The Well-Behaved Child: Discipline that Really Works! by John Rosemond

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
A parenting workshop in a book!

The biggest frustration felt by today's parents is in the area of discipline. Family psychologist, best-selling author, and parenting expert John Rosemond uses his thirty-six years of professional experience working with families to develop the quintessential "how to" book for parents. Rosemond's step-by-step program, based on biblical principles, traditional parenting approaches, and common sense, covers a wide range of discipline problems applicable to children from toddler to teen.

Sections include:* Essential Discipline Principles
* Essential Discipline Tools
* Perplexing Problems and Simple Solutions
* Not Your Everyday Problems
* General Questions and Answers

Filled with real-life examples that anyone who's ever been around children can relate to, this book is sure to be one of the most valuable, helpful resources parents have ever stumbled across.

MY REVIEW:

I have five kids under the age of 7, including two year old twins who are, lets say TWO hands full! One can be having great day and the other becomes a Twin Hurricane. As I read what Rosemond suggests about discipline I have to say that I agree with some and disagree with others.

• How kids were raised 40, 30 even 15 years ago is so different then how kids are being raised today.

I know that I would have never hit by parents, back-talked them or be blatantly disobedient, especially in a public place. Rosemond addresses this issue as one of the first things in his book.

• Kids are bad... by nature.

Kids are human, and as a human we are born into sin and therefor we are bad. Kids are going to do bad things. They are just like us, they sin! I am glad that Rosemond touches this point immediately in his book. Some parents freak out and blame themselves for the fact that their kids do wrong. It is our job as parents to teach them, yes, but you can only lead a horse to water, you can't make him drink. We are to train our children in the ways of the Lord and to teach them right from wrong... and correct them, keep correcting them and continue to correct them until they reach adulthood. They are going to need our correction... they are human just like us, they will sin.

• Rosemond gives many ideas for the frustrated parent on way of disciplining and handling your disobedient, wild or strong-willed child.

Some include; Weekly Report cards on behavior and the Consequence Lottery. I personally did not agree with many of them. One idea, Consequence Lottery, has you put ideas of 'consequences' into a jar or fish bowl and when the child is in trouble, the child picks a consequence out of the jar. I think that the punishment should fit the crime. If my child stole something, why would I let her/him pick the consequence when in the real world the law provides the consequence. Some punishments need to be steeper than others.

I love the Q & A sections throughout the book. Real parents with real questions and problems and struggles just like the ones I face or will face sometime in the future. Lots of great advice and good ideas.

I would recommend this to any parent who needs help with getting back the authority in their relationship with their child. I think that new parents should read this upon bringing each child into the family. Don't try to do all the ideas, pick which ones will work for your family.

As a parent who began young teaching my kids that I am the parent and they are the child, I am in charge and they are not, I wish that I would have read this sooner. I have established many consequences, ways of discipline and boundaries already, some which are hard to re-teach my kids now. I will put into effect some great ideas that I have learned from Rosemond.

You can visit his web site at: www.rosemond.com

*This book was a gift from the publisher for me to review. The fact that I was gifted the book has not affect on my opinion of this book.