Zen Parenting: The Art of Learning What You Already Know

Parents and co-founders of Parenting with Spirit magazine Costello and Haver believe there's no one right way to raise children. Rather, they say, there are situation-specific responses to childrearing. So in lieu of dispensing hard and fast rules, their book aims to offer""insight on how parents can mindfully focus on daily experiences in order to transform the parent/child dynamic."" Stressing the importance of living in the present, the authors calmly and sensibly address such issues as disciplining, being a role model, feeling inadequate and dealing with death. Costello and Haver use anecdotes and examples to illustrate their points, following them with simple explanations of what parents can learn from each story. For example, a tale about a young girl's desire to help prepare dinner is followed by a paragraph on why it's important for children to take on jobs around the house, however small they may be.""To concentrate, whether it is in making a family meal or while using a hammer and nails, is a Zen process,"" the authors write.