From Library Journal
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Book Description
Your go-to guide for your parenting questions, from the author of the breakthrough No-Cry series
"Perfect Parenting will give you the tools you need to feel confident as you raise your children. This handy reference book may become an indispensable part of your family's life."
-- from the foreword by William Sears, M.D.
Perfect Parenting is parenting with a plan. It is based on:
- action, not reaction
- thoughtfulness, not anger
- knowledge, not chance
- common sense, not nonsense
You'll learn what to do about back talk, dawdling, interrupting, stubbornness, whining. You'll find ways to get your kids to do the chores, stop ignoring you, and clean up their own messes. You'll even learn what to do about other people's children! Elizabeth Pantley designed a questionnaire addressing discipline problems and sent it to hundreds of parents. Their answers shaped this book to make it the most useful, practical book on discipline available today.
From the Inside Flap
In my years of raising eight children and advising parents through my pediatric practice and through twenty-three parenting books, I have learned as much as I have given. I have discovered one parenting dilemma that arises repeatedly. This dilemma is the arduous process of deciding on the right course of action when confronted with a discipline or behavior issue.
In my conversations with parents, one type of question invariably arises, "What do I do when my child . . . whines . . . back talks . . . hits her sister . . . won't cooperate . . ." Parents often struggle to find the right answer and then experience frustration when that one right answer fails to solve the problem.
Parenting educator Elizabeth Pantley presents here a multitude of valuable ideas to answer your everyday questions. She gives practical suggestions on a diverse selection of topics that likely cover every parenting dilemma you'll encounter. The beauty of this simple dictionary format is that you can review all the suggestions for any situation, and then use whatever method best fits your child and your family situation to create your own solution. If that suggestion doesn't work, you've got in hand several others from which to choose.
Perfect Parenting will give you the tools you need to feel confident as you raise your children. This handy reference book may become an indispensable part of your family's life.
William Sears, M.D.
Dr. Sears is one of America's most respected pediatricians. He and his wife, Martha Sears, R.N., have been counseling parents for more than twenty years. They appear frequently on national television, are extensively quoted in the media, and have collaborated on twenty-three books on parenting, including The Discipline Book, The A.D.D. Book, The Baby Book, and The Pregnancy Book. William and Martha Sears are the parents of eight children, and grandparents of three.
"Perfect Parenting is full of no-nonsense, practical wisdom about many of the most common, and vexing, child-rearing issues. Parents will find solutions they can put into practice right away."
Peter Herbst, Editor-in-Chief
Family Life Magazine
"Perfect Parenting is THE dictionary for parents. No longer will parents need to thumb through all their books and magazines for answers to common questions. Parents will particularly appreciate the range of possible solutions. The author clearly understands that there is no right answer to any problem. I predict that Perfect Parenting will be the best-thumbed book in all parent's libraries."
Kathy Lyn
Parenting Today
Vancouver, British Columbia
"Perfect Parenting is good news, for parents and kids alike. Here's a wealth of wisdom about children's behavior, coupled with ingenious yet practical solutions to almost every imaginable problem. Elizabeth's approach puts parents in charge, but lets children know they're respected and loved. And it's all wrapped up in one easy-to-access package."
Tamara Eberlein, Author
Whining: Tactics for Taming Demanding Behavior and Sleep: How to Teach Your Child to Sleep Like a Baby
"Perfect Parenting includes just about every issue that comes up for discussion in our parenting classes. The lists of possible solutions will appeal to a wide variety of parenting styles; there is something for everyone! The "think about it" sections that appear after each realistically described situation help to establish a problem-solving perspective and allow the mind to open up to the numerous ways parents' and children's' needs can be met. We are fortunate to have Elizabeth's experiences and humor to help guide us to better relationships with our children."
Connie Schulz, M.S., C.F.L.E.
Family Outreach Specialist, State College Area School District
"Perfect Parenting is a must-have book for today's busy parents who may not have time to read a complete book to find answers to their childrearing problems. With Perfect Parenting parents can quickly look up a specific topic and find several practical, easy-to-follow solutions, all of which foster a loving and respectful parent-child relationship."
Katey Roemmele, Editor
Northwest Family Magazine
Bellingham, Washington
"Some parents are lucky. They go into parenting with skills that they learned by observing effective ways their parents handled certain problems. We have all met them, or maybe you are even one of them. But any one person's experience is limited. Imagine pulling together the collective skills of many of these people and then putting them into a package where all of us could easily access this accumulated wisdom for almost any parenting problem you would have. With Perfect Parenting, Elizabeth Pantley's latest book has given all of us such a wonderful resource.
Rona L. Levy, Ph.D.
Professor, University of Washington
Seattle, Washington
"Perfect Parenting, a parent-friendly compilation of choices and strategies, is practical, wise and witty. It gives parents a pocketful of solutions to everyday conflicts."
Susan Beekman, Author
Battles, Hassles, Tantrums and Tears
"This is THE book to keep on your kitchen counter. It's packed with creative, practical solutions to all your everyday parenting problems. The dictionary format makes it easy to find quick, specific answers. Pantley's advice is based on common sense and sound parenting philosophies."
Dr. Len Fellez, Author
Guerrilla Parenting and Your Child's Self Esteem
From the Back Cover
This book is a practical dictionary of ideas. It is meant to inspire you to find the right answers for the many discipline and behavior issues you face every day. It presents you with many options and methods that can help you be thoughtful in your approach to raising your children. What you'll find here, in a handy A-Z format, are practical, commonsense solutions that will make your lie easier.
You'll learn what to do about back talk, dawdling, interrupting, stubbornness, whining. You'll find ways to get your kids to do the chores, stop ignoring you, and clean up their own messes. You'll even learn what to do about other people's children!
Elizabeth Pantley designed a questionnaire addressing discipline problems and sent it to hundreds of parents. Their answers shaped this book to make it the most useful, practical book on discipline available today.
About the Author
Elizabeth Pantley publishes the newsletter Parent Tips, read by thousands of parents nationwide, and is regularly quoted in magazines including Redbook, Good Housekeeping, Parents, Parenting, Woman's Day, Working Mother, and American Baby.
