What Did I Just Say!?!: How New Insights Into Childhood Thinking Can Help You Communicate More Effectively with Your Child

by Denis Donovan

An invaluable book that does for parents and their young children what "You Just Don't Understand" did for men and women Did you know that when you say "How many times have I told you not to?" your toddler thinks you are actually changing the subject rather than reiterating a question? Based on years of clinical experience and original child development research, "What Did I Just Say ? " shows how conventional communication styles actually prevent...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0805065024
• ISBN13: 9780805065022
• Release Date: October 2000
• Publisher: Owl Books (NY)
• Length: 230 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.6" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Change The Way You Communicate With Your Child

"What Did I Just Say! " by Denis Donovan, M.D. and Deborah McIntyre, M.A., R.N. is a book on how to communicate effectively with your children. This is a must in this day of computer wiz kids. It gives you phrases and practical statements to say to your children to help them process what you really want them to do. Children don't always hear what we meant. This book will change the way you communicate and interact with your children. Pick this one up today and be on your way to a better, more insightful relationship with your kids.

Not your typical parenting advice

If you want to understand how your child's mind really works, if you want to get past the blindfolds imposed by such labels as Attention Deficit Disorder, Hyperactivity, and Learning Disabled, if you want to be able to make rules and structure part of a meaningful relationship with your child and not just another source of arguments, read this book.

Easy read, quick feeling of hope!

"What Did I Just Say" will give the reader hope early on. It is well written, easy to understand, and for once offers real. simple, and useable techniques for parents and teachers. In a time when character education is severly lacking at home and in schools, this gives parents and teachers tools and makes them aware. Donovan and McIntyre point out in a matter-of-fact way and with humor, that adults defeat themselves just in the way we say something to a child. Adult language becomes so automatic that we don't even hear what we say. When we start listening to ourselves we find that we are inviting debate with the child, and help them to avoid ownership of responsibility, honesty, and respect. We tend to take on the resposibility for our child's choices and carry the guilt. The insight in this book is basic and simple. The techniques are easy to understand, and best of all DO-able! I am seeing the results at home and in my classroom. "What Did I Just Say" is a gift. Get a highlighter, and some peace!

A PAGE TURNER!!

This book is written with wit, warmth and a true concern for children and parental communication. The authors guide parents and others through the simple frustrations of child rearing, as well as the more difficult,and truly challenging situations. Children are considered as individuals, not generic"labels," that need to be treated according to their own specific needs. This book gives all care-givers hope in their ability to handle whatever their child may face, by giving them a fresh approach to their communication skills. I highly recommend this miraculous book to all those who deal with and care about the future of our children.

Practical help for parents

I am a therapist working with children and their parents in rural Oklahoma. Most of the children I work with have some sort of behavioral problem that brings them in for counseling. Any kind of realistic help that I can give the parents in dealing with these problems is greatly appreciated and more often than not the key factor in the success of the treatment. "What Did I Just Say!?!" is loaded with useful ideas and perspectives that can help parents get back in the driver's seat with their very challenging children.I used the book recently to supplement my 16 week parenting class. Even though the information came late in the course (when people were tired of learning new things) and was delivered in rather sloppy fashion (I had just gotten the book), the ideas were well received. One single-parent mother started using "the Five Minutes" and within four weeks swore by it. The Donovans are very thoughtful, caring professionals and it shows in their work. "What Did I Just Say!?!" is a valuable book for both parents and professionals who work with parents.