Parenting Without Fear: Letting Go of Worry and Focusing on What Really Matters [Paperback]

Paul J. Donahue (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 7, 2007

"Dr. Donahue's calm, reasoned approach will help moms and dads sort out their concerns so they can stop worrying about the future and enjoy their rapidly changing kids -- now." 
--Thomas. W. Phelan, author, 1-2-3 Magic: Effective Discipline for Children
 

The 'perfect parenting' expectations imposed on you by the media, society, your family, and your community can seem impossible to live up to and only make you more fearful and anxious.  Paul Donahue, Ph.D. has uncovered the six most common fears that prevent you from being the effective, loving, and successful parent you want to be:
 
-The Fear of Letting Go
-The Fear of Not Doing Enough
-The Fear of Taking Charge
-The Fear of Slowing Down
-The Fear of Unstructured Time
-The Fear of Falling Behind
 
Parenting Without Fear gives you the tools to confront your fears, rethink your goals and teach your children how to be independent, to persevere, to cooperate and respect adults, to be mindful, to imagine and explore their world, and to develop compassion for others.  Discover how to gain the confidence to trust your own judgment, and the courage to make choices about your children's academic, social and athletic lives that reflect your family's values and balance your needs with theirs.

 

"Dr. Donahue has masterfully identifies the key fears faced by many parents as they confront the challenges of raising children in today's world and he does so with warmth, humor, and empathy.  This book will serve as an invaluable resource for parents." 
--Robert Brooks, Ph.D., co-author, Raising Resilient Children and The Power of Resilience: Achieving Balance, Confidence and Personal Strength in Your Life
 
"This book provides welcome reassurance to parents who worry they are not doing everything they can for their kids."
--Nancy Samalin, M.S., author of Loving without Spoiling and 100 Timeless Tips for Raising Terrific Kids
 

Paul J. Donahue, Ph.D., a nationally-recognized clinical psychologist, is the founder and director of Child Development Associates in Scarsdale, New York, and the co-author of Mental Health Consultation in Early Childhood. Visit www.drpauldonahue.com for more information.
 
 

 
 

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Clinical psychologist Donahue presents the novel idea that parents should do less, not more, for their children and argues that parents' fears are holding kids back from developing self-reliance and independence. According to Donahue, parents mainly fear letting go, not doing enough, and unstructured time. He takes readers through these topics one by one, helping parents teach their children to be independent, cooperative, respectful, mindful, imaginative and curious, and to develop compassion for others. The thrust of this work is devoted to ways of raising resilient children and bolstering parents who tend to follow trends rather than march to the beat of their own drummer. A recurring theme is the overscheduling of kids and the accompanying competition so prevalent today. Donahue advises limiting extracurricular activities such as team sports and making time for family dinners, independent play and outdoor exploration. The author points out that not only parents but kids should learn to be more mindful, noting that even children of the frenzied computer age can be taught to slow down. Donahue's heartfelt discourse on what really matters just might help anxious parents replace the rush to get ahead with a calm and respectful attitude toward child rearing and life. (Aug.)
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About the Author

Paul J. Donahue, Ph.D, a nationally-recognized clinical psychologist, is the founder and director of Child Development Associates in Scarsdale, New York, a practice specializing in young children and their families.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; 1 edition (August 7, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312358911
• ISBN-13: 978-0312358914
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #621,009 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect Antidote to Parents who want to step back from the competitive perfect kid race and put things in perspective, September 28, 2007

By 

M. Crotty "mother of many" (westchester county, ny) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Parenting Without Fear: Letting Go of Worry and Focusing on What Really Matters (Paperback)

Dr. Donahue's book is a Must-Read for any parent who feels the slightest doubt in their parenting techniques. His primer is filled with practical advice, everyday situations, and a balm to any mother or father who feels the pressures of little Johnny's need to succeed. As a mother of 7 living in the pressure cooker of Westchester County, I am constantly second guessing myself - should I have signed them up for cello, should they try out for the select soccer team or stay in town, should I put them in the advanced summer math classes, will they be behind in school because we didn't use flash cards all summer. Dr. Donahue's balming advice is as healing as it is realistic. Each chapter is filled with practical tips and adds perspective to the mystery of parenting. If you want to make your family and the happiness of your child a priority, this is the child rearing book to read.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sound Practical Advice, September 26, 2007

By 

Sandy Pratter (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Parenting Without Fear: Letting Go of Worry and Focusing on What Really Matters (Paperback)

I really enjoyed reading this book. It offered sound practical advice, especially for people like me who are first-time parents of young children. I found some tips that were really helpful and that my husband and I are going to try to use with our young boys.

I'm not sure if that Scarpetti fellow below really read this book. I Googled his other reviews and found he wrote about weird things. He doesn't seem like the parenting type who would be interested in a good book such as this one.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sound Advice for All Parents, September 13, 2007

By 

NYC reader - See all my reviews

This review is from: Parenting Without Fear: Letting Go of Worry and Focusing on What Really Matters (Paperback)

I highly recommend this book to parents of young children. Dr. Donahue's engaging book respects both children AND parents. He offers practical, insightful and reassuring advice about how to raise children who will be good and valued members of their various communities. How refreshing to read advice from someone who believes that children (and parents who raise them) should be judged by how actively they express the values they have---rather than primarily by how much they excel at the many activities they do. His sense of humor about the trials of parenting makes this an enjoyable read---one even the most exhausted parent would stay up to finish.