Personal Development For Children

In The Gardener and the Carpenter, pioneering developmental psychologist and philosopher Alison Gopnik argues that the familiar 21st-century picture of parents and children is profoundly wrong - it's not just based on bad science, it's bad for kids and parents, too. Drawing on the study of human evolution and her own cutting-edge scientific research into how children learn, Gopnik shows that although caring for children is profoundly important, it is not a matter of shaping them to turn out a particular way.

A homeless foster kid finds redemption in Iraq.

At just 10 years old, Kirsty has already suffered a lifetime of heartache and suffering. Neglected by her teenage mother and taken into care, Kirsty thought she had found her forever family when she is fostered by Pat and Mike, who she comes to see as her real mum and dad. But when Pat has a heart attack and collapses in front of her, Kirsty's foster family says it's all her fault. They blame her temper tantrums for putting Pat under stress and they don't want Kirsty in their lives anymore.

Evie and Elliot are scrawny, filthy, and wide-eyed with fear when they turn up on foster carer Maggie Hartley's doorstep. Aged just two and three years old, this brother and sister have hardly set foot outside their own home. They have been prisoners, locked in a terrifying world of abuse, violence, and neglect. Maggie soon realizes that Evie and Elliot are lacking the basic life skills we all take for granted. The outside world terrifies them; the sound of the doorbell sends them into a panic that takes hours to abate.

Ten years ago, Helen Naylor discovered her mother, Elinor, had been faking debilitating illnesses for 30 years. After Elinor’s self-induced death, Helen found her diaries, which Elinor wrote daily for more than 50 years. The diaries reveal not only the inner workings of Elinor’s twisted mind and self-delusion, but also shocking revelations about Helen’s childhood. Everything Helen knew about herself and her upbringing was founded on a lie.

Those who have had a narcissistic parent can testify to how damaging it can be to one's psyche. Narcissistic parents lack empathy, show a severe sense of entitlement to micromanage the lives of their children, and often subject their children to neglect, as well as emotional, psychological, and physical abuse. From the unique challenges daughters of narcissistic fathers face to the ways in which adverse childhood experiences affect our brains, Shahida Arabi's insightful essays resonate deeply with those who have been raised by narcissistic parents.

Are you a parent who’s been cut off, ghosted, or vilified by your adult child—and left wondering what went wrong? You’re not alone. And you are not the villain. In today’s culture of pop psychology, social media echo chambers, and therapy-speak gone rogue, more parents than ever are facing the heartbreak of family estrangement—often without warning or explanation.

Do you keep chasing love but pushing it away the moment it feels too close? Think it’s time to break free from the emotional patterns rooted in childhood and finally feel secure in your relationships? Rewire Your Anxious Attachment is a transformative guide to help you heal from past trauma, boost emotional intelligence, and rewrite your relationship story using the proven tools of attachment theory—so you can build lasting love from the inside out.

Parenting for Independence is designed for parents of autistic emerging adults who appear stuck, unmotivated, or unwilling to launch into adult life, including those with the PDA profile. With practical strategies, neuroscience-informed insights, and a clear roadmap, Laushman equips parents to move from frustration and disempowerment to clarity and confidence.

Michael C. Reichert draws on his 30 years of experience researching the process by which boys become men to provide a road map for parents and educators who hope to help the boys they love and care about grow into strong, emotionally intelligent, and compassionate men.

You love your mother, but she drives you crazy. She controls, criticizes, and butts into your life constantly. Then when you try and set boundaries, the pushback and resulting guilt are so bad you tell yourself...it's just not worth it. Is your mother narcissistic, borderline, or just plain difficult? Are you empathetic, sensitive, and kind? If so, chances are you have fallen into one or all of the hidden psychological traps that constitute the Good Daughter Syndrome.

In The High-Conflict Custody Battle, a team of legal and psychology experts present a practical guidebook for people like you who are engaged in a high-conflict custody battle. If you are dealing with an overtly hostile, inflammatory, deceitful, or manipulative ex-spouse, you will learn how to find and work with an attorney and prepare for a custody evaluation. The book also provides helpful tips you can use to defend yourself against false accusations and gives a realistic portrayal of what to expect during a legal fight.

In this book, her follow-up to the best seller Discipline Without Damage, Dr. Lapointe advises new parents how to put their child on a path to optimal development during the crucial early years. The baby and toddler years are the most important period for any child's emotional and psychological development. Parents naturally want to do what's best for their kids, but they often struggle to know what that is, especially when dealing with the big "battlegrounds" of sleep, feeding, and managing aggression.

Anxiety is the number one mental health problem facing young people today. Childhood should be a happy and carefree time, yet more and more children today are exhibiting symptoms of anxiety, from bedwetting and clinginess to frequent stomach aches, nightmares, and even refusing to go to school. Parents everywhere want to know: All children have fears, but how much is normal?

Take the positive parenting approach to help your child overcome defiance through this nine-step parenting plan. Does your child argue with adults, including you? Are they easily angered? Do they oppose every rule and blame others for their mistakes? Parenting can often feel like an uphill battle, especially as the child grows older. But sometimes, your child’s behavior is not always childlike. Sometimes, their uncalled-for aggression and defiance can mean something else.

Being a parent is a tough gig; there’s no doubt about that. There will be moments that are beautiful lifelong memories. Others will try your patience and leave you pulling your hair out. It’s not a question of if, but when you as a parent will lose your temper with your child. Kids don’t know any better, and they will push you to the edge. The danger is when your anger spills over onto your child, crushing their self-esteem, hurting their feelings, or making them feel unwanted.

Unlocked begins with a vivid depiction of the author's life with her autistic son, Ben. Feelings of isolation and self-hate and even moments of hatred toward her own child in response to his behaviors, as well as the impact on her marriage and younger daughter, impel her to seek solutions for his condition. Through years of trial and error, Susan eventually discovers methods that bring about radical improvement in Ben.

Weaving together philosophy, social science and neuroscience research, personal anecdotes and dialogues, The Philosophy of Childing takes a radically different approach to the traditional boundaries between childhood and adulthood to reveal how rather than lapse into adulthood, we can achieve what the Greeks arete - all-around excellence - when we look to children and youth as a lodestar for our development.

Healing Your Inner Child is a personal guide to understanding the roots of emotional pain and learning how to break free. Written for everyday people—especially those who may never step into a therapy office—this audiobook brings the healing strategies therapists use into the comfort of your own space.

Ten years ago, Janet Woititz broke new ground in our understanding of what it is to be an adult child of an alcoholic. Today, she re-examines the movement and its inclusion of adult children from various dysfunctional family backgrounds who share the same characteristics. After more than 10 years of working with ACoAs, she shares the recovery hints that she has found to work. Listen to Adult Children of Alcoholics to see where the journey began and for ideas on where to go from here.