Get the Behavior You Want... Without Being the Parent You Hate! Dr. G’s Guide to Effective Parenting

Family doctor and parenting expert Gilboa (Teach Respect) reassures readers that everyone struggles with parenting, and provides a primer for managing and coaching well-adjusted and well-behaved children, from preschool to middle-school. Discussing over 60 parenting problems, Gilboa covers the usual topics—good manners, hygiene, chores, homework—and moves on to more complex tasks, such as the delivery of bad news, constructive praise, and the determination of “want” vs. “need.” Good behavior isn’t just expected from children; Gilboa addresses plenty of changes parents should make, including patient task delegation, and the importance of getting out of the way. Throughout, she employs topic-relevant “Ask Dr. G” call-outs to illustrate points and adds bold sub-heads that make for quick reading and concrete messaging. If the book has a major weakness, it’s that none of its many topics are covered in depth. That means her consideration of complex subjects, such as sex education, may leave some parents looking for a more thorough approach. (Sept.)