Regular readers of Macaroni Kid will recognize Noel Janis-Norton from her monthly columns on our National edition. And hopefully regular readers will have used some of her tips and techniques with their own kids. I have, and I’ve seen good results.
Ms. Janis-Norton’s book, Calmer, Easier, Happier, Parenting: Five strategies that end the daily battles and get kids to listen the first time, is now available in the US after a successful launch in Great Britain (ever wonder why English kids seem so polite?!)
This book is for all parents of kids ages 3 to 13. I found it to be both penetrating and buoyant, and the authors use of anecdotes and hypothetical situations an easy way to follow and plan out my own integration. Early on she explains the difference between teaching and training, teaching results in your child knowing what to do, training gets your child into doing it themselves. Wow, what a difference. The book details five traits most parents desire from their children—cooperation, confidence, motivation, self-reliance and consideration. With these traits, she believes routines and life will be a breeze (so to speak).
Much as she has in her columns with Macaroni Kid, Janis-Norton lays out key concepts to help parents instill better habits in their children. The terms will seem familiar, such as the “think-through” and “reflective listening. The great value of the book is there is much more detail and as a parent, the greater insight is of tremendous value in training our kids.
Each chapter builds on the next, gives parents the tools in a remarkably easy format to follow. I have several pages dog eared so I can refer to them. For instance Chapter Six discusses “Never ask Twice” with a six step method. It takes a bit of an investment from the parent at first, but for a lifetime of not asking twice, it’s priceless.
Janis Norton is not out to train our kids to be automatons. She admits the goal is not perfection, but a realistic limitation to the foot dragging and stalling that makes parenting a chore. Mealtime, bedtime, trips to the grocery may not become joys of life, but they will be much less of a struggle and battleground. And a happier parent leads to a happier child.
If ever a parenting expert believed an ounce of prevention was worth a pound of cure, Janis-Norton sure does. Her measures are preventative in nature, not reactive, as such they do take time to “take”. She offers basic, demonstrated advice for parents to learn new skills and techniques that are free of tricks, bribes or nonsense. So if you believe your children’s behavior (and your sanity) are worth a little time and effort, then this is the ideal book for you.
