This book presents a model of authoritative parenting that makes room for imperfection, focusing on the skills needed to build a strong parent-child relationship.
As parents, we often worry we’re making the wrong decisions. The good news is, having a strong relationship with your child means you can make a parenting blunder from time to time, and exercise grace and patience to try again.
Written for parents of children from birth to young adulthood (ages 0-24), this book helps you examine your role as a guide, cheerleader, advocate, and most importantly, as a human being who doesn’t always have the right answers. While your child’s brain, body, emotions, and social abilities develop over time, author Dona Matthews shows how your skills as a parent can be developed too, by practicing relationship fundamentals such as acceptance, positivity, social support, boundaries, respect, self-care, and gratitude.
Rooted in the latest findings from neuroscience and psychology, this book presents a model of authoritative parenting that embraces imperfection. Each chapter focuses on a key relationship skill for parenting, with tips on how to practice it during different stages of your child’s growth and in common stressful situations such as social, school, health, and family scenarios.
By:
Dona Matthews PhD
Imprint: APA LifeTools
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions:
Height: 216mm,
Width: 140mm,
Weight: 225g
ISBN: 9781433837562
ISBN 10: 1433837560
Series: APA LifeTools Series
Pages: 400
Publication Date: 05 April 2022
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1. Who Are You As a Parent? Parenting Styles Good-Enough Parenting Is Your Child Friendly and Optimistic? Or Fierce and Feisty? Taking It Into the Community: Positive Connections Key Takeaways: How to Be a Good-Enough Parent for Your Child Chapter 2. How Human Beings Make Mistakes, Fix Them, and Grow Examples of Mistakes People Make Mindsets Punishment, Time-Outs, and Consequences Responding to Mistakes and Misbehavior by Age Taking It Into the Community: Making Lemonade When Life Gives You Lemons Key Takeaways: Using a Growth Mindset to Respond to Mistakes and Fix Them Chapter 3. Accept and Be Mindful: Take a Breath, You Are Enough Mindfulness Quiz How Does Mindfulness Work? Some Examples of Mindfulness in Practice Mindfulness Meditation: Getting Started Why It’s Good to Be a Mindful Parent Relax and Be Happy, Especially if You’re a Mother How to Be a Mindful Parent Affirmations and Mantras How to Nurture Your Child’s Mindfulness Taking It Into the Community: Being Mindful About Racism and Equity Key Takeaways: Learning to Be Here Now Chapter 4. Care For Yourself, and You'll Help Your Child Care for Themself A Self-Care Quiz The Early Years: Birth to 5 Childhood: 6 to 10 Adolescence: 11 to 18 Young Adulthood: 19 to 24 Taking It Into the Community: Sunnydale Elementary School’s Garden Key Takeaways: Self-Care Is the Foundation of Everything Else in Life Chapter 5. Each of Us Is Unique: Brain Building Together Neural Plasticity The Early Years: Conception to 5 Childhood: 6 to 10 Adolescence: 11 to 18 Young Adulthood: 19 to 24 How to Support Your Child’s Optimal Brain Development Taking It Into the Community: Parenting Centers Key Takeaways for Healthy Brain Building Chapter 6. Don't Stop Learning: You Can Keep Getting Smarter Controversies and Misconceptions What Do IQ Tests Measure? Abilities Develop The Early Years: Birth to 5 Childhood: 6 to 10 Adolescence: 11 to 18 Young Adulthood: 19 to 24 Taking It Into the Community: Neighborhood Reading Circles Key Takeaways for Healthy Learning Across the Lifespan Chapter 7. Nurture Your Creativity and Creative Self-Expression What Is Creativity? Some Dimensions of Creativity The Early Years: Birth to 5 Childhood: 6 to 10 Adolescence: 11 to 18 Young Adulthood: 19 to 24 Taking It Into the Community: Creative Problem Solving in Action Key Takeaways for Weaving Creativity Into Everyday Life Chapter 8. Choose Love, Positivity, Caring, and Connection Empathy: Where Kindness, Compassion, and Happiness Begin Friendship Self-Control: Staying Calm, Focused, Present, and Reasonable A Positive Attitude Happiness Self-Confidence The Early Years: Birth to 5 Childhood: 6 to 10 Adolescence: 11 to 18 Young Adulthood: 19 to 24 Taking It Into the Community: Taking Social and Emotional Skills to School Key Takeaways: It’s All About Connection Chapter 9. Be the Adult in the Room: Not Perfect, but Wise Complications Quiz Bullying Technology: Use Mindfully Separation and Divorce Alternative Family Composition Wise Parenting Practices for Alternative Families The Early Years: Birth to 5 Childhood: 6 to 10 Adolescence: 11 to 18 Young Adulthood: 19 to 24 Complications Quiz Discussion Taking It Into the Community: Acknowledge Your Wounds, Look for Help, and Reach Out to Others Key Takeaways: Clearing a Path Toward Wisdom Chapter 10. We're All in This Together: Listen, Connect, and Collaborate Advocacy: Making Connections for Making a Difference Eulogy Virtues Are More Important Than Résumé Virtues The Early Years: Birth to 5 Childhood: 6 to 10 Adolescence: 11 to 18 Young Adulthood: 19 to 24 Taking It Into the Community: Being the Village Key Takeaways for Weathering the Storms That Life Brings Notes Index About the Author
Dona Matthews, PhD, has worked with children, families, and schools since 1990, and is currently in private practice in Toronto, Canada. She was executive director, Millennium Dialogue on Early Child Development, University of Toronto, and founding director, Hunter College Center for Gifted Studies and Education, City University of New York. She has published widely on child and adolescent development, education, and supporting special needs. She frequently shares with parents ways to practice love and respect during each phase of their child’s development, learning and growing alongside their children. Follow Dr. Matthews at her Psychology Today blog, “Going Beyond Intelligence.”
- Commended for Benjamin Franklin Award (Family/Parenting) 2023
