The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read (and Your Children Will Be Glad You Did)
By Philippa Perry
Blurb
This book is about how we have relationships with our children, what gets in the way of a good connection and what can enhance it.
The most influential relationships are between parents and children. Yet for so many families, these relationships go can wrong and it may be difficult to get back on track.
In The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read (and Your Children Will Be Glad that You Did), renowned psychotherapist Philippa Perry shows how strong and loving bonds are made with your children and how such attachments give a better chance of good mental health, in childhood and beyond.
She'll help you to:
- Understand how your own upbringing may be impacting upon your parenting style
- Contain, express, accept and validate your own and your child's feelings
- Understand that all behaviour is communication
- Break negative cycles and patterns
- Accept that you will make mistakes and what to do about them
Almost every parent loves their children, but by following the refreshing, sage and sane advice and steps in this book you will also find yourselves liking one another too.
Our Review
Despite being a first-time mum, I am not really a fan of parenting books as it is too easy for the author to come across as judgemental. Also, I find that the ones I have rehash a lot of the same information.
However, I had heard a lot about this book, so I decided to give it a try.
The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read (and Your Children Will Be Glad That You Did) is not just a book with an interesting title. It contains useful anecdotes and exercises to help you relate to you child.
At times the author did come across as slightly judgemental, but this was rare. On the whole I would say this book is useful for any parent to have.
As I have some background in counselling, I had heard some of the arguments before that state the way we are treated as children is often reflected in how we treat our own children. For some reason it had never occurred to me to think about this in terms of parenting.
It makes complete sense to me that empathy is key to understanding why young children, babies and teenagers sometimes ‘act out.’ It had occurred to me with children and young adults that his may be the case but not with babies.
Babies need a safe space to express their emotions. As a friend of mine put it ‘I think people sometimes forget babies are allowed to just be sad too.’ According to the author recognizing the emotion and reflecting on it with the child is key to understanding and eradicating tantrums and the like.
I may not have agreed with everything in the book, but I found it a fascinating read and on the whole I found myself agreeing with the author.
A refreshing take on the parenting book.
Our Final Rating...
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