Raising Good Humans: A Mindful Guide to Breaking the Cycle of Reactive Parenting and Raising Kind, Confident Kids

by Hunter Clarke-Fields MSAE, Carla Naumburg PhD (Foreword by)

Overview

“A wise and fresh approach to mindful parenting.”
—Tara Brach, author of Radical Acceptance

A kinder, more compassionate world starts with kind and compassionate kids. In Raising Good Humans, you’ll find powerful and practical strategies to break free from “reactive parenting” habits and raise kind, cooperative, and confident kids.

Whether you’re running late for school, trying to get your child to eat their vegetables, or dealing with an epic meltdown in the checkout line at a grocery store—being a parent is hard work! And, as parents, many of us react in times of stress without thinking—often by yelling. But what if, instead of always reacting on autopilot, you could respond thoughtfully in those moments, keep your cool, and get from A to B on time and in one piece?

With this book, you’ll find powerful mindfulness skills for calming your own stress response when difficult emotions arise. You’ll also discover strategies for cultivating respectful communication, effective conflict resolution, and reflective listening. In the process, you’ll learn to examine your own unhelpful patterns and ingrained reactions that reflect the generational habits shaped by your parents, so you can break the cycle and respond to your children in more skillful ways.

When children experience a parent reacting with kindness and patience, they learn to act with kindness as well—thereby altering generational patterns for a kinder, more compassionate future. With this essential guide, you’ll see how changing your own “autopilot reactions” can create a lasting positive impact, not just for your kids, but for generations to come.

An essential, must-read for all parents—now more than ever.

“To raise the children we hope to raise, we have to learn to become the person we hoped to be…. This wonderful book will help you handle the ride.”
 —KJ Dell’Antonia, author of How to Be a Happier Parent
 
“Hunter Clarke-Fields shares her wisdom and personal experience to help parents create peaceful families.”
—Joanna Faber and Julie King, coauthors of How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781684033881
Publisher:	New Harbinger Publications
Publication date:	12/01/2019
Pages:	184
Sales rank:	12,679
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.80(h) x 0.20(d)

About the Author

Hunter Clarke-Fields, MSAE, is a mindfulness mentor, coach, host of the Mindful Mama podcast, and creator of the Mindful Parenting online course. She coaches moms on how to cultivate mindfulness in their daily lives. Hunter has more than twenty years of experience in meditation and yoga practices, and has taught mindfulness to thousands worldwide.

Foreword writer Carla Naumburg, PhD, is a clinical social worker and author of three parenting books, including Ready, Set, Breathe (New Harbinger, 2015), and How to Stop Losing Your Sh*t with Your Kids (Workman, 2019). 

Table of Contents

Foreword vii

Introduction 1

Part I Break the Cycle of Reactivity

1 Keeping Your Cool 13

2 Disarming Your Triggers 33

3 Practicing Compassion-It Begins with You 53

4 Taking Care of Difficult Feelings 71

Part II Raising Kind, Confident Kids

5 Listening to Help and Heal 91

6 Saying the Right Things 107

7 Solving Problems Mindfully 125

8 Supporting Your Peaceful Home 143

Acknowledgments 163

Recommended Reading and Resources 165

References 167

Interviews

Clarke-Fields resides in Ardencroft, DE (New Castle County).

Editorial Reviews

“One of the most difficult tasks anyone can undertake is having and raising children. In Raising Good Humans, Hunter Clarke-Fields instructs and reminds us that children need more than food, clothing, and shelter. She tells us what the ‘more’ is and how to provide it. Thank you, Hunter.”
—Iyanla Vanzant, host of Iyanla: Fix My Life (OWN)

Iyanla Vanzant

“Raising Good Humans is a clear and direct guide to transforming your relationships with your kids. Rich with touching stories and practical exercises, it shows how healthy parenting stems from your ability to be self-aware and embody what you want most for your kids. Parents everywhere will benefit from Hunter Clarke-Fields’s wisdom, humor, and practical guidance in navigating the messy terrain of raising children.”
—Oren Jay Sofer, author of Say What You Mean

Oren Jay Sofer

“Raising Good Humans is the guidebook parents need to instill confidence, mental health, and independence in our children while building a durable relationship with them. Written with the compassion, clarity, and truth of someone who’s helped families with a variety of issues, Raising Good Humans is chock-full of insights, strategies, and exercises for becoming a more mindful parent. Hunter Clarke-Fields is a persuasive evangelist for the power of meditation in our lives and our children’s lives. Her book will transform your life for the better—if you embrace the journey. One of the best parenting books I’ve ever read.”
—Katherine Reynolds Lewis, author of The Good News About Bad Behavior

Katherine Reynolds Lewis

“In Raising Good Humans, Hunter Clarke-Fields shares her wisdom and personal experience to help parents create peaceful families. Readers will find information and exercises to enhance their ability to ride the rollercoaster of raising kids while maintaining their own sense of emotional equilibrium.”
—Joanna Faber and Julie King, coauthors of How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen and its companion app, Pocket Parent 

Joanna Faber and Julie King

 “Hunter Clarke-Fields gets it: to raise the children we hope to raise, we have to learn to become the person we hoped to be—and both goals are a journey, not a destination. This wonderful book will help you handle the ride.”
—KJ Dell’Antonia, author of How to Be a Happier Parent, and former editor of The New York Times’ Motherlode blog

KJ Dell’Antonia

“Raising Good Humans is a loving and honest road map that teaches parents ways to skillfully navigate challenges, as well deepen joy, connection, and love with our children.”
—Shauna Shapiro, PhD, professor in the department of psychology at Santa Clara University, and author of Good Morning, I Love You

Shauna Shapiro

“After reading Hunter Clarke-Fields’s fantastic new book, Raising Good Humans, I found myself hopeful, if not downright happy, about the future. Young parents are the most important leaders on the planet, and this guide will both inspire and instruct them how to immediately stop raising kids and start leading their babies into good adults.”
—Hal Runkel, New York Times bestselling author of ScreamFree Parenting

Hal Runkel

“Raising Good Humans brings a wise and fresh approach to mindful parenting. Drawing from her own struggles with the challenges of parenthood, Hunter Clarke-Fields outlines the key skills that are necessary to step out of stories of not good enough and to create more loving, cooperative, and harmonious family relationships.”
—Tara Brach, PhD, author of Radical Acceptance

Tara Brach

Hunter Clarke-Fields gets it: to raise the children we hope to raise, we have to learn to become the person we hoped to be—and both goals are a journey, not a destination. This wonderful book will help you handle the ride.”
—KJ Dell’Antonia, author of How to Be a Happier Parent, and former editor of The New York Times’ Motherlode blog

KJ Dell’Antonia