I just finished reading I Am So the Boss of You by Kathy Buckworth and wrote a review for Amazon which I titled I am Not a Fan.

If you wonder what I thought, here goes”

I am parenting author and speaker. My first book is Who’s In Charge Anyway? so it would seem reasonable that this title would attract me. After all, it’s all about doing the job of parenting and letting the kids know that there is a responsible adult (or two) in charge.

Okay, so she does that and it’s supposed to be funny. But, I was totally put off with her put down of fathers. I have been in this business for 35 years and the change in the roles and responsibilities of Dads in the parenting world has been enormous. They are very much the other parent, the work with the Moms and raise the kids together. It’s awesome.

I am also put off by the use of punishment to simply stop the unwanted behaviours. There was no move to teaching kids why they need to change or the reasons for the rules. The goal is to simply make them uncomfortable so they don’t do it (whatever it is bugging the “Boss” that day) again.

I am not at all a ‘laissez-faire’ parent or a helicopter. I absolutely believe kids should be taking responsibility for their actions the for the work of running the house as they are ready.

But I am not a fan of the approach in this book.