Perfect Parenting

December 1, 1998
Pantley, the author/publisher of the newsletter Parent Tips, presents an alphabetical "dictionary" of over 200 issues ("Hitting," "Nose-Picking," "Baby-Sitters," "Spitting") using questions and answers. This is a nice idea for a book, but it doesn't quite deliver on its promise. The questions are not age-specific--some of the tips deal with age, but certain problems should have different solutions for children of different ages. There is too much repetition: "Forgetfulness," "Carelessness," and "Procrastination" deal with pretty much the same issues. On the positive side, Pantley does see things clearly from a child's viewpoint and uses the "when/then" approach effectively. Moreover, she's big on consistent parenting without endless yammering. Some of the advice is clever (for cabin fever, front-seat fighting, diaper-changing diversions), but it falls short elsewhere (dealing with moving, name-calling, chores). Not essential.--Linda Beck, Indian Valley P.L., Telford, PA