Oops! The 9 Ways We Screw Up Our Toddlers

by Michelle Smith

Becoming a parent is a scary thing. Even more scary when we see how some of the kids around us act. We are determined that our babies will not grow up and display those same ugly behaviors! But the first time we're fending off a nasty tantrum in the bookstore, we begin to doubt our resolve. Oops! takes you through the top nine reasons that kids act rotten. It all begins with the parents! From spoiling to hovering, not allowing kids to gain independence and learn how to work through problems makes them whiny, dependent, and disrespectful. As young adults, this leads to an inability to navigate school, build healthy relationships, and become responsible wage earners. (Live at home until you're 35 - no big deal!) Oops teaches you what parental behaviors to avoid and how to raise a happy, well-adjusted little person!

Genres: Nonfiction

116 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 17, 2015

Reviews

[Kathi · Rating 3 out of 5]

The grandma in me could appreciate some of the tips included in this book: remembering some of the pitfalls I experienced as a parent. Maybe this time around, I'll have more time/patience ... I like that instead of just saying "don't do this" the author offers alternative actions.

The retire typesetter in me cringed at the lack of space bands between words, after/before punctuation marks (especially parentheses and quotes). Distracting from the message.

The author does self-promote her other books throughout, but if the reader wants to make a serious study of this, that is probably a good thing.

[Barbara Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author is a mother of three and licensed speech therapist. She writes this book as a guide for parents of toddlers. While many parents believe a child, this age is too young to understand how to control parental behavior, she argues many problems that develop in older children could be avoided if parents recognized the signs early.
Overwhelmed and overworked young parents must remind themselves never to give in to a toddler’s demands and guide them with alternative behavior choices. When a parent steps in to perform every task, a child does not learn how to be responsible for behaviors or belongings. Yelling is not effective and indulging a child to gain compliance never works. By allowing a child to whine or blame others, a parent is encouraging irresponsibility and a privileged mindset. Let them do things themselves, even if they don’t succeed. Failure is a part of learning and growing. Buying material objects leads to a sense of entitlement that will truly backfire when the child reaches the teens and begins to demand everything in sight.
There are many factors that a parent cannot control, but by acknowledging a child’s independence and cognitive awareness, a firm groundwork can be laid. I highly recommend this book for new parents and for teachers and grandparents who might want a quick refresher course on parenting young children.

[Katelyn Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

To be honest, I wasn't expecting to come across this book.
Zero kids, college student, and little priorities.
But guess what? This opened my eyes to not only how children can happen to become "screwed up," but also the aptitudes of each child-age school group, my own personal, past experiencess, and what to expect when I have kids too!
This was a great read, I found it very beneficial. :)
Thank you Michelle for your insights!

[Adela · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

[Amy Williams · Rating 2 out of 5]

The reason I am giving this 2 stars, instead of 1 star, is the author is obviously very smart and clearly know what they are talking about. I thought style of their writing was amusing...direct and to the point. It’s also a very very easy read.

However, there’s nothing ground breaking in the book. It felt like 99% of the book was common sense. I also got the sense the author resents technology and isn’t necessarily “with the times,” so to speak. The content definitely wasn’t what I anticipated.