Just what does it take to raise a responsible, compassionate child in a society whose overbearing media celebrates and encourages violence, promiscuity, and gluttonous materialism? Dr. William Sears and his wife, Martha, a nurse, understand that instilling a moral code in one's children is among the most daunting, yet vital, of all parenting tasks. In The Successful Child, they've marvelously distilled 34 years' experience parenting their eight children and treating thousands of kids in their pediatric office--along with facts from recent scientific studies--into this collection of constructive, reassuring guidelines for nurturing children into healthy, well-adjusted young adults.

As Dr. Sears told his children, "Your success in life ... will not be measured by the money you make or the degrees you earn, but rather by the number of persons whose lives are better because of what you did." To that end, Sears advocates what he has coined "attachment parenting," or AP, the practice of listening to your parenting instincts and being sensitive to your baby's needs (such as by quickly responding to cries; by breastfeeding on cue, not bottle-feeding on a schedule; and by co-sleeping). By having his needs met immediately, Sears says the child learns to trust adults, and he in turn mirrors this behavior by acting sensitively to the needs of others later on.

Sears says, "It's never too late to try the AP approach with a child," but The Successful Child definitely will be most useful to parents who've raised their child according to AP guidelines through infancy and toddlerhood. Those who haven't may shudder when Sears writes that the developmental stage from birth to one year most influences a child's future success "because that's when caregivers leave the most lasting impressions on a child's brain." Nevertheless, the Searses have packed in a plethora of sensible tips here for all parents, including 16 ways to teach children how to make wise choices, 12 strategies for guiding spiritual development, seven questions to ponder when a teen wants to start working part-time, and a dozen ways to boost your child's intellectual abilities, such as by offering a diet high in brain-building omega-3 fatty acids. But the most important thing parents can do for their kids, the Searses say, is to hold high expectations: "Let her know that you expect her to do her best, no less and no more, and that you will love her no matter what." --Erica Jorgensen

From Booklist
Sears, a pediatrician, provides advice on how parents can give children the tools they need to succeed in life. He begins by examining the connection parents develop with their children both before they are born and while they are young and most trusting, the connection that will develop their emotional and intellectual "tools." In the second half of the book, Sears advises parents on how to convert their children's good emotional habits into more specific skills needed for success--communication, compassion, health and fitness, and self-esteem. He focuses as much on developing spiritual values in children as steering them toward healthy diets and good study habits. Sears emphasizes that success cannot be measured simply by the attainment of good grades, career advancement, and wealth. He offers very solid advice, exercises, and evaluations to help parents guide their children from infancy through adolescence. Vanessa Bush
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Book Description
In their latest book, the Searses bring the reason and common sense of their philosophy of parenting to the hurdles of raising the older child. Attachment parenting is not just for babies; as children grow, they need to expand the web of their secure attachments to friends, teachers, community and the wider world. As there is no single plan for any one family, the Searses show a range of ways a parent can retain a child's trust and wield a positive influence as their child matures. By following the advice laid out in this book, parents can see that the bonds they have nurtured since infancy will provide the anchor that will ground their children through the challenging teen years to adulthood.

About the Author
William Sears, M.D., a practicing pediatrician for over 25 years, and his wife, Martha, a registered nurse, are the authors of 16 books, including The A.D.D. Book, The Discipline Book, and The Baby Book. They are the parents of eight children and currently reside in Capistrano Beach, California.

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
All parents want their children to become successful, but how do you define success? Is it wealth and fame? Or the ability to form meaningful relationships with others and make wise choices in life? Most important, how do we help our children become happy, healthy adults? America's premier pediatric team, Dr. William Sears and his wife, Martha, who have created 30 books (including the bestsellers The Baby Book and The Pregnancy Book) and 8 children together, acknowledge that true happiness goes beyond being "rich and famous." In their latest advice guide for parents, "Dr. Bill" and Martha break down the meaning of true success and provide parents with the tools to not only teach it but also live it.

In more than three decades of pediatric practice, Dr. Sears has had countless interactions with children and their parents. He conveys this wealth of observation through anecdotes, sidebars, and statistics, defining what he calls "connected kids." Connected kids are children who have the ability to empathize with others, overcome adversity, and maintain a healthy self-confidence due to a high level of trust and bonding with their primary caregivers, usually their parents. Though the Sears' believe this process of "connection" begins at birth, it is never to late to foster a sense of trust and love with your child -- even when they're in the midst of adolescent turmoil. The chapter on building a healthy sense of sexuality is worth the cost of the book for any parent dealing with precocious preteens.

The Sears' theory of "attachment parenting" includes carrying a baby often and breastfeeding when possible, but as a baby grows into a talking, thinking person good parenting becomes about modeling responsibility, morality, empathy, and good communication skills. That means we as parents must practice what we preach! As we do, we strengthen our family -- giving our kids the connection, love, and strength they need to become successful in life, no matter what challenges it brings. (Jessica Leigh Lebos)

FROM THE PUBLISHER