11/07/2016
Anyone who has ever tried to entice a young child to take a nap or eat a healthy dinner knows that meeting willful behavior with a firm, yet nurturing approach requires patience, understanding, and flexibility. This new guidebook by lifelong friends Faber (coauthor of How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk) and King, a parent educator and consultant, will help parents navigate this sometimes bumpy road. The examples and suggestions they provide are relatable and authentic, the direct result of their own experiences along with feedback from other parents. The first section discusses basic tools to help parents cope “when a youngster goes haywire,” exploring topics such as “engaging cooperation” and “avoiding combat,” with each chapter featuring a brief recap at the end. Part two shows “the tools in action,” highlighting the issues Faber and King view as most challenging and how the tools can be used to deal with them. The authors’ creative ideas will help parents feel they are not alone in dealing with little runaways, arguments over tooth brushing, tattling, and numerous other child-rearing dilemmas. As Faber notes, “Sometimes simple survival is a good goal.” Agent: Robert Markel, Markel Enterprises. (Jan.)

"Yes, the How to Talk tools work for young children! It is never too soon to reflect children's emotions, acknowledge their wishes, and see things from their perspective. Faber and King are like wise, calm friends that arrive just in time to help you through the toughest moments, with no judging or shaming. In fact, they have just as much empathy for parents as they have for children. They understand that punishment and control are dead ends, and they offer a clear path towards cooperation and connection."--Lawrence J. Cohen, Ph.D., author of Playful Parenting

"This helpful gem of a book guides parents and other caregivers to tune in to the internal worlds of young children to allow their minds to be seen and respected. With practical suggestions and useful illustrations, the authors clearly convey these important steps to guiding our children's development. Cultivating such mindsight for our youth is essential to creating a kinder and more resilient next generation."--Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. Author, Mind: A Journey to the Heart of Being Human and Executive Director, Mindsight Institute

"Faber and King have done the impossible! This guide to how to talk so little kids will listen is BRILLIANT. Every parent needs to read this book because it teaches skills that are solidly based on research. The book is magnificent."--John Gottman, author of Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child

“Relatable and authentic… [Faber’s and King’s] creative ideas will help parents feel they are not alone in dealing with little runaways, arguments over tooth brushing, tattling, and numerous child-rearing dilemmas.’”--Publishers Weekly

"Wonderful...reader-friendly [and] a truly indispensable book for parents and for anyone else who interacts with young children.”--Work and Family Life

01/01/2017
Parent and educator Faber, with educator King, picks up where esteemed mom Adele Faber (How To Talk So Kids Will Listen) left off with this updated "survival guide" for talking to little kids and gaining compliance. Her wisdom is in the same affectionate and funny style of mom: "Enough with all the talk about feelings. It's lovely to know we're enhancing our children's confidence…but we still have to get our kids to do things." Faber zeroes in on the most common (and irritating) things and tactics little ones employ, and provides caregivers with a clear and supportive path to holding their own. From tattling ("snitches and whistleblowers") to runaways ("kids who take off in the parking lot and other public places"), the authors describe exactly what life with little kids is like and make neither excuses nor pedagogical pronouncements; their advice is always supportive, appropriate, and ultimately best for the parking lot escapee in question. VERDICT Parents should not be put off by this volume's length. The "How To Talk" books are treasures to read. All libraries should acquire and recommend with gusto.

02/01/2017
Parent and educator Faber, with educator King, picks up where esteemed mom Adele Faber (How To Talk So Kids Will Listen) left off with this updated "survival guide" for talking to little kids and gaining compliance. Her wisdom is in the same affectionate and funny style of mom: "Enough with all the talk about feelings. It's lovely to know we're enhancing our children's confidence…but we still have to get our kids to do things." Faber zeroes in on the most common (and irritating) things and tactics little ones employ, and provides caregivers with a clear and supportive path to holding their own. From tattling ("snitches and whistleblowers") to runaways ("kids who take off in the parking lot and other public places"), the authors describe exactly what life with little kids is like and make neither excuses nor pedagogical pronouncements; their advice is always supportive, appropriate, and ultimately best for the parking lot escapee in question. VERDICT Parents should not be put off by this volume's length. The "How To Talk" books are treasures to read. All libraries should acquire and recommend with gusto.—Julianne Smith, Ypsilanti District Library, MI

2016-11-02
Advice for parents on handling toddlers to pre-tweens.Faber—the daughter of Adele Faber, the author of the bestselling How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk (1980)—and her good friend King combine their years of experience as mothers with new research on child-rearing to offer a useful guide for parents and other adults regarding the 2-to-7 age group. With a format similar to the original book, the authors begin with the basics: acknowledging a child's feelings through words, writing, and artwork; using play, offering choices, and patience, among other methods, to enlist cooperation; instilling discipline and resolving conflicts without the use of threats, character attacks, or physical punishment. In the second section, the authors move on to specific issues: eating and food battles, brushing teeth, shopping with young children, name-calling, hitting and other physically aggressive behavior, getting children to sleep, navigating anger, interacting with pets, how to handle lying, and a host of other common and difficult scenarios adults face on a daily basis. Faber and King not only offer their own lives as examples; they also include numerous scenarios from other parents who have used the tactics presented in the authors' group workshops. For those in need of a quick rehash of each chapter, short cartoons summarize each section. Although the information is mostly common-sense, the logical presentation enables readers to quickly understand why one method works and another method doesn't, making it easy for the adult to incorporate subtle changes into his/her behavior, which in turn creates profound differences in the child. Any new parent, teacher, or day care operator will benefit from reading this helpful book. Adele Faber provides the foreword. Accessible, highly effective methods for raising well-behaved children.