[alert variation=”alert-info”]Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Formats: Paperback, eBook, Kindle, Audio Book, Audible
Purchase: Powell’s | Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble | iBooks[/alert]
Why do we need old school parenting? Haven’t we moved beyond tactics from the 1800s? Isn’t there a more modern solution to the age-old task of parenting? 8 Keys to Old School Parenting, a book in the 8 Keys to Mental Health series, explains the typical views of parenting – child-centered versus adult-centered – and offers some key ideas to implement a hybrid approach, typically referred to as authoritative parenting, that developmental psychology has proved to be the most effective form of parent-child relations.
“[Authoritative parenting] promote[s] self-control with social responsiveness; [it] teach[es] children to make responsible choices within firmly established limits.”
Aimed at positively affecting the lives of children and their parents, this text is highly readable, thought it draws very heavily on scientific theory and psychological method, giving it a serious tone as opposed to more conversational, “girlfriend” parenting books. The author, Michael Mascolo, a professor of psychology at Merrimack College, includes lots of sample conversations to illustrate various situations that arise in the course of raising children, and also several quizzes and worksheets to help determine your own parenting tendencies, reactions to situations, and places for improvement. He also works hard to clarify some misconceptions, such as that discipline is not punishment, compliance is not mindless obedience, and that parental authority is not a four-letter word. Readers looking for a resource to help them understand the theory behind raising children who are moral, competent, and socially skilled will likely find a great deal of knowledge in these pages, leading also to a greater understanding of what it means to be an authoritative parent in the modern, ever-changing world.
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