Book review: Parents, here’s all the help you need to handle your kids’ tantrums
What can a parent do to deal with childhood behaviour problems and to raise kids who are happy, healthy and emotionally strong? This book tells you all.
Raising a kid is no child’s play. And when they say it takes an entire village to raise a child, they kid you not. Parenting is facing even more challenges today, when families are nuclear, number of siblings are going down, screens are replacing parks. It is not amusing to see very young kids grappling with stress and becoming emotionally oversensitive. So, what can a parent do to deal with childhood behaviour problems and to raise kids who are happy, healthy and emotionally strong, too? Well, if you are pulling your hair out over some of the most common yet challenging problems kids can throw at you, perhaps you could pick this book up.
Parenting with Love & Limits is a very relevant reference guide that gives solutions to “43 most common childhood” behaviour problems, including tantrums, lying, mealtime meltdown, and bullying.
Each of these problems is presented as stand-alone chapter, with clear instructions and explanation. Every chapter is divided into subheads: define the problem; preventing the problem; solving the problem; case history. What to do and not do to deal with a problem is explained with logic and backed by research, making it easier to understand the effectiveness of the solution.
For instance, in the ‘Exploring off-limits’ chapter, the writers suggest that the child be told to touch with eyes and not with hands. Then there are short sections which have ample suggestions on building a positive relationship with children; handling power tussle with your kids’ grandparents, and also on instilling discipline. For instance, it suggests that one should praise a child’s behaviour instead of the child. Why? Simply so the child doesn’t internalise the idea of connecting his or her worth to his or her behaviour. The book effectively offers suggestions on raising kids with love yet with limits. After all, limits and boundaries are important, too. The book not only helps modify your child’s behaviour but also your behaviour towards a child and attitude towards a problem.