Stress and your child

by Archibald D. Hart

Stress is taking its toll on today's kids. In this groundbreaking book, psychologist Archibald Hart provides down-to-earth guidance for parents and a step-by-step plan of action for stress-proofing kids. An invaluable resource for stress-management that will enhance kid's lives today-and may save their lives tomorrow.

Genres: Parenting

Hardcover

First published February 10, 1992

Reviews

[Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Filled with useful tips and tests, Stress and Your Child helps the reader discern problems and potential problems for their children. Once discerned, there is much helpful advice for combatting problems and changing parenting behaviors to better help your children cope with or alleviate stressors in their lives.

Personally, this book helped me see some parenting changes I need to make, and it gave me ideas on how best to make those changes. There are at least eight diagnostic tests (inventory style) scattered throughout the book that helped me to see potential problem areas and also relieved some of my concerns by helping me realize that my sons are quite normal in some of their emotional responses.

With all this praise, why only four stars? For one, and this is not fair to Mr. Hart, the font size is unusually small. Perhaps the publisher was afraid of breaking 300 pages? Though my eyes are relatively good, I found I needed to hold the book uncomfortably close to read it, which was very surprising given the physical size of the pages. The real reason to knock off a star though is that the book, for as good as it is, jumps around from topic to topic and back again. It's not a jumbled mess, but it did hurt the overall flow of the book.

That aside, Stress and Your Child is quite good and well worth the read for all the parenting wisdom and reassurance in it.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book changed the course of my life and the well being of my daughters- the angry one and the one who had to witness and survive the turmoil in the house caused by an angry alcoholic father.

The questions on p 210 helped me realize just how serious the problem was. And provoked me to get her help and face my own issues as a battered wife.

I will always be grateful I read this book so many years ago. My daughters are emotionally healthy women now and I have a life full of joy and peace.

Read it!!!!

[Julie Verner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book offers an important warning to parents regarding childhood stress. Dr. Hart underscores the seriousness of stress that comes by way of over-scheduling and pressuring our kids. He offers education on stress, shares relevant research findings, and educates readers on how they migh stress-proof their child's life. On page viii, he comments that the "'positive' stress that comes from busy lives, challenging activities, and high achievement can be as dangerous - or more dangerous - over the long term than traumatic stress."

[Pink · Rating 5 out of 5]

The hidden ways our children are stressed and how to prevent it from affecting them. Excellent resource, especially when your child is not acting like themselves. This helps you to pinpoint the stress factors in their life and either adjust the factors if it's unnecessary stress or teach them strategies to deal with it if it's a fact of life.

[Aisha]

Recommended by a counselor

[Fiona Tarr · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been a long time since I read this, but I heard Arch Hart speak once and have to say he was a great speaker with a strong message.