Playful Parenting

From whining to irresponsibility, from hitting to sleep challenges, these licensed play therapists tackle it all in an easy-to-access format that doesn't require "chapters of reading to gain a few valuable nuggets." I wouldn't even bother reading the whole book; instead, keep it handy and and refer to it often by using the table of contents to locate the particular challenge for which you need ideas. This book is rooted in sound child development theory and is designed to enhance parent/child interactions. Instead of punishing unwanted behaviors, the book is full of fun and practical ideas for shaping behavior without creating the often-harsh emotional distance in the parent/child relationship. You'll quickly get a feel for what will work and what will not work for your child, and remember that nurturing discipline takes a lot more time than the "convenient" spanking and time outs, so if you're up to doing the hard work of finding alternatives to these tired methods, this is a great place to start. This book would be a great companion book to Dr. Sears Discipline Book or Ross Wright's Kids in Crisis.

This book, written by licensed play therapists, offers fresh, creative approaches to solve common behavior problems. The authors utilize a mix of positive parenting ingredients in a variety of playful "recipes" which target specific parenting concerns such as: overactivity, moodiness, anti-social behaviors, self-concept, and more.One of my favorite recipes in the book was "The Feeling Box." It suggests certain items to include in a box your child may visit whenever his feelings (sadness, anger, attention-wanting) become difficult for him or her to handle. Contrary to another reviewer's opinion, I felt the book's "recipe" format was clear, concise, innovative, and extremely easy to use. These are not the "same old tired ideas" found elsewhere. As an avid reader of parenting books, I found many new techniques to try. And, yes the ideas worked beautifully!However, this book IS different from the other Playful Parenting. The other book encourages incorporating more play time into family life. It also offers great ideas, but the book's mission is simply different from this Playful Parenting. Though the titles are confusing, either would be welcome additions to any parenting library.Hope this helps. Play nice!

I ordered this book at the recommendation of my sister. Being so close to me she knew of the "problems" I was having with my 3 1/2 year old. Well let me tell you, this book is just full of great ideas for handling various "problems" with children. I used the "S.T.A.R." idea, changing a few things to better reflect my daughter's personality and I can very happily and gladly say that-IT WORKS!! I have also used other activities mentioned in the book with success. Everything is easy to understand and easy to follow. I highly recommend this to anyone. You can facilitate the activities as they are given or add/change things to suit your child's personality. We know our children better than anyone and this book gives you the tools to implement their wonderful activities geared toward having a calmer more organized home life.

After three consequetive check outs, the library made me give the book back. This is a highly useable resource in its layout, and it feels good to put the ideas into practice. My children really do respond to the suggestions in Playful Parenting. Every Parent should have these recipes on hand for those times when all you can seem to think of is yelling at your young'uns.