Jessica Joelle Alexander

This book is eminently skimmable, an essential quality for parenting how-tos. Also, who can't use an acronym to help remember the main principles of a book? (In this case, well done, authors, on managing to make the habits fit the acronym PARENT.) Many of the things they suggest require a fundamental cultural shift-- for instance, P stands for Play, which our American kids aren't getting enough of in school, their neighborhoods, or their adult-organized activities. And togetherness (the T in show more PARENT) is lovely, but one must have a certain degree of financial security (perhaps even a safety net) to prioritize just being together.

In other words, there were certainly things in this book I can do differently on a personal level, but could I be blamed for also walking away from this book thinking, "We just have to move to Denmark."

My favorite personal change the authors discussed, one that I can make individually, today, is the N: No ultimatums. What? No counting to 3? No "or else"? No rewards and punishments? Most lovely of all: no worrying what other people think? Now, there's freedom! show less

What makes Danes so happy? Living in a society that cares about each other. It's a lot easier to raise kids where societal norms are different. That doesn't mean you can't raise your child like that here too in America, it just means you will continue to get stares and judgments everywhere you look and not much help unless you gather your own village. There is wonderful advice and ideas in this book and it is up to you to choose to implement them with your children if you like. The bottom show more line though? Raising a child is never easy, and no one has all the answers..just good ideas. show less

Read first 33 pages. Main takeaway seems to be to let kids play (by themselves or with friends). Too many scheduled or structured activities can increase anxiety and depression.

Acronym PARENT:
Play is essential for development and well-being
Authenticity fosters trust and an inner compass
Reframing helps kids cope with setbacks and look on the bright side
Empathy allows us to act with kindness toward others
No ultimatums mean no power struggles, lines in the sand, or resentment
Togetherness is a show more way to celebrate family time, on special occasions and every day (hygge!) to foster a close bond show less

Rövid kötet, de nagyon világos a mondanivalója, érzékletesek a példái. Tanulságosak a felsorakoztatott tanulmányok és persze a saját tapasztalatok. Sok egyéb módszerrel és praktikával egybevág az itt felsorolt tanácsok garmadája. Szülőknek, nagyszülőknek és tanároknak egyaránt hasznos útmutató!