Positive Discipline: The Classic Guide to Helping Children Develop Self-Discipline, Responsibility, Cooperation, and Problem-Solving Skills - Paperback

by Jane Nelsen (Author)

For twenty-five years, Positive Discipline has been the gold standard reference for grown-ups working with children. Now Jane Nelsen, distinguished psychologist, educator, and mother of seven, has written a revised and expanded edition. The key to positive discipline is not punishment, she tells us, but mutual respect. Nelsen coaches parents and teachers to be both firm and kind, so that any child-from a three-year-old toddler to a rebellious teenager-can learn creative cooperation and self-discipline with no loss of dignity. Inside you'll discover how to

- bridge communication gaps
- defuse power struggles
- avoid the dangers of praise
- enforce your message of love
- build on strengths, not weaknesses
- hold children accountable with their self-respect intact
- teach children not what to think but how to think
- win cooperation at home and at school
- meet the special challenge of teen misbehavior

"It is not easy to improve a classic book, but Jane Nelson has done so in this revised edition. Packed with updated examples that are clear and specific, Positive Discipline shows parents exactly how to focus on solutions while being kind and firm. If you want to enrich your relationship with your children, this is the book for you."
-Sal Severe, author of How to Behave So Your Children Will, Too

Millions of children have already benefited from the counsel in this wise and warmhearted book, which features dozens of true stories of positive discipline in action. Give your child the tools he or she needs for a well-adjusted life with this proven treasure trove of practical advice.

Front Jacket

Make a Difference During the Most Important Years of Your Child's Life
The months leading up to the birth of a child are filed with joy, dreams, plans--and a few worries. As a caring parent, you want to start your child out in life on the proper foundation. But where do you go for the answers to such questions as: How do I communicate with an infant who doesn't understand words? How can I effectively teach boundaries to my toddler? Should I ever spank my child?
Over the years, millions of parents just like you have come to trust Jane Nelsen's classic "Positive Discipline series. These books offer a commonsense approach to child-rearing that so often is lacking in today's world. In "Positive Discipline: The First Three Years, you'll learn how to use kind but firm support to raise a child who is both capable and confident. You'll find practical solutions and solid advice on how to:
-Encourage independence and exploration while providing appropriate boundaries
-Use non-punitive methods to instill valuable social skills and positive behavior inside and outside the home
-Recognize when your child is ready to master the challenges of sleeping, eating, and potty training, and how to avoid the power struggles that often come with those lessons
-Identify your child's temperament
-Understand what the latest research in brain development tells us about raising healthy children
-And much, much more!
Containing real-life examples of challenges other parents and caregivers have faced, "Positive Discipline: The First Three Years is the one book that no parent should be without.

Back Jacket

All parents try to do their best - but the best of intentions don't always produce the best results. Dr. Jane Nelsen, an experienced psychologist, educator, and mother, believes that children misbehave when they feel thwarted in their need to belong and in their need for love and attention. An authoritative approach, using phrases like "Because I said so!", will only lead to rebellious behavior. Instead, parents need basic principles that bring them and their children closer. They need Positive Discipline. Dr. Nelsen explains that parents who use kindness and firmness to teach life skills will encourage self-respect, self-discipline, cooperation, good behavior, and problem-solving skills in their children. In Positive Discipline, revised and updated for the '90s, she shows all of us, parents and teachers alike, exactly how her practical program works - answering, step-by-step, such important questions as: What works better than punishment to teach children positive, good behavior? What mistakes do most parents make "in the name of love"? How can parents turn their mistakes into assets? How can praise be dangerous? What are the dangers of trying to be "Super Mom"? How can teachers avoid discipline problems in the classroom?

Author Biography

Jane Nelsen, Ed.D., coauthor of the bestselling Positive Discipline series, is a licensed marriage, family, and child therapist. Her books have sold over a million copies. She lives in Salt Lake City.