Making the Terrible Twos Terrific!: Volume 16

This book has given me back my authority as a parent in a beautiful way that has transformed how I relate to my 2 year old. I am so thankful!!

Before I had children of my own, I babysat for at least 15 different families over the course of 15 years. I saw firsthand the kind of parenting that worked and the kind of parenting that did not work. Quite frankly, by the time I was 18 years old, I had enough sense to realize that the best behaved children were the ones with the parents who provided effective discipline. It was maddening to be told to put a child to bed by 8:00, only to have that child have a meltdown before bedtime and then..to top it off..have the parents come home and allow the child to stay up anyway! I saw both major brats who were allowed to run the household and secure, wonderfully behaved children whose parents looked like they were enjoying being parents! For some reason, when my son was born 3 years ago, I allowed myself to read much of the parenting psychobabble books in the stores today. I also listened to my sister in law, who was practicing attachment parenting with her own 2 year old son. Thinking I was going to harm my child if I parented with my own instincts, I practiced the family bed, breastfed on demand (and by the way, I DO advocate breastfeeding) and basically allowed my home to become child-centered--all to the detriment of my own sanity, sleep and most importantly, my marriage. My husband tried to play along but after 21 months of sleepless nights and never spending any alone time with my hubby, I decided to read this book. All I needed was validation that my own experiences and instincts were correct. This book made me realize that and more! It also made me appreciate my own mother and grandmother who sat back for 21 months and allowed me to make my own mistakes but who after I admitted to them that I was wrong, told me to use my good old' noggin' from now on----just like they did. I cannot tell you how happy I am! My son is so happy, so sweet and so well-behaved--and I didn't discipline with an iron fist, like some of the other reviewers would have you believe Rosemond advocates. All I did was set up a secure routine for my son and let him know that Mommy and Daddy were the bosses of the household--not him. The best complements we've received are from babysitters (because now we go out) who tell me that my son is well-behaved, sweet and fun-loving. Also, I cannot tell you how liberating it is to plan nights with my husband after my son is in bed---something we could never do before, as he had no bedtime. Another point of validation is my sister in law's son. He is overtired, cranky and a very misbehaved 5 year old. The school just told them that he is uncontrollable and has no impulse control. Now...maybe attachment parenting works better for children who are more docile or less stubborn, but for my active son, loving structure saved the day!!!

This is a great book. Even if you don't 'buy into' everything John Rosemond says, this book is full of great information. He begins by talking about the nature of two year olds, where they are developmentally, how they think, etc. Then he takes that and begins to help you solve problems based on how a two year old thinks and acts. I refer to this book when a new problem comes up or when I'm not able to correct a behavior. Invariably I find straight forward advice. The advice is up front and to the point with the information needed to back up why this should work. (And for me, it usually does work).This is the type of book you want to read when you have an 18 month old baby and again when your child turns two and again at about 2 1/2 to refresh your memory. It's that useful.

I have used John Rosemond's methods to raise four children. "Making the Terrible Twos Terrific" was the first Rosemond book I read. It began me on a journey of sensible "like I was raised" parenting. John recommends a healthy midpoint between permissiveness and authoritarianism and he gives humorous advice on how to achieve that. My kids are polite, well-behaved and happy. I tell them to do something one time, and they do it. That is success!

As John Rosemond makes clear, the secret to raising a healthy, happy two-year-old starts long before the child's second birthday. Fortunately, we found the common sense and heart-felt humor in his advice to be a sanity check for most of what we'd already thought was right. Anyone with questions will undoubtedly find much to help with the sometimes difficult and always rewarding responsibility of raising a small child.In a book so full of useful information -- offered in a firm but loving tone -- it is difficult to identify the most significant piece. We bought the book for a complete description of Rosemond's potty-training method (try it; it works!), but there's much, much more there. "Making the Terrible Twos Terrific!" contains probably the best perspective ever written on the difficult transition that children go through from infancy to toddler-hood. Remember, Rosemond tells us, when your baby was born, he opened his eyes, looked at the world and thought, "Wow! Look what I did!" It's from this completely egocentric outlook that the toddler begins his transition into a social human being. Given that viewpoint, it is easy for parents to learn how to best manage and nurture this wonderful, magic time.Read the book. Keep it for reference. Enjoy it. Then go and enjoy your little person-to-be.

I've been through the "twos" three times and using these techniques has made them very pleasant! I agree with Rosemond that if you start off on the right foot you'll stay there. Powerful ideas. A word of caution - Rosemond can be a bit on the harsh side so weed out those things you don't agree with. Another great book to read: Perfect Parenting - The Dictionary of 1000 Parent Tips by Elizabeth Pantley