How to Talk When Kids Won't Listen

Whining, Fighting, Meltdowns, Defiance, and Other Challenges of Childhood

By: Joanna Faber, Julie King

Narrated by: Joanna Faber, Julie King, Mia Barron, Cynthia Farrell, George Newbern, Joy Osmanski, Candace Thaxton

An all-new guide from the mega-best-selling How to Talk series applies trusted and effective communication strategies to the toughest challenges of raising children.

For 40 years, readers have turned to Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish’s How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk, the book The Boston Globe called “the parenting Bible" for a respectful and practical approach to communication with children. Expanding upon this work, Adele’s daughter, Joanna Faber, along with Julie King, coauthored the best-selling book How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen. Now, Faber and King have tailored How to Talk’s tried-and-trusted communication strategies to some of the most challenging childhood moments.

From tantrums to technology to talking to kids about tough topics, How to Talk When Kids Won’t Listen offers concrete strategies for these and many more difficult situations.

Part one introduces listeners to the How to Talk “toolbox", with whimsical cartoons demonstrating the basic communication skills that will transform listeners’ relationships with children in their lives. In part two, Joanna and Julie answer specific questions and share relatable stories, offering practical tools for addressing issues such as homework hassles, sibling battles, digital dilemmas, problems with punishment, and more. Listeners can turn directly to any topic of interest and find the help they need, with handy “reminder pages".

Through the combination of lively stories from real parents and teachers, humorous illustrations, and entertaining exercises, How to Talk When Kids Won’t Listen offers real solutions to struggles familiar to every parent, grandparent, teacher, and anyone else who lives or works with children.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2021 Joanna Faber and Julia King. All rights reserved. (P)2021 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

Practical and down to earth tools

Special thanks for the remarks at the end about: sometimes parents can manage to follow 50% of the times some sometimes only 10%. It’s ok. Just try again and again. First book that have practical tools and not make if me feel I am the worst parent for not doing this or that or fir not reacting in the correct way.

Such an Excellent Read!!

This book gives very good information with useful examples. I loved it as both a parent and therapist who works with kids! I would recommend this book to all parents!

Speak to the feeling

I love how they talked about speaking to the feeling and acknowledging it, whilst correcting the behavior.

If you only listen to one parenting book...

If you only listen to one parenting book, make it this one. Applicable to kids of all ages.

Extremely helpful parenting advice

Regardless of your political persuasion this is a profoundly valuable resource for conflict resolution with children. There are gems of wisdom for people all along the ideological spectrum in this book.

BEST PARENTING BOOK OUT THERE!

I have listened to/read many parenting books and this one takes the cake by far. What I especially liked was that it is a guide and actually teaches you how to do it and not just the ideas behind. It is respectful in delivery. It's all encompassing of parental problems. Can't recommend it more.. I wish every parent on the planet had this information

be the best to your kids

great book about children and how to understand your children I'd recommend this book to anyone who is struggling

Hopeful and grateful Dad-to-be

I never wanted to be a dad. Mostly because I never wanted to be (like my father was) the policeman, the punisher. I had no conception of how parenting could be possible without punishment. Joanna and Julie have not only given me hope, but practical tools that make complete sense when thinking how I would want to be treated. I know in my bones (and tanned hide) that punishment made me resentful. The repeat offender rates of the US vs Europe also clearly show that protection works, but punishment does not. Why I didn't realize that the same should obviously apply to our children as well is beyond me.

For those struggling with thoughts like acknowledging feelings might be coddling kids, I thought of it in these terms: acknowledging is not the same as validating. By saying “You’re really upset that your balloon isn’t as good as your brother’s” you are stating what you think is true for your child at that moment. It tells them “I see the situation you are in (including some of the emotional stuff going on inside you)”. You aren’t making a judgement. So you are NOT saying:
- “You SHOULD feel that way”
- “If I were in your shoes, I’d feel the same way”
- “You have the best feelings. I wish everyone felt like you did”
You can think it's the dumbest thing to get upset about and still acknowledge that your child is upset. Does anyone really need our opinion on their feelings? The fact that you see what is going on and let your child know that you see it, is what helps.

simple actionable and practical advice and examples

This title and the others in the series are amazing guide books in being a better communicator with children. I work with pre kinder and kinder students, this book has been instrumental in managing the high emotions and outbursts in the classroom and has helped inform my overall classroom management strategies. I recommend this book to anyone with kids or who works with kids. The examples are clear, relevant and the advice easy to implement right away.
In order to raise better humans we have to re-parent ourselves to be better humans. This series has also given me the dialog to use with my ”inner child” and change some of the conditioned mindset and narratives that have been ultimately unhelpful as an adult.
If you want well adjusted and emotionally healthy children it all starts with how we talk to them.

So insightful

Not only do I feel more enlightened about how to communicate with my son, but I also feel like I have more tools about how to be a better communicator with my husband. I have learned through this book how powerful our words are and how much our choice of words MATTER