Book Description
The renowned #1 New York Times bestselling authors share their advice and expertise with parents and teens in this accessible, indispensable guide to surviving adolescence.
Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish transformed parenting with their breakthrough, bestselling books Siblings Without Rivalry and How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk. Now, they return with this revolutionary guide that tackles the tough issues teens and parents face today.
Filled with straightforward advice and written in their trademark, down–to–earth, accessible style sure to appeal to both parents and teens, this all–new volume offers both innovative easy–to–implement suggestions and proven techniques to build the foundation for lasting relationships. From curfews and cliques to sex and drugs, it gives parents the tools to help their children safely navigate the often stormy years of adolescence.
Customer Reviews:
Respectful communication..........2006-12-20
This book offers excellent advice for communication between parents and teens. The principles taught in this book are useful for every area of
our busy lives. Basically, it reminds us to think before we speak and to speak to others with respect, the way we would prefer to be spoken to. The book also encourages parents to allow their teens to make choices where appropriate and encourage them to learn how to make their own decisions.
How to Talk So Teens Will Listen and Listen So Teens Will Talk.......2006-08-15
The book offered lots of examples that involves changing the way you word things when speaking to your teen with the goal that it will have a more positive affect on conversations with your kids. It's worthwhile in the sense that it gives helpful examples of "conversation starters" to hopefully get the teen talking. But it's no guarantee either that you will get the response you're looking for because the person you're trying to talk to or reason with has their own, seperate agenda. So it's a good starting point rather than a "quick fix" which, when looking at the big picture, should work out a lot better.
How to Talk so Teens Will Listen and Listen so Teens Will Talk.......2006-08-09
Very useful strategies for interacting in a positive way with Teens without compromising either their or your own sense of self. I found it to be very readable and down to earth with plenty of examples and case studies to illustrate real life use of the stratagies. It gives permission to be creative and have fun on the way while maintaining respect for all. Warmly recommend.
Another great book by these 2 wonderful ladies.......2006-07-20
I recentely read this and it really helped me with dealing with issues with my almost teenager, I highly recommend this book.
At last! Skills that work with teenagers!.......2006-03-03
Nineteen years ago I had reached the end of my "motherhood rope". The kids were fighting, whining, manipulating, throwing tantrums... just generally being "kids." But one day it just became way too overwhelming, so I left them home with their dad and escaped to the mall. While in the bookstore I couldn't help but notice an enticing book cover: "How To Talk So Kids Will Listen And Listen So Kids Will Talk." "That'll be the day!" I grunted, but walked across the aisle to page through the book... Inside I noticed what an easy read this book was for busy mothers like myself; cartoons showing me skills such as "Instead of nagging, try saying it with a word!" Interesting! I took the book home and that very skill was the first one I tried ----- and the first of many that worked! (Instead of nagging that we didn't own the electric company because I saw the bathroom light had been left on, I simply said "Lights!" and the kids actually jumped up to shut the light!)
Amazing!! I had to share this wonderful book with my friends at the PTA!! The PTA said "We'll sponsor a workshop if you lead it!" I agreed, and have been leading workshops based on the Faber/Mazlish series successfully for the past nineteen years. The only thing missing was help for the parents of teenagers, but thanks to the authors, that problem is now solved. The positive feedback on this book from parents in my classes has been heartwarming. Unruly, sullen teens were now taking the time to have conversations with their parents, agreeing to accompany families on vacations, cleaning their rooms, and getting haircuts!!! There was no end to the good news I was receiving in my classrooms! Is this book a magic bullet? A miracle cure to the teenage "attitude disease?" Wake up! There are no magic bullets, and anyone who has taken my class will tell you that I don't promise miracles, but I do promise calm. Could you use some "calm" in your home? Thanks to Adele and Elaine's revamping of Dr. Haim Ginott's teachings to fit the teenage years, you can breathe a little easier. Pick up a copy of this book and slowly start incorporating the skills into your home life; you won't be disappointed, I promise.
Isn't it time for you to experience the "calm?"
Amazon.com
Few parents enjoy those oh-so-important talks with children about the "facts of life." The fact is, you can (and probably should!) begin the conversation as soon as a child turns 3 years old. As for the delicate wording--Linda and Richard Eyre (Teaching Your Children Values) have plenty of suggestions in their comprehensive, step-by-step guide, How to Talk to Your Child About Sex. Starting with the "Preliminary 'As Needed' Talks with Three-to-Eight Year-Olds," the Eyres arrange their chapters by age, including the "The Age Eight 'Big Talk'" and numerous chapters on talking with preteens and adolescents.
The authors also describe what's normal sexual behavior for each stage of development and how to plant the seeds of appreciation of one's body and the later respect for commitment and love. They examine how parents can stay true to their moral and spiritual values while staying connected to their teenagers' sexual reality. Parents will especially appreciate the up-to-date research, such as current statistics about adolescent fears, desires, and activity surrounding sexuality. --Gail Hudson
Book Description
Linda and Richard Eyre stress that it's never too soon-or too late-to start discussing sex and values with your children, and they've got proven strategies to make it easier. How to Talk to Your Child About Sex provides thoughtful, clear, specific guidance on when and, most important, how to help children begin to understand sex, love, and commitment from the most positive viewpoint possible.Preliminary "as needed" talks with three-to eight-year-oldsThe age eight Big TalkFollow-up talks with eight-to thirteen-year-oldsBehavior discussions with eleven-to sixteen-year-oldsDiscussions of perspective and personal standards with fifteen-to nineteen-year-olds
Customer Reviews:
A Must Have For Parents of 7 yr olds and up.......2007-08-13
This is the book you have been searching for. I have a 10 year old son and a 7 year old daughter, and some would say I don't need a book about sex yet. Neither my husband nor I received the "talk" from our parents, so I felt I was in much need of some guidance.
I was very pleased with the content and tone of this book.
I couldn't put it down until I finished it.
It has something for each age group from 8 yrs to 19 yr olds.
The insights and guided conversations of how to broach the topic of sex were invaluable. Thanks to Amazon for the recommendation once I arrived to their site, and to the authors for the sharing of their experiences and knowledge. I now feel equipped and excited to answer the questions that I know my 5th Grader will soon throw at me.
Thanks for the opporunity to review this purchase.
PERFECT!.......2007-04-25
We have to say that this is the best book for "How To" we have encountered! It addresses all issues accompanied with sexual perceptions kids deal with today. Getting to the root of WHY parents need to be the 1st to talk and HOW to help children sort out the garbage that can send mixed signals about our relationship with ourselves and others. Moreover, it sends a message that you think your child is so wonderful and your love so great for them, that you will be the 1st to talk to them about it-- regardless if it is at 5, 8 or 10.
We have found 8 is NOT too early to talk about it.... If you have found this book later, then-- it isn't too late. Some of the language is a bit quirky-- but, as with most books, one must speak what comes out best for them. For us.... a "BIG HUG" was not the way to discuss SEX in all of its glory-- so we chose to use the words, "a special part of you". For us, sexual intimacy IS the most personal part of ourselves that we share. Love is the root and if parents don't have love and for themselves, each other, or their children do not feel love or understand what love means, then they will have problems dealing with sex and why it is so special. I agree that ALL children need to know from you that you are committed to your family and them as individuals. Tell them!!!
Sex is wonderful, very special and has a lot of facets that go unnoticed like: Modesty, respecting and protecting our bodies, loyalty, respect in general, and how nature plays a part in WHY sex is great, special and wonderful. The Eyre's touch on all aspects incorporated into sex, leaving out nothing.
Ultimately your timing may be different than theirs, but the concepts and delivery are good ways to get the "talk" done. Highly recommended. Don't miss reading what their children all have to say about the "big talk".
Love it.......2007-03-27
This book is great. I've bought it at least 3 times and keep lending it to my friends to never get it back. I must say it is not a book directed toward a liberal point of view, it is most definatly a more conservative parents book. If you have a hard time knowing where to start this book is great because it gives you full on conversations, everything you need to say for each stage of your kids life.
A great place to start.......2006-01-30
I thought this was a great book to help me focus my thoughts and take a positive approach with my kids on this subject. I am an Ob/Gyn and have no problem talking about the "nuts and bolts" of the subject, but what I appreciated about this book was the help it gave me in introducing the rationale for delayed gratification and how to give my kids an idea of why it is such a special thing. I agree with some reviewers about the discussions on masturbation and homosexuality being a bit intolerant (and unrealistic!) for my taste, but the authors are pretty straightforward about their values and say straight out that parents should take what resonates with them, and disregard what doesn't. I will just modify those topics for my kids, but I found the other 99% of this book very helpful.
I am so thankful for this book.......2005-05-05
I loved this book. Like another reviewer, my parents never talked with me about sex. Unlike the other viewer, however, I found this book very helpful. I was so scared to have "The Big Talk" with my children, because I had no idea what to say. When I read this book, I was able to relax about the conversation, and let things come naturally. I'm no longer scared about my children asking questions, because now I have answers.
Book Description
THE RIGHT WORDS FOR EVERY SITUATION
Do you find yourself in those maddening situations where you sound like a broken record when talking to your child? Your preschooler won't decide what she wants to wear, regardless of how many times you insist that she just choose; your struggling third grader says "I can't do math," and your "Sure you can!" reassurance falls like a dead weight; your daughter smears on black eyeliner just before the bus arrives, and your daily protests are muted by hers.
WHAT'S LEFT TO SAY? LOTS.
In Parent Talk, a must-have for every parent with a preschool to high school-age child, Chick Moorman tells you what to say so that you can communicate more effectively -- and peacefully -- with your child in every circumstance, including:
- The morning mad dash to dress, eat, and leave the house on time
- The nightly struggle to focus on homework
- The endless car ride of exhaustion-induced whining
- The meltdown in the mall
For instance, Moorman's antidote to the "I can't" loop is "Act as if you've done this before." With Moorman's help, you'll learn the words to use and the words to avoid to end power struggles and the fruitless conversation loops you're stuck in.
Download Description
"THE RIGHT WORDS FOR EVERY SITUATION Do you find yourself in those maddening situations where you sound like a broken record when talking to your child? Your preschooler won't decide what she wants to wear, regardless of how many times you insist that she just choose; your struggling third grader says ""I can't do math,"" and your ""Sure you can!"" reassurance falls like a dead weight; your daughter smears on black eyeliner just before the bus arrives, and your daily protests are muted by hers. WHAT'S LEFT TO SAY? LOTS. In Parent Talk, a must-have for every parent with a preschool to high school-age child, Chick Moorman tells you what to say so that you can communicate more effectively -- and peacefully -- with your child in every circumstance, including: The morning mad dash to dress, eat, and leave the house on time The nightly struggle to focus on homework The endless car ride of exhaustion-induced whining The meltdown in the mall For instance, Moorman's antidote to the ""I can't"" loop is ""Act as if you've done this before."" With Moorman's help, you'll learn the words to use and the words to avoid to end power struggles and the fruitless conversation loops you're stuck in. "
Customer Reviews:
very helpful book.......2007-04-28
My life was a syntax error before I read this book. I have an older child that I had no troubles with whatsoever, and I was afraid my youngest was a "problem child". Thanks to Chick Moorman, I found out he is NOT a problem child at all, he just responds to the type of language that Moorman explains in the book. It does make a huge difference. If you're having troubles with your kids, this book could change your life.
Excellent Communication Tool.......2007-03-24
Great tool for all parents to learn how to communicate with their kids to bring out the best in them.
Best book I've read........2006-07-01
This is best book I've read to teach communication skills to children. Results are immediate. Awesome!
How to destroy your relationship with your kids.......2006-04-30
Regrettably, I bought this book (for one cent) based on the strong reviews. I will never put so much credence in reviews again. This would definitely not be one that you would thumb through at the bookstore and buy. The author appears to have been introduced to child psychology about five minutes before writing this book. His methodology is extremely juvenile and naive. His whole approach is to have an arsenal of canned phrases that you tell your kid for various circumstances.
This doesn't sound like a bad thing at first until you find out what unimaginative over-simplistic blabber that "Chick" offers. I could point out samples from every page of the first 25 that I read and the dozen or so others that I then skimmed through. Just quoting this pansy-ass fluff turns my stomach. Here is a story he tells a speaker who was distracted by a couple of kids talking at a lecture...
"Frowning, he looked at them and very quietly said 'I'm feeling distracted by your behavior. Please make a different choice.' By telling these students to make a different choice the speaker used language that communicated respect. His message informed them 'I see you as responsible for your own actions. You control your behavior. You choose your responses to life.'
Every page has this same sickening tone to it. If you want to avoid reality and miss the opportunities to affect your children in a way that builds self-esteem and confidence in them with real heart to heart interaction and instead gum them up with garbage talk then this book is for you. Otherwise, to quote the author "PLEASE MAKE A DIFFERENT CHOICE" and find a better book or just use your own intuition and common sense. This book teaches you how to destroy relationships by talking in mumbo jumbo out of the side of your mouth, while trying to keep a straight face. A one star rating gives this comic book way too much credit.
Parent Talk: How to Talk to Your Children in Language That B.......2004-01-18
This is a great book! After 20 years of working with children, I thought I knew all the ways to speak to a child. But this book has given me new insight into the impact that our words have on children. It shows examples of how we inadvertently teach our children 'learned helplessness' and ways to teach them the process of making decisions, handling everyday happenings, and to make their own choices. I have also been amazed at how the advice in this book works with my teenager! So I ventured a step further and have used the advice in this book with co-workers, too, with some amazing results! It is easy to read and refer back to when necessary. Every parent should have a copy of this book handed to them when their children are born.
Amazon.com
"Every happy family is alike, and every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way," wrote Leo Tolstoy. Families dealing with a child's homosexuality are certainly forced by a homophobic culture to experience a whole range of unhappiness. Beyond Acceptance deals with a variety of issues facing heterosexual parents of gay children, from facing what the neighbors will say to worrying about AIDS and social ostracism to feeling angry and guilt-ridden.
Various people speak about how they came to their misinformed views about gayness, their religious beliefs, their fears that friends will abandon them after finding out about their child's homosexuality, and their anxieties about AIDS. Often people find similar solutions to their problems, and sometimes different ones, but in all cases the message is that understanding, love, and a need to own up to, and dispense with, ignorant homophobic attitudes can bring families back together in a wholesome and nurturing manner. Frank, informed, and filled with insights and practical suggestions, Beyond Acceptance is a fine addition to the literature on homophobia and families. --Michael Bronski
Book Description
"Mom, Dad, I'm gay." When a parent hears these words, the initial shock is often followed by feelings ranging from anger and denial to fear and guilt. It's also the beginning of a difficult journey that, with understanding and emotional support, can lead to acceptance and beyond.Now fully revised and updated, Beyond Acceptance is a ground-breaking book that provides parents the comfort and knowledge they need to accept the gay children and build stronger family relationships. Based on the experiences of other parents, this book lets them know they are not alone and helps them through the emotional stages leading to reconciliation with their children.
Customer Reviews:
A most important book........2000-11-07
Beyond good, this book is important. A book from the voices of parents who have lesbian and/or gay children. We have "heard" plenty from lesbians and gays, pleading for understanding and acceptance, so this book gives the readers a voice from "the other" side.
With frank interviews and conversations, we are let in on the angst, the suffering, the fears and disappointments from parents. It covers many aspects of our lives. Most often, the burning question from parents is "what did I do wrong?" Religion, health, acceptance etc....all the way to "should the neighbours know?
This book is honestly written from the hearts of the writers, parents who have been through all of that and more. We learn of how they cope or didn't. The journeys they have taken and what the effects are with a lesbian/gay in the family unit. A must read, not just for parents, but also for lesbians and gays, and their siblings. And for everyone else too - I recommend this book. It creates understanding, not answers, through the conversations with various people. In all, it is almost like sitting in a crowd and listening in on an interesting discussion or conversation and gleaning knowledge and understanding!!
There is an earlier editon from 1990. Try to get the lastest one, I think 1996/7, with updates on issues like AIDS etc...
Buy or borrow this book, read it again and again. Pass it on. For everyone.
Read this book before you come out to your parents........2000-05-31
I told my parents I'm gay this past weekend. It went much better than expected. Friends said that there were books on the market that could help. I checked out Amazon's selection and found _Beyond Acceptance: Parents of Lesbians and Gays Talk About Their Experiences_ to be the extremely helpful in the coming-out-to-your-parents experience. The book was, for me, accurate in "predicting" my parents' reactions, down to the questions they would ask, the emotions they would go through, etc. It was touching, and inspiring as it brings you from the initial coming out event all the way through to parents who have taken action in their communities against homophobia. The book doesn't pretend that all parents will change so drastically, but it shows what's possible.
Note: While the book draws from the experiences of predominantly caucasian, middle-class families, the parents were from all across the country and from various religious backgrounds, i.e. Jewish, Christian, Catholic, agnostic, etc.
The book covers an amazing array of subjects including: Issues regarding your partner and the difficulties and triumphs in bringing partners into the family, the grandparents and extended family, the church, the sense of loss experienced by parents when their expectations for their gay child changes, the paradox of the general acceptance of married heterosexuals who don't have children versus gay committed, monogamous relationships, the fact gays can lead happy and full lives, gays in the military, about whether gayness is caused by nature or nurture or both, about whether being gay is a mental illness, about the removal of homosexuality from the APA's list of mental illnesses, about the failure of all forms of "treatment," and the list goes on . . .
I also enjoyed and drew wisdom from the Bernstein book, _Straight Parents, Gay Children: Inspiring Families to Live Honestly and With Greater Understanding_, but found _Beyond Acceptance_ to be better organized.
An Excellent Coming Out Tool.......1999-09-11
This book is written as a resource for parents. I bought and read it before coming out to my parents. Insightful and careful writing to help you understand what your parents might feel when you tell them. Then give them a copy when you have the big discussion. The authors use loads of real-life examples from many different people and situations to help parents understand and relate.
Great review of coming-out issues from a parent's perspectiv.......1997-08-19
This book is like having someone hold your hand as you accept the news that someone you love is gay. It is written by parents who share what were their reactions, questions and fears upon learning that their son or daughter is gay. Is is my fault? What will the neighbors think? What will my church think? The book presents parent's own answers to these questions and refers to current outside writing on the subjects addressed. It's "must read" for anyone trying to understand homosexuality, coming-out and how to best understand and love someone who is gay
Book Description
In their first three years of life babies face the most complex learning endeavor they will ever undertake as human beings: They learn to talk. Now, as researchers make new forays into the mystery of the development of the human brain, authors Roberta Michnick Golinkoff and Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, both developmental psychologists and language experts, offer parents a powerfully insightful guidebook to how infants--even while in the womb--begin to learn language. Along the way, the authors provide parents with the latest scientific findings, developmental milestones, and important advice on how to create the most effective learning environments for their children. This book takes readers on a fascinating, vitally important exploration of the dance between nature and nurture, and explains how parents can help their children learn more successfully.
"This is a great book. It's an important addition to any parent's library." --T. Berry Brazelton
Download Description
Did you know that a fetus can distinguish between similar sounds? Or that a four-month-old can recognize her name? The culmination of years of research, How Babies Talk explains exactly how babies learn language in their first three years of life. This accessible guide for parents outlines the milestones babies reach and how parents can help their babies reach them. It shows what they can do to facilitate the language learning process, how to use simple at-home tests to measure their child's progress, and what warning signs might indicate a problem. Few books have explored the incredible feat of learning language in such fascinating detail, and no other authors are as well qualified to explain it. A critical contribution to the literature of parenting and child development, How Babies Talk will serve as the premier language facilitator for generations to come.
Customer Reviews:
A big disappointment.......2006-05-11
As a new parent with an interest in linguistics, I was really looking forward to this, but I was disappointed to find it boring, repetitive, and sometimes sloppily written. Parents worried about a slow talker will be made more rather than less concerned, as this book almost never acknowledges how much different children vary in the timing of developmental milestones. Those interested in an overview of language acquisition will be disconcerted by the slap-dash summaries of important findings, which often feature startling logical lapses in their explanations (there is, though, an extensive bibliography--the one aspect of the book I find praiseworthy).
The babies in the condescendingly described made-up illustrations of experiments are almost all sterotypically white and middle class (judging from their names), monolingual, and cared-for-only-by-the-mother. Perhaps this disconnect from the lives of many readers is supposed to be compensated for by the numerous "try this at home" style "experiments," which are unrealistic bits of padding that repeat points from the text (which have often been repeated at least once already).
In all, a frustrating and condescending book that makes a fascinating subject less interesting. A better introduction is the relevant chapter in Lise Elliot's "What's Going On in There: How the Brain and Mind Develop in the First Five Years of Life," a book that, much like this one, could have used some serious editing, but that is light-years better in its presentation of the material. William O'Grady's "How Children Learn Language" looks pretty good, but I haven't read it yet because it is so ridiculously expensive.
I have been waiting for this!.......2003-08-12
I looked and looked for a book like this. I just wanted to learn how a baby manages to learn language - and why my daughter's first ten words included such irrelevant words as 'duck' and 'buckle.'
The book does an excellent job at explaining just how scientists believe a child is learning at each stage. It also explains the experiments that they use and how the conclusions are reached - fascinating.
This is NOT a book to help you guage whether or not your child needs assistance. This is NOT a book to make your baby into a super-baby. This is a book that gives you clear insight into how his mind is developing. I would buy this book for anyone with a baby.
An outstanding and credible book.......2001-05-25
I found this book extraordinarily helpful in understanding and tracking my daugher's learning. I gained three valuable insights from this book: (1) a clearer understanding of how language acquisition occurs (2) specific examples of how I can assist my child with the language acquisition process (3) a valuable insight to how much my daughter can understand prior to her ability to communicate it.
This book brought additional enjoyment because after reading this book, I immediately noticed additional examples of my daughter's progression in language learning that I'd previously overlooked.
Additionally, the book contains a balanced mixture of research and specific examples. This combination makes it both credible and readable. I actually found it hard to put down, which is very impressive for a research based book!
I'd also highly recommend Baby Signs by Linda Acredolo
If you have a late talker not the book for you.......2000-06-10
My son is 16 months and this book was helpful in pointing out to me that he was saying things, I just was looking for better formed words and not listening very well (chalk it up to first time mom)!
However, the book states that the average age a baby talks is 12 months, but can go to 24 months. There was a study mentioned in their book that stated the average first word in the study was produced at 13.5 months.
I do not think this book is helpful for parents trying to find encouragement and answers as to why their child isn't talking. Most of the examples they give of first word talkers at 12 and 13 months. There is mention of a 17 month 1st word talker, but their reason was because he had ear infections.
I would have liked to read more examples of later talkers without any "ear infections" or disabilites being the case.
Help for the new parent.......2000-02-08
This book offers a parent some insight into the processes involved for a baby learning to speak. I have found myself rereading each age-related section as my son ages. More than anything, I think this book helped me to relax about my son's learning to talk; speech development is occuring even though it might not be verbalized at the moment. The references to the various research studies offered me some ideas about methods of communicating with my son without the aid of his speech. His glances, his reactions, all are methods of communicating with me, as long as I'm receptive enough to pay attention!
Product Description
Parents will help children identify the beauty and hope in all cycles of life as they follow two insect friends, Lea and Nym, and the struggles one of them endures when her friend disappears. This is a tender story about loss and change, written to help parents express their views about life and death. The book may serve many purposes, such as comforting a grieving child who has lost someone close or providing facts about dragonflies to inquisitive minds. Lea's transformation into a dragonfly may even be used as a metaphor for life-after-death. The Dragonfly Door is beautifully illustrated by award-winning artist Barbara L. Gibson. The book is cherished by parents, grandparents and teachers. It was recently brought to life as a mini-play in Alabama to help children cope with the loss of their classmates. The following is an excerpt from the book: While Nym slept, she heard Lea's voice saying, "Follow me, Nym. I'm going to show you where I am." "Will I see you again?" Nym asked. "Only when it's time for you to die too," Lea replied. "You won't see me in the marsh ever again. But let me show you what I will look like the next time you see me. Here, close your eyes." Nym closed her eyes. "Now look at me," Lea said. Nym opened her eyes and saw ...
Customer Reviews:
The warm, emotional colors of award-winning artist Barbara L. Gibson.......2007-09-07
The debut children's picturebook of author John Adams, The Dragonfly Door dares to confront serious topics - of loss, death, grieving, and transition. Nym and Lea are two close insect friends, but one day after Nym yells at Lea, Lea disappears. Nym searches everywhere for her missing friend, and can't find her. At last Nym falls asleep, grief-stricken, and finally hears Lea's voice one more time. "'I died and went to this special place,' Lea said, her voice full of love. 'But I didn't want you to leave,' Nym pleaded. 'I'm sorry I yelled.' 'I know you're sorry,' Lea assured her. 'I left because my water nymph body died while I was picking flowers in the reeds, not because you yelled.'" The warm, emotional colors of award-winning artist Barbara L. Gibson illustrate this highly recommended picturebook for sharing the bittersweet realities of life with young people.
Jewel's Reading Excellence Review: Helps children understand nature's life cycle.......2007-05-10
John Adams brilliantly invites the reader into the world of Nymphs and Dragonflies to explore the changes that take place when Nym's friend goes to a special place.
When I had lost a family member I had read a wonderful story called, "The Water Bug Story." John Adams adds a fresh approach to this story by focusing on friendship loss and giving a voice to his characters. With the help of Gibson's eye-catching nature illustrations, "The Dragon Fly Door" answers general questions surrounding loss, such as feelings about loss, what happens to the nymph's body when he dies, and how a nymph is transformed into a dragonfly.
Adams creatively normalizes typical friendship rivalry and takes the reader on a nature journey to discover that one chooses to resolve conflict, loss, and changes in different ways. Adams concludes the book with uncomplicated educational facts for the inquisitive science mind.
This is a great educational tool for parents, grandparents or professionals to use to help explain the uncontrollable life cycle changes and loss.
Reviewed by Jewel Sample, MS
Award-winning author of Flying Hugs and Kisses(2006), also translated: Besos y Abrazos Al Aire(2006, Spanish edition) and Flying Hugs and Kisses Activity Book(2007)
A Message of Hope for Children Who Are Grieving.......2007-02-26
As President of a nonprofit organization that reaches out to those who are grieving, I was very pleased to read a book such as The Dragonfly Door. This book provides a much needed way to offer children (and adults) a message of hope following the death of a loved one.
Children can relate to the playful nature of Nym and Lea who are the two young nymph friends, the sorrow of Nym when Lea dies, and the comforting feeling when when Nym realizes that he will one day see Lea again as a dragonfly, when he too has made his transformation into a dragonfly.
Our nonprofit organization recommends this book so highly that we have decided to make it available for purchase at all of our events.
-Valerie Marquardt
Beautiful and excellent for all who grieve.......2007-02-18
I received this wonderfully beautiful book on the 8th anniversary of my son's graduation to Heaven ... that evening, I was able to read it with his daughter, who is now 9... I believe she gained another understanding of her Very Own Daddy in a beautiful place that we have not seen just yet ... and though she already knew he is waiting for her, this was another good reminder of that ... I was unaware of the dragonfly's life cycle and was so blessed to see how it seemingly parallels this life and the next. Thank you, John, for a wonderful way to help us all in our continuing journey with grief and the Hope we can have.
Book Description
Ten Talks offers parents advice on what to say to their childrennot just about sex, but about safety, character, peer pressure, ethics, meeting people on the Internet, and mixed messages from TV. Ten Talks unique approach goes beyond other books, helping parents clarify their own values and providing creative tools to enhance communication. Ten Talks is based on innovative and proven approaches the authors are using in parent workshops across the country. The talks can be adapted for all kinds of families and offer immeasurable rewards, strengthening the relationships of parents and children.
Customer Reviews:
Great Book, But First ...........2001-09-03
At last someone wrote a how-to guide for parents on this subject. This is the one to use. But before you do, make sure you have a handle on your own values. You'll probably have to answer questions like, "WHY is something right or wrong, good or evil, moral or immoral?" "Because" isn't too good an answer. For that part of it, the best book for boneing up on character, morals, and ethics before you present yourself as expert to your kids is a book on just that subject titled "WEST POINT", by Norman Thomas Remick. Then use this excellent book, "TEN TALKS ..." to do your thing.
Making Uncomfortable Family Talks Easier !!.......2000-11-12
The 288 pages of this book written by those in-the-know can really simplify our talks about sex, character and more with our children. The "Ten Talks" book offers parents what they need to speak with their children, confidently, about these important topics and their relationships with others. The information has been gathered from across the country and the methods have been time tested and proven. It's difficult for all of us to begin and carry on the discussions that we must have with our kids, even for those who speak easily to large groups. Our own "home-grown" group can be much more difficult to address. In addition to the topics of sex and character, this book provides advice on safety, peer pressure, ethics, meeting people on the Internet, and messages received from TV. It shows parents how to understand their own values and tells how to appropriately communicate them. The information is useful for any type of family. You'll learn how to get your kids to talk to you, which in itself is half the battle. Topics range from sex to honesty, respect, caring for others, sticking up for what you believe in, keeping promises, courage under pressure, and much, much more. A very valuable family resource. Add it to your parenting library.
A lifesaver.......2000-10-30
I found this book in the store after a friend recommended it to me. It's fantastic! I've never been a big fan of parenting books, but this one allows the parents to figure out themselves exactly what they want to say. No one person could give you personalized advice on how to pass along your values to your child, but these authors helped me clarify my own views in order to pass them along. My 12 year old and I are now on excellent ground for keeping communication open and positive.
The abc's of sex talk made easy.......2000-10-12
After raising three children and hoping you did and said the right thing along comes a book that would have made it easy to have those talks. I now have grandchildren and helping them by sending this book to their parents will make life a whole lot easier. I can remember one son at the age of 12 asking about masturbation. I don't remember my response but having this book back then would have opened up a meaningful dialogue. Kudos to the authors.
Very Helpful.......2000-10-12
10 Talks is unique in it's approach. It's well written with easy to follow guidelines. The drawings help to broach the subjects. I recommend this book to any parent interested in getting to know their child better.
Book Description
The challenge for mothers of sons is to realize that because we do not share a sexual identity, that because we have not grown up in a male body, we cannot presume to understand everything there is to know about our sons' worlds.
-- Patricia Stevens
In this absolutely superb collection of mothers' personal narratives, some classic writers, as well as exciting new voices, ponder the conflicts and joys of raising sons. Patricia Stevens's Between Mothers and Sons is the first anthology in which women writers attempt to answer the question that all mothers have contemplated in the course of mothering the opposite sex: "Who is this male child who came out of my body?"
After all, the mother/son relationship is the foundation of all male/female connections. Yet in our culture, it's a relationship that has been far less closely observed than the relationship between mother and daughter.
From the earliest days of nursing to the good-byes as college and adulthood appear on the threshold, from adoptive families to biracial, from Native American to African-American mothers, these pages cover a broad range of experience. These writers collectively explore the delights and frustrations, the deep and often-conflicted emotions they feel in their roles as mothers to their male children.
"Diamonds are forever, but love can easily get lost....I picture the broken pieces of my heart inside me like the shrapnel of a war." In Jo-Ann Mapson's heartbreaking "Navigating the Channel Islands," we read of the intense pain that appears in the wake of her adolescent son's rebellion. On a more comical note, Deborah Galyan's "Watching Star Trek with Dylan" is a must for any mother who has wondered about a young son's love of things mechanical. And Valerie Monroe's bittersweet "Feet" will touch every mother on the planet: "As I unwrapped the slippers and carefully placed them on this rug, I thought, they're his feet, after all. And step by step, they will take him away from me."
Between Mothers and Sons resoundingly, if unflinchingly, celebrates this new journey that we are all making with our boys.
Customer Reviews:
Something here for everyone.......2005-03-07
As with many short story / essay collections, it is hard to review the book overall as the individual contributions are uneven.
In this case, almost all are moving and at least some will touch a heartstring (or raw nerve!) in every mother.
Many play the feminist angle, which I felt may be somewhat misplaced in a mother-son relationship.
A couple I'd already read in other collections (e.g. `Toddler'), including one of my personal favourites, Jonathan Bing by Priscilla Leigh MacKinley, about a mother who lost her sight during childbirth and has to adapt to becoming blind and the responsibility of responsibility of caring for a new baby at the same time ... the thought alone makes me shudder, but she writes about it beautifully and it was a joy to read again.
All-in-all, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.
Memorable reading, great range of experiences.......2000-01-22
Each in her own way, the writers in this collection make complex connections -- with their sons and with readers. There's a great range of experiences here for the reader who wants to concentrate on the mother-son relationship rather than on family relationships in general.
I sometimes cried and more often laughed -- but I also thought about my female friends and their sons, and agreed with what I was reading -- then remembered my mother and sisters and their sons, and argued back -- considered my male friends, and understood more than I had before.
The authors had some great stories to tell, and the quality of the writing fully repaid a second (and for some essays, a third) reading. The author's own very moving contribution was my favorite, but months after reading the book, there are many moments I remember.
Incredible.......1999-12-04
I bought Between Mothers and Sons for myself as a Mother's Day gift when my son was 3 months old. I was moved viscerally by the essays contained in this book. Although I do agree with the reviewer from Wisconsin that the collective voice of these essays is limited, I feel that the emotional tumult felt and expressed by these very talented women is universal.
Great writing but limited perspective.......1999-07-14
Stevens has gathered a well-written and insightful collection of essays by very talented women. The challenges of raising sons are presented in sometimes poignant, frequently amusing, and generally thought-provoking ways. But I kept wishing for some other perspectives. All of the women whose writings are collected here seem to be on a single page. They're all feminists; few get any child-rearing help or wisdom from the boys' fathers; most seem to have no spiritual foundation (LaMott is an obvious exception). I would have liked to read a more balanced collection of authors.
Book Description
YES, YOU CAN TALK WITH YOUR TEENAGER
Every teenager keeps secrets. If you’re like most parents, you worry about what your kids don’t tell you. In this guide to keeping pace–and peace–with teens, authors Jenifer Lippincott and Robin Deutsch offer a deceptively simple plan for talking to your kids that’s based on a simple set of rules: Teens need to stay safe, show respect, and keep in touch.
Customer Reviews:
This book offers hope and comfort.......2006-04-05
I picked this book up during a very stressful time. It is a very useful, comforting book that is rooted firmly in the reality that teens and parents face. It won't sugar coat things or offer glib solutions, but the framework proposed is durable and workable for just about every family at every teen stage. I'll read it again and again, and will recommend it and give it to people who are entering that teenage zone.
MOTHERS OF TEENS--READ THIS BOOK!!.......2006-04-05
One of Mother Nature's cruelest tricks is to lock mothers who are marching toward menopause in the same house with teenagers who are fighting for independence. But finally I found a book that actually helped the hormonally-challenged generations in our house come to some important agreements.
I have read dozens of books on raising teenagers, but this is the ONLY ONE that has captured the attention of every member of our family. It's well-researched and fun, but most importantly, it offers 3 simple rules--Stay Safe, Show Respect, Keep in Touch--that our teenagers agree they can follow!! And when they slip up, it offers reasonable consequences that even they can swallow.
READ THIS BOOK AND THEN LEAVE IT OUT WHERE YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS CAN FLIP THROUGH IT. I am not exaggerating when I say that it will change the way you and your teens interact.
A Great Resource for Parents and Teachers.......2005-10-15
I did not purchase SEVEN THINGS YOUR TEENAGER WON'T TELL YOU AND HOW TO TALK ABOUT THEM ANYWAY because I am a parent. I do work with young people and their parents on a frequent basis. I also have to lead discussions about difficult subjects and have found many of the young people I have worked with in the pages of this book. I have also had to listen to parents and teachers speak about day to day issues with teenagers, suggested this book to them, and they too have found the same things I did. Professionally, the book piqued my interest. I also had a second motivation. I am attempting to write a novel and the main character is a father of four children, three of them in their teens. Like most people attempting to write, I want my characters to be accurate and non-stereotypical. I am not sure whether the book has helped me with my writing, but after reading it and recommending it to teachers and parents who have also read it, I can say this book is sure to become a godsend for many people involved in the lives of young people.
Jennifer Marshall Lippincott and Robin M. Deutsch discuss the issues facing teenagers and the best way parents can talk with them about these issues. The two present current theories about adolescents as well as the most recent research regarding adolescent brain development. They have insights as to why adolescents can lie, acknowledge the importance of friends in the lives of adolescents, but offer evidence that contradicts popular theory, namely that friends have more of an influence than parents and other trusted adults. This seems to be what prompted them to write this book and encourage communication between adults and teens in spite of what appear to be obstacles. The book is written in an upbeat manner and offers a number of suggestions as to both how to and not to talk to teens, offering sample conversations.
Some readers may find that they do not agree with all of Lippincott and Deutsch's points of view regarding the subjects presented in the book, but the methods they present for talking to and perhaps more importantly, listening to teens, both by what they say and do not say, can be invaluable to any parent, teacher, or youth worker whop wants to help teens navigate what can be challenging years and help them as they grow into healthy adults.
A Meaty, Practical Guide for Raising Teens.......2005-04-30
I am so impressed with the overall usefulness of this instruction manual for healthy interaction with teenagers. The sample conversations are never cutesy or forced but imminently practical and relevant. Lippincott and Deutsch have done a terrific job packing a ton of valuable content into a book accessible for busy parents and educators. The writing is clever and the content substantial. In addition to the impressive group of endorsers already praising the book from Elkind to Poussaint, I feel any expert in the field of adolescence will want to know about this one. Don't let the book's trendy appearance deceive you; this is a work of substance that should be around to help people for a very long time. I particularly appreciated the clarity and fairness of the "Rules of Play" the authors propose as the basis for productive interaction between teens and parents. Unlike so many approaches, these rules of play promote effective communication rather than taking sides. This objective approach may frustrate teens with a rotten agenda as much as adults with a self-righteous one, but, if followed, will result in safety for kids and balance for parents. What an accomplishment!
Very Helpful and Insightful.......2005-04-15
Terrific. I married into a family with a teenage stepdaughter. I had no children before that. This book has quickly become my most trusted companion. Just being able to refer back to the three rules - stay safe, keep in touch, and show respect - with my daughter has given both of us a firm place to work from. It's an enormous help in my dealings with her version of the truth, my too frequent need to control her, her good and bad friends and what she does with them, and keeping respect for the house, family and each other. Wow. Indispensable.
Book Description
From "Goo" to Gab — Guiding Your Child to Effective Communication
The first five years of a child's life are the most critical for speech and language development, and, as a parent, you are your child's primary language role model. So what are the best ways to help your child develop the all-important skill of communication? Fun, easy, and engaging, this book shows you how! Inside, you'll discover all of the essential steps and checkpoints from birth through age five, tips to help your child progress on schedule, and easy methods to:
·Evaluate and monitor your child's language development
·Understand and deal with environmental impacts such as television and cultural styles
·Recognize the signs of language development problems
·And much, much more!
Customer Reviews:
Not helpful for a child with a language delay.......2005-05-11
There wasn't much practical information for what to do if your child has a language problem. This book is more a resource for parents with children with normal language development.
Great Resource.......2003-03-25
The information is straightforward and clearly summarizes the research out there. It's a great resource for all parents, not just those families with language development issues. This book partnered with How Babies Talk by R.Golinkoff, Ph.D and K.Hirsh-Pasek, Ph.D is a must!
Informative and easy to read.......2002-05-07
My daughter is six months old. I enjoy reading the book esp. the part in dialect, effect of TV, how to choose childcare. Most part of the book can be shorter. My husband got the same feeling.
Invaluable information.......2001-10-28
I absolutely loved this book! I devoured the entire book, then went back and reread the section that pertained to my son's age group. It was so refreshing to hear that you don't need a bunch of gimmicks, flash cards, or tapes to help your child learn language. They really focus on what is gained from every day interaction and play with your child, and how to use daily situations to enhance language development. Loaded with commom sense information that takes you out of the competetion mind set and helps get you in sync with your child. This was the first book I have read specifically about language development, and I am so glad I chose this one!
A book for every parent!.......2001-08-07
As a parent, grandparent, and speech-language pathologist, I highly recommend this book on language and early literacy development. Mastrson and Apel have written an easy to read, fact filled book that will help parents and early childhood teachers understand the mystery of the greatest gift we have, in language and communication. The book gives excellent advice for parents and helps them understand how important early language development is to preventing reading failure. This is one of the best gifts for "parents-to-be" or new parents. I will use it in working with parents of pre-schoolers who have language delay and also share it with family members as well.
Books:
- Humble Bumbles' Baby Journal: A Keepsake Journal for Baby's First Three Years (featuring the adorable Humble Bumble characters)
- Infant Massage--Revised Edition: A Handbook for Loving Parents
- Infants and Children: Prenatal Through Middle Childhood (5th Edition) (MyDevelopmentLab Series)
- It's Called Work for a Reason!: Your Success Is Your Own Damn Fault
- It's No Secret: From Nas to Jay-Z, from Seduction to Scandal--a Hip-Hop Helen of Troy Tells All
- Junie B. Jones: First Ever Junie B-Shirt (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))
- Living Well with Hypothyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You... That You Need to Know (Revised Edition)
- Logo Savvy: Top Brand Design Firms Share their Naming and Identity Strategies
- Make the Connection: Ten Steps to a Better Body--And a Better Life
- Marriage And Family Experience with Infotrac: Intimate Relationships in a Changing Society
Books Index
Books Home
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- Retracing the Past: Readings in the History of the American People, Volume II
- Computer Accounting Essentials Using QuickBooks
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- Healthcare Finance: An Introduction To Accounting And Financial Management
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- Kinkaid of the Seventh Fleet: A Biography of Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid, U.S. Navy
- Crisis and Change in the Japanese Financial System
- Globalizing Rights: The Oxford Amnesty Lectures 1999
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Adolescent Psychology
| Psychology & Counseling
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk
How To Talk So Kids Can Learn
7 Things Your Teenager Won't Tell You: And How to Talk About Them Anyway
Staying Connected to Your Teenager: How to Keep Them Talking to You and How to Hear What They're Really Saying
Siblings Without Rivalry: How to Help Your Children Live Together So You Can Live Too
