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Break Free from Reactive Parenting: Gentle-Parenting Tips, Self-Regulation Strategies, and Kid-Friendly Activities for Creating a Calm and Happy Home
Learn how to be a parent who reacts with patience and kindness instead of anger and frustration and overcome the cycle of reactive parenting.
Pretty much every parent has been reactive at some point. Reactive parenting encompasses the negative behaviors that stem from frustration, like yelling, threatening, screaming, and over-rewarding or bribing. It’s difficult not to snap when you’re overworked, overtired, and faced with a child experiencing extremely high emotions. That’s where this book comes in.
Wherever you are in your parenting journey, there are ways to improve, connect, and find calm in the chaos. Instead of repeating the same patterns, feeling overwhelmed or uncertain of what to do next, today can be the day you let go of the guilt and shame around feeling like a “bad” parent or telling your child they’re being a “bad kid.”
Break Free from Reactive Parenting offers up a new approach toward self-regulation and child expression, focusing on the family as a whole to create a calmer, more equitable home environment. From addressing the issues that cause and result from being reactive to implementing a more effective parenting approach, this book serves as your support system as you seek to bring meaningful change into your home. Within these pages you’ll find helpful advice and tools
Pretty much every parent has been reactive at some point. Reactive parenting encompasses the negative behaviors that stem from frustration, like yelling, threatening, screaming, and over-rewarding or bribing. It’s difficult not to snap when you’re overworked, overtired, and faced with a child experiencing extremely high emotions. That’s where this book comes in.
Wherever you are in your parenting journey, there are ways to improve, connect, and find calm in the chaos. Instead of repeating the same patterns, feeling overwhelmed or uncertain of what to do next, today can be the day you let go of the guilt and shame around feeling like a “bad” parent or telling your child they’re being a “bad kid.”
Break Free from Reactive Parenting offers up a new approach toward self-regulation and child expression, focusing on the family as a whole to create a calmer, more equitable home environment. From addressing the issues that cause and result from being reactive to implementing a more effective parenting approach, this book serves as your support system as you seek to bring meaningful change into your home. Within these pages you’ll find helpful advice and tools
224 pages, Paperback
Published August 25, 2023
53 people are currently reading
4092 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
November 14, 2022
Okay, I will admit it: I am not yet a parent. BUT, I am a devoted auntie and yoga teacher, and this book, BREAK FREE FROM REACTIVE PARENTING is filled with useful, essential information for many of the people I serve under these titles I carry. As an auntie, I've implementing many of Knight's approaches when in the caregiver role, and let me tell you, it makes life easier (and I feel less guilty because I don't say or do things in the moment I regret).
The author sets out to tackle some of the biggest parenting problems from the perspective of a former elementary school educator, and current mother, parenting educator, mindfulness teacher. After defining these specific problems, she offers easy-to-understand tips, tools, and strategies for you and your family to implement. She also includes projects and activities for kids who are struggling, like listing things that make you feel happy!
Furthermore, because of the clear, extensive, and timeless information about the brain, positive routines to adopt, and the importance of self-regulation, this is one of those parenting books that you could take with you through your journey as a parent--as a reference and perhaps even a trusted paperbacked friend :)
As a yoga teacher, the idea of the aforementioned self-regulation is one I teach in almost all of my classes. Adults need and are craving more tools to be able to stay calm in stressful situations, like dealing with a child's meltdowns or the effects of too much screen time (hello, modern world and the pandemic). Self-regulation tools are so important, and Knight doesn't back off from giving plenty of ways to create a positive routine and mindset for you and your kiddo. Her words themselves bring a calmness to the reader because you feel confident that you can actually utilize these tips immediately--nothing is too far out of reach.
I have found that everything Knight puts in this book is tried and true (her research on top of empirical knowledge is well-done). I thank her for including some guided meditations in this reference book, too. There's magic in pausing and checking in during stressful times. I'm glad meditation is getting the shoutout it deserves :)
You're human, dear reader, as we all are. It's tougher than ever to stay grounded in parenting when you're tired and overly busy. This book makes it possible. Use it. Re-use it. Embrace it. You'll feel better. Promise. Deep breaths.
The author sets out to tackle some of the biggest parenting problems from the perspective of a former elementary school educator, and current mother, parenting educator, mindfulness teacher. After defining these specific problems, she offers easy-to-understand tips, tools, and strategies for you and your family to implement. She also includes projects and activities for kids who are struggling, like listing things that make you feel happy!
Furthermore, because of the clear, extensive, and timeless information about the brain, positive routines to adopt, and the importance of self-regulation, this is one of those parenting books that you could take with you through your journey as a parent--as a reference and perhaps even a trusted paperbacked friend :)
As a yoga teacher, the idea of the aforementioned self-regulation is one I teach in almost all of my classes. Adults need and are craving more tools to be able to stay calm in stressful situations, like dealing with a child's meltdowns or the effects of too much screen time (hello, modern world and the pandemic). Self-regulation tools are so important, and Knight doesn't back off from giving plenty of ways to create a positive routine and mindset for you and your kiddo. Her words themselves bring a calmness to the reader because you feel confident that you can actually utilize these tips immediately--nothing is too far out of reach.
I have found that everything Knight puts in this book is tried and true (her research on top of empirical knowledge is well-done). I thank her for including some guided meditations in this reference book, too. There's magic in pausing and checking in during stressful times. I'm glad meditation is getting the shoutout it deserves :)
You're human, dear reader, as we all are. It's tougher than ever to stay grounded in parenting when you're tired and overly busy. This book makes it possible. Use it. Re-use it. Embrace it. You'll feel better. Promise. Deep breaths.
November 17, 2022
As a parent who has always tried to create a peaceful home for my family, this book really resonates with me. I have a high-energy, spirited child and I'm prone to reactive parenting in stressful or frustrating situations.
Author Laura Linn Knight offers truly helpful tips on being more proactive and less reactive. She guides the reader through familiar family conflict scenarios and provides practical ideas on how to better manage both parent and child emotions.
This is a must-read for any stressed-out, frustrated, or overwhelmed parent. We can break free from the reactive-parenting cycle and really achieve that peaceful home life we desire.
Author Laura Linn Knight offers truly helpful tips on being more proactive and less reactive. She guides the reader through familiar family conflict scenarios and provides practical ideas on how to better manage both parent and child emotions.
This is a must-read for any stressed-out, frustrated, or overwhelmed parent. We can break free from the reactive-parenting cycle and really achieve that peaceful home life we desire.
July 27, 2023
What is reactive parenting? Laura Linn Knight defines the phrase in her book “Break Free from Reactive Parenting” as “the ability to calm yourself down and not react to your child with a yell, threat, or bribe to get them to act the way you think they need to act in the moment” (12).
In even simpler terms, parenting your child based on yelling, threatening, or bribing to get them to behave will only harm your child’s development in the long run. At minimum, this parenting style can cause your child to not fully understand why it is that they need to behave in the situation that they’re in, and leads to them ignoring a parent’s requests until they have a big reaction (such as yelling or threatening), or offer them a reward (AKA bribery). At worst, however, your child can end up developmentally stunted, as they always need some big reaction or a reward to act in the ways that they need to, impacting their performance in school, in social interactions, and in everyday life. Furthermore, though, under this parenting style, your child will be left unheard.
This book’s multiple scenarios help explain why reactive parenting is harmful: one such example, the first scenario given has you bribe, threaten, and finally yell when your child does get in the car; in the second scenario given, however, your first reaction is not to act, but rather to take a step back and listen to your child, asking them why it is that they don’t want to follow instructions.
By the end of the first scenario, both you and your child are left feeling frustrated and misunderstood, and you will only have one another to blame. But, by the end of the second scenario, both of you have communicated and were not only able to find the root cause of your child’s disobedience, but also are then able to find a way around it, as they were able to tell you about their fears or anxieties surrounding your request.
Not only does this make for a less frustrating and draining process of getting your child to behave, but also makes your child feel heard. This continuously-applied style of parenting allows your child to adequately prepare themselves to solve the issues they are facing, and will even teach them not to, themselves, bribe, yell, or threaten to get what they want.
As a parent with a young child, myself, I was struggling with reactive parenting for a while before realizing that it was damaging the relationship I had with my son. When he wouldn't get his way, I felt forced to yell, threaten, and sometimes bribe in order to get him to do as he's told. However, I hadn't stopped to consider his reasoning as to why he didn't want to behave, which was because of his own anxieties.
When he wouldn't want to go to school in the morning, I would feel forced to react by yelling quite a lot. This was an extremely frustrating and exhausting process to go through each and every morning just to get my son to school. What I realized after reading this book was that he might be having difficulties which are affecting him wanting to go. After having to step away entirely to calm down one morning, I decided to try and communicate with my son, and we had a discussion on why it is that he didn't want to go to school.
Thanks to this book, I now understand that my son was experiencing a lot of anxiety going to school because he wasn't doing too good in Math and History, two subjects which I had previously told him off about. After reassuring him that it's okay not to be the best in every subject, and after booking him a tutor, I realized that yelling, threatening, and bribing wasn't the way to go about raising a child. Rather, I understood that taking a step back, listening, and communicating was the better option, and it only strengthened my bond with my son.
I would highly recommend this book to everyone with a child, or even to those wondering how to communicate better! We all need a little reminder every now and then to take a step back from our source of stress and remember that we need to communicate better, and this book provides just that by walking readers through different scenarios, tools, and workbook prompts.
In even simpler terms, parenting your child based on yelling, threatening, or bribing to get them to behave will only harm your child’s development in the long run. At minimum, this parenting style can cause your child to not fully understand why it is that they need to behave in the situation that they’re in, and leads to them ignoring a parent’s requests until they have a big reaction (such as yelling or threatening), or offer them a reward (AKA bribery). At worst, however, your child can end up developmentally stunted, as they always need some big reaction or a reward to act in the ways that they need to, impacting their performance in school, in social interactions, and in everyday life. Furthermore, though, under this parenting style, your child will be left unheard.
This book’s multiple scenarios help explain why reactive parenting is harmful: one such example, the first scenario given has you bribe, threaten, and finally yell when your child does get in the car; in the second scenario given, however, your first reaction is not to act, but rather to take a step back and listen to your child, asking them why it is that they don’t want to follow instructions.
By the end of the first scenario, both you and your child are left feeling frustrated and misunderstood, and you will only have one another to blame. But, by the end of the second scenario, both of you have communicated and were not only able to find the root cause of your child’s disobedience, but also are then able to find a way around it, as they were able to tell you about their fears or anxieties surrounding your request.
Not only does this make for a less frustrating and draining process of getting your child to behave, but also makes your child feel heard. This continuously-applied style of parenting allows your child to adequately prepare themselves to solve the issues they are facing, and will even teach them not to, themselves, bribe, yell, or threaten to get what they want.
As a parent with a young child, myself, I was struggling with reactive parenting for a while before realizing that it was damaging the relationship I had with my son. When he wouldn't get his way, I felt forced to yell, threaten, and sometimes bribe in order to get him to do as he's told. However, I hadn't stopped to consider his reasoning as to why he didn't want to behave, which was because of his own anxieties.
When he wouldn't want to go to school in the morning, I would feel forced to react by yelling quite a lot. This was an extremely frustrating and exhausting process to go through each and every morning just to get my son to school. What I realized after reading this book was that he might be having difficulties which are affecting him wanting to go. After having to step away entirely to calm down one morning, I decided to try and communicate with my son, and we had a discussion on why it is that he didn't want to go to school.
Thanks to this book, I now understand that my son was experiencing a lot of anxiety going to school because he wasn't doing too good in Math and History, two subjects which I had previously told him off about. After reassuring him that it's okay not to be the best in every subject, and after booking him a tutor, I realized that yelling, threatening, and bribing wasn't the way to go about raising a child. Rather, I understood that taking a step back, listening, and communicating was the better option, and it only strengthened my bond with my son.
I would highly recommend this book to everyone with a child, or even to those wondering how to communicate better! We all need a little reminder every now and then to take a step back from our source of stress and remember that we need to communicate better, and this book provides just that by walking readers through different scenarios, tools, and workbook prompts.
July 5, 2023
Break Free From Reactive Parenting is a monumental milestone in parenting guides that I believe belongs on the bookshelf of every parent and parent-to-be. Wow! It is jam packed with helpful information, tips, easy to follow guidelines and instructions and TOOLS that empower you to be the parent you always dreamed of being! Each chapter includes a detailed section for your children as well, in an easy to comprehend and fun style making it more likely that they will want to participate and follow along. It also gives them Tools to enable them to make better and more healthy decisions all leading to a happier family life. The goal of these guidelines and tools for both parent and child is to stop the typical reactionary confrontations and self regulate, thereby creating a much more calm and peaceful, and visibly loving, and cohesive family unit.
What an invaluable resource! The author has years of experience as a teacher and then a certified parenting skills instructor and has appeared on numerous tv and radio shows in this capacity. We now get the benefit of all of those years of learning and perfecting these skills in Break Free From Reactive Parenting! That is so awesome. I am filled with excitement for the parents of young children who get to learn and utilize these tools, along with their children. I can’t help but be a bit wistful in thinking of how different things could have been if MY parents had had such a book available to them and been willing to read it and implement the tools and methods it gives parents and children. AND, of course, if I had had this book available to me many years ago when my son was a young child and if I had been open to it’s guidance—how much anguish and REACTIVITY it could have extinguished! C-A-L-M……what an amazing concept for a household with a young child in it. It seems like a dream, but after reading this book, I believe it is a possibility for parents, and children alike!
Laura Linn Knight has become a super hero in my mind now.
What an invaluable resource! The author has years of experience as a teacher and then a certified parenting skills instructor and has appeared on numerous tv and radio shows in this capacity. We now get the benefit of all of those years of learning and perfecting these skills in Break Free From Reactive Parenting! That is so awesome. I am filled with excitement for the parents of young children who get to learn and utilize these tools, along with their children. I can’t help but be a bit wistful in thinking of how different things could have been if MY parents had had such a book available to them and been willing to read it and implement the tools and methods it gives parents and children. AND, of course, if I had had this book available to me many years ago when my son was a young child and if I had been open to it’s guidance—how much anguish and REACTIVITY it could have extinguished! C-A-L-M……what an amazing concept for a household with a young child in it. It seems like a dream, but after reading this book, I believe it is a possibility for parents, and children alike!
Laura Linn Knight has become a super hero in my mind now.
July 7, 2023
Parenting With Perfection!
Oh, hold on tight! I just finished devouring this absolute gem of a parenting book, and let me tell you, it’s a game-changer! Laura Knight, you magnificent wizard, thank you for gracing us with this extraordinary guide to parenting greatness. It’s a soothing balm for our overwhelmed souls, filled with practical, pragmatic, and proactive strategies that actually work!
From the moment I cracked open this literary treasure, I was captivated by Knight’s impeccable blend of wisdom, humour, and raw honesty. She fearlessly delves into parental struggles, laying bare her own moments of exhaustion, frustration, and the occasional urge to run away screaming (we’ve all been there, haven’t we?).
Fear not, fellow warriors of parenthood! Knight is armed with an arsenal of invaluable tools that will revolutionalise your parenting game. I devoured the wisdom within these pages, extracting transformative gems I immediately put into action with my pint-sized maniacs, aged 5 to 12. And guess what? They worked! It’s like witnessing parenting magic unfold before my eyes.
What sets this book apart is Knight’s meticulous research and her gift for distilling complex concepts into an accessible format. My partner eagerly devours this book with me, as we devise grand structural changes to our parenting. We cherry-pick crucial sections to share with our little rascals, setting them on a path towards greatness.
If you’re on a quest for a life-altering resource to level up your proactive parenting skills, look no further. Laura Linn Knight has crafted a masterpiece that will leave you awestruck and inspired. So grab a copy, my fellow parents, and let’s embark on this transformative journey together. Prepare to be amazed, empowered, and forever grateful for stumbling upon this remarkable guide. Happy parenting, everyone!
Oh, hold on tight! I just finished devouring this absolute gem of a parenting book, and let me tell you, it’s a game-changer! Laura Knight, you magnificent wizard, thank you for gracing us with this extraordinary guide to parenting greatness. It’s a soothing balm for our overwhelmed souls, filled with practical, pragmatic, and proactive strategies that actually work!
From the moment I cracked open this literary treasure, I was captivated by Knight’s impeccable blend of wisdom, humour, and raw honesty. She fearlessly delves into parental struggles, laying bare her own moments of exhaustion, frustration, and the occasional urge to run away screaming (we’ve all been there, haven’t we?).
Fear not, fellow warriors of parenthood! Knight is armed with an arsenal of invaluable tools that will revolutionalise your parenting game. I devoured the wisdom within these pages, extracting transformative gems I immediately put into action with my pint-sized maniacs, aged 5 to 12. And guess what? They worked! It’s like witnessing parenting magic unfold before my eyes.
What sets this book apart is Knight’s meticulous research and her gift for distilling complex concepts into an accessible format. My partner eagerly devours this book with me, as we devise grand structural changes to our parenting. We cherry-pick crucial sections to share with our little rascals, setting them on a path towards greatness.
If you’re on a quest for a life-altering resource to level up your proactive parenting skills, look no further. Laura Linn Knight has crafted a masterpiece that will leave you awestruck and inspired. So grab a copy, my fellow parents, and let’s embark on this transformative journey together. Prepare to be amazed, empowered, and forever grateful for stumbling upon this remarkable guide. Happy parenting, everyone!
August 14, 2023
Break Free from Reactive Parenting by Laura L Linn Knight takes parenting in a new direction by taking you where you are and giving you tips and ideas on approaching your parenting in a new direction. Being a parent of adult children and a support and backup parent to my grandchildren is why I picked up this book. What I find in a lot of books about parenting is they are for a specific type of parent you will not find in this book. She takes it and shows you tactics and ideas and does not tell you, you are parenting wrong but how to approach situations in a new way and shows that everyone is guilty of Reactive Parenting and no one is exempt from it. Her productive journaling at the end of each chapter asks you questions in a way that does not blame the parent but has to think about situations in a way that you may not normally think of. Like how much of your reaction is from you and not the situation at hand. I found this insightful in not just my grandchildren but also in the way I approach my relationship with my adult children. The part that hit me the most was the journal prompt about everyday negative self-talk. Asking you to journal, write a list, and look at what most of you talk about. I can not say enough about the tool list and how she breaks everything down so that you can read the book first and then go back and do the work so you can focus on which task and tool you need to work on the most. She also points out the same negative self-talk we do to ourselves and our children do that also, which I think we all tend to forget as adults. I really can not recommend this book enough. I will be sending the link to all the parents in my life including the ones with adult parents. They need to take the time to read and do the work so that they can learn how to be kind to themselves and the children in their lives.
July 12, 2023
Hello, my name is Megan, and I am an over-bribing parent.
I am the mother of a five-year-old who thought she had this parenting thing down…until he learned to talk. Then it all went to hell. I have been following countless social media accounts for parenting tips for years. Some are great. Some are worthless. I’ve read a few books, but none that really spoke to the way I wanted to parent – and NONE that took into account this new pandemic factor, which I truly believe has shifted the world in a way that all the old self-help books and mental health dictionaries need to be re-written.
Laura Linn Knight has put a name to the kind of parenting to which I aspire…and the kind of parenting on which I tend to fall. In the first chapter, Knight mentions in a throw-away sentence meant to define self-regulation that reactive parenting comes from our attempts to get our children “to act the way [we] think they need to act in the moment.” This really hit home. She goes on to say that we need to work through our own traumas and learn to self-regulate to be able to help our children self-regulate.
One of the greatest things about this book is that it’s not just for parents. At the end of every chapter, she has activities and exercises for the parents to use and then a section for kids with kid-focused activities and exercises to help them understand what you are learning. My son isn’t old enough to read this himself, but I am definitely working through the exercises with him.
I am so grateful for this book. I usually pass on books I read to friends, but this (highly marked-up) copy is staying with me. But I recommend it to you here, and I’ll recommend it to any friend with kids.
I am the mother of a five-year-old who thought she had this parenting thing down…until he learned to talk. Then it all went to hell. I have been following countless social media accounts for parenting tips for years. Some are great. Some are worthless. I’ve read a few books, but none that really spoke to the way I wanted to parent – and NONE that took into account this new pandemic factor, which I truly believe has shifted the world in a way that all the old self-help books and mental health dictionaries need to be re-written.
Laura Linn Knight has put a name to the kind of parenting to which I aspire…and the kind of parenting on which I tend to fall. In the first chapter, Knight mentions in a throw-away sentence meant to define self-regulation that reactive parenting comes from our attempts to get our children “to act the way [we] think they need to act in the moment.” This really hit home. She goes on to say that we need to work through our own traumas and learn to self-regulate to be able to help our children self-regulate.
One of the greatest things about this book is that it’s not just for parents. At the end of every chapter, she has activities and exercises for the parents to use and then a section for kids with kid-focused activities and exercises to help them understand what you are learning. My son isn’t old enough to read this himself, but I am definitely working through the exercises with him.
I am so grateful for this book. I usually pass on books I read to friends, but this (highly marked-up) copy is staying with me. But I recommend it to you here, and I’ll recommend it to any friend with kids.
July 10, 2023
I think it was the wise boxer Mike Tyson who said, “Everybody has a plan until you get punched in the face.” That’s pretty much parenting. We all think we are the experts in child rearing...and then your first child gives you a knockout punch. Just when you think you’ve got it under control, here comes baby number two, who has a whole NEW set of problems for you to attack. Laura Linn Knight has been there and done that...and wrote a book about it! She’s a mom and a former teacher turned parenting coach, and she’s created a parenting book designed to help moms, dads, and families thrive. What I love about this book is that it has easy, actionable lists of ideas and tools that you can put into practice today. Knight has also done her research, and she’s got up-to-date statistics on the effects culture is having on our children. She helps you sort through how to keep your child safe and connected to family while they’re growing up. Another super important part of the book are the self-reflection exercises that help you identify where you are struggling and offers ideas on how to grow. This is a really well-written book that you’ll be able to refer to again and again as your children age.
July 16, 2023
As a new parent, I have been devouring as many parenting books that resonate with me as I can, knowing that it's my most important job on this planet. And, BREAK FREE FROM REACTIVE PARENTING, has been one of my favorite parenting books to date. I am a yoga instructor by trade, so acting from a place of awareness and regulation are essential to me, and it's made such a big difference in my life even before a child. However, learning the tips and tools that Knight lays out, about gentle parenting especially, is eye-opening and has challenged me in the best possible way. Furthermore, having tangible ways to stay regulated so that you can parent from that place of calmness, is so important -- and feels accessible with the way the author speaks to them. Nothing prepares you for the most sacred role of your life, and when you want to do it well, having books like this are ESSENTIAL!!!
Well-organized and comprehensive, this read is one of those you can dip in and out of, earmark where you need to, and come back to again and again, no matter what age your child is. It feels good to learn something you know will benefit your child, and this guide truly feels like it fits that bill. It's been worth my time to put these techniques into practice!!!!
Well-organized and comprehensive, this read is one of those you can dip in and out of, earmark where you need to, and come back to again and again, no matter what age your child is. It feels good to learn something you know will benefit your child, and this guide truly feels like it fits that bill. It's been worth my time to put these techniques into practice!!!!
July 12, 2023
Break Free from Reactive Parenting addresses the important areas of parenting and family development. It focuses on practicing proactive parenting than reactive parenting. The book contains gentle parenting tips and engaging activities for both the parent and the child.
Knight’s experience as a mother and child educator is evident in every page as she thoroughly and clearly discussed every parenting problem, solution, tip, etc. All the activities and questions at the end of every chapter are powerful and well thought out. I particularly like how there are sections for children as well since they serve as a way to teach the children and extend the lessons to them. I also like the use of simple words and phrases to explain the important points, and the directions in every tool are easy to follow.
This is a highly informative and educational book. I learned a lot from it and will surely apply all the tips and knowledge I’ve gained. I recommend this book to every parent and soon-to-be parent as this will serve as your best friend when parenting becomes tough physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Knight’s experience as a mother and child educator is evident in every page as she thoroughly and clearly discussed every parenting problem, solution, tip, etc. All the activities and questions at the end of every chapter are powerful and well thought out. I particularly like how there are sections for children as well since they serve as a way to teach the children and extend the lessons to them. I also like the use of simple words and phrases to explain the important points, and the directions in every tool are easy to follow.
This is a highly informative and educational book. I learned a lot from it and will surely apply all the tips and knowledge I’ve gained. I recommend this book to every parent and soon-to-be parent as this will serve as your best friend when parenting becomes tough physically, mentally, and emotionally.
August 23, 2023
I have this book to thank for changing my attitude towards parenting. I grew up with parents who were great but would get very reactive during moments of stress. When I became a father, I found myself making similar mistakes, and using stern words or yelling to get results. The problem was compounded when our second child was born with sensory issues and eventually diagnosed with autism. Parenting without becoming reactive became even more of a struggle, resulting in lots of tears and heartache for everyone involved.
Fortunately, we had plenty of help from family, friends, and some dedicated therapists who addressed our son's emotional and behavioral issues. Break Free from Reactive Parenting was bought on an impulse, and I'm thankful for it. We use Laura Knight's advice as a jumping off point to make positive changes for the whole family. Raising a child with autism is a real challenge, and I'm not saying Knight's advice solved all our problems. Instead, it's a valuable resource that helps guide our parenting of both our neurotypical daughter and neurodivergent son, and brings a measure of peace into what has often been a chaotic and stressful family environment.
Fortunately, we had plenty of help from family, friends, and some dedicated therapists who addressed our son's emotional and behavioral issues. Break Free from Reactive Parenting was bought on an impulse, and I'm thankful for it. We use Laura Knight's advice as a jumping off point to make positive changes for the whole family. Raising a child with autism is a real challenge, and I'm not saying Knight's advice solved all our problems. Instead, it's a valuable resource that helps guide our parenting of both our neurotypical daughter and neurodivergent son, and brings a measure of peace into what has often been a chaotic and stressful family environment.
November 14, 2022
I’m not a parent, but like many people my age debating that possible future, I’ve found myself reading books upon books about parenting. Maybe it’s an odd thing to think, or maybe it’s just something bound to come up as global politics loom large in everyone’s mind, but I keep reflecting on a quote from John Adams.
“I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. My sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history, naval architecture, navigation, commerce, and agriculture, in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry, and porcelain.”
Studying parenting, in my opinion, is a little like studying war for me. I don’t want to parent like my own parents did with me, I want to be better. So, I learn to be better, so that the children in my care might be better, and that the children in their care will be better than all of us.
Of all the weapons in the arsenal I have amassed when it comes to parenting… I think this one might be the best.
“I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. My sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history, naval architecture, navigation, commerce, and agriculture, in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry, and porcelain.”
Studying parenting, in my opinion, is a little like studying war for me. I don’t want to parent like my own parents did with me, I want to be better. So, I learn to be better, so that the children in my care might be better, and that the children in their care will be better than all of us.
Of all the weapons in the arsenal I have amassed when it comes to parenting… I think this one might be the best.
July 13, 2023
As a parent, it can be hard to find ways to ground yourself when life gets messy. Stress, anger, and fear seem to constantly color the world. The author, however, shows you how to change that. Parenting two young children amid the pandemic, Laura Knight understands how reactive parenting leads to more exhaustion and constant frustration. Reading this book has changed the way I think of parenting and has shed new light on ways of raising a loving, kind, and good-natured child. This book is filled with insight, real experiences, and tools that can help you create more space for peace in life as a parent. It was exciting to read about the brain and where our behaviors originate. What I appreciate most about this book is that Knight emphasizes the importance of the connection between the mind and body. Slowing down and taking a deep breath or two before approaching a stressful situation may not be easy but can help to alleviate the pressure we may feel amid chaos. Break Free from Reactive Parenting offers a new parenting style and is a great guidebook for any parent.
August 28, 2023
Wow, did I need this book! As the parent of 4 children with different personalities, needs, and issues, I often feel at a loss on how to proactively parent and how to respond in the right ways. It seems as they get older, it just becomes more and more complicated, which causes greater frustration and stress. I especially needed and benefitted from the chapter on self-regulation. I have noticed that I get frustrated when my kids act a certain way, but even worse is when I realize how familiar it is because they are copying the way I act and react! This book is a great guide, giving journal prompts and specific ways to deal with different issues. It addresses so many important topics like power struggles, sibling rivalry, anger, routines, and self-care. I love that the child sections can be read individually, so I can go back to read and reread the sections that are most relevant to my family. I am looking forward to seeing what changes take place after understanding why our family dynamic is the way it is and implementing some of the great ideas and tools!
November 18, 2022
While I am not a parent, I will soon be an aunt and my friends are having children, so I picked up this book. As someone who appreciates a calming, peaceful, and loving atmosphere, I found this book very constructive for helping me cultivate that environment with the children in my life. It tackles common, everyday problems parents face—tantrums, meltdowns, and behavioral challenges, for example—through expert advice, strategies, and exercises for both parents and children. This book champions being proactive rather than reactive, and while it can be difficult to stay levelheaded in times of anger or frustration, these strategies are a great guide to improve yourself in that area. What I liked most about the book is that the strategies are flexible and allow for adjustments to be made based on the child’s age and behaviors. I will be sharing this with my friends and sister so all of us can work together to raise their children in a stable, peaceful environment.
December 1, 2022
Parenting is hard. Dealing with kids is hard. But being a kid and learning how to become a person is also hard! Even before the pandemic, these were difficult. This book pulls no punches but at the same time, encourages you to be kind to yourself. No one is perfect, and if you were raised in a reactive environment and have been simply reacting to your kids or the kids you deal with, there is a lot of learning to overcome that.
The author uses examples from her own experience as a parent, an educator, and a mental health professional to methodically provide examples of real-life interactions with kids and classic reactive responses, then provides several tools for how to diffuse the situation, make it calmer, and open communication to build bridges in the future. While I am not a parent, I do interact with kids in public settings, often where personal safety is concerned, and I definitely learned a few things to take with me into those situations.
The author uses examples from her own experience as a parent, an educator, and a mental health professional to methodically provide examples of real-life interactions with kids and classic reactive responses, then provides several tools for how to diffuse the situation, make it calmer, and open communication to build bridges in the future. While I am not a parent, I do interact with kids in public settings, often where personal safety is concerned, and I definitely learned a few things to take with me into those situations.
December 2, 2022
Every parent knows the terrible feeling of reaching the end of their rope, losing their cool, and acting like a child in response to a child’s behavior. This author—an elementary school teacher turned parenting educator—understands our challenges and has strategies we can use to handle them a little bit better. The goal is a worry-free (or at least less worried) approach to parenting that comes from getting out of power struggles with our kids, overcoming sibling rivalry among them (or at least not exacerbating it), replacing negative self-talk with mindfulness, and empowering all of us with scientific evidence, routines, and above all, empathy. To help parents shift from simply reacting to being more proactive, each chapter offers advice and tools that parents can try for immediate help, along with pithy quotes and relevant book recommendations for adults and kids. This is a practical, non-intimidating guide for parents seeking help.
November 29, 2022
As a parent, I was immediately drawn to the title and premise of this book. It did not disappoint! Knight presents strategies, activities, and more to help put you in the right headspace for navigating those challenges that emerge day-to-day for parents.
From meltdowns and power struggles to screen-time debates and sibling rivalry, this book takes those events that might seem like potential obstacles or even brick walls that you can slam into and ruin your day, and changes them into opportunities for love and growth.
The organization is such that it's easy to dip and out of the book, pulling out what you need at any given moment. And the way she also addresses kids and helps them with strategies for coping with difficult moments is truly admirable. Highly recommended!
From meltdowns and power struggles to screen-time debates and sibling rivalry, this book takes those events that might seem like potential obstacles or even brick walls that you can slam into and ruin your day, and changes them into opportunities for love and growth.
The organization is such that it's easy to dip and out of the book, pulling out what you need at any given moment. And the way she also addresses kids and helps them with strategies for coping with difficult moments is truly admirable. Highly recommended!
November 29, 2022
No one wants to be the mean parent, but no one wants to be a bad parent either. And there are plenty of people out there not ashamed to tell you when they feel like you are one. Knight’s tools and parenting toolbox is so helpful to describe gentle parenting and how to do it effectively, because yelling and bribes just seem to undermine your own values and the lessons you’re trying to teach. Things like getting on their level and acknowledging their feelings are such simple techniques, but they help establish a better connection and more respect while teaching children about their own emotions and how to understand and manage them.
December 3, 2022
I’ve been interested in the concept of gentle parenting for a while, and this book outlined everything I wanted to know! It’s easy to read, and every tip and tool is instantly applicable. It takes a lot of effort, but the methods outlined here produce real change and create a much better environment for the whole family. Gentle parenting isn’t just for difficult toddlers; with a little modification, I can see the lessons in this book being relevant for a long time, and a lot of it is useful for other types of relationships as well. This has definitely become one of my top resources!
April 11, 2024
I have a highly emotional 3 year-old and was hoping for some inspiration and ideas to help make things feel easier for us all. This book is well-rated, and it is hard for me to understand why. It really feels like the author read a few parenting books and then felt compelled to start hosting workshops and writing a book of her own. The entire book read like an awkward anecdote, and really nothing here felt new or interesting….and then a little cringe with the tips on how to go camping and check for mold toxicity. Pass on this for me.
May 19, 2023
I LOVED this book! My husband and I decided to read a chapter together each night before bed; we noticed the different in our parenting even before we had finished it! There are so many wonderful strategies. I also love the portion for children included at the end of each chapter! Our littles are too small for that right now, but I can’t wait for when they are! It also has proven to be great strategies to implement in the classroom as I am a teacher too!
Loved this book so much!
Loved this book so much!
December 3, 2022
In her book, Laura gives us the very valuable parenting skills that she uses to raise her own children. Her background gives her the knowledge to know what works and what does not. She shares those tools with us so that we can understand how to negotiate the very complicated world of the parent-child relationship. This she does with love and compassion.
February 26, 2023
4.5! I really enjoyed the fact that this book gave tools along with suggestions and backed up by science and research. I know I will go back to write them down and keep the tools handy. The suggestions made are definitely what sets this apart from other books on the topic. You can even skim and go back.
August 29, 2023
Highlighted so many tips to help me become a better mom and better me overall
September 23, 2023
Absolute gem of a parenting book.
April 25, 2024
A pleasant, interactive book buzzing with manic self-assurance.
June 21, 2023
Super helpful with tips on how to manage having a toddler in your life. Life with kids is a huge adjustment, and retraining yourself to not be reactive when you, yourself grew up in a reactive home is hard. Helpful in breaking the cycle for a calmer home & happier child.
April 27, 2023
Won boook in a Goodreads giveaway and never received it.
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