When Love is Not Enough : A Guide to Parenting Children with RAD - Reactive Attachment Disorder (Paperback)

by Nancy L. Thomas (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"...so thorough, balanced and clear in describing these kids and your parental attitude...so effective in getting through to them..." -- Dan H.,Ph.D. -Attachment Therapist ME

"Your book is a breath of needed fresh air!" -- Glen B. -Parent -MT

"[This] book has been the first hopeful reading that I have come across...practical suggestions...an encouraging book..." -- Anne. M. -WA

Product Description
This book is a guide to parenting emotionally disturbed children back to health! This method was honed on the toughest kids in the US and has proven very successful in helping them to become respectful, responsible and fun to be with. A clear focused plan for guiding angry, defiant, destructive kids back to emotional health and happiness is all here. If you want to make a difference in the life of a child, this method will do it!

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Product Details

• Paperback: 117 pages
• Publisher: Families By Design (April 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0970352506
• ISBN-13: 978-0970352507
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (62 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #94,714 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very helpful, practical advise, August 26, 2004

By	C. Drew - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This was one of the books on our reading list prior to pursuing adoption of an older child (we spent about 2 years researching common disorders, therapies, adoption parenting techniques etc prior to adopting). We found it a little scary (the author describes very severe RAD cases) but found the advice very helpful in asking questions about the various children we considered and for then parenting the child we have adopted. As with any book, the authors advice needs to be taken with a grain of salt and adapted to suit your own family realities. For example, the author suggests that the mother must be at home full time and provide all the dicsipline/rewards at first. This was impossible in our situation and we felt that our son needed healthy interaction with both parents as a united team. She also places a high value on the role of sweets as comfort/nurturing rewrdas - but we are a family that does not eat sweets nor do we like to encourage the use of sweets. Overall, however, we found it worth reading and it has informed our own parenting strategies and also help us cope with some of the bad days because it makes us more aware of where these outrageous, exhausting behaviours come from. Although the author is not a professional whose advise is based on scientific research, I believe her experience and her success with severe cases should count for something. It was recommended to us by professional social workers and by our clinical psychiatrist/psychologist team. Our son has progressed from mild-moderate RAD to a more or less average 10 year old in one year.

22 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars What credentials does she need, February 9, 2005

By	Joseph H. Bell (Las Cruces, NM) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Nancy L. Thomas has been critizied for lack of credentials. 20 years of experience with severely disturbed children sounds like pretty good credentials to me. It is the most depressing book I have ever read, but I am sure she is right on. Why, because our adopted son's treatment foster mother who has had 266 foster children used these techniques successfully on our son. We took the standard training, read the books by the credentialed experts and in three years have undone all of the good work of his foster mother. It will be very hard to regain that terratory, but I know we must. No, I would not like to live that way either as a parent or child, but I am willing to do so to save my son from what he is becoming. You may not like the book but my experience tells me it is correct.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A Non-Professional Book For Parents: Use With Caution, August 22, 2001

By A Customer

This book has so many flavors of the shady "Evergreen Approach" which has been under great scrutiny and not accepted by the professional community as a scientific and helpful approach to any child, let alone children with so-called "Attachment-Related Disorders". The Author is obviously biased and has been influenced by this Evergreen Model and it's founders and followers and, after the recent tragedy in Colorado regarding untrained people doing "Attachment Therapy", this book should NOT be used without close professional supervision. Parents with a little knowledge do not compare to trained and licensed professionals who can understand all the nuances and complexities of a troubled child. As many of the top experts in the country say "Attachment Disorder has become an overused, catch-all diagnosis without proper understanding or well-organized treatment methods". This book could potentially lead many to avoid proper assessments and treatments for related conditions.