Calm Parents, Happy Kids: The Secrets of Stress-free Parenting

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Calm Parents, Happy Kids is the UK version of Dr Laura Markham's hugely successful and ground-breaking book, Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids. Now adapted for UK audiences, this practical and inspiring book reveals a three step programme that will transform family life.

A few last thoughts, this is not a “Christian book.” However, it focuses on selfless love, grace (although she doesn’t use that word) and relationship over forced/detached obedience, which I believe aligns with Scripture. angel on your shoulder, whispering useful secrets in your ear...{She} shows us how to replenish our spirits so The book has many ideas that can help parents stop yelling and over-reacting and really start parenting calmly and effectively, even during stressful situations. From meltdowns and power struggles to outlining more positive ways to deal with unacceptable behavior, the book is a fantastic resource for parents that want to really enjoy parenting and have a house full of truly happy children. Based on the latest research on brain development and extensive clinical experience with parents, Dr. Laura Markham’s approach is as simple as it is effective. Her message: Fostering emotional connection with your child creates real and lasting change. When you have that vital connection, you don’t need to threaten, nag, plead, bribe—or even punish.

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I have been using Dr. Markham's techniques to calm myself & my often strong willed child. Growing up with parents that more often than not, yelled, spanked, threatened & used consequences to get me to behave still has left scars on me. This is not how I wanted to parent my child. Fear works to make a child obey, that's exactly how I was, obedient & yes I turned out "ok" but was always scared of my parents growing up & were the last people I confided in with my problems.

Parent, Happy Siblings masterfully coaches parents on how to honor each child's experience, set limits, reduce conflict, and build skills for life. Helping your kids forge a close lifelong sibling bond—as well as the relationship skills they will need for a life of healthy friendships, work relationships, and eventually their own family bonds. When it’s your turn to decide what to do, initiate games that build emotional intelligence and bonding (e.g. wrestle, pillow-fight, “bumbling monster”, role-play with stuffed animals, etc.), I am kind-hearted and not a yeller by nature and with my strong willed/high emotional needs child, I was feeling overwhelmed and at the end of my rope. Yelling and spanking were being suggested to me to deal with my son and it didn't feel right and it wasn't working! Now I know that I can be my loving self and I have the tools to work with my son in a way that doesn't ask me to change myself in negative ways (harden my heart and just become more strict, etc.) Thank you. I wish I had found this book when my son was an infant. At least we get to start going in a positive direction at 3 1/2 years. My husband has also completely jumped on board and I am so in love with all the positive changes he has made. Empathic limits has strengthened our entire family relationship. If you're a mom like me, then you need to do yourself and your children a favor and read this book. Life changing!

This book has definitely changed the way I approach parenting. It gives me ideas on how to interact with my daughter and since I've started implementing some of the ideas, there has definitely been a change on how my daughter and I interact with each other. More love and understanding...that's what the entire world needs. The effects of this book will leave lasting effects and in turn change the world. And the author’s premise that basically if your kids emotional needs are met and they feel loved by you they’ll want to obey you just seems unrealistic. Again, no sun in the author’s world so that taints that theory. The dirty little secret about punishment is that it doesn’t work to teach children better behaviour. In fact, studies show that punishment creates more bad behaviour. Not just that children who behave badly get punished more, but that children who get punished more will behave badly more often over time.” This book snuggles into the bosom of attachment parenting and Alfie Kohn-style resistance to behaviorism without actually using those terms much. And I have to say I pretty much agree with Markham. Obviously, it’s much harder to do when you have more than two children, but nothing is impossible. The whole point is to regularly have this quality one-to-one time with each of your children. Coaching, not controlling