Normal Children Have Problems, Too: How Parents Can Understand and Help

Lack of friends * poor self-image * sibling rivalry * hyperactivity * sadness and fearfulness * eating problems * nervous habits * aggressive behavior * defiance * sleep problems * lying * learning disabilities. . .

Even normal children can have problems.

And parents can help them.

That is the powerful assurance Dr. Stanley Turecki offers parents in this compassionate and practical book. Whatever the situation, Dr. Turecki shows you:

A new way to understand your child's difficulties and gain insights into causes and solutions
How to discuss problems without destructive arguments and win your child's cooperation
How to strengthen self-esteem by making the most of your child's individual temperament
How to improve discipline by focusing on planning and prevention rather than punishment
How to collaborate with teachers about school problems
What to do if you are told that your child should be tested for ADD or placed on medication
When to seek professional help

Including vivid vignettes illustrating a wide range of problems and how they were successfully resolved, this award-winning book is destined to become a parenting classic.

Stanley Turecki, M.D., is a psychiatrist, author, and lecturer. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, certified in adult and child psychiatry, and Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. He is also on the attending staff of Beth Israel Medical Center and Lenox Hill Hospital, and a member of several professional organizations. In 1983, he founded the Difficult Child Program at Beth Israel, and in 1985 the Difficult Child Center in Manhattan.

Since the publication of The Difficult Child in 1985 (revised edition, 1989), Dr. Turecki has become widely known for his expertise on children and families. His views have been featured in many professional and popular publications, including The New York Times, People, Redbook, Parents, Ladies' Home Journal and Working Mother. His many radio and television appearances include Good Morning America, The Today Show, CBS This Morning, Oprah Winfrey, and 20/20.

While maintaining an active practice in New York City, Dr. Turecki frequently lectures to parents, teachers, pediatricians, nurses, and mental-health professionals, speaks at professional association functions, and regularly participates in the T. Berry Brazelton National Seminar series.


Sarah Wernick, Ph.D., is a freelance writer based in Brookline, Massachusetts, who specializes in health and family issues. She is a contributing editor for Working Mother; her articles also have appeared in Woman's Day, Parents, Redbook, The New York Times, and other publications.