The Secret of Happy Children (Old Edition): Steve Biddulph's Best-selling Parents' Guide (Parenting Series) [Paperback]

Steve Biddulph (Author)

Book Description

Series: Parenting Series | Publication Date: April 1, 2000

This book teaches parent-child communication from babyhood to teens. There are special sections on subjects the author is most often asked about: stopping tantrums before they start, curing shyness, being a single parent and how to make it easier, kids and TV, the skills of lathering, the 10 minutes that can save your marriage ... and lots more!

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This book by an Australian psychologist with more than 20 years' experience has sold more than one million copies worldwide, and this accessible North American edition will win over many more readers. Using the premise that children's happiness depends upon parents or other adults who share in child rearing, the author explains how to interact positively with children, from infancy to adolescence. Simple language, anecdotes, line drawings, and charts describe scientific findings related to parent-child communication. For example, Biddulph highlights the benefits of an extended family and shows how to adapt one's own situation to create one; this segues beautifully into another chapter, which explains that parents should make time for themselves and not become run-down. Some Aussie lingo may confuse American readers such as "I'll bread you!" (meaning to hit). Illustrations greatly enhance the good-humored prose, and the appendix offers tips on how teachers, politicians, relatives, neighbors, and friends can help parents. A short list of references is included. Highly recommended for all libraries. Alice Hershiser, Reedville, VA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Review

'Biddulph! has a built-in feel good factor. Parenting books too often make one fell inadequate, but Biddulph's left me refreshed and optimistic.' Serena Alloh, The Express --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers PTY (April 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0207189455
• ISBN-13: 978-0207189456
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,043,719 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Steve Biddulph is a world-famous family therapist. His Secret of Happy Children (published by Thorsons April 97) has sold more than a million copies and has been published in 15 languages.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Mostly good but some blind spots, December 29, 2003

By 

Tim Josling (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Secret of Happy Children (Paperback)

Steve Biddulph has written some excellent books. "Manhood" is a classic in the canon of men's studies.

This too is an excellent book. It is mostly very wise, sound, practical advice about raising children. My two caveats are:

1. It is hard to tell what is just Steve's opinion and what is based on solid research. So it is hard to know how much reliance to place on the material in the book.

2. I think he makes a big mistake in his recommended form of praise. He recommends what others call 'generic' or 'judgemental' praise. This is praise such as "You are smart" or "You are hard working". The trouble with this is that it is a judgement and it is not specific. It puts the parent in the position of judging the child's worth. If the parent is later critical, the child is likely to take it very hard. In some cases generic praise can be very demeaning and demoralising. I know of one case where a person reacted with fury to a comment "You are a good mother" because of this judgemental aspect.

In my view it is much better to say "That is an insighful point you made in the essay" or "You worked hard on that" or "your child looks very happy". Let the other person draw the generic conslusion. Let the child maintain a sense that they are the one who decides their self worth rather than being dependent on another person's opinion.

See for example, The Six Pillars of Self Esteem by Nathanial Brandon for a good discussion of these issues.

Apart from those points, an excellent book.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply the best parenting book I've seen, July 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Secret of Happy Children (Old Edition): Steve Biddulph's Best-selling Parents' Guide (Parenting Series) (Paperback)

Instead of the dense, detailed books that experts tend to write on this subject, The Secret of Happy Children is simple, moving, and practical. I go back to it again and again to remind me why I had children in the first place, and what my real mission is in raising kids.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Really excellent: smart useful thought-provoking and funny, August 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Secret of Happy Children (Old Edition): Steve Biddulph's Best-selling Parents' Guide (Parenting Series) (Paperback)

I am huge fan. This book is full of intelligent, thought- provoking and very practical advice which make you laugh out loud and reflect. It gave me SO many ideas and different ways of looking at things, while at the same time it was so entertaining to read that I read it in one go unable to put it down.