Rating: 
Summary: Eager endorsement of violence.
Review: I'm not an anti-spanking crusader, but after reading Dobson's very eager endorsement of pro-spanking propaganda (anybody who can write 276 pages on recipes and justifications for hitting children - that should tell you something about their priorities), I concluded that this book was useful to only two types of people:
a) Those looking for justification to hit children and who find the Bible to be all the justification they need.
b) Those who don't believe that people like Dobson really still exist in a civilized society. The second group should read this book just to get an understanding of Christian fundamentalism and its preference for Old Testament style-violence over Christ's teachings. Can one really imagine Jesus exhorting his followers to hit their children? Of course not, that's why Dobson and his ilk never quote Jesus, and only quote Paul, Moses and the vengeful Hebrew god. The first group is no doubt Dobson's audience. No one (other than Christian fundamentalists) takes this man seriously, given how out of touch he is with medical research or even with common sense. For instance, Dobson claims that failure to spank is the cause of all society's ills. But since most American parents already spank, he can't explain why America has much more violent crime than places like Japan or Scandinavia where spanking is much less common. It's also interesting that Dobson resorts to euphemisms for spanking and hitting children, never calling it what it really is, but finding tidy evasive terms like "discipline". Maybe it sounds more acceptable than hitting (could he sell as many books with a title like "Dare to Hit your Kids"?) but a smart parent can see right through this scam and knows that discipline is quite possible without resorting to switches or belts or paddles. Perhaps most disturbing were Dobson's mixing of love and violence. He recommends hugging and embracing children right after hitting them. What a way to get a messed up kid - hit them and then tell them that's "love". All you get is a kid who equates love with violence - a recipe for an emotionally stunted kid at least, a twisted masochist or sadist at worst. Sure, there are plenty of kids who were hit and slapped during their childhood and grew up to be healthy adults. But, as Dobson fails to realize, they turned out well not because of this violence, but in spite of it.
Rating: 
Summary: Education
Review: I liked this book and I am glad I have it. There are things in it that I use and others that I don't. I feel that the best way to parent is to get these books read them and then look in all of them for what you feel comfortable with. The key to discipline is feeling comfortable with what you do and being persistent. Knowledge of different styles can help you find the middle ground you are looking for.
Rating:
Summary: The New Dare to Discipline
Review: READ THIS BEFORE YOU BUY IT!
I was given this book as a gift from my wonderful mother and father in law. As a parent of a very willful, but sensitive three year old and a 14mo. old, I have been looking for new tools to help me raise my children in a loving, but structured and disciplined atmosphere. I must say initially I really was excited by the sections which explained more christian values on how children need boundaries and structure, etc. I rated this book one star because of the results I received from implementing this style into my home. I felt that the theory is wrong on corporal punishment. I was raised in a similar way and was willing to try it in a loving atmosphere as Dr. Dobson suggests. How disappointing. It more than doubled the level of contention in our home. It ended up bringing a very cold feeling into the relationships I have with my daughters. Don't take me wrong, I believe that there is a point at which spanking can be productive in serious situations from loving parents- but I think this book can mislead us into using it way too much. It is demeaning and does not build the child in a good way, I feel it is way too negative and traumatic to be used more than a very rare occasion. I would not recommend wasting money on this book. If you are really interested in what his theory is, go check it out at a library and save your money. I am happy to report after dropping the methods Dr. Dobson suggested, my kids are happy, respectful loving children who aren't afraid of their parents.
Rating:
Summary: child rearing for all religions
Review: I must say that you do NOT need to be a believer in Jesus Christ to find this book helpful. It is an example guidline for raising children who are respectful of others and understand the proper way to live in society. It was very encouraging about feeling better about disciplining my child. I loved the way he explains the difference between discipline (reacts to the behavior) and punishment (towards the individual).
Rating:
Summary: Why go to extremes
Review: Mr. Dobson does not seem to understand that there is a "happy middle ground" between permissive parenting (a la "Smart Love") and the corporal punishment which he approves of. Why not try Anthony Wolf's book "The Secret of Parenting"? Dr. Wolf rejects the need for punishment, but he also thinks its wrong to think that children should always be made happy and not have to do what they want (as is recomended in "Smart Love") The philosophy in Dr. Wolf's book is that you as a parent must be in charge but that harsh punishment simply is not necessary to get well behaved kids. Dobson's book is bad because it inflicts punishment when it isn't necessary. I say try something like The Secret of Parenting before deciding its necessary to hit your kids.
Rating:
Summary: Finally an author not afraid to talk real sense...
Review: This book has already revealed itself to be a precious stone among the flood of [junk] published by leftie liberals. It has survived the test of time, whereas most so-called child-centred books go out of fashion when their elite, Democratic-supporting readers go elsewhere. If you are a Bible Christian this book will teach YOU how to raise your children properly in today's morally decaying world. It is recommended by all authorities with even a trace of common sense. May the Almighty Lord Jesus Christ give you the strength to raise your children well, and may they bring you peace and delight throughout the days of your life.
Rating:
Summary: Horrible Scary Advice
Review: This book is truly awful. This book is for parents who are lazy and don't want to think. A much better book is "Kid Cooperation" by Elizabeth Pantley. I strongly believe in discipline but there is a line between discipline and abuse. Dobson's book is pure abuse.
Rating:
Summary: Simply wrong.
Review: Use your logical brain before you follow the advice in this book. Studies repeatedly show that more than 90% of Americans spank their children, but Dobson argues that it is the lack of spanking that is cause of our societal ills. If almost everyone is spanking, and according to Dobson, society is near collapse, then how is it that spanking is the cure? It seems rather obvious that, at best, spanking is ineffective. Dobson wants to claim that if more people were disciplinarians, things would be better, but his argument falls flat because most Americans already follow his advice and it isn't working.
Rating:
Summary: The world needs to read this book!
Review: So many of the problems in the world today can be traced back to the lack of sufficiently wise, loving, informed parenting. Disciplining one's children is inextricably linked to expressing that love - we neglect it (and our children) at our peril. This book has enormous wells of inspirational practical advice and tips for parents, grounded in tried and tested Biblical instruction. I cannot recommend Dare to Discipline highly enough - it is truly life-changing!
Rating:
Summary: This book deserves no star: A psychologists perspective
Review: ...Despite the fact that MOST psychologist promote positive reinforcement, he decides that spanking is still good based on what his bible teaches him. Sure, the bible can be a great piece of work for some people, but I would rather have a doctor who expands his mind past philosophical text from thousands of years ago...
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