Synopses & Reviews
A practical and compassionate handbook to help parents sharpen any child's social skills by identifying the "unwritten rules" that govern all relationships "Nobody likes me!" is a complaint that parents of young school age children hear all the time. Nothing makes them feel more helpless. Some children have trouble resolving an argument with a friend, some find themselves in a constant clash of wills, and some have trouble making any friends at all.
The Unwritten Rules of Friendship gives parents the tools to nurture any child's social well-being.
Drawn from a popular and successful parenting program, it helps parents pinpoint their child's particular social strengths and difficulties, enabling them "to unveil the rules underlying social situations that everyone else seems to know." Chapters range from "The Shy Child" to "The Little Adult" and "The Short Fused Child," to "The Sensitive Soul." Each chapter uses case studies to portray the social understandings different children don't "get" and provides drills that parents and teachers can work with to help children understand the unwritten rules of social situations so that they can modify their behavior accordingly. Only by understanding these rules can a child learn the necessary skills for building, sustaining, and repairing relationships.
Written in a compassionate and practical manner, Elman and Kennedy offer a wealth of common sense and wisdom, drawing on decades of clinical experience and the latest research findings. The Unwritten Rules of Friendship is a must for parents who see their elementary school child feeling isolated, rejected, or generally out-of-sync with their peers, and who wish there were something they could do to help.
Review
"Corsaro's book contains unique and valuable policy insights into early education issues....Colorfully written and practical." Library Journal
Review
"[A] welcome addition to the parenting library." Publishers Weekly
Review
"At last a book that gives due emphasis to the importance of children's relationships! In a vivid and engaging style, the authors show how to identify and avoid those behavior patterns that separate youngsters from the friendships they crave." Carol R. Lewis, Psy.D., author of Listening to Children
Review
"A practical, easy-to-use book that gives parents the tools they need to help their child navigate the social world." Dorothy Cantor, Psy.D, author of What Do You Want to Do When You Grow Up?
Synopsis
This practical and compassionate handbook helps parents sharpen any child's social skills by identifying the unwritten rules that govern all relationships.
Elman, director of the Summit Center for Learning in Summit, N.J., and Kennedy-Moore, a Westfield, N.J., psychotherapist, offer a detailed examination of the different ways children interact with their peers. Often, otherwise bright and "normal" children behave in ways that cause other children, family members and teachers to label them as disruptive, unhappy or troublesome. There are nine types of children, according to the authors, including the "short-fused," "little adult," "born leader" and "different drummer." Parents will immediately be able to identify their child from the detailed descriptions included. For example, "Short-Fused Children may appear to be strong, but inside they feel vulnerable. These children are extremely sensitive. They often believe that the whole world is against them. Because they feel threatened, they respond angrily, instinctively fighting to protect themselves." As they explain the various types of behaviors, the authors depict a number of scenarios to show the difficulties children can have relating to others. The challenge for the parents is to help their children learn "the Unwritten Rules" so they have fewer problems and form happier, more productive relationships. The authors provide specific sentences that both parents and children can use to change these destructive behavior patterns, but some parents will probably hope for even more specific do's and don'ts. Given that other childrearing tomes rarely cover this topic, this book is a welcome addition to the parenting library.
Synopsis
Includes bibliographical references (p. [317]-324) and index.
Synopsis
This practical and compassionate handbook helps parents sharpen any child's social skills by identifying the "unwritten rules" that govern all relationships.
About the Author
Natalie Madorsky Elman, Ph.D., is director of the Summit Center for Learning in New Jersey. She also has been a consultant to the New Jersey Department of Education..