Book excerpt: As featured in Grazia's 21 of the Best Parenting Books in 2020 ‘Joanna's books give you every answer to every question you have as a parent with practical methods to tackle every obstacle and connect with your child and help them flourish.’ Madeleine Shaw ‘When I tried Joanna’s approach during the first lockdown, I was both comforted and excited by how such a small change could have such a big impact.’ Dr. Suzanne McClean Parenting is for life – 7 days a week, 24 hours a day – and while it is one of the most rewarding experiences life can offer, it can also be frustrating when faced with challenging behaviour. But what if just 15 minutes of mindful playtime each day in you and your child’s routine could change all that? Play is the language of children. It is how they communicate. By rediscovering the joy of play as an adult, you can access a whole new way to understand and respond to your child’s needs. Created with busy parents in mind, psychotherapist and parenting expert Joanna Fortune has devised a simple but effective method to build quality playful time together at home structured around 15-minute games that can be easily incorporated into your existing daily routine. From newborns to the age of seven, her techniques are underpinned by research, neuroscience and therapeutic theories and are designed to address common behavioural issues you will meet as your child grows, including: Anxiety Lashing out Whining Boredom Sibling rivalry Demands for independence 15-Minute Parenting 0–7 Years contains everything your child needs to grow into a happy, confident and resilient adult. 15-Minute Parenting 8–12 Years: Stress-free strategies for nurturing your child’s development, is also available now! Praise for the 15–Minute Parenting series: ‘Now that we have to be teachers and coaches as well as parents — and feel guilty and overburdened — it’s the perfect time for psychotherapist Joanna Fortune’s new book.’ Sunday Independent ‘Absolutely love this! I’ve read multiple parenting books as a daddy blogger and this is BY FAR one of my favorites!’Amazon Reviewer ‘A must read for all parents! Absolutely loving this book. Joanna has a no frills, relaxed attitude towards parenting & brings fun into it. She made me realise that we don't need to question ourselves as much as we do. Don't sweat the small stuff & roll with it!’Amazon Reviewer ‘All of my friends love this. It’s expert advice but… accessible and smart and actually kind of fun. All the exercises are easily implemented and kids respond to them immediately… this book is well broken down so that whatever crisis you’re dealing with today you can check the chapter outline and jump straight to the few pages (and solutions) about that issue…’Amazon Reviewer ‘Simple and effective reading. Totally love this book… Fabulous chapter on relationships covering how to stay connected to your partner which I feel gets left out from other books I’ve read. I don’t feel I need to go back and check the book her words of wisdom have just been absorbed and my friend already has her hands on it so I will definitely be passing on.’Amazon Reviewer ‘A well thought out and written book to nudge you and guide you to better parenting without any self-flagellation… a gentle and kind written piece of work to get you back in to the swing of things and to find the time… to spend with your child(ren). Certainly think it can help parents that feel they can’t find their own way back.’Goodreads Reviewer