The Real Purpose of Parenting

The Book You Wish Your Parents Read

By: Dr. Phillip B Dembo

Narrated by: Dr. Phillip B Dembo

Length: 6 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

The Real Purpose of Parenting is a series of stories and life lessons from the world of a therapist, known as The Parent Coach. Very well-intentioned, well meaning parents are at the point of crisis with their kids because their own best parenting efforts are NOT producing the children they want them to be. And there, according to Dr. Phil Dembo, lies the problem.

In The Real Purpose of Parenting, even the best parents are capable of smothering the growth of their kid’s life. This can happen because the truth of who the child is, and what the child truly needs is often overlooked or ignored in the agenda that many parents lay out for their kids. Thus...often landing the family in a colossal melt down.

Dr. Dembo shows simple family “turn around” strategies that reframe the real purpose of parenting and gives each family, and child, their own salvation.

©2012 Dr. Phillip B. Dembo (P)2012 Gildan Media, LLC

Critic reviews

“If only we all could have had Dr. Phil Dembo as our father! His book reads less as a self-help manual and more like insights from a wise elder.” (Vickie Falcone, M.A., author of Buddha Never Raised Kids & Jesus Didn’t Drive Carpool: Seven Principles for Parenting With Soul)

Eye-opener and a valuable listen/read

This was a truly inspiring discussion on realigning our views of success for ourselves, our kids and society as a whole. The author offers real strategies that you can implement with the family today and make changes for tomorrow. It is not an idealist movement where you feel as society will shun you for trying these things. One final note, Dr. Denbow's voice is "nasal'y" but given his story and the very principles of the book you will come to understand the importance in him narrating it himself. And it's not too bad, you'll get over it.

Good listen for parents

Great to get another perspective. Stick with the book - once he got into the examples in chapter 6 it started coming together better for me. We started writing our family constitution and my 4 and 5 year old are really enjoying it. I've always valued being up front with expectations and consequences so this book helped me recharge.

A Great Surprise

I don't like psychology books. I prefer books based in proofs, studies... But this one, simply grabbed my attention from beginning to end. A well written text, with many compelling stories. I had to re-think the real purpose of parenting-- the picture that we imagine of our children is not THEIR objective and we should only coach them in life, not pushing them into that picture until they fit.

good read,i would recommed. General information

the details shared oln the book are General, more of a reminder.But definitely a good start and useful for new parents

Poor reading murky information

Echoing the other reviews, the narration was difficult, and is the first I listened to on 2x speed!

The information was cloudy, and I am still not entirely sure what the author meant by his concepts like "honor the intention of their feelings" but that was basically the core of the book. If you know dr. Dembos work from elsewhere, you might enjoy this, if it is new to you like it was new to me, don't bother.

3 hours I'll never get back

Would you try another book from Dr. Phillip B Dembo and/or Dr. Phillip B Dembo?

Nope

What do you think your next listen will be?

Not a book on parenting by a self important expert. By the way, if you are a parent, you are as much an expert as any other and THE expert on your child.

How could the performance have been better?

Don't condescend to the listener.

Any additional comments?

I expected to learn something novel or unique from this book, but like a playground mothers group it is didactic and judgemental.

Couldn't Handle it

What did you like about this audiobook?

i couldn't tell you

How has the book increased your interest in the subject matter?

it didn't

Does the author present information in a way that is interesting and insightful, and if so, how does he achieve this?

I don't know

What did you find wrong about the narrator's performance?

The Author narrates this book and I couldn't get through the first chapter. He stumbles through his own writing. He's unbearable to listen to.

Author is self-important and pedantic

What was most disappointing about Dr. Phillip B Dembo’s story?

First off, the tone and tenor of Dr. Dembo just sounded pedantic to me. Also, I absolutely hated that he so easily categorized a child as "not a student". What does that mean anyways? Every child is a student - everyone is a student... we all have different learning styles. If every child went to see Dr. Dembo, they would turn out to be the VERY antithesis of the children Tiger Moms hope to raise - accepting mediocrity and lacking discipline. I detest what Tiger Mom stands for, but in Dr. Dembo's office, there is no room for those who believe that practice - sometimes grueling, difficult, undesirable, not fun kind -makes perfect.

Could not get into this one

Would you try another book from Dr. Phillip B Dembo and/or Dr. Phillip B Dembo?

I would try another book if it had a different narrator - I simply could not listen to the author's voice for any length of time - I couldn't lose myself in the words that way I can with most books. It felt like the author/narrator was simply reading and not talking or living the information. It's cold and dry, like a lecture that no one will really be able to connect with.

What didn’t you like about Dr. Phillip B Dembo’s performance?

I hate to be harsh, but some faces are meant for radio and some authors were never meant to be orators. This is the case with Dr. Dembo - sorry, dude!