by William Stixrud & Ned Johnson ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 13, 2018
Solid, timeless advice for parents who haven't read other books along these lines.
Why children need more control of their own lives and how to achieve it.
Clinical neuropsychologist Stixrud (George Washington Univ. School of Medicine) and PrepMatters founder Johnson (co-author: Conquering the SAT: How Parents Can Help Teens Overcome the Pressure and Succeed, 2006, etc.) compile case histories that demonstrate the high levels of stress endured by children and teens as parents pressure them to do and be their best in order to succeed. The authors analyze why this stress is so damaging to the child and the parent and their relationship to one another, and they offer concrete solutions on how to give your child more control over his or her life. “A healthy sense of control…is associated with better physical health, less use of drugs and alcohol, and greater longevity,” write the authors, “as well as with lower stress, positive emotional well-being, greater internal motivation and ability to control one's behavior, improved academic performance, and enhanced career success." Based on these findings, Stixrud and Johnson provide in-depth information on how to give your child more control without letting them run amok, discuss ways to reduce parents’ stress levels, and emphasize the importance of physical exercise and sufficient sleep. They also discuss the need to step away from electronic devices and the stimulation they provide and discuss how to set up technology-free zones or times for everyone in the household. In each chapter, the authors address frequently asked questions and provide a bulleted action list to help parents initiate these practices right away without the need to read all the relevant data and case studies. The information is often common sense and similar to many other parenting books, but the authors present it in an accessible, occasionally lively way.
Solid, timeless advice for parents who haven't read other books along these lines.Pub Date: Feb. 13, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-7352-2251-9
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Oct. 30, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2017
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by Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 1, 2011
A straightforward tale of kindness and paying it forward in 1980s New York.
When advertising executive Schroff answered a child’s request for spare change by inviting him for lunch, she did not expect the encounter to grow into a friendship that would endure into his adulthood. The author recounts how she and Maurice, a promising boy from a drug-addicted family, learned to trust each other. Schroff acknowledges risks—including the possibility of her actions being misconstrued and the tension of crossing socio-economic divides—but does not dwell on the complexities of homelessness or the philosophical problems of altruism. She does not question whether public recognition is beneficial, or whether it is sufficient for the recipient to realize the extent of what has been done. With the assistance of People human-interest writer Tresniowski (Tiger Virtues, 2005, etc.), Schroff adheres to a personal narrative that traces her troubled relationship with her father, her meetings with Maurice and his background, all while avoiding direct parallels, noting that their childhoods differed in severity even if they shared similar emotional voids. With feel-good dramatizations, the story seldom transcends the message that reaching out makes a difference. It is framed in simple terms, from attributing the first meeting to “two people with complicated pasts and fragile dreams” that were “somehow meant to be friends” to the conclusion that love is a driving force. Admirably, Schroff notes that she did not seek a role as a “substitute parent,” and she does not judge Maurice’s mother for her lifestyle. That both main figures experience a few setbacks yet eventually survive is never in question; the story fittingly concludes with an epilogue by Maurice. For readers seeking an uplifting reminder that small gestures matter.
Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4516-4251-3
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Howard Books/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2011
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by Laura Schroff & Alex Tresniowski ; illustrated by Barry Root
by C.S. Lewis ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 8, 1947
The sub-title of this book is "Reflections on Education with Special Reference to the Teaching of English in the Upper Forms of Schools." But one finds in it little about education, and less about the teaching of English. Nor is this volume a defense of the Christian faith similar to other books from the pen of C. S. Lewis. The three lectures comprising the book are rather rambling talks about life and literature and philosophy. Those who have come to expect from Lewis penetrating satire and a subtle sense of humor, used to buttress a real Christian faith, will be disappointed.
Pub Date: April 8, 1947
ISBN: 1609421477
Page Count: -
Publisher: Macmillan
Review Posted Online: Oct. 17, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1947
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