First the Positive:
I like John Rosemond and I appreciate his advice. Even if I don't always agree with everything or use everything he says, I like most of his suggestions. This is good old fashioned parenting at it's best.

This book is easy to read. There are 366 short articles. Each article tackles one subject and provides some thoughts about how to deal with each subject. Some things covered are whining, spanking, chores not being done, discipline, etc.

My only complaint: These articles cover such a wide range of topics and a wide range of ages only a small portion of it is useful for me at any given time.

This book sits on my shelf and I use it as a reference tool. As we enter each stage of childhood, I refer to it to refresh my memory of what I read. There are many good suggestions in this book.

If you want to raise well behaved children that don't drive you and those around you to distraction, this is the book to get.

I guess some people will be offended by Rosemond's views on spanking and obeying, but if what they were doing as parents was working, why are they reading parenting books? I've tried the "reason with the child" approach and it DOESN'T WORK. Why doesn't it? Because you can't reason with unreasonable people and children are, by nature and by definition, unreasonable.

It is true that Rosemond advocates returning to a more strict parenting mode -- meaning children obey their parents because their parents have been around longer and know what's best. So, if you are looking for an "attachment" parenting book, definitely look elsewhere. If you are looking for parenting tips that are based on common sense, old-fashioned discipline, John Rosemond is your man. Also, if you base your marriage and family on Christian values, there are Biblical references to this type of parenting.

By the way, Rosemond doesn't ENCOURAGE spanking and he really believes that most people who spank are doing it incorrectly. He says in his books that people don't have to spank to discipline effectively. So, instead of having a knee-jerk reaction to the work "spank" and dismissing his advice out of hand, try actually reading the books!

My husband and I are the parent of a strong-willed 4 year old and we also live far away from any family. This book has been our life saver. Almost all of the advice he gave in this book has helped in one way or another. It's the good, old-fashioned advice that my parents and grandparents would be giving us if we lived near them. Contrary to what people say, that kind of advice still works! My family is living proof of this. The format of his book broken down into 366 "daily devotions" makes it easy to read and understand. I thoroughly agree with his stand on spankings and how you should put your marriage first and make your children pay more attention to you than you do to them. Just following this advice has made a drastic improvement with my daughter's behavior in a short period of time. I highly recommend this book to anyone who feels that they are at the "end of their rope" with their kids' behavior.

It was not possible to read the entire book. The title is misleading (do you also think the title means that brillant babies will become powerful adults?). The writer deals more with the life adults (not parents) should live, rather than how babies will become brillant or powerful.

The chapters of the book can be read in any order, there is no structure and nothing left to remember after a chaotic listing of every issue the author choses to pick: emotional mastery, a model of the mind and body (yes, such a model exists), how to redesign the subconscious, program it, and grow through relationships ('the closer we become to another person, the more we grow'), and even how to be better connected with one's own god.

It is a book which oversimplifies everything, misrepresents the seriousness of the issues under mention, and purports to offer you the secret of a happy life according to the soap opera beliefs of its author.

I regret buying this 'book' which was written in order to be sold and not read.

This 154 page puff piece represents little more than an excercise in self indulgence and ego gratification by an author with minimal qulifications and scant, if any empirical research to support an erratic collection of new age style child rearing suggestions. This work is geared for parents seeking to raise a super baby not for readers who are looking for an objective treatment of subject matter relating to child development and potential giftedness. Superior books in this area include The New First Three Years of Life by Burton L. White and Your Gifted Child by Smutny, Veenker and Veenker.

This book had a very powerful impact on myself which I didn't expect but it has also helped my neice and nephew whose parents followed it's advice closely.

These children are both in advanced classess at school. Their teacher's always comment on their above average intellegence. My sister and I both believe that it was Dr. Mike's sage advise that produced this result because genius or brillance does not run in our family! :-)

I always send this book to my friend's when they are getting married or are expecting a new addition to their family. Thank you, Dr.Mike you have added so much to all of our lives with this helpful book.

PS I learned more about how my brain works from this book than in all my years of schooling!

I think some of the low rated reviews of this book are misleading. If you already own Rosemond's top selling books, of course this isn't the book for you. It even says (very plainly) on the cover that this book is an updated and revised issue of his 2 classics. So for those of us who don't own a Rosemond book and want some sound parenting advice, this is the book to search!

I recently went to a John Rosemond speech and was truly impressed. I have always read his advice in our local paper and I found him to be a little harsh, however after hearing him speak I was amazed. He offers sound, sensible advice in this book about parenting. For example, when our toddler won't put something away the scene was always me begging and bribing him to do so (and often I would end up doing it). Rosemond suggests telling the child to do the requested task (ie "Put away the blocks") and walk away. Surprisingly, after a few times of coming back and telling (note: not asking) him to do so, he followed the direction. Rosemond says that while you stand and watch the child he or she has something to resist against thus the reason to walk away.

If you ever have the opportunity to listen to Rosemond speak, do it!! And if you are looking for good advice in bringing up your child read this book!!

I'm intrigued by other reviews here that gripe about the lack of new material in John Rosemond's latest update on "Parent Power!" Remember, folks, the key word here is "update." It makes no claims to be an entirely new book. The other thing to bear in mind is that good, sound, commonsensical advice on parenting is essentially the same today as it was a hundred--or a thousand--years ago. It all boils down to one simple concept: you are in charge; the child is not.

Some people find Rosemond harsh. Those tend to be parents who are willing to fill their time by wheedling, cajoling and bargaining with their children. Others find Rosemond to make perfect sense. Those tend to be parents who understand (and apply!) the fundamental concept that the parents have more experience and more expertise than the children do, and that it is a parental responsibility to take charge and tell the children what the rules are, how the family works, and what the consequences are for disobedience.

Rosemond knows whereof he speaks. Not only is he a parent himself (two grown children--he's now a grandfather), but he has a doctorate in his chosen field. The thing he writes in "Parent Power!" that struck me like a bolt of lightning was that parents who let their kids take the lead and rule the roost are doing the children a disservice. Kids need and crave structure and order. They like knowing what the boundaries are (even if at first it appears that they don't!). When parents set boundaries and then don't keep within them--or lay down rules and then capitulate at the first request from the child--it actually disturbs the child, because it comes across as though the PARENT doesn't really know what the rules are. And to the kid, that translates to the frightening thought, "Well, gosh, if Mom and Dad don't know what the rules are, who DOES know?"

There's so much good stuff here. I urge every parent--frustrated or not--to be open-minded and read this terrific book. It's a treasure trove of useful, usable, sound information.

I became interested in John Rosenmond's teachings after my best friend attended one of his seminars here in town and told me about his no-nonsense common-sense approach to some of the issues we all deal with as parents. As a parent of two young children, and as a Pediatrician who deals with behavioral concerns on a daily basis, I've found John Rosenmond's tips very helpful. ThIs book is easy to read, and is definitely more of a reference book, rather than a page to page read, with plenty of scenarios that we can all relate to. When parents ask me if I know of any good resources that they can turn to in learning how to best deal with their children, this book is definitely at the top of my list!!

This is a behaviorists attempt to explain a concept that has been recognized by poets for millennia; "love." While the behaviorist's perspective is perhaps a valid one, Bowlby attempts to "prove" the existence of a "primary attachment" (a concept first advanced by Freud in 1912) through a science experiment not worthy of a 7th grader. He then attempts to support that "proof" with anecdotal evidence. Virtually every premise presented by Bowlby was destroyed by the work of Dr. Michael Lamb shortly after Bowlby published "Attachment" (See "The Role of Father"). Read this book if you have insomnia. But under NO circumstances should this book be viewed as authoritative in the development of children.

The work of John Bowlby (who was most certainly not a Behaviorist) is the work of genius. His importance in the field of developmental psychology has yet to be surpassed. It cannot be minimized.

Classic, vitally important work. The writing is just so simple and clear, and the topic just so important, this book is quite worthwhile reading for any student (in the broadest sense) of psychology. Bowlby is an original researcher on attachment between infants and their caregivers. He describes his own and others' research projects and analyzes them in a theoretical framework about instinctive behavior. Why would it be important for children to have attachments? What sorts of attachments would we expect them to have, and what do they have? These are questions Bowlby addresses.

not worth your time, lackluster, there are much better books out there

Matisse: Father and Son has proven to be a prized addition to my book collection by giving an extended valuable insight with no known parallel. I recommend this book and fully endorse the review given by the Metropolitan Museum of Art,New York, which states "This is essential reading for anyone interested in the art of our century." I also found the book to be of immeasurable value to the practicing artist.

I enjoyed this book immensely. It was a lot different from other books about artists that I have read, in that it was written from a very different perspective. You won't find a lot of analysis here about how particular paintings were done. It isn't that kind of "art" book. It also isn't really a straight biography. Instead, you learn a lot about what it is like to be an art dealer, at least a lot about what it was like to be Pierre Matisse! I found the nuts and bolts of the business and the personalities involved to be intriguing. The best part of the book is the letters. Mr. Russell had the good fortune to have access to the extensive correspondence that Pierre had not only with his father but with other artists as well. We are talking about big leaguers such as Joan Miro, Alberto Giaccometi, Marc Chagall, etc. You learn a lot about their work habits and their personality quirks. Of course, the majority of the letters are between Henri and Pierre Matisse. From previous reading I had always had the impression that Henri Matisse was only interested in his art and paid little or no attention to his family. This book changed my mind. He clearly loved his children and grandchildren and took a lifelong interest in what they did and if they were happy. Henri Matisse emerges from this book as not just a great artist but as a very intelligent and warm person. He also had a very good sense of humor!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who would something a little different from the run-of-the-mill art book or biography. As a bonus, there are some very nice color reproductions of not just Matisse's work but of many of the other artists that Pierre Matisse represented throughout his long life.

I have to admit that this is not the most well-written book, but I was still drawn into the story. Being a parent, it made me sick to think of somebody doing those things to their own children.
It also makes me proud of my father. He was the lead detective on this case, and I am thankful to Mr. Coston for giving him the recognition he greatly deserves.

The book is good, but the crime was so sick and demented that I had to quit reading it.

Sleep My Child Forever by John Coston is a very thrilling book to read. It kept my on my feet all through out the book. I did not once want to put it down. The starting of the book was very catching.The writer put very good details all through out the book on what happend. John puts himself in the position in which the character would have been in. He has a lot of thoughts which is very good. So you could relate somehow on what the character was feeling that time. So I would have to say that it was a excellent book to read.

This book contains little information for the expectant father, that isn't already known or common sense. The author wants you to think this book, by a guy, is all guys need to know about the birthing process, but it seems like this book was written more to appease women, under the disguise of a guy's book. If you want a book that let's your wife think your interested, but contains little useful information and is easy to read, then this is it.

It's an easy read. Packed with insightful facts. I was reading it in bed one night and my wife (who is pregnant obviously) wanted me to read out loud to her. After reading chapter 9 -- "Do I Look Fat and Other Trick Questions" to her she commented "That's Right! How does he know that?"

I especially like the "Guy Talk" & "Girl Talk" inserts. This book is not just informative, it's a lot of fun. I recommend it highly and will be giving it as a gift to other "Dads-to-be".

And guys, the author is right. Reading this book really does put you in good graces with your partner. The morning after I read to my wife, I was awakened to a very pleasant surprise. We had just entered into our second trimester if you know what I mean.

I found this book to be very informative for the Father-To-Be. Every first time father should read this book in order to understand and more thoroughly enjoy his wife's/partner's pregnancy.

Divided into forty chapters, one for each week of pregnancy, the reading is easy. I found myself heartily laughing,often. This book was given to me by my wife and we enjoyed the information it contained together. The book includes passages from couples interviewed specifically for their experiences related to pregnancy. Some of the incites the couples reveal are incredibly useful. In addition the quotes from the couples are very humorous.

This book alleviated my fears, taught me a great deal about pregnancy, enabled me to enjoy my wife's pregnancy with her,and made me a better spouse and future father.

For the 1950s, when this book was written, it had imaginative hypotheses. However, the psychoanalytic ideas on which it was based are rather discredited in this day and age. The methodology was also innovative for that time.

By the way, the authors are John Whiting and Irvin Child. Please make the necessary corrections.

I must disagree with the first reviewer. Yes, the psychoanalytic ideas are discredited, but a lot of the credit goes to this book. Whiting and Child tested Freud's notion of fixation at various psychosexual stages by looking at child-rearing practices in a wide range of cultures in relation to adult beliefs and behavior patterns. Only the oral fixation passed the test. Cultures with more difficult weaning procedures tend to have orally-based adult beliefs about sickness and health. The U.S. is a good example: we have very early weaning by world standards, and we also tend to think you get sick from ingesting something bad (germs, for example), and you get cured by taking pills. Supposed anal and genital fixations, however, seemed not to have implications for the adult. Whiting and Child's work remains a great example of an underused approach to cross-cultural research.

This is a book I wish had existed a generation ago. It had high and low points. The high points were the voice of acceptance that was being given to explaining Asperger's, which is a neurological condition on the autism spectrum to children. It is a good starter book for sharing with children on the spectrum who continue coping with "undefined differences."

One thing that bothered me was that the writing suggested a "uniform, one size fits all" approach and description of Asperger's. This can be misleading to readers. Still, it was a good faith effort and one that can be used to empower children on the spectrum and explain their "differences" in a clear cut, humane and frank way.

This is a great Child to child perspective on AS. It displays some humor while the child voices AS as he sees it from his family.

I found this book to be helplful in dealing with other children who will be dealing with my son. We take it into his class on the first day of school and have the teacher read it to his peers so they somewhat understand him and his behaviors. We also read it right after his diagnosis and it helped our son to relate and understand what AS is. I recomend this book.

read this boys life or bevvy of other books dealing with coming of age in a sincere and relevent manner.

you'll love this book. . .
A long meditative piece on the coming of age of artist Linda St. John this book never really produced a true feeling of empathy from me and instead made me feel I was listening to someone paint a picture of exagerated victimization. Her family is abusive poor white trash but some how it escapes that both her and her father are PhDs. In my opinion most people have messed up families but it takes an artists ego to write an extended whine about it and think that half of america doesn't live some version of that . . .

Linda St. John is a wonderful talent and tells her remarkable story of surviving a stark upbringing with wit and insight in the package of a really good read. The story moves along. Her characters are tremendously vivid and orginal.