Dr. Jenn Berman - A to Z Guide to Raising Happy, Confident Kids

Praise for The A to Z Guide to Raising Happy, Confident Kids

A beautifully written, lively exploration of the challenges involved in raising childrenand the best we know today about how to meet those challenges. Entertaining and inspiring, this book belongs in the home of every parentand grandparent!

Nathaniel Branden, PhD, author of The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem

Finally, rather than a list of problems from A to Z, a refreshing, encouraging book for parents with answers from A to Z.

Rabbi Steven Z. Leder, author of
The Extraordinary Nature of Ordinary Things and More Money Than God

G is for Great! I love Dr. Jenns The A to Z Guide to Raising Happy, Confident Kids. Its easy accessibility touches lightly yet profoundly on subjects we parents confront daily. Her practical advice mixed with insight on how to grow a confident, healthy individual is spot on. I will be sure to recommend this chock-full reference to my patients and friends. I know it will have a place on my shelf for years to come.

Marilyn H. Kagan, LCSW

The A to Z Guide to Raising Happy, Confident Kids is filled with wisdom and deep insight into modern parenting. From cultivating a healthy relationship with food and body to teaching your child about love and self-acceptance, this book gives parents the information they need on the issues that arise. Dr. Jenns book is a true gift to parents!

Elyse Resch, nutrition therapist and coauthor of Intuitive Eating

When they are all finally asleep in their beds and you have crawled into yours, The A to Z Guide to Raising Happy, Confident Kids is the perfect ray of hope to visit for courage, comfort, and practical solutions that will give you a restful nights sleep.

Don Elium, bestselling author of Raising a Son and Raising a Daughter

Reading this book is like sitting down with a trusted friend who just happens to know everythingfrom the intimate details of parenting to the big picture of raising a child. The chapter titles and subheads have the catchiness of pop tunes, while the content achieves breadth and depth with the grace of a superbly tuned orchestra.

Greg Keer, syndicated parenting columnist and publisher of
www.familymanonline.com

Parenting becomes infinitely easier if you remember that you were once a child, too. Dr. Jenns brisk and insightful guide to child rearing provides a welcome reminder that informed parenting results in better kids. The tips and cautions alone make this book a confidence booster for handling parental pressure.

Paul Petersen, child advocate and founder of A Minor Consideration

A helpful, practical approach to parenting. The personal anecdotes combined with clinical research make this guide a must-have for parents. As pediatricians, we value the importance of raising a happy, healthy, and confident child. Dr. Jenns book will help parents accomplish this goal.

Scott Cohen, MD, FAAP, and Bess Raker, MD, FAAP,
Beverly Hills Pediatrics

Dr. Jenn Berman

Foreword by Donna Corwin

New World Library
Novato, California

Copyright 2007 by Dr. Jenn Berman

All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, or otherwithout written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review.

The material in this book is intended for education. It is not meant to take the place of diagnosis and treatment by a qualified medical practitioner or therapist. No expressed or implied guarantee as to the effects of the use of the recommendations can be given, nor liability taken.

All the vignettes in this book are taken from a combination of the authors clinical experience, personal experience, media work as a therapist, and letters and emails she has received. She has changed all names and identifiable details to protect the privacy of her psychotherapy clients. Any similarity between the names and stories of individuals described in this book and those of individuals known to readers is purely coincidental.

Text design and typography by Tona Pearce Myers

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Berman, Jenn.

The A to Z guide to raising happy, confident kids / Jenn Berman.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-57731-563-6 (pbk.: alk. paper)

1. Child rearingHandbooks, manuals, etc. 2. ParentingHandbooks, manuals, etc. I. Title.

HQ769.B51885 2007

First printing, May 2007

ISBN-10: 1-57731-563-4

ISBN-13: 978-1-57731-563-6

Printed in Canada on acid-free, partially recycled paper

New World Library is a proud member of the Green Press Initiative.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

This book is dedicated to my incredible parents,
Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil.

Without your love, encouragement, and belief in me,
this book would not exist. You made me believe that I could
accomplish anything that I set my mind to. You taught me
that rejection and difficulty are just part of the road to success.
Thank you for always hearing me, understanding me, and loving me
with all your hearts. I aspire to be as good a parent as you both are.

D r. Jenn Berman has given the alphabet new meaning. In The A to Z Guide to Raising Happy, Confident Kids, she offers insightful, informative advice to parents. Dr. Jenn has broken down the basics of child-rearing into twenty-six of the most important issues facing parents today. She starts with helping your children form healthy eating habits, then goes on to cover everything from childhood fears, raising twins, and sibling rivalry to family time and sleep issues. Parenting is a challenging and often frightening journey. Dr. Jenn has joined with parents in this journey and shares her vast psychological knowledge and grounded advice. She navigates the internal needs of children, and at the same time offers practical solutions to parents. Along the way, she even reminds parents to take time for themselvesa novel idea!

In the chapter F Is for Free to Be Me! Dr. Jenn explores parentings most vital issueself-esteem. She gets at the heart of what creates healthy children: their inner confidence and ego strength. Self-esteem, as she notes, forms the core of a person. As she reminds us, Psychologically, parents are the mirrors in which kids see themselves reflected; your children look to you to figure out who they are and how they fit in the world. With sensitivity, she guides parents in making positive choices when it comes to discipline and child-rearing. Perhaps one of the most important issues is allowing children to see their weaknesses as an opportunity for growth. Dr. Jenn draws on her longtime work with children, families, and teens. She cites real-life cases to exemplify the importance of self-esteem and its core function in a childs life. She shows parents how to validate a childs feelings and to become positive role models.