A brief book review of Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids, by Dr. Laura Markham, and why every parent should throw away all of their other parenting books and unbookmark all of their favorite parenting blogs, and just buy this book—like right now
Hi, my name is Jeff, and I enjoy routinely waking up at 2:30 AM to recommend books I’ve read. Today’s recommendation: Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids: How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting, by Dr. Laura Markham. You can buy it by clicking the blue hyperlink in the previous sentence.
A brief book review of Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids, by Dr. Laura Markham
Summary of Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids
Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids: How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting, by Dr. Laura Markham helps parents better understand their own emotions—and get them in check—so they can parent with healthy limits, empathy, and clear communication to raise a self-disciplined child.
Why do I recommend Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids
I’m a parent of two small children, and while I have spanked and raised my voice “to get my kids to behave,” as well as created needless worry in them due to my own anxieties or perceived fears, that’s not how I want to parent nor do I think, quite frankly, it works very well.
It is parenting by fear and intimidation, and though it may get my kids to stop bad behavior immediately or somewhat immediately, be more careful, or “get on the ball,” I feel it is the wrong approach. I believe it is creating a communication divide later in life, as well as a host of other unforeseen issues; so, I’ve been working hard on being a better dad in that regard, and over the last month I feel as if I have made great strides. I’ll know for sure in about eighteen years.
How is Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids different from other parenting books
There’s a saying when you have a baby that “kids don’t come with an instruction manual,” and that’s true. All kids are unique and individual in their own way with their own personalities, just as we parents were as children. And that’s the thing about most other parenting books: they attempt to address the spectrum of personality types of children and thus serve as a manual.
This book isn’t a kid manual. It’s a parent manual. It’s not about how the kid acts and reacts and how you should respond or discipline. It’s about how you, as a parent, act and react, which influences greatly how your kid responds and in turn goes about life daily, making sense of the world around them.
Make sense? Good. If not, consider buying the book. Actually, if you’re a parent, consider buying the book anyway—even if you are a parent and your kids are grown and out of the home. This book will help you understand your own childhood and, in turn, why you parent the way you parent, and how and why your kids mirror certain behaviors such as anxiety, fear, self-criticism, avoidance, perfectionism, etc. It will help you be a better parent—a peaceful parent.
I’m glad I listened to my wife when she said, “You have to read this book. It’s different than the others.” You should listen to my wife, too. Seriously. She won’t make you dinner if you don’t.
4.5 stars
Before purchasing, read a preview from the Kindle version
Further reading
Bought the book but still want more parenting tips and guidance? Dr. Laura Markham also has a parenting website—Aha! Parenting.