5/5; 5 stars; A+
I originally got this book out of the library but liked it enough to buy a copy for my own reference library. My parenting section isn't that big...my self development section is though. You know why? In my opinion, to be a good parent, you need to work on yourself and try to fulfill your potential as a person.
In Respectful Parent, Respectful Kids, the authors focus very much on understanding what makes us tick, why we feel and do the things we do. They give the reader a package of tools to help with that. The book is divided into three sections; 1) The Foundation for Respect and Co-Operation, 2) The 7 Keys to Co-operation, and 3) Family Activities and Stories from the No-Fault Zone.
The things I really liked about this book are the emphasis on understanding your own thoughts and behaviours as well as your child's. About creating a safe and nurturing environment as opposed to one filled with rules/punishments/unknown minefields.
I don't think a person will get the most out of this book if they are not willing to do the work. Like most things in self development/improvement, you can't just be 'told' how to make it happen, you have to reflect, examine, and put pencil to paper. This book could be used as a handbook for a workshop on parenting. The final third of the book is packed with activities designed to help the family work through the concepts. I focused mainly on the middle section, the 7 keys.