Dear Adina,
I read your column regularly and often save them because I like your parenting style very much. Are there similar resources for mothers of adult children ages 21 to 28. I’m full of parenting questions when my 21 year old comes home from college.
From,
A Loving Parent of Adults
Dear Loving Parent of Adults,
Thanks so much for your kind words.
If you read my column then you probably know that I love the book “How To Talk So Kids Will Listen” by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish. I have found that I am able to apply most of the principles outlined there to people of all ages, and in all my relationships.
The authors teach you the basic techniques of listening thoughtfully and being empathetic. Those are invaluable skills at home with your kids,in your marriage, with your relatives and in the workplace.
You also learn how to engage a child’s cooperation respectfully. You can use those same techniques for when you need to complain to customer service about your broken dishwasher and when you need your child’s teacher to give your kid some extra attention in reading.
The chapter on praise teaches you how to compliment in an effective and sincere manner. It has helped me write thank you notes on various occasions and show my gratefulness to the people in my life many times.
The book gives you insights into human nature, helping you understand what makes people tick.
Also, Faber and Mazlish’s writing is warm and fun. It is just an easy read. They talk about the parenting mistakes they made and how they tried to improve themselves. They give off a “been there done that” vibe that makes you feel comfortable instead of guilty.
So there you have it. Thanks for giving me an opportunity to review and tell you all, again, how much I love this book!
You can click here to get your very own copy: