For many years, Americans parented with the stick — the lash, the twisted ear, and the spanking. Then came Doctor Spock — spanking went out and well-nurtured self-esteem came in.

Parenting has now switched to giving plentiful praise and rewards for good behavior. But that’s too much emphasis on self-esteem, some say.

Now, parenting consultant Alfie Kohn says both ways are wrong. The real trick, he says, is to love and parent unconditionally without the spanking or the puffed-up self-esteem.

Tune in to hear about a new take on unconditional parenting.

Guests:

Alfie Kohn, author of several books on education and parenting. His new book is “Unconditional Parenting: Moving from Rewards and Punishments to Love and Reason.”;
Nancy Samalin, best-selling parenting author and pioneer in the field of parent education. She has been conducting workshops for parents of toddlers through teens for over two decades. Her latest book is “Loving Without Spoiling: And 100 Other Timeless Tips for Raising Terrific Kids.”;
Jack Beatty, “On Point” news analyst and a senior editor at The Atlantic Monthly.