How to Behave So Your Preschooler Will, Too!

by Sal Severe

Overview

Dr. Sal Severe established himself as a leading childcare and parenting expert with his phenomenally successful How to Behave So Your Children Will, Too! Now he focuses on raising children between the ages of three and six. Based on Dr. Severe’s philosophy that children’s behavior often reflects that of their parents, this book teaches readers how to better handle a host of issues, from fussing at bedtime and temper tantrums to toilet training and sibling rivalry. Instead of focusing on what children do wrong, Severe teaches parents what they can do right by emphasizing the positive, being consistent, and being more patient. Filled with checklists, an extensive resource guide to books that parents can read with their preschoolers, and plenty of inspiration, this goldmine of helpful advice is certain to become a bible for stressed-out parents everywhere.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780142004586
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	06/01/2004
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	5.36(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.69(d)

About the Author

Dr. Sal Severe has been a school psychologist for more than twenty-five years. He serves on the advisory board of Parents magazine and is a member of the National Association of School Psychologists. Dr. Severe is also the author of How to Behave So Your Preschooler Will, Too!

Table of Contents

	Preface	vii
	Acknowledgments	ix
Part I	Introduction	1
1	What Preschoolers Need from Their Parents	3
Part II	Developmental Factors That Affect Behavior	15
2	How Language Affects Behavior	17
3	How Temperament Affects Behavior	38
4	How Self-Esteem Affects Behavior	45
5	How Motivation Affects Behavior	53
6	How Preschoolers Learn	62
Part III	Better Behavior Principles	77
7	Quick Start Strategies	79
8	You and Your Preschooler Learn from Each Other	93
9	Being Consistent Is Seldom Easy, but It Is Always Worth It	103
Part IV	Putting Better Behavior Principles into Practice	115
10	How to Build Positive Behaviors and Attitudes	117
11	Use Charts and Checklists to Teach Accountability	131
12	Use Rules to Provide Guidance	139
13	Managing Your Anger	155
14	Alternatives to Spanking	164
15	Correcting Misbehavior with Time-Out	171
16	Planning Improves Misbehavior	197
Part V	Applying Better Behavior Principles to Everyday Challenges	207
17	Common Challenges	209
18	Sibling Strife	224
19	From Comfort to Coping	231
20	Preschool Fears	241
21	Behavior in Public Places	250
22	Preschoolers, Aggression, and Anger	259
23	Choosing a Preschool	268
24	Children with Special Needs	271
25	From Cookies to Car Keys	277
Appendix	Children's Book List	281
	Index	303

Editorial Reviews

The Barnes & Noble Review
In this follow-up to How to Behave so Your Children Will, Too!, parenting authority Sal Severe maintains that life with a preschooler can be free of whining, tantrums, and other unpleasant behavior. The author reveals that while children of this age want to test their will against everything, usually with much noise and melodrama, they also want nothing more than to please their parents. This concept may seem unlikely to Mom and Dad when the little one stuffs all the guest towels down the toilet, but the book advises parents that if they can just keep control over their own emotions, they can prevent situations from escalating into meltdowns or screaming fits.

Setting limits with consistency and patience -- the hallmarks of discipline -- can aid parents in the constant battles over bedtimes and sibling bickering. Severe, however, reminds readers that they must model appropriate behavior if they want their child to learn how to deal with conflict and disappointment. On a more practical level, simple tactics such as charts and stickers will often do the trick, and Severe offers advice on using these devices without sending the wrong message to your child. A final section addresses specific problems you may encounter -- including constant attention seeking, lying, and picky eating habits -- and how to correct them. Constructive as well as philosophical, this guide can help parents promote good behaviors in their children while teaching them to realize the consequences of their actions -- a valuable lesson at any age. Jessica Leigh Lebos

bn.com

Severe, author of the bestselling How to Behave so Your Children Will, Too!, focuses on children ages three to six. Parents know all too well that toddlers can be particularly difficult. Sometimes their inability to speak makes it hard to figure out what they want; other children have demanding temperaments and still other kids haven't been taught the "right" behavior for a particular situation. In a calm and soothing manner, Severe offers coping strategies for parents with the most common dilemmas, including tantrums, toilet training, sibling rivalry and more. The author discusses the circumstances, offers specific suggestions for parents and provides a summary chart of what not to do and how kids can get the wrong message by following their parents. For example, when a parent watches TV several hours a day, children learn that they can do the same, or when a parent yells obscenities at a driver who takes a parking spot, the child learns that he or she can also be verbally offensive. Parents can counteract their own bad behavior, counsels Severe, by apologizing for using bad language or taking responsibility for being angry and trying to be polite. The book is particularly helpful for first-time parents, who will find Severe's step-by-step prescriptions what to do when a toddler has a tantrum or how to handle time-outs invaluable. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

No more tantrums. No more bedtime battles. That's what Severe promises, and he clearly delivers; his How To Behave So Your Children Will, Too! was a New York Times best seller. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal