THE book recommendation

[lactivist]

If you had one chance to convince someone about GD and honoring children's spirits and they would only read one book what would it be? Ideally it would cover toddlers to teens and everything in between, have practical tips, and overall cover the GD philosophy. What is that ONE book that would convince someone that this is the way?
Thanks so much,
Wendi

[green betty]

I personally think Unconditional Parenting by Alfie Kohn is the end all, beat all in gd literature... BUT my experiences recommending/lending it to gd newbies have proven that it is too much and too theoretical for most people to process without some in between material. I think Playful Parenting by Lawrence Cohen is more accessible as an introduction--more concrete "how to" than deep "why", and he makes a respectful, considerate parent/child relationship sound doable and fun.

This is just my current recommendation, however--I'm waiting for scubamama to write THE book so I can give it to everyone I know! (Hurry up, scubabmama!)

[Llyra]

The book I really liked was Kids Are Worth It : Giving Your Child The Gift Of Inner Discipline by Barbara Coloroso.

[Nisupulla]

How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk
by Adele Faber, Elaine Mazlish

[AmyMN]

Your Competent Child by Jesper Juul

is one of my all-time favorites.

[fremontmama]

Originally Posted by Llyra

The book I really liked was Kids Are Worth It : Giving Your Child The Gift Of Inner Discipline by Barbara Coloroso.

That's my absolute favorite too

[NoHiddenFees]

Hold on to Your Kids

[AmyMN]

Originally Posted by NoHiddenFees

Hold on to Your Kids

ditto, liked that one too

[MtBikeLover]

How to Talk so Kids will Listen and Listen so Kids will talk.

I have read quite a few other books and this one is still by far my favorite. It gave so many concrete examples that it helped me implement a lot of it immediately.

Many other books can get bogged down with theory.

[boongirl]

Becoming the parent you want to be is also a great one. Along with Unconditional Parenting and Hold on to your kids, these three are my faves. For a total beginner to GD, the positive discipline series is a good start as is Dr. Sears Discipline book. For kids totally out of control with a parent who does everything for them so they don't get hurt or experience any responsibility, Love and Logic might be a good way to start down the GD path.

[beanma]

i really like "kids, parents and power struggles" by mary sheedy kurcinka. not sure if it's officially GD, but it talks a lot about recognizing differences in temperament and respecting that rather than trying to bulldoze through them. it's practical and insightful and covers a wide age range. there are excerpts on amazon -- http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0060...39#reader-link .

[Dawn-o-might]

Ginott's "Between Parent and Child", Colorosso's "Kids Are Worth It.." and Bailey's "Easy to Love, Dificult to Discipline" are my top three.

[Llyra]

Originally Posted by NoHiddenFees

Hold on to Your Kids

Oh, I forgot about that one. That was a terrific book. Can I get a second vote???

[karlin]

Raising our Children, Raising Ourselves by Naomi Aldort is awesome. I think it gives better solutions than UP, though I still love Alfie Kohn (and I read UP first and it completely changed me!).

[hubris]

Originally Posted by Nisupulla

How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk
by Adele Faber, Elaine Mazlish

That book changed my thinking in a lot of ways, and opened the door to many other paradigm shifts for me.

So, while I don't think it's the end-all, be-all GD book, I do think it's a powerful gateway to GD, and very accessible to a parent who might dismiss Kohn or Aldort or others.

[Twocoolboys]

Originally Posted by Nisupulla

How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk
by Adele Faber, Elaine Mazlish

I vote for this one too. I have read many parenting books and always come back to this one for simple, practical advice. I totally agree with the pp who said it doesn't get bogged down in theory like a lot of books do.

[Coconut Chronicles]

:

[cam&kat's_mom]

OT but had to add:
See i find it intriguing that my mother has about 90 % of these books on her book shelf (and claims to have read tehm all) and STILL parented teh way she did. (Yelled, spanked, swore, punished, etc) She is my mother and i love her dearly yet do not understand her parenting at all. And her still desire to tell my brother to spank my nephew or her threat to "spank my kids hahnds" if they touch something!! I just don't get it.. This is why I've been so leary to read some of tehse books and am afraid that i will misinterpret them the way she did (if that is what happened) .
But i did like becoming hte parent you always wanted to be.. had it on tape in the car! Great for a long trip!

[CaraboosMama]

"Becoming the parent you want to be"

loved many of the others mentioned - but that was the top winner for me!

[moonfirefaery]

I have two, Kids Are Worth It and Positive Discipline, that I'm reading now and like a lot. They are the first gentle discipline books I've bought. Everything came so naturally and easily at first, but now that I have a toddler, I need new ideas!