Temper Your Child's Tantrums (Pocket Guide) [Paperback]

I am amazed to see what has been written in some reviews comparing Christians to sadists. I don't believe that you will find the term "beat your child" in Doctor Dobson's advice. The term used here is spanking and it is interesting to note that his advice is that spanking should be applied to a situation early on when the parent is not angry and is well in control of their own emotions. He also warns against things like yanking a child up by their arms and other things that might physically injure a child. Nowhere does it imply that a parent should take out a board and beat a child senseless. We are more than willing to say that we "spank" our child. We have used a paint stirring stick. It is about 3/16 of an inch thick and about 12 inches long. The spanking is applied to the child's buttocks which we all know is quite well padded. Nowhere does Doctor Dobson advise parents to beat their child on the back or an area that could cause physical damage. Nowhere does he say to use a baseball bat or any object that could cause permanent physical damage to the child.

We have a two and a half year old that is in that difficult stage where she wants to say no and pitch fits. Unfortunately we have not been diligent enough to apply proper punishment. Let me make this perfectly clear. We DO NOT enjoy spanking our child and it is very painful to us but we know the alternative. It is to allow a child to grow up without discipline and wreak havoc.

It is interesting to note that since becoming more diligent in applying spanking IN THE RIGHT MANNER, our little one has become much more managable and we tend to be in much less of a stessed out situation where we could possible do something that we would regret. It is also interesting to see the attitude of our little one after the discipline. She settles down and climbs up in our lap for some of the most tender moments. She feels secure knowing that she has boundaries that are well established.

I would encourage those with negative attitudes toward these methods to ask themselves a question. What keeps you from robbing a bank or doing whatever you please? It is knowing that there is punishment for the things that you do wrong. How in the world do people expect a child who knows very little of right and wrong to make the decisions that an adult would make. They simply have to be taught right and wrong and that is done through LOVING discipline.

I would also like to make this comment. If those with such negative comments have purchased a book like this, then they must be going through some of the struggles that the book addresses. Maybe one should attempt to try the advice before labeling it as sadistic.

I would also like to see people use fact rather than poorly thought out rants. Point people toward actual studies that show that spanking your child is unhealthy. I might add that discipline in schools is a mess. Isn't it interesting to see the amount of school shootings we have not compared to the times when there was actual discipline. Leave spanking out of the category of child abuse and be open to an option that does actually work.

I would highly recommend this book and the advice that it gives. It is working in our lives although as a loving parent it is difficult to punish our child. We know that left to themselves the pain will be much worse if we allow an undisciplined child out into the world to make a mess.

I was raised using the exact methods that Dobson recommends. I am a well-adjusted, happily married, mother of a five year old boy. I've attempted to use these exact principles to raise my son and so far he is one of the happiest, confident little boys I know. I think many people who reviewed this book have not read it in it's entirety. One of Dobson's strongest points is love. I guess I don't need to expound. The strongest argument for a book is the product of its application. Speaking of which, my sister and many of my friends were also disciplined this way, and they all turned out great :)

I appreciate Dr. Dobson's practical advice in addition to the way he uses every day stories from people's lives so that I know I am not alone and I am not an awful parent. I am actually very normal mother with intelligent children! I also appreciate the pocket guide format, so it is a quicker read. I would definitely reccomend it.