Parenting expert Carl E. Pickhardt brings his considerable experience to tackling the most pervasive and difficult problems parents face in childrearing. Whereas many books on family conflict focus on the prickly teenage years, Pickhardt takes the long view and treats a broad range of ages - starting from the early toddler years all the way through college. He empowers parents to turn conflict into an opportunity to engage with their children on a deeper level. Readers will learn to: - Manage emotion during a fight so that you can hear the feelings behind the vitriol without taking offense. - Give criticism to children in a way that focuses on the behavior and not the person. - Find a hook inside silent tension that will let you connect with your children's feelings and show them a way to empathize with yours. - Consider your children's point of view during a disagreement and teach them to voice their grievances with respect. With a distinctive emphasis on how to distinguish types of conflict dependent on age and gender, Pickhardt shows parents how to turn the daily battles into opportunities for growth. This is a practical guide that helps parents confront difficult issues with which all families grapple.