Good Resource for Parents

Raising Mentally Strong and Securely Attached Kids: The 5-Part Parenting Blueprint to Raise Resilient, Socially Successful, and Emotionally Intelligent Children by Vivian Whitmore; 176pp 

Today’s parents are facing an information overload about raising children. There are numerous online and offline resources that claim to teach the right method to raise children to be smart and successful. It is hard to discern which of these sources of information is right. In this situation it is always best to rely on sources that draw from science, psychology, and technology. 

Vivian Whitmore’s Raising Mentally Strong and Securely Attached Kids is a new age 5-part book that gives hope to parents struggling to raise their children to be mentally strong, socially successful, emotionally intelligent, and resilient children. The book is full of valuable information for parents with children of all ages. With its treasure of exercises and activities the book breaks down complex parenting concepts into simple easy to follow steps. 

Divided into five easy to read sections, each dealing with attachment, secure attachment, emotional intelligence, recognizing problems, and social success, the book is a solid primer for parents, teachers, and even grandparents or anyone who deals with children in a preceptor role. 

 The first section details attachment and distinguishes between secure and insecure attachment and the long impacts thereof. The second section builds on the first by detailing foundations of secure attachment, and leads into building resilience as a skill, emotional intelligence for improved connections and how to parent mindfully and recognize generational patterns. I particularly liked the fifth and last section which deals with social success. In today’s world this is vital to lead a fulfilled life. This section provides guidance on strategies to help children overcome social challenges, teaching them empathy and gratitude, and communication skills – all important for real-world success. The only feature of the book I am not particularly impressed is the layout and typography. The book looks like a scholarly publication aimed at academics rather than something aimed at young and middle adults. The book is text heavy with several bulleted lists with absolutely no relief in the form of graphs, pictures, and/ or illustrations. This content is valuable but presentation needs to be improved to get the message across more effectively.