The Collapse of Parenting

Goodreads Says:    "One of the premier experts on parenting, Dr. Leonard Sax brilliantly articulates the problems parents experience with their children, then gives solutions. If you have time to read only one book this year, read this one." --Meg Meeker, M.D., best-selling author of Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters and Strong Mothers, Strong Sons 

In The Collapse of Parenting, internationally acclaimed author Leonard Sax argues that rising levels of obesity, depression, and anxiety among young people can be traced to parents abdicating their authority. The result is children who have no standard of right and wrong, who lack discipline, and who look to their peers and the Internet for direction. Sax shows how parents must reassert their authority-by limiting time with screens, by encouraging better habits at the dinner table, and by teaching humility and perspective-to help their children thrive in an increasingly complicated world.

My Thoughts:

-    This was a really interesting read, and I think every parent could benefit from this book in some way.

-    There were too many statistics and numbers. I skimmed over a lot of them. 

-    The really enjoyed they way the author presented problems in our society, and I liked the solutions he came up with. They made sense to me. 

-    I altered a couple things in my parenting, and I've had great results. Instead of asking Gnome if she was ready to do homework, I started telling her it was time to do homework. I've gotten a lot less resistance, and homework has gone faster and smoother. Gnome has also been more responsive to doing chores and helping me with things. It has been great. 

-    I love how the book emphasizes family time and having good relationships with our kids. It made me want to do more family activities and spend more time with my girls. We can't have good relationships with our kids if we don't spend time with them. 

-    When my husband saw me reading this, he got interested and listened to the audiobook. He loved it.