How to Succeed in Parenting:

120 Ways to Have a Great Family

About the Book

You are pregnant, have a baby, and then must face the daunting task of raising a child. The era of the extended family, where support and advice are readily available, is long gone. What do you do? How do you overcome the potential obstacles of child rearing?

This book provides suggestions in lively, upbeat, and non-judgmental ways. It offers easy-to-follow games as the basis for dealing with parenting issues: adjustments, early socialization, routines, toilet training, nursery school, discipline, self-esteem, creativity, children’s rights and responsibilities, sibling rivalry, parents’ and grandparents’ roles, and Lemon-aid (turning problems into successes).

Since everyone is a winner in these games, the more you play, the easier your family life will be. When you arm yourself with a knowledge of parenting skills and a promise to enjoy each stage of your child’s development to the fullest, you are well on the road to winning the parenting game.

Chapter Titles and List of Games

Definition of a Game: an activity which enlarges, changes, or elucidates a certain behavior, played to develop better relationships between family members.

Introduction

How Are You Doing? Test

Chapter 1 – Adjustments

What Questions Should I Ask? * How Does This Name Sound? * Good Idea for Next Time * I’m Proud of You * It’s Your Turn Now * Pass the Baby * Mommy Break or Daddy Break * Parents Without Children

Chapter 2 – Early Socialization

World Explorer * Pick Up a Date * All But One * Two Minute Warning

Chapter 3 – Routines

Green Detective * Greeting Daddy * Try to Take Off Daddy’s Sock

Chapter 4 – Toilet Training

Seat Exploration * Trying Times * Start Again in a Few Weeks

Chapter 5 – Nursery School

Fill Me In * Include the Outsider * Keep Any Two

Chapter 6 – Discipline

Limit My Nos * I Thought of a Better Way to Handle It * Make the Punishment Fit the Crime * I Can Make Mistakes, Too * I’m Wrong, and You Are Right * Divertimento * Malcolm, the Market Monster * Public Voices * Take a Deep Breath * Trade a Child * Parent Break * Squeezing Hug So Hard That Blood Will Shoot Out * Life is Not Fair * You Have a Choice * Reached the Limit * What’s My Emotion? * Mood Detector

Chapter 7 – Self Esteem

Who I Am * Self-Esteem Creed * Estelle List * Have a Say in Your Schedule * Seam Magician * Linda Letters * Promise Coupon * Solve It Yourself * Henry’s Story Problems * What I’m Thankful For * Yuck Sessions * Not Feeling Alone * I Have a Problem * Royalty for the Day * Hear What My Friend Has to Say * Gifted Detector

Chapter 8 – Creativity

Hug Emergency * Family Read Aloud * Round Robin Stories * Homonyms * Similarity * Three Object Play * Talent Shows * Practice Is Your Responsibility * Nature Sounds * Flower Detective * Treasure Hunts of the Ground * Organize the Treats * World of the Restaurant Table * Hide the Sugar * I Spy * Story About the Decor of the Restaurant * Pass the Napkin * Hands in Your Lap * How Many Uses? * Stuffed Animal Party * Art Curator * Find the Star of the Exhibit

Chapter 9 – Children’s Rights and Responsibilities

Pretend to Meet the Friend * Secret Note a Night * Whose Day Is It? * I Promise You * See What I Can Do Today * What’s Wrong in This Story?

Chapter 10 – Sibling Rivalry

Mommy/Daddy Helpers * Bickering Brains * Plus and Minus * Solve Someone Else’s Problem * My Appreciation Day * Rainy Day Transformation * You Are Our Guest * But Do You Remember When You Were a Baby?

Chapter 11 – Parental Roles

I Prefer to Make Up * Rotating Days * How Romantic Can I Get? * What I Love About You

Chapter 12 – The Grandparents- or the Grand Parents

Let’s Put the Past Behind Us * Guess What I Am Capable of Now * Change the Pattern Completely * I’m Good at This, and You are Good at That * Capture the Memory * How Bad Children Really Can Be * Board Room Rules * Teach Grandma and Grandpa Something New * Decide on a Decade * Grandparent Appreciation Day * Five Things You Never Knew About My Parents

Chapter 13 – Lemon-aid

Food Partners * Plan a Meal * I Used to Be Afraid * Dial an Emergency * Toy Store Attack * Select for Giving * Press Your Pleasant Button * I’m Going to Change This * Stand Back * Teach Me * Listening Partner * Three L’s * Strengths and Weaknesses

Conclusion

List Your Pleasant Memories