“Tools for Effective Parenting,” follows Dr. Donohue’s previous book on parenting, “Messengers in Denim.” As I read this book it occurred to me that we often treat total strangers with more respect than we show our own children, a tragedy Dr. Donohue works to correct.
The easy to read book and the advice on how to “be” a parent is organized in 5 parts: Home Life, Religion, Peers, Habits, and Economics. Each part offers a set of “tools” for parents and concludes with “Parenting Tips” at the end of each chapter. Dr. Donohue’s narrative flows as easily as a casual conversation over a cup of coffee as he shares antidotal stories and a lifetime of experience as a pediatrician. There is a special section for the “Single Parent” addressing the specific concerns of the single father as well as the single mother. On a certain level we all know the importance of listening, trust, and the family meal (the one at home – not the one at McDonalds) but here the advice is presented as something more than a reminder of the importance, but a method of how to make it happen.
I felt the message in “Tools for Effective Parenting” was so valuable and important that I gave a copy to my son and daughter-in-law. Not because I think they are bad parents but because this is the kind of book that should be in every house.