Brat Proofing 101

I’ve talked about Betsy Brown Braun’s book, You’re Not the Boss of Me: Brat-Proofing Your Four- to Twelve-Year-Old Child before here and I just wanted to take a minute to tell you that I’m still referring to this book and will for years to come, I think. Now, my children are 2 1/2 and 6 months old, so I’m getting a head start on the whole brat-proofing thing, to be sure. However, you’d be surprised at how easily an adorable 2 year old turns into a not so adorable tyrant. Or maybe you wouldn’t.

Not that my older girl is a tyrant – she can just channel her inner authoritarian at times (I’m smiling now, or is it grimacing?). I’ve taken to reading oodles of parenting books and was somewhat non-plussed when Harper (the publisher) sent me a review copy. Maybe I was underwhelmed – that better describes it.

But not so when I opened the pages and began to read! One of my favorite ideas is that “please” is not a magic word. It is, in fact, a word like all other words and when used to communicate, it can help one be understood. It’s not magic, it’s necessary.

Of course, I’m still teaching the little one “please” and I do fall into the “magic word” quicksand at times but I just can’t help myself. It’s just instinct. Or, rather, a parenting tape that I’ve heard over and over again so much so that I think it’s what one is “supposed” to say.

And that’s why I’m loving this book. Betsy Brown Braun takes the “supposed to” out of the equation and tells you like it is. She gives you tools. And who couldn’t use a few more tools? (Now I sound like a guy!)

photo credit: LaurenV.