Peaceful Parent Happy Kids by Dr. Laura Markham: A Book Review
Peaceful Parent Happy Kids How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting by Dr. Laura Markham creator of www.AhaParenting.com is a book that came at just the right time for my family. I believe I was almost due with my second son, and my first son was two when I stumbled upon Ahaparenting. It kept popping up at the bottom of the Baby Center website. I truly believe God had a hand me finding Dr. Laura Markham. She has been an angel for myself and my family!
After our second son was born, what seemed like the perfect little family turned to chaos. In fact, I barely recognized us anymore. As a result, I knew I had to take action quick! I made time to read Peaceful Parent Happy Kids every chance I could. Consequently, after I read and applied the book, our family has not been the same. I am forever grateful that Dr. Laura Markham came into my life in her non-judgemental way and showed me a whole new way to parent.
10 Things You Will Get From Peaceful Parent Happy Kids:
- Most things that are stressing you out are NOT an emergency.
- Don’t take your child’s behavior personally.
- You receive steps to manage anger, overwhelm and your triggers.
- The importance of connecting with your child
- You learn the difference between coaching and controlling & the parenting styles and what is yours.
- The effects of yelling and spanking & what are the alternatives
- What is Emotional Intelligence and what you can do to support it
- How your childhood affects your parenting
- The importance of being fully present (OH so Hard for ME! Sadness)

- Today scientists believe our frontal cortex is not fully developed until we are in our 20s. (Find out 7 Facts About Your Child’s Prefrontal Cortex That Are Gamechangers here) Therefore, behaviors start to make a whole lot of sense when you understand the job of the frontal cortex.
Over time, I gathered so much information from this book I could easily write a list of 100 bullets. Assuredly, this book is brain candy for parents, and it drives home why Dr. Laura calls her website Aha Parenting. As a matter of fact, every time I had a moment with the book, I definitely had an Aha moment. Not to mention, I could put the book down and easily apply what I had just read.
10 Ways the Peaceful Parent Happy Kids Changed Our Family:
- Eventually, we quit spanking.
- I became intentional about my one-on-one time with my children. I scheduled it.
- We try not to take our children’s behavior personally, and we try to empathize with them instead of becoming defensive.
- For the most part, we raise our voices less when speaking to our children.
- Pursuing this further, as soon as I finished this book, I bought Dr. Markham’s second book, Peaceful Parent Happy Siblings How to Stop the Fighting and Raise Friends for Life and have tried my best to put its suggestions into place with my sons’ relationship with each other.

No one denies, our home is a happier place to be, and we have a family culture in place that I am proud of. Certainly, it’s more fun to be part of our family. Now, our children trust us and know that no matter what they do, our love is constant. As a result, I am intentional about being present (get more info here ) when I am with my children. Additionally, I put more time into self-care, and I have less guilt on the days I’m not the parent I dreamed of being. It became easier to have a “tomorrow’s a new day” attitude.
Call to Action
Above all, I highly recommend Dr. Laura Markham. Her books, her website, her email newsletters, they are all well worth a parent’s time, and I know spare time is precious! In addition, any time you see Dr. Laura Markham’s name on something, stop, drop, and read! To put it another way, the information she imparts on parents has the effect of an intense emotional detox for the whole family.

Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids: How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting (The Peaceful Parent Series) List Price:$16.00 Price:$10.87 You Save:$5.13
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Peaceful Parent, Happy Siblings: How to Stop the Fighting and Raise Friends for Life (The Peaceful Parent Series) List Price:$17.00 Price:$7.78 You Save:$9.22
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Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids Workbook: Using Mindfulness and Connection to Raise Resilient, Joyful Children and Rediscover your Love of Parenting List Price:$24.99 Price:$17.34 You Save:$7.65
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Make it a great day or not, the choice is yours! Remember to have fun, laugh and give God the glory! I love you! SS
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- Peaceful Parent Happy Kids by Dr. Laura Markham: A Book Review
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With 2 little boys under the ages of 2? I’m thinking of reading about parenting now. This looks like a good book to start with. I’m happy that it helped you guys and I’m hoping that it will help me as well with the yelling and understand my 2-year-old. Thank you for writing about this. It is what I needed to read tonight.
There is just so much we carry with us from our own childhood & we think that’s just the way it is. Then you start reading & looking around and thinking maybe there are other ways! One of the best parts of the book is that you can set the book down and start applying the info. on the spot. Sometimes I would just be in awe because my kid would do exactly what the book said he would! Best wishes.
This sounds like a great read. I love that you said it’s candy for the brain!
It is! I was trying to be in the Valentine’s theme! so I said that instead of brain candy. Did you receive the book you won?