Some parents raise children without knowing anything about child development and are thus bewildered about how to deal with difficult behavior. This books addresses three important areas of parenting--child development, parenting style, and discipline--and tries to help parents gain the self-control needed to become competent adults. Chapters 1, 2, and 4 explore children's personalities and their psychological, emotional, and moral development. Since many behavior problems are blamed on parenting styles, Chapter 5 looks at three parenting styles: dominant, smothering, and permissive, along with three kinds of discipline--intervention, interaction, and non-intervention. Chapters 6 and 7 discuss the negotiation of boundaries, rules, and limits within the home and explain how negotiation requires only a few rules and some specific guidelines. Chapter 8 looks at responsible behavior and how parents can move children away from a negative spiral of irresponsible behavior. Discipline is an important theme in this book, and Chapter 3 and Chapters 9 through 14 discuss ways in which children can be disciplined without violating their rights. The final chapter argues that raising children has become a community responsibility and that parents need the support of the community in countering the negative influences that infiltrate the modern home. (RJM)