Confident Parents, Confident Kids: Raising Emotional Intelligence in Ourselves and Our Kids--from Toddlers to Teenagers

by Jennifer S. Miller

Confident Parents, Confident Kids lays out a program for helping kids—and their parents—hone their emotional intelligence so that they can make good choices, connect and communicate well with others (even when patience is thin), and become aware and confident human beings.

How do we raise a happy, confident kid? And how can we be confident that our parenting is preparing our child for success? Our confidence develops from understanding and having a mastery over our emotions—and helping our children do the same. Like learning to play a musical instrument, we can fine-tune our ability to skillfully react to those crazy, wonderful, big feelings that naturally arise from our child’s constant growth and changes, moving from chaos to harmony. We want our children to trust that they can conquer any challenge with hard work and persistence; that they can love boundlessly; that they will find their unique sense of purpose; and they will act wisely in a complex world. This book shows you how.
 
With author and educator Jennifer Miller as your supportive guide, you'll learn:  
the lies we’ve been told about emotions, how they shape our choices, and how we can reshape our parenting decisions in better alignment with our deepest values.
how to identify the temperaments your child was born with so you can support those tendencies rather than fight them.
how to align your biggest hopes and dreams for your kids with specific skills that can be practiced, along with new research to support those powerful connections.
about each age and stage your child goes through and the range of learning opportunities available.
how to identify and manage those big emotions (that only the parenting process can bring out in us!) and how to model emotional intelligence for your children.
how to deal with the emotions and influences of your choir—the many outside individuals and communities who directly impact your child’s life, including school, the digital world, extended family, neighbors, and friends.
Raising confident, centered, happy kids—while feeling the same way about yourself—is possible with Confident Parents, Confident Kids.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Audiobook

192 pages, Paperback

Published November 5, 2019

Reviews

[Ell · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I like most about this book is that the title delivers on its promise. I am a much more confident parent of a tween after having read this book. It seems as if one evening I was the mother of an easily satisfied young boy and the next morning I was the mother of a more complicated tween, testing the boundaries on everything, reforming beliefs and opinions and renegotiating relationships with himself and others. He’s a wonderful boy that I want to grow up into a confident and socially intelligent young man. I want to help him navigate his emotions and the complex social world in any way I can. I’ve implemented many of the suggestions in this book. I am grateful to Jennifer Miller for writing it.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think you can safely assume, but the insane amount of notes I took while reading this book, that I loved it! For me, it will become my "parenting bible". I will refer to it every time I will encounter a problem with my kids. Jennifer Miller offers plenty of advice for any situation that you can have with your kids, from birth until their teens.

Many thanks to Quarto Publishing for the complimentary e-copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Jeff Snodgrass · Rating 3 out of 5]

This definitely gave practical tools that can be implemented right away. It also helps raise awareness to key areas in parenting. So although I rated it 3 stars for a variety of reasons, it IS definitely worth reading.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Confident Parents, Confident Kids is an excellent resource for helping raise our children with appropriate emotional responses to their environment. In a short, easy to read book, Jennifer Miller provides a breakdown of children’s emotional responses by age (birth-3, 4-7, 8-12, and 13-17) and how we as parents can help shape our own reactions to model behavior. It’s a helpful reminder that how adults respond to outside stimuli directly affects how kids will develop their own reactions.

Also helpful are lists of questions to foster discussions with your children and an appendix that includes family contracts—including one for limiting screen time.

Thank you to Quarto Books and NetGalley for providing this review copy.

[Amy K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good stuff, walks though all ages. Reads more like a reference book. There is no miracle cure for raising kids while keeping your sanity. Sometimes I really want to challenge all of this new age bullshit. I've tried all of the peaceful parenting, mutual respect techniques I've rad about in dozens of parenting books and sometimes it just doesn't work. This has some good take aways but I'd say there is no one book or method that will solve all of your struggles.

[Zoey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t think there is one particular book that has all the answers about parenting. But there are a few good tips in this one I will be using, for example I will certainly be trying to identify the feeling and emotions that I and my kid experience. That was something I never did growing up, and so found it hard to express and explain myself later in life. Now that I’ve had 10 years to practice I feel a little better about expressing my emotions and putting a name to what it is I am feeling and why. Lots of great tips, lots to learn and take away.

[Laura Weaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Confident Parents, Confident Kids is a beautiful book of practical parenting advice for children of all ages. Building social and emotional skills together as a family and identifying our own challenging behaviors can help families have a successful relationship together. There are real-life scenarios and thought-out practical solutions for many parent/child conundrums. I know this book is going to be a great reference for us for years to come!

[Helena#bookdreamer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Informative book on how to raise confident children through confident parents. The author provides real examples and includes helpful methods you can use to help your child handle difficult situations and feelings. Very helpful.

[Diana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, I couldn’t stomach finishing it. From what I did read, I do agree with the fundamental messages from the book. However I found the central metaphor to be grating. It was used to excess, to the point of redundancy of the message...

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this free on audible and listened to it. Now I honestly can’t remember anything it said, so apparently I didn’t read anything revolutionary. Maybe I’ve just read way too many parenting books at this point…

[Rachelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good ideas and insight about raising both confident kids and emotionally intelligent kids. A good reminder how to address my own reactions and emotions in order to model healthy reactions and working through of my emotions for my child.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very great book to read for any adult. Most adults don’t have the emotional intelligence to raise emotionally intelligent kids. This book thoroughly explains the right way to raise emotionally intelligent kids and broaden your own understanding of what to do or not do in specific situations.

[Jason Coleman · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF 5%
The author lost me at the part where she was discussing about how a mother who recently gave birth had a team of medical professionals, who cannot revive her baby after it was born, but her and her husband were able to miraculously revive the child with whispers and body heat.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This parenting book provides consistent and practical applications tailored to various ages and stages. Although I wasn't fully engaged with the continued analogy, I found the book helpful and would recommend it.

[Natalie Gubler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will probs re-read/listen to this again. I appreciate the tools to use to help myself and understand each child. It was a good reminder overall of a child’s development and mine as a parent and partner.

[Mercer Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. Maybe I’ve read too many parenting books. I learned nothing.

[Thu Nguyen]

Book focused on parents and kids' emotions and feelings issues. Should be named "how to be the chill parents in teenagers' eyes".

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn't really relate to all the musical references, although I'm sure that is helpful for others.
I wish the end of each chapter had a nice little summary.

[JW · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some worthwhile advice.

[Maria McCabe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read for every new parent and grandparent. The information in this book is solid Tips are easy to apply and lead to good relationships between family members