Play IS Important, Says Our February Newsletter

“If parents and teachers wanted to design a way of life counter to the needs of developing human brains, they’d invent something like modern childhood,” declares Gabrielle Principe, the psychology professor whose new book, Your Brain on Childhood: The Unexpected Side Effects of Classrooms, Ballparks, Family Rooms and Minivans (Prometheus Books, 2011), is reviewed in this month’s News for Parents. In addition to her complaints about Baby Einstein, video games, and battery-powered toys, you’ll also see “The Value of Play When Kids Are Troubled,” with a therapist’s suggestions on how play can help kids who are grieving or angry.

Other stories in News for Parents include:

• Listening and Following Directions
• Especially for Rookie Moms
• Tea for Two, or Three, or. . .
• Valentines for Shut-ins

(Feb. 1, 2012)

Note to e-mail subscribers: Several copies of the e-mail edition are rejected by bulk mail (“spam”) filters each month. If you subscribe to the e-mail edition and did not receive your copy, this may be the reason. If your mail server permits, put “ezine@ParentingPress.com” on the list of senders you will always accept.

Library Reviewer Praises Our SIDS Prevention Guide

“An extremely easy-to-follow guide, 14 Ways to Protect Your Baby from SIDS deserves the absolute highest recommendation for both parents and public libraries, as its straightforward tips, tricks and techniques will literally save lives,” writes Library Bookwatch about the recent title by physicians Rachel Y. Moon and Fern R. Hauck. Now available in paperback.

(January 25, 2012)

Register for Parent Educator Corner and Celebrate!

And save, too: parent educators who have registered for our Parent Educator’s Corner receive a complimentary Qwik Sheet each month. This month, to ensure that your new year has the best possible start, it’s “Readers’ Choice.” You choose the information sheet that works best for your workshops, home visits or classes! Values to $2.95.

In addition, several Parenting Press authors have started a blog: Parenting Reflections. The blog focuses on healthy parenting with the long view in mind. The goal is to share reflections that encourage parents to think about parenting. You can read the posts yourself or share them with parents. In February the focus will be “Helping kids deal with feelings.”

There are two ways you can check on Parenting Reflections — as a viewer or a follower. As a viewer you remain anonymous. Or, as a follower you sign in and can comment on posts and receive announcements of new posts.

Stop by and take a look.

(January 17, 2012)

Way I Feel, Way I Act Top Sales

Books illustrated by Janan Cain continue to dominate the Press’s bestseller list; December sales reports show that the hardback edition of her The Way I Feel was again the most popular book. The board book edition of The Way I Feel and the new hardback, The Way I Act, also were among the top five titles for the month.

Among parenting guides, Redirecting Children’s Behavior, by Kathryn Kvols, and Living with the Active Alert Child, by Linda Budd, were again among best-sellers for the month.

Among authors of parenting guides, Helen F. Neville also stayed on the bestseller list, with her popular Temperament Tools, the comprehensive Is This a Phase? and the recently published ADHD/ADD Medications. She’s also the author of the revised Mommy! I Have to Go Potty! and What to Do About Sleep Problems in Young Children, 12 Months to 5 Years.

(Jan. 5, 2012)

Starting New Year with Praise!

What’s better than compliments to kick off a new year? We have just heard from two happy readers.

“I just need to say how much I love your work. Dealing with Disappointment [link] is an amazing book that I recommend to parents whenever possible! Thank you for your work, I feel so much better equipped to support and educate parents! You are one of my favorite and most trusted resources as I go about working with parents,” wrote one, who is apparently a parent educator. She added that her office has just ordered a complete set of the Parenting Education Practitioner Talk newsletters.

Responding to a story in the January issue of our News for Parents, “What’s Wrong with Your Child,” which provides information from the new edition of Diagnosing Learning Disorders (a Guilford book), a parent wrote:

“My son has the problems that you discussed in this article. . ..It has been very helpful to [finally] have a doctor who understands. I’ve also encountered numerous family members, friends, and educators who tell me that there is nothing wrong with my son.”

Echoing what so many of us feel when someone we care for needs help, this e-mail concludes, “It is so frustrating and difficult to get my son the services he needs.”

(Jan. 5, 2012)

Protecting Pre-Teens and Teens from Exploitation

Safe Connections: A Parent’s Guide to Protecting Young Teens from Sexual Exploitation is child sexual abuse expert Sandy Wurtele’s followup to her acclaimed handbook on protecting young children from sexual abuse.

Why adolescents are so vulnerable to sexual exploitation, how to help kids stay safe when online and what to do when your teenager is abused are among the topics Wurtele addresses in this concise, practical guide.

A psychology professor, Wurtele also explains which kids are most likely to abuse others, and why, and she offers valuable recommendations on helping pre-teens and teenagers navigate in our sexually charged world.

(Dec. 14, 2011)

Customers LOVE Janan Cain’s Books!

Parenting Press’s November bestseller list was topped by three books illustrated by Janan Cain: The Way I Feel, board book edition; The Way I Feel, hardbound; and The Way I Act, the new hardbound with verses by Steve Metzger. Combined with the Spanish edition of Así me siento yo, Cain’s books accounted for more than 55% of the Parenting Press books sold last month.

Other popular titles were Redirecting Children’s Behavior, a parenting guide now available in both English and Spanish, and the perennially important It’s MY Body, an abuse prevention guide for very young children.

Two Elizabeth Crary publications were among the favorites: the Self-Calming Cards, in which Mits Katayama illustrates how kids (and adults) can cope with anxiety, excitement and anger; and Without Spanking or Spoiling: A Practical Approach to Toddler and Preschool Guidance, the parenting book that launched Parenting Press in 1979.

(Dec. 11, 2011)

WHY Don’t We Understand? Susie Weller Explains

Why don’t we always understand each other? (Or, in some families, why do we have difficulty ever understanding each other?) Susie Leonard Weller, author of Why Don't You Understand? Improve Family Communication with the 4 Thinking Styles provides answers and valuable how-to’s for solving miscommunication in a recent interview with Candess Campbell, who writes the Empowering Your Intuitive Healing blog.

(Nov. 21, 2011)

What Are Reasonable Rules?

Just in time for the season of the year when it can become much, much more difficult for kids to stick to rules, Elizabeth Crary has a new Qwik Sheet, How to Set Reasonable Limits. In two pages, you’ll find dozens of ideas and examples that will help you set age-appropriate rules for your children, identify appropriate natural or logical consequences and model behavior you prefer. Just $2.95.

(Nov. 10, 2011)

NPR, Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune Publicize SIDS Guidelines

Rachel Y. Moon and Fern R. Hauck, the doctors and researchers who wrote our 14 Ways to Protect Your Baby from SIDS: Safe Sleep Advice from the Experts, were quoted extensively in major media the week of Oct. 17 as the result of new guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The pediatric association took a firm stand against bumpers, blankets and soft toys in a baby’s crib, all recommendations that Moon and Hauck have made in their new book, now available in paperback. Moon was quoted on NPR and in the Wall Street Journal on Oct. 18, and Hauck in the Chicago Tribune and online publications.

(Oct. 25, 2011)

School Library Journal Praises Way I Act

“With its range and clear-cut examples, this book will be a useful addition to character-education curricula,” writes School Library Journal about The Way I Act, written by Steve Metzger and illustrated by Janan Cain as a companion to Cain’s best-selling The Way I Feel.

An important publication for educators and librarians, the journal also praises The Way I Act for aiming “to help children understand behaviors and choices. . .Each verse gives specific examples. . .”

World Cat, an online consortium of libraries worldwide, shows that this new picture book is already available in 90 of its member library systems.

(Oct. 8, 2011)

Now Available: Coping with Anger and Stress

“Coping with Anger, Stress and Poor Morale” is the lead article in the fall issue of PEP Talk. Single copies are $5 each. Other features include reviews of Childhood Under Siege: How Big Business Targets Children and The Mindful Therapist, and a fully-scripted teaching plan, “Building Self-Esteem in Children,” based on Show Me How: Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem through Reading, Crafting and Cooking.

“The Importance of Teaching Children and Youth That Work IS Work” and “Improving Workplace Relationships with Emotional Literacy and Self-Assessment” are also featured, along with brief reports on possible diagnostic tests for autism.

Back issues of Parenting Education Practitioners Talk, each with a 55-minute presentation plan complete with handout, are also $5 each. See the back issues page for a list of each issue’s topics.

(Oct. 8, 2011, updated Nov. 4, 2011)

Family Medicine Praises SIDS Book

“Good quality educational literature. . .that is thorough yet concise and accessible can be hard to find, so it was quite gratifying to read this patient-friendly resource. . ..[S]olid information in an accessible and conversational style,” writes physician Bill Cayley in the September issue of Family Medicine, a professional journal, about 14 Ways to Protect Your Baby from SIDS: Safe Sleep Advice from the Experts by Rachel Y. Moon and Fern Hauck, both members of the American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

“The ‘Place your baby on his back for every sleep time’ chapter is particularly helpful, addressing both common parental misconceptions and giving helpful suggestions for discussing back sleeping with grandparents or other caregivers who may not appreciate its importance,” he continues, concluding, “I would highly recommend this resource, both as a concise reminder of safe-sleep best practices for the primary care clinician and a quality teaching tool for patients and prospective parents.”

14 Ways is now available as a paperback and as a PDF.

(Sept. 12, 2011)

How Abuse Starts Is Topic for Sandy Wurtele’s Books

Sandy Wurtele, the author of Out of Harm’s Way: A Parent’s Guide to Protecting Young Children from Sexual Abuse and the forthcoming Safe Connections: A Parent’s Guide to Protecting Young Teens from Sexual Exploitation, recently pointed out how often children and their parents are manipulated into abuse.

When interviewed on Empowered Mommies, the psychologist and psychology professor explained, “There is a consistent pattern of grooming behaviors that—if we’re informed about them—helps us identify potential perpetrators and stop the progression before a child is sexually abused.”

Besides describing these behaviors and what we can do if we suspect someone we know is at risk of sexual exploitation, Wurtele discusses the importance of talking to children about healthy relationships. Too often, she notes, parents and educators “are allowing this increasingly sexually toxic society to shape teenagers’ views on sexuality. . .”

(Sept. 12, 2011; link added Dec. 14)

Autism Blogger Praises The Way I Act

“As many of you are aware with autism, it’s harder for a child to grasp the ‘no’ and ‘do not’ rules. They have more success when there is an example of what is ‘yes’ and ‘to do’ instead of only focusing on the negative behavior,” writes the parent who creates the Caffeinated Autistic Mom blog.

In praising The Way I Act, new from Janan Cain and Steve Metzger, she continues, “Words like considerate, cooperative and respectful are all concepts that I want my children familiar with. These words (and more) are addressed in the book with some ideas on what each of the words mean in action.”

After sharing the book with her boys, and seeing them read the book together several times afterward, the blogger concludes, “The book is fun to look at and read and it easily moves you toward discussion about the concepts presented.”

(August 26, 2011)

What About Me? Honored with Gold Medal

What About Me? 12 Ways to Get Your Parents’ Attention (Without Hitting Your Sister) has been recognized with a Gold Medal in the Mom’s Choice Awards, a national program.

Created by Eileen Kennedy-Moore and illustrated by Mits Katayama, this children’s picture book is based on experiences Dr. Kennedy-Moore had when her own son struggled to attract the attention of his mother and father.

A clinical psychologist and the mother of four, Dr. Kennedy-Moore is also the co-author of the parenting guide, Smart Parenting for Smart Kids, reviewed in the Summer issue of Parenting Education Practitioners Talk (single copies, current or past, are $5 each).

(July 17, 2011; update Oct. 10, 2011)

Janan Cain Explains Her Name

Don’t call her “Japan,” says our best-selling creator of The Way I Feel and the new The Way I Act. Instead, click through to Teaching Books and hear Cain tell the stories behind her unusual first name and how to pronounce it.

(June 26, 2011)

SIDS Author Cites Importance of Breast Feeding

Fern R. Hauck, M.D., M.S., co-author with Rachel Y. Moon, M.D., of 14 Ways to Protect Your Baby from SIDS: Safe Sleep Advice from the Experts, has had her research regarding the importance of breast feeding published in the professional journal Pediatrics. This has resulted in a flurry of publicity in such consumer media as U.S. News & World Report and in news services such as Medical News Today.

Hauck’s analysis shows that among infants who are exclusively breast-fed, the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome was reduced by 73 percent. For children who are breast-fed for any period in the first six months of life, the risk was cut by 60 percent.

The correlation between breast feeding and the sharply reduced risk is not understood, but Hauck cited several theories. One is tied to sleep: breast-fed babies are more arousable during sleep, important because SIDS appears to be linked to a defect in arousability.

(June 16, 2011)

Confused, Concerned about ADHD/ADD?

If you question whether your child may suffer from an attention deficit or hyperactivity disorder, or if you are concerned about the medication being recommended for the child, you’ll want a copy of ADHD/ADD Medications: What Are They? . . . How Do I Decide Whether or Not to Use Them with My Child?. Written by Peter Levine, MD, and Helen F. Neville, B.S., R.N., this concise guide gives you the benefits of their decades of work in pediatrics and parenting. They provide objective, accurate answers to your questions about how different medications work, the possible side effects, how long a child might take a medication, and whether there truly any risks of addiction.

(May 19, 2011)

And The Winner Is . . .

Our new children’s title, The Way I Act, has received a gold award in the illustrated children’s book category of the Book Design Awards of the Publishers Association of the West.

Illustrated and designed by Janan Cain, who received the same award in 2001 for The Way I Feel, The Way I Act features verses by Steve Metzger. Our publisher Carolyn J. Threadgill served as editor and production manager on the 32-page full-color book.

The PubWest program was established 27 years ago to recognize superior design and outstanding production quality of books.

(April 22, 2011)

Wall Street Journal Recognizes Our SIDS Author

“There should be nothing in the crib but the baby,” Rachel Moon was quoted in the Wall Street Journal’s April 19 story, “When A Cuddly Crib Puts the Baby in Danger” (link may require subscription).

Moon, a Washington, D.C., physician and SIDS researcher, is the co-author of our new 14 Ways to Protect Your Baby from SIDS: Safe Sleep Advice from the Experts. She also heads the American Academy of Pediatrics task force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Moon was quoted extensively in the story, which concluded with her comment about not all parents or caregivers heeding warnings about where babies should sleep. “They make this risk-benefit decision on their own, but they underestimate the risk.”

(April 20, 2011; link added April 22)

Making Kids More Responsible Is Crary’s New Topic

Is it possible to do too much for kids? Of course!

But how do we know what is too much at a given age or developmental stage? That’s what seasoned parenting educator Elizabeth Crary explains in a practical, easy-to-read guide that you can use with toddlers, teens and with all those kids in between.

Available now, Am I Doing Too Much for My Child? explains how parents, teachers and others who care for children can shift from the nurturer role so important in early years to teacher, coach and finally to consultant.

Just 64 pages, this book packs how-to text, tables and resources into a reference you’ll use now and for years to come.

(April 7, 2011)

Way I Act Approved for Classroom Use

The California Department of Education, one of the largest markets in the U.S. for texts and children’s books, has approved our new The Way I Act for classroom use. Ideal for character education, this book about traits and actions can be purchased with a teachers’ guide that details several activities in language arts and art. Created by Steve Metzger and Janan Cain, The Way I Act is a companion to Cain’s earlier books for Parenting Press, The Way I Feel and its Spanish edition, Así me siento yo, both already approved for use in classrooms.

Many other Parenting Press publications have been approved for classroom use and included in curriculum packages: Self-Calming Cards, Feeling Elf Cards & Games, Kids to the Rescue! First Aid Techniques for Kids, Bully on the Bus, Under Whose Influence?, Finders, Keepers?, Making the Grade and First Day Blues.

A Horse’s Tale: Ten Adventures in One Hundred Years, which describes ten different children, each in a different historical era, is also extensively used by schools and teacher in-service programs in Washington state.

(March 29, 2011)

What Is STAR Parenting and How Can It Help You?

If you’re looking for common-sense answers to everyday questions about parenting, you’ll find lots of ideas in Elizabeth Crary’s new guide, STAR Parenting Tales and Tools.

Based on a child guidance concept Crary developed several years ago that uses the points of a star to outline techniques for parents and caregivers, this easy-to-read book is intended for brand-new parents, including the very young, as well as experienced parents seeking new problem-solving strategies. The techniques outlined in the book have won praise from hundreds of parents for their sensitivity to individual values, and for the flexibility they offer families.

(January 14, 2011)

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