Positive Pushing: How to Raise a Successful and Happy Child
Pushy parents have gotten a bad rap, says psychologist and achievement  coach Jim Taylor. InPositive Pushing, Taylor contrasts the old-style  pushing of parents overinvested in their kid's report cards and soccer scores  with the positive pushing of parents who invite children to gain joy from and  mastery in their accomplishments. "Success without happiness is not success at  all," he explains.In building a model of successful achievers, Taylor skewers the self-esteem  movement for protecting kids from disappointment and mistakes--the very  experiences that build sturdy self-regard. He urges parents to separate their  needs from their children's. His marching orders are clear and compelling: guide  kids to discover a passion; express love apart from achievement; create a human  being, not a "human doing"; use boundaries to construct a safe harbor; and  demand accountability. Most important, put kids in charge by teaching them that  the results they produce depend on their efforts and actions. Taylor describes  red-flag warnings to keep parents on course and offers smart questions for  helping kids command their achievements, asking, for example, "Why do you want  to do this?" and "What would make this a really great experience for you?"At times, Taylor's unique approach is undercut by a tendency to quote other  sources. Still, his own fresh and insightful words will inspire every parent who  reads this book.--Barbara Mackoff--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.