Consumer Critique: The Myth of the Spoiled Child

Disclosure: I received complimentary products to facilitate this post. All opinions are my own.

Alfie Kohn is a well-known name in education circles. He writes against abuse of standardized testing and too much homework, rewards systems, and the business of education. I don't always agree with everything he says, but he makes valid, well-researched points that merit discussion.

He has a new book,  THE MYTH OF THE SPOILED CHILD: Challenging the Conventional Wisdom About Children and Parenting. In it, he compares controlling parents with those seen as over-indulgent - points out that this isn't a new phenomenon - and looks at the research behind the rhetoric.

I have to say I like that he supports much of the way I parent. Kids need to learn to make decisions, not just be forced into compliance. That's not to say kids shouldn't learn to listen, but the focus in most strategies tends to be how to get kids to do what you want, not how to meet the kids' needs.

If you don't like sarcasm or challenging beliefs, this isn't the book for you. But if you're willing to explore other perspectives - even if you don't agree with them - then this book is worth the read.