Raising Children Who Think for Themselves [Paperback]

Elisa Medhus (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 10, 2001

Raising Children Who Think for Themselves, by Elisa Medhus, M.D., is the proud recipient of three highly prestigious awards: The 2002 Parent's Choice Award, The NAPPA Gold Award (National Parenting Publications Association,) and the National Parenting Center Seal of Approval.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Beyond Words is proud to announce that Raising Children Who Think for Themselves, by author Elisa Medhus, M.D., has earned three highly prestigious awards: The 2002 Parent's Choice Award, The 2002 NAPPA Gold Award (National Parenting Publications Association,) and the 2002 National Parenting Center Seal of Approval.

From the Author

Raising Children Who Think for Themselves shows parents how to raise their kids to make choices for themselves-choices not shaped by destructive influences like negative peer pressure, movies, song lyrics and their junk culture.

Today, our children are bombarded by so many messages through so many channels. Unfortunately, they are also programmed to satisfy their instinctive pack animal urge to fit in or belong to a group by striving to comply with those standards of "worthiness" that their peer groups demand they follow. But since those standards are often rooted in corrupt and misguided priorities (being cool, acting tough, being sexually active, belonging to a certain gang, being nice looking, being thin, etc.) any choices that are held hostage by such standards are often going to be inappropriate or immoral.

By raising our children to free their choice-making process from their need to fit in, they will grow to be independent, moral, happy, contributing, self-assured and contributing adults with the courage to do what's right, even when their world and morality is crumbling around them. Enough kids like these, and we'll see a stop to that crumbling. We'll see a happier, saner and safer world-one our children deserve.

Thank you for sharing my dream to create such a world.

Love and respect,

Elisa Medhus, M.D.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Atria Books/Beyond Words; Original edition (May 10, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582700478
• ISBN-13: 978-1582700472
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #342,586 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars NAPRA Book Review, September 12, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Raising Children Who Think for Themselves (Paperback)

The problmes that seem pervasive among youth today, from mindless consumerism and premature sex to school shootings and drug abuse, have raised an uproar on all sides, and the blame for these ills gets bounced around like a ping-pong ball!--TV, video games, lack of religion, rap music, and on and on. But Dr. Medhus, after hundreds of interviews with children from all kids of backgrounds, reaches the conclusion that the problems really all spring from a common source: personalities that react to outside forces rather than their own beliefs and morals. Laying out the difference between "externally directed" people who act according to impulses, peer pressure, and the fear of punishment, and "self-directed" people, who have been taught to think for themselves and follow their own consciences, she goes on to share parenting methods intended to encourage the introspection, empathy, and high self-esteem that gives self-directed children their ability to resist negative influences. The author discusses specific techniques for handling many kinds of situations, with rules and disciplinary measures that help kids understand why bad behavior is wrong, instead of shaming or scaring them into blind submission. Indispensible advice for parents seeking to inspire their kids to self-confidence, adventurousness, independence, competence, and the ability to make positive contributions to the world.--MZ

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars it all makes sense, August 27, 2002

By 

Sal Asutra "ciccio_art" (NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Raising Children Who Think for Themselves (Hardcover)

Page after page all made it clear that Dr. Medus really did her homework in putting together this great book on raising a confident and intrinsically successful child. Being a new father I find it a little daunting in being responsible (at least partially) for the behavioral molding of a human being. This book was a real eye opener is so many ways, from methods of dealing with conflict, to getting your child to accept his/her bedtime. In many instances I would finish reading a certain hypothetical scenario Dr. Medus had invented and think "wow that's exactly how I felt growing up!" Since my daughter is still only 6 months old I plan to reread this book many more times while she is growing up. I'd even recommend those without children to read it as it really hits home on how much our society is "externally directed" rather than internally.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Planned Obsolescence: Every Good Parent's Goal, June 4, 2001

By 

ClayHalo (Topanga, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Raising Children Who Think for Themselves (Paperback)

THIS BOOK IS A MUST-HAVE if you want your child to be independent, confident, responsible and able to make sound decisions without your constant hovering. If you read and incorporate its advice into your life, by the time your children reach adulthood, you will have done your job as a parent well. The author gives more practical suggestions for real-life situations than I've ever seen in any book on child-rearing, and is particularly helpful for those of us with children about to enter or in middle school/jr. high school. Dr. Medhus also explains how parents can encourage even younger children to be self-directed, so that many problems associated with adolescence can be avoided. If every parent can raise ONE self-directed child, the world will be a better place for us all.