Finally, someone has come up with a realistic manual for raising happy kids!
A new book, The Happy Kid Handbook: How to Raise Joyful Children in a Stressful World, offers a straightforward approach that produces happy children and sane parents. The author, Katie Hurley, LCSW, is a mother of two and a child and adolescent psychotherapist and parenting expert who counsels children, adolescents and families. She focuses on each child’s individual personality, and suggests tailoring your parenting approach to the particular needs of the child.
Hurley’s handbook notes the difference between extroverts and introverts, and everything in between. She helps parents to understand their child’s individual personality and temperament and to discover how best to engage and sympathize with each child.
By noting their personality type, parents can help children build social skills, understand emotions and empathize with other. These strategies help parents to know when and how to praise their child, decide how many activities to schedule and know when to let their child quit an activity.
By simplifying the complicated parenting messages that we receive, Hurley helps parents tap into their instincts and avoid the stresses of expectations that we should all parent the same way. It’s about time!
Katie Hurley, LCSW, is a child and adolescent psychotherapist and parenting expert in Los Angeles, California. Hurley earned her bachelor of arts in psychology and women’s studies from Boston College and her master of social work from the University of Pennsylvania. Hurley also has extensive training in play therapy from the University of California, San Diego. For seven years, Hurley worked for The Help Group, a large nonprofit dedicated to children with learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, and emotional disturbances. She now has a private practice counseling children, adolescents, and families and writes for her blog, Practical Parenting, in addition to contributing to The Huffington Post, Everyday Family, Inc., Moonfrye, and All Parenting. Above all, Hurley is very proud to be called Mommy by Riley, age seven, and Liam, age five.