1-2-3 Magic

We've all seen "little monsters" whether they're ours or someone else's pulling the old "give me what I want or I will publicly embarrass you" act at the local supermarket. Dr. Thomas Phelan, a clinical psychologist, has developed and refined a discipline program so simple and elegant in concept that it almost seems too easy. In this two-hour lecture, enhanced with skits and parent interviews, Dr. Phelan outlines his simple counting system for correcting bad behavior in children--three counts and the child is sent to his or her room for a "time-out" session. While the counting system itself is not new, Dr. Phelan's specific instructions as to how, when, where, and why it works makes eminent sense. Citing the "little adult syndrome," whereby parents assume that the child is an adult in miniature, as the major source of child disciplinary problems, he offers an alternate model: the "wild animal trainer." Parents make the mistake, says Phelan, of "doing too much talking, and showing too much emotion" when dealing with their children. This often leads to what he calls the "talk-persuade-argue-yell-hit" cycle. During the question and answer period with the audience, Phelan handles the most frequently asked questions about the system, and advises people on where and when to make adjustments in the system, and how to deal with special situations: temper tantrums, sibling rivalry, a visit from the interfering grandmother, etc. In addition, he addresses some of the ways parents can encourage their children to start good behaviors (eating meals, cleaning rooms, and going to bed on time, for example). A much needed corrective to the slew of "rights of the child" books which automatically posit that a 2-year-old is a rational, sane human being (an absurd notion), 1-2-3 Magic is at once informative and entertaining. Perhaps the greatest praise I can give this program is that my wife and I haven't laughed so hard during any feature film this year, as we did watching this program. And while we're very fortunate to have children who do not throw temper tantrums, etc., I did overhear my wife saying to our dog, later that evening, "That's one." Highly recommended. (Available from: Child Management, 800 Roosevelt Rd., Glen Ellyn, IL 60137; 1-800-44-CHILD, as well as other distributors.)