As a parent, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by all of the conflicting parenting advice tossed around by various experts. Are you supposed to praise your children, or will that make them narcissistic? Do you involve yourself in playtime, or let them figure it out on their own? In the end, it’s easy to get caught up in the “right” ways of parenting, and completely forget what our goals are for our children.

In response to this phenomenon, child psychotherapist Katie Hurley wrote THE HAPPY KID HANDBOOK: How to Raise Joyful Children in a Stressful World. In this simple yet insightful guide, Hurley gives parents what they want most: a straightforward approach that produces happy children and sane adults. Noting the differences between extroverts, introverts, and everything in between, Hurley urges parents to respond to the child as an individual and tailor their approach according to the particular needs of the child. In THE HAPPY KID HANDBOOK, she helps parents to:

* Understand their child’s personality and temperament
* Discover how to best engage and empathize with each child
* Help each personality type build social skills, understand emotions, and empathize with others
* Know when and how to praise their child
* Decide what or how many activities to schedule, and when to let their child quit

These and other actionable strategies help parents raise confident, capable – and most of all – happy kids. Simplifying what has become way too complicated and confusing, THE HAPPY KID HANDBOOK helps parents learn to use their instincts and meet their children exactly where they are.

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