On our bookshelf

May 18, 2010 | Print

Parent/Child Relationships with Mary Hartzell

Highlights: A friend gave us a copy of Parent/Child Relationships, an audio program about communicating with children by the child development specialist and parent educator, Mary Hartzell. Hartzell outlines simple approaches to help parents connect with our child’s point of view and avoid disruptive power dynamics. She gives examples of potential moments of conflict and how to manage them. Her insights on the subtle ways that we can support children in owning their achievements for themselves are in line with Carol Dweck’s research on creating a growth mindset and love of learning.

Lowlights: Hartzell shares a few basics, for more detailed discussion and advice read the excellent Parenting from the Inside Out. Some of the material overlaps with the book.

Why we like it: Short and sweet–we can listen in the car on the way to pick up the kids from school. Hearing Hartzell’s language and tone aloud helps us absorb the concepts in a deeper way than just reading her book. Also, it’s easy to listen to the CD again as a refresher.

Child’s age: Infant through preschooler.

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