Cool Tip

Betsy Brown Braun is an inspiration: a child development and behavior specialist, best selling author, former teacher and creator of  Parenting Pathways who offers private consultations, seminars and more about parenting.  Taking her knowledge beyond the classroom, her first book Just Tell Me What to Say offered advice for parents about navigating the crazy world of parenting.  Her latest release, You’re Not the Boss of Me: Brat Proofing Your 4 to 12 Year Old Child, gives them practical tools to raise a respectful young lady or gentleman. Here are some highlights:

• Tips and Scripts for Teaching Respect: “When speaking yo your child, be as respectful as you would with a friend.”  Often we let our guard down with our kids so I thought this simple piece of advice was warranted as a remind to model.

• Tips and Scripts for Dealing with Childhood Myths: “Be prepared to follow your child’s lead, telling neither too much nor too little,” says the author in regard to the often asked question of “When to tell?”

• Tips for Implementing an Allowance System: “The allowance belongs to the child. It can not be removed as punishment.”  Great tip!

• Tips for Cultivating Empathy: “Never do to the perpetrator the same thing she did to her victim.”  For instance,she admonishes not to bite a child to show her “how it feels.”

The book is packed with similar tips that do not necessarily have to be read cover to cover.  Best used as a reference tool, most of the topics you would expect to be covered in a book about “brat proofing” are there.  I did read it from start to finish, however, for review purposes and was amazed at the amount of information packed into a 200+ page book.  For any parent, grandparent or guardian of a 4-12 year old child, You’re Not the Boss of Me is a must read.  And if you find a tip not mentioned here that is your favorite, please feel free to share it in our comment section.

Purchase: You can buy You’re Not the Boss of Me through our Amazon.com affiliate link.

Disclosure: A sample product was provided for review purposes; all opinions are 100% ours. Read our full disclaimer and frequently asked questions and be sure to subscribe to Cool Baby Kid via RSS or email for winner notification and exclusive discounts and giveaways.