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How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk (The How To Talk Series) Kindle Edition
From #1 New York Times bestselling authors, the ultimate “parenting bible” (The Boston Globe)—a timeless, beloved book on how to effectively communicate with your child.
This bestselling classic by internationally acclaimed experts on communication between parents and children includes fresh insights and suggestions, as well as the author’s time-tested methods to solve common problems and build foundations for lasting relationships, including innovative ways to:
· Cope with your child’s negative feelings, such as frustration, anger, and disappointment
· Express your strong feelings without being hurtful
· Engage your child’s willing cooperation
· Set firm limits and maintain goodwill
· Use alternatives to punishment that promote self-discipline
· Understand the difference between helpful and unhelpful praise
· Resolve family conflicts peacefully
Enthusiastically praised by parents and professionals around the world, Faber and Mazlish’s down-to-earth, respectful approach makes relationships with children of all ages less stressful and more rewarding.
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherScribner
- Publication dateFebruary 7, 2012
- File size9131 KB
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Get to know this book
What's it about?
This parenting guide teaches effective communication techniques to build stronger relationships, set boundaries, and resolve conflicts with children.Popular highlight
Resist the temptation to “make better” instantly. Instead of giving advice, continue to accept and reflect on your child’s feelings.5,812 Kindle readers highlighted thisPopular highlight
When we acknowledge a child’s feelings, we do him a great service. We put him in touch with his inner reality. And once he’s clear about that reality, he gathers the strength to begin to cope.5,765 Kindle readers highlighted thisPopular highlight
Children don’t need to have their feelings agreed with; they need to have them acknowledged.4,735 Kindle readers highlighted this
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How to Talk so Little Kids Will Listen | How to Talk When Kids Won't Listen | |
Customer Reviews |
4.7 out of 5 stars
9,636
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4.7 out of 5 stars
302
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Price | $11.49$11.49 | $13.61$13.61 |
More books in the bestselling How to Talk parenting series | A must-have guide for anyone who lives or works with young kids, with an introduction by Adele Faber, coauthor of How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk | From tantrums to technology to talking to kids about tough topics, How To Talk When Kids Won’t Listen offers concrete strategies for these and many more difficult situations. |
Editorial Reviews
Review
—Lydia Kiesling, The New York Times
“Will bring about more cooperation from children than all the yelling and pleading in the world.” –Christian Science Monitor
“An excellent book that’s applicable to any relationship.” –Washington Post
“Practical, sensible, lucid…the approaches Faber and Mazlish lay out are so logical you wonder why you read them with such a burst of discovery.” –Family Journal
“An exceptional work, not simply just another ‘how to’ book…All parents can use these methods to improve the everyday quality of t heir relationships with their children.” –Fort Worth Star Telegram
About the Author
Elaine Mazlish is a #1 New York Times bestselling and award-winning author whose books, with coauthor Adele Faber (1928–2024), have sold more than five million copies and have been translated into over thirty languages. The authors’ group workshop programs and videos have been used by thousands of parent and teacher groups around the world. Mazlish currently resides in Long Island, New York and is the parent of three children.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
PART I
I was a wonderful parent before I had children. I was an expert on why everyone else was having problems with theirs. Then I had three of my own.
Living with real children can be humbling. Every morning I would tell myself, “Today is going to be different,” and every morning was a variation of the one before: “You gave her more than me!” . . . “That’s the pink cup. I want the blue cup.” . . . “This oatmeal looks like throw-up.” . . . “He punched me.” . . . “I never touched him!” . . . “I won’t go to my room. You’re not the boss over me!”
They finally wore me down. And though it was the last thing I ever dreamed I’d be doing, I joined a parent group. The group met at a local child-guidance center and was led by a young psychologist, Dr. Haim Ginott.
The meeting was intriguing. The subject was “children’s feelings,” and the two hours sped by. I came home with a head spinning with new thoughts and a notebook full of undigested ideas:
Direct connection between how kids feel and how they behave.
When kids feel right, they’ll behave right.
How do we help them to feel right?
By accepting their feelings!
Problem—Parents don’t usually accept their children’s feelings. For example:
“You don’t really feel that way.”
“You’re just saying that because you’re tired.”
“There’s no reason to be so upset.”
Steady denial of feelings can confuse and enrage kids. Also teaches them not to know what their feelings are—not to trust them.
After the session I remember thinking, “Maybe other parents do that. I don’t.” Then I started listening to myself. Here are some sample conversations from my home—just from a single day.
CHILD:Mommy, I’m tired.ME:You couldn’t be tired. You just napped.CHILD:(louder) But I’m tired.ME:You’re not tired. You’re just a little sleepy. Let’s get dressed.CHILD:(wailing) No, I’m tired!CHILD:Mommy, it’s hot in here.ME:It’s cold. Keep your sweater on.CHILD:No, I’m hot.ME:I said, “Keep your sweater on!”CHILD:No, I’m hot.CHILD:That TV show was boring.ME:No, it wasn’t. It was very interesting.CHILD:It was stupid.ME:It was educational.CHILD:It stunk.ME:Don’t talk that way!
Can you see what was happening? Not only were all our conversations turning into arguments, I was also telling my children over and over again not to trust their own perceptions but to rely on mine instead.
Once I was aware of what I was doing, I was determined to change. But I wasn’t sure how to go about it. What finally helped me most was actually putting myself in my children’s shoes. I asked myself, “Suppose I were a child who was tired, or hot or bored? And suppose I wanted that all-important grown-up in my life to know what I was feeling . . . ?”
Over the next weeks I tried to tune in to what I thought my children might be experiencing, and when I did, my words seemed to follow naturally. I wasn’t just using a technique. I really meant it when I said, “So you’re still feeling tired—even though you just napped.” Or “I’m cold, but for you it’s hot in here.” Or “I can see you didn’t care much for that show.” After all, we were two separate people, capable of having two different sets of feelings. Neither of us was right or wrong. We each felt what we felt.
For a while, my new skill was a big help. There was a noticeable reduction in the number of arguments between the children and me. Then one day my daughter announced, “I hate Grandma,” and it wasmy mother she was talking about. I never hesitated for a second. “That is a terrible thing to say,” I snapped. “You know you don’t mean it. I don’t ever want to hear that coming out of your mouth again.”
That little exchange taught me something else about myself. I could be very accepting about most of the feelings the children had, but let one of them tell me something that made me angry or anxious and I’d instantly revert to my old way.
I’ve since learned that my reaction was not that unusual. On the following page you’ll find examples of other statements children make that often lead to an automatic denial from their parents. Please read each statement and jot down what you think a parent might say if he were denying his child’s feelings.
I. CHILD: I don’t like the new baby.
PARENT: (denying the feeling)
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
II. CHILD: I had a dumb birthday party. (After you went “all out” to make it a wonderful day.)
PARENT: (denying the feeling)
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
III. CHILD: I’m not wearing this stupid retainer anymore. It hurts. I don’t care what the orthodontist says!
PARENT: (denying the feeling)
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
IV. CHILD: I hate that new coach! Just because I was one minute late he kicked me off the team.
PARENT: (denying the feeling)
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Did you find yourself writing things like:
“That’s not so. I know in your heart you really love the baby.”
“What are you talking about? You had a wonderful party—ice cream, birthday cake, balloons. Well, that’s the last party you’ll ever have!”
“Your retainer can’t hurt that much. After all the money we’ve invested in your mouth, you’ll wear that thing whether you like it or not!”
“You have no right to be mad at the coach. It’s your fault. You should have been on time.”
Somehow this kind of talk comes easily to many of us. But how do children feel when they hear it? In order to get a sense of what it’s like to have one’s feelings dismissed, try the following exercise:
Imagine that you’re at work. Your employer asks you to do an extra job for him. He wants it ready by the end of the day. You mean to take care of it immediately, but because of a series of emergencies that come up you completely forget. Things are so hectic, you barely have time for your own lunch.
As you and a few coworkers are getting ready to go home, your boss comes over to you and asks for the finished piece of work. Quickly you try to explain how unusually busy you were today.
He interrupts you. In a loud, angry voice he shouts, “I’m not interested in your excuses! What the hell do you think I’m paying you for—to sit around all day on your butt?” As you open your mouth to speak, he says, “Save it,” and walks off to the elevator.
Your coworkers pretend not to have heard. You finish gathering your things and leave the office. On the way home you meet a friend. You’re still so upset that you find yourself telling him or her what had just taken place.
Your friend tries to “help” you in eight different ways. As you read each response, tune in to your immediate “gut” reaction and then write it down. (There are no right or wrong reactions. Whatever you feel is right for you.)
I. Denial of Feelings: “There’s no reason to be so upset. It’s foolish to feel that way. You’re probably just tired and blowing the whole thing out of proportion. It can’t be as bad as you make it out to be. Come on, smile . . . You look so nice when you smile.”
Your reaction:
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
II. The Philosophical Response: “Look, life is like that. Things don’t always turn out the way we want. You have to learn to take things in stride. In this world, nothing is perfect.”
Your reaction:
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
III. Advice: “You know what I think you should do? Tomorrow morning go straight to your boss’s office and say, ‘Look, I was wrong.’ Then sit right down and finish that piece of work you neglected today. Don’t get trapped by those little emergencies that come up. And if you’re smart and you want to keep that job of yours, you’ll make sure nothing like that ever happens again.”
Your reaction:
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
IV. Questions: “What exactly were those emergencies you had that would cause you to forget a special request from your boss?”
“Didn’t you realize he’d be angry if you didn’t get to it immediately?”
“Has this ever happened before?”
“Why didn’t you follow him when he left the room and try to explain again?”
Your reaction:
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
V. Defense of the Other Person: “I can understand your boss’s reaction. He’s probably under terrible pressure. You’re lucky he doesn’t lose his temper more often.”
Your reaction:
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
VI. Pity: “Oh, you poor thing. That is terrible! I feel so sorry for you, I could just cry.”
Your reaction:
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
VII. Amateur Psychoanalysis: “Has it ever occurred to you that the real reason you’re so upset by this is because your employer represents a father figure in your life? As a child you probably worried about displeasing your father, and when your boss scolded you it brought back your early fears of rejection. Isn’t that true?”
Your reaction:
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
VIII. An Empathic Response (an attempt to tune into the feelings of another): “Boy, that sounds like a rough experience. To be subjected to an attack like that in front of other people, especially after having been under so much pressure, must have been pretty hard to take!”
Your reaction:
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
You’ve just been exploring your own reactions to some fairly typical ways that people talk. Now I’d like to share with you some of my personal reactions. When I’m upset or hurting, the last thing I want to hear is advice, philosophy, psychology, or the other fellow’s point of view. That kind of talk makes me only feel worse than before. Pity leaves me feeling pitiful; questions put me on the defensive; and most infuriating of all is to hear that I have no reason to feel what I’m feeling. My overriding reaction to most of these responses is “Oh, forget it. . . . What’s the point of going on?”
But let someone really listen, let someone acknowledge my inner pain and give me a chance to talk more about what’s troubling me, and I begin to feel less upset, less confused, more able to cope with my feelings and my problem.
I might even say to myself, “My boss is usually fair. . . . I suppose I should have taken care of that report immediately. . . . But I still can’t overlook what he did. . . . Well, I’ll go in early tomorrow and write that report first thing in the morning. . . . But when I bring it to his office I’ll let him know how upsetting it was for me to be spoken to in that way. . . . And I’ll also let him know that, from now on, if he has any criticism I would appreciate being told privately.”
The process is no different for our children. They too can help themselves if they have a listening ear and an empathic response. But the language of empathy does not come naturally to us. It’s not part of our “mother tongue.” Most of us grew up having our feelings denied. To become fluent in this new language of acceptance, we have to learn and practice its methods. Here are some ways to help children deal with their feelings.
TO HELP WITH FEELINGS
1. Listen with full attention.
2. Acknowledge their feelings with a word—“Oh” . . . “Mmm” . . . “I see.”
3. Give their feelings a name.
4. Give them their wishes in fantasy.
On the next few pages you’ll see the contrast between these methods and the ways that people usually respond to a child who is in distress.
© 1980 Adele Faber
Product details
- ASIN : B005GG0MXI
- Publisher : Scribner; 1st edition (February 7, 2012)
- Publication date : February 7, 2012
- Language : English
- File size : 9131 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Sticky notes : On Kindle Scribe
- Print length : 406 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #18,865 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #14 in Parenting (Kindle Store)
- #19 in Dysfunctional Relationships
- #33 in Family Conflict Resolution
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
![Adele Faber](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20240813092609im_/https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41vlHnhEBkL._SY600_.jpg)
Adele Faber is an internationally acclaimed, award-winning expert on adult-child communication. She lectures nationwide, and her group workshop programs are used by thousands of groups throughout the world to improve communication between children and adults.
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Customers find the book focuses on relevant and practical parenting issues and provides clear and manageable advice. They also say the authors make understanding simple and put everything together well. Readers say the book is helpful in a conceptual way and improves relationships. They appreciate the tone, saying it helps decrease stress and tantrums in their house and is not too soft in discipline.
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Customers find the book helpful in a conceptual way, with great tips and tricks for parents looking to be better at managing children. They say it's in the top three most helpful parenting books they've read, with beautiful gifts of knowledge and understanding. Readers also mention that the techniques also work beautifully in the workplace and in social settings. They appreciate the short summary sections and the fact that the authors don't sugarcoat their experiences as parents.
"...with funny yet phenomenally informative and instructive and practical information that a reader can use immediately to effectively communicate with..." Read more
"...I like the straight forward writing and the summary section at the end of each chapter...." Read more
"...recommend this book to all parents interested in gentle, effective alternative methods to yelling and nagging..." Read more
"...the tone of the book, and the fact that the authors don't sugarcoat our experiences as parents...." Read more
Customers find the book's parenting guidance relevant and practical. They say it helps them raise better men and come up with different, more empowering ways to communicate. They also say the book has good information and amazing strategies for creating a home.
"...Each chapter focuses on relevant and practical parenting issues and gives clear and manageable advice...." Read more
"...time I purchased this book was in the 90s - it was much shorter, more direct, and easier to understand and use...." Read more
"...There are questions posed to the reader which is helpful to apply it to your is. Life. An easy read and helped me be reflective in my parenting style" Read more
"...Her suggestions have worked and our child seems much happier, talkative and her confidence has gone up, as well as ours as parents...." Read more
Customers find the book easy to read and understand. They also say the psychology behind the advice is clearly laid out and the suggested parenting methods are easy to put into practice. Readers also appreciate the clear communication and the comic-strip style examples.
"A superbly written book with funny yet phenomenally informative and instructive and practical information that a reader can use immediately to..." Read more
"...focuses on relevant and practical parenting issues and gives clear and manageable advice...." Read more
"What I love most about this book is all the actionable steps provided, plus parents' stories that make me feel less alone in this "maddening"..." Read more
"...book was in the 90s - it was much shorter, more direct, and easier to understand and use. It has become overly long and a bit intimidating!..." Read more
Customers find the tone of the book helpful in decreasing stress, tantrums, and yelling. They also say it diffuses unnecessary tension and keeps emotions out of it. Readers say it helps children be well-behaved, confident, and happy.
"...It also doesn't beat you up for failing...." Read more
"This book is easy to read and not preachy. It is interesting. Without fail, some tiny human will have you trying out it's methods in hours...." Read more
"...have worked and our child seems much happier, talkative and her confidence has gone up, as well as ours as parents...." Read more
"...better communication....not to mention a more satisfying & less stressful family life. What could be better than that?" Read more
Customers find the activities in the book helpful for applying information. They also appreciate the communication strategies and activities. Readers also mention the book is set up as a workbook and has some amazing techniques for changing your language with young people.
"...Instead of telling parents to just be more patient, it actually provides simple things you can do and say (seriously, exact words and phrases) in..." Read more
"Love this book. I especially love how it gives you exercises to apply info...." Read more
"...There are even exercises you can do to practice. This is a must read for anyone who works with children...." Read more
"...I am so relieved and see some real progress here. I really like the exercises in the book which give you an opportunity to write your own responses...." Read more
Customers find the cartoon illustrations in the book great, realistic, and honest. They also say the advice is straightforward.
"...This book is real. It's content is straightforward, honest, and simple to understand...." Read more
"...She also illustrates situations with cute and useful cartoons...." Read more
"...the cartoon pics are clear and discriptive without words...." Read more
"...And then there are comic strip style panels. The concepts click with me.I’m 45 and want to give a copy to my mom…" Read more
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It also doesn't beat you up for failing. The authors recognize that parents are people and have real feelings, so their advice never feels shaming or patronizing. I found this particularly refreshing because authors of parenting books usually seem perfect and are totally unrelatable.
I have found that my mindset has shifted quite a bit since reading this book. I'm actually planning to pick it up and go through it again to help reinforce the techniques. I HIGHLY recommend reading this!
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