Joy Berry

Last updated
Joy Berry
Joy Berry.jpg
Author Joy Berry
Born (1944-04-15) April 15, 1944 (age 78)
OccupationAuthor, educator,parenting expert and character development specialist
Genres Children's literature, child development, moral character development
Website
joyberryenterprises.com

Joy Berry (born April 15, 1944) is an American writer and child development specialist.

Contents

Biography

Berry has written over 250 self-help books for kids that have sold over 85 million copies, and is known in the juvenile publishing and media industries as the "Inventor of Self-Help Books for Kids".[ citation needed ]

According to Berry, “I began writing self-help books for kids in order to fill a void in both educational institutions as well as the marketplace. My goal was to provide step-by-step, easy to understand information that could help kids become responsible for themselves, responsible in their relationship with others, and responsible in the way in which they relate to their environment.”

In 2004, Amnesty International and the United Nations recruited Berry to translate the Convention on the Rights of the Child into a self-help book for kids with related educational materials called Mine and Yours. Soon after, the American Red Cross recruited Berry to write two self-help books for kids with related educational materials that addressed the subjects of Human Dignity as put forth in International Humanitarian Law and Peaceful Conflict Resolution as put forth in the Geneva Conventions.

In 2013, the materials developed for Amnesty International, the United Nations, and the American Red Cross were updated and incorporated into a single edutainment program called Kids for Global Peace. The program features animated characters called The Junkroom Band and includes an interactive website, 36 two-minute music and dance television interstitials (that combine live action with animation), three electronic comic books, and three teachers guides that teach kids about human rights, human dignity, and peaceful conflict resolution.

The Human race club series

Book series

The Joy Berry Classics collection of books is divided into seven series which are designed to address childhood issues at every age.

All books feature free downloads, which include (but are not limited to): Tips for Parents, Read Along Soundtracks, and Original Music.

Teach Me About (TMA)

These teach the first steps toward responsibility to children up to three years old.

Very young children often develop irresponsible behavior when they are not encouraged to assume responsibility for their actions and reactions. Parents often foster irresponsible behavior by perceiving children as helpless and incapable of assuming responsibility for their lives.

The purpose of the TMA books is to help parents begin the process of shifting the responsibility for a child's behavior from the parent to the child. These books accomplish this by helping children understand and handle appropriately the people and experiences that they encounter in their everyday lives.

(Books in the TMA series include: Mealtime, Bathtime, Getting Dressed, Bedtime, Travel, Potty Training, Illness, Danger, Boredom, Feelings, Crying, Security Objects, Mommies & Daddies, Brothers & Sisters, Grandparents, Relatives, Different Families, Pets, Friends, The Babysitter, The Doctor, The Dentist, Looking, Listening, Tasting, Smelling, Touching, My Body, Pretending, Day Care, School).

Let's Talk About (LTA)

These suggest handling emotions in positive ways to children three to five.

Raw emotions as well as emotionally charged situations are the source of a child's first inner conflicts and discomfort. This inner turmoil can manifest in unacceptable behavior that can be troublesome to parents as well as children.

The purpose of the LTA books is to educate young children regarding their emotions as well as the emotionally charged situations they encounter so that they can understand and handle these emotions and situations in positive instead of negative ways.

(Books is the LTA series include: Disobeying, Feeling Afraid, Feeling Worried, Feeling Frustrated, Feeling Defeated, Feeling Guilty, Feeling Sad, Feeling Lonely, Feeling Angry, Feeling Embarrassed, Feeling Inferior, Feeling Jealous, Feeling Disappointed, Feeling Cheated, Feeling Rejected, Being Away, Being Shy, New Situations, Getting Hurt, Getting Lost, Being Afraid to Fail, Being Patient, Being Good, Needing Attention, Saying “No,” Accepting “No,” Being Cooperative, Being Fair, Playing with Others, Being Helpful, Making Others Angry).

Help Me Be Good (HMBG)

These help replace misbehavior with good behavior in children five to seven.

The normal egocentricity of young children often leads to misbehavior that evokes unwanted responses from others. These unwanted responses can lead to a destructive cycle of negative action and reaction.

The purpose of the HMBG books is to help break the cycle of negative action and reaction. This is accomplished by each book defining a misbehavior; explaining the cause of the misbehavior; discussing the negative effects of the misbehavior; and offering suggestions for replacing the misbehavior with acceptable behavior.

(Books in the HMBG series include: Being Lazy, Being Forgetful, Being Careless, Being Messy, Being Wasteful, Overdoing It, Showing Off, Being a Bad Sport, Being Selfish, Being Greedy, Breaking Promises, Disobeying, Interrupting, Whining, Complaining, Throwing Tantrums, Teasing, Tattling, Gossiping, Being Rude, Snooping, Lying, Cheating, Stealing, Being Bullied, Being Bossy, Being Destructive, Fighting, Being Mean).

Living Skills (LS)

Seven to nine-year-olds learn to live.

Children are often ill-equipped to assume responsibility. Failure to function responsibly can result in a lack of meaning and productivity that can lead to dissatisfaction and regret.

The purpose of the LS books is to teach children the information and skills they need to live intelligent, responsible lives. This is accomplished by teaching children the personal skills they need to take care of themselves, the social skills they need to develop and maintain positive relationships, and the coping skills they need to relate to things in positive rather than negative ways.

(Books is the LS series include: Self Esteem, Human Sexuality, Health & Nutrition, Emotions, Rights & Responsibilities, Prejudice & Discrimination, Thinking & Learning, Decisions & Problems, Personal Goals, Manners, Communication, Disagreements, Friendships, Parent/Child Relationships, Sibling Relationships, Family Rules & Responsibilities, Family Arguments, Nightmares, Illness, Danger, Trauma, Time Management, Money Management, Consumerism, Family Law, School Law, Community Law, The Juvenile Justice System).

Survival skills (SS)

Children nine to eleven years of age should strive to survive.

Some children are often not prepared to fulfill the expectations society has of them, resulting in failure, frustration and disappointment for themselves and others.

The purpose of the SS books is to provide the information and skills that let children follow through with expectations, like cleaning their rooms, getting good grades, caring for their pets, and choosing the right peer groups.

(Books is the SS series include: Good Grooming, Getting Dressed, Good Posture, Sleep and Rest, Cooking for Yourself, Being Prepared, Being Careful, Handling Emergencies, Table Etiquette, Telephone Etiquette, Writing Etiquette, Public Etiquette, Entertaining, Visiting, Peer Groups, Rules and Regulations, Boredom, Using Television, Using the Computer, Using the Internet, Playing Electronic Games, Homework & Schoolwork, Good Grades, Cleaning Your Room, Caring For Your Clothes, Doing Yard Work, Caring For Your Pet, Babysitting, Conservation, Earning an Allowance, Family Finances).

Winning Skills (WS)

Self-actualization begins at eleven.

Preadolescent misbehavior is often a direct result of low self-esteem, lack of purpose or direction, pressure to succeed, traumatic experiences, unresolved problems, and/or boredom. Peer pressure is often the catalyst that turns these factors into misbehavior.

Dealing with preadolescent misbehavior via the shape-up-or-ship-out approach can be ineffectual because it deals with the symptoms rather than the problems. In order to make a substantial impact on preadolescent misbehavior it is imperative to resolve the issues that cause it.

The purpose of the WS books is to help young people overcome obstacles that prevent genuine happiness and success, get in control of their lives, and excel in every way possible.

(Books in the WS series include: You Can Overcome Fear, You Can Overcome Stress, You Can Handle Criticism & Rejection, You Can Handle Rude People, You Can Handle Tough Situations, You Can Get Rid of Bad Habits, You Can Be Smart, You Can Be Creative, You Can Be Assertive, You Can Be In Control, You Can Get Organized, You Can Achieve Goals, You Can Be Beautiful, You Can Be Liked, You Can Be Happy, You Can Be a Star, You Can Be a Winner, You Can Have a Great Future).

Good Answers to Tough Questions (GATQ)

Addressing challenging subjects for children of all ages

All children encounter, either directly or indirectly, difficult subjects and situations that can, if not handled properly, have a negative. Many adults are not equipped to help children handle appropriately the difficulties they experience.

The purpose of the GATQ books is to provide honest, unbiased answers to hard questions that can help children as well as adults turn negative experiences into positive ones. The books can also help parents, teachers, and counselors initiate therapeutic dialogues and provide insights that can lead to healing and growth.

(Books in the GATQ series include: Dependence and Separation, First Time Experiences, Separation, Pregnancy and Birth, Adoption, Divorce, Stepfamilies, Moving, Eating Disorders, Substance Abuse, Physical Disabilities, Blindness, Deafness, Learning Disabilities, Mental Illness, Serious Illness, Abuse and Neglect, Sexual Abuse, Kidnapping, Trauma, Disasters, War, Loss, Death).

Single books

In addition to the Joy Berry Classics, Joy has also written the following books:

Mine and Yours (Human Rights for Kids)

So What's Wrong With Playing Video Games?

ACTIVITY BOOKS

PARENTING BOOKS

In 1986, Berry also published the book Looking, a children's book about vision. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Time-out (parenting)</span> Short removal of a person for disciplinary reasons

A time-out is a form of behavioral modification that involves temporarily separating a person from an environment where an unacceptable behavior has occurred. The goal is to remove that person from an enriched, enjoyable environment, and therefore lead to extinction of the offending behavior. It is an educational and parenting technique recommended by most pediatricians and developmental psychologists as an effective form of discipline. Often a corner or a similar space where the person is to stand or sit during time-outs is designated. This form of discipline is especially popular in Western cultures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parenting</span> Process of raising a child

Parenting or child rearing promotes and supports the physical, emotional, social, spiritual and intellectual development of a child from infancy to adulthood. Parenting refers to the intricacies of raising a child and not exclusively for a biological relationship.

Feelings are subjective self-contained phenomenal experiences. According to the APA Dictionary of Psychology, a feeling is "a self-contained phenomenal experience"; and feelings are "subjective, evaluative, and independent of the sensations, thoughts, or images evoking them". The term feeling is closely related to, but not the same as emotion. "Feeling" may for instance refer to the conscious subjective experience of emotions. The study of subjective experiences is referred to as phenomenology. The discipline of psychotherapy generally involves a therapist helping a client understand, articulate and learn to effectively regulate their own feelings and ultimately take responsibility for their experience of the world. Feelings are sometimes held to be characteristic of embodied consciousness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shame</span> Affect, emotion, cognition, state or condition

Shame is an unpleasant self-conscious emotion often associated with negative self-evaluation; motivation to quit; and feelings of pain, exposure, distrust, powerlessness, and worthlessness.

Preadolescence is a stage of human development following middle childhood and preceding adolescence. It commonly ends with the beginning of puberty. Preadolescence is commonly defined as ages 9–12 ending with the major onset of puberty. It may also be defined as simply the 2-year period before the major onset of puberty. Preadolescence can bring its own challenges and anxieties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Discipline</span> Action or inaction that is regulated to be by a particular system of governance

Discipline refers to rule following behavior, to regulation, order, control and authority. It may also refer to punishment. Discipline is used to create habits, routines, and automatic mechanisms such as blind obedience. It may be inflicted on others or on oneself. Self discipline refers to the practice of self restraint, controlling one's emotions, and ignoring impulses.

Child discipline is the methods used to prevent future unwanted behaviour in children. The word discipline is defined as imparting knowledge and skill, in other words, to teach. In its most general sense, discipline refers to systematic instruction given to a disciple. To discipline means to instruct a person to follow a particular code of conduct.

A dysfunctional family is a family in which conflict, misbehavior, and often child neglect or abuse and sometimes even all of the above on the part of individual parents occur continuously and regularly, leading other members to accommodate such actions. Children sometimes grow up in such families with the understanding that such a situation is normal. Dysfunctional families are primarily a result of two adults, one typically overtly abusive and the other codependent, and may also be affected by substance abuse or other forms of addiction, or sometimes by an untreated mental illness. Parents having grown up in a dysfunctional family may over-correct or emulate their own parents. In some cases, the dominant parent will abuse or neglect their children and the other parent will not object, misleading a child to assume blame.

Cognitive therapy (CT) is a type of psychotherapy developed by American psychiatrist Aaron T. Beck. CT is one therapeutic approach within the larger group of cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT) and was first expounded by Beck in the 1960s. Cognitive therapy is based on the cognitive model, which states that thoughts, feelings and behavior are all connected, and that individuals can move toward overcoming difficulties and meeting their goals by identifying and changing unhelpful or inaccurate thinking, problematic behavior, and distressing emotional responses. This involves the individual working with the therapist to develop skills for testing and changing beliefs, identifying distorted thinking, relating to others in different ways, and changing behaviors. A cognitive case conceptualization is developed by the cognitive therapist as a guide to understand the individual's internal reality, select appropriate interventions and identify areas of distress.

Eileen Kennedy-Moore is a Princeton, New Jersey-based clinical psychologist and the author or co-author of books for parents, children, and mental health professionals. She serves on the advisory board for Parents magazine and blogs about children's feelings and friendships on PsychologyToday.com. She has also blogged for PBS Parents and U.S. News & World Report. She is the creator of Dr. Friendtastic, a cartoon superhero offering friendship advice for kids.

Positive discipline (PD) is a discipline model used by some schools and in parenting that focuses on the positive points of behavior. It is based on the idea that there are no bad children, just good and bad behaviors. Practitioners of positive discipline believe that good behavior can be taught and reinforced while weaning bad behaviors without hurting the child verbally or physically. People engaging in positive discipline believe that they are not ignoring problems but dealing with the problem differently by helping the child learn how to handle situations more appropriately while remaining kind to the children themselves.

In interpersonal communication, an I-message or I-statement is an assertion about the feelings, beliefs, values, etc. of the person speaking, generally expressed as a sentence beginning with the word "I", and is contrasted with a "you-message" or "you-statement", which often begins with the word "you" and focuses on the person spoken to. Thomas Gordon coined the term "I message" in the 1960s while doing play therapy with children. He added the concept to his book for parents, P.E.T.: Parent Effectiveness Training (1970). Not every message that begins with the word "I" is an I-message.

Emotions in the workplace play a large role in how an entire organization communicates within itself and to the outside world. "Events at work have real emotional impact on participants. The consequences of emotional states in the workplace, both behaviors and attitudes, have substantial significance for individuals, groups, and society". "Positive emotions in the workplace help employees obtain favorable outcomes including achievement, job enrichment and higher quality social context". "Negative emotions, such as fear, anger, stress, hostility, sadness, and guilt, however increase the predictability of workplace deviance,", and how the outside world views the organization.

Abuse of parents by their children, also known as child-to-parent violence (CPV), is a form of domestic violence, and is one of the most under-reported and under-researched subject areas in the field of psychology. Parents are quite often subject to levels of childhood aggression in excess of normal childhood aggressive outbursts, typically in the form of verbal or physical abuse. Parents feel a sense of shame and humiliation to have that problem, so they rarely seek help.

In psychology, manipulation is defined as subterfuge designed to influence or control another, usually in a manner which facilitates one's personal aims. Definitions for the term vary in which behavior is specifically included, influenced by both culture and whether referring to the general population or used in clinical contexts. Manipulation is generally considered a dishonest form of social influence as it is used at the expense of others.

A narcissistic parent is a parent affected by narcissism or narcissistic personality disorder. Typically, narcissistic parents are exclusively and possessively close to their children and are threatened by their children's growing independence. This results in a pattern of narcissistic attachment, with the parent considering that the child exists solely to fulfill the parent's needs and wishes. A narcissistic parent will often try to control their children with threats and emotional abuse. Narcissistic parenting adversely affects the psychological development of children, affecting their reasoning and their emotional, ethical, and societal behaviors and attitudes. Personal boundaries are often disregarded with the goal of molding and manipulating the child to satisfy the parent's expectations.

The effects of domestic violence on children have a tremendous impact on the well-being and developmental growth of children witnessing it. Children who witness domestic violence in the home often believe that they are to blame, live in a constant state of fear, and are 15 times more likely to be victims of child abuse. Close observation during an interaction can alert providers to the need for further investigation and intervention, such as dysfunctions in the physical, behavioral, emotional, and social areas of life, and can aid in early intervention and assistance for child victims.

Bullying is abusive social interaction between peers can include aggression, harassment, and violence. Bullying is typically repetitive and enacted by those who are in a position of power over the victim. A growing body of research illustrates a significant relationship between bullying and emotional intelligence.

<i>Kids Can Say No!</i> 1985 British short educational film

Kids Can Say No!, stylized as Kids Can Say No, is a 1985 British short educational film produced and directed by Jessica Skippon and written by Anita Bennett. It is intended to teach children between ages five and eight how to avoid situations where they might be sexually abused, how to escape such situations, and how to get help if they are abused. In the film, Australian celebrity Rolf Harris is in a park with a group of four children and tells them about proper and improper physical intimacy, which he calls "yes" and "no" feelings. The film has four role-playing scenes in which children encounter paedophiles, with Harris and the children discussing each scene.

Maladjustment is a term used in psychology to refer the "inability to react successfully and satisfactorily to the demand of one's environment". The term maladjustment can be refer to a wide range of social, biological and psychological conditions.

References

  1. Looking (Book, 1986). WorldCat . OCLC   16649159 . Retrieved February 11, 2019.

Joy Berry in the Media