Playful Parenting

Lawrence J. Cohen, Ph. D., is a clinical psychologist specializing in children's play, play therapy, and parenting. He is the coauthor, with Michael Thompson and Catherine O'Neill Grace, of Best Friends, Worst Enemies, a book about children's friendships and peer relations. He is also a columnist for The Boston Globe. Dr. Cohen leads Playful Parenting workshops for parents, teachers, and child-care professionals. He lives in Brookline, Massachusetts, with his wife, Anne, and their daughter, Emma.

Have you ever stepped back to watch what really goes on when your children play? As psychologist Lawrence J. Cohen points out, play is children s way of exploring the world, communicating deep feelings, getting close to those they care about, working through stressful situations, and simply blowing off steam. That s why playful parenting is so important and so successful in building strong, close bonds between parents and children. Through play we join our kids in their world and help them to

Express and understand complex emotions
Break through shyness, anger, and fear
Empower themselves and respect diversity
Play their way through sibling rivalry
Cooperate without power struggles

From eliciting a giggle during baby s first game of peekaboo to cracking jokes with a teenager while hanging out at the mall, Playful Parenting is a complete guide to using play to raise confident children. Written with love and humor, brimming with good advice and revealing anecdotes, and grounded in the latest research, this book will make you laugh even as it makes you wise in the ways of being an effective, enthusiastic parent.