P.E.T - a parent self help book by Dr. Thomas Gordon

I never believed in self help books. I always knew what was good for me. I used to take pride in the fact that having grown up in a large family with all kinds of people I knew all I could learn about people right at home. Wrong! I also hadn't accounted for the ones who were brought into this world solely by me and my husband and whose lives depend on us for nurturing. Living away from the cocoon of extended family makes this role more visible. For the record, I was raised in a household where there was no spanking and therefore needed to find something that will work like the untold chain of love, respect and discipline that existed in my childhood home. P.E.T (Parent Effectiveness Training:-)) didn't provide all the answers but it was a good reference.

Whenever I am in a dilemma I search for more information. This one book shone with wisdom and had effective ways to handle things that agreed with my policies. They have little examples. Some are extreme but when we know how even those can be handled wisely and peacefully then we build a certain confidence. I see that it is not very easy to adhere to everything the book says, but then we can adapt what we read and try to shape it into what works. It also helped to know that there are a large majority of new parents seeking similar insights into effective parenting. It talks of the strict households and the permissive households and shows a middle ground to do things more effectively. Even if you don't follow the book, it is a good read especially if you are the kind that sometimes wonders whether you are indeed providing the right environment for those sweet little bundles of joy that God entrusted to you. Read here for a rather critical review I found in Amazon that will provide another side. This wiki page gives some insight into the book's philosophy and this page gives more on the book. You can know more about Dr. Gordon who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize here.