Hotlight Spotlight: Look Both Ways by Tricia Ferrara

I don’t normally post about parenting books, but since I figured that since I’m a parent and have read countless parenting books that perhaps you, too, might want to read a parenting book.  I’d like to share with you

Look Both Ways: 9 Evolutionary Parenting Principles, Parent with Possibility in Uncertain Times by Tricia Ferrara

In this rapidly changing world in which divorce, mental health issues, aggression, and promiscuity among children are on the rise and education, economic prosperity, and life satisfaction are declining, families are in search of a new parenting script. In Look Both Ways, professional counselor and parenting strategist Tricia Ferrara shows parents how to stop using old scripts that define their roles as spectators and learn to actively participate by relying on core principles that can dramatically improve relationships, overcome behavioral challenges, and help a family reach its full potential.

Ferrara relies on her clinical experience as well as evidence in neurological, social, developmental, and behavioral disciplines to lay out a step-by-step process that teaches parents how to build strong relationships with their children, lead by example, and encourage development. With a down-to-earth style, she addresses real-life issues that parents face with their children on a daily basis, including the lure of social networking, fierce competition among peers, and sexual temptation.

Look Both Ways provides concrete advice that helps parents remove the blindfolds, cultivate their children’s abilities to develop and adapt at any age or stage, and discover that growth can be an invigorating two-way street.

Inside Ferrara tackles Family Culture, the place of apps and Facebook, brain development, teens (read this chapter twice!), modeling proper behavior, bullying, and 9 Evolutionary Principles to Parent with Possibility.  These principles include consistency, self-reflection, and emotional regulation.  As a parent I can totally relate to teaching emotional regulation; I feel sad for the parents of children who have meltdowns in the bookstore and the parents are incapable of handling the child and their tantrum.  My heart hurts for them because I was the mother of a toddler who could throw raging tantrums that would bring me to tears. Once I was educated about how to deal with them, I stopped being embarrassed and did my best to diffuse the situation.

There is something in this book for everyone, past, present or future parents. It’s thin and easy to read, no medical or scientific gobbledegook to muck up your understanding.

Yes I just said gobbledegook.

Carry on and get the book!