Hold on! Help is on the way! "Have a Happy Family by Friday" by Dr. Kevin Leman

Do you ever battle temptations to run screaming from the house?

Or want to throw your children (gently) out the window?

Or perhaps dream of placing your child by the road with a "free" sign taped to his neck?

If so, then you are in good company. I think that all parents have those moments where we feel like our children have pushed us to the brink of our sanity.

Enter Dr. Kevin Leman. Read on for my review of his latest book!

(Right after you listen to the appropriate lyrics of "Hold on, Help is on the Way" ;)

And now for the review:

about the book....

You really can have a happier home in just 5 days!

Every member of a family plays a vital role in the health and happiness of the household. Everyone is important, deserves to be treated with love and respect, and needs to know that when they make mistakes they will still be loved unconditionally. And when every member of the family is pulling for each other and on the same team, everybody wins. 

Is this kind of family life even possible?

Parenting expert and New York Times bestselling author Dr. Kevin Leman says it is, and he's ready to show you exactly how you can make it happen in your family--in just five days. He shows families how to 

· communicate honestly and kindly
· prioritize the right things
· maintain great attitudes and behaviors
· determine the role each person plays in the family structure
· make family time count

As always, Dr. Leman's outstanding advice is laced with humor, great stories, and the wisdom that comes from a lifetime of experience.

If you've had it up to here with bickering, hurt feelings, and emotional exhaustion, Have a Happy Family by Friday is just what the doctor ordered.

my review....

I have long appreciated the books penned by Dr. Kevin Leman, and "Have a Happy Family by Friday" is no exception! Dr. Leman is unafraid to tackle the hardest of subjects, and he does so with truth, godly wisdom, and a dash of humor thrown in as well. The book is easy to read, either in one sitting or one chapter at a time, and there is simply no excuse for any parent to say "well I just don't have time to read another parenting book!". The best part of the book is that it is just so very practical, with numerous real-life stories and situations woven throughout the chapters that provide situations parents will truly be able to relate to. No parent wants their family to feel like a war zone, with constant disrespect or bickering (whether between the parents or the children!). This book will give you some useful tools and strategies to implement with your own family, providing your children with a firm hand while still allowing their voice to be heard. One of my main takeaways from this book is a reminder of the importance of communication, whether between parents in the context of the marriage, between children who need to learn to "fight" in a respectful manner, or between the parents and children trying to navigate the different stages of the growing-up years.  I also loved the "bonus" section dealing with birth order and the difference it makes to be a first born versus the middle child or the youngest in the family. That kind of information will help parents understand their children (and perhaps themselves too) with much more clarity. The "Ask Dr. Leman" section that looks at a wide variety of issues he has been questioned about over the years (everything from permissive parents to controlling dads, or how to deal with bickering siblings or grades that are slipping) is also incredibly informative.

"Have a Happy Family by Friday" is one of those books that I will be reading again...and again...and again. I highly recommend this helpful resource and award it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

 about the author....

Dr. Kevin Leman is an internationally known psychologist, radio and television personality, and speaker who has taught and entertained audiences worldwide with his wit and commonsense psychology. He has made house calls for hundreds of radio and television programs, such as Fox & Friends, The View, Fox's The Morning Show, Today, Dr. Bill Bennett's America in the Morning, 700 Club, CBS's The Early Show, James Robison's Life Today, Janet Parshall, CNN's American Morning, and Focus on the Family, and has served as a contributing family psychologist to Good Morning America.