Display Search Bar

5 Minutes for Mom

Main navigation

If I Have to Tell You One More Time. . . Review and Giveaway

by

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’m sure there’s not a mom out there who hasn’t read a myriad of parenting books. You might have even read your first one (or three) when your little one was in the womb! Whether it’s information on how, when, or what to feed an infant and toddler, potty training, discipline, sleep issues, socialization, special needs — we are all looking for the magic bullet that will help us raise our kids right. If only just reading a book would make the magic happen — unfortunately, we have to follow through and actually put the tips into practice.

I think that Amy McCready’s If I Have to Tell You One More Time. . .: The Revolutionary Program That Gets Your Kids To Listen Without Nagging, Reminding, or Yelling was tailor-made just for me! Unfortunately, my ugly yelling side rears its head quite often in parenting, and it’s usually because I’m tired of nagging and reminding.

McCready’s style is very accessible. Each chapter provides toolbox solutions, which are strategies that you can implement right away. They suggest ways to deal with conflict, ways to respond to disobedience or repeated misbehaviors. They suggest how we can respond or what we should do in certain situations in order to keep our cool and maintain control.

If you are familiar with parenting philosophies that encourage parents to give logical consequences to misbehavior while staying cool and calm — this is very similar. Everything McCready says makes sense and doesn’t seem too out-there or hard to implement.

I would say that this book is best for parents of school-aged kids (age 6 and up). I have a 7-year-old son and a 13-year-old daughter, and the situations and struggles spoke right to my family.

I have honestly seen a change in the way I respond to my kids after reading If I Have to Tell You One More Time. . .. I can’t say that I don’t nag, remind or yell ever, but I feel like I’m reacting in a way that will benefit their long-term development and my goal of helping them to become responsible adults.

I am very happy to be able to give away a copy of this book to you. Please leave a comment if you’d like to win (U.S. shipping addresses only). We’ll announce the winner in our weekly book column right here on October 24.

Reader Interactions


Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

39 Comments

  1. Hi I posted before just after reading this review, and just wanted to follow up post. I borrowed this book from our library and have been implementing some of the toolbox tips with our children… mainly the strong-willed one. This is the best parenting advice I’ve found so far, she’s really responding well and I am so much less stressed. I would like my husband to read it also, and I would like to read it again and have as a reference. I have to return it to the library in 3 days though. So, note to Jennifer, please put me on the list for the giveaway. And thanks again for the book review!

    Reply

  7. I wish I could say I don’t need this book, but my kids don’t seem to hear me unless I’m yelling. Sound like it would be a good read.

    Reply

  9. One of my children is VERY strong-willed, and after implementing more rigid strategies from other books I’ve read, I’ve noticed my daughter reacts negatively and is more of a problem.. and I’m more stressed then too! “Logical consequences… while staying cool and calm” sounded like a slightly different approach, and sounded good to me! I got this book out of our library to check it out, and although I’m not finished yet, the few toolbox solutions I’ve tried have gone over really well with my strong-willed child. She feels more empowered and I can stay cool and calm 🙂 This book directs me toward more proactive parenting, rather than reactive parenting. The solutions are more about how I can change what I’m doing (but without giving up authority) to then minimize the confrontations… and with my strong-willed child these tend to pop up a lot! I feel like this is a good resource book – not just to read once and done, but something to turn to frequently, since I imagine that different “toolbox solutions” will come in handy as each child develops, and as I change also. I would like to own this book as a good parenting resource. Thanks for the book review!

    Reply

  10. Oh boy could I use this! I feel like I am CONSTANTLY yelling at my girls! I feel bad and want to learn some new techniques!

    Reply

  12. Does it teach patience, too? 🙂 All kidding aside, I am actually practicing my patience with my daughter, so this sounds like it would be a great book, thanks.

    Reply

  18. With my 12 yr old daughter & 9 yr old son, I could use this book! I feel like I say the same thing over & over & just get ignored constantly! It’s time to change how things work around here!

    Reply

  24. I’d love to read this book. My sister’s kids are with us half the time, so the last thing we want when they’re with us is to be loosing our tempers. But we don’t want them running the show either! This sounds like it is full of useful and sane advice. Thanks so much for offering the giveaway.

    Reply

  29. This book has my name written all over it today! I have a 7yr daughter and an 8 wk (tomorrow) old daughter … so far in behavior and appearance they are twins separated by 7 years! I am trying to “break” my older princess of several bad habits she has yet to break: not listening being #1 on that list! I hope to accomplish this BEFORE her sister is old enough to begin modeling the “bad” stuff!

    Reply