Tranquility Parenting: A Guide to Staying Calm, Mindful, and Engaged

by Brittany B. Polat

Overview

Tranquility Parenting encourages parents to find engaged contentment as they learn to stay calm, deal with problems, reduce negative emotions, and truly enjoy being with their children. Based on the Greek philosophy of Stoicism, this approach to parenting can help parents and their children discover the path to flourishing.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781538185421
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	08/08/2023
Pages:	184
Product dimensions:	5.92(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.56(d)

About the Author

Brittany Polat is a practicing Stoic, mother to three young children, and blogger who writes about Stoic family life. She is especially interested in exploring ways that Stoic principles can lead to a rich and rewarding life for parents and children. See more of her writing on her blog at apparentstoic.com

Table of Contents

Part I  Finding Tranquility Chapter 1  Developing a Parenting Philosophy Chapter 2  Focusing on What You Can Control Chapter 3  Re-thinking Your Value Judgments Chapter 4  Engaging with Other People Chapter 5  Teaching Your Child Virtue Chapter 6  Enjoying Your Child Chapter 7  Overcoming Your Anxiety Chapter 8  Finding Tranquility Part II  Reference Section Chapter 9  Practicing Tranquility Chapter 10  Dealing with Difficult Situations

Editorial Reviews

Polat, a practitioner of stoicism and creator of apparentstoic.com, draws on the philosophical school's practical and relevant wisdom in a straightforward and lucidly presented primer on stoic parenting. She is careful to differentiate stoicism's contemporary connotations--as referring to "someone who doesn't show or even feel any emotion"--from the classical teachings of Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius, who prized "emotional tranquility in tough situations" and a logical approach to positive and negative emotions alike as a path to "lasting peace and happiness" not tied to material goods or fleeting emotions. Noting the Stoics were "master psychologists," Polat finds their ideas applicable to "difficult situations" commonly encountered with children, including resistance to potty training, intra-sibling jealousy, and back talk to parents. In eight short chapters, Polat walks readers through giving up the need for control, rethinking value judgments, teaching children values, and in general becoming, in Seneca's words, "cheerful, calm, and undisturbed." While Polat's work may not replace mindfulness with tranquility as the new self-care buzzword, it makes a good case for the applicability of an ancient intellectual tradition to modern child care.

This unique contribution to parenting literature is a well-crafted compilation of the wisdom blogger Polat has gained as a parent and practicing Stoic. Readers who enjoy history and philosophy may appreciate the primer on Stoicism (both historical and contemporary) and enjoy applying tips such as Marcus Aurelius' morning mantra to their own parenting lives. A main tenet of Stoicism is that one must be a good person to live a flourishing life, making it an easily relatable belief system. The stories and scenarios Polat includes from her own parenting experience are highly relevant. She tackles topics ranging from her reaction to a broken plate now versus how would have reacted before her philosophical shift, to scenarios for helping kids gain a perspective on judgment, criticism, and self-control. Finally, the chapter summaries and "Make It Your Own" takeaways encourage preemptive action (aka homework) that will at a minimum increase parents' level of tranquility and hopefully even solve some parenting angst in the process.

This wonderful book will help you to maintain your equanimity in difficult situations, by showing you how to adopt a philosophical attitude toward parenting. One day your children will thank you for having read it!

Tranquility Parenting takes you on an introspective journey to discovering a clear and specific parenting philosophy that will help guide your actions with your child. This book offers strategies to build strong mental habits that will help you focus on what is in your control as a parent and give you the confidence and courage to make good judgments day in and day out.

From the Publisher

This wonderful book will help you to maintain your equanimity in difficult situations, by showing you how to adopt a philosophical attitude toward parenting.  One day your children will thank you for having read it!

Donald Robertson

This unique contribution to parenting literature is a well-crafted compilation of the wisdom blogger Polat has gained as a parent and practicing Stoic. Readers who enjoy history and philosophy may appreciate the primer on Stoicism (both historical and contemporary) and enjoy applying tips such as Marcus Aurelius’ morning mantra to their own parenting lives. A main tenet of Stoicism is that one must be a good person to live a flourishing life, making it an easily relatable belief system. The stories and scenarios Polat includes from her own parenting experience are highly relevant. She tackles topics ranging from her reaction to a broken plate now versus how would have reacted before her philosophical shift, to scenarios for helping kids gain a perspective on judgment, criticism, and self-control. Finally, the chapter summaries and “Make It Your Own” takeaways encourage preemptive action (aka homework) that will at a minimum increase parents' level of tranquility and hopefully even solve some parenting angst in the process.

Booklist

Tranquility Parenting takes you on an introspective journey to discovering a clear and specific parenting philosophy that will help guide your actions with your child. This book offers strategies to build strong mental habits that will help you focus on what is in your control as a parent and give you the confidence and courage to make good judgments day in and day out.

Douglas Haddad

02/18/2019

Polat, a practitioner of stoicism and creator of apparentstoic.com, draws on the philosophical school’s practical and relevant wisdom in a straightforward and lucidly presented primer on stoic parenting. She is careful to differentiate stoicism’s contemporary connotations—as referring to “someone who doesn’t show or even feel any emotion”—from the classical teachings of Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius, who prized “emotional tranquility in tough situations” and a logical approach to positive and negative emotions alike as a path to “lasting peace and happiness” not tied to material goods or fleeting emotions. Noting the Stoics were “master psychologists,” Polat finds their ideas applicable to “difficult situations” commonly encountered with children, including resistance to potty training, intra-sibling jealousy, and back talk to parents. In eight short chapters, Polat walks readers through giving up the need for control, rethinking value judgments, teaching children values, and in general becoming, in Seneca’s words, “cheerful, calm, and undisturbed.” While Polat’s work may not replace mindfulness with tranquility as the new self-care buzzword, it makes a good case for the applicability of an ancient intellectual tradition to modern child care. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

This unique contribution to parenting literature is a well-crafted compilation of the wisdom blogger Polat has gained as a parent and practicing Stoic. Readers who enjoy history and philosophy may appreciate the primer on Stoicism (both historical and contemporary) and enjoy applying tips such as Marcus Aurelius’ morning mantra to their own parenting lives. A main tenet of Stoicism is that one must be a good person to live a flourishing life, making it an easily relatable belief system. The stories and scenarios Polat includes from her own parenting experience are highly relevant. She tackles topics ranging from her reaction to a broken plate now versus how would have reacted before her philosophical shift, to scenarios for helping kids gain a perspective on judgment, criticism, and self-control. Finally, the chapter summaries and “Make It Your Own” takeaways encourage preemptive action (aka homework) that will at a minimum increase parents' level of tranquility and hopefully even solve some parenting angst in the process.

Booklist