Mom's House, Dad's House for Kids: Feeling at Home in One Home or Two [Paperback]

Isolina Ricci (Author)

Book Description

Release date: April 11, 2006

How kids can stay strong and succeed in life when parents separate, divorce, or get married again.

Isolina Ricci's Mom's House, Dad's House has been the gold standard for inspiring and supporting divorcing and remarrying parents for more than twenty-five years. With her new book, Dr. Isa adapts her time-tested advice on maneuvering the emotional, logistical, and legal realities of separation, divorce, and stepfamilies to speak directly to children. Alongside practical ways to cope with big changes she offers older children and their families key resiliency tools that kids can use now and the rest of their lives. Kids and families are encouraged to believe in themselves, to take heart, and to plan for their lives ahead.

Mom's House, Dad's House for Kids is packed with practical tips, frank answers, easy-to-use lists, "train your brain" ideas, reproducible worksheets, and things to try when words just won't come out right. Kids will learn how to:

• Deal with parents living apart, schedules, and dueling house rules
• Settle comfortably in one home or two
• Stay out of the "miserable middle" when parents fight
• Manage stress, guilt, change, fear, and other feelings
• Stay connected with parents, relatives, and the "right" friends
• Appreciate the gifts (and deal with the gripes) of their new version of family
• Feel better FAST!

Kids can't get their parents back together, but they can help themselves get stronger and go on to succeed in life. This book shows them how.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Isolina Ricci, Ph.D., whose breakthrough work resulted in Mom's House, Dad's House, is an internationally renowned family expert, lecturer, award-winning mediator, and licensed family therapist who divides her time between consulting for family courts and working directly with families. She is the Director of the New Family Center in northern California.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Touchstone; Original edition (April 11, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743277120
• ISBN-13: 978-0743277129
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #19,181 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #31 in Books > Parenting & Relationships > Family Relationships > Divorce

More About the Author

Isolina Ricci, Ph.D., whose breakthrough work resulted in Mom's House, Dad's House, is an internationally renowned family expert, lecturer, award-winning mediator, and licensed family therapist who divides her time between consulting for family courts and working directly with families. She is the Director of the New Family Center in northern California.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

60 of 60 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Understanding My Parent's Divorce April 2, 2006

By Mark Howe

Format:Paperback

When I was 7, my parents got divorced. I am now 18, and looking back I realize how confused I was about the breakup. Recently, my dad gave me an advanced copy of Mom's House, Dad's House for Kids, and asked for my opinion on the book. With the intention of only skimming a few pages, I found myself unable to put it down, and read the book in its entirety. I was amazed at the clear, simple, and compassionate way Dr. Ricci answered questions about divorce that baffled me in the past. The thing that impressed me most about Mom's House, Dad's House for Kids was the consistent positive message it conveyed. Without preaching, the book encourages children to make and fulfill positive goals, respect themselves and others, and above all come to acceptance about their parent's divorce. I know this book would have helped me in the past, and I would highly recommend it to any child going through divorce.

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for kids May 24, 2006

By Emily M. Brown

Format:Paperback

Mom's House, Dad's House for Kids is terrific! The author knows how to speak to kids in a way that helps them understand and cope with the changes that come with separation, divorce, and remarriage. The focus is positive and proactive: things kids can do to feel better, tips on how to talk to parents about problems, strategies for addressing and resolving problems, a framework for exploring consequences when making choices, answers to kids' unasked questions, and more. There's even a section giving answers to the questions that kids hesitate to ask. The book doesn't end with the divorce, but continues with what to expect and how to cope when the family changes once again into a stepfamily. The tone, the format, and the content are super child-friendly. A must-read for kids whose parents are separating, divorcing, dating, or remarrying.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars So kids not only survive, but thrive May 6, 2006

By Ellen E. Chaffee

Format:Paperback

This book can be a young person's full-time guide not just to the logistics, emotions, and decisions that arise during parents' divorce, but also to growing up strong under any conditions. As a mother whose daughter was 9 at the time of divorce (or until she turned 18 or so - she's an adult now), I would have bought two copies - one for me and one for her - so that each of us could have it handy 24/7 and write our own marginal notes. Three copies. One for dad, too. Arguments may be commonplace during and after divorce, but no one could argue with the solid foundation and practical value of Dr. Ricci's ideas or her profound love of children and families. It should be in the waiting room of every therapist, as well.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars More help than you expect. February 28, 2010

By che

Format:Paperback

Dr. Ricci sets a high bar when it comes to solid advice and a deep understanding of the dynamics of families in this stressful situation. It doesn't matter if you initiated the divorce or are just doing what you have to in order to get through. Mom's House, Dad's House will help you as much as it will help your children. Read it before you give it to your children. This book can give you strategies for addressing and resolving the most common problems. You will have answers ready when your children are ready to talk. If a child's first questions are answered fully and without rancor they will come back for more help. This really is a must-read for kids. Charlotte Hardwick, author of
Win Your Child Custody War: Child Custody Help Source Book--A How-To System for People Serious About the Welfare of Their Child (12th Edition)

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars good book for kids December 9, 2010

By tbaugh

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This was a good book for children who have experienced a divorce.Helps them learn the basics of going between mom and dad's house.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Mom's House Dad's House July 10, 2009

By gramma L.

Format:Paperback

My four year granddaughter has really enjoyed this book and I think it is helping her adjust to her new situation.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great about addressing the most difficult questions to ask before kids even need to ask June 13, 2011

By C. Aaronsen

Format:Paperback

We loved this book! However, I will say that my bonus kids are 8 and 9. When we ordered this book we were just going to slide it on their shelf for them to peruse at their leisure. After going through it together, we decided that the content towards the back (where the questions become exceedingly more difficult and the situations address more violent issues such as child abuse, etc.) was not age appropriate for our bonus kids. Because of this, the kids have never really looked through it on their own, and we have been using it more as a guide book for when a situation comes up that we need help handling. The best thing about this book is that their mom was interested in it as well, so it helped everyone cooperate and get on the same page. For this reason alone it has been a life saver!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great divorce therapy book for kids January 7, 2013

By S. Honeck

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Young children who are experiencing the difficult adjustment to their parents' divorce are assisted with this book. I have used it in my therapy practice, and it is very helpful.