Just Tell Me What to Say: Sensible Tips and Scripts for Perplexed Parents (Paperback)

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Key Phrases: lousy local conditions, sibling shenanigans, pill position, Uncle Mark, United States, Devil Porky (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Parents of young children will find themselves reaching for this wonderful book by Betsy Brown Braun over and over again!" -- --Reveta Bowers, Head of School, The Center for Early Education

Review

"Parents of young children will find themselves reaching for this wonderful book by Betsy Brown Braun over and over again!" (--Reveta Bowers, Head of School, The Center for Early Education )

"Betsy Brown Braun is a master teacher and one of the wisest parenting experts I have ever known." (--Steven Carr Reuben, Ph.D., author of Children of Character: Leading Your Children to Ethical Choices in Everyday Life )

"Betsy Brown Braun is a fine observer of children....This is a book I will recommend to all my parents." (--Robert M. Landaw, M.D., Pediatrician and Assistant Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, UCLA )

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Harper Paperbacks (February 19, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061452971
• ISBN-13: 978-0061452970
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #45,573 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #54 in	Books > Parenting & Families > Parenting > School-Age Children
  #89 in	Books > Health, Mind & Body > Psychology & Counseling > Child Psychology > Development

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Calm, wise, honest and helpful, February 26, 2008

By	Julie Neal "The Complete Walt Disney World" (Sanibel Island, Fla.) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Oh, I wish I'd had this book when my daughter was younger! It is directed at parents of kids aged 2 to 6. Maybe for her next book Betsy Brown Braun could do a book for kids aged 14 to 16. My daughter's 14th birthday was yesterday. Betsy, please hurry.

"Just Tell Me What To Say" is just that: a collection of situations with scripts of what to say to kids. It is calm, wise and completely honest. It has great advice. On the topic of swearing, for example, tips include suggesting funny alternative words to swear words ("Fooey-spitooey!" "Rats!") and that parents should never wash out a child's mouth with soap.

Chapters:

1. SMALL TALK IS BIG TALK. Communicating with your children
2. "TOMMY JUST DOESN'T LISTEN." Discipline do's and don'ts
3. "IT'S ALL MOLLY'S FAULT." Sibling issues
4. "HOW MANY BITES `TIL I CAN GET DESSERT?" Children's eating habits and behaviors
5. "GET YOUR FINGER OUT OF YOUR NOSE!" Manners and social graces
6. "IT'S NOT FAIR!" Day-to-day parenting dilemmas
7. "HOW DID THE BABY GET IN YOUR TUMMY?" Learning about the Birds and the Bees
8. "WHY DID MOMMY'S HAIR FALL OUT?" Talking about serious illness
9. "WHY IS MY GOLDFISH FLOATING IN THE TOILET?" Learning about death
10. "MOMMY AND DADDY HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOU." Talking with your children about divorce
11. "IS THE FIRE GOING TO COME TO OUR HOUSE?" Answering questions about natural disasters, terrorism and war.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Every Parent Needs a Copy of this Book!, February 28, 2008

By	Barb Webb "www.BarbWebb.com" (Georgia, USA) - See all my reviews

Before I picked up this book, as any parent, I thought I already had a lot of the answers. After all, I'd already survived one teenager.

From page one of Just Tell Me What to Say, I didn't have enough answers, and thankfully, this book would give me them all.

Throughout the chapters of Just Tell Me What to Say, I found a treasure trove of information and advice, many things I did not have in my parent arsenal of answers... but do now! By the end of the book, I felt empowered, ready to take on questions from my toughest toddler, and comforted by the fact that I have an invaluable resource handy, should I need to deal with more sensitive issues like illness and death.

Just Tell Me What to Say covers it all, from sex to divorce, to rudeness in public and picky eaters. The author, Betsy Brown Braun, provides tips and scripts, and oodles of advice, written in a fun, friendly, "parent to parent" style that's easy to identify with and comprehend. Ms. Braun is truly an expert and her advice, priceless.

I could go on and on praising the merits of this book, but in a nutshell-I'm convinced Just Tell Me What to Say is a book that every parent and childcare professional needs. Get a copy and read it today, you'll be grateful you did...and your children will be, too.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thank goodness!, April 18, 2008

By	K. W. Laughery - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Thank goodness! This is NOT another "Raise-Your-Child-According-To-Me" book. Betsy assumes you already know a little something about parenting and can handle most day-to-day situations. But she also knows that we're all going to get stuck occasionally wondering about the right thing to say. THIS is when you pick up her book and look for help -- and you WILL find it. It's brilliant! Think of it as WD-40 for the parenting brain.