The Happiest Toddler on the Block

How to Eliminate Tantrums and Raise a Patient, Respectful and Cooperative One- to Four-Year-Old: Revised Edition

By: Harvey Karp Md

Narrated by: Tim Fannon

Length: 7 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's Summary

Perfect for expecting parents who want to prepare themselves for the challenging toddler years (which starts around eight months of age), this essential guide, a national bestseller by respected pediatrician and child development expert Dr. Harvey Karp, not only helps reduce tantrums but makes happy kids even happier by boosting patience, cooperation, and self-confidence.

Toddlers can drive you bonkers...so adorable and fun one minute...so stubborn and demanding the next! Yet, as unbelievable as it sounds, there is a way to turn the daily stream of “nos” and “don’ts” into “yeses” and hugs...if you know how to speak your toddler’s language. In one of the most useful advances in parenting techniques of the past 25 years, Dr. Karp reveals that toddlers, with their immature brains and stormy outbursts, should be thought of not as pint-size people but as pint size...cavemen. 

Having noticed that the usual techniques often failed to calm crying toddlers, Dr. Karp discovered that the key to effective communication was to speak to them in their own primitive language. When he did, suddenly he was able to soothe their outbursts almost every time! This amazing success led him to the realization that children between the ages of one and four go through four stages of “evolutionary” growth, each linked to the development of the brain, and each echoing a step in prehistoric humankind’s journey to civilization:

• The “Charming Chimp-Child” (12 to 18 months): Wobbles around on two legs, grabs everything in reach, plays a nonstop game of “monkey see monkey do.”
• The “Knee-High Neanderthal” (18 to 24 months): Strong-willed, fun-loving, messy, with a vocabulary of about 30 words, the favorites being “no” and “mine.”
• The “Clever Caveman” (24 to 36 months): Just beginning to learn how to share, make friends, take turns, and use the potty.
• The “Versatile Villager” (36 to 48 months): Loves to tell stories, sing songs and dance, while trying hard to behave.

To speak to these children, Dr. Karp has developed two extraordinarily effective techniques:

1. The “fast food” rule - restating what your child has said to make sure you got it right
2. The four-step rule - using gesture, repetition, simplicity, and tone to help your irate Stone-Ager be happy again.

©2008 Happiest Baby Inc. (P)2019 Novel Audio Inc.

Love this book!

I will be listening to the audio version again. I didn't know how I felt about the cave person description at first but it's pretty funny. As a professional Mary Poppins for the last 19 years I can attest to these techniques as many of them are tried and true methods I have already been using as well as some new ones I learned from this book that I have been applying with success. I enjoy the audio book readers voice and way of reading. His voice and the words and tone of the book were warm and friendly and made me feel like giving him a big hug!

Not good advice

I was pretty mortified reading this book and had to stop 2/3 of the way. I could see exactly what my friends were following that was making them miserable as parents.

There’s plenty of evidence based practices that among other things strongly discourage time out but this book strongly encourages it. I’d say, look up the research, or read books on international approaches to child rearing.

Super Helpful!!

I’ve been trying the tips in this book for a week and already have seen huge improvements in my toddler’s tendency to tantrum

Works!

My baby responds so quickly to all the tips and tricks in this book. Really enhanced my relationship with her over just a few weeks.

Helpful read that went a bit too long!

I found most of the methods in this book helpful. Very counterintuitive to me but many truly worked. About 3/4 through it becomes very repetitive. Could be abbreviated and still have similar or better impact.

Great suggestions and examples for real life experiences

Tips and techniques provided in this book have been incredibly helpful in raising my toddler. I’m able to better communicate with her about her feelings and needs, and better equipped to handle her occasional meltdown.

Helpful and practical

This book is full of clearly stated information with examples. I wish I had it when my children were toddlers. But now that I am a grandmother, I am able to support my daughter and son-in-law in how they are raising their happy toddlers. I recommend this book for anyone with a toddler in their life: parents, relatives, child care workers.

Very helpful

My daughter changed so much at about 13 months of age. I started this book and applied these recommendations and I am so happy to say it’s helped us!

I’m sure I will listen to it again as she grows. And I’m sure I will recommend it many times!

Very helpful

My daughter’s pediatrician recommend this book. I’ve already started to implement some of items. Wish I had known about the baby book.

Can't read book.

Can't listen to this book. Is the download spoilt? Please check and let me know if I can download it again to listen ?