How to Raise Disciplined
and Happy Children
Reviewed on 09/19/2011 by
Bernard Salzberg, Ph. D., J. D.
Author of The Art of Parenting
With over 30 years of experience as a parenting coach and child psychologist, Jerry Adams knows what does and does not work.
In How To Raise Disciplined and Happy Children, Dr. Adams skillfully blends theory, practice, anecdotes, and effective answers to the types of real world challenges that frequently cause parental distress, for example, bedtime without a fuss, bickering siblings, lying, stealing, shyness, self-esteem, doing homework, and the inevitable "But all my friends’ parents let them do it."
This book is a treasure trove of information, both for parents seeking general guidance about raising children and those looking for concrete answers to specific behavior problems. More than just a collection of techniques, How To Raise Disciplined and Happy Children provides parents with a comprehensive approach to parenting that will be useful from infancy through adolescence and into young adulthood. The book presents the practicality and wisdom Dr. Adams gained during his long career of helping parents and children. It embraces his philosophy that a healthy child is more than the mere absence of negative thoughts and actions; rather, a healthy child embodies a reservoir of emotional resources and behaviors which help him/her interact with the world in productive and positive ways.
Children are not born with these abilities, they are learned, and How To Raise Disciplined and Happy Children teaches parents how to guide their children to acquire these skills without resorting to common parental tactics of yelling, bullying, demeaning, and spanking.
However, there is one caveat: parenting takes work, and while the principles taught are simple , their application requires parental effort and commitment. Thus, merely reading and understanding the principles that How To Raise Disciplined and Happy Children teaches will not be enough to give your child the guidance he/she needs. You will need to be an active and involved parent with a plan to guide you, and that is where this book comes in.
My conclusion is simple: Raising children? Buy this book! I give How To Raise Disciplined and Happy Children a five star rating!
