Parenting Your Powerful Child

Parenting Your Powerful Child
From Dr. Kevin Leman
Published at Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group

About the book

Don't let those cherublike faces fool you.

Your smart kids have an agenda--and they're workin' ya.

Powerful kids don't just happen. They're created, and their power comes in different packages. Whether loud and temperamental, quiet and sensitive, or stubborn and manipulative, powerful children can make living with them a challenge. But it doesn't have to be that way.
In Parenting Your Powerful Child, New York Times bestselling author Dr. Kevin Leman offers a practical action plan to redirect your child's power surges into positive traits that will prepare your child for a successful, happy, and productive adult life. With these simple but effective techniques, you can transform your home from a daily battle zone to a safe and peaceful place. All it takes is a little determination--and some small changes on your part--to make a huge difference in your family life.

Ready for the power struggle to end?

My Thoughts

As soon as I saw this new title from Dr. Leman, I knew that it would be good.   I will admit that when it comes to parenting Dr. Leman is one of my favourite author, alongside with Dr. James Dobson and Dr. Tim Kimmel.   So I didn’t hesitate one second to request this book last month.   I knew it was just a book that I needed to read.   I have seen power struggles while I shopped and I will admit that even in this household we do deal with powerful kids.   I have one that is very strong will and he can just know how to make your react.  Though this book is not about dealing with strong-willed children but instead it will give you guidance in how to identify the powerful child in your family and how to deal with it.

As I read this book, I could easily identify how a child can become powerful in a family.  Dr. Leman says that it doesn’t just happens.  Believe it or not, powerful children are created and that power comes in different packages.  You think that your child is too shy – it’s a form a power.   You think that your child is just plain stubborn – power again.  Somehow the child has developed this power by discovering he/she can get it his/her way if she acted a certain way.   The book will teach you how to channel these power surges into positive actions/traits that will help your child to become successful, happy and a productive adult later in life.

In all, you will find sixteen chapters in this book.  All of these are well written and you will easily understand what the author is saying as he doesn’t use complicated terms.  

• Chapter 1: The anatomy of a Powerful Child – understanding where power comes from.
• Chapter 2: Power Comes in Different Packages.
• Chapter 3: The Loud, Aggressive, Temperamental, Curveball Manipulator
• Chapter 4: The Quiet, Shy, Sensitive, Walk-on-Eggshells Manipulator
• Chapter 5: The Stubborn, Procrastinating Manipulator
• Chapter 6: What Do Genes Have to Do with It? – discover how personalities in the nursery can predict how your child will be in 5, 10, 15 years.
• Chapter 7: What Does Environment Have to Do with It?
• Chapter 8: Raising Attila the Hun – in this chapter you will discover how parent unwittingly create powerful children…
• Chapter 9: Why Kids Misbehave – Discover that deep down they have a goal.
• Chapter 10: The Attention-Getting Kid
• Chapter 11: Power-Driven or Determined? – how to determine the different and what can be done to use the power surges for your advantage
• Chapter 12: You’re the Adult, They’re the Children – your background and your views of parenting
• Chapter 13: What Kind of Kid Do You Want? – win-win suggestions to help
• Chapter 14: Grace-Based Parenting – have a prodigal?  This chapter is for you!
• Chapter 15: Rewiring Your Home – what you used to say and what you will say now
• Chapter 16: Redirecting the Power Surge – how to encourage positive goals and help your child to use their drive for good purpose

You can glean beneficial information through the pages of this book.  Each chapter contains personal examples from the Leman family as well as testimonies from people who have applied the techniques of Dr. Leman in their relationship with their kids.   I find it beneficial to have these testimonies and discover how other people have dealt with some issues.   Also at the end of each chapter you will find a quick Power Point section that summarize the essential things that you need to remember. As I read this book, I could easily identify some of the power that my own kids have used in the past.   Even if my oldest is twelve years old and my youngest is five, I think I still have much to learn about parenting (should I mentioned that I am an only child?).   Our four kids are quite different from each others in personality, how they learn and how they deal with things.    Every day brings new challenges but I love these kids to pieces and want them to be accomplished adults later in life.   That’s why I am always trying to improve my parenting skills and having books like this one help me to attain this goal.

Thank you Dr. Leman for writing this book and encouraging me to persevere.   You are an inspiration for us as parents.   I am learning so much when I am reading one of your books.  I am looking forward to your next title. *grin*  Until then I will apply the techniques I have learned through the pages of Parenting Your Powerful Child. 

Parenting Your Powerful Child is available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group, even amazon.ca and amazon.com.

Hardcover Edition

   

Paperback Edition

  

Kindle Edition

  

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book for review purposes from Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.