Reconnected Kids {Book Review}

About this book:

Reconnected Kids: Help Your Child Achieve Physical, Mental, and Emotional Health is a guide to help parents reconnect with their children once they be come reconnected themselves. Using the principles of the unique solutions-oriented Brain Balance Program, Reconnected Kids shows parents how to first identify their own role in their child’s behavior, and how then to guide the child to focus, listen, and stay connected.

The simple techniques in this user-friendly book will help parents, teachers, and children work toward common goals: good behavior, learning, trust, and connectedness. The proven tools offered in Reconnected Kids include:

• Personal stories from families dealing with these special children, sharing the difficulties (and triumphs) they have encountered.
• Action and Reinforcement Plans to get the entire family on board, on message, and united.
• Family Empowerment Worksheets so that parents can sit down with their children to help organize goals and long-term changes in behavior, and how to achieve those changes.

Reconnected Kids is about getting back to the basics with your child, by improving your role as a parent and role model, so that children who are starting to improve neurologically have a positive example of how to behave. In an age where technology, busy work schedules, and after school activities take away from the time parents and children spend together, Dr. Melillo argues that parental stimulation is “the single most important factor in getting baby’s brain on the correct path,” urging parents to get active with their children and spend as much time with them as possible. Not only will it help their child who is dealing with neurological issues, but it will also improve that most important bond between parent and child, strengthening the relationship to endure a lifetime.

Dr. Melillo says that the most common reason for negative behavior in kids is inconsistent messages from parents. Parents – especially parents of children with behavior problems – must have a set of rules that they establish together, agree on, stick to, and explain to their children in clear, easy-to-understand language. Children should be able and be expected to follow them because the rules will be in writing.

Reconnected Kids is available on Amazon.com and at your local bookstores.

My review:

It has some interesting information about the rise in learning and behavior disorders being diagnosed. While the author kept bringing up neurological disorders, it kept saying if your child doesn’t have them, then their bad behavior is a result of misguided parenting skills. It also spent a lot of time blaming technology for these problems (yet here I am – asked to share this book with you on the internet). I agree things should be in moderation, but I still don’t blame technology itself. So, it goes back again to parenting style, which is greatly influenced by lifestyle and priorities.

Honestly, I had trouble reading the entire book so I did not finish it. There are some interesting points and a lot of the pointers seem like they should be common sense. Though, I must say that the type of parents often described in this book that would have such badly behaved kids that would need this book probably aren’t going to seek it out. I see this book aimed more at people trying to work with the families, like when I used to work with at-risk youth and families as a case manager. Though, if a parent is struggling and looking for possible solutions, they may find helpful suggestions in this book.

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** FTC Disclosure: I received the product(s) mentioned above free of charge by the company or PR representative in order to conduct an honest review. I was not compensated in any other way for this post. The thoughts, experiences, and opinions included are entirely my own and may differ from that of others. I am not liable for any issues you may incur from use of said product(s). Images used are owned by me or provided with the company’s permission unless otherwise sourced. See full disclosure information. If you have any questions you can contact me or leave a comment.

Darcy Zalewski

Darcy is the founder of “Life With Darcy and Brian,” where she combines her love for education, board games, and crafting to create engaging learning experiences for kids. Her creative projects and writing have been featured in outlets like The Toy Insider, CafeMom, Mom.com, Parents.com, Country Living, and The Pioneer Woman.