The First 7 Years: Parenting with Strong Values and a Gentle Touch

by Kay Kuzma

If your child hasn't yet blown out seven candles on the birthday cake, there's still time, Mom and Dad! There's still time to make a difference--to influence, to teach, and to mold your children into capable, caring, and Christ-centered human beings. The principles in this book will help you lay the foundation for you child's growing years.
Known to countless parents as "Dr. Kay," child development specialist, broadcaster, and author Kay Kuzma has distilled the best of her life's work and research into The First 7 Years. In this ambitious book, Kay gives parents the information they must have for meeting children's needs in the critical areas of love, individuality, emotions, disipline, congnitive learning, moral character, and personal value.
No parent of a preschool aged child will want to be without this guide to parenting that contains some of Dr. Kay's best-known and battle-tested child-rearing principles. Learn how

- Fill your child's "love cup" and understand how it works
- Discover your child's potential
- Shrink your child's negative emotional "giants" like anger, jealousy, and fear
- Teach love-based obedience
- Control the TV and raise a brighter, more capable child
- Shape your children's moral character, build their self-confidence, and more!

Parenting is an incredible journey that you can never take again. Let The First 7 Years be your roadmap and travel guide to help you get where you want to go. With it, you can enjoy the parenting journey as your children grow into vibrant, loving, gentle people with strong values and principles who will love God, respect you, and bless humanity.

Genres: Parenting

Paperback

First published July 31, 2006

Reviews

[Kim]

As a kid, I read a book called Tabitha at Ivy Hall written circa 1900. Tabitha's best friend Carrie had a father who was the type of parent who never punished with spankings, but a look of disapproval or disappointment was enough to modify behavior. I always wondered how he did that and if Carrie's dad wasn't a fictional character dreamed up over a century ago, I would have guessed he used this book as his parenting manual.

I am only a little over halfway through with this book. At 671 pages, it is best read slowly and methodically. I started it when my daughter was 2 months old and it is by far the best parenting book I have ever read. Many parenting books are full of stereotypical situations and ridiculous advice. I once read in another parenting book that the best way to keep your child from complaining about the end of bath time was to drain the water out and tell the kid that the water was all gone so he had to get out. Are you serious?

The First 7 Years is different. It is not about which sleep solution is best or when to wean from the breast or how to manipulate your child into obedience. It is about how to raise a child of character and arguably more important, how to be a parent that is worthy of your child's respect and trust. This is accomplished through consistency and love, not corporal punishment or manipulation.

One of my favorite things about this book is that although it is geared towards a Christian audience, it does not have the fluffy sort of advice that a lot of Christian parenting books seem use. Kuzma addresses how to "shrink" negative emotions like anger, jealousy, and fear in your life and in your child's and how to foster creativity and learning. She also discusses guidelines on how to influence your child for good and how to use language in a way that encourages. Kuzma is direct and accessible. Not once have I felt that her suggestions were something out of reach or impossible for our family. There are so many gems of good advice. This is the book that I always come back to when I get "stuck" not knowing how to move forward. Kuzma gives sound advice.