Product Description Many parents don’t realize how much their own thoughts, rather than their children’s behavior, can cause emotional upheaval, often leading to poor communication, favoritism, lowered expectations, and overly harsh punishments. Parents, however, tend not to let themselves work through these feelings.

In Liking the Child You Love, Bernstein shows how to tame the 9 toxic thought patterns. From avoiding the “Always or Never Trap” to overcoming “Emotional Overheating,” the book features proven strategies for improving kids’ behavior and creating a closer relationship—just by changing one’s own mindset.

About the Author Jeffrey Bernstein, PhD, is a licensed psychologist specializing in child and family therapy in the Philadelphia area. He has appeared on the Today show and Court TV, among other programs.

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5 tips to help with your defiant child

If your child or teen is defiant, here are five POWERFUL strategies to lower their defiance:

• Realize that understanding your defiant child is just as important as loving him.
• Avoid yelling at your child. Yelling only fans the flames of defiance.
• Resist power struggles. Defiant children believe they are equal in authority to adults. This makes it futile to try to beat them in the power struggle game.
• Learn the art of being calm, firm, and non-controlling.
• Reinforce your child's compliant behaviors. The more positive attention he gets for being compliant, the less negative attention he'll look for by being defiant.