This is an easy to read, practical book for the parent of a 3-4 year old. It offers easy to read information without the drudgery of tons of reading. I think Parent Magazine is fabulous, having subscribed to it for many years myself. I'm so pleased to see that they are giving the best of what they have to offer in this book. As a behavior specialist and author of The Voucher System Behavior Management Program, I have spent a great deal of time and effort looking for a book that addresses the challenges and questions that often arise with a four year old. (Children are learning so much at age four and need a great deal of parent/child interaction. It's also the age where they learn that "no" really means "no".) This book is my choice for the best most concise book on children of this age. I highly recommend it! I also recommend the book that follows this one on the 5-6 year old.

This poor baby cannot do anything right! She is being told "no" throughout the entire story. And at the end of the day, she needs to ask her Momma for a kiss goodnight. It would have been nice if the Mother would have atleast told her baby that she loves her when she tucks her in to bed, but she doesn't. This book was such a disappointment without any positive message. The only reason why I gave it 2 stars (instead of 1) was because of the beautiful illustrations.

My two-year old daughter and four year old nephew love this book! There are items to count, colors to name, and of course the wonderful rythym of "please, baby, please." The illustrations are wonderful! The child in the picture could easily be a boy or girl, and the daily routines of the child in the book are similar to any toddler child's busy day. I will share this book for a long time!

This book has sweet, rhyming text with an Afican American flavor (Keep off the wall, please, baby, please!). The illustrations are incredibly realistic, and I especially appreciate the endearing expressions on the toddler in this story. Her expressions of delight, stubborn defiance, and wonder are familiar to anyone who has ever loved or parented a one-year old. Best of all, my own children (ages 1 1/2 and 3 1/2) love this story and ask to read it again and again (Please, Mommy, please!). If your own library lacks quality literature featuring ethnically diverse main characters, I highly recommend this one.

The kids liked this book, so I read it myself. And boy, was it was fun!

Although the title gives the impression that this is the kind of book a parent ought to pass up, it is really very well done.

Of course, it includes the list of 101 ways to bug your parents - which was the theme of Sneeze's own story in the book. But can you blame him? After all, his summer vacation WAS ruined!

But while Sneeze misses out on his summer plans, he gains a great deal in wisdom. A lot of important things are touched on in this book - what it might feel like to lose one's parent, a growing awareness of financial problems that adults often face, what's truly important in a friend, and even a hint of budding romance.

It's all in there! And it puts everything into perspective for Sneeze. I think most kids could learn something from this story.

I am impressed by this book and will look for other titles by thia author for my kids to read.

Well done!

A fair book. It's not the greatest. Kind of unusual. A little funny. I think it really dezerves a 3 1\2.

Steve may fail summer school, people think his parents should be arrested, his teacher may be fired, and the whole grade is mad at him.

And all he did was complete his project for summer school!

Steve needed money to go to the INVENTION CONVENTION (Boy, did he WANT to go!) He loved to make inventions. He was assigned a project in summer school. It was to write a book. First he was going to write a biography about his favorite inventor. Then his friend HICCUP, the hypochondriac, said "Why not write a book you can SELL to get money for the INVENTION CONVENTION?" So, they thought of a title that the students would want to buy. When they start to write and sell the book, all the funny things start to happen.

This book has a lot fun situations and many funny characters. You get to know the different characters and you will like them. There are some jokes, too! And, of course, you will like the list at the end of the book called "101 WAYS TO BUG YOUR PARENTS."

So, what happened to Steve? Did he actually get to the INVENTION CONVENTION? You will have to read this very funny book to find out.

*****Mommy's note: With the very clever characterizations, and the one-line humor, even parents who like to "preview" their children's literature for appropriateness will enjoy this one! In the guise of a madcap situation, and a child-centered story, the main characters learn about responsibility, compassion, and friendship.

I think the book offered lots of great advice for parents who have no ideas of where to begin. I also think it did alot to dispel notions of the effects of harsh discipline and verbal abuse.

I have read several "discipline" books with many more on my nightstand. This is by far one of the best books for all ages, from toddlers to teens. The book is easy to read (1-2 hours at the most), gives great examples and has already inspired me to take charge of my parenting with my almost 4 yr old twin boys. I can certainly see it's effectiveness into the teen years.

The Canter's give you an overview of "being assertive" and ineffective communication. Then they keep it simple by giving you in one short chapter the tools most parents will need to get results - speak assertively, use nonverbal cues, utilize the broken record technique for arguers, and praise when behavior is appropriate. The next couple chapters suggest how to back up your words with actions and lay down the law, including some examples of "extreme" measures people have taken. Each chapter supplies examples and a one page summary at the end.

The rest of the book gives great ideas for enforcing positive behavior, working with 2 or more children, changing behavior at school, and working with spouses and ex-spouses. There are examples situations for working parents, babysitters, and single parents. There is a question and answer section of the most "what if?" and "but.." questions, a long problem/consequence example chapter and worksheets for disciplinary plans in various situations.

I highly recommend this book as one of the first to read. I really like the way they give suggestions, but don't treat them as the only way to do things. The authors acknowledge the fact that some children definitely need professional help and that the professional advice comes first. And the fact that positive reinforcement is highly emphasized makes it a well rounded, easy to implement discipline strategy.

Assertive Discipline For Parents is an excellent book. It's not a very long book that will take you weeks, or even months to read, and it gets right to "the point". No long, drawn out stories. There's also worksheets that can be used for home and at school. Assertive Discipline is a 3-step program...You try it one step at a time. If the first step doesn't work, continue on to the next step. (Just be sure to read the entire book first.) It offers suggestions as: use "I WANT you to..." instead of "You NEED to..." The "broken record" technique is also fabulous! When your child argues with you or comes up with excuses, just use the "broken record" technique...keep repeating your request. I recommend this book to anyone who needs something quick, and easy to understand and read. It's working for us!

This book is good for beginners, but I've already tried EVERYTHING Dr. Condrell said before ever buying this book (WITHOUT reading it in a book, or magazine, or getting advice from my pediatrician), and it STILL doesn't work! I guess maybe I have an extra stubborn 3 year old, but nothing in his book is news to me. Was a waste of my money!

This book has a lot of good information in it about how to deal with bratty behavior both at the toddler and the teen level. I didn't agree with everything in the book and I thought some of the proposed punishments were a bit harsh, like if a kid does not clean his room, he is grounded to his room after school and if not finished cleaning by dinner time does not get to eat with the family. I also could have done without the sarcasm, such as the list on "How to Have a Troubled Family". But there is a lot of good advice in the book. I especially liked "behavior that is rewarded will be repeated" and the analogy that dolphins in a show don't do the tricks because they were screamed at or spanked, they do it because they were rewarded when they got it right.

The greatest part about this book is how easy it is to read and how directly applicable it is. No long-winded stuffy professors. This book shows you exactaly what to do, and not do, and tells it with humor. An easy read that will make you feel much more sane!

Success Without College explodes many of the myths about college that abound in upscale suburban neighborhoods where parents expect all their children to go to the Ivy League and thrive. It helps you determine if your child is ready for college, or for a different kind of experience as early as age 15. More importantly, by improving the perspectives of parents, this book will change and reduce unrealistic pressures on youngsters that can make the teenage years difficult. In the process, parents can take satisfaction in helping launch their children onto a more productive path.

Despite the fact that U.S. high schools seem to create poorly educated students, a higher percentage of people leave those high schools to attend college than in any other country in the world. College is expensive, and this is a great drain on families and students. Yet, most of those who go off to attend college will not graduate in 4 years. Many will never graduate, and will receive little of value to sustain them as people and economically. Frequent binge drinking seems to be the main experience that people get at college these days.

A great strength of this book is that it is based in part on personal experience. The author's own son went to college for two years and did poorly. He then went out to work, and began learning how he needed to proceed with his life in the process. For many young people, college right after high school is too soon. You have to be both academically and emotionally mature. More people are the former than the latter. The book has a wonderful quiz that you can use to assess the emotional maturity of your youngster. I thought the quiz was good because it picked up on issues that two of my children had (who actually did complete college in 4 years), which I should have paid more attention to at the time. Perhaps each of them would have gotten more out of college if they had worked or done volunteer work for a year or two first.

The book also addresses what to do with the child who is having trouble with high school. You will also find out about a variety of resources for dealing with emotional problems, learning disorders, and career planning. There are counselors who can help and programs that you can pursue. In many cases these cost money. In other cases (like the Army), they just take investigation.

Given that more young people will not graduate from college than will, you would think that there would be more books about succeeding for those who do not go to college than those who do. It's just the opposite. Whether or not you think your children will and should go to college right away, I recommend you read this book. You may get some good ideas that may change your mind, and make your child's life much better!

If you are like me, you have not done enough thinking about how to prepare your child for life, as well as education. This book is a superb resource to do just that.

My main quibble about the book is that it relies on a few counterexamples to explain how well those without college educations can do. I would have liked to have seen a more systematic discussion about how those who go without college can always outperform the clueless liberal arts major. That would have given the book the necessary legitimacy to make parents feel terrific about exploring the noncollege options.

After you have finished this book, I suggest that you discuss what you learned from it with another parent to help pass along the message. If your child is willing to read, you can have a much better discussion about what to do next if both of you read this book first.

After you have had those discussions and taken appropriate actions, I also suggest that you consider where else you may have misconceptions about being a parent. What should your children be doing to prepare to be effective volunteers? What should they be doing to prepare to become lifelong learners after they leave school? What values will serve them the best? How can they learn to be good spouses and parents? You may be able to make improvements in these areas as well, based on your own thinking and research. Good luck!

When speak of education, most people think of "formal" or "systematic" education such as college. Unfortunately, to understand the complexity of today's world and life itself, education is a life-long continuously learning process. But too often, most people just stop after they are done with their formal education. From thousands years ago to today, many of the greatest scientists and leaders are not neccessarily formally educated or educated from "top" colleges.

One thing the education system does not encourage you is that once you learned How to Learn and Observe, you can do just fine in life without a college degree (of course, it doesn't hurt to have one). Unfortunately, those who can motivate themselves to learn is always the exception rather than the rule.

There are countless examples of extremely succcessful people who understood the fundamental truth about life and learning, who did not finish college and yet succeed. Bill Gates of Microsoft, Steve Jobs of Apple, Larry Ellison of Oracle, Shawn Fannings of Napster, COO and president of Yahoo! - Jeffery Albert Dimery Mallett, AOL/Time Warner's Co-COO Bob Pittman, Chairman and CEO of Kellogg, Carlos Gutierrez. Let's step aside from the corporate world for a moment. Joseph Atick, a pioneer in biometrics, is a high school dropout at the age of 15 who became bored with school and wrote a 600-page textbook on modern physics. Stanford took him directly into their graduate program in physics and he eventually earned a Ph.D. in mathematical physics.

One thing all of these people have in common is that they are avid readers and never stop learning. They also realized that the only limit in this world of what you can do is your own mind.

A college experience is good to have, but it doesn't have to be immediate.

Readers who are interested this book might want to check out "Chomsky on Miseducation", "Illusions: The Adventure of a Reluctant Messiah" and "Rich Kid, Smart Kid".

A great book.I'll have to check it out from the library.Our society's in a heap of trouble if we think that getting a degree is the only way you can get a good paying job.We've become a society of "diplomaism".A society that defines success by that sheepskin that's given to students every year on campuses.Sheepskin that can break families financially,and that can cost over $100,000.Despite what society and the media say,how many of you folks reading this review know of someone(including yourself)who went through all of those loans and grants,and are barely making more than you are(if not less)even though you HAVE NO DEGREE? Don't get me wrong,money's nothing to me,but,colleges all across the nation teach this lie that if you have a degree,you'll be making mad cash,and if you don't,you'll live like a peasant.Let's remember,college is a business.A business that's getting around $200,000,000,000 yearly.It's all a marketing scheme.From the viewbooks,to the good words given about the schools from happy,perky students.A stat that disturbed me was that 66% of high school seniors will enter college this fall,and only 26% will graduate within SIX YEARS!I tried the college route this previous year.HATED IT.I dropped out after a couple of weeks,because I couldn't handle the schoolwork,but I was pressured by my family and society(the media,books,etc.)to come back,so I did come back in January 2000.I barely passed my American Government class,and dropped two other classes.As a matter of fact,I dropped out AGAIN in April of 2000,but my professor called,then pressured me to come back,and like a sucker,I had a guilt trip and came back,only to get a C(which I got only because I passed my final exam with great marks.I originally had a D+).I'm now going to go either into the travel business,or truck driving,to satisfy my passion for travel.And I won't have to worry about paying back thousands of dollars in loans,and feeling like I broke my family economically.Thank you Linda Lee.

This book was informational, but stuff I'd pretty much tried. However, it is a good book (I sold it to a friend) great for the 2nd or 3rd grade parent that is getting is first taste of frustration.

As a teacher and parent of three, I found Homework Without Tears to be an excellent book on the subject. The problems most often encountered with children on this topic ("forgetting", not doing their best, refusing to do assignments, etc. are each dealt with individually in a systematic way. The book is very clear in stating the importance of homework in learning responsibility, and that parents must stand firm no matter the age of their children. Consequences are also discussed. Includes helpful charts/checklists.

This is a grand book. Loads of useful tips. It's a compiled list of many of their magazine articles (tips) and some new. WHile I save their magzines after I read them,this is at my finger tips. It is almost the very same idea as two other awesome books from moms who care and have added their own incredible style for almost identical parenting situations (but yet very different) "Mommy-CEO," by nationally syndicated parenting columnist of Parent to Parent, Jodie Lynn and "Little Bits of Wisdom," by new mom Joise Bissett. You're pretty much set by buying all three of these amazing books. It's about time that publishers are finally seeing that parents have tried and true information to share that really works on every day parenting. "Mommy-CEO" does let all moms - and dads too - know the importance of their jobs within the family and does include professional advice from seven doctors who are all women except for two men. "Lttle Bits of Wisdom" is fun and enjoyable with doable tricks for babies. Just like Parent Magazine's new book, "Mommy-CEO," revised edition, goes into plenty of detail from hundreds of parents and treats us like the real experts!There's plenty of books on parenting, but these three are some of the ones that are practical and quick to get an answer on. This is the information all parents need and want: finger tip at a glance easy tips. Praise for these three books are pretty much incredible among plain ordinary parents like us. If you are shoppig for Christmas now and thinking of giving books, to your friends and family - buy them today for yourself, and stock up on them for gifts. One other I have found to be successful is Everything Baby's First Food Book, by Janet Tarlov. It's an outstanding book for food. You know to be perfectly blunt, we are swamped SWAMPED with TMI: Too Much Information on parenting skills. As a part of my career, I read books daily and know these three will give you insight you need and are seeking. The parenting expert, Jodie Lynn, in "Mommy-CEO" does talk it straight with women on taking care of themselves and offers down to earth reasons on why we have to stop overscheduling ourselves and our families with her 5 golden rules. I shout bravo to all of these great treasures as they can be read over and over!

One of my favorite parts of Parents magazine is the "It Worked For Me" section. Think of this book as a 468 page article filled with tips and advice from parents all over America! However, not only do you get the parents' personal tips, but you also get professional advice for such things as building self-esteem, teaching etiquette, vaccination schedules, and so many other relevant and sometimes urgent topics.

I think of this book as being the equivalent of having several hundred friends that you can pick up the phone to call for advice when your child is in the throes of a tantrum, isn't interested in the potty AT ALL, or won't eat/latch on/give up that binky. There are also sections on planning a vacation with kids, doing crafts, and finding a reliable caregiver, so it's not all kid-behavior oriented...but it is all common-sense, practical advice that when you are on your last nerve, may just add a few axons to the bundle!

The story is about a Korean girl whose name is Ellen and lives in America with her family. Ellen is a senior high school student. She is under a pressure from her parents who really care about her future and want her to get all A's to be qualified for Harvard, just like her sister Michelle. Ellen was also under a pressure from some popular senior students who tease her about her Korean or Asian appearance. All in all, the book mentions almost everything that comes to Ellen's mind during the conversations and events, and thatÕs what makes the book more realistic. It is interesting specificly for high school students. Besides, it is easy and quite short.

This book describes the life of the senior student Ellen who has two strict parents. Her sister Michelle studies at Harvard and her parents want Ellen to study there too. For this reason, they are too strict sometimes and they don't let her do things that she really likes. Because she is Korean, her classmates call her names and that makes Ellen feel very uncomfortable. Always being compared with her sister, Ellen feels very upset and sad. Her best friend Jessie tries to make Ellen see life differently but because of the pressure she has from her parents, Ellen cares only about her grades.

When Tomper, the most popular boy in the school, starts to care about Ellen, Marcia, who also likes Tomper, tries to change the opinion that Tomper has about Ellen. When Tomper and Ellen are together, Marcia tries to create problems for the couple.

It is a very interesting book in my opinion and I recommend reading it. Even though, I am an E.S.L. student, it was very easy for me to read it without using a dictionary. You can guess most of the unknown words. It is an interesting and funny book. When I read it I didn't want to stop reading. I liked it very much and I believe you are going to like it too.

Ellen is a Korean girl who is in for her last year of high school. And she wants it to be a fun one. This is not easy to do, for she is under pressure from her parents who want all Ellen's grades A's or no fun. A friendly girl, yet she is teased by her Asian features, by popular kids in her school. In the end she gets together with a boy named Tomper, who she has secretly liked for a long time. There is also a sequel, Saying Goodbye about Ellen's life in college. Please read them both. They are too good to read only once

Having already read three other Jack Reacher novels, I finally got around to reading "Killing Floor," the first in Lee Child's popular series. Here is the Jack Reacher that we know and love--macho wanderer, man of few words, quick with his fists, an expert at weaponry, fearless and unforgiving.

Jack is passing through Margrave, Georgia. It is a town that is surprising clean and well-kept, considering that most of the residents have little visible source of income. Jack intends to stay for a brief period to look up some history about a blind musician, and then he intends to move on. However, Jack is arrested for a vicious crime that he did not commit, and he then becomes embroiled in a murder investigation that involves his brother.

It turns out that Margrave is a corrupt town, rotten to the core. With the help of a few good police officers (one of whom makes for a sexy love interest), Reacher gets to the heart of an extremely profitable criminal operation run by some very ruthless and powerful men.

"Killing Floor" is a fast-moving, engrossing and extremely violent thriller. Reacher is quick-witted, unerring in his instincts, and relentless in his pursuit of justice. One of Reacher's quirks is that he rarely changes his clothes, since he hates to be bothered with laundry. Since he never carries luggage and he only showers when he gets a chance, he must be fairly malodorous. Surprisingly, no one seems to notice.

I enjoyed "Killing Floor," recognizing it for the entertaining fairy tale that it is. Child does not try for realism. If you can stomach tremendous carnage and you like non-stop action, then you will enjoy "Killing Floor".

Wow, what a book! Lee Child has given us perhaps the most interesting and complex hero in some time. Jack Reacher is Clint Eastwood, John Wayne and Arnold Schwarzenegger rolled into one...but with much more personality and pizzazz! I'm only sorry it's taken me so long to read Mr. Child's book!

The story is a riveting one, focusing on Jack's involvement in a crime in a small town in Georgia. Boy, does he make a mistake in deciding to stop off in this little burg, just to find out about a blue singing legend named Blind Blake. But, what a story unfolds. The dialogue is brisk, economical, and very involving! Along with Jack, there are a ton of characters that are so remarkably fleshed out and described, you would think this was a true crime story!

There are scenes of nail-biting action; very graphic and disturbing scenes of violence; and amidst all this some really well-written scenes of sensitivity and poignancy. Jack's meeting with an old lady who once knew the old blues legend is outstanding in its emotional punch! Paul Hubble, the neurotic banker; Roscoe, the beautiful policewoman; Finlay, the chief of detectives; and the evil villains are some of the best written characters in recent mystery fiction.

What is so amazing about this book is the way Lee Child has not only woven a complex murder mystery, but also a chilling tale of greed, madness, and lost loves and lives.

This is an emotional, wrenching debut, and I cannot wait to start in on the rest of this series!

An outstanding piece of fiction!

A Suspensfully detailed thriller,a great plot. Jack Reacher is a tough and compelling character. The first time author Lee Child knows what he's doing.I would recommend this book to any one who enjoys a riveting"Page-turner." "Killing Floor" is packed with action and suspense I can't wait to read "Die Trying."