Making Children Mind Without Losing Yours

Leman's technique, which he refers to as "reality discipline" is based on a particular passage from the Bible, and his book is liberally sprinkled with his religious beliefs. These references will make this book a particular favorite for some readers; his stance that parents' authority comes directly from God is a fundamental principle of his text, and some parents may prefer a less evangelistic approach. That said, it's hard to disagree with suggestions such as "train yourself to be a good listener" and "give your children direct eye contact." Nearly every suggestion is coupled with a real-life example of the behavior in discussion, making for an easy read, and every chapter ends with questions labeled "to review and apply" as well as a short section of concepts to put into practice. The section dealing with divorce suggests you make a list of the chapter's suggestions you find difficult and create a plan to implement them. Leman assumes that anyone reading this book can find the time to create such plans themselves, and doesn't provide his readers with any step-by-step charts. If you're not up to creating your own action plans, you may prefer a more detailed form of help than this book offers. --Jill Lightner

Product Description
Raising a child these days can be daunting. But if anyone understands why children behave as they do, it's Dr. Kevin Leman. This internationally known psychologist, author, and father of five shows how to bring out the best in your kids-without letting them get the best of you!

In his humorous, direct style, Dr. Leman shows how-and why-his reality discipline works. He also explains how to:

foil finicky eaters, turn off temper tantrums, and minimize sibling rivalries
get children to be responsible and successful
get kids to do what you want them to do
understand why children misbehave and what to do about it
set suitable allowances, curfews, and privileges
use authority and decisiveness to show your kids you care

This consistent best-seller, now completely revised and updated, includes a new introduction, two new chapters, and a discussion guide for individual or group use. The audio book is narrated by the author.