| The Best Things Parents Do
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| To Order click on item to the right | ||
| By Susan Isaacs Kohl Published by Red Wheel/Weiser Available on-line and at local bookstores! |
The Best Things Parents Do is the first book to counter our society’s incessant criticism of parents and present instead inspirational pictures of people learning to be good parents. This book makes the perfect gift for a new parent or someone who is simply looking for a fresh perspective; it offers a completely new paradigm. It emphasizes the power of positive feedback and the ways parents, grandparents, teachers and caregivers can actively support each other’s growth. The real shift in childrearing has occurred because of people’s unrelenting determination to “become the change they want to see” by becoming proactive learners and people devoted to helping one another. The Best Things Parents Do shows how that revolutionary change continues to take place. It encourages people to look for role models to support their growth and to become role models themselves.
"Drawing on her own rich personal and professional experiences, Kohl describes the typical predicaments today’s parents face and offers practical strategies for coping with them."
—Lilian G. Katz, Ph.D., Professor Emerita of Early Childhood Education, Co-Director of ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary & Early Childhood Education at the University of Illinois
"Susie Kohl’s words kiss instead of chide, support rather than divide. The Best Things Parents Do luminously reveals the wise parent in us all."
—Lisa Groen Braner, author of The Mother’s Book of Well-Being
"At a time when everyone, layperson and professional alike, seems to have
endless advice
for parents and be more than willing to point out shortcomings, The Best
Things Parents
Do speaks with a decidedly different and refreshing voice.
Behavioral psychologists for years have advised parents to focus on the
positive. Their
slogan, ‘Catch ‘em Being Good,’ has shown up on posters, refrigerator magnets
and star charts across the nation. But we don't always heed our own advice in
dealing with parents.
This book really does ‘catch ‘em being good.’ It holds up a mirror that
reflects love,
compassion, and courage. Kohl writes, ‘What a privilege it is to be the person
in a child’s life who looks past his weaknesses to see the gifts that will
become the gateways for new development.’ This, in fact, is exactly what she
does for parents in this book.
The Best Things Parents Do is a ‘must read’ for every parent who has
ever felt incompetent, discouraged or overwhelmed—in other words, a ‘must
read’ for every parent!"
—Wendy L. Ritchey, Ph.D., licensed psychologist, private practice
"I am impressed with Susan Kohl’s ability to put herself in the parent’s place with sensitivity and compassion. These qualities enable her to communicate positively with each parent. The ideas have an open field to flow into channels that enrich each other and give parents surprising new ways to view their problems. No battling with defenses appears. Then, too, since the illustrations are dialogues, a quality of sensualness gives impetus to action.
The dialogue between the author and parent give us a key to Kohl as a superb listener. (Those teachers who have her as mentor are indeed fortunate.)
The ways in which Kohl introduces knowledge and insights from many sources reveals creativity and a rich knowledge in psychology, developmental theory, humor, and problems associated with Everyday Living. As her former teacher, I cherished her. I am deeply touched to have the opportunity to honor her."
—Mary B. Lane, Ed.D., Professor Emeritus San Francisco State University and author of Our Schools: Frontline for the 21st Century, Education for Parenting, and Understanding Human Development
Contact Susan Isaacs Kohl via email at the address below.