Courtesy of Sarah MacLaughlin, LSW

Do you know a toddler who refuses to budge? Has a preschooler ever called you stupid? Our natural reaction to these kinds of situations is often annoyance, ramped up authority, and words that just don’t work. What Not to Say: Tools for Talking with Young Children is an essential guide for bringing awareness to the way you communicate with young children. It provides a simple framework of techniques that will help you respond differently (instead of reacting!). Simple additions like silliness and focused preventative attention can help you and a child change course—why struggle! Whether parent, teacher, grandparent, or nanny, this book will help you see the importance of not only your role as parent or caregiver, but the relationship, too. Changes in your approach, words, and tone can have lasting beneficial effects in your relationship with a child and on that child’s behavior as well.

Sarah MacLaughlin, LSW

Sarah MacLaughlin is author of the award-winning book, What Not to Say: Tools for Talking with Young Children (Bay Island Books, 2010). She is also a licensed social worker, parent educator, and writer for the national nonprofit, ZERO TO THREE. Sarah has read all the parenting books and blogs (so you don't have to!) and is near obsessed with brain science and child development. This helps her guide parents and professionals in seeing the bigger picture when it comes to child behavior. Sarah loves helping moms and dads understand themselves and their children better so everyone can have more fun. She's also mom to a spirited 9-year-old who gives her plenty of opportunities to take her own advice.