Screamfree Parenting

Screamfree Parenting
Hal Edward Runkel, LMFT
WaterBrook Press
ISBN: 978-1-4000-7372-6
Non-Fiction, Parenting
Reviewed by Nicole Martin

This author is a licensed marriage and family therapist and relationship coach with Masters Degrees from a Christian University. He has 2 children of his own. Although I believe that there are no experts in child rearing, you can't argue that a calmer, cooler person can handle any situation better.
The chapter titles are catchy tell-alls in this 237 page guide to parenting while 'Keeping Your Cool'. And keeping your cool is harder than it looks. My favorite chapter is 'Let the Consequences Do the Screaming'. This took a little time for me to get right, but I can attest that it worked well for this mother. A pattern for many mothers is ’nagging and screaming, then finally caving in'--the caving in being the worst of these in my opinion. Of course the author advises against all of these as a pattern, and rather reminds us that their should be consequences for the choices that our children make. He puts it eloquently in this statement, "The more our children are exposed to the small consequences of their small infractions, the less they will have to commit large infractions and experience large consequences." He also reminds us to let the punishment match the crime. And further, to take the time and energy to ENFORCE the consequences, rather than to scream and threaten, ultimately letting the child get away without consequences. "Empty Threats are Really Broken Promise," we are reminded.
This book has a lot of great information and can be used like a cookbook or the Bible. We think we know how to cook and how to live right--but having instructions at hand is an invaluable asset that we can take advantage of often just to make sure we aren't forgetting something important. Screamfree Parenting gives parables, how-to instructions, and questions on which to reflect. There are several interesting quotes and well phrased statements that will stay in your mind when you stray from what you know is the best method. It is sort of like the 10 Commandments, or the Golden Rule, that plays itself in the back of your mind when you know you are straying from it's teachings.
Although I feel that this book would be most useful to parent with young children, it can be a god sent to parents with adolescents as well. I’m sure we have heard the old saying “babies don’t come with instructions” well know there is plenty of instruction out there and I would rank Screamfree as 'Among the Best.'