Parenting Book Reviews

A highly readable how- to book for parents looking to support the emotional development of their ill children.  Stanford Health Library
"Parenting Children with Health Issues" (Love and Logic Institute, 2007) is a new book co-written by child psychiatrist Foster W. Cline, M.D. along with Bay Area resident and parent of two children with cystic fibrosis, Lisa C. Greene. "Parenting Children with Health Issues" applies the precepts of the popular Love and Logic child-rearing program to the special challenges faced by families with chronically ill children.

The main thrust of the program is to help children learn to identify themselves as having a disease, not being one. Children are encouraged to learn self-control, have a positive self-image and learn to deal with life's frustrations with a positive attitude. This highly-readable book is really a how-to book for parents looking to support the emotional development of their ill children. There are tips and tactics for effective parenting for children of all ages, from birth through adolescence."

Excerpt from article published in Palo Alto Online. Click here for full article. Visit healthlibrary.stanford.edu for great resources.

An invaluable, experience-laden guide accessible to parents and caretakers of all backgrounds; highly recommended.  Midwest Book Review
"Child psychiatrist Foster W. Cline and mother of two children with cystic fibrosis Lisa Greene present Parenting Children with Health Issues: Essential Tools, Tips and Tactics for Raising Kids with Chronic Illness, Medical Conditions & Special Healthcare Needs, a guide to learning and applying the parenting skills needed for raising children who require special medical or dietary care. Chapters discuss how to handle a child's refusal to take medication or undergo medical treatments, promote personal responsibility, deal with sibling, family, and couple relationship issues, and much more.

"Because chronically ill children can so easily drift into feeling 'unfair-ed upon' by life, some become entitled and demanding, developing and exploiting placating parents who, as their child becomes more demanding, have increasing difficulty separating 'wants' from 'needs.' Entitled people, children or adults, have a tendency to control others through what they define as their 'needs.'" An invaluable, experience-laden guide accessible to parents and caretakers of all backgrounds highly recommended."

Shows readers how to help kids identify themselves as having a disease instead of being one. Library Journal Review
“Cline (Parenting with Love and Logic) collaborates with first-time author Greene—the mother of two children with cystic fibrosis—in tailoring the popular Love and Logic program for the parents of children who have some form of special-care needs. Basing their model on cystic fibrosis, the authors show readers how to help kids identify themselves as having a disease (rather than being one) and grow into increasingly responsible, life-loving individuals with age-appropriate nurturing, intervention, coaching, and rewards/consequences. The highly readable text features bulleted points, tables, illustrative vignettes, and chapter summaries. One quibble: the how-to approach may strike some as too cookie-cutter. That crowd may prefer Parenting Plus: Raising Children with Special Health Needs*, which allows for more flexibility. Recommended for public and consumer health libraries with previous "Love and Logic" series demand.” -Janice Flahiff, Univ. of Toledo Health Science Lib.  (*Referred book is out-of-print.)

Radiates with love and good humor; an approach worth studying. Terri Mauro, Your Guide to Parenting Special Needs; About, Inc., A part of the New York Times Company
Terri rated our book 4 1/2 stars out of 5! She writes: "The Love and Logic program, adapted here for the special needs of children with health problems, emphasizes building a child's self-concept; sharing control and decision-making; offering empathy, then consequences; and sharing thinking and problem-solving. It's heavy on natural consequences, which can be scary when the consequences involve health crises. Parents are advised to offer empathy, not rescue.

The belief is that teens and young adults will have to manage their own health-care, so you might as well lay the groundwork for it early -- and that if health management is Mom and Dad's control area, that's what a teen will rebel against. It makes sense, and the statements provided for explaining the situation to your child radiate with love and good humor.

It works great on paper, anyway, and the book is full of stories from families who have used it successfully. If you're having behavior struggles with an ill child, or want to start your kids on the path of good health management, it's an approach worth studying."  Excerpt only. To read the full review, visit About.com.

Required reading for all families and providers of children with healthcare needs.  Tracy L. Trotter, MD, Fellow of the Amercian Academy of Pediatrics
"I literally felt as though you had been sitting in the corner of my exam rooms for all 180,000 office visits (my wife’s calculation). Every parent of a child with special healthcare needs will see themselves and their children many times in their reading of this book. This program precisely address the concerns and challenges of parenting in general and beautifully speaks to the special issues of parenting children with chronic medical conditions. The use of cases, scenarios and examples is excellent. I will highly recommend this to colleagues and patients. Thank you for the opportunity to review this wonderful addition to the resources for pediatricians and families. It should be required reading for all families with a child who has special healthcare needs and all of those who provide that care."

A wise guide for raising empowered children under difficult circumstances.
Laura E. Marshak, author of "Married with Special-Needs Children"
"This book is a profound yet practical guide to raising resilient children who have significant health issues. The publication of this book can best be described as a gift to families who are faced with far more complex challenges than are found in those with more typical children. These challenges include how to help children feel a sense of control, acceptance and hope while living with serious disorders. It provides a wise guide for helping raise children who are able to embrace life while taking good care of their health conditions.

The book reflects a synthesis of the best in parenting skills along with a rich understanding of child psychology, family dynamics and a range of chronic disorders. This wealth of information is distilled for the reader in a format that is easy to follow; readers are provided with numerous examples of how to implement these insights. It is a unique and thorough guide to critical aspects of child-rearing that are just not found anywhere else. I regard this book as simply indispensable for families and professionals alike. It is a gem." Laura E. Marshak, Author (with Fran Prezant) of: Married with Special-Needs Children [A couple's guide to keeping connected], Woodbine House 2007

Compassionate, heartwarming and essential. Tim O'Hagan, editor and author of 11 books, including the Reader’s Digest Guide to Alternative Medicine and Discovering the Wonders of Our World
"This compassionate and heartwarming guide should occupy the bookshelves of every parent with a chronically ill child. It delivers not only practical lessons in living with chronic illness but also shows that encouragement, love, and understanding are key to addressing the challenges chronic illness imposes on children and their parents."

Wonderfully comprehensive. Frank Deford, author and sports commentator
"Your book seems to me to be a wonderfully comprehensive guide. I especially like the many stories from other parents. It gives the book a very intimate feel – so much more than what these types of books can be. You and Dr. Cline have done a fine job and I hope it finds a wide audience." - Frank Deford, Sports Illustrated senior writer, NPR Morning Edition commentator, Emmy award winner and author of 14 books including Alex: The Life of a Child, his memoir about his daughter who died of cystic fibrosis.

A beacon of insight and guidance. Frazier King, MD, Board Certified Family Practitioner
"A few books fall into the Great Work category. This is one of them. This book is a beacon of insight and guidance for parents in the most challenging of parenting circumstances. Having recommended Love and Logic to many patients for the last decade, I am delighted to see this further growth and development of the basic Love and Logic principles. It is with great enthusiasm that I recommend this book to my colleagues and all parents of children with chronic medical conditions."

Empowering, encouraging, practical. Carroll Jenkins, Executive Director, Cystic Fibrosis Research, Inc (CFRI) and mother of an adult with CF
“Parenting Children with Health Issues" equips families facing critical health care issues with strategies for weathering the crises that are a part of chronic illness. It empowers us all with a philosophy of parenting that helps us think rationally during emotionally challenging times. It encourages us to make decisions that allow others to own their responsibilities and it offers practical tools to communicate clearly. This book helps us understand that parenting is not a quick sprint. We are distance runners, pacing for the marathon with coaches who are there for us. I cannot think of anything more valuable!”

Offers a fresh look at the future as well as the possibility of a more joyful day to day life. - Pamela Wilson, BellaOnline's Special Needs Children Editor
When a child is diagnosed with a chronic illness, medical condition or other special healthcare needs, families are generally unprepared for the immediate consequences and lifestyle changes the new information brings. None of our children arrive with instruction manuals, but the new book from Foster Cline MD and Lisa Greene was written to partially fill the bookshelf gap for many families who hope to make both long term and day to day plans to raise all their children to be more resilient, responsible and self reliant young adults.

I appreciated the simple explanations, observations, and compassionate sensitivity shown in discussion of issues important to all family members, including the parents as a couple, the child with the diagnosis, brothers and sisters. This is a book I would especially recommend for parent groups and public libraries, medical professionals and support staff who are in the lives of families whose children are newly diagnosed. More than that, I would offer it as a lifeline and planning guide for those who have been struggling with the issues brought on by chronic health conditions or other significant healthcare needs for a long time. Whether parents have great support and resources already or they feel isolated and desperate, the discussion and strategies found in Parenting Children with Health Issues offer a fresh look at the future as well as the possibility of a more joyful day to day life.

Essential Addition to Your Parenting Library--tender, brilliant writing. Caron B. Goode "Inspired Parenting Coach
"Authors Cline and Greene offer a truthful testimony to the question "How would you spend your precious moments with your child with health problems?" They present a systematic approach, Love & Logic, to positive parenting, the goal of which is to enable a child to learn the health habits to care for him\herself. Moreover, the parenting in these family situations requires thoughtfulness and compassionate conversation about real issues as grief, death, medications, self-care as well as normal child rearing tasks.

Part One of the book focuses on the basic Love & Logic strategies that most parents face: self esteem, boundaries, problem solving, and how children learn. Part 2, Advanced Love & Logic applications discusses the realities of the medical challenges within the family and how to deal with them. Added bonuses at the back of the book are extra parenting tips, the authors' personal stories, and resources.

The book is thorough, well written and easy to read. You will appreciate the honest approach in dealing with the real world situations through loving strategies. I highly recommend it." For additional resources for stressful family situations see the book Help Kids Cope with Stress & Trauma by Caron Goode

Easy to read yet powerfully instructional. Mitzi Gadd, RN, MS, Pediatric Nurse, and Marriage & Family Therapist
"Parenting, in general, requires great courage and parenting children with serious health issues is nothing short of heroism. Dr. Cline and Lisa Greene give such parents the necessary tools and backbone they need to empower their children to cope with difficult circumstances rather than further disable them. Thank you for this easy-to-read yet powerfully instructional book."

We need this! Beverly Donelson, CF grandma and co-founder of CF Pharmacy, Inc.
“This book captures the many thoughts, concerns, challenges and questions I have heard from families living with cystic fibrosis and you answered all to a “tee.” It is much better than anything I have seen for parenting a special child. We need this!”

I have eight children and three of them have cystic fibrosis. The oldest is David, he is 18. TJ is 17 and McKenna turned 15 yesterday. David is very ill. TJ is pretty healthy and McKenna is very healthy. All of them could be much healthier if I had known how to teach them better when they were young.

This is what I wish I could have done differently: I wish the book "Parenting Children with Health Issues" by Foster W. Cline, MD and Lisa C. Greene was written 18 years ago and that I had read it. But it was only written last year and published and distributed last summer. PLEASE pick up a copy and implement the concepts. You and your children will be so much healthier because of it.

I have met the authors and I attended a one day seminar that they held that was to promote the concepts in the book. WOW! It was the best parenting seminar I have ever attended. They really know their stuff. I have attended plenty of seminars or read books by people who don't even have kids. But Dr. Cline has successfully raised several children and Lisa Greene has two young children who both have CF and are learning, very well, how to take care of their health.

My oldest son shouldn't be as sick as he is. He has chosen to let many aspects of his health decline. I didn't know how to teach him successfully how to do certain things to take care of himself. He rebelled and I didn't know how to teach him properly. The same goes for my other two children with CF. We are doing the best we can. But I sure wish "Parenting Children with Health Issues" was available when my children were babies.

Thank you. Stephanie; mom of 9-year-old Tyler with diabetes
“Thank you for your book. As a helicopter parent, it is hard for me to not take over and ensure that Tyler is going to be fine. Your book helps me see that in teaching HIM responsibility, I am giving him a greater gift than glucose levels. Although the ultimate responsibility will be Tyler’s, I know that I can now give him the tools to make it. If he chooses, he can live a happy, healthy life with diabetes.”

Provides freedom from guilt and worry. Patty Acedo-Holmquist, mother of child with CF
"Love and Logic is a great solution for all of us moms who find themselves “yelling” a lot. By putting the responsibility back on my child, our home has become more peaceful and orderly. Using these parenting techniques with my child who has a chronic illness has also allowed me freedom from guilt, repeating myself and worrying because my child is able to understand the natural consequences of his actions as it relates to his illness. I would definitely recommend this book to any family… with or without chronic illness."

Every doctor needs to hand this to parents coping with health issues. Funky Food Trisha; Funky Food Allergies Blogspot
We have been a Love and Logic household since I met my friend Logan and her two darling but spirited daughters. Something about the peace in that household made me beg for whatever drug she was giving her children. Instead of the bottle of whiskey I was pretty sure she was spiking their milk cups with, she handed her my copy of "Parenting with Love and Logic". Secretly I was hoping for the whiskey.