The Parent's Toolshop: The Universal Blueprint for Building a Healthy Family [Unabridged] [Paperback]

Jody J. Pawel (Illustrator), Mick Wells (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1998

Many parents wish there was an instruction manual for parenting -- now their wish has come true. The Parent's Toolshop is a comprehensive, step-by-step guide for parenting children of any age. It is the result of ten years of research and development and four years of field testing by more than one thousand parents and professionals. The Parent's Toolshop teaches a unique "Universal Blueprint" -- a step-by-step process for identifying, preventing, and responding to any type of problem parents might encounter. The Universal Blueprint and its hundred-plus tools are so universally effective that field-test subjects said they used them to improve their adult relationships! Each step of the Universal Blueprint explains dozens of practical tools in easy-to- understand terms. There are cartoons, real-life stories from the author and other parents, and examples of possible applications in common parenting situations. The Parent's Toolshop is a one-stop comprehensive resource that equals dozens of books combined.

(For a detailed description of The Parent's Toolshop, read Chapter 1, "Touring The Parent's Toolshop," on www.amazon.com or www.parentstoolshop.com. This chapter is an overview of The Parent's Toolshop; it details the unique qualities of The Parent's Toolshop, field test results, a summary of the chapters and the book's organization, and offers suggestions for reading The Parent's Toolshop.)

Editorial Reviews

Review

I am excited about the thoroughness of The Parent's Toolshop and the easy-to-visualize framework. I chose this book over others because of the clarity and consistency with which it addresses an amazing range of parenting issues. In fact, by using the universal blueprint, it addresses every possible parenting dilemma. -- Holly Anderson, M.Ed., RN, NCC

I have read numerous articles, magazines, and books which addressed parenting issues, attended lectures, and met with counselors. Yet, I have never found a resource as thorough, well organized, and interesting as The Parent's Toolshop. These techniques really work!! -- Rebecca Streeter

The Parent's Toolshop is a comprehensive, practical guide for parenting children of all ages. The 'universal blueprint' is an innovative way to choose helpful responses to problems, including those in adult relationships! Most important, the advice is positive and trustworthy. I highly recommend reading this book. -- Jane Nelsen, Ed.D., author of Positive Discipline

The Parent's Toolshop is a wonderful program. It is psychologically solid and makes practical connections for parents. Any parent should profit from its advice and techniques. -- Jim Fay, author of Parenting With Love and Logic

The Parent's Toolshop is an outstanding resource for practical, effective, and easily adoptable parenting methods. Anyone who is a parent, contemplating parenthood, or interested in understanding effective parenting will be richly rewarded reading this remarkable book. -- Robert L. Seufert, Ph.D., Marriage and Family Dept., Miami University of Middletown

The universal blueprint gives me a tangible, visual way to organize what I learned and use the tools to their full potential. Parenting is never easy, but this book makes it easy to understand. -- Mike Lowery

This book is incredible. Every chapter is so comprehensive. When I finish a chapter I think the next one can't possibly be as good -- but it always is! I've read books by the likes of Scott Peck, Stephen Covey and Melody Beattie. The Parent's Toolshop pulls it all together and shows how to live these revelations. This book is not just about parenting. -- Jeff Smith

Your book is such a wonderful contribution in helping parents. I love your use of the house diagram in presenting the material. It presents the information in a clear and logical manner. In the fourteen years that I have worked with children with emotional and behavioral issues, your presentation is unique in addressing some obvious problems and problem-solving skills parents can use. -- Linda Nicely, LSW, Youth Services Network of Southwest Ohio, Inc.

From the Publisher

We, at Ambris Publishing, are proud of the superior quality of The Parent's Toolshop. This author has spent over fifteen years researching hundreds of parenting resources, talking with thousands of parents and family-service professionals, and field testing the teachings for almost ten years. It is rare to find authors so committed to excellence that they will make that kind of time investment.

Jody Johnston Pawel is a woman of integrity and a professional who truly excels in her field. Her rare background as the child of two parent educators, a parent educator for over twenty years, a mother, and a regular fixture in the media ideally suits Jody as a credible parenting expert. Most important, however, is Jody's commitment to parents and her a down-to-earth approach to giving advice. She is always looking for practical solutions parents can put into action immediately that will also reap positive benefits in the long-run.

We are excited about the potential The Parent's Toolshop has as a universal resource for parents - - one that is sure to last for generations. This book breaks the mold of traditional parenting books that only address one age, one topic or are just theoretical. This book truly is a one-stop resource that equals dozens of books combined. The field test results show statistically significant skill improvement from reading the book - - and follow-up studies show these results are long lasting. Pawel's "Universal Blueprint" problem-solving system is truly a ground-breaking technique that can revolutionize the field of parent education. The biggest surprise was how easily people successfully adapted this system to improve their adult relationships!

Ambris Publishing has big plans for The Parent's Toolshop; this book is just the first step. Parents are already asking for quick reference guides, audiotapes, videotapes, interactive CDs, follow up books, and special editions that apply the Universal Blueprint to non-parenting relationships, such as couples, teaching, and business.

Jody Johnston Pawel has made a heart-felt investment in the parents who will read The Parent's Toolshop. We are making a significant investment in this book and author because we see the potential for improving the lives of parents and children throughout the world and throughout the life cycle. We hope you make an investment in The Parent's Toolshop by purchasing the book, considering its profound revelations and using the practical solutions it teaches. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Ambris Pub; Unabridged edition (January 1, 1998)
• ISBN-10: 0965911934
• ISBN-13: 978-0965911931
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,423,795 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Parent's Toolshop, the Universal Blueprint for Building, July 16, 2000

By 

Nancy Ordonia (Niceville, Florida USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Parent's Toolshop: The Universal Blueprint for Building a Healthy Family (Paperback)

This book is a must for every parent to read and own! The information is not only valuable to use with children, but also in everyday adult relationships. I highly recommend reading this comprehensive and valuable resource, which is filled with practical ideas for every parenting challenge possible.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Confident parent now, September 9, 2008

By 

Maria Midkiff (Austin, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Parent's Toolshop: The Universal Blueprint for Building a Healthy Family (Paperback)

I purchased this book and went through Jody Pawel's self-paced class. It has worked wonders for my parenting skills. What you get is a framework to use to help you with children and adults - that is what I like about it. Same rules for everyone, not different ones according to age. The skills taught show respect for the individual as well as yourself.

As you are reading through the book, you'll find many "lightbulb" moments. The chapters take you through the steps needed to address whatever problem you have. This is a great tool to use to make you a calm and cool parent, instead of screaming all the time. The only problem with this book is that once you have the skills, you see other parents and can easily see their ineffectiveness. But it can be fun if you test yourself and say, "What would I do?" using Pawel's tools.

One other thing to know is that this is a working book. In other words, this book requires you to learn and practice a new skill. If you just read the book and don't practice the skills (and refer to it again in the future) you will not benefit from the book. You will get out of it what you put in. If you put in the effort, you will see a difference in your parenting.