I was surprised to like this book. Sometimes when parenting books seem ultra-modern (lots of chapters about texting and Facebook) I think they're out of touch with some core values and ideas about human behavior.
Childhood Unbound has been a refreshing read. Although our kids aren't even in first grade yet, Ron Taffel is preparing us for the teen years. He calls the children of today the "freest generation" and notes that while the classic generation gap has disappeared, young people today are increasingly savvy to the apathy and in-authenticity from their parents. He calls on parents to stop over-protecting kids from sincere reactions and emotions, and says to be direct and 'real' will speak louder than all the psychological tricks taught in the other books.
I really enjoyed Taffel's advice to notice and protect your children's natural conversation style and space. My son likes to open up about school and his questions about life at bedtime. Now making sure we have plenty of relaxed time for these conversations before sleep is my goal. Instead of pestering kids for information when they're not wanting to talk, watch for the time when they're willing and eager to share.
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