Parent Management Training Books: Child Psychologist’s Recommendations
Below are the top book recommendations made by our Licensed Child Psychologists and Therapists! As an Amazon affiliated business, we earn small fees by linking to Amazon. All of the books we share are books that we have read, tested and fully support.
The Kazdin Method for Parenting the Defiant Child
This book is great for parents of children who are occasionally, or too often, “out of control” The Kazdin Method for Parenting the Defiant Child teaches parents Dr. Kazdin’s proven program that is backed up by some of the most long-term and respected research devoted to any therapy for children.
This book dispels decades’ worth of accumulated myths about tantrums, time-outs, punishments, fitting the crime, and more. Kazdin leads parents through every step of the Kazdin Method including how to use tone of voice, when and how to touch, how to lead your child in a “practice” session, how to adjust your approach for different-age children, how to involve siblings, and more. Click here to learn more!
The Explosive Child: A New Approach for Understanding and Parenting Easily Frustrated, Chronically Inflexible Children
This book is essential for parents with “explosive children”. But what is an explosive child? A child who responds to routine problems with extreme frustration—crying, screaming, kicking, etc. A child whose frequent, severe outbursts leave his or her parents feeling frustrated and desperate for help.
Dr. Ross Greene has worked with thousands of explosive children, and shares that these kids aren’t attention-seeking, manipulative, or unmotivated, and their parents aren’t passive, permissive pushovers. Rather, explosive kids are lacking some crucial skills in the domains of flexibility/adaptability, frustration tolerance, and problem solving, and they require a different approach to parenting.
Throughout this book, Dr. Greene provides a new conceptual framework for understanding their difficulties, based on research in the neurosciences. He explains why traditional parenting and treatment often don’t work with these children, and he describes what to do instead. Instead of relying on rewarding and punishing, Dr. Greene’s Collaborative Problem Solving model promotes working with explosive children to solve the problems that precipitate explosive episodes, and teaching these kids the skills they lack. Click here to learn more!
The Incredible Years: Trouble Shooting Guide for Parents of Children Aged 3-8 Years
This book focuses on promoting your child's social, emotional, and language development as well as ability to persist and be successful in school. All children misbehave sometimes! Some children are temperamentally more difficult to parent because they are impulsive, hyperactive, inattentive, or delayed in some aspect of their development. This book uses the Incredible Years Parenting Pyramid as the architectural or construction plan for specific parenting tools that help prevent behavior problems from occurring and promote children's social, emotional, and academic competence, and healthy life styles. The book helps parents to build a strong positive relationship foundation before using respectful discipline tools to reduce target behavior problems. The book also focuses on tools for building family relationships and support networks as well as problem solving methods and self-regulation skills to manage stress. Click here to learn more!
Your Defiant Child: Eight Steps to Better Behavior
This book helps parents who struggle with their 5–12-year-olds who are defiant, oppositional, and at times “impossible”. Child psychologist, Dr. Barkley's approach is research based, practical, and doable--and leads to lasting behavior change. Realistic stories illustrate what the techniques look like in action. Parents have a step by step where they learn how to harness the power of positive attention and praise, use rewards and incentives effectively, stay calm and consistent, establish a time-out system that works and target behavioral issues at home, in school, and in public places. Click here to learn more!
Your Defiant Teen: 10 Steps to Resolve Conflict and Rebuild Your Relationship
This book is for parents whose life with their teen has become a battleground. Trusted psychologists who have worked with thousands of families give you the tools you need to overcome defiance and get teen behavior back on track. By following the authors' clinically proven 10-step program, parents can learn how to: reestablish your authority while building trust, identify and enforce nonnegotiable rules, use rewards and incentives that work, communicate and problem-solve effectively, restore positive feelings in your relationship and develop your teen's skills for becoming a successful adult. Click here to learn more!
Additional Support
While these books offer valuable insights and strategies for supporting your child's development and behavior, they may not always address every unique circumstance or challenge your family faces. If you find yourself seeking additional guidance or support beyond what these resources provide, consider reaching out to Tampa Pediatric Psychology. Our team of Licensed Child Psychologists offer personalized assistance and tailored interventions to help you navigate your child's specific needs and foster a positive environment for growth and development.