Working Parents, Thriving Families: 10 Strategies That Make a Difference [Paperback]

David J. Palmiter (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 31, 2011

Working Parents, Thriving Families is a Mom s Choice Awards® Gold Recipient

Award-Winning Finalist in the Parenting/Family: General category of The USA "Best Books 2011" Awards, sponsored by USA Book News

2012 Nautilus Silver Award Winner in the parenting/family category

Endorsements:

Working Parents, Thriving Families is the how and why to book for parents who are looking for succinct answers, actions, and understanding for common and not so common behaviors presented by their children. Wearing both his psychologist and dad hats, Dr. Palmiter effectively normalizes reactions and thoughts parents often experience in their parenting adventures and equips them with an I m not the only one empowerment and a proactive and practical skill set valuable for overtaxed and busy parents who care about creating a happy and balanced environment for their children and themselves.

Jana Martin, PhD
Chief Executive Officer, American Psychological Association Insurance Trust
Past President, Division of Independent Practice, American Psychological Association
Past President, California Psychological Association

Dr. Palmiter s book is perfect for busy parents who want tips on efficient and effective parenting. What s best is that Working Parents, Thriving Families is full of clear examples of practical suggestions that are based on research. This book is positive, yet realistic. Filled with real-life examples, it offers hard-working parents practical advice they can apply. And, it s based on some of the latest research on promoting thriving children. Not just another parenting book, this book by Dr. Palmiter offers parents clear, specific, and practical strategies that are based on research.

Mary K. Alvord, PhD
Co-author, Building Resilience: A Cognitive-Behavioral Group
Program for Enhancing Social Competence and Self-Regulation

This book is for good parents who want to be even better. In a practical, down-to-earth approach, Dr. Palmiter highlights ways that you can help your child develop confidence, responsibility, and a healthy outlook on life.

Pauline Wallin, PhD
Author, Taming Your Inner Brat: A Guide for Transforming Self-defeating Behavior
President, Division of Media Psychology, American Psychological Association

Dr. David Palmiter is a highly regarded scholar and leading authority on some of the most important issues of our lives. This book reflects that expertise and provides crucial insights for today s over-stressed families news you can use!

Nancy Doyle Palmer
Journalist and Huffington Post Blogger

Finally, a straightforward, lighthearted, and research-based parenting book for working parents who want to do the best they can for their children in the time they have together. Board-certified child psychologist and university professor David J. Palmiter, PhD, distills the broad and complex endeavor of parenting into 10 effective strategies for promoting happy and well-adjusted children in busy households.
These 10 simple and achievable strategies are proven to help children develop a healthy self-esteem, feel safe and connected to the family, make healthy decisions, and develop independence and resilience. Dr. Palmiter shares discipline techniques that address misbehavior without producing more frustration and alienation and covers how to recognize and treat early signs of psychological problems. Taking an edutainment approach, Dr. Palmiter holds your attention and makes you laugh out loud at situations you'll quickly recognize from your own parenting experiences. A working father with three beloved children of his own, Dr. Palmiter understands the crazy, hectic schedules and challenges today's parents face every day.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The new, must-have handbook for the modern family! Get ready to chuckle at the familiar challenges facing lunatic moms and dads. Thank you, Dr. Palmiter, for showing us how busy parents can become better parents! ----Mindi Ramsey Morning News Anchor, WNEP-TV

Better than David Letterman s Top 10 List. Dr. Palmiter provides his Top 10 List of clinically based strategies for effective parenting with warmth, wit, wisdom, and practical tips. Destined to become a go-to book for caring, busy, and confused parents for years to come. ----Michele Novotni, PhD Author, What Does Everybody Else Know that I Don't?

A new kind of self-help book for parents that offers 10 strategies for effective parenting, which actually rely on scientifically based research to guide and empower parents. What s also fresh and exciting is the humorous and respectful approach taken toward parents. The author is a child psychologist, who also uses his own clinical and personal experience as a father to illustrate his practical and sage advice to parents. A wonderful, warm, and witty must-read for all fathers, mothers, and anyone who loves kids! --Nancy Molitor, PhD Clinical Psychologist in Private Practice, Wilmette, Illinois Fellow, American Psychological Association President, Division of Independent Practice, American Psychological Association Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Be

Better than David Letterman s Top 10 List. Dr. Palmiter provides his Top 10 List of clinically based strategies for effective parenting with warmth, wit, wisdom, and practical tips. Destined to become a go-to book for caring, busy, and confused parents for years to come. ----Michele Novotni, PhD Author, What Does Everybody Else Know that I Don't?

A new kind of self-help book for parents that offers 10 strategies for effective parenting, which actually rely on scientifically based research to guide and empower parents. What s also fresh and exciting is the humorous and respectful approach taken toward parents. The author is a child psychologist, who also uses his own clinical and personal experience as a father to illustrate his practical and sage advice to parents. A wonderful, warm, and witty must-read for all fathers, mothers, and anyone who loves kids! --Nancy Molitor, PhD Clinical Psychologist in Private Practice, Wilmette, Illinois Fellow, American Psychological Association President, Division of Independent Practice, American Psychological Association Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Be

About the Author

David J. Palmiter, Jr. is a board-certified and licensed clinical psychologist with a PhD from George Washington University. He hosts his own regional monthly television program titled Mental Health Matters, and he is the American Psychological Association's Public Education Coordinator for Pennsylvania. He serves on the board of directors of the Pennsylvania Psychological Association and is a tenured professor of psychology and director of the Psychological Services Center at Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Sunrise River Press; 1 edition (March 31, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1934716146
• ISBN-13: 978-1934716144
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.6 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,220,152 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Probably like you, I wear many hats: dad, practicing clinical psychologist, husband, psychology professor, dog owner, clinic director, coach, author, sports fan, yada yada.

I have 3.0 children (though if you count my neurotic Portuguese Water Dog, make that 3.5...my wife counts me and so declares 4.0) and have been married for 20+ years (yikes). As painful as it is, I'm also a fan of the Baltimore Orioles and the Washington Redskins, and like to fish, golf and play low stakes poker.

In my professional life I direct an outpatient mental health clinic in Scranton, PA (no, I don't know Michael Scott--he moved anyway), teach doctoral courses in psychology, provide counseling services, do loads of public education and serve on the board of directors of the Pennsylvania Psychological Association and the Pennsylvania Psychological Foundation. For those suffering from insomnia my entire CV can be found at www.helpingfamilies.com.

I like to have an ongoing relationship with my readers. This is why I have a website devoted to providing resources for material related to my book (www.resilientyouth.com), a blog (www.hecticparents.com) and a Twitter feed (@helpingparents). I hope my book and these resources can help to put air under your wings as you endeavor to raise a happy and reslient child/children who will help to save the world.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Working Parents Thriving Families. July 22, 2011

By John J Lemoncelli

Format:Paperback

There are many books on parenting but, in my opinion, none of them are as well researched and well-written written as Dr. David Palimiter's "Working Parents Thriving Families." For years, I have been disillusioned by the fact that while the most important task we humans can undertake is parenting and raising a healthy loving person, there is very little if any training or education for this task. Dr. Palimiter's book truly addresses that reality and offers 10 different strategies to assist parents in creating a healthy environment in which their children can thrive.
I particularly enjoyed Dr. Palimiter's humorous approach to dispelling the myth that no parent can be perfect, and no child is perfect, and sets a tone where we can being to laugh at ourselves and the sometimes "insanity" of our world. The book guides parents to appreciate the gifts and talents they themselves have and likewise to appreciate, respect, and support the gifts and talents of each individual child.
I respect the fact that this book does not take the "cookbook' approach to parenting but rather serves as an excellent and precise guide to develop a healthy family, including the importance of self-care for the parent or parents. This is truly a must read book for parents, and Dr.Palimiter is to be commended for making this wonderful information available to parents in such a readable format that beams love.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Helpful Book June 22, 2011

By Samuel Knapp

Format:Paperback

The goal of this book is help the average parent of children age 4 to 12 raise "a loving person who works hard to exercise his or her God-given talents in relationships and service" (p. 7).

Most parents raise their own children based on the way that they were raised. However, parents of today have to deal with different problems (or different manifestations of the old problems) than the generation of parents before them. Furthermore, although they may appreciate the guidance and love shown by their own parents, many want to build upon the strengths of those who raised them. This book helps them achieve those goals.

Sometimes parents with basically good skills have knowledge gaps (such as giving too much importance to self-esteem or the power of praise), or performance gaps (such as knowing that they need to monitor their children's activities more closely, but having problems translating that goal into action). Even the best parents aren't perfect, make mistakes, and at times can become ill -tempered, distracted, over worked, or tired. Dr. Palmiter's book addresses both knowledge and performance gaps.

Dr. Palmiter structures the book around ten common sense and achievable strategies for parenting. Each chapter combines personal stories, case studies, and strategies interspersed with interesting quotations. The formats of the chapters are the same with a brief statement of the strategy (such as monitoring your child), a description of the strategy, and ending with the skeptical parents challenge. The strategies are based on research findings (detailed references appear at the end of the book), but they are presented in manner making them accessible to the average reader, and devoid of jargon and technical language.

This is one of the better parenting books available as it combines wisdom, common sense, and compassion. Most of all, when I read the book I sense an underlying tone which, for lack of a better word, I could best describe as "loving."

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent and practical insights April 3, 2011

By RS123

Format:Paperback

As soon as we started the first chapter, we found insights and tips we could apply to our lives. Yesterday (unbeknownst to either) we had special time with both of our sons. We then went on to have a charmed and charming evening -- and we look forward to more as we begin to apply more of Dr Palmiter's strategies. This book is definitely several notches above most recent parenting books. Highly recommended!