It's not just a one-word answer, it's a parenting strategy. By saying No when you need to, you help your children develop skills such as self-reliance, self-discipline, respect, integrity, the ability to delay gratification, and a host of other crucial character traits they need to be successful. Although the importance of using No should be obvious, many parents have a hard time saying it -- even when they know they should -- when other parents and the culture around them are being permissive.

Now, successful psychologist, bestselling author, and nationally known parenting expert Dr. David Walsh provides you with an arsenal of tactics, explanations, and examples for using No the right way with your kids. With Dr. Walsh's straightforward "parent tool kits," you can assess and improve your relationship with your kids, set and enforce limits that make sense for different ages (from toddlers to teens), and otherwise make No a positive influence on kids' behavior and in your overall family life.

Other parenting books broach the topics of tough love and discipline, but only No offers the lively voice, warm wisdom, science made simple, and breadth of knowledge that readers have come to expect from Dr. Walsh. The first look at the psychological importance of No in a child's development, No is filled with down-to-earth advice that you can put into practice immediately. Dr. Walsh's memorable, affecting, and sometimes humorous anecdotes remind you that you're not alone in your parenting struggles and help you regain confidence in your own judgment and ability to say No. His stories also reinforce his message that establishing healthy limits is not only essential for kids' well-being, it's vital for creating disciplined, productive adults who can compete in a global marketplace and ensure a prosperous economic future for our country. Most important, No gives parents real, effective strategies for helping their children bloom and grow, giving them the psychological resources to become healthy, happy adults.

David Walsh, Ph.D.

ONE No: Why Kids Need It

TWO Saying No in a Yes Culture

THREE No and the Brain

FOUR Self-Esteem: Kids Need the Real Thing

FIVE Styles of Parenting

SIX A Baby's First Year: A Time to Connect

SEVEN Toddlers and Preschoolers: Limits and Consequences

EIGHT Catching Kids Being Good: The Middle Years

NINE The Teenage Years: Loosen but Don't Let Go

TEN Wired Differently: Special-Needs Children and No

ELEVEN Practical Questions about No

TWELVE Taming the Gimmes

THIRTEEN Raising MediaWise Kids

FOURTEEN No Is Not a Destination; No Is the Road to Yes

Notes

Suggested Readings

Acknowledgments

Index