"Trying to get through to my kid is like talking to the wall!"
"Where do I draw the line when it comes to discipline?"
"We're always arguing about how to deal with our kids."
"I feel like the family slave! I have needs and desires, too."
Does any of this sound familiar to you? Are you tired of the conflicts and misunderstandings? As a mother of four boys, I know what this can feel like! But we're supposed to enjoy spending time with those who are most important to us, aren't we? So what can we do to set things on a better course? How would it be to have a step by step approach to improvement?
As both a parent and a psychologist, I've spent many years observing and analyzing what happens between parents and their children. Together we'll look at a wealth of real-life examples, examining patterns and habits of communication. We'll explore a proven method of finding your way through these sorts of dilemmas. You, like many parents I've had the privilege of working with before you, will find more clarity when dealing with typical "problem situations" as well as everyday interactions in the family.
When your son refuses to do his homework, for instance, or your daughter won't clean up her room, what can you do about it? We'll be looking at ways of resolving dilemmas like these. You'll learn methods that you can use to generalize from one specific situation to others systematically, once you understand their similarities. It's like having a master cookbook that's so clear and so thorough that you can create practically any recipe you need!
You'll find yourself becoming more relaxed as a parent. Problems won't seem so overwhelming, because you'll have a much better idea how to deal with them. Parenting will be more rewarding and less stressful. The ways that you and your children communicate with one another will become more constructive. So get ready! We're in for a wonderful adventure together.
What the professionals are saying:
"Emotions have a profound effect on our physical - and mental - health. Snarling and fussing at ones we love can trigger headaches to stomach aches and everything in between. Ms. Ticic has provided an intelligent, systematic, holistic guide through the maze of communication pitfalls that can trap us all, teaching crucial skills so parents don't have to choose between what their heads say and what their hearts say. A must read!"
- Elizabeth Lee Vliet, M.D., Founder, HER Place - Health Enhancement and Renewal for Women, Inc. and author of several women's health books, including Screaming to Be Heard: Hormone Connections Women Suspect and Doctors Still Ignore and The Savvy Woman's Guide to Testosterone www.herplace.com
"Engagingly written and eminently sensible, this book is a joy to read. It gives loving parents a clear, useful way to solve communications problems that inevitably arise in the care and nurture of growing children - that most important of tasks."
- Herbert J. Keating III, M.D., Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of Connecticut School of Medicine
"A powerful and amazingly clear approach to communicating with children. The more parents who read this book, the better."
- Zach Davis, author, speaker, trainer for PoweReading and Personal Effectiveness
"The author's voice comes through in a quiet, non-patronizing and non-academic way, saying, 'Let me help you out. I'm on your side and understand what you're going through. I've been there, too.' "
- Joan Harris Burgett, Day Care Center Clinical and Program Director
"The Communications Matrix is brilliant! It very simply depicts complex relationships and interactions. I now know where I am, where I want to be, and how to get there."
- Loredanna Xuereb, Medical Research Scientist and Consultant