The Loving Parents' Guide to Discipline: How to Teach Your Child to Behave Responsibly [Paperback]

Marilyn E. Gootman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 8, 2000

A new trade edition of a classic parenting guide--revised and updated for today's parents!

Discipline is one of the most important aspects of child-rearing. A child raised with discipline learns to judge between right and wrong, to reach his or her greatest potential, and to treat others with kindness and respect. Revised and updated to include the latest research, The Loving Parents' Guide to Discipline offers advice for parents who want to raise happy, healthy, well-behaved children.

Learn how to:
Set rules and limits
Encourage appropriate behavior
Create better communication
Use praise wisely
Manage anger
Handle conflicts between siblings
And more.

"Stands out among its competitors by virtue of its holistic, cumulative approach to child guidance; the simple, flexible techniques it advocates; and its clear, crisp style of presenting information." --Booklist

"A concise, straightforward guide to confident and competent parenting." --M. Catherine Dundon, M.D., Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics

"An eminently practical book." --Nadine Block, Director, Center for Effective Discipline, Columbus, OH

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Educational consultant Marilyn Gootman wants to change your definition of discipline. Whether you are dealing with a dawdling toddler or a grungy teenager's room, she suggests that discipline should provide a lesson in self-control rather than punishment. Gootman underlines this practical premise in The Loving Parents' Guide to Discipline. As she explains, "Punishment focuses on bad behavior. The goal of discipline is to teach your child to do the right thing. This includes guiding, encouraging, building self-esteem as well as correcting misbehavior."

Thankfully, Gootman avoids gimmicky solutions. Instead, she begins her comprehensive guide with an eloquent argument against spanking. Then, she invites parents to revisit common discipline pitfalls--food fights, jumping on the bed, feuding siblings, dogs who eat homework, toddler or teen tantrums, four-letter words, and white lies--as teachable moments. Gootman's smart strategies--including "low-key discipline," limit setting, encouragement rather than praise, problem solving, and using consequences instead of punishment--enable parents to teach children to avoid repeating their mistakes.

The author's thoughtful approach explores a dozen reasons why kids misbehave along with provocative insights about how parents can examine their past baggage and harness the anger triggered by discipline dustups. The wisdom of Gootman's approach is summed up in her suggestion that discipline is something parents do with children, rather than to them. --Barbara Mackoff

About the Author

A consultant with Gootman Education Associates, Marilyn E. Gootman, Ed.D. is also the author of When a Friend Dies: A Book for Teens About Grieving and Healing and The Caring Teacher's Guide to Discipline. She and her husband, Elliott, are the parents of three children.

Product Details

• Paperback: 242 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Trade; Rev Upd edition (August 8, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425174506
• ISBN-13: 978-0425174500
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,593,656 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you're a parent, then this book is a must!, September 24, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Loving Parents' Guide to Discipline: How to Teach Your Child to Behave Responsibly (Paperback)

With all the book choices available for parents today, I personally find this one to be the best. It is easy to read and understand, addresses children of all ages (birth to teen), and most importantly, provides a winning process to be able to identify, brainstorm, and come up with ideas that effectively yield positive consequences to misbehavior. Additionally, specific examples are cited throughout the book on how to positively handle common discipline problems such as sibling rivalry, homework, lying, mealtimes, bedtime, tantrums, and you-name-it.

Gootman reminds us all that "discipline" is to teach, not to punish, and teaches us parents how to accomplish this with rule setting, encouragement, love, and practice. Dr. Gootman is a top expert in her field, but it also apparent that she is a Mom (mother of 3) and offers empathy and ways to harness our anger. My favorite chapter is "What's Fair to Expect at Each Age" as a barometer for clear, fair limits.

The book has helped my parenting tremendously. It's one of those kept out on our coffee table as a constant reference.