What makes a happy, healthy child?

Between parent and child is amazing. I must just finish it, but the first chapter is great. lol I don't get to read much, but the first chapter alone changed the way we parent Dylan and we saw results in a week. You can apply the same methods to the way you deal with adults too!

What a lovely thread and such beautiful advise Julz (as always)
That first book between parent and child keeps popping up gloei.. Is that your favourite of the three? Which one would you suggest I read first? I have also heard of the other two
.
Momtoc I also like to keep learning, parenting is such a big deal and I think if we keep learning we can only grow.

Like you I also have moments I wonder if I'm making big mistakes, and it does give me some peace when Julz says everyone has moments they arent proud of and given the situation we reacted the way we sometimes do.
Gotta give ourselves a little grace too.. It's just as important.

Ps. Funny enough I think the 3 titles of the books Gloei is suggesting is kinda what I think makes for good parenting!

And lead by example.

momtoc, The following parenting books have helped me with your original question:

1. Between parent and child

www.kalahari.net/books/Between-Parent-an...ld/632/27145888.aspx

2. How to talk so kids will lissten and listen so kids will talk

www.kalahari.net/books/How-to-Talk-So-Ki...alk/632/9441704.aspx

3. Playful Parenting by Lawrence J. Cohen, PhD

I think the reason why I asked this question is because the first 6 years of a child's life is so important - in all aspects & I just want to make sure that I'm doing the very best for her & to make sure she is okay on all levels.

She is 3 years & 5 months.


I just want to add that I don't expect my 3 year old to understand & do everything I tell her...

It is just an ongoing learning experience for the both of us & you often have to try & think like them & try to understand how they understand certain things at her age but in the same breath, a 3 year old is not so clueless as we think & there are certainly a lot of things they understand perfectly

momtoc - how old is your little one?

You are so right! It is not easy being a parent.

I must say, that I know my little one loves me very much & I do think we have a good bond. She always wants to be with me, when she wakes up at night, she calls me, when I go to the laundry room, she is like a tail behind me BUT even knowing all that, I still question myself.

Ag, at the end of the day, I'm just trying to bring up a well behaved child & loveable(which she is). She is just at a difficult age, trying to be independent & wants her own way. I also think we are living in a very stressful time & I really feel like it changes the way we do things in life as suppose to the way they lived 30 years ago.

Thanks for your imput. It really does help....