You’re Not the Boss of Me

As a best selling author and renowned parenting expert, Betsy Brown Braun offers advice on the tricky task of raising 4- to 12-year-olds in her book: You’re Not the Boss of Me. Throughout the book, Braun reassures us that every parent has been frustrated with the occasional “bratty behaviors” of children while reminding us that we the power to shape how our children behave.

In each section of You’re Not the Boss of Me, Braun shares insight on topics ranging from teaching responsibility to instilling honesty, titling each chapter to cleverly correspond to a child’s typical one liner. For instance, what mom hasn’t heard “I can’t do it myself; you do it!”? Since expectations shift as the child matures, Braun provides specific examples to parents with children in certain age ranges.

Here’s what MotherTalk reviewers are saying about You’re Not the Boss of Me:

Black Belt Mama Reviews says: “Braun speaks to the reader on a grounded level. You sense she has “been there, done that” and is not passing judgment. The tone is friendly, firm, and encouraging. I found the book to be a refreshing parenting book.”

Watch Us Grow! says: “I was planning to pass this book on to a friend once I had read it, but I find I can’t really part with it now because I know I’ll be coming back to it again and again. I’ve asked friends and relatives many times how you teach these subjects. No one ever has a good answer. This book does! I’m so happy to own it and now I can recommend it to other parents too.”

Momforlife says: “Although I didn’t agree with 100% of Betsy Brown Braun’s suggestions, the book did help me take a step back from the intense, subjective aspects of parenting and think about some logical, concrete tactics that I can use to parent more effectively and restore the balance of authority in our household.”

Blessings of Love says: “I had a chance to review this book, and who can say no when they have kids and want to find the best ways to relate, discipline and encourage them?? I definitely won’t. Especially when the front cover reads…”Brat-Proofing your 4-12 year old children.” And when my kids act like brats daily…I definitely know I need some help! Although I have not had the chance to get through the whole book…because those “brats” don’t leave me any time to myself;) I have found so much useful input and already put some to practice.”

My Little Patch of Sunshine says: “”One of my favorite parts of the book is her list of 100 ways to say “Good Job!” Sometimes, as a parent, I fall into a rut of saying the same phrases over and over again.  It was good to see a list of phrases that I could pull from to encourage my children…You’re Not the Boss of Me is one of the best parenting books I’ve read in a while. I give it a “thumbs-up” rating!”

Life is Like Champagne says: “You’re not the Boss of me covers subjects such as teaching responsibility, building self reliance and losing the “Gimme” statement in your child. This book is an quick read, good reference and I can say I have found myself realizing that I have more power than I ever realized to shape my daughter’s behavior. It also makes you realize that little things you do which you may think they are not paying attention to…..they are!”

Life in the Petri Dish says: “The thing I liked most about the book was that information is presented in bite-sized pieces. And it really needs to be because Braun presents a LOT of information. She even tells the reader to implement ideas one at a time, slowly, to be sure that they are not overwhelming. The examples are very real and numerous, giving plenty of chances for each parent to find some steps to implement.”

5 Minutes for Books says: “There is clearly no shortage of parenting guides on the bookstore shelves, but I’m quite pleased to be able to add You’re Not the Boss of Me to my own personal collection as a comprehensive, accessible and easily applicable book of guidance and information to assist me in my efforts to raise respectful and responsible children- no Veruca Salts in my family, please!”

Holding Still says: “Braun’s book is written in an accessible and easy-to-read way and fits the bill as far as being useful and having a fresh perspective. Each chapter has a theme, for example, Independence and Empathy were two of my favorites.”

Help 4 New Moms says: “You’re Not the Boss of Me by Betsy Brown Braun, mother of triplets, and oh yeah, a child development and behavior specialist, is a terrific, no-nonsense, current parenting resource whose time has come. This book is the kind of book that can be read as issues arise. I love that. The book is laid out beautifully and is very easy to navigate.”

Stacy DeBroff

Stacy DeBroff, founder and CEO of Mom Central.com and social and digital consultancy, Influence Central, is a social media strategist, attorney, and best-selling parenting author. A sought-after expert for national media, she trend-spots regularly with national brands and speaks frequently to national and international audiences on a wide range of subjects, including influencer marketing, social media, entrepreneurship, and consumer trends. A passionate cook, gardener, reader, and tennis player, she adores this new chapter of post-college-age parenting.