Parenting expert Melissa Hood to publish refreshing book Real Parenting for Real Kids

When I’d dropped off three-year-old Big Girl at nursery yesterday, I called Daddy T for my usual morning rant. I could have had stress-free mornings if I’d decided to wait for Big Girl by the door with a spacious weekend bag she could fill with toys to bring to nursery every day.

Instead, I feel I have to be strict and say ‘no’ to all the random things she wants to bring since she’s not meant to turn up with a bunch of toys. On some days I feel frustrated to be having this same conversation again and again and Big Girl gets upset, making it difficult to get us all out of the house.

After reading a preview of the first chapter of a new parenting book coming out this spring, however, I’ve been reminded that I need to continue to strive to be empathetic. Melissa Hood, co-founder of London parenting course provider The Parent Practice, has written the book Real Parenting for Real Kids (£16.99), and the easy-to-follow book provides parents with a good foundation for understanding their children and succeeding with positive parenting.

The book mainly focuses on parenting of school-aged children, but it starts with a bullet point guide to understanding characteristics of different age groups and also continuously recognises that children’s different personalities need to be taken into account. By giving parents an insight into children’s emotional, social and intellectual needs, it empowers mums and dads to make sound parenting choices and build a close and happy family.

Real Parenting for Real Kids is true to its title and keeps it real from the get-go, with Hood even admitting to what she calls LPMs or low-parenting moments. The down-to-earth approach to positive parenting combined with real examples of how parents have handled a variety of everyday challenges makes the book a refreshing read with practical advice, which can be useful for parents like me who are striving to get every day off to a good start.

Real Parenting for Real Kids is available to pre-order at the discounted price of £10 until 1 March 2016. The book will be out in April

Tags: Books, Child development, Melissa Hood, Parenting, Parenting course, Real Parenting for Real Kids, Tantrums, The Parent Practice