Customer Reviews

Family First: Your Step-by-Step Plan for Creating a Phenomenal Family

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After reading Family First I find myself feeling uninspired. A fun read but without much merit and certainly without much depth. Family First has the feel of a book written for mass market appeal rather than as a parenting resource for thinking parents. Don't get me wrong here, reading Family First will probably not hurt anything. However, parents wanting to experience long-term healthy change will, in retrospect, likely find Family First disappointing. Phil is an entertainer first and foremost - do not let yourself get swept away in the Dr. Phil craze. Parenting and the emotional health of your children is much too important to rely upon man who is merely grabbing his 15 minutes of fame & fortune.

I would suggest that if you are looking for a parenting resource that is more than a marketing blitz check out the parenting and family resources that have been written by professionals who avoid the publicists, marketers, and agents that are moving this book up the charts.

I would suggest that parents turn to resources such as "Systemic Parenting" by Mark Gaskill (a family therapist and parenting EXPERT) and "Unconditional Parenting" by Alfie Kohn (a brilliant researcher and parenting EXPERT).

This is certainly an entertaining book, but I would not take it too seriously. I think Phi presents some fine points but after I completed the book I felt as if I had fallen into reading "just another pop psychology book" trap. A book intended to capitalize on the appeal of Dr. Phil but lacking substance. The Dr. Phil writing mill put this book together pretty fast and it shows in the quality of the material. Parents seeking realistic and in-depth information about parenting should consider going elsewhere (take a look at "Systemic Parenting: An Exploration of the Parenting Big Picture" - written by a family therapist and parenting expert by the name of Mark Gaskill. This is the definitive book on parenting and family and probably the initial reference for Family First). If you are a parent wanting to be entertained and have low expectations of dramatically improving your parenting skills Family First is a very good book. Otherwise, I would pass and go to a resource with more detail and depth.
Cheers

If this book helps just one family to improve on their relationship, that's priceless and makes this book a good investment. I'm giving this book 3 stars because I do believe it has value and real potential to cause some people to think about what they are currently doing and what they can do in the future to make their family life better, but I also think buyers should be aware that the sub-title is somewhat misleading in that this really is not a 'Step-by-Step Plan for Creating a Phenomenal Family'. It is a general guide that will get you started down a better pathway if you let it. Some family situations are so dynamic and complex that it going to take much more than this book has to offer to provide long-term benefits -- so don't consider this book an answer-all. Also recommended: "The Five Love Languages" (ISBN 1881273156) and "Love Loves" (ISBN 0595335241).

I saw Dr. Phil's 2 Hour TV special and immediately bought his book. What I really like is that he helps you recognize the problem and gives you guidance in making 'a plan' to change for the better. Although Phil's style is to tell it like it is, each scenario holds hope for a positve change in behavior to better the communication and cooperation within the family. He explains many practical strategies that actually work on people of all ages.

I really liked the point he makes regarding how many times we automatically tell young children (who often tune us out) what they CAN'T do...like 'Stop that!'...'Don't touch that!' rather than telling them specifically what they CAN do in a calm voice...Although this technique does not come naturally and takes thought to impliment...it works! I have a 3 and 5 year old and have found this tip to be extremely effective.

My husband and I have realized that inorder to change our children's behavior, we are going to have to change OURS first! After following Dr. Phil's advice, we are now finding our kids are listening to us more often WITHOUT yelling, pleading, criticizing and threatening. That really feels good! If you have a 2, 3, 4, or 5 year old who ocassionally pushes you to your wits' end, we also highly recommend a helpful A-Z troubleshooting behavior guide called "The Pocket Parent" in addition to Dr Phil's book. This book offers hundreds of tips and specific solutions for the precious but challenging toddler/preschooler age group. Both books are compatible in philosophy and a welcome addition to your home library.

Phil's book is full of fluff and filler. The content is too basic to live up to the hype created by this media whore. After completing Family First I wonder how many publicists he must have on the job creating false reviews and inaccurate hype. This is not a 'Step-by-Step Plan for Creating a Phenomenal Family' but rather an oversimplified text stating the obvious. It certainly has a focus group feel to it - meaning many people will feel good after reading it but few will actually see long term benefits. I would suspect we will see Family First on the discount table (selling for $1.99) just after Christmas. It will certainly be known as a fad that mad Dr. Phil a lot of money.

While I don't generally read this sort of thin, choosing instead to stick with some bestseller or highly recommended book like "A Paper Life" or "Bark of the Dogwood," I ventured into the land of "Phil" and decided to give the man a chance. I wasn't disappointed. I find Dr. Phil's newest book just super. I have been struggling with a way for my family to really spend some quality time together. In chapter 3 he gives some great ideas about how to spend time with your family and how to make your kids want to spend more time with you. Although I am not done with the whole book I am really looking forward to reading more words of wisdom from an incredible family man.

I'm usually one to stick with a fictional bestseller or Oprah pick like THE GOOD EARTH or McCrae's BARK OF THE DOGWOOD, but, since Dr. Phil is in a way an Oprah recommendation, I decided to give him a chance. While I've watched his show, I wasn't sure how he'd translate into book form. I shouldn't have worried, for he's an excellent communicator and this is one terrific book. Highly recommended.