Parenting the Strong-Willed Child: The Clinically Proven Five-Week Program for Parents of Two- to Six-Year-Olds [Revised and Updated Edition] [Paperback]

Rex Forehand Ph.D. (Author), Nicholas Long Ph.D. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 21, 2002

The bestselling five-week program to improving the disruptive child's behavior--now updated and revised

Based on more than 40 years of collective research, parents and longtime child behavior experts Dr. Rex Forehand and Dr. Nicholas Long have devised a program to help you find positive and manageable solutions to your child's difficult behavior. Now in a revised and updated edition, Parenting the Strong-Willed Child is a self-guided program for managing disruptive young children based on a clinical treatment program.

This hands-on guide provides you with a step-by-step, five-week program toward improving your child's behavior as well as the entire family's relationship. Providing you with the necessary tools for successfully managing the difficult child, the book covers specific factors that cause or contribute to a child's disruptive behavior; ways to develop a more positive atmosphere in your family and home; actual reports by parents of difficult children; strategies for managing specific behavior problems; how to tell if your child might have ADHD; and more.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

The Bestselling Parenting Guide Now Revised and Updated

Rex Forehand, Ph.D., and Nicholas Long, Ph.D., offer more than forty years of collective research in this informative yet easy-to-read manual, giving parents a step-by-step guide to improving their child's behavior as well as their entire family's relationship.

Parenting the Strong-Willed Child is the first self-guided program for managing disruptive young children that is based on a clinical treatment program. In this book Drs. Forehand and Long provide you with the necessary tools for successfully managing your child's behavior.

You will be able to:

• Uncover the specific factors that cause or contribute to your child's disruptive behavior
• Follow a clinically proven five-week program for dealing with behavior problems associated with being strong-willed
• Develop a more positive atmosphere in the family and the home
• Identify with real-life parent testimonials and discover strategies for managing specific behavior problems

This updated and expanded edition includes sections on ADHD and peer issues, as well as an appendix listing helpful Internet sites. With Parenting the Strong-Willed Child, you will be able to fully understand your child's behavior and learn effective parenting skills that will help your child, your family, and yourself.

About the Author

Rex Forehand, Ph.D., is a research professor of clinical child psychology and director for the Institute for Behavior Research at the University of Georgia.

Nicholas Long, Ph.D., is associate professor of pediatrics and director of pediatric psychology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and Arkansas Children's Hospital.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; Revised edition (February 21, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071383018
• ISBN-13: 978-0071383011
• Product Dimensions: 0.7 x 5.7 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #355,402 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

329 of 333 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Exactly what I was looking for! June 14, 1999

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

If you wished your child came with a set of instructions, this book is it! The foundation of this book is what many of us feel in our hearts but don't know how to achieve: discipline from a positive perspective and rule out the shouting and spanking. This book should be mandatory reading for every parent leaving the maternity ward. It is not just for strong-willed children. The 5-step program is easily attainable for anyone committed to a better relationship with their child/children. Having read a half-dozen books related to boys and difficult behaviors in a search for answers, I guarantee this book is the best.

152 of 153 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent step-wise approach July 21, 1998

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

As a pediatrician, I'm asked discipline questions every day. This is a fine book which takes a step-wise approach to improving your relationship with your child - especially a child who is difficult to discipline. Our 5 year old is strong-willed and tempermental and we were able to use this approach very succesfully - without spanking! Parents are given assignments to complete & are to focus on only one thing a week - & practice it every day. I appreciate the fact that after the end of the 1st week parents usually end up appreciating their own child much more - noticing good behavior more and focusing in on that rather than dwelling on the irritating behaviors. This book is very good for parents who are very motivated to change, not for ones looking for a quick fix - I promise, there is none. I would also recommend 123 Magic and Dr. Sears' book "The Discipline Book" - they are highly recommended in my practice every day.

282 of 299 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I got immediate results! September 23, 2000

By "deborahl"

Format:Paperback

My son started the terrible two's at about 18 mos. When I brought home our second child when he's was 26 mos. The terrible two's escalated exponentially. He was would bite, hit, scream, etc. to get more attention. I gave him more attention and the temper got worse.

I was at my wits end. A friend told me about 1-2-3 Magic, another book on the subject. I read the reviews and was rather distressed by the mixed reviews. I was looking for a technique that would make my entire family happier. I felt I didn't get enough information from the internet (sorry Amazon) for such an important subject. Also, I don't have time to read several books, I needed my family's relationship with my son to change now.

At a local book store, I read the forwards of several books on child discipline. This book made me feel most comfortable. I have only completed week 1 and I am actually extending week one into a week two. The first thing they point out is that parents tend to make demands and ask specific questions when communicating with their child. I didn't realize this, but it's true.

Week 1 is attending...generally you are playing with your child and letting him direct the play, while you are running commentary. It sounds corny, but by just narrating what he is doing, he feels that what he is doing is important. You comment on everything that he does except on misbehavior. Doing this I found just how much I usually tend to instruct and direct him and reprimand him. The goal is to incorporate this into your daily routine. He has quieted down with the obnoxious behavior already and I look forward the incorporating the weeks to come.

92 of 96 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wrong title, right concepts! April 20, 1998

By Mary Lou Derksen

Format:Paperback

"Parenting the Strong-Willed Child" is a badly named book-unless you believe that all children are strong-willed. It is true that some children are much more strong willed than average, and it is to the parents of these children that the book, according to its title, is directed. However, the information in the book is suited for ANY parent. The target age of children referred to in the book is 2-6 years old. Nevertheless, most of the principles given are also applicable to older children, and many could even be adapted for using with teen-agers. Any parent (or grandparent, for that matter) would benefit from reading this book. Instead of presenting generalities (e.g., "parents should be consistent"), the authors give specific information as to when to be and how to become, using the above example, consistent. The principles given are proven (I had many people pay a lot more than the cost of the book to attend a series of parenting classes which gave basically the same information). The only time they will not work is when they are not used. They will not make overnight changes in any child (for best success use them with your children from the beginning), but enough improvements will be made to give a parent hope. And if you are raising an exceptionally strong-willed child, hope is a wonderful first step!

67 of 69 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for any kid, not just strong-willed ones December 14, 2004

By Neddie Ludd

Format:Paperback

Just had to write in, although I actually have an older edition. This book saved my family this year! My 5 year old (then 4) was acting out horribly and we were spanking and he was just getting worse & worse. This was when we brought home our baby (our 3rd child) of course. We just all felt terrible & spanking was clearly making it all worse. Our first child has never been spanked, having always been very compliant, so we had no experience with how to deal with our very defiant, intense, and obstinate (but also very loving) boy. I found this book on Amazon, looking for ANYTHING out of desperation, and I'm glad to say that it worked like nothing else has. Be warned, as the book says, that if your child is a born "tester" as mine is, you will never be out of the woods & this book will not "cure" him. He still tests us (& now his kindergarten teacher) on a regular basis, especially when his regularly structured day changes. He just will always have to check where his limits are to feel comfortable. And boy, does he test! I have to say that this book also worked for my nanny, whom he was testing quite a bit when she first started caring for him. And on rare occasions, I hate to say that he does behave outrageously enough that we will wind up spanking him. But most of the time, he does OK, he knows where his limits are, & these techniques WORK. A word of warning, though. They take TIME and a committment to be willing to STOP whatever you're doing and enforce the limits immediately. Which often means you HAVE to interrupt a meal, or groceries, or class, or any other activity for which interruptions are unwelcome. This isn't magic and it is all pretty common sense. But parenting children like my boy is unequivocally high-intensity and they will be high-need for as long as we are raising them.... It just requires accepting that fact & that it isn't your fault. I highly & frequently recommend this book to ALL parents, especially those who have been spanking. It will change your outlook, you will understand how spanking deeply undermines your parenting and your child, and you will truly appreciate your child AND being a parent. To those desperately seeking a solution, here's the best I've found. Best wishes on your parenting adventure! Read more ›