Reccomend me a book on healthy, happy families

[Santosha]

As the title suggests, I'm after a good book or two on families. Hopefully something along gentle, respectful lines that might cover areas like roles, sibling relationships, rituals and traditions, values, family rules and discipline....

DH started reading Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families and was not a fan - a quick glean and I see why... really not our style and it's written quite badly. But I'm stoked that he'd taken an interest and wanted to offer a good replacement. Ideas?

[Nai]

Stephen biddulph, the secret of happy children.

[MummyNaomi]

Just reading his 'Raising Boys' at the moment and really liking his thoughts and ideas, I gave 'Raising Girls' to read next

Might have to give the Family one a browse too!

[Santosha]

Thanks ladies. I like Steve Biddulph and will probably get this one. Looking at the blurb though, it seems to be very much about parenting children. All good, of course, but now I'm on the hunt, I'd really live to find a book that was about FAMILY dynamics. That included the parent's relationship and the functioning of the group as it were. My google searches have yielded very little except for titles specific to addressing dysfunction.

Anyone else read any good ones?

[wysiwyg]

Not surprised by reaction to 7 Habits - I had to read the original (as in 7 habits of effective people) as part of my MSc and hated it.

I am reading these two books - not quite sure they are what you are after but will let you know if think much of interest in them

Honoré, Carl (2008). Under Pressure: Rescuing Our Children From The Culture of Hyper-Parenting. (some of this is available on the Daily Telegraph - will send you links if interested)

Hodgkinson, Tom (2009). The Idle Parent: Why Less Means More When Raising Kids

[Santosha]

Thanks Vic, from the titles, they look really interesting. Have been really getting into the 'less is more' idea thanks to the influence of Janet Landsbury's blog though have a long way to go in actually putting it into practice! I'll add those ones to my 'to read' list.

[wysiwyg]

Will have to check out that blog - thanks! I am very into the "less is more" idea but sometimes I wonder if that is because it appeals to the 'idle' in me - but then again I think sometimes it is harder to do just because I enjoy the whole 'teaching' thing and also love playing more than anything (especially chores).

[Santosha]

One last

[myturn]

Slightly off topic but might give you something, have you read the five love languages? There's also the five love languages for children and adolescents.... I think these are really useful for understanding how family members express love and affection... Does discuss how this rates to dynamics in relationships a bit so it might be relevant....

[~*familyof3*~]

Just wanting to know how you got on with these books? Thinking i may get some

[Santosha]

We ended up just sticking to blogs and articles which has inspired a few interesting conversations but was not as consistently provoking as I'd hoped a book might be. TBH, since i've nbeen pregnant, I'm just focussing on not spewing! Need to get back onto I and go raid some bookshops.

[wysiwyg]

I havent read much more since I last posted but did recently watch Freakanomics and it was saying that just by being interested in parenting books you are already being a good parent, actually reading them is optional :-)