Customer Reviews

The Power of Positive Talk: Words to Help Eery Child Succeed

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Actually, this is a wonderful book. While yes, stating several obvious, key ideas through out the book, some people actually need to be told that 'duh' stuff (hello, have you seen the state of our children recently?). And this book is about believing in the power of words... NOT using them as a cure-all for everything but rather believing your attitude and your outlook on life has a huge impact on what happens in it.(And for the record the child in the book with the flu merely used an affirmation for good health and noticed a decrease in symptoms and seemed to be rid of the bug quicker than normal). The reason it's broken down into a more simplistic dialogue is because we're using it as a tool to communicate to our kids and help them communicate for themselves, and having it in a simple language makes it that much easier to put into practice. Quite frankly, this book speaks to me and I wish a parent of mine would have cared enough to have picked it up when I was young (I'm sure many parents out there aren't as in tune with their children and their feelings as others... and maybe their kids are the ones who will wish their parents would have given a book like this a chance some day)

If you've ever seen Stuart Smalley ("I'm smart, I'm good, and damnit--people like me") on Saturday Night Live, then you know all there is to know about this book. The authors do nothing but state the obvious by saying that we shouldn't tell our kids things we might have heard growing up, like "You're a loser." Thank you, Captain Obvious. There is some comedy here, though I don't think they intended for readers to laugh. For instance, he says that when he starts feeling sick (eg, with the flu!) he just says "My flu bug is gone. I am healthy and well." Mr. Bloch gave this advice to a twelve-year-old, never mentioning the value of a flu shot. Even worse, the authors carry this simplistic theme throughout the book. They actually believe that kids need only repeat positive statements in their heads to solve complex problems, like making new friends. Apparently, by saying things like, "I can make new friends" over and over in one's head will bring instant popularity. The underlying complexity of the social fabric and the individual characteristics are never discussed. I did learn one thing from this book, though--anyone with time and money can get a master's degree.