Contents

INTRODUCTION: My Journey: On the Road to Raising Happy, Capable, Responsible Children

PART ONE: Understanding Your Infant . . . and Yourself

ONE: Welcome to Baby's World

TWO: The Foundation of Feelings: The Nine Basic Signals

THREE: Responding to Your Infant's Signals: The Five Keys

FOUR: Responding to Signals As Your Child Grows: Watching the Vocabulary Become More Complex

FIVE: Cultivating Compatibility: How Understanding the Signals Helps You and Your Child Get Along

SIX: Encouraging Playfulness

SEVEN: "I Want to Be Like You, Mom and Dad!": How and Why Children Identify with Their Parents

EIGHT: Building Your Child's Self-Esteem

NINE: Turning Off Your Parenting Autopilot . . . : Identifying and Dealing with Your Assumptions About Being a Mom or a Dad

TEN: . . . And Becoming a Clued-In Parent: Getting to Know Your Child

PART TWO: The Signals