me; now the cartoons make it
easier for me to re-read. Goes along with AP. [Review by Debbie]
|
Rating: Four Webs |
Take
This Book to the Pediatrician With You
Charles B. Inalnder and J. Lynne Dodson
 |
I like this little
book because it explains about the different kinds of doctors, what to
look for in a doctor or hospital, how to prepare your child for surgery.
Talks about vaccination exemptions and lists the states that allow for
philosophical exemptions. Some of the medical information in it is blatantly
incorrect (especially the info on circumcision), but what do you expect
for $5.99?
|
Rating: Three Webs |
What
To Expect The First Year
Eisenberg, Murkoff, and Hathaway
 |
Pick an issue, this book will
tell you you're wrong. For instance, on the issue of crying it out,
it allows that "...if you're philosophically opposed to the idea, don't
try it." Sound okay? They continue in another section on the
same page, "If you're among the soft-hearted or weak-nerved parents who
just can't or won't listen to their babies crying it out..." they go on
to recommend "systematic wakening." This book tries to have it both
ways. Breast or bottle is presented as breast is better, but oh,
not really, just in some ways. The good thing about this book: it's
a good reference for those times you need to know what the symptoms of
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever are, or some such thing. Of course,
you can find other books with that info without all the preaching, too.
[Review by Debbie] |
Rating: One Web |
What
To Expect The Toddler Years
Eisenberg, Murkoff, and Hathaway
 |
See above. "Post Crying-It-Out
Trauma: ...once in a while, a very sensitive child is traumatized
by being left to cry it out." Oh, NOW you tell us!! Again, the only
good thing is the medical reference in the back. [Review by Debbie]
|
Rating: One Web |
How
to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk
Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish
 |
I saw a few references
to this book on the PP Positive Parenting board. The title completely turned
me off - I KNOW how to talk to my kids - I don't belittle them or talk
down to them. So I ignored the posts. I was recently looking for a good
parenting book and was again referenced this book. I decided on a whim
to order it from amazon (is there anything MORE dangerous than amazon.com?)
and settled in for (what I thought would be) a quick read. The ideas seem
so very obvious - identify feelings, don't give advice (unsolicited), use
fantasy when possible - and I skimmed the entire book during bath time.
I figured it was a waste of book money until after bath time and I immediately
heard myself telling one of the boys that they "didn't feel" that way.
I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT. I immediately back stepped and tried to identify
the feeling and salvage the situation. After the kids were in bed, I then
re-read the entire first chapter and did the exercises. I have been on
super-alert with the kids and have been using the book consistently. I've
been reading a chapter a night (reading slow is excruciating for me) and
trying to apply during the day. I've got to echo the first review of this
book - it teaches you how to treat your children with respect. I thought
I "knew" it all before I read this book, but like all good lessons, I find
that I just keep learning more and more. I highly recommend this book!
[Review by mamakat]
Rating: Five Webs |
It teaches you how to talk to
your children with respect!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [Review by Mindi]
Rating: Five Webs |
The
Baby Book
William Sears, MD and Martha Sears, RN
 |
There is something in this
book my son doesn't want me to read, because every time I pick it up he
wants something! In the few snatches of reading I have been able
to accomplish, I have been impressed. I respect anyone who has 9
children and still has the time to have a practice, write several books
on babies and parenting, and attachment parent! This is the book
that explains it all - sharing sleep, babywearing, and all those other
AP things. My only complaint is that Dr. Sears admits to having done
over 1000 circumcisions, and he waffles on the issue. |
Rating: Four Webs |
Nighttime
Parenting
by William Sears MD
 |
It's very AP, well he is AP
so how could it not be? It supports and encourages the family bed.
His response to a lot of children's sleep problems is to take them to bed
with you. It also has AP solutions without taking them to bed if
that's your choice. It helped us tremendously with our first because
we kept questioning what we were doing and it was always there to support
us and remind us that what we were doing was a good thing. [Review
by Mindi]
|
Rating: Five Webs |
The
Discipline Book
by William Sears MD & Martha Sears RN
 |
A very AP book on 'discipline'.
I've found that "Montessori Play and Learn" by Joy Starrey Turner
and "STEP Parenting Young Children" by Dinkmeyer are even more in keeping
with my parenting philosophy but my philosophy was built on components
of all three of these put together. I discarded a lot and kept a lot. Basically
we are 'loving guidance', discipline is learning not punishment, mutual
respect breeds mutual respect. We do not even believe in time out
(Sears mentions its use) - read Mothering 'A Case Against Time Out'. All
three of these have very specific details on how to treat your children,
how to talk to them, how to listen to them, how to encourage and nurture
them. [Review by Mindi] |
Rating: Five Webs |
Our
Babies, Ourselves
Meredeth Small
 |
Although the title may be
somewhat misleading (no relation to Our Bodies, Our Selves), this is a
book that anyone interested in attachment parenting should read and digest.
A great defense against unsupportive relatives/ friends/doctors, etc. -
it cites all of the scientific research that has been done into the benefits
of breastfeeding, family bedding, and physical contact for newborns and
infants. It is also very entertaining and informative to read about
parenting styles in other cultures, and to see how totally untrue some
of the Western myths about infant care really are. [Review by Lucy]
NOTE: Currently out of stock at Amazon.com. |
Rating: Five Webs |
Dr.
Spock's Baby and Child Care
Benjamin Spock, MD and Michael Rothberg,
MD
 |
I have found that people either
love or hate this book. Personally I find it indispensable to have
around. If nothing else, it gives good descriptions of common illnesses.
Take what you need, like symptoms of diseases, developmental stages and
the like, and leave the rest. Has its good points - says nothing
negative about homebirth, is anti-circ, and says to get rid of pacifiers
by four months. It's cheap and even your mother will believe something
you pull out of it. But that stuff about making artificial baby milk
out of canned milk HAS to go!!
|
Rating: Two Webs |
