The ten basic principles of good parenting / Laurence Steinberg.

Includes index.

Principle 1. What you do matters -- Be a mindful parent -- Genes don't make parents irrelevant -- Children learn by watching -- Handling influences outside the family -- Learn from your mistakes -- Principle 2. You cannot be too loving -- Can you spoil your child with love? -- Expressing physical affection -- Praise our child's accomplishments -- Responding to your child's emotional needs -- Providing a safe haven -- Principle 3. Be involved in your child's life -- Be involved -- What is quality time? -- Take an interest in our child's interests -- The importance of school involvement -- Avoid intrusive parenting -- Principle 4. Adapt your parenting to fit your child -- Keep pace with your child's development -- Adjust your parenting to your child's temperament -- Your child is unique -- Have patience during developmental transitions -- Your changing role as a parent -- Principle 5. Establish rules and set limits -- All children need rules and limits -- Be firm, but be fair -- The importance of monitoring -- Handling conflicts over rules -- Relaxing limits as your child matures --

Principle 6. Help foster your child's independence -- Your child's need for autonomy -- Coping with oppositionalism and argumentativeness -- Give your child psychological space -- Don't micromanage your child's life -- Protect when you must, but permit when you can -- Principle 7. Be consistent -- Be consistent from day to day -- The significance of routines -- How important is a united front? -- Be consistent without being rigid -- Identify you nonnegotiables -- Principle 8. Avoid harsh discipline -- Should children be punished? -- Never use physical punishment -- Don't be verbally abusive -- Controlling your anger -- The right way to punish -- Principle 9. Explain your rules and decisions -- Be clear about what you expect -- Reasoning with your child -- "Because I said so" -- Hear your child's point of view -- Admit your mistakes -- Principle 10. Treat your child with respect -- Getting and giving respect -- Have two-way conversations -- "Don't talk back" -- Let our child act his age -- Children treat others the way their parents treat them.

A guide to raising happy and healthy children discusses adapting a parenting style to match a particular child's needs, establishing limits, and promoting such qualities as honesty, kindness, and independence.