On Becoming Childwise: Parenting Your Child from 3 to 7 Years

I have read "On Becoming Babywise" (vol. I and II) as well as the "Toddlerwise", "Preschool", and have just finished "Childwise". Here is what I found particularly helpful in the "On Becoming..." Series: 1)The emphasis on a loving marriage. 2)Stressing healthy eating and sleeping habits as a foundation to happy children (if you are smart about it even a busy mom can serve healthy food) 3)Obtaining eye contact then expecting a "Yes, Mama" or "Yes, Papa" after you ask your child to do something. More importantly, is the idea that even at a fairly young age, you begin to teach your child the "whys" of your rules (e.g. "We take care of other people's property!"). Said at an opportune moment, and always with the same inflection it can become a mantra that your little one soon enough will understand. ... My neighbor watched our two children (3 years and 15 months)for two hours while I helped my husband direct the moving company. ... At the end of their playtime together, the neighbor said to the oldest (boy)that they may just leave the toys out and she would get them later. My son then replied, "Oh no, we take care of other people's property" and then began to put the toys away. ... 4)Complimenting your child's good behavior to reinforce it ("Thank you, Samuel for not allowing the screen door to slam while baby Sara is sleeping. That was very considerate."). ... Add a gentle hug and you have a 2 1/2 year old beaming with pride. ... Now as a 3 y/o, making his big-boy bed makes him even more proud. 5)Deciding whether your child is being disobedient or just childish (it makes a difference). ... There are other wonderful tools I have integrated into my parenting tool belt. These book have been a delight to use. ... Because we do not just live from moment to moment, we can also plan for lifes little pleasures (e.g. playtime with Mama and Papa or even family outtings). ... Despite what Attatchment Parenting people believe, training your child to navigate through his society is not a bad thing, it is the right thing and loving thing to do.

What a wonderful parenting guide. These are principles that we can apply right now, and now I understand why I have so many problems with instant gratification issues. ... Great book, I highly recommend to any parent who is dedicated to raising a confident, moral child.

I am very confused about the negative reviews this book received. I thought it gave very practical and sound advise. My husband and I have been struggling with how to handle our four-year old son and two-year old daughter. This book helped me gain some control over my parenting and see the various things I was doing wrong. You have to know what you want your children to become and if you want them to be people who show you love and respect and in turn, show that to others, then this is the book for you. I never once read anything that would justify the negative hype and perhaps it is become this book is more suited to my belief that kids need moral guidance and I need help in instructing them on the virtues I hold dear. I thought it was a proactive approach to disipline and helps you to avoid "timeouts" and confrontations with your children that can be potentially embarrassing for you both in public. I like believing that I can make my childrens lives happier and healthier by enacting some of these lessons. I used "Babywise" principles when they were infants and I was able to discern when some of those principles were not the best thing for my kids. I hope that I can have the same ability to discern instances when some of these principles may not be age or situation appropriate. I recommend this book for people who want their children to be equipped to handle life when we are not able to hover over them.

In On Becoming Child Wise: Parenting Your Child From Three To Seven Years, Garry Ezzo and Robert Bucknam collaborate to equip the reader with more than fifteen Childwise Principles for training kids in the art of living happily among family and friends. Parents can foster the safe, secure growth of ta child's self-concept and worldview, nurture their child's uniqueness while setting loving boundaries on his or her world, and sow the seeds for a healthy and secure adolescence. On Becoming Child Wise shows how to raise emotionally balanced, intellectually assertive, and morally sensible children within the context of a Christian family. It is an essential, practical, family values based, highly recommended "how-to" guidebook for the parenting years of preschool through grade school.

Once again, I am very impressed with Gary Ezzo's common sense, and loving approach to child rearing. I too, was a 'babywise' mom and heard all the negative hype. This is simply from people not using day to day common sense to recognize situations that may need to be handled differently. I highly recommend this book, as well as babywise. I heard over and over again how "lucky" I was to have such a good baby, and with Mr. Ezzo's help, I hope it will continue through my childs adolesence.