How to Change Your Child's Attitude - Behavior & Character in 5 Days

This book is great for parents! It has already made a difference on my home. But it isn't for wimps or fly by night parents. If you can't be consistent in your own behavior and attitude, don't waste your money.

I recently read and started implementing principles from, "Have a New Kid by Friday" with great results! For example, I have had so much success with having the kids go to a different room when there is a problem to work out their disputes themselves, it is amazing. The peace level in our home is at an all-time high. We've now dubbed our laundry room the "work out" room - where the kids work things out.

That ONE change we've made in our family (w/4 kids between ages 10 and 4) is worth the price of at least 100 books!!! FULL of very practical advice and wisdom on how to trouble-shoot your own specific problems. This book has helped me find my sanity again!

The title is not misleading at all, the tips Leman gives in this book really do work. As with most things (e.g. dieting, exercise) there is no lasting "quick fix", it's a lifestyle change, but a good and worthwhile one to undertake. I can highly recommend this book to parents of young children.

After having power struggles with my four year old daughter I was at the end of my rope. I want to be a good parent that hopefully raises a respectful kind intelligent woman. The tips and strategies in this book are simple, straight forward, and very applicable. I now have new confidence and a game plan for helping my daughter become the woman I know she can be. Thank God for this book.

Kevin Leman's candor, wisdom and style connects well with parents. This is a great book for all parents that need practical advise and a plan that works. I bought extra copies to give to parents at our church. The book also comes with almost 200 pages of A-Z parenting parenting topics.

This really is a good book for someone with children at least 3 years and older. My husband and I read it together each night for our "us" time. It promoted great discussion. For most of the advice, you need to be able to explain something to the child. I have a 14 month old and a new 2 year old... they are not quite at the explaining phase, however, the "Don't give them what they want when throwing a fit, say no, and walk away," part helps. I am glad to have it though to help with upcoming trials we will face and perhaps to lay the ground work so we won't really need a "New Kid by Friday."

Mind blown! The principles in this book are amazing and go against everything I learned growing up. I'm so grateful this book was recommended to me and I'd recommend it to anyone wanting a change in their household.

Very practical and you can put it into action immediately. I have seen major results in my daughter and also got the CDs so I could immerse myself into an action plan. My daughter is 6 and I wish I had this book when she was 1 as there is a section on potty training that would of helped me so much. I highly recommend this book.Have a New Kid by Friday: How to Change Your Child's Attitude, Behavior & Character in 5 Days

I purchased this book because the title was very appealing. After all, who doesn't want a new kid by Friday? This book gives you great insight on how to deal with your kids without yelling, bargaining, and helps alleviate the frustration that comes when handling discipline problems from your children. I was in the midst of reading this book when my dog came to me whining because he was hungry. I put the book down and took him out to feed him. As I was about to pour the food into the bowl, I realized the bowl was shattered into many many pieces. I confronted my older son and asked how the bowl got broken. He looks at me with these puppy dog eyes and says, " I was throwing the bowl up in the air and catching it and it fell and broke." I was furious! We have tons of balls lying around the house, how come he couldn't use those for his playtime? I had to walk away to calm down, then it hit me, reality discipline is the best answer. I went back outside and told him that since he chose to play with the dogs bowl, he would have to pay for it. I told him that the dog didn't own much in our home, but he would sure appreciate a nice bowl to eat out of each and everyday. I instructed him to go upstairs and bring me his piggy bank, when he returned I open it and started removing his money. Teaching moment was coming, I could feel it! He said, "Mom, what are you doing with my money?" I told him that he needed to give me $6 of his money to replace the bowl. Oh...you would have thought I had sawed his arm off...the tears starting flowing. He handed me all the dollar bills and then I instructed him to count out all of the silver pieces. I left him with a heap of pennies. To this day, he knows that if he breaks something that doesn't belong to him he will have to pay for it. This book has taught me so much regarding how to handles issues with my children, without all the hassle. Recommend this book to anyone!!!

Dr. Leman's no nonsense approach to raising children is fantastic.

My children were not bad kids. They fight as most kids do, but overall they are still good kids.

This book isn't just for kids who are out of control. This book is for EVERYONE with kids.

Dr. Leman's "reality discipline" has given me so much insight on how to deal with my children. His strategies help stop yelling, screaming, fighting, and attitudes.

He helped me see that in real life there are consequences for our actions and this reality can be put into place very effectively with little ones.

My children are 8, 4 and 1 so we have a long road to go but this book has certainly helped change attitudes in my house and made our lives more pleasant.

Oh yes and the most important part. His tips help immediately. Your kids will be shocked at how your actions towards them have changed (i.e. no more yelling)when they are being unreasonable. The look on their face the first time you put his tips into practice is priceless!!!

I have passed it along to all my sisters to read. I highly recommend reading this if you have kids. You won't regret it!

I have a very oppositional child and have read countless books on parenting trying to figure out strategies that would work and stop letting my angry defiant 12 year old rule our house while we tip toe on eggshells around her just to keep the peace. I learned very important things reading this book, I discovered what my part in my daughters behavior is and now I have the tools I desperately need to save our family. I am very confident that the strategies in this book will be effective at turning my daughters attitude around and helping me to be the parent I have wanted to be.

This book is amazing. I promptly turned around and bought five more so I could give them as presents for new parents. The cute little baby outfits will be obsolete in six months, but the peaceful impact on the home from this book will last forever!!

Mind blown! The principles in this book are amazing and go against everything I learned growing up. I'm so grateful this book was recommended to me and I'd recommend it to anyone wanting a change in their household.

Very practical and you can put it into action immediately. I have seen major results in my daughter and also got the CDs so I could immerse myself into an action plan. My daughter is 6 and I wish I had this book when she was 1 as there is a section on potty training that would of helped me so much. I highly recommend this book.Have a New Kid by Friday: How to Change Your Child's Attitude, Behavior & Character in 5 Days

I purchased this book because the title was very appealing. After all, who doesn't want a new kid by Friday? This book gives you great insight on how to deal with your kids without yelling, bargaining, and helps alleviate the frustration that comes when handling discipline problems from your children. I was in the midst of reading this book when my dog came to me whining because he was hungry. I put the book down and took him out to feed him. As I was about to pour the food into the bowl, I realized the bowl was shattered into many many pieces. I confronted my older son and asked how the bowl got broken. He looks at me with these puppy dog eyes and says, " I was throwing the bowl up in the air and catching it and it fell and broke." I was furious! We have tons of balls lying around the house, how come he couldn't use those for his playtime? I had to walk away to calm down, then it hit me, reality discipline is the best answer. I went back outside and told him that since he chose to play with the dogs bowl, he would have to pay for it. I told him that the dog didn't own much in our home, but he would sure appreciate a nice bowl to eat out of each and everyday. I instructed him to go upstairs and bring me his piggy bank, when he returned I open it and started removing his money. Teaching moment was coming, I could feel it! He said, "Mom, what are you doing with my money?" I told him that he needed to give me $6 of his money to replace the bowl. Oh...you would have thought I had sawed his arm off...the tears starting flowing. He handed me all the dollar bills and then I instructed him to count out all of the silver pieces. I left him with a heap of pennies. To this day, he knows that if he breaks something that doesn't belong to him he will have to pay for it. This book has taught me so much regarding how to handles issues with my children, without all the hassle. Recommend this book to anyone!!!

Dr. Leman's no nonsense approach to raising children is fantastic.

My children were not bad kids. They fight as most kids do, but overall they are still good kids.

This book isn't just for kids who are out of control. This book is for EVERYONE with kids.

Dr. Leman's "reality discipline" has given me so much insight on how to deal with my children. His strategies help stop yelling, screaming, fighting, and attitudes.

He helped me see that in real life there are consequences for our actions and this reality can be put into place very effectively with little ones.

My children are 8, 4 and 1 so we have a long road to go but this book has certainly helped change attitudes in my house and made our lives more pleasant.

Oh yes and the most important part. His tips help immediately. Your kids will be shocked at how your actions towards them have changed (i.e. no more yelling)when they are being unreasonable. The look on their face the first time you put his tips into practice is priceless!!!

I have passed it along to all my sisters to read. I highly recommend reading this if you have kids. You won't regret it!

I have a very oppositional child and have read countless books on parenting trying to figure out strategies that would work and stop letting my angry defiant 12 year old rule our house while we tip toe on eggshells around her just to keep the peace. I learned very important things reading this book, I discovered what my part in my daughters behavior is and now I have the tools I desperately need to save our family. I am very confident that the strategies in this book will be effective at turning my daughters attitude around and helping me to be the parent I have wanted to be.

This book is amazing. I promptly turned around and bought five more so I could give them as presents for new parents. The cute little baby outfits will be obsolete in six months, but the peaceful impact on the home from this book will last forever!!

The concept is so simple yet it permeates multiple facets of parenting. It has removed nagging from our household for years. We combined it with the "Accountable Kids" program with wonderful results. Our children are now 10,9, & 8 and they are very self motivated and honest. They naturally take pride for their good choices and accept responsibility when they blow it. That is a great product of this book. It helps cultivate a sense of ownership in the child rather than making the adult seem like the bad guy. It really worked for us! I am so glad we got it when we did! I recommend it to everyone!

This book has been extremely helpful to me. If you keep falling back on what you're comfortable with, you are probably not parenting successfully. I learned from this book to be 100% consistent. It paid off, my three year old has been more respectful, obedient, affectionate and much happier. And my stress level is significantly lower. Thanks Dr. Lehman! You have helped me to find my new kid, and more importantly I have become a new mommy to my daughter.

The book overall is helpful. There are many variations of a child's behavior, so of course they can't all be covered. But many are. It would be nice to have more examples of the same type of behavior. However, the theory, "B doesn't happen unless you do A", does work. It does requires effort and patience on the parent's part. But so far, I've had great results. The book is a worthwhile purchase and I do recommend it. The best part of it, is the recommendation to remain calm, and consistent. This book will guide you on how to NOT to engage in a power struggle or argument with your child. The child may have a fit, but will not win. Soon the child will learn to become more responsible and self reliant, as well as aware that you are not going to "rescue" them and do their work for them. Because you didn't, they did slip and fall, and get hurt, embarrassed, whatever. But, they experienced the consequence. That is essential for life-long learning.

Easy read, amusing and to the point!! Dr. Leman's suggestions are basic tough love techniques. It's taking longer then a few days to see complete turnarounds in our 8 yo son's behaviors but then he is diagnosed with mild to moderate issues in attention, learning and defiance. I wasn't in full agreement with his perspective on diagnosing kids, or lack of it. We have definitely seen improvements though!! I love how Dr. Leman calls it "Fun day" for parents - changes my perspective with disciplining when times are really rough, makes it less stressful for me and my husband, with effective results on our family.

Most would not consider my husband and I poor parents or our kids bad kids, but we knew something was definitely missing in our parenting even though we have been consistent in training our children. This book really narrowed down the true problems in our parenting.

For those looking for a "cure all" no book will provide that. I'm convinced that the will of a child will never be broken or changed until the heart of the child is reached or trained. Reaching the heart takes time. Several who have read this book have completely missed the big picture that the author is trying to get across.

After reading this book, and implementing the things we were missing in our parenting, we were able to notice a significant difference in how our children (ages 8,6,3) related to one another and how we related to them in less than 24 hours.

Sibling rivalry is a huge issue in our home along with tattling. The issues haven't disappeared, it's just handled differently and the frustration levels have diminishted significantly. Instead of threatening them and trying to sort out who was doing what, we now send them both to one room together to work it out on their own. We no longer threaten. We'd prove good on our threats, but it only escalated the situation and created a battle that likely wasted a good portion of our day to win. Now we make them go in a room and hold hands or hug (they hate it). They can't leave the room until they are happy and have gotten things straightened out. When the situation is calm, we take the time then to instruct them on how they were wrong or give them a consequence for hurting each other if that was part of it. The tattling used to drive me crazy because I would never listen to it. I figured out that they were tattling because we were attempting to sort out their arguments. Now that we don't sort out their arguments, the tattling hasn't completely stopped yet, but half the time they tattle to the other siblings instead of us. I expect the tattling will lessen over time. We are essentially teaching them to communicate like adults.

I realized as a mom that I was parenting them like they were still toddlers. I was trying to control every bad attitude and action. Instead, I needed to let them express their attitude and let them fail. It's better that it comes out rather than stay inside and turn into bitterness. When it comes out, I initially ignore it, but then purpose to later address that attitude or action and follow it with a consequence if needed. Kids are going to be foolish. They have to be taught how to be responsible and what is right and wrong. It doesn't just happen because the parent screams them into silence.

Anyway..... if you struggle with similar parenting issues, this book will likely help you if you're willing to change your own habits and actions. Otherwise don't waste your money and expect to continue in your misery.