- Hardcover: 256 pages
- Publisher: Ballantine Books (Oct 1 2002)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0345442326
- ISBN-13: 978-0345442321
- Product Dimensions: 24.4 x 15 x 2.5 cm
- Shipping Weight: 476 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #839,268 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Hallowell (Driven to Distraction) provides a refreshing look at what children really need in order to grow up to be happy adults. Hallowell argues that kids do not need straight As, a crammed schedule of extracurricular activities or even a traditional family in order to become contented adults. What children really need, according to the author, are unconditional love from someone (not necessarily a parent) and the opportunity to revel in the magic and play of childhood. Kids do not need perfect lives, and learn from adversity and failure, but for the best chance of future happiness, Hallowell says, they need five basic tenets: to feel connected, to play, to practice, attain mastery and receive recognition. It's easy to get caught up in the "great riptide that sucks kids out of childhood and into an achievement fast lane as early as nursery school," Hallowell warns. Instead, he says, parents should focus on social/emotional health and happiness, creating an environment in which kids are free to "develop the muscles of confidence, optimism and hope." Drawing upon the research of optimist expert Martin Seligman, happiness researcher Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and others, the author offers a solid case for establishing joyful childhood roots that form the basis of adult contentment. Though occasionally overly sentimental, Hallowell's heartfelt message is essential for our fast-paced, electronic age, reminding parents and children alike to slow down, enjoy life and learn to play well. (Oct.) Forecast: The publisher plans a solid media package, including an 8-city author tour, but Hallowell's name alone will boost sales.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Hallowell (Harvard Medical Sch.) here aims to help parents give children the tools needed to achieve happiness. Though he provides useful, up-to-date information backed by quotes from many books and research studies, readers may resist his socioeconomic assumptions. Hallowell speaks as if everyone has attended an Ivy League school, for example. In addition, the vignettes used to illustrate various points often involve Hallowell's family, and it gets tiresome to read how terrific his children are. The absence of a bibliography is a further stumbling block. A much more accessible and easy-to-read book about raising happy children is Steve Biddulph's The Secret of Happy Children. Still, Hallowell's book may be requested because of his reputation and his previous publications, which include the popular Driven to Distraction, which addressed attention deficit disorder. Purchase this new book only where demand warrants. Alice Hershiser, Reedville, VA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness,
By
This review is from: The Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness: Five Steps to Help Kids Create and Sustain Lifelong Joy (Hardcover)
"The Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness" is the only parenting book you'll ever need! In his usual heartwarming and uplifting style, Dr. Ned gives parents, teachers, counselors and anyone who works with kids THE five step formula for creating lifelong happiness. As a lover of biographies, I must admit, that the true adult success stories have as their foundation Dr. Ned's five key elements!! While reading this inspiring book you can't help but look back at your own childhood and smile at the things that went right and understand better why things went wrong. Furthermore, it helps one better understand the unhappy adults we interact with from time to time. Another striking impression that "Roots" delivers is that it's never too late to begin cultivating pieces of the formula one might have missed along the way. If you want to cultivate successful adults, I highly recommend this highly informative and provocative book, beautifully written by one of the leading experts in psychiatry today!
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness,
By Audra Singh (Milton, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness: Five Steps to Help Kids Create and Sustain Lifelong Joy (Hardcover)
My husband and I are preparing for children and found this book very insightful. It helps you to think about and extract the wonders of your own childhood and how that connection brings you joy as an adult. The book give great advice on developing a connected childhood in your own kids and I can assure you that we will definitely use this knowlegde in raising our own kids (when God blesses us with them).
5.0 out of 5 stars
Recommended for Anyone with Children,
By
This review is from: The Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness: Five Steps to Help Kids Create and Sustain Lifelong Joy (Hardcover)
This is an excellent book, which shows that in childhood you plant the seeds for adult happiness. It gives concrete suggestions about what to do for your children in order to improve their odds of becoming happy adults. A few things struck me in particular: the idea of flow, that we are happiest when we are in activities that we get so wrapped up in that we forget ourselves, the concept that children need to learn how to fail, and how to cope with failure, that being bored is an opportunity, you needn't fill up every minute of your child's time, or orchestrate their play. I'd recommend it to anyone with children, or anyone, such as teachers, that deal with children. Even an unhappy adult, might find out that they have the seeds of happiness within them, they just need some care to make them grow.
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