Spoiled Rotten

Fred G. Gosman

ISBN 10: 0679410368 / ISBN 13: 9780679410362

Published by Villard Books 1991, 1992

About this Item

Hardcover Stated First Villard Ed. Child rearing; Discipline; Today's Children and how to change them. (207 Pgs.) DJ & BOOK VVG.

Seller Inventory # AA-HC-12702

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Spoiled Rotten
• Publisher: Villard Books 1991
• Publication Date: 1992
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0679410368
• ISBN 13: 9780679410362
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Dust Jacket Condition: Dust Jacket Included
• Seller catalogs:
  • Child Rearing, Discipline

About this title

Synopsis

A commonsense child care guide assists parents in raising well-mannered, self-disciplined, and happy children with practices that target the all-too-common self-centeredness of today's kids. 50,000 first printing. $50,000 ad/promo. Tour.

Reviews

A father's sorry view of today's children and how to civilize them. Gosman, a former salesman of long-distance telephone service and the father of two ``slightly spoiled'' children, self-published this book a year ago. It received considerable positive media attention and sold a remarkable 13,000 copies, attracting agents and publishers. Gosman's thesis: that today's children, from tots to teenagers, are spoiled, selfish, materialistic, and willing to settle for mediocrity. His parent-to-parent advice: just say ``no'' and take away their toys--or privileges--until they shape up. It is simplistic bordering on cynical. Nearly half of Gosman's advice is devoted to what amounts to a catalogue of the tantalizing objects that undermine character, ranging from designer diapers to four- headed VCRs and vacations in the Caribbean, with TV bearing its usual share of the blame. The remainder deals with discipline and punishment, including chapters on what works (forewarning of the consequences of unacceptable behavior, consistent and speedy administration of the punishment) and what doesn't (empty threats). Some limp ``real life'' examples wrap it up. To his credit, Gosman does not advocate spanking, although he approves slaps on the hand in certain situations. It's hard to take seriously a book on discipline that puts toddler tantrums in the grocery store on a par with drunk driving and teenage sex, or to sympathize with a writer on families whose pre-publication handout describes kids as ``such little monsters.'' -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.