Beyond Good Parenting: The Art & Science of Learning, Context & Partnership
This soon-to-be published book is written to be an instantly practical guide for parents in turning power struggles, upsets, and disagreements into valuable learning opportunities for you and your children. It is not about eliminating or avoiding problems. It really is about taking advantage of them and having them contribute to you and your child's relationship: it is about respect, communication, generosity, listening, learning, and partnership. These are the things that matter, that make a difference.
Preview: "This (chapter 5) is amazing!" - Business Owner, Editor
Consider that we automatically view behavior - virtually any behavior - through a lens of right or wrong, bad or good. That's not "bad" in itself, but from a young child's point of view, s/he risks losing our love and care when we act as if a specific behavior is bad or wrong. We may have been advised to say "You are not bad, but what you did was bad," but this makes no difference. Here is why:
We live in a world in which we (typically) consider that there are good people and bad people, and the only way we know which is which is entirely by their behavior - entirely. Our young children are more aware of the "truth" of this than even many psychologists; that is, they feel that they are bad no matter how we say it. Our responses to their bad behavior reduce their self-confidence and openness to learning: experimenting and exploring - as they perceive they can lose our unconditional love and support no matter our intent.
Preview: "I wish I'd had this when my children were little!" - Editor, Millersville U
In Beyond Good Parenting (and in our Beyond Good Parenting Workshop) we propose a new "language" that both encourages our children to learn through discovery and practice and maintain our unconditional love and support. And while this is happening, we - the parent - can remain "in charge" with no loss of love or respect.
The results promised for parents are:
- A huge increase in affinity, satisfaction, and the experience of working together
- A huge decrease in areas of family struggle, resentment and dissatisfaction
The contents of Beyond Good Parenting are consistent with the latest in early childhood growth and development, most family and social psychology, and attachment theory. It is also consistent with the many “schools” of educational/social philosophy such as Rudolf Steiner (Waldorf Schools) and Maria Montessori, but at the same time, does not require an understanding of, or agreement with, any of them. More importantly, you will be able to relate to it and grasp its value to you and your family - immediately.
Preview: "Your style is a breakthrough in this genre .." - Editor, Corvallis, OR
The material, drawn from over 30 years of experience and study, stands on its own – it is inclusive of existing philosophies and practices and not dependent on any of them. It is not about them or even about itself - it is about you and what you really want for your family.
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