Sticks and Stones: 7 Ways Your Child Can Deal with Teasing, Conflict, and Other Hard Times

by Scott Cooper

Book Overview

Sticks and Stones helps parents teach kids how to speak up for themselves more assertively, gently, and effectively. Each chapter, based on the characteristics of a particular bird, uses a wealth of examples and imaginative exercises to give kids the confidence to speak truth to power. This unique guide, beautifully illustrated with line drawings of each bird and informed by the author's gentle humor, will help kids be effective communicators and...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0812932404
• ISBN13: 9780812932409
• Release Date: February 2000
• Publisher: Harmony/Rodale/Convergent
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

Cooper Coaches Parents, Teachers, and the Rest of Us

Scott Cooper's book, STICKS AND STONES, is an excellent resource for anyone who wants to improve interpersonal relations at home, in the classroom among children or even in a marriage or between countries. This small, completely accessible and easy-to-read book is organized into chapters that illustrate skills by linking them to the patterns of common birds. for example, for problems dealing with blaming (The Way of the Crow) skills such as the "Mighty Might" can be learned and utilized on the spot. Scripts enlarge the concepts and are written in kid-friendly language.Although this book abounds with good psychological principles, the author comes across as a positive coach with a humorous and compassionate style. The material and strategies are easy to grasp and draw upon solid psychological research, but are not heavy with jargon. Scott Cooper's wisdom will help fill in gaps in your own experience as a child.Every teacher and principal should have a copy near by. I have recommended this book to many adults in my social work practice. I wish it was around when I was raising a family.

Great for All Relationships

I don't have children of my own, but I bought this book because I thought it would be helpful knowledge to have when dealing with my nieces and nephews. I was surprised to find that these skills aren't just for kids. These are basic human relationship skills that will work for anyone. I wish more adults understood and applied this type of healthy interaction. Perhaps this book will lay the groundwork for a more kind and self-assured generation to come. I recommend this book for everyone. It's not just for children.

Important basics well outlined and creative

Scott Cooper uses basic "tools", in the symbol of birds, to convey an important message. Our children need to have verbal ways of avoiding conflicts. As a parent this is always a concern. Every parent wishes these skills were a "standard issued" gift to their children to avoid the painful process of growing up. Scott gives parents simple exercises with thoughtful and insightful advice to help us direct our children in the right direction. I personally would like to thank Mr. Cooper for his influence and genuine contribution to the preservation of the parent/child relationship. I think his dedications to his father and his niece were a very special touch to his thoughtfullness as a human being that reaped the benefits of a good upbringing.

The conflict ABC's

It may not occur to parents that we can teach our children communiation skills specifically, the same way we taught them the ABC's. We assume that our children will pick up on the accepted standards of behavior and develop the necessary communication skills by trial and error. When I came across Scott Cooper's new book, "Sticks and Stones", I was struck by his sensitivity in addressing the need to teach our children specifically, skills that will allow them to handle conflict. He does this beautifully in clear easy to follow exercises that work perfectly at the dinner table. Cooper's use of birds to illustrate the characteristics he wants to teach is pure inspiration. My children love pretending to be a blue jay or black bird or dove first, then they seem willing to settle in for a few minutes of roll playing. These exercises don't feel like homework! Need I say more? I am the parent of a child with an autism spectrum disorder. I know the need in living color to teach my child specifically how to navigate the waters of verbal communication. Now, with Scott Cooper's book, I have a tool that will help meet that need for each of my children. Thanks Scott!

Great Guide to Parenting

I've already read the book and love it. I have four children (ages 2,6,8,12). The strength of the book lies in its offering of several practical ways to teach children to cope in a sometimes rough and tumble world. I like the exercises that teach a parent how to teach these concepts to their children. The different approaches have creative names which will make it easy for my children to remember. I like the idea of solution time and I have already tried it with my kids with good results. I highly recommend this book to any parent with young children (some of the approaches are relevant to adults as well). The stories, examples and references are also valuable. If you only effectively use 2 or 3 ideas from the book, it is well worth the price.