Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

The One Minute Mother

Rate this book
This story begins where most mothers are and takes them to where they want to be. Bestselling author Spencer Johnson shares his world-renowned ′One Minute′ secrets - three simple and easy-to-understand techniques that take little but yield great results. When you use what you learn in the story you will How to become an effective disciplinarian. How to reach your own potential while helping your children to reach theirs. How to help your children′s self-esteem by developing their sense of responsibility. How to enjoy one another more as a family. With this book, written by a pioneer in helping people to gain better health through better communications, a mother can care for her children with confidence and ease, enriching and strengthening the mother-child bond each day.

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

21 people are currently reading
446 people want to read

About the author

Spencer Johnson

122 books2,359 followers
Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Patrick Spencer Johnson was an American writer. He was known for the ValueTales series of children's books, and for his 1998 self-help book Who Moved My Cheese?, which recurred on the New York Times Bestseller list, on the Publishers Weekly Hardcover nonfiction list. Johnson was the chairman of Spencer Johnson Partners.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
87 (31%)
4 stars
101 (36%)
3 stars
63 (22%)
2 stars
19 (6%)
1 star
5 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
82 reviews3 followers
September 24, 2014
I REEEEALLY like the 3 "secrets" for one minute parenting. Obvisouly parenting doesn't take a minute but continuiosuly doing the three secrets over and over again does work. For those of you eager to know what they are:
1) One minute goal setting. Each week family members set "I" goals and "we goals" (goals no longer than 150 words and all goals fit on one piece of paper). Then check in with each other every week, same time and place. Goals are written as if will happen. "I am going to...I will..." The success is by having a short and writing it down you can reread it several times a week, helping you to remember to focus on it and accomplish it. They defined goals as "dreams with a deadline" and we all like having dreams!
2) One minute praising. Catch your kids doing something RIGHT and praise them every time you do. It reinforces the good behavior that you want t see repeated over and over again and helps them keep doing it.
3) One minute reprimand. There are two parts of this minute. The first half you attack the behavior, tell your kids exactly how it makes you feel, get close enough to their face so they feel what you're expressing and then PAUSE. Then, the parent collects themself, touches the child (either a hug or on the shoulder) and says how they love the kid, they think the kid is so great but the behavior is unacceptable.

Worth reading. I started the book yesterday and finished it this am before I'd brushed my teeth. It's a quick, short book so read it and let me know what you think. I'm writing my one minute goals and checking in with fam starting Saturday!!!
Profile Image for Parisa.
26 reviews9 followers
May 18, 2018

وقتی کودك را تحت فشار قرار می دهیم، چیزي که بیرون می آید، رفتار و کردار اوست، یعنی دقیقا همان چیزي که در وجودش
است و آن نباید غیر از احترام کودك به خودش باشد.
ما به عنوان یک پدر و مادر موظفیم که فرزندانمان را طوري تربیت کرده و پرورش دهیم که آنها خودشان را باور داشته باشند و به
خود اطمینان کنند
4 reviews
July 22, 2017
t thought it had good principles. The layout got the message across, though it was a little tedious. I like the simplicity. I've learned that reprimands only need to be in the intensity that will affect change, to harsh and you risk damaging or listing effectiveness and future audience. With that said, the book was good, with a good message. I would recommend it.
Profile Image for Missy.
16 reviews6 followers
October 6, 2008
At first I didnt like the way this book was written in third person....but in the end it was the best parenting book I have ever read as far as useful content. This is a must read for any mother who has wondered why parenting is so hard and exhausting. It made perfect sense to me and I fully intend on becoming a ONE MINUTE MOTHER!!
Profile Image for Marissa Morrison.
1,873 reviews23 followers
October 28, 2011
You can pretty much convince me to do just about anything by citing research that proves how effective the thing is. I'm not going to be swayed, however, by a hokey plot that involves a fictional woman who is universally considered to be the best mother. Equally unpersuasive are her fictional daughters--each one a supermom in her own right--who are mysteriously unwilling to dole out more than one piece of wisdom at a time.

In this magical, mythical family, the women have tons of free time because they have mastered the art of one-minute motherhood. The strategy includes writing down family and individual goals with your kids (and revisiting those goals regularly to assess progress), noticing when kids so something right and praising them for it, and delivering the heavily scripted one-minute reprimand (which includes stating what the kids did wrong, acting as angry as you can to show how mad it's made you, pausing for a moment of silence, and then touching the kids and reassuring them that they are good people and you still love them).

In spite of the author's cheesy attempt to turn his bullet points into a narrative, the advice here seems reasonable and worth a try.
Profile Image for Teanne.
26 reviews
September 20, 2009
I just finished reading this book. I think (as with most parenting books) that not everything this book talks about will fit your own personal parenting style, but there are a lot of good suggestions in it. I like the part where it talks about disciplining your children. First you tell them exactly what they did wrong, then exactly how you feel about it, then you let them know that you love them- that their behavior was not good, but they are, and they are better than that kind of behavior. Then you give them a hug and it's over.
I like that it states how necessary the 2nd half of the reprimand is. That your child needs to feel loved. So I've been trying to be more consistent with that.
Profile Image for Kelsey.
51 reviews
January 8, 2009
3 1/2 stars. I gathered some good information from this book that I will use as a mom. First, set goals together. The second is I need to catch her doing good and then praise her for it. This theory of parenting goes along with kids acting out to get attention, so give them attention when they actually deserve it. It is written as a story and I think I would have preferred strait facts. But with that being said, I can't ask for much more than a couple of ideas I will actually use from a parenting book. It is a quick read and I would recommend it to most moms, especially those that are busy!
Profile Image for Markelle.
196 reviews11 followers
March 12, 2008
Dad gave this to me for Christmas just the other year it seemed until I looked at the inscription and it said 2003!! So i finally cracked it out and it was surprisingly good. It is a 1 day read and gave me some things to think about. She has 3 main premises, she calls them "secrets" and i really liked 2 of them. The third would just not work in my family. It is endorsed by Thomas Gordon--which is why Dad probably bought it in the first place. Thanks Dad--a great gift!!
Profile Image for Matilda.
247 reviews13 followers
November 15, 2013
Out of all the parenting books I have read this would have to be one of my favs. It's short simple but to the point.

this book has been out for 30 years and my parents used the techniques used in this book on me and my sister. I have in turn inadvertently used these techniques on my kids. It's nice to have the 3 rules taught in this book spelt out in clear terms. So yes I will be making some modifications to the way I parent.
Profile Image for BegumIrdawati.
151 reviews7 followers
July 16, 2016
Everyone always want to be a good parents, but circumstances and stress made it a tad impossible to be a perfect parent all the time.

You scream and shout at your child and late at night when they are fast asleep you crawl to their bedside with apologies.

This book teaches you the three simple golden rule you can start doing which all takes one minute to accomplish, hence the title!

A great read!
Profile Image for Kara.
201 reviews
June 19, 2009
This was a great book that I highly recommend to all mothers. I loved that I feel like I already do some of the things in this book. I have been doing them on a subconscious level, but now that I am aware of them, it will be easier to get back to this behavior when things just aren't going right in our family!!!
Profile Image for Rachel.
49 reviews5 followers
March 4, 2017
I gave this three stars because while the writing was terrible, the narrative between the mothers and how they are all so happy and successful (gag) because of these parenting "secrets," I found most of the advice and examples in the book to not only make sense but to have some value in the possibility of improving children's behavior.
Profile Image for Sergio Hinchado.
197 reviews2 followers
August 25, 2019
Lo encontré en la biblioteca de mis padres y aunque el título tira para atrás tenía muy buen recuerdo de otro título del autor; One minute manager.

Este pequeño libro da ideas interesantes ninguna de ellas revolucionaria pero presentadas de una forma directa y accesible.

Recomiendo el libro ya que da pocos mensajes y fáciles de implementar.
Profile Image for Laurie.
333 reviews
May 22, 2008
I thought this was a great book, and it is short too! It was how to be a good mother in only one minute! When I felt so overwhelmed with lack of time, it showed me ways to fit in some good skills in only one minute.
Profile Image for Amy Edwards.
34 reviews6 followers
September 7, 2008
The One Minute Manager is great. I don't think they needed to write a bunch of othr books which are basically the same idea with a slight twist. It's not hard to apply The One Minute Manager to parenting or teaching on your own.
7 reviews1 follower
Read
December 18, 2008
I remember using one tip from this book that stopped my kids cold. When they were not treating each other well, one day, I said, "Do you think you can do better than this?" and they were stunned to silence. LOL
Profile Image for Lucinda.
123 reviews20 followers
February 23, 2012
I read a lot of parenting books that leave me feeling like I need a lifetime to learn the huge list of techniques suggested in the book. This book can be read in one sitting and the three steps are easy to remember. They work too! I recommend this book to all moms!
Profile Image for Bill Donhiser.
1,236 reviews8 followers
October 9, 2013
Brings the One Minute manager into the home. Well written easy to read and a very good reminder of better ways to teach children responsibility and prepare them to be in the real world. It is a quick read but serves as a good reminder
Profile Image for Ember Air.
626 reviews16 followers
March 19, 2014
I read this for a research paper comparing parenting techniques from the past to now and was expecting this to be boring; I was surprised at how interesting this book was and how it applies to everyday life.
14 reviews1 follower
June 9, 2015
Just read this whole book while walking on the treadmill at the gym. Enjoyed it. I can see how these principles would work and I am going to try them. Also, I will probably read it over again and again.
Profile Image for Heather.
147 reviews
May 30, 2019
Easy, quick read. Somewhat repetitive, and for me, slightly aggravating how It was written (calling them the one minute mother or the visitor), but loved the points of the book. Very useful and would recommend to any mother to check out!
15 reviews2 followers
November 15, 2007
tips from succesful mother on how to raise children. The writing style is light and story telling like.
33 reviews34 followers
March 15, 2009
Did not enjoy this book at all, it is an easy read however I really disliked how it was written. Blah!
93 reviews
June 19, 2011
I am not even sure if I will finish this. I think there are some good ideas in it but it is very poorly written. It was just very hard to read.
45 reviews2 followers
March 13, 2009
I liked it. But it's a good thing it was this short because it repeated things a lot. I think people could just read the summary pages and understand the book.
Profile Image for Jocelyn.
53 reviews5 followers
February 17, 2012
Almost verbatim of the one minute manager but a good book just the same. Gave me some good things to think about in raising children
Profile Image for Stephanie.
173 reviews6 followers
March 18, 2012
Excellent parenting book. Short and concise. One Minute Goals, One Minute Praisings, and One Minute Reprimands. Teach kids to like themselves and to like to behave.
Profile Image for Angela .
1 review
February 14, 2016
Not a fan of the way it is written, but helpful and practical advice supported by real life examples.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.