"The Social Toddler" - marvellous, so thank you F&Z!!

[beansprout]

I saw F&Z recommend this the other day and bought it yesterday (after a tour of the book shops of NW London!!) and it is already helping me (and ds) loads. Top banana

[EmmyLou]

Give us a link - Please!

[FrannyandZooey]

Oh wonderful! Oh how kind of you to come and let me know, I am really chuffed

I love that book, I just wish I could actually follow the advice more often

it isn't cheap but it's a big book with loads of photos that illustrate what they are talking about really clearly

[vitomum]

F&Z i also got it a few weeks ago after lurking on a thread where you recommended it. It's been really good. thanks

[FrannyandZooey]

however that link says it's by Penelope Leach but it isn't at all

Is it? am I going mad? It's by Clive and Helen Dorman, isn't it beansprout?

[beansprout]

It is, but Penelope Leach wrote the foreword - as I discovered in Waterstones yesterday after insisting that it was written by Leach!!

[FrannyandZooey]

Oh blimey, I am seriously happy if people are buying it and liking it because of something I said [huge grin]

that makes me very happy, don't anyone else tell me if they have bought it because my ego will need deflating to get through the door

[Pruni]

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[hunkermunker]

Oh, it's great, isn't it? I got it for Christmas (and the Social Baby - different authors I think, but same principal). Loads of lovely, lovely photos!

[Greensleeves]

[FrannyandZooey]

Oh Pruni, it just turns your attitude around and everything you previously saw as a problem becomes fine, or at least livable with. They help you see every situation from your toddler's eyes, and show how you can positively affect their behaviour quite dramatically without using any of that naughty step nonsense. It's a really inspiring and moving book. I should be made to read it every morning.

[beansprout]

I like it as it takes a very straightforward approach to positive parenting but best of all, has lots and lots (100s in fact) of video stills which let you see just where things can start to go wrong in the supermarket or wherever. For example, it explains that if you give a toddler an instruction, they are highly likely to look to you for your repsonse, and if you miss that, they will repeat the task until you notice and praise them. Whereas I think that ds is just taking his hat off and on instead of just putting it on. Simple stuff but oh so effective. Anything that helps me really understand him at this age (20 months) is bloody worth 16 quid!!

[Pruni]

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[FrannyandZooey]

Oh do it do it Pruni

I should still apply it to ds, I am sure (3.2)

[hunkermunker]

I love the photos of the little boy doing the washing up. And the ones of the little boy putting his shoes on - his joy is tangible when he manages it!

It's fascinating to see the expressions on the toddlers faces and how their mothers' behaviour affects them. I try to remember things from it, but sleep deprivation and having two to wrangle makes it hard some days

[beansprout]

Pruni - it's relevant up until they are about four, so go for it!

[spots]

Oh how funny I just bought this without reading about it here... agree, it's great. Love the way they talk through what the children are doing, so simple, but it tells you so much. 'Felix is calm again as he happily blows bubbles'. And there is Felix happily blowing his bubbles. Is the baby one as good?

[hunkermunker]

The baby one is lovely - it has some incredible photographs of quite sophisticated communication between tiny babies and their parents.

[kiskidee]

the Social Baby is also by Clive and Helen Dorman.

Nope it is not too late for a 2.5 yr old. It goes up to 4yr olds.

Check out this website my dd loved their black and white mobile.