Book excerpt: The twelve alternatives to time out presented in this book focus on problem solving and cooperative learning to give parents and children a chance to address behavior while maintaining a positive, respectful and connected relationship. Encouraging better behavior without time out is not only possible, it is, according to the latest research on child development and parenting practices, more effective. While children tend to repeat misbeaviors shortly after time out, connected parenting tools help children really learn to make better choices. This guidance based approach to parenting and discipline is not only effective, it will work from toddlerhood and well into the teen years. A connected approach to discipline helps children learn the skills they need to be successful, resilient, happy, empathetic, cooperative and well-adjusted for life. Discover why what children do is not manipulation, learn how to tackle "misbehaviors" and teach your child the value of cooperation and respect. Read stories from real parents that have used connected discipline tools to positively transform whining, screaming, defiance, back talk, tantrums, dawdling, sibling fights and many other every day parenting challenges. Children are quite creative when it comes to solving problems, this book will help you foster that ability and also help you teach your child to calm down instead of melt down. This book gives you twelve concrete parenting tools, based on real families plus the latest parenting and child development research so you can choose how to best incorporate them into your own parenting practices. This book was written by a parenting educator, with years of experience working with children and families who is also the mother to three children. Because the author is a busy mother herself, the book was written purposely to be short, useful and practical, while still presenting valuable information.