Calm, Kind & Firm: The Gentle Parenting Workbook for Parents Breaking Free of Shouting and Permissiveness

This workbook is for parents of toddlers and primary-age children who grew up with strict, shouty, do-as-you're-told parenting and are determined to do it differently, but who have noticed the pendulum swinging too far. You say "gentle hands" for the fifth time while a book hits you in the face. You say "mummy's fine" when you are not. You end the day wondering whether you are being kind or just being walked over. Gentle parenting is often confused with permissive parenting. They are not the same thing. Authoritative parenting is warm and firm together: the feeling is always allowed, but the behaviour has limits. This workbook turns that idea into eight short, written exercises you can finish in one sitting each, often after bedtime. You will write your own boundary scripts and offer real choices, such as "we don't throw books, we read them, and if you want to throw, we can throw cushions or a ball." You will build a feelings vocabulary your child can use. You will practise being honest about your own emotions in age-appropriate ways. You will plan how to repair after you shout, including waiting until you are calm before you apologise. You will also learn to read what is behind a rough afternoon, such as a hard day at school. Kelly Medina Enos is a certified parenting coach based in York and the mum of George and Ariella. She shares her real home life with a following of more than 650,000 people, including the wins, the shouting and the apologies that follow. Her approach is practical, honest and free of perfectionism. Each exercise includes a prompt, an explanation of why it matters, an example answer and the mistakes to avoid.