Written as much from a father’s perspective as that of a psychologist, Dr. Kevin Leman’s Making Children Mind without Losing Yours (Revell, 2003) is an intensely practical guide to parenting. It covers the whole gamut of classical parenting issues, from spanking to allowance and does so in frank and simple language, dotted with numerous real life examples. Dr. Leman’s thesis centers around an idea he calls Reality Discipline, a parenting approach decidedly different from simple rewards and punishment that strives to let each individual circumstance and its
outcome be what teaches children. The book certainly has a Christian spin, being based primarily
upon Ephesians 6:1-4 but it is written in such a way as to appeal to non-believers as well.
While mainly meat and potatoes advice, Dr. Leman inserts a few particularly insightful
ideas which, when coupled with a little extra thought and meditation, can provide a powerful new outlook on parenting.
