Mending the Broken Bond: The 90-Day Answer to Developing a Loving Relationship with Your Child

Author and psychologist Lawlis (also an adviser on the Dr. Phil television show) presents a three-month program designed to ""restore the two-way flow of love between parents and children."" Initially, Lawlis helps to ""identify the original causes of a 'difficult child,' "" offering sound solutions-perhaps as simple as cutting back a manic schedule: ""Children of all ages need downtime."" Next, Lawlis methodically leads participants through a series of chapters that help uncover a family's unique challenges, strengths and weaknesses, which point the way forward. Each phase of the program includes helpful quizzes and exercises to aid participants in identifying problems and reshaping their roles, responses and relationships. Topics are varied and occasionally innovative, including ""Sour Brain Phenomenon"" (""those minds that are crippled by chemical pollution of one sort or another""), the importance of ""Nurturing Meals,"" and ""Natural Healing Powers"" (touch, scent) that anyone can practice. At times the self-help vocabulary is a little cloying, (e.g., ""Feel it and Then Heal It,"" ""Relating Not Dictating""), but Lawlis' reassuring voice and fully-fleshed program, coupled with frequent examples of family success stories, offer effective ideas for disconnected families.