The Discipline Book: How to Have a Better-Behaved Child From Birth to Age Ten (Paperback)

by Martha Sears (Author), William Sears (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
From the bestselling authors of The Baby Book and The Birth Book comes The Discipline Book, the definitive guide to raising happy, well-adjusted, well-behaved children. Seasoned parents of eight, Bill and Martha Sears draw on personal experience and their professional knowledge as childcare experts to provide an authoritative approach to a broad range of disciplinary issues and practices.

With focus on preventing behavior problems as well as managing them when they arise, the Searses offer clear, practical advice on everything parents need to know about disciplining young children. Believing that discipline starts at birth, the Searses discuss baby discipline, disciplining the toddler, mother-father roles in modern parenting, saying no, self-esteem as the foundation of good behavior, helping a child to express feelings, the constructive use of anger, good nutrition for good behavior, and sleep discipline.

On handling problem behavior, the Searses cover sibling rivalry, spanking and alternatives to spanking, breaking annoying habits, and eliminating bothersome behaviors like whining and talking back. The Searses strongly advocate teaching children values like apologizing and sharing, and explain how to deal with such issues as lying, stealing, and cheating. In addition, the Searses address building healthy sexuality and discipline in special situations such as after divorce and in the single-parent household.

Product Details

• Paperback: 328 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown and Company; 1 edition (February 15, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316779032
• ISBN-13: 978-0316779036
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (84 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,272 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

122 of 127 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An indispensable guide for parents, April 5, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Discipline Book: Everything You Need to Know to Have a Better-Behaved Child : For Birth to Age Ten (Hardcover)

What a treasure trove of information! The authors write clearly, with a warmth and credibility I've seldom seen matched in other parenting tomes. It isn't just academic training that uniquely qualifies William & Martha Sears to write on the subject of parenting, although they're pretty impressive (he's a Harvard-trained pediatrician who's been in practice for over 20 years and is a faculty member at the USC School of Medicine and she's a R.N., certified childbirth instructor and lactation consultant). They're also the parents of eight children. These guys have been right there in the trenches! They've had 8 opportunities to ascertain what works and what doesn't and they've done a wonderful job of putting it all together in their book. There has never been a discipline challenge I've either personally encountered or heard about that hasn't been addressed. It's an incredibly thorough reference. In the beginning, the emphasis is on helping the child forge a secure attachment to his parents through attachment parenting. The authors explain how a secure parent-child bond is the basis for later discipline, giving many illustrative examples from their own experience. The most outstanding aspect of this book is the Searses' ability to provide a window into your child's mind as he hurtles from one developmental stage to another. It's so helpful to be able to stay one step ahead of your child! Understanding how your child thinks makes you become much more patient and competent. And once you understand, the book gives you a huge number of suggestions on how to correct all kinds of undesirable behavior ranging from tantrums in every conceivable scenario to bad language and more. There are even tips on facilitating tooth brushing and face washing! When I was done reading this book, I realized how much my range of disciplinary options had expanded. Being a mom has definitely become more enjoyable for me. Whatever your parenting style, this book is a definite must-have. The Baby Book by the ! same authors is another fantastic reference to have on hand.

93 of 99 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars For Those Who Want Alternatives, October 22, 1999

By A Customer

This book is an excellent resource for those who want to discipline their children but don't want spanking to be their sole resort. As someone who loves her parents but doesn't like the way they disciplined her, I found the information given to be very helpful. In the introduction, the authors say that the expert on your child is you, and if any of their ideas seem too permissive or too harsh, to go with your instincts. This reflects the "reader-as-capable" tone that prevails throughout the entire book and which makes it a must-read.

360 of 402 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing!, February 25, 2000

By	M "amesiowa" (Ames, IA USA) - See all my reviews

I am a strong believer in the general ideas espoused by Dr. Sears (family bed, avoiding spanking, being respectful of children as people, etc.), but I found this book very disappointing. First, Dr. Sears provides many strong recommendations about what a parent should and shouldn't do, but virtually no practical suggestions or examples. Second, in the focus on being respectful and responsive to the child, there is a strong implication that a parent who attends to his/her own needs is practicing poor parenting. I believe that a parent who sacrifices too much of her/his self is often a worse parent than those who have boundaries that are respectful of BOTH themselves and their child. Third, there is a strong and explicit value that the mother is and SHOULD be the primary parent, with the father playing a quite peripheral role. If you want a parenting book that teaches you to be warm and responsive to your child with practical examples, "How to Talk So Kids Will Listen, How to Listen So Kids Will Talk" is a MUCH better choice.