There is more than one way to be a good parent Your Passport to Parentingexplores parenting ideas from around the world, providing stories and lessons that demonstrate how values-based parenting can help create meaningful bonds between you and your child, while teaching them to be kind, secure, and empathetic. From Australia, you will hear how an Aboriginal woman shares her culture and teaches children morals through stories. From Fiji, you will hear how Fijians teach their children to first care for others, then for themselves. From England, you will hear how a mother taught her children through lessons as a magistrate so she did not have to lecture. From Germany, you will hear how German culture teaches children independence. From South Africa, you will learn the power of greeting your children. From Hawaii, you will learn the importance of an extended family and respect for the land. Plus, more parenting ideas from Scotland, Czechia, Austria, Denmark, Dominican Republic, New Zealand, and across the United States--some passed down from generation to generation. We have all heard it takes a village to raise a child. YourPassport to Parentingexpands your village to cover nearly the entire planet. With this expanded village, you will find simple parenting ideas to help teach children values as well as ideas to help make parenting as much fun as being a kid. After you read Your Passport to Parenting, you'll find parenting more meaningful and a bit easier.

In The Secrets of Happy Families, New York Times bestselling author Bruce Feiler has drawn up a blueprint for modern families — a new approach to family dynamics, inspired by cutting-edge techniques gathered from experts in the disciplines of science, business, sports, and the military. Don't worry about family dinner. Let your kids pick their punishments. Ditch the sex talk. Cancel date night. These are just a few of the surprising innovations in this bold first-of-its-kind playbook for today's families. Bestselling author and New York Times family columnist Bruce Feiler found himself squeezed between caring for aging parents and raising his children. So he set out on a three-year journey to find the smartest solutions and the most cutting-edge research about families. Instead of the usual family "experts," he sought out the most creative minds—from Silicon Valley to the set of Modern Family, from the country's top negotiators to the Green Berets—and asked them what team-building exercises and problem-solving techniques they use with their families. Feiler then tested these ideas with his wife and kids. The result is a fun, original look at how families can draw closer together, complete with 200 never-before-seen best practices. Feiler's life-changing discoveries include a radical plan to reshape your family in twenty minutes a week, Warren Buffett's guide for setting an allowance, and the Harvard handbook for resolving conflict. The Secrets of Happy Families is a timely, counterintuitive book that answers the questions countless parents are asking: How do we manage the chaos of our lives? How do we teach our kids values? How do we make our family happier? Written in a charming, accessible style, The Secrets of Happy Families is smart, funny, and fresh, and will forever change how your family lives every day.

Full of honesty, humor, and practical insight, this is the essential guide for mothers who want to make parenting more joyful: “Every mom needs this book” (Jenna McCarthy, author of The Parent Trap). From the experts at Parenting magazine and popular mommy blogger Meagan Francis, The Happiest Mom combines the latest happiness research with the insight and experience of a mother of five. Francis demonstrates that motherhood doesn’t have to be an obstacle to joy. Drawing on recent happiness research, conversations with hundreds of other moms, and her own experience as a mother, Francis shares her ten secrets to happy motherhood in this down-to-earth, funny, and accessible book. “I found myself underlining passages and laughing out loud in recognition. This thoughtful, hilarious look at motherhood is a terrific resource for anyone who wants to be the happiest mother she can be.” —Gretchen Rubin, author of The New York Times bestseller The Happiness Project “Reading this book is like chatting with your girlfriend and getting all the support, advice, and laughs you need.” —Brett Paesal, author of Mommies Who Drink

You want to be a loving parent who guides your kids towards a life of happiness and success. But the chaos of parenting life leaves you feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or just vaguely annoyed all the time. (Or maybe it's not so vague.)With this practical guide for busy parents and a bonus printable workbook, you'll know how to: * Stop feeling overwhelmed. Get a handle on the swirling chaos of to-do items and appointments and "should"s in your head.* Set yourself up for a happy day, every day. Find out the ingredients you need in your day in order to become your happiest self.* Catch yourself before you lose your cool. Learn what to do when you lose your patience with a temper-taming toolkit of proven tools to get you back on track.* Heal after the storm. For the days when you do lose your cool, you'll get the exact steps to flush the bad mojo from your body and repair the relationship with your child (or your partner).This book gives you the best science-backed tools that you need as a busy parent to become your happiest self.

Audrey "Sunshine" Monke, mother of five and camp owner-director, shares nine powerful parenting techniques-inspired by the research-based practices of summer camp-to help kids thrive and families become closer. Research has proven that kids are happier and gain essential social and emotional skills at camp. A recognized parenting expert, Audrey Monke distills what she's learned from thousands of interactions with campers, camp counselors, and parents, and from her research in positive psychology, to offer intentional strategies parents can use to foster the benefits of camp at home. Our screen-obsessed, competitive society makes it harder than ever to raise happy, thriving kids. But there are tried-and-true methods that can help. Instead of rearing a generation of children who are overwhelmed, anxious, depressed, and who struggle to become independent, responsible adults, parents can create a culture that promotes the growth of important character traits and the social skills kids need for meaningful, successful lives. Thousands of parents attest to the "magical" benefits of summer camp for their kids, noting their children return more joyful, positive, confident, and resilient after just a few weeks. But you can learn exactly what it takes to promote these benefits at home. Complete with specific ideas to implement the most effective summer camp secrets, Happy Campers is a one of a kind resource for raising happy, socially intelligent, successful kids.

Dr Justin Coulson, resident parenting expert on Channel 9's Parental Guidance, draws on positive psychology to gives parents ways to make their family happier than ever, starting today! 'Parenthood can be a jungle, but Justin's advice and simple strategies will help you find that path back to sanity, stability and smiling kids.' - Lisa Wilkinson Everyone wants their family to be happy, but so much gets in the way - work stress, commitments and our children's challenging behaviour are some of the usual suspects. Less obvious obstacles are our own habits and expectations, a reactive parenting style, and even a lack of clarity about what makes a family truly happy. As a result, families often seem fragmented, stressed and out of control. Kidspot parenting expert Justin Coulson knows how to make families happier. In this book, he combines cutting-edge insights from positive psychology with classic psychological research to help parents identify and develop habits that will strengthen their family. In his trademark warm and empathic style Justin covers topics like finding the most effective parenting style for your child, getting relationships right and how that leads to effective discipline, using mindfulness in parenting, being emotionally available to your children - and so much more. 'Justin Coulson's compassionate and helpful advice helps me unravel my many parenting dilemmas' - Jessica Rowe

Creating and sustaining a strong family culture.