I need suggestions

[purplepaperclip]

A friend at work has told me that she hates spanking. I want to make a suggestion of a book that could help her in her choice to move away from spanking. Suggestions?

[hugzandkissez]

One of my favorite book suggestions I give parents who are not totally on board with AP or Gentle Discipline is Dr. Harvey Karp, "Happiest Toddler on the Block" deals with how To understand what the toddler is going through up until age 4. What's great about this is that I have found his video at the library too and also examples on You Tube.
I'm not sure what age of the child your friend has but this is always one book I recommend to main streamers.

[purplepaperclip]

THanks Hugz!

[sgmom]

I JUST finished reading Happiest Toddler (literally just two days ago), and while I got a lot out of it, I did skim over (or pass completely) most of the discipline stuff as I found it very anti-AP/UP, and I REALLY didn't like the way they explain how to talk to kids, as if you were mocking them. They even have a little Q&A section where one of the questions asks "I feel like I'm making fun of my child", with a "logical" answer as to why you're not. I would never use this method (in the way it was described in the book), but a LOT of people seem to love this book and swear by his methods, so it's definitely worth a pick up. I did enjoy the book, and I did get some out of it, but it's just not my first suggestion.

I haven't read too many books about gentle discipline though so I hesitate to suggest another, but one book that I got more out of than ANY other was "The Science of Parenting". It doesn't discuss just one person's opinion of parenting, but it compares several different methods and how each one affects the child's brain using MRI's and such other examples. It does get a bit into things like time-outs, but it gives you the options backed up with scientific facts, so you can decide for yourself how you want to parent.

[SeekingJoy]

How old is her child? For a preschooler or older, I would suggest "How to Talk so Kids will Listen."

[Super_mommy]

I have not read any book related to spanking.. No idea..

[SeekingJoy]

I think the OP is looking for a "mainstream" gentle discipline book.

[purplepaperclip]

Her lo is 20 months. And yes, thank you. I obviously was NOT looking for a book on spanking. A GD book for someone who is more in the mainstream line of thinking. Sheesh.

[bendingbirch]

HOw about Dr. Sears' The Discipline Book, the chapter on Loving Guidance in the La Leche League book "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding", the new AP book "Attached At the Heart" or "Unconditional Parenting" by Alfie Kohn? Any of those would be good, I think. I also like "Why Anger Hurts Your Kids" by McKay and others and Nancy Samalin's "Love and anger the parental dillemma."

Also, what about just directing her to some articles on the Internet or no spanking kinds of blogs? There are a lot of those out there.

[SeekingJoy]

Originally Posted by suebee79

Her lo is 20 months. And yes, thank you. I obviously was NOT looking for a book on spanking. A GD book for someone who is more in the mainstream line of thinking. Sheesh.

For a 20 month old just coming up on the defiance and exploration of the twos, I would suggest Playful Parenting.

Dr. Sears Discipline Book is also a helpful, fairly mainstream resource.

I have also heard good things about Without Spanking or Spoiling: A Practical Approach to Toddler and Preschool Guidance, although I have not read it.

There is also an MDC sticky with a book list and descriptions if you think she would prefer to find something herself.

[sgmom]

Originally Posted by SeekingJoy

For a 20 month old just coming up on the defiance and exploration of the twos, I would suggest Playful Parenting.

[purplepaperclip]

I have that one. (PLayful Parenting, that is) I'll see if she wants to borrow it! Thanks!