Rating: 
Summary: Clear, pragmatic, trustworthy advice.
Review: Your kind, loving, grandparents knew this. You favorite teacher in school knew this. Hopefully, your parents knew this too. Sadly, many parents of today don't want to believe it. What is it? Children desperately want to trust that the adults in their lives are in control, that especially their parents are dependable. This guide to parenting the "strong-willed child" discusses the obligations of parents to shape the will while safeguarding the child's delicate spirit. Too many parents resort to emotional struggles because they expect their children to act with adult maturity instead of gradually guiding them towards adult maturity. This book is filled with love, humor, and understanding. Dr. Dobson is a father himself, and truly empathizes with parents of strong-willed children. He is quick to point out their immense potential--a strong-willed teen will not give in to peer pressure, if s/he has had strong, effective guidance in the early years. Highly recommend it!
Rating: 
Summary: Dangerous Advice
Review: In the first couple of pages of this book the author equates disciplining a dog with disciplining a child. The Author is presenting a view that is dangerous to the safety and inner well-being all children. The horrific fact is that all child abuse is perpetrated upon children by parents who see their children as willful. This is, 10 times out of 10, thier justification for the abuse. This book just gave all parents a reason to hit, a reason to see one's child as an animal, to be responded to in the same way. Discipline such as this may work for a while, it may beat one's child into submission, but the child under this doctirne of discipline will always be unhappy. Adults are unhappy when they have been told their entire lives that they deserve to be hit, that they deserve disrespect. They may go on to successful careers, but they may never feel satisfied with their accomplishments, or may try to sabotage themselves in ways that fit with how they have been treated. Is there an alternative to discipline? Yes! I love "Smart Love" by the Drs. Pieper. It erases the tension that can occur when when parents suffer under the weight of feeling like full-time "wardens". Children't behavior can be regulated in a loving way, a way that stops them from harming themselves or others, and helps them to feel fully in control of their lives. Children under this "discipline" WANT to treat others in a kindly, respectful manner. When you treat children like dogs, you teach them to treat themselves and others the same way.
Rating:
Summary: This is the book that gave my parents permission to hurt me.
Review: Dobson is a well known, well respected man in the Christian community. He has the opportunity to encourage parents to seek out effective methods of *disciplining* children rather than simply punishing them physically for every little *perceived* rebellion. He chooses not to. Dobson labeled me "strong-willed" and gave my parents permission to hit me. Rather than seeing my God-given personality as a blessing to be used for His purpose, they viewed me as a being to be broken to their own will. So, they followed Dobson's advice, and they hit me as often as they felt necessary. My relationship with my parents may never be repaired. They're convinced that hitting me was right and "Godly". They do not understand the humiliation and frustration and anger they created within me when they struck me. They don't realize that every day, as I parent my own two beautiful children, I must fight the urge simply to hit them rather than to *discipline* them actively and proactively, because hitting was the method my parents taught me with Dr. Dobson's blessing...It's heartbreaking that Dobson has managed to mar so many childhood memories and shatter so many parent-child relationships. Please, don't make the same mistakes! You and your child(ren) deserve better than that...
Rating:
Summary: The Strong-Willed Child
Review: This book is excellent, used it to bring up my own kids who have turned out to be respectable, responsible adults with loving parenting skills. Now I give the book to many parents in my daycare. Would highly recommend, it is based on Godly principals and those can never fail. I have purchased many copies of this book over the years, it is wonderful.
Rating:
Summary: A how-to book all want-to-be parents like myself should read
Review: Thinking quite a-bit lately that I am reaching the age now where I would like to have children reading this book has helped me to finalize that decision. I suddenly realize at least for me I should wait a few years longer. A lot more to being a parent that most younger people like myself realize. The Strong-Willed Child is a practical how-to book on discipline and child-rearing, focusing on sibling rivalary, hyeractivity, self-esteem, and the most common mistakes made by frustrated parents. After reading this book I suddenly had the urge to call my parents!
Rating:
Summary: CHILD ABUSE!!
Review: I did not like this book at all. I will be throwing this book in the trash where it belongs.
I should have guessed by the opening chapter about him beating his dog with a BELT what kind of book this would be.
He claims to be a good CHRISTIAN??
If taking a belt to your child is good discipline, and a way to raise a 'good christian family', I'm sorry, i guess i am not a good christian afterall!
I don't see anything wrong with a little slap on the behind if the child is out of control or is going to hurt himself or others...
but a BELT? On a small child? NO WAY!
I am not totally against discipline and spanking.This book in my opinion, is a good example of child abuse!
He claims this discipline is out of 'love'?
Degrading a child and having them fear you is not love!
This is a horrible, horrible book! I would never recommend anyone to follow his discipline guidlines! This book really upset me, and to think people treat their children like this is absolutley horrifying! I just feel really sorry for his poor children(and the dog!!)!
Wake up People!!! A little spanking is fine, depending on the situation, But Hitting your child with ANY kind of object IS Child Abuse!Anyone that thinks that this is "good christian values", needs to have their head examined and be reported to DCF!There are other ways of disciplining your child.. show some common sense, and please.. think of your child and how you may scar them physically and mentally.Childhood is supposed to be happy and carefree. Not having to worry if you screwed up and dad/mom beats...you with an object!
And yes, i did read the whole book.. it was like a train wreck, you know its bad but you can't help but look...
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely HATE it!! A one star rating is too generous!!
Review: It is an awful book. If there was a rating of less than 1 star I sure would have used it! A one star rating is incredibly generous! I finally arived at the end of the book, p.328-first paragraph, when I read,"Now admittedly, the book you have been reading about the strong-willed child also contains many suggestions and perspectives which I have not attempted to validate or prove." Not even attemped to prove his points or back them up with any research!! It was then I realized why this book was so terrible. He talked more about his strong-willed dog than any strong-willed children. He does believe in spanking your child, which many people do, but he takes it too far. He even goes into detail about where to pinch your child on the neck that will cause the most pain without damaging any nerves or tissue--but I can only imangine what kind of damage that will do to a child's spirit. And while I can't remember what page, I remember reading about "a slap in the face" and I remember thinking "how degrading even for a child". He even discussed his opinion on 35 other pieces of parenting literture. If I wanted an opinion on those I would bought and read those books and magazines. That is all the book is--his opinion on other writers and his strong-willed dog(poor Siggie). I'm amazed that such garbage can even get published. I truely feel so sorry for any child whose parents use this barbaric for of discipline. It's been about a month since I finished the book and I'm still mad I wasted my time and money.
Rating:
Summary: Approach not for me and my children
Review: I will never ever beat my children with belts, sticks nor will I pinch their necks in order to obtain control over their behavior. I have a 7 year old son with non-verbal learning disorders along with behavior issues at school. I also have a very typical 3 year old that is strong willed. While I agree that parents can be more successful if they are consistent with discipline - but I cannot understand how anyone could urge desperate parents to beat their children with belts, sticks or pinch them on the back of the neck - and then quote bible scriptures as justification. My christian upbringing does not advocate violence towards children. Children are not evil. They arrive to us in various shapes, sizes, and conditions with the expectation that we will love & nurture them as best we can. Physical abuse is not loving.
Rating:
Summary: This approach is not for me & my family
Review: I could never strike my children with a belt, switch or any object nor pinch their neck - not ever. I have two very active boys and they have been spanked on occasion, but on occasion and not as a rule or everyday occurance. I found ths book's suggestions to be mean spirited and degrading for both the parent and the child and could not recommend this book to any one.
Rating:
Summary: A book every parent should read.
Review: I know there is a lot of negative talk about this book.
Mainly because of the "spanking issue"
I think the book was very helpful and helped me with my parental abilities. It goes according to the principles in the Bible concerning raising children. I think Mr. Dobson was right on the mark with this book.
I'm sure that this novel would yield to be very helpful with child rearing. Every child is different and needs to be handled in a different manner. This is what the author addresses. I highly recommend this book.
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