Parenting Short Takes: Nurturing Global Benevolence
By Julianne J. Smith, Ypsilanti Dist. Lib., MI Oct 21, 2010Studies show that kids today are craving responsibility and feel a true connection to global causes. October's offerings demonstrate a clear trend toward providing materials to help them. These books give the sense of calmer waters. Gone are the days of parents being urged to be hyper-vigilant of every learning opportunity lest the door close forever, dooming children to mediocrity. While more than one prepubescent girl of my generation suddenly declared herself a vegetarian in the name of animal rights, our kids have loftier goals. We can—and should—honor their efforts and support their dedication.
Anthony, Michelle & Reyna Lindert. Little Girls Can Be Mean: Four Steps To Bully-Proof Girls in the Early Grades. Griffin: St. Martin's. 2010. 304p. ISBN 9780312615529. pap. $14.99. CHILD REARING
There is no doubt that the often passive-aggressive culture of girls' friendships is a hurtful form of emotional abuse that flies under educators' radar. In this four-step approach to resiliency, developmental psychologists Anthony and Lindert aim to teach parents and educators how to identify relational aggression and recognize its harmful impacts that more male-oriented bullying programs often overlook. Through observing, connecting, guiding, and supporting, parents can give their young girls the tools they need to confront social problems at an age when they are both mature enough to understand yet still widely under parental influence. Complete with tips for teachers, activities for children, and dialog to use when confronted with social cruelty, this is an excellent contribution to the literature and important reading for elementary educators.
Berman, Jenn. SuperBaby: 12 Ways To Give Your Child a Head Start in the First 3 Years. Sterling. 2010. ISBN 9781402770333. $24.95. CHILD REARING
"Dr. Jenn," author of the award-winning The A to Z Guide to Raising Happy Confident Kids, here focuses on the first three years of life, presenting the latest research and tips from leading experts demonstrating how best to take advantage of this critical window of development that forms the foundation for attachment, a sense of self, and trust. In chapters covering such topics as communication, language development, security, and the importance of play, Berman does a good job of translating the research into practical applications and giving sample dialog to use with youngsters. Some of this is a bit over-the-top for most of us (e.g., reading three books per day in a foreign language), but this title is receiving a lot of publicity, and libraries will want to have it available. Recommended.
Dawson, David Laing. The Adolescent Owner's Manual. Bridgeross Communications. 2010. 149p. ISBN 9780986652202. pap. $15.95. CHILD REARING
Adolescent psychiatrist Dawson takes a humorous approach to parenting an adolescent, explaining that your goal as a parent "should be to get your adolescent child into adulthood alive, healthy, preferably educated and skilled, without a major drug problem or criminal record or pregnancy. Anything more is icing and a pleasure to behold." He examines the limitations of teenagers (e.g., empathy, planning sequentially, etc.) before moving on to such specifics as cars, shoplifting, anorexia, and drugs and alcohol. Dawson's understated sense of humor translates well to text. While there are a plethora of books available on parenting teens, his to-the-pointness recommends this for busy readers.
Kearney, Christopher A. Silence Is Not Golden: Strategies for Helping the Shy Child. Oxford. 2010. ISNB 9780195326628. pap. $19.95. CHILD REARING
Kearney (psychology, Univ. of Nevada, Las Vegas) here targets parents of kids with excessive shyness, defined as behavior that interferes with a child's normal activities like playing, eating, and going to school. Emphasizing that shyness itself is not necessarily problematic, he sensitively and clearly identifies what is problematic and what is normal. Using worksheets and rating scales to track progress and identify trigger situations, Kearney helps parents gauge progress through evaluating their child's interactions with others, the level of distress in doing so, and the level of social avoidance. He then explores home-based tactics for improvement, practice in community and school settings, the development of stronger social skills, and how to maintain progress. A little dry but sound in approach; recommended for parents, educators, and professionals.
Kidder, Rushworth M. Good Kids, Tough Choices: How Parents Can Help Their Children Do the Right Thing. Jossey-Bass: Wiley. Oct. 2010. ISBN 9780470547625. $16.95. pap. CHILD REARING
Kidder, founder of the nonprofit and nonsectarian Institute for Global Ethics, here presents a combo of research and parenting tools for raising kids with strong moral convictions based on five shared values common to cultures around the world: honesty, responsibility, respect, fairness, and compassion. Organizing the book by age group (birth through 23), he shows parents how to navigate dilemmas and live by sound guidelines, arrive at wise decisions, and have the courage of conviction. These three lenses-core values in the early years, decision making in the middle years, and considerations of moral courage for the older set-are explored through realistic scenarios based on actual experiences and interviews with parents. This would pair nicely with Ian James Corlett's E Is for Ethics, which uses sample scenarios to help younger children develop an ethical compass, or The World Needs Your Kid (below). Recommended.
Kielburger, Craig & others. The World Needs Your Kid: Raising Children Who Care and Contribute. rev. ed. Greystone Bks. 2010. 304p. index. ISBN 9781553655862. pap. $19.95. CHILD REARING
Brothers Craig and Marc Kielburger, founders of Free the Children, offer this glossy book on helping children develop advocacy skills and recognize that their contribution to humanitarian causes are not only possible but desperately needed. With offerings from the likes of Jane Goodall, Jane Fonda, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu and boasting a new foreword from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the text is divided into the "Three C's" (compassion, courage, and community), giving examples for nurturing global citizens on a broad scale as well as through small, everyday actions. Slick and elegant, this inspiring text has many audiences and, as part of Free the Children's "Me to We" campaign, sales go toward donating a notebook to a child in a developing country.
Olson, Jackie Linder & Britt Collins. Sensory Parenting: From Newborns to Toddlers. Sensory World. 2010. 319p. ISBN 9781935567226. pap. $19.95. CHILD REARING
We hear a lot these days about sensory processing and integration disorders; this proactive title argues that "everything is easier when your child's senses are happy." The authors-a mother/occupational therapist team-divide their book into chapters based on age and explain how sensory issues affect each stage of development (sight, hearing, vestibular system, touch, taste, and smell in infancy and beyond, etc.). Sometimes the information seems obvious (e.g., consider the water temperature when bathing your infant); however, other information is truly significant (crawling exercises the part of the brain used for reading and writing). Certainly, parents who have sensory issues themselves will want this title, but it is also appropriate for those wanting to parent through a sensory orientation.
Wana, Jenifer. How To Choose the Best Preschool for Your Child: The Ultimate Guide to Finding, Getting into, and Preparing for Nursery School. Sourcebooks. 2010. 256p. ISBN 9781402242083. pap. $14.99. CHILD REARING
Wana, director of brand marketing at Pottery Barn, survived the cutthroat preschool admissions process, having filled out numerous applications and attended fairs, seminars, and panel discussions. She even brought her son in for observation at play dates and wrote essays describing his strengths and challenges. Outlining an admissions process that would make even Harvard applicants scream, she presents sample thank you and recommendation letters, advises on accepting an admissions offer, and counsels on what to do when you're (gasp!) wait-listed. There are parts of the country where supply and demand make preschool attendance extremely competitive; for those areas or blackhawk moms and crazy people.
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