Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Book Reviews of The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence

The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence
The StrongWilled Child Birth Through Adolescence
Author: James C. Dobson
ISBN-13: 9780842359245
ISBN-10: 0842359249
Publication Date: 1997
Pages: 335
Rating:
  • Currently 3.5/5 Stars.
 97

3.5 stars, based on 97 ratings
Publisher: Living Books
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

36 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 42 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
Dr. James Dobson is an excellent writer and brings out the most in every situtation. Excellent book!
reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 12 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Good book!
reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 85 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
It has many good discipline ideas, but it advocates spanking which I do not personally agree with.
reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 11 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
VERY INFORMATIVE. Helped me seewhere I was being wrong
DsuzieC avatar reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 159 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
This was very helpful to me when my 2 sons were young! While I didn't want to break their will, I wanted advice on where and how to draw the line.
reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 74 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
I got this book when my son was almost 4 yrs old, so it's been 9 yrs since I read it. However, I found it VERY helpful. It helped answer a LOT of questions. The last half of this book is in a question/answer forum which I found very helpful.
reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 17 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
This is a GREAT book for parents of kids who like to challenge their authority. Don't let yourself get frustrated and angry, but use this book to help you take action. Maybe you just take pieces of what the author has to offer, it made a big difference for us and how we handled situations.
reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 22 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Great book for parents with head strong children
reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on
Helpful Score: 2
Dr. Dobson describes this unique individual this way. Just as surely as some children are naturally compliant, there are others who seem to be looking for a fight upon exit from the womb. Such a child comes into the world smoking a cigar and barking orders in the delivery room...
this little powerhouse needs a special kind of understanding and disipline from his parents. the strong willed child is a practical how to book on discipline and child rearing, which focuses on sibling rivalry,hyperactivity,self esteem, and the most common errors made by frustrated parents.
reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 9 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
outstanding book and resource for parenting the strong willed child.
jjs1971 avatar reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on
Helpful Score: 2
This is such a wonderful book! You must be ready to enforce some pretty strict rules and STICK with them! Its tough...VERY tough for the first few days, but you will be so thankful that you read this book and followed Dr. Dobson's advice. I had felt as if I had completely lost control of my children when I purchased this book. Within the week, I had the control back, along with happier, well behaved children. This book is a must read if you feel as if you have lost control.
reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 14 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
A classic by Dr. James Dobson
reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 18 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Dr. James Dobson gives advice on how to handle a strong willed child so that the family does not always stay in turmoil and the child can be a loving part of the family.
reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 4 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Dr. Dobson is an insightful and helpful leader for young families. My husband and I have three children only 1 of which would be considered strong-willed but he is a real challenge. This book was very helpful in learning more about our child and how to cope.
reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 18 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Wonderful book! Very helpful & informative!
reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 35 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
great advice for every mom or dad!!I'vereadit many times.......
reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 13 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
While I like Dr. Dobsons advice in general, I did not find much useful advice in this book. It was nice to know that my child was perfectly normal, and that I could expect to be using a lot of extra energy on her for a while. But I wasnt able to find anything to help me. I did find a chart for another child though.
reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 83 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Highly recommend this book if you have a child that acts older than his or her age!!
ESNQueen avatar reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 9 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
A lot of this seemed to be common sense, but there were a few points I hadn't thought of.
reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 44 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Great advice on how to deal with difficult children.
reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 3 more book reviews
I think the worst part of this book is that he starts out with an example of how he handles his dog when he is strong willed. It was a bad omen. I would recommend "Raising Your Spirited Child" by Mary Sheedy Lurcinka instead. It's a much more respectful approach.
guyfarmgirl avatar reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 248 more book reviews
The books was very informative. I upgraded to the New Strongwilled child.
reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 6 more book reviews
"'The Strong-Willed Child' is a practical 'how-to' book on discipline and child-rearing, which focuses on sibling rivalry, hyperactivity, self-esteem, and the most common errors made by frustrated parents."
reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 9 more book reviews
If you have a child with ADHD...this is a great book for you. It gives you insight into your child's behaviors and how to discipline each type.
reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 6 more book reviews
Very good
reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 54 more book reviews
An informative book.
reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 26 more book reviews
I love most books by Dr. Dobson but this is one of his most helpful.
reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 10 more book reviews
This book helped me when I began my journey with my "strong-willed child". It helped me to consider how to think about the child and how to intervene EFFECTIVE. I recommend it.
reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 78 more book reviews
This hardback with dust-cover book is from birth through adolescence. It covers parenting and solutions for children that are a little harder to handle than others. It is great for parents with an ADHD child.
reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 6 more book reviews
Very helpful
nhapmom avatar reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 14 more book reviews
not at all a positive discipline book. if you cant hit an adult, why should you be able to hit a child?

try Dr. Sears books (the Discipline Book) or Positive Discipline or Raising Your Spirited Child...all much better than Dobson books.
reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on
I must first admit I did not finish reading this book, but here's why: I have a very strong-willed 2 year old. While I know that most 2 year olds have some degree of strong will, my son is definitely strong willed, now at 2 and I'm sure he will be later on.

The book does not really give ANY good advice for young children who are strong-willed. It admits everything we know - that while we love them like crazy, our strong-willed children can also drive us crazy. Dr. Dobson admits that these children are very challenging to rear, and he says we must be absolutely consistent or they may get in a LOT of trouble later on in life, very likely even a lot of legal trouble. He tells us we must make sure to discipline these children, but...unfortunately that's all. In every instance in which he discusses toddlers, he gives a situation in which the child is just 'acting his age' and should not be disciplined. It's almost as if he thinks that toddlers are rarely, actually defiant. Well then I must say he has not met MY often defiant 2 year old. Dr. Dobson gives NO support whatsoever in loving but strong discipline of this kind of child. I was rather disappointed, to be honest, because I have heard so many good things about Dobson.
reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 2 more book reviews
I did not believe in anything this doctor said, but it's a matter of personal opinion.
reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 10 more book reviews
This is a copy that I obtained through paperbackswap.com. I have read it and am now reposting it for others. There is no dust jacket as I received the book without one.
Suzgot2 avatar reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 82 more book reviews
I did not like it at all. I found it old fashioned and I felt that his approach is not a productive one. I don't like to be told when to spank my child. If you are not fond of old fashion forms of discipline-check out any book on positive discipline.
reviewed The Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence on + 30 more book reviews
I hate anything this man wrote about raising children. He believes in beating them. My mother was always pushing these at me. Yes, children need respect and need to be heard.