Book Review: Making Children Mind Without Losing Yours

I just finished reading Making Children Mind Without Losing Yours by Dr. Kevin Leman. Leman is the man who wrote the birth order book that I love. The version of Making Children Mind that I read was written in the early 80s, so it doesn't have all of the wisdom I think he now displays in his writing, but it does have some good points. He does have newer editions out, and I am sure those are more pertinent to modern day and full of 20 years extra wisdom.

Overall? There are some good things in it. There are also some things that just aren't all that earth shattering for me. Making Children Mind talks about Leman's discipline tool he refers to as Reality Discipline. Reality Discipline has parents use reality as a tool for correction first. He encourages parents to not be too lenient nor authoritarian. It all really reminds me of Parenting with Love and Logic--but the parts of Parenting with Love and Logic that I liked. I am personally a fan of natural and logical consequences, as both Parenting with Love and Logic and Leman stress. I think that is the reason a lot of this book was a no-brainer for me.

Leman is a man who is realistic. He doesn't view himself as the world's smartest man. He is quick to admit that not everything will work every time. His writing is easy to read with doses of humor mixed in. This book is a simple read that I think is definitely worth the time it takes. It helped remind me to use these consequences and to be super consistent with them.

I will have a few posts on key topics I liked from this book, as well as a post that quickly lists points he makes that I think are important but either already have posts on this blog or are pretty much self-explanatory and not in need of further ramblings from me (or at least not more than a paragraph or two ;) ).

Related Posts/Labels:

• The Birth Order Book: Why You Are the Way You Are
• Love and Logic Book
• leman (blog label)
• discipline (blog label)
• book recommendation (blog label)