PARENTING Guide to Positive Discipline

by Paula Spencer, Parenting Magazine

A guide to discipline grounded in love and respect

Today's savvy parents have come to rely on PARENTING magazine for its focused advice and expert guidance on all the tough issues of raising children.  Now PARENTING readers are delighted to find the same winning blend of upbeat writing, quick information, and up-to-the-minute research in the PARENTING books.  This latest volume in the series takes parents through the ins and outs of raising children with healthy, loving discipline, from infancy to age 6 and beyond.  Featured topics

Discipline and Knowing the difference  ¸  Defining realistic, age-appropriate goals for your child  ¸  Why cooperation works better than coercion

Why kids Heading off bad behavior by understanding its underlying causes  ¸  How to be a guide rather than a cop  ¸  Rechanneling all that energy

Avoiding common pitfalls and Side-stepping power struggles and defiance  ¸  Making rules your children can understand and obey  ¸  Creating win-win situations through patience and consistency  ¸  Using positive reinforcement instead of criticism and control

Discipline through ages and Expectations your children can meet from infancy to elementary school  ¸  Dealing with sibling rivalry  ¸  Working with a babysitter or day care provider  ¸  Dialogues, routines, and strategies geared for each phase of childhood

Raising responsible Chores your child is ready for  ¸  Using rewards fairly and effectively  ¸  Getting compliance without nagging or policing

How NOT to spoil your The difference between nurturing and overindulging  ¸  Giving gifts without creating undue expectations ¸  When and how to set limits  ¸  Setting the right example

144 pages, Paperback

First published July 31, 2001

About the author

Paula Patyk Spencer is an American journalist and author specializing in parenting, family life, pregnancy, and women's health. She has written or co-authored numerous books and over 400 articles for national magazines. Spencer was a contributing editor for the former Parenting Magazine and has also contributed to Baby Talk Magazine and Woman’s Day.
A native of Warren, Michigan, Spencer graduated from the University of Iowa before pursuing a career in publishing. She worked as an editor in New York City and Knoxville, Tennessee, before becoming an editorial director at Whittle Communications, where she oversaw health, parenting, travel, and lifestyle publications.
Spencer has been a senior editor at Caring.com, a website supporting adult children caring for aging parents, and has also written the Momfidence! blog on Warner Brothers’ Momlogic.com. Her expertise has led to appearances on The CBS Early Show and Oprah!. She has been a guest lecturer at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and has spoken at numerous conferences and events on writing and parenting.
Her work has been recognized with several awards, including the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s Media Award and the National Women’s Political Caucus Emma Award. Among her books are Momfidence! and Everything Else You Need to Know When You're Expecting, as well as collaborations with experts such as Dr. Harvey Karp (The Happiest Toddler on the Block) and Dr. Tracy Gaudet (Body, Soul, and Baby).