Raising Your Spirited Child: A Guide for Parents Whose Child Is More Intense, Sensitive, Perceptive, Persistent, Energetic

I finally am learning how to discipline and communicate with my child while remaining humane and sane!

Mary gives lots of insight and many how-to's to parents of children that are far more challenging on a daily basis than the average kid. I appreciate the postive tone. Too many times my husband and I want to just give up on this child and say something like, "Well, at least his brother and sister are good!" I am learning to accept what I simply can not change now that I really understand how our temperaments and personalities interact with each other. However, I have changed my attitude as far as labeling my four year old as "the difficult child." That does become a self-fulfilling prophesy! So many of the strategies in this book have been working and there is a lot more peace and cooperation in my home. It feels so good to be reassured that other kids say and do things that test a parent's sanity and that all of us moms and dads regret what we say and do from time to time. I also want to recommend a very compatible book called THE POCKET PARENT which shares a similar compassionate friendly tone, as well as a variety of awesome short real-life anecdotes. This pocket-sized book is fun to read...no paragraphs, just hundreds of specific bullets of helpful tips arranged in an A-Z easy reference of topics (such as bad words, bedtime, biting, hitting and hurting others, interrupting, mealtime, morning crazies, the gimmes, separation anxiety, and whining). Both books give lots of support, a good dose of humor and sensible advice from a positive discipline bent without being preachy nor condescending. THE SPIRITED CHILD relates to kids of all ages while THE POCKET PARENT is written only for parents with 2's, 3's, 4's, and 5's. Both books are worthy additions to your library, convenient to refer to over and over again as the need arises.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

What a gifts for parents!

The very first exercise in this book is pivotal. My husband and I sat down together and did and it immediately had an effect. The simple act of reframing how we view and label our child has had a dramatic effect and has also helped when speaking to others (i.e. teachers, grandparents, etc), influencing how they view his behavior and respond. The big surprise here was that I bought this book with the intention of learning specifically how to handle one of my three sons, but, to my surprise, it is helping with all of them. She discusses in depth the nuances associated with introverts and extroverts, which is quite helpful in anticipating a child response to a situation and plan accordingly. I would, with no hesitation, recommend this book to parents.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Excellent source of information

This book has proven to be an excellent source of information for parents of very intense, persistent, and energetic children. As a mother of a very 'spirited' 3 year old, I would sometimes become frustrated by my son's behavior. This book provided helpful techniques to handle difficult situations and helped me cherish my child for who he is. As the author mentions 'Spirited kids are like roses, they need special care. And sometimes you have to get past the thorns to truly enjoy their beauty'.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

An Interesting Perspective

I read this book and liked it. The problem I found with this book however, is that it seems to tell parents that regardless of how the child's behaviour is affecting others it is okay because it is not the childs fault. As parents it is already very difficult to see the negative aspects of our children's behaviour because we love them so much. I also read 'The Omnipotent Child' and found Dr.Millar's advice to be equally compassionate, but much more realistic. I tried the advice in both and can honestly say that the results were much more positive when Dr.Millar's advice was followed. My whole family, especially my spirited child, is much happier now.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Wow! We're not alone.

As I read through this book, I have shared sections with my husband. He said I even need to write the author and ask how she was able to write a book about our daughter :o) Besides realizing that we are not alone, we have picked up several tips/hints that have changed our family dynamic. It will probably be a resource we continually refer to through the years.

Highly recommended

This book helped me learn to enjoy and cherish as well as survive trying moments with my introverted and extroverted "spirited" children. It is a most valuable parent survival tool.

Must read for all parents.

I am a mother of 4 and I can say that this book has been helpful with each one of them. Your child doesn't have to have special needs to benefit from this book. It is a wonderful addition to anyone's shelf.

great book

my oldest son has Asperger's Syndrome and this book was a great help in learning little tricks to help him.

Daily dose of therapy

For the parent of a Spirited Child, this book is like a little bit of therapy each day. When I start feeling overwhelmed by my spirited child I pick up the book and read another chapter to help me to better understand and work with my child so that we both have better days.

I would recommend this book to anyone with a ¿spirited¿ child.

I have read several parenting books but this one was the by far the best. Instead of making me feel bad about my parenting skills I felt empowered. This book gave me the tools necessary to raise my daughter without crushing her wonderful spirit. Life is interesting with a willful child and now I can enjoy it.

Sanity Saver

This book has totally saved my sanity!! It has put my child and my relationship with her into clear perspective and has given tangible tips on how to deal with the troubles that come rather than breaking down.

A Must Have

A reference of tools to help understand your child. An excellent combination of education and empathy.

If 'Spirited' Describes your Child . . . A Definite Must Read!

This book offers many helpful and practical suggestions to help cope with the many types of 'spirted' children. I especially recommend this book to single moms who must face these challenges without support or with the added burden of a less than cooperative dad.

Great Resource

This was the most helpful book I read to help my 'Spirited' daughter. So much better label than 'Strong-willed' and 'difficult.' Now I'm going to re-read it for my ADHD son, who is not strong-willed or difficult, but quite hyper.

a Great book!

As a mom of a very *spirited* little boy I say, purchase this book now! I have the older version of this book (with a different cover) and I've been re-reading it for years! When your child is difficult and has strong defiant behaviors, it's easy to label them with names like, 'hyper', 'wild', etc. I like this book because it changes your thinking to *spirited* kids, thus improving your parenting style. A great read!

A great resource!

Everything you need to know to tackle a strong willed child.

This should be every parent's handbook!

I first read this book over a year ago when I started feeling frustrated with my one-year old's intense reactions to EVERYTHING! I have since reread the book at least 10 times; I get more information on how to cope with two VERY spirited children, and how to cope more easily as a spirited adult! I am now able to recognize the cues they give when they are about to have a melt-down and can take steps to prevent it, and I know what my limits are and when I am ready to have a melt-down, too! My copy has taken alot of wear and tear and still offers up life-saving information! It's the perfect book for parents of spirited children of any age!

Phhew! What a relief!

This book has been very helpful already and I've barely finished reading it! It's such a relief to know that other parents are going through the same things I do. This book is very realistic and has practical, helpful advice.

For all parents who are frustrated with their kid sometimes

When my 5-year-old daughter's preschool teacher handed me this book, I was slightly offended at first. My child? But as I moved through the book, I realized that her teacher had done a great thing for our family. This book helped us find ways to help our energetic and dynamic daughter. So many children do not squeeze into the tight structure of our society. This book is a FABULOUS asset for most parents, especially those that find moments of frustration on a daily basis. Recommended for parents of kids up to 7 or 8, but the earlier you read it the better!

Excellent!

This book is a must read. Provided a whole different perspective. I wish I would have read it years ago.