Gentle – serie

Parenting trends come and go. Gentle parenting is different - it isn't a label for a precise set of rules but a method of parenting that embraces the needs of parent and child, while being mindful of current science and child psychology. It means parenting with empathy, respect, understanding - and boundaries.In The Gentle Parenting Book, Sarah Ockwell-Smith provides a trustworthy combination of what-to-expect information and gentle-parenting solutions to the most common challenges faced by parents with young children. Sarah addresses a wide variety of topics, including coping with a crying baby, introducing solid foods and creating healthy eating habits, potty training, starting nursery and school, sibling rivalry, tantrums, whining and sulking, aggressive behaviour and much more.And for those parents who have previously used a more authoritarian style of parenting, there's plenty of advice - and reassurance - on making the transition to a gentler approach. For many, gentle parenting comes as a relief because it chimes with their deepest instincts about the best way to raise their children.

The Gentle Sleep Book offers gentle, reassuring and effective solutions to addressing the common sleep problems of newborns to five-year-olds.'This book should be called The Sleep Bible and needs to be in every parent's bedside drawer' Marneta Viegas, founder of Relax KidsAre you exhausted by your baby's night-time waking or frustrated by your toddler's reluctance to go to bed?Would you prefer a gentler approach than sleep-training techniques such as controlled crying or pick up/put down?The first five years of parenting are filled with worries and preoccupations, but, for the vast majority, none of them is as pressing as the lack of sleep.In this revised and updated edition of her bestselling book, Sarah Ockwell-Smith offers a gentle, effective prescription for addressing the common sleep challenges encountered by parents of newborns to five-year-olds. Treading a carefully balanced line between the needs of sleep-deprived parents and those of the child, Sarah offers reliable, evidence-based advice including:*How long we can expect our children to sleep at each stage of development.*Why much of the popular advice on sleep is inaccurate and counterproductive.*How to approach common issues including frequent waking, night terrors and bedtime refusal.Sarah's practical suggestions for each developmental stage include how to create a consistent bedtime routine and optimal conditions for sleep, the effect of diet, and how to use comfort objects effectively. This revised and updated edition includes new chapters providing specific advice on daytime naps (when and how to drop them) and how to take care of your own needs and emotions during the early years of disrupted sleep, because your feelings and health matter too.

Do you want to raise a well-behaved, happy child but feel that common forms of discipline used today, which focus on rewarding, excluding or punishing children, don't work for your family?In The Gentle Discipline Book, Sarah Ockwell-Smith debunks many commonly held beliefs about punishment and motivation, and provides an alternative approach that will empower you to discipline your child in an effective way and with respect. Gentle discipline is not about mollycoddling your child or being a pushover - it means understanding your child, having realistic expectations of them, and responding to their misbehaviour appropriately. It focuses on teaching and learning, not punishment or rewarding.In her trademark practical style, Sarah offers solutions for coping with the most common discipline challenges, including:- whining and sulking- aggressive and destructive behaviour- not listening and refusal to do things- rudeness and backchat- sibling rivalry- lying- swearing- low self-esteem and a lack of self-confidenceThe advice is appropriate to a wide range of ages, from toddler to teenager, and, if you have been using more traditional form of discipline, it will give you the tools - and the confidence - to change to a more mindful approach.

Most parents worry about their child's eating at some point. Common concerns include picky eating in toddlerhood, sweet cravings and vegetable avoidance in the early school years and dieting and worries about weight in the tween and teenage years. The Gentle Eating Book will help parents to understand their child's eating habits at each age. Starting from birth, the book covers how to start your child off with the most positive approach to eating, whether they are breast or bottle-fed. Parents of older babies will find information about introducing solids, feeding at daycare and when to wean off of breast or formula milk. For parents with toddlers and older children, Sarah includes advice on picky eating and food refusal, overeating, snacking and navigating eating at school, while parents of tweens and teens will find information on dieting, peer pressure, promoting a positive body image and preparing children for future eating independence. At each age The Gentle Eating Book will help parents to feed their child in a manner that will set up positive eating habits for life.

'A practical guide to helping your child through one of the most important developmental stages of early childhood' - Green Parent Book of the MonthGurgle's Honest Read for DecemberHow to make potty training stress free for you and your childThe Gentle Potty Training Book is a practical guide to helping your child through one of the most important developmental stages of early childhood. Avoiding strict timelines, rewards and plans that are based solely on a child's gender, Sarah Ockwell-Smith advocates an approach that is based on your child's unique developmental stage - because the gentlest, easiest and most effective potty training happens when you work with your child as a team.Sarah's advice includes: * Recognising the physical and emotional signs that your child is ready* How to talk to your child about potty training and prepare them emotionally* What you need to get started - the practicalities* How to respond to accidents and setbacks* Potty training your child when you're in full-time work or co-parenting* The when and how of night-time potty training* What to do after previous false startsComprehensive, practical and realistic, Sarah's advice will give you the necessary understanding and confidence to make potty training a smooth process for you and your child.