Have a New Kid by Friday Read Online Free PDF Page A

for myself. No more. A week ago I adopted your principles of “Say it once, turn your back, and walk away.” They really, really work. I’m stunned. My son willingly took out the garbage yesterday, even without me asking him, and my daughter brought bread home from the store just because she noticed we were low. I can’t believe the change!
    Millie, North Carolina
    I attended your seminar about changing a child’s behavior last week, and it was even more powerful than I realized! My week has been so peaceful and easy with my 3 kids (14, 8, and 6)! My children have responded wonderfully. And I’ve changed too. Not only am I setting limits for them, I’m doing it with compassion. No yelling at all, and for me that is just too wonderful not to let you know.
    Delighted in Georgia
    I love listening to you—especially your humor and personal stories (like the one about hawking a gob out the window and your son copying you). They make me laugh. But they also helped my wife and me come to a very important decision. I had just lost my job and didn’t see anything on the horizon in our immediate area. My wife has had a job and loved it for years. So now I’m a stay-at-home dad for our son . . . and loving every minute of it. It’s the best decision we ever made, and it saved us a lot in day-care costs too.
    Stephen, Michigan
    I’ve cried, I’ve prayed, I’ve thrown up my hands, but nothing worked . . . until now. Your “B doesn’t happen until A is completed” has turned around my relationship with my children. The first three days I used the principle I felt terrible, because I wasn’t used to being consistent on anything. But when I saw the changes in just three days, that spurred me on to finish the job. I now can take my 2 toddlers to my girlfriends’ without fear of embarrassment or having to listen to them scream. My 3-year-old walked up to me and asked yesterday, “Mom, may we have a snack?” This coming from the girl who would have ordered me a week ago, “Get me a snack!” It works ! It’s the answer to my prayers.
    Kendra, Texas

Tuesday
    Disarming the Dude (or Dudette) with the ’Tude
    Want a kid with real character who isn’t a character?
    Here’s how.
    My wife, Sande, always prayed for a man with character. And she got a character all right. Me.
    That’s what many children are today—characters. Perhaps that’s why numerous studies show that the top 3 long-term concerns of parents have to do with a new kind of ABCs:
    • Attitude
    • Behavior
    • Character
    When the rubber meets the road, these are the things that matter most. These are the things that will continue into adulthood and make your child someone worthy of trust . . . or not. Someone who acts with kindness and respect toward others . . . or not. Someone who is honest . . . or not.
    It’s All in the Attitude
    Attitude is the entrée into a child’s head and heart. What your child thinks about herself—how she views herself and what happens to her—speaks loudly through her behavior.
    Did you know, Mom and Dad, that one child just looking at another sibling can be a criminal offense? Consider these family felonies:
    • “He looked at me!”
    • “She wore my jacket and ripped it—on purpose!”
    • “You never yell at him. He gets away with everything.”
    • “How come she gets to go? You never let me go.”
    • “Hey! How come her piece is bigger?”
    Attitude can speak loudly—even if your child says nothing. Attitude screams in the “silent treatment.” You know what I’m talking about.
    A negative attitude shows itself through many behaviors: the rolling of eyes, talking back, stubbornness, poor manners, being a know-it-all, whining, the “me, me, me” syndrome, defiance, throwing a tantrum, choosing not to cooperate with family members, showing disrespect, etc.

    But where does attitude come from?
    Who Do You Butt Heads With?
    If you have more than one child, you know that all the little foxes in the den