Comment

Kids Are Worth It!

Raising Resilent, Responsible, Compassionate Kids
ksoles
Jan 28, 2013ksoles rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Barbara Coloroso's definitive book, "Kids are worth it!", begins with the premise that children merit the effort of conscious, dedicated parenting because of their inherent worth as human beings. Coloroso shows how to parent with respect, flexibility and consistency by describing the differences between three parenting styles: brick wall, jellyfish and backbone. Brick wall parents demand obedience, jellyfish parents fail to enforce meaningful limits for a child, but backbone parents work with their children to provide a structure that grows with them. Instead of using rewards and punishments, Coloroso advocates using a child's misbehavior as an opportunity to teach him/her about consequences and problem solving. The book contains many relevant examples for parents wanting to use meaningful and relevant discipline with their children. The only limitation of her discussion is that most of these examples apply to older children and teenagers instead of to toddlers. "Kids are worth it!" has the power to change a parent's approach in a fundamental way. By distinguishing between teaching and controlling, Coloroso empowers parents to discipline their children with love and respect; she provides clear strategies for parents who seek to move away from punishment and towards natural and relevant consequences. Learning a new way to parent takes dedication and effort but, as the book proves, "kids are worth it!"